Oooo, How Exotic?
As Mania has reported already, Devilsaurs are tamable in the latest beta patch. Our hunter-buddy Eko sent us this lovely screenie of his new pet. Kinda blows Raptors out of the water, doesn’t it? It’s not officially an “exotic” pet, as any hunter-class can tame one, but this would be a good idea of what “exotic” means, we think. Notice that his Devilsaur is level 65? The auto-leveling feature seems to work nicely.
Hey squishies, do you want to see one of these charging at you in WSG? Think it’ll bring back bad memories? /buwahaha!
We may name ours “Cuddles”.
Morgrog on 29 Jul 2008 at 10:08 am #
Dammit, I have a bear called Cuddles, and a cat called Tiddles.
Tchann on 29 Jul 2008 at 10:10 am #
Omgomgomgomgomg.
:: hugs her raptor ::
I love you, Midori, I really do, but it’s time for an upgrade.
I’ll get a green one and name it after you, I promise.
The only thing that could possibly make that more awesome is if we could ride it, too!
spookychick13 on 29 Jul 2008 at 10:14 am #
I have to ask, BRK, what will become of Hobbes?
Retired to the stables?
Personally I am quite sad about shelving my beloved cat Peaches…I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Priian on 29 Jul 2008 at 10:16 am #
YES!
YES YES YES YES YES!
I have wanted a pet Devilsaur ever since the first time I got squished by one that crept up on me through the trees. Granted, I was a bit too low-level to be in Un’Goro in the first place, so maybe that was my fault.
Anyway, he’d go great with my current raptor. If only there were some sort of ankylosaurid or pachycephalosaurid available to fill up my stable with dinosaurs…
Avaric on 29 Jul 2008 at 10:28 am #
OMG YES! That’s the awesomest thing ever!
Quaelar on 29 Jul 2008 at 10:35 am #
Has anyone noticed the size of that thing? Its B.I.G. :} A few more ideas for exotics: Kodos, chimeras, griffons, hippogryphs, talbuks, stags, clefthoofs, basilisks, maybe even the “Kurken” in Stillpine Hold. Two-headed dog FtW!
Bricklethumb on 29 Jul 2008 at 10:39 am #
Ok. . I know this is not the place but I need to get it off my chest. BRK, I know you are a big fan of BM, and I appreciate the fact that you are not anti Marks. . I have been marks ever since I rolled my dwarf hunter, a year before BC when Beast tree sucked and marksmenship was king.
One thing I and some other good friends did was to tame exotic pets and do silly things like solo tame the ZG Bat, 2 man run into LBRS for the wolf for bite whatever and such. My main pet is Sian-Rotem that we tamed WAY before alliance could even think about doing the quest chain to call his mate them him.That being said I LOVE my pet. I would hate it when they would tell me to leave my pet at home.
So now this new exotic pet skill is so far down into the BM tree that it truly makes me sad. I was more looking forward to the new pets that I could possibly call my own over the skills in the MM tree. But now. . if I want to tame a pet of my dreams Blizz is going to FORCE a respec on me?
I find this unfair. I know BM needs something special and unique, but a hunter is about its pet, no matter what spec you choose. I do hope the reconsider the taming aspect and broaden it, while giving to the BM spec some boost that this was intended to give them. But for the love of all that is sane. Blizz, Please let all hunters tame the beast of their dreams!
Thank you BRK for letting me rant.
Pidge on 29 Jul 2008 at 10:43 am #
Not getting worked up as I can’t believe this is anything but a temporary bug that will be “fixed” (like the Amani bear mounts).
The giveaway is the pet model, though still a LOT smaller than the wild devilsaurs, still looks too big. Blizz always said the rationale behind shrinking tamed pets was so they wouldn’t be major visual obstructions in group situations (bats apparently never got that memo ).
But it sure makes me wish I’d get a beta invite so I could spend even a few minutes running around with a devilsaur pet. They’d definitely be on my list of “coolest pets ever.”
Tchann on 29 Jul 2008 at 10:49 am #
@Bricklethumb:
I know you didn’t direct your tirade at me, so I beg your forgiveness for this interjection. But let’s face it: what better place for a beast-specific skill than the Beast Master tree? I wouldn’t expect something so MM-based as “Marked for Death” to be open to all, or even Survival’s “Survival Instincts”.
Although, I am curious: would you happily accept the exotic pets to all hunters (at which point, why bother with the ‘exotic’ title), if the BM hunters got the daydreamed two-pet talent as their 51-point skill?
@Pidge:
What do you see as the potential bug? Because it was mentioned by a Blue previously that devilsaurs would be exotic pets. The size is a little big, true. It’ll probably get nerfed.
Bricklethumb on 29 Jul 2008 at 11:07 am #
“Although, I am curious: would you happily accept the exotic pets to all hunters (at which point, why bother with the ‘exotic’ title), if the BM hunters got the daydreamed two-pet talent as their 51-point skill?”
Oh yes. Like I said, I do wish they had a way to make up for the “exotic” part for BM. I truly don’t want anything striped from that tree, just that such a thing as pets is hunter wide.
*ponders* do we even “know” what the exotic does besides a tag? Do they have special talents that other pets don’t or cant have?
I’m purely looking at this as a pet lover who is not BM and would cry if I found an exotic pet that I want and cant have unless I respec.
*smile* And thanks for your hard work on all this. Ill do some more research and see what I come up with.
blakmagik on 29 Jul 2008 at 11:13 am #
ehhhhh….kinda cool
Anansi on 29 Jul 2008 at 11:16 am #
I think it’s perfectly fair that the Hunter talent tree called *Beast Mastery* would get an ability to train more unusual animals. The trees have their names for a reason, it’s not just categorisation for the sake of convenience.
That said, the devilsaur looks pretty neat, and it’s a lot better than the stock raptor. But still, a giant devilsaur shrunk down is kinda sad.
Macharias on 29 Jul 2008 at 11:20 am #
One question: Will they get prowl?
Josh on 29 Jul 2008 at 11:25 am #
/eyes open wide
/cowers in corner
Do you realize how many times I had fatal run-ins with those bastages in Un’goro? And now you dredge up those painful memories?
AND now I’ll have to fear seeing one of them come barreling out of an arena gate all big and red and frothing at the mouth?
God damnit.
yunk on 29 Jul 2008 at 11:25 am #
I agree with Bricklethumb, If exotic pets won’t be any better then regular pets then let anyone tame them. (though I did read somewhere that exotic pets might have unique family abilities so.. maybe that’s why)
I’d rather have everything tamable, let everyone have fun finding the bizarre creature they want. There can be a way to have BM have the strongest pets, without saying “only BM can get these other pets” since progression raiders or pvpers will min max but many of the rest of us just want something fun and different, and there’s no reason to force a spec just to do that.
My hunter is BM, though I might try SV with the new abilities. Really I think i’ll just level up another hunter since 2 pets (one empty for learning skills) was not enough before, and soon 3 will not be enough!
yunk on 29 Jul 2008 at 11:36 am #
bah too late to edit, but what I was thinking was, it would be nice if anyone could tame anything, but maybe a BM with that talent is the only one that could unlock the special ability. Like MM or SV hunters would have the normal raptor ability with a devilsaur, but only the BM would get the Monstrous Bite ability. that way anyone could get any skin they wanted.
Itsnoteasy on 29 Jul 2008 at 11:42 am #
This makes me wish that you could have gnome hunters. Tiny little pink-haired female gnome with giant devilsaur for a pet.
That said, I’m rather upset that these guys didn’t get stealth as a special ability; I’m sure they have it when not tamed…
The Wild One on 29 Jul 2008 at 11:57 am #
Oh, I have GOT to get me one of THESE!
/will smith
Anansi on 29 Jul 2008 at 12:05 pm #
@ Yunk, who said
“I’d rather have everything tamable, let everyone have fun finding the bizarre creature they want. There can be a way to have BM have the strongest pets, without saying “only BM can get these other pets” since progression raiders or pvpers will min max but many of the rest of us just want something fun and different, and there’s no reason to force a spec just to do that.”
But take a look at the real world. Anyone can have a pet cat, or goldfish, or dog, but not a crocodile, elephant or tiger. It takes special training and skill to successfully care for an “exotic” pet. The same applies to this particular facet of the Hunter. The Beast Master Hunter has the skill to handle a very specific class of animal, it’s a specialty that is not shared with other Hunters, just as other Hunters have specialties the BM Hunter does not.
Bricklethumb says a Hunter is about the pet, and implies in his post that because of this any Hunter should get any pet. But a Hunter is just as much about his ranged weapon and ranged attacks, but not every Hunter will get Chimera Shot or Explosive Shot. By the “the Hunter is about x” you can argue that any talent is central to the Hunter class, really. The three talent trees are distinct for a reason.
BTest on 29 Jul 2008 at 12:16 pm #
Exotic pets have no special abilities.
This skill allows us to tame this “special skin”
BUT the pet families are the same. AND it only allows us the 5 extra points in the talent tree for that pet.
AND
It appears that the new hunter tree of choice will be SV
BTest on 29 Jul 2008 at 12:18 pm #
Oh, and in the BETA, if you tame an exitic…. and then re-spec.
You keep your pet. (like i said same pet family)
Fastest on 29 Jul 2008 at 12:34 pm #
They better make more! Or else every hunter you see is going to just have a Devil… I want to see the Wasp and all become pets… There should be nothing we cant tame.
Pidge on 29 Jul 2008 at 12:41 pm #
@BTest — you’d definitely know better than me if you’re in the beta (I’m not), but I thought “exotic pets” hadn’t actually been implemented yet in the beta.
From the post above and the other on Mania’s Arcania, it looks like anyone could tame the devilsaurs right now.
So how did you come to the conclusion that BM could tame an exotic, respec and keep the pet? There are blue post I don’t know about somewhere on this?
Also, did a blue post that exotic pets would get some special ability not normally available to that pet family (but not necessarily overpowered)? It seems to be different from what you’re saying. Here’s the quote from Ghostcrawler on Mania’s:
—–
“The exotic pets will be different from normal pets. Ideally they might even be a little bit better, but we’re very hesitant to make them too good lest we see every hunter stampede over to the BM tree. Pets are supposed to be something important to all kinds of hunters, and the BM tree already offers some amazing pet buffs and synergy. We just don’t want to overdo it with this talent.
At the very least, the exotic pets will have a new family ability that will ideally be really useful in some situations. I’m making this one up, but imagine that since normal crabs have Pin, an exotic pet might have a Pin-like ability that did fire damage. Or imagine that you could tame a drake (you can’t, because they aren’t beasts) and that instead of lightning or fire breath, it had frost breath that could freeze an enemy, death knight style. Would this be useful? Probably. Does it make the 51-point talent mandatory? Ideally not. Though those 5 talent points aren’t bad….
As far as what happens if you have an exotic pet and respec, most likely the pet’s talents will just reset. Yeah you get a free pet respec out of the deal, but it’s not as if it’s free since the hunter has to respec. Any exotic pets in the stable won’t be lost, but you wouldn’t be able to get them out of the stable either. If you have an exotic pet at the moment you respec, then it will probably be dismissed (but not abandoned) and you won’t be able to summon it again, forcing you to go swap it into the stable. (Or abandon it if you’re THAT kind of hunter.)”
Christopher on 29 Jul 2008 at 12:59 pm #
Notice the time is coincidentally 13:37? What do you suppose are the odds of that?
dmok on 29 Jul 2008 at 1:22 pm #
re: Hunter tree of choice being SV
This I certainly do not wish to see happen. SV traditionally has a lower dps than the other hunter specs, and has as such fallen into a “niche” spec. Which is quite fine and dandy for the spec as a whole, seeing as the main buff they provide on live is expose weakness which does not stack with other SV hunter’s expose weakness.
Sure, the mana regen in the beta is an awesome ability, and some of the abilities at the top of the tree help close the damage gap between SV and the other trees, but that still doesn’t change the fact that half the benefit is based on having a sole SV hunter in a 25 man raid. It’s the same reason you didn’t have multiple enhancement shammies in the same group -> the benefits of having a second were far less than anything else you could bring to the table.
This of course doesn’t even take into account that MM dps is going to increase quite well with the changes to auto-shot clipping, and due to alot of their upper tier abilities minus a specific lackluster one (I’m looking at you chimera shot). Not to mention the gear scaling required for a good SV build. SV on live breaks even with MM at around 500 agility, which takes alot of effort to obtain gear to get to without gimping your other stats.
Raiding SV was all about raid utility. Same as shadow priests. You don’t bring a spriest to a raid to watch them top the damage meters. That’s not what they were designed to do. Same deal as SV. I still expect BM to outperform SV and same with MM. Infact, I think BM and MM will be quite on par with the new changes in terms of dps output. BM got the decreased CD on BW along with many other dps increasing abilities and MM got a bunch too. I feel like their new talents will provide the dps most hunters are looking for, and that most people will be expecting, keeping SV as the niche class it is (and hopefully stays).
– SV hunter for life
BTest on 29 Jul 2008 at 1:53 pm #
@ Pidge
I could be wrong…. In fact probably very wrong. BUT I only know what I know from the Beta
Trackhoof on 29 Jul 2008 at 2:25 pm #
@ dmok
It’s fairly easy to get decent Survival gear.
But remember, there’s going to be a TON of Agility on everything, making it easier to spec Survival, and raising the crit rate on pretty much everything they do.
It WILL out-DPS MM at 500 Agility (which, if you can’t manage as a Survival hunter at 70, is frightening), and past that, as your Crit percentage goes up, so does your DPS.
I recently wrote that, with raid buffs and MT proccing, level 80 Survival Hunters could potentially reach 70% crit. BM and MM hunters may hit somewhere around 50% in the same conditions, but even then, BM will benefit more, all thanks to the increased attack speed. MM’d have to increase its total + to raw DPS by around 20% total in order to keep in step with the other two trees.
I think, for the most part, you’re going to see MM hunters used for raid utility (Scorpid Sting + Chimera Shot for bosses) and Survival Hunters step into the spotlight.
There’s also avenues for inventiveness; I think some people might even go hybrid for a Serpent Sting-centric build.
Shadow Priests weren’t “meant” to top damage meters… huh, you should tell that to my guild’s resident “mana battery.”
He’s been top of the charts for pretty much everything we do, and that’s no small shakes! Say what you want, the guy’s damn good and out-DPS’s warlocks.
Honestly, I do NOT want Survival to be a “niche”, nor should it be such. I want it to be bold and glorious in its own way, and allow people to paint their own canvas of destruction.
-Track
WB on 29 Jul 2008 at 2:28 pm #
Meh. I don’t know. It reminds me of the dino from Toy Story. Hardly somehting to strike fear into the hearts of opponents.
I personally am underwhelmed by the BM tree. Seems much more effort was put into the other trees. Maybe that’s as it should be given BM’s PVE status for 2 years. Maybe it’s simply a reflection of my famiiliartiy with BM v. the other two, and the new talents become more alluring.
Also really sad about the pets - my two stablemates are my cat (KingB) and a boar (the blue RFK boar.) I’ve had both for a very long time and was sad enough when boars got kicked in the crotch. Neither is getting much love now. Maybe I’ll be an “old school” hunter and hit lvl 80 runnig with my pre-WotLK white cat and blue boar.
Having said all that, I still might make my hunter my main toon and bring up the others later. Have to see how guild dynamics work out…
Thanks to all who share their insights and experiences from the Beta. Cool stuff.
Nick S. on 29 Jul 2008 at 2:35 pm #
mine will be named MrPrickles.
that is all.
Eko on 29 Jul 2008 at 2:46 pm #
I made it to the blog! This is very cool, thanks BRK.
I love this pet, the fun thing is that it still does the stomping sound like it was huge. Some people in the beta even got scared of it thinking it was a mob.
As soon as I get to lvl 71 I will abandon this one and get the one in Netherstorm. To avoid leveling it up.
BTW, I doubt this is a bug, since the pet has its own unique family skill talent
Cheers,
Eko
Athanatoi
The Sha’tar - EU
yunk on 29 Jul 2008 at 2:47 pm #
Anansi,
If there’s something special or useful about the pets where they are needed, then that would be a reason for a certain trait to get use of them. For instance in the quote above “Ideally they might even be a little bit better” : this is, of course, a reason to make them BM only.
But I was thinking it would be nice to just have the pet but not the special ability for people without the trait.
For if they are not really “better” but just “different” then who cares? let people have fun. Even to take your example: anyone can have an exotic pet: just go to the store and buy one. But it won’t live a full life unless you really put effort into it. This is closer to my idea of only BMs getting special skills, but anyone getting the pet itself.
If an exotic pet is nothing more than a different skin, and abilities are not really better, then it’s most attractive to socializers/explorers, or at least that part of us. To then restrict it so deep in a certain tree, is akin to putting an achiever restriction on it: since you may have to adjust your playstyle just for a different skin. It doesn’t make sense for a game to do that.
And an achiever type especially a minmaxer won’t get an exotic pet, that person will get the pet they need for the job, whatever it is. If it weren’t for the 5 extra points, those players might not even take the trait except to try it once or twice.
Many players who roll hunters like to find different pets, or underused pets, no matter what their spec. It’s fun for them. They are not doing it because they are achievers, and I can’t see someone doing it for that reason speccing completely differently.
Which is why making it a trait so deep in a tree doesn’t make sense. Something for fun should be just that: for fun, not a requirement placed on it. More pets has been something many players of all specs have wanted. to restrict it then is just showing Blizzard does not understand that many people have fun in different ways, not just the dungeons and rep rewards they put in. Basically, Blizzard assumes we’re all achievers or killers.
Papaoomowmow on 29 Jul 2008 at 3:41 pm #
Just checked your gear, BRK (for the educaton)
None of my business; but da often edified (like me) have plenty of curious care.
Did you vamoose from your guild, or is it just that the wow armory is as wacky as ever?
Hope All is Well
Stoop on 29 Jul 2008 at 3:47 pm #
Did a bunch of sites hotlink to BRK’s pic? THe site is running sloooow.
Xanthelei on 29 Jul 2008 at 5:22 pm #
WOOHOO!
No, I’m not excited about Devilsaurs being tameable - I never even liked the Raptors much.
I AM excited about the fact that my little Alvar (ghostsaber cat) just got that much rarer come L80.
However… my Windserpent and Owl will probably get the boot… I’ve wanted to tame moths since I saw my friend running around on a brand new Draenei toon, and a stag since I first saw one on Xanth (also Draenei).
I think I had actually abandoned my cat to try to tame one. That was a pain. =(
Rilgon Arcsinh on 29 Jul 2008 at 10:47 pm #
I…
I…
Damnit, quit TEMPTING me, Blizzard!
*holds out for Ancient Core Hounds*
Wild Druid on 30 Jul 2008 at 12:33 am #
“Oh, I have GOT to get me one of THESE!
/will smith”
Heh, <3 ID4.
Beaker on 30 Jul 2008 at 7:55 am #
Please dont nerf the size Mr Blizard!!!
Hunters pets should be more impressive…and they wont get in the way during raids honest. (have you seen the size of most bosses!!! lol)
Devilsaur, I choose you! « Mend Pet on 30 Jul 2008 at 9:21 am #
[...] if you haven’t heard the news, Exotic pets seem to be more along the lines of Devilsaurs and the other beast-like [...]
Irwin on 31 Jul 2008 at 2:40 pm #
Ooo, me wants! I can almost see it now, in the expansion BM hunters will have the following pets in their stable:
1) Devilsaur (maybe King Mosh?)
2) Ancient Core Hound (maybe The Beast?)
3) A druid of the opposite faction
Nightwolfess on 19 Aug 2008 at 4:43 am #
Sweeet. I never had a run in with one. they only scared me when i turned around to see one filling my huge monitor. pays to have a prowl ability. definatly a reason to lvl my hunter to get one now