Raptors Could Join the High-DPS Ranks
“So since Raptors now have a fast approach ability, i.e. Dash, does this make Raptors a viable DPS type pet, say over cats? I am trying to figure this out by taming two same level pets, one Raptor and one Cat to see if there is really any difference in the numbers, but I was wondering if I could get some sage advice also. James.”
Everybody’s favorite hunter-pet site, Petopia, has this to say about the two predominant DPS-pets, cats and ravagers, and the Public Test Realm (PTR) raptor:
Raptor
Type: Offensive
HP: Low (-5%) • Armor: Low (+3%) • DPS: High (+10%)
Learns: Bite, Claw, Cower, Growl, (Dash on PTR)
Diet: Meat
Cat
Type: Offensive
HP: Medium (-2%) • Armor: Low (+0%) • DPS: High (+10%)
Learns: Bite, Claw, Cower, Dash, Growl, Prowl
Diet: Fish, Meat
Ravager
Type: Offensive
HP: Low (-7%) • Armor: Medium (+5%) • DPS: High (+10%)
Learns: Bite, Cower, Dash, Growl, Gore
Diet: Meat, Raw Meat
Basically, with the addition of Dash the raptor family becomes a full-force DPS machine in the same category as cats and ravagers. It is stronger than a ravager but not as strong as a cat, in terms of health. It doesn’t do as much damage as a ravager - Gore being the highest-damage pet spell - nor does it have Prowl, which Night Elves and many PvP players praise.
The BRK Quote About Raptors has always been, “Why have a Raptor when Cats are basically the same but with Dash?” But if Dash for raptors is retained in the next patch, expect to see a lot more Raptors running around Shattrath City. And there’s no reason there shouldn’t be. PTR Raptors FTW, baby!
Note: We’re also excited about the level 70 ravagers in the Netherwing mine being trainable. BRK would love to pick one of these up to play with… but HE HAS NO MORE STABLE SLOTS!
Someone on 30 Jul 2007 at 4:08 pm #
Don’t forget also that cats are leaner and have a lower profile than raptors, interfering a bit less with targeting…
BRK on 30 Jul 2007 at 4:18 pm #
LOL! Yes, quite so. From a tank’s perspective, size does matter.
A few weeks ago, we were running Kara with a hunter who had an owl pet. We whispered in our friend-only channel,
“This hunter has an owl. The tank is probably muttering under his breath.”
Not three seconds later, the tank says on vent,
“Next run, would you PLEASE not bring a winged pet?! I can’t see anything!”
Otik on 30 Jul 2007 at 4:42 pm #
I always use a macro to switch between targets especially in places where the screen is cluttered with everyone and everything:
/targetenemy
This basically targets the enemies in front of me and lets me keep my mouse close to the other buttons since I am a clicky type of person. You can also make a main assist macro like this to use in raids.
BTW thanks for answering my question BRK!
Guy on 30 Jul 2007 at 4:49 pm #
I will bitch slap a tank for whining about winged pets on a raid.
While they’re not my preference.. A tank has to man up if they’re really having a hard time finding their target because an owl is in the way…
Dabbles on 30 Jul 2007 at 4:54 pm #
I too am looking forward to the level 70 ravagers. I currently run a cat and boar, and I’m desperately trying to level up Humar the Pridelord…he’s 55 now, it has been “interesting”.
Anyhow, once Humar is 70 I’ll dump the other cat and get a ravager. I’m currios to see just how well these preform. I too love that gore ability.
Anonymous on 30 Jul 2007 at 5:05 pm #
You guys may also want to try out the wind serpent like BRK as well. A son of Hakkar was my main raiding pet at 60 and now at 70 I am re-converted. While they nerfed LB it still negates armor and hits quite hard. At my gear level
(crafted LW+Mixed Kara) His LB hits for 210 in a raid.
210/50 focus is nearly 4dmg per focus and negates armor unlike gore. If your crit rate is getting up past 23% this is something to look at as I almost have enough focus for him to LB every time the 1.5 is up.
Shifttusk
Ontherocks on 30 Jul 2007 at 5:14 pm #
How much does a tank really “see” while in the hitbox of a mob anyway?
-Chris
Dabbles on 30 Jul 2007 at 5:30 pm #
I had a 70 wind serpent and didn’t care for him. Granted, I didn’t raid with him or do instances so I cannot comment on those aspects. For PvP I didn’t like how he’d miss kill commands because he was too far away casting his LB.
Maybe if I start raiding more I’ll consider grabbing another one up.
Anonymous on 30 Jul 2007 at 6:06 pm #
@Dabbles - Its certainly not a good pvp pet. I found to make him do anything in pvp I’d just be turning off LB for the reason you mentioned. I generaly use my owl in arena as it hits fast as crap with claw (lol casters) and reduces the MAP of warriors and rogues giving them more reduction.
As far as the running to LB range in raids the key is to turn off LB, and add this into your shot rotation macro much as people do with kill command. The real benefit to this is increased pet survivability in many situations while letting it DPS.
- Cave in blocking your pet from Gruuls hitbox? Command him to follow and use your shot macro he will keep moving up to 20 yds and LBing adding dps in. Send him back into mele range after cave in fades.
- Scorched earth blocking nightbane? Do the same
- Infernal not hitting the tank but hitting your pet on prince? Do the same!
the LB while a pain to deal with, once figured out actualy will help a BM hunter maximize pet dps in situations where your pet would be either killed or doing no dmg.
Anonymous on 30 Jul 2007 at 8:34 pm #
I thought Scorpids were the highest DPS pets because of poison, which scales with RAP? Ive read tons of posts about rank 5 scorpid poison being rediculous for dps if it says up and stacked at 5.
Brian on 30 Jul 2007 at 9:12 pm #
@ Scorpidnonymous
Because of that, yeah, they are. There’s a Hunter in my guild who brought one to Kara for that exact reason.
I’ve heard that rank 4 is the best, because it lasts for 10 seconds, and stacks easier. Elune help ya if the boss is nature resistant, though…
BRK on 30 Jul 2007 at 10:09 pm #
Yes, rank 4 is the thing you want if poison-stacking is your bag. We’d love to do a post on our experiences with this, but again…
WE ARE ALL OUT OF PET STABLE SLOTS! BLIZZ, FIX THIS!
AND NOT BY DELETING ONE OF OUR OTHER PETS!
hynjoku on 31 Jul 2007 at 5:03 am #
As soon as I saw the Raptor Dash update, I decided I need a Dwarven hunter with a black raptor. Nice!
Suzanne on 31 Jul 2007 at 9:09 pm #
Like many other hunters, I have a friend who insisted that gore > all. So when my hunter reached 63, I stabled my old STV orange tiger kitty for awhile and went out to toshley’s to tame a ravager. I played with it for a full level to see if gore+bite was really all that, and wasn’t too impressed.
So the other day, I pulled kitty out, got it to level 63, made sure all the pet abilities were equal in level (bite+claw for kitty, gore+bite for ravager), then gave the ravager and kitty fair equal tests on my damage meters. I set each of them against 3 level 65 spiders behind Allerian. Kitty first: 30.1% of the damage. Due to some lag on the first try with ravager, I had to reset the meters and try again, and on 3 spiders, it came out with *dadadadum* 29.7%. My shot rotation was exactly the same for both, so I wasn’t changing anything up just so I could get rid of a fugly arsed pet. Gore indeed is Not > all.
My hunter friend is now satisfied that he isn’t missing anything in not taming a ravager and is freely using his kitty more again.