battle-pets
Latest
Celestial Tournament testing open
Calling all experienced and dedicated pet battles! Not too long ago we profiled the new Celestial Tournament, due to launch in patch 5.4, which will allow players who have at least 30 pets at level 25 to compete for various rewards, including still more pets! Well the tournament itself is now open for testing on the PTR. Head on over to Master Li on the Timeless Isle to get started, and make sure to give the developers your feedback. Of particular is Crithto's cautioning to make sure to cage your pets and put them in your bags before transferring your character to the PTR. It seems that the character transfer process can sometimes botch pet transfers and leave you without your favorite battle companion. Good luck to those pet battlers who will be testing their skills at the Celestial Tournament!
Breakfast Topic: Will you take your battle pets to the Celestial Tournament?
It's no secret: we love collecting battle pets. They're fun companions while you're running around exploring while battling and capturing pets can be a nice change of pace from the grind of leveling, dungeoning, or anything else we might be doing in game. And we have to admit we're intrigued by the idea of the Celestial Tournament, patch 5.4's new battle pet tournament. And the reward for winning this pet tournament? More pets, of course! Celestial Tournament victors walk away with Celestial Coins which can be used to purchase miniature August Celestial pets among other things. On the downside is that participation in the tournament requires 30 pets at level 25 -- which may not be a problem for pet addicts, but anyone who's been toying with battle pets on a more casual basis probably doesn't have those levels. What about you? Do you have enough high-level pets to get into the Celestial Tournament whenever patch 5.4 shows up? Or are you going to need to gear up your pet leveling to get there? Tell us whether you're going to be hitting up the Celestial Tournament -- and how close you are to getting there -- in the comments!
Patch 5.4 PTR: Celestial Tournament details
If you want to battle in the Celestial Tournament, you better be prepared! With the opening of the Timeless Isle, the Celestial Tournament is now available for testing -- for those that qualify. In order to compete, you must have 30 pets at level 25. For Pet Battle enthusiasts, this likely isn't much of a task -- for those of us not quite as dedicated, it may take a little longer to unlock the content. Players that prove themselves strong enough to succeed at the Celestial Tournament will be rewarded with Celestial Coins, which can then be used to purchase items from Master Li. This is also where you'll obtain the miniature August Celestial pets -- each costs 3 Celestial Coins to purchase. Along with the pets, Master Li has a few other items, including a Marked Flawless Battle-Stone that will allow you to upgrade any pet to Rare quality, regardless of pet family. Check out the gallery below for all of Master Li's goodies -- and if you're planning on playing with the Celestial Tournament when patch 5.4 goes live, make sure you've got as many pets leveled as possible! %Gallery-194132%
Could it be? A corgi for me?
Corgis, why corgis? asks forum poster Pikkuhukka, after stumbling across the above image from MMO Champion. Well, why not? the rest of us impatiently reply. Oh, and there's the corgi meme, in case you're not familiar with it. A corgi pet has been on the wish list of many WoW players for a good long time now, months at least! If this image truly reflects a new pet to come in 5.4 or another future patch, then I am certain there will indeed be much rejoicing. I mean, the Winter Veil corgi was a good start, but it's just not the same! What would you do for a corgi pet, if anything? Would you buy it on the Blizzard store? Would you run dungeons with another 100 random players like you did for the Perky Pug? Would you camp its spawn point? Would you just not care? And hey, Blizzard, since you've clearly got a model for adorable dogs with stubby legs, may I suggest the Swedish Vallhund for your next offering, pretty please?
Patch 5.4: Gahz'rooki converted to a rare drop
Once patch 5.4 drops, the Battlefield Barrens world event will come to a close. Players will no longer have access to the Darkspear Rebellion Quartermaster, Ravika, who sells a variety of fun items, including Gahz'rooki's Summoning Stone. Battle pet collectors have been curious as to what will happen to Gahz'rooki next patch, and Mumper confirmed its fate: @Proffessor_Oak Ghaz'rooki is being converted to a rare drop. Not sure about the boxing gloves yet. - Cory Stockton (@mumper) July 9, 2013 Its definitely good to know that Gahz'rooki will be sticking around, albeit as a rare drop. We don't know where it'll drop or how rare it'll be, so farm the pet now while it can be traded for a Radical Mojo. As for the quartermaster's other Battlefield Barrens-themed items, like Griftah's Authentic Troll Shoes, we're assuming that they'll disappear along with the event once the patch hits. Purchase them now while you can!
Patch 5.4 PTR: Crazy Cat Lady/Man title added
When the Crazy for Cats achievement was discovered on the PTR, the first thing players asked for was a title to go along with it. Namely, something to do with being a Crazy Cat Person. Good news! We got what we asked for: The Crazy Cat Lady and the Crazy Cat Man were both added as titles in the latest patch 5.4 PTR build. Keep in mind that you need 20 out of the 24 cats listed under the achievement. Overall, the achievement doesn't seem too difficult for a battle pet collector to earn, especially since one-third of the cats on the list are purchasable via NPCs. A few felines on the list are harder to come by, including the Nightsaber Cub and Spectral Tiger Cub from the TCG, and the Spectral Cub awarded to players participating in the Shanghai 2012 Battle.net World Championship. I'm crossing my fingers for the title off the bat when the patch drops!
Lesser Voidcaller brings all the spirits to the yard
Since the introduction of the new Raiding with Leashes achievement, I've been farming the old BC raids for new pets. I've only managed to farm up about half, but I'm sure Lady RNG will be kind to me at some point. In my collecting adventures, I've come across a few battle pets that are so irresistibly cute that I could care less about abilities, pet family, or how to obtain them. Lesser Voidcaller definitely falls under that category because of its unique idle animation that summons small spirits. Lesser Voidcaller drops from High Astromancer Solarian in The Eye, so it's not tough to obtain. Before you engage the boss, be sure to at least kill the two packs patrolling the room, as the casters will use a mind control and force a reset. The entire room will pull with the boss if you don't clear it, but I've never had an issue AoEing everything, even on my squishier priest. Lesser Voidcaller is of the Magic family and its abilities are as follows: Slot 1 Shadow Shock or Nether Blast Slot 2 Siphon Life or Prismatic Barrier Slot 3 Curse of Doom or Drain Power
Moonkin hatchling 50% off this week only
This week only, one of WoW's most adorable pets is on sale. The Moonkin Hatchling is on sale for $5, €5 or £4.50, depending on your local currency. This adorable little creature is effectively a buy one moonkin hatchling get one moonkin hatchling free deal, as you get both versions pictured above for your money, one for the Alliance and one for the Horde. As you'd expect, they are account-wide, and also battle pets. The Moonkin Hatchling is a humanoid battle pet, with abilities such as Solar Beam, Cyclone and Moonfire reflecting his druidic status. He also has some utterly adorable animations, growing little flowers on the ground to brighten your day, as well as periodically hovering a few inches from the ground with his tiny wings. And what's more, he can fly, and will accompany you on your flying mounts, defying the laws of physics. The sale ends on July 1 at 11.59pm PDT in the US, CET in the EU.
Breakfast Topic: Zookeeping
Have you been on a World Safari to catch every battle pet in the Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor, Outland, Northred, and Pandaria? If so, you've recently been given the chance to finally receive your Zookeeper title with the seasonal Qiraji Guardling pet arriving in Azeroth last week. So tell us, young zookeepers, have you caught your Qiraji yet? Or has, perhaps, this lengthy achievement has tried your patience until you've given up? But even if you've given up, it may still be a good idea to go out to Silithus and pick up this pet: that way if you decide to pick up collecting again, you won't have to wait until summer to get another one. Unfortunately for those who didn't pick up a Snowy Owl over the winter, the Zookeeper title will have to wait another year. But whatever your situation: how are your zookeeping adventures going?
Seasonal pet Qiraji Guardling available today
If you're a collector looking forward to getting the World Safari achievement for the Zookeeper title, this summer is your big chance to finally catch the seasonal Qiraji Guardling pet. Though not strictly associated with the Midsummer Fire Festival, this miniature Qiraji only spawns during the summer season. If you're looking to catch one, you'll find them in Silithus near the Scarab Wall... but with a bunch of zookeepers-to-be waiting for it to spawn, expect a crowd. If you don't like fighting for spawn points, the Guardling should be around for a few months. While we don't have an exact date from Blizzard, its winter-only counterpart, the Snowy Owl, spawns from November to February. Happy hunting!
Blossoming Ancient pet added to Blizzard store
If Withers, the Ruby Sapling, and the Teldrassil Sapling just aren't cutting it in terms of tree pets for you (and how could you not want another tree pet? I'm stumped at the very thought!) then you're in for a treat. Blizzard has just added the Blossoming Ancient to its digital store for $10. The Blossoming Ancient is a miniature version of the great Ancients that protect and guard Azeroth's forests and natural landscapes. If you don't think it's cute enough on its own, get this: it changes with the seasons. You can check out previews of the seasonal forms on the purchase page. If you haven't yet made the foray into digital pet purchases, now might just be the time to branch out! ... Okay, I just really wanted to make that pun. As with all digital pet and mount purchases, the Blossoming Ancient will be available to all the characters on your account. Take good care of your little Ancient, hero of Azeroth!
Patch 5.4 PTR news roundup
Patch 5.4 has hit the PTR and a flurry of information regarding the latest patch has already been released. Featuring a new raid, patch 5.4 will also include a variety of new features that are quickly shaping up to be game-changers. Curious about all the new stuff? Take a look at our coverage for more information on patch 5.4 and the upcoming content. Patch 5.4 PTR patch notes Virtual Realms announced Datamined NPC, mount and pet models Moonfang, a new dire wolf boss for the Darkmoon Faire Ilvl restrictions lifted for item enhancements Siege of Orgrimmar's dungeon journal entries New pets and a new pet battle tournament Stromgarde Keep as a new scenario New Challenge Mode titles Proposed initial ilvl changes for new raid difficulties Stay tuned for more patch 5.4 information, and keep your eyes peeled for the PTR.
Patch 5.4 PTR: New pets, pet battle tournament, and more
In addition to Moon Moon, the dire wolf pet dropped by the new Darkmoon Faire boss mentioned earlier today, patch 5.4 already seems full of new content for pet battle aficionados. First is a datamined scenario currently titled The Celestial Tournament. As of now, the achievement for this tournament is listed under the Pet Battles subcategory, so it's very likely the pet battle tournament mentioned in the patch 5.4 patch notes. A new battle pet named Essence of Xuen provides some hint as to the rewards possible.
Patch 5.4 PTR: Datamined NPC, mount, and pet models
Along with the recently released patch 5.4 patch notes, our friends at MMO-Champion have data-mined some new models including armor for tier 16 and season 14 gear. Garrosh Hellscream gets a new look and we get a sneak peek at the latest sha! Everything behind the cut contains spoilers for the upcoming patch 5.4. Click through and view at your own risk! Please note: This post contains spoilers for patch 5.4.
Lil' Bad Wolf packs a big punch against Critters
Real talk time: I've been feeling a bit agitated at the battle pet situation in patch 5.3. Naturally, I want to collect every new pet, but RNG is a cruel mistress. The new patch introduced an updated Raiding with Leashes achievement, which has players returning to the good old BC raids. BC was my favorite expansion, so I enjoy heading back to stomp all over Lady Vashj, especially. Which is good, because I've yet to see a pet drop from SSC. But I digress. Reader SpaceBard suggested a rundown of Lil' Bad Wolf, one of the ten new raid battle pets in 5.3. We live to serve. Farming Lil' Bad Wolf is plagued with RNG obstacles. First, the Red Riding Hood encounter must spawn during The Opera Event -- one of three possible outcomes -- and then, of course, the pet may or may not drop. This devilishly cute Humanoid's abilities are as follows: Slot 1 Claw or Counterstrike Slot 2 Mangle or Dodge Slot 3 Howl or Pounce
Blizzard soliciting more pet battle feedback
Last week, Blizzard was looking for feedback about possible changes to elemental and mechanical pets. This week, they have some proposed passive effect changes for patch 5.4 about which they'd like player responses. Crithto Thank you to everyone who has shared their feedback with us so far, we appreciate it. Based on some of the comments we've received, here is an updated list of potential changes we're hoping to include in Patch 5.4: The Magic passive now caps damage taken at 35% of maximum health, buffed from 40%. The Dragonkin passive effect now activates when the enemy is taken below 50% health, up from 25%. The Aquatic passive now reduces DOT damage by 50%, up from 25%. The Elemental passive effect now only affect negative, direct effects of weather (e.g. the accuracy reduction of Sandstorm won't be applied, but the damage reduction will). The Critter passive now makes critters completely immune to roots, stuns, and sleeps. Keep that feedback rollin' in! source Most of these look like pretty big buffs, but do battle pets need to be tweaked anymore? If you have an opinion, head over to the official forums and let Blizzard know what you think.
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.
Solo the Chess Event with Tikari's Tricks of the Trade
As an obsessive a big fan of battle pets, I was looking forward to everything patch 5.3 had to offer. Tons of battle pet changes, and the slew of new pets for the Raiding With Leashes II: Attunement Edition all had me especially excited. I zipped through The Eye and Serpentshrine Cavern hunting for the new pets, and emerged victorious with one. Huzzah! But on my way to Karazhan, I realized I'd need to solo the Chess Event to get to Prince Malchezaar, who also drops a pet. I wiped a few times, but things turned around once I read through an excellent Chess Event soloing guide from WoW blogger Tikari of Tikari's Tricks of the Trade. Keep in mind that even with a great plan, the Chess Event is still plagued with RNG issues. But knowing what to expect will hopefully keep your rage at bay. Tikari lays out a simple set of moves -- with diagrams -- and priorities to give your king the best chance of surviving, which is the main goal. The event was nerfed to increase the delay between enemy moves, but keep a few tips in mind. Move your king, and queen if you can, out of the fire immediately. Fire isn't a buff! Attack the enemy king with your queen, using the Rain of Fire/Poison Cloud ability. Be sure to target the enemy king with the queen's main attack. The Clerics seem to heal the enemy king more than I remember, but I kept them distracted with other pieces. Medivh doesn't cheat as quickly as he did before, so you'll have time for about four moves before he does so the first time around. Be sure to at least give your king, ideally your queen as well, space to move. I was able to win in the end by moving backward out of fire, drawing the enemy king into it. Good luck and be sure to check out Tikari's guide for all the details!
Blizzard soliciting feedback for pet battle changes
Community Manager Crithto took to the forums, asking for feedback about changes to the mechanical and elemental pet battle families. As of right now, elemental attacks have both an offensive and defensive advantage over mechanical, making it imbalanced compared to the other families. Blizzard proposes to change which families both types of pets have an advantage against: One set of changes proposes: Critters would replace elementals in taking less damage from mechanical attacks Dragonkin would replace critters in taking less damage from elemental attacks Elementals would replace dragonkin in taking less damage from flying attacks and the other: Elementals would replace aquatic pets in taking less damage from undead attacks Aquatic pets would replace elementals in taking less damage from mechanical attacks The second set of suggested changes would require less alteration to the current system and therefore has my vote. Do you have an opinion? If so, take advantage of Blizzard's request for player input and cast your vote in the forums. The full text of Crithto's post is after the break.
Son of Animus will tank all the things
Patch 5.2 introduced a slew of battle pets, with a few as rare drops from bosses in the new Throne of Thunder raid, including Living Sandling, Ji-Kun Hatchling, and Son of Animus. Recently, I was lucky enough to obtain Son of Animus, and it's quite a unique addition to my collection. I couldn't wait to level it! This breed 4 (4/14 or P/P) Mechanical pet uses abilities inspired by the boss that drops it, Dark Animus, and are as follows: Slot 1 Metal Fist or Batter Slot 2 Siphon Anima or Touch of the Animus Slot 3 Extra Plating or Interrupting Jolt
