Speculation: Shale Spider's special will be a "blind"

[Anyia]

I was just going over all the pet abilities to add the cross-referencing Acherontia requested for the addon, and noticed something. Every ability effect except for one is available from at least two families. The odd one out is the Monkey's "Bad Manner", which is a blind effect. It is currently the only pet family to have that as a special effect.

So, I'm guessing there's a pretty good chance the Shale Spider family will get a blind.

I could of course be completely wrong, but since it does seem Blizzard has gone out of their way to not make any one pet family required, this is what I'm betting on.

[Magnakilro]

Well don't forget that Beetles are also missing an ability (unless it was changed) so S. Spiders may end up getting their ability.

[Sarayana]

Aren't beetles also missing an ability? I think it makes sense if at least one more family gets the blind (and personally, as someone who doesn't like those monkey models, I'd like to see the ability available with another family in case I ever decide I need a pet with that ability).


Edit: Mangakilro beat me to it

[Kalliope]

That's....wow. That would seriously make the shale spider a half-decent PvP pet (since they also have kings), though less of a tanking pet....unless they can blind a caster they're not tanking.

That's a very interesting thought.

Beetles got shell shield in the form of hardened carapace!

[Sarayana]

Beetles got shell shield in the form of hardened carapace!

They did????? Ooooooooooooh. I shall have to definitely get one now (though Sara's also eyeing Terrorpene, she doesn't normally like turtles but he suits her taste )

[Magnakilro]

Interesting.....maybe they will get a blind? like Muddy Webs or something...

[Kalliope]

"Shoot Pebbles"

[Magnakilro]

"Dust Belch"

[Anyia]

"Shoot Pebbles"

That could fit.

So let's see, first you have your monkey have Bad Manners, then dismiss your bad monkey, Scatter Shot the person the monkey was being rude to, call your shale spider, and finally have it pebble said person. Amusing, but not quite as amusing as chain-ScareBeast:ing feral druids.

[Magnakilro]

No wait! They could have a Spiderman reference!

"Impact Webbing: Fires a ball of webbing at the target's eyes, blinding them and causing them to wander aimlessly for X seconds"

((Impact Webbing is one of the forms of webs Spiderman fires off))

[pop]

crystal beam; blinds the target.

[Knowlton]

Or since they are crystalline...

Reflective Surface: Directs a beam of reflected light into target's eyes. Blinding them for X sec.

Or maybe something completely different. Being that they are a tenacity pet, they could get a spell reflect.

[Dvatori]

String Shot!

[The Insect Man]

I can see your logic, that blind is the only non-duplicated ability, and that exotics tend to duplicate a normal pet with their "normal" special ability.

I am moved to wonder, though - we have 2 second stuns, 4 second blinds and 2 second interrupt/lockouts. I know the interrupts will work on some bosses/mobs that can't be stunned, so ok, they have a separate use, but if a mob can be stunned or blinded, that's going to interrupt too, and, seriously, why would you take a stun when a blinded opponent is as helpless as a stunned one, and for twice as long? It all seems a bit uneven.

[Kalliope]

Stuns aren't broken on damage and blinds are. That's the difference, and why stuns are shorter.

[Azunara]

String Shot!

Shale Spider uses String Shot!
Azunara's Speed fell!

[Anyia]

we have 2 second stuns, 4 second blinds and 2 second interrupt/lockouts.

We also have a 4 second interrupt/lockout via the Moth's Serenity Dust. I suspect that might get nerfed down to 2 seconds at some point.

[Wassa]

Ya, awhile ago I thought either beetles or shale spiders would get a blind since only one pet family has that right now. I was hoping for beetles, since they could be like Pinacate beetles (aka stink beetles) and have a smelly, blinding spray.

[Kalliope]

we have 2 second stuns, 4 second blinds and 2 second interrupt/lockouts.

We also have a 4 second interrupt/lockout via the Moth's Serenity Dust. I suspect that might get nerfed down to 2 seconds at some point.

Worth noting that Serenity Dust has a 1m cd and, say, Gorilla Pummel is 30s.

[Anyia]

I dug through more spells at cata.wowhead.com, and if my suspicions about shale spiders getting a blind is correct, there are two unused spells which look like they might be candidates:
[Quicksilver Puddle]
and
[Song of Persuasion]
Neither is listed as being used by anything currently, and both are instant casts as would be expected by a pet special.