WoW Insider's guide to the battle pets of 5.3
Patch 5.3 has added a ton of new content to the game, including some additional battle pets for us all to collect. We've compiled a a rundown of them, including where to find them and what they do. Have at y, pet collectors, and happy hunting!
Burning Crusade raid pets
There are a total of ten new battle pets that can be found in Burning Crusade-era raids. And you thought you were done farming the Karazhan opera!
Karazhan
L'il Bad Wolf
The L'il Bad Wolf has a chance to drop from the Big Bad Wolf at the Karazhan opera event. Sadly, the Big Bad Wolf is not a guaranteed boss from the opera, so this pet is likely to be one of the more difficult ones to add to your collection this patch. For the lucky ones who do manage to grab the L'il Bad Wolf, you'll be rewarded with a Humanoid pet possessing Claw, Mangle, Howl, Counterstike, Dodge, and Pounce. While none of those are unique abilities, Mangle is possessed only by two other pets in the game.
Menagerie Custodian
I am in love with the little mini-curator model for this pet. It drops from - who else? - Curator in Karazhan, which was often a healer's bane of a fight in early TBC. Anyway, this one's a Mechanical pet that can smite your enemies with Zap, Shock and Awe, Lock On, Overtune, Demolish, and Ion Cannon. Most of these abilities are actually pretty rare, so the Menagerie Custodian should be a unique addition to your collection.
Fiendish Imp
Our final vengeance on Terestian Illhoof is to steal his adorable little minions. The Fiendish Imp is another Humanoid pet but possesses Elemental, Beast, and Magic abilities. Beat up your opponents with Burn, Immolation, Rush, Sear Magic, Flamethrower, and Nether Gate. That last ability can only be found on either this pet or the Netherspace Abyssal - both Karazhan drops.
Netherspace Abyssal
This one drops off the final boss from Karazhan, Prince Malchezzar, and if you need help getting to him WoW Insider's Kristin Marshall's got you covered. The Netherspace Abyssal is an adorable little demon Magic pet, and it's got some ability overlap with the Fiendish Imp: Crush, Immolation, Meteor Strike, Immolate, Explode, and Nether Gate.
Serpentshrine Cavern
Tainted Waveling
The Tainted Waveling is an Elemental that drops from Hydross the Unstable and is basically a miniature version of that boss. It's got Ooze Touch, Acidic Goo, Healing Wave, Poison Spit, Corrosion, and Creeping Ooze.
Tideskipper
Like the Tainted Waveling, Tideskipper is a mini version of the boss it drops from, in this case, Morogrim Tidewalker. Holy murloc waves, Batman! This Aquatic pet has Crush, Tidal Wave, Clobber, Grasp, Body Slam, and Geyser. Body Slam is totally unique to this pet.
Coilfang Stalker
To get this one, you'll have to defeat Lady Vashj herself - she is soloable, but it can be kind of a pain, so if you haven't done it before I recommend some caution. This Magic marsh creature has Laser, Gravity, Surge of Power, Focused Beams, Illusionary Barrier, and Amplify Magic. Only the Spectral Porcupettes of the Isle of Giants share Illusionary Barrier with the Coilfang Stalker. In addition, if you have him out while you're running around the world, he'll occasionally fear nearby critters.
Tempest Keep: The Eye
Phoenix Hawk Hatchling
Kael'thas in Magister's Terrace already drops a proper phoenix pet, so Al'ar's new drop is the dragonhawk-like Phoenix Hawk Hatchling. Still cute as a button, I may add. Like the Dragonhawk pets, it's a Dragonkin, and it's got Claw, Rake, Flame Breath, Quills, Flyby, and Liftoff for abilities.
Pocket Reaver
This one has my vote for best name in the new bunch of pets. Pocket Reaver is a mini-me of Void Reaver, which drops it. It's a Mechanical pet that's got Metal Fist, Repair, Fel Immolate, Thrash, Quake, and Supercharge.
Lesser Voidcaller
The Lesser Voidcaller is Solarian's addition to the pet drops of Tempest Keep. It's one of those little fanced-up void creatures with a big glowing rune behind it; a Magic pet that will beat up its opponents with Shadow Shock, Siphon Life, Curse of Doom, Nether Blast, Prismatic Barrier, and Drain Power. Prismatic Barrier is unique to the Lesser Voidcaller, and Nether Blast is also a rare ability.
Gathering all these pets results in the Raiding With Leashes II: Attunement Edition achievement, which rewards you with yet another pet: Tito, of Karazhan opera fame! Tito's a Beast with Bite, Impale, Cyclone (nice touch, Blizz!), Triple Snap, Howl, and Buried Treasure. Impale is shared only with the Harbinger of Flame from Molten Core.
Wrath of the Lich King Zone pets
In the frozen wastes of Northrend, one new wild battle pet can now be captured, the Unborn Val'kyr!
Unborn Val'kyr
If the Pocket Reaver has the best pet name of 5.3, this one's got my vote for the worst, or at least the most creepy. Seriously, did we rip this thing from the womb of another Val'kyr? Blech! Anyway, it is kind of cute, in that terrifying undead flying woman sort of way. The Unborn Val'kyr is an Undead pet with Shadow Slash, Siphon Life, Haunt, Shadow Shock, Curse of Doom, and Unholy Ascension. Haunt is unique to this little Val'kyr, and only the Ghostly Skull shares Unholy Ascension.
Isle of Thunder and Throne of Thunder pets
Two new Isle of Thunder zone pets and three new Throne of Thunder raid pets are now available. As if you hadn't already spent enough time in that festering swamp!
Filthling
The appropriately-named Filthling drops from Quivering Filth in the saurok area on the Isle of Thunder. It's gross-looking, and this Magic pet has also got a number of gross-sounding abilities: Dreadful Breath, Stench, Corrosion, Absorb, Expunge, and Creeping Ooze. Ewww.
Direhorn Runt
You can grab this cute little pet from the Direhorns of the Isle of Giants. It's a Beast, and has Trihorn Charge, Horn Attack, Primal Cry, Trample, Stampede, and Trihorn Shield. As you may have guessed, Trihorn Charge and Trihorn Shield are unique to the Direhorn pets.
Living Fluid
The Living Fluid pet also sounds kind of gross, to be honest. It's another Magic pet and drops off of Primordius. If you're lucky enough to snag one you'll get Ooze Touch, Corrosion, Expunge, Absorb, Acidic Goo, and Evolution for it. Evolution is unique to the Living Fluid and Viscous Horror pets.
Viscous Horror
The Viscous Horror is almost identical to the Living Fluid - it also drops off Primordius, but only in Normal mode. It's also a Magic pet and it's got nearly the same ability lineup, just substitutes Plagued Blood for Acidic Goo. True collectors will want them both, I'm sure!
Pygmy Direhorn
Not to be confused with the Direhorn Runt - but, let's face it, easily confused nonetheless - the Pygmy Direhorn drops off of Horridon. It's got the exact same abilities as the Direhorn Runt, it's just a different color.
Reward pets
These new pets are rewards for quests and accomplishments in 5.3, so get questing and achievement hunting if you want them!
Stunted Direhorn
Yet another recolor of the other miniature Direhorn pets, this one is green and a reward for earning the Brutal Pet Brawler achievement. It's got the same abilities as the other two little Direhorns, but it's a nice reward for those nerd points nonetheless.
Gahz'rooki
I am so looking forward to getting Gahz'rooki. A reference to Godzilla's nephew Godzooky from the old 1970s Godzilla cartoon, he's an Aquatic pet that you can grab from the Darkspear Rebellion vendor. Gahz'rooki comes with Bite, Devour, Whirlpool, Tail Slap, Swallow You Whole, and Geyser. Only two other pets have Swallow You Whole: Baby Shark and Spawn of G'nathus.
I know a few folks who've already managed to snag several of these pets on live, so they're certainly out there! Good luck to those of you seeking them, and I hope you're enjoying patch 5.3!
