Taming Felstalkers

[evil950510]

Since we will be attacking Argus in 7.3, and it being a planet controlled by Legion there is a chance that only native species will be demons or have become demons through fel corruption. If this is true Hunters will not be taming anything there; however, what if Blizzard enable Hunters to tame Felstalkers? Not to be confused with Warlocks felhound summons, they are vicious demonic beasts, and a recently discovered variation of the felhound, and unlike felhounds who use their long tentacles to drain the magic and life force from their enemies, the faster and more coordinated felstalkers mainly use their teeth and claws to inflict physical attacks. As being one of the most "beast like" demons it may not be to much of a stretch to be able to tame one.
My idea is Hunters would learn the ability by finishing up what we started in our Campaign Quest, the one in which we stopped Hakkar the Houndmaster from breeding a pack of felhounds who were resistant to physical attacks just as much as magical ones. Since demons can only be destroyed in the Twisting Nether, or in places utterly saturated with fel, like Argus, the Unseen Path sends us to finish the job and kill Hakkar finally for good. Once we are done with the quest we dip our weapons in his blood giving us the sent of their master and from then on Felstalkers see us as their alpha leader.
Warlocks may have an issue if Hunters tame a creature that was labeled as a demon, if we can tame one what is stopping us from not being able to tame all demons? However, if you can remember that far back felboars were once labled as demons too, which Blizzard changed, so just maybe we can get Felstalkers too?

[Shelassa]

The idea with Hakkar is an interesting one, but I honestly doubt we'd get such an ability exactly because they are so visually similar to Warlock pets. If anything, it seems more likely that Warlocks will get a cosmetic glyph of some sort that would allow turning Fel Hounds into Fel Stalkers over Hunters getting a way to tame those.

It's not a complete "Impossiburu!", however, just like you've brought up Fel Boars and we can tame Feathermanes Owlcats despite them sharing the "skin" with the druids. My wet dream for Argus is to get a full-sized "Mischief"-textured FELine * cough * pet. (Same deal as with Brightpaw -> Mana Sabers).

[Valnaaros]

I don't think it will ever happen. As said, they are visually very similar to the Warlock's demon, and so they probably won't be all too happy if Hunters are allowed to tame something very similar. As Shelassa said, a glyph for Warlocks is a good bet.

Lorewise, Felhunters, Felstalkers, etc. are not demonic beasts or tainted beasts. There is no uncorruped version of them out there nor was there nor was there ever. They are an artificial species created by the Burning Legion and bred to have the same traits commonplace amongst demons: chaotic, unmerciful, and bloodthirsty.

Fel boars, the Tanaan fel wolf, and other such beasts were normal animals tainted by fel magic, but not born of it. In the case of fel boars, they aren't nearly as tainted as the fel wolf - just mutated by exposure, much like the other animals on Outland.

[Shade]

As someone who plays every class-I can say that when I am on my warlock, I'm actually rather peeved over the fact that the felstalkers summon, while a main part of the demonology warlock rotation, is such a short timed spell that you constantly have to recast. I'd much rather have them as a 'pet' like the other warlock minions instead of something that I summon that then disappears after a few seconds. So-warlocks should get them as a permanent summon, rather then hunters being able to tame them.

Its an interesting idea that you have-but I think it is crossing too much over into the warlock's class fantasy.

[Valnaaros]

Precisely.

[Rikaku]

I think it's an interesting idea as well, but I share the sentiments of people above. Also, personally, I don't think it's fair to say "hunters won't be taming anything there" simply because it's just way too early to make a judgment call.

Don't get me wrong, I fully realize that Argus is basically a demon homeworld now. And judging by the pictures of it, there looks like no way life could exist still on that planet of the non-fel variety. But I think it's entirely possible we may be able to tame fel-corrupted things. We're able to tame some of those fel-corrupted beasts currently on Azeroth such as a lot of the fel-corrupted or diseased creatures in Felwood or the fel wolf of tanaan. The Hunter campaign quest chain (at least the Beastmastery one following the story of 7.2) seems to even suggest that there are some beasts that can survive the fel-corruption (which is what culminates in the worm-boss that attacks you during the artifact challenge scenario).

So there's still a chance, in my opinion, I think we will find new beasts to tame in Argus.

[WerebearGuy]

It'd be the perfect chance for them to make those spiders that are always around the demonic spider women tameable. I mean seriously, why couldn't we tame those demonic spiders from the start? We could tame the lava spiders without waiting, so why not demonic ones too? No good reason, that's why! As much as I'd like to take away the last reason I have to touch my warlock and put it on my hunter, I'd be absolutely content with just the spiders. I would ditch Dethtilac for one of the red demonic spiders in a heartbeat.

[Valnaaros]

There is a good reason, actually. Those spiders will, someday, grow up and become those spider women or the male versions (the fel versions of the Beth'tilac model). Same goes for the ones in Suramar. They will eventually become full-grown Fal'dorei.

[Rikaku]

There is a good reason, actually. Those spiders will, someday, grow up and become those spider women or the male versions (the fel versions of the Beth'tilac model). Same goes for the ones in Suramar. They will eventually become full-grown Fal'dorei.

Not that I'm disagreeing, but more that curiosity/lore-question beckoned lol

Are we sure those broodlings in Suramar will become Fal'dorei? I mean specifically the ones like hanging around Withered Training Scenario or the ones inside Falanaar collapse. Some of those are labeled as "demons". The Fal'dorei (the uncorrupted by fel ones), aren't demons at all. They were Night Elves/Suramar citizens who got caught in the explosion of the previous mana-tree thing (which I can't remember the name) and basically became part spider through chaotic nature and arcane magic going everywhere.

Again, not disagreeing lol. But just thinking, if they're the babies/hatchlings of these twisted former elves, then why are the baby spiders classified as demons? Wouldn't they be aberrations or humanoids or beasts? I guess just another Blizzard oversight.

But I do think that while maybe *these* ones aren't tameable and have some lore backing them up, there's no reason we couldn't hope for some demon spider models to be running around Argus for us to tame. Like I said. If that worm boss from the BM hunter challenge can survive fel infusion and still be labeled "Beast", then I'm sure maybe some spiders could on Argus> *fingers crossed*

As long as they dont have the god awful sounds like those BC tarantulas. I still hear those screams in my sleep >_o

[Valnaaros]

Most likely, it is an oversight on the part of Blizz. Originally, all of the spiders were beasts, but were later changed to Demons. They probably did so due to the Aranasi, but forgot about the Fal'dorei.

Aberrations would best fit them, imo. For any who may question the idea of them being Fal'dorei hatchlings, you just to go to one of the final rooms in the Withered Training - the one filled with dozens of eggs, and a Fal'dorei broodmother in the center.

I agree that a fel-corrupted creature could be tame (depending on how corrupted). We have seen a few examples of that already.

[Maizou]

To be fair, we have mechanical pets, but they'll most likely add Tinkers in the future, which have mechanical pets.

So just because one class has soemthing doesn't mean another can't as well.

[Valnaaros]

You can't say that they will most likely add Tinkers or that they will have Mechanical pets. They might or they might not. They could make it so that Tinkers utilize Mechsuits for combat or something like that.

[Funk]

I think if/when tinkers are added (and I do hope they are, one day), if they do use mechanical minions, they wont be necessarily be "beast-like" and almost certainly not be tamable or use the same models as the hunter pet mechs.

Felstalkers are veeeery similar to felhunters though. I'd guess them to be warlock available sooner, and likely never tamable by hunters. The difference with felstalkers and the current fel-corrupted pets we can tame is that what we can tame is clearly a corrupted beast - in fact I think for all cases we can tame an uncorrupted version, too (unless I'm not thinking of something). I'll give you that felstalkers seem beast-like, moreso than other demons, though. I certainly wouldn't complain about more fel-corrupted pets though. I really just don't think felstalkers are very likely (for hunters, at least).

I'd rather one of these doods if we're campaigning for corrupted doggos:


They even come in fel green :


All that said, I really like that you have clearly thought a lot about your idea. I have been feeling ambivalent towards this expansion and I had almost forgot about Argus. Thanks for reminding me. I do hope the outdoor content there is reasonably large, with cool beasts to tame.

[SpiritBinder]

The whole "Corrupted Version" of something certainly opened up a lot of leeway/blurriness and crossovers for taming.

Fel Wolves, Fel Hippogryphs, Fel Boars... While all looking very fel, I guess there is the option to say they weren't "born" Demon, because they could have started out as a beast?

This original made sense for me as this classification has been around since vanilla, the plague swines have always been very undead looking, but tamable. As could have been the Ghost saber? Then there is the grim totem spirit wolf, etc...

Then they gave us Spiritbeast. These guys are obviously something otherworldly, I guess putting "Beasts" in the name helps, but they are essentially just Spirits? They do however still generally resemble tamable models/bests already available.

I've always guessed, if it was at least a "Beast" to start with, then it's potentially free game if blizzard chooses..... however.

They then go a break their own rules all the time. They then go and give humanoid NPC hunters, demons as pets?!?

• eg. Duskwatch Forces have Starving Felstalker's. They give other Hunters Flaming Undead Dogs (Shannox)

I won't even go there with how nonsensical (even if cool) "Taming" a mechanical chicken is.

I don't think anyone here can unequivocally say what we can/can't/should/shouldn't anything, it's all simply peoples personally tastes and views to what they think is right/wrong.

Me personally, I think Demons should be left to Warlocks, it just makes the line a little less blurry (and that can only be a good thing imo). However, if something that started out as a beast and has traveled down a path of varying classification... I'm down for a good redemption story like anyone else.

[Funk]

On the note of owlcats, though, they are beasts first. Lyndras (a Nightfallen NPC in the tailoring chain) mentions that they (owlcats) were pets and mounts to him iirc. This would wildly predate any druids using that form I would imagine.

Actually here's the flavor text for Feather of Moonspirit:
"A single feather from a reclusive wild god. With it, a Druid of the Claw could learn to master a previously unseen form."

I guess what I'm getting at is owlcats as hunter pets aren't really too farfetched to me at all, and I don't think it takes anything special away from druids.

- Edit -

They then go a break their own rules all the time. They then go and give humanoid NPC hunters, demons as pets?!?

• eg. Duskwatch Forces have Starving Felstalker's. They give other Hunters Flaming Undead Dogs (Shannox)

I forgot about the Duskwatch. They drank the fel kool-aid though, no? Because then it would make more sense to me.

[Wain]

I doubt we'll see demonic beasts (still classed as Demons) tameable any time soon. I wouldn't say never, as there was a time when tameable Mechanicals would have been considered out of the question. I also wouldn't rule out some models becoming tameable as beasts in the future that are currently all demons. There are already a few like that (e.g. core hounds).

If they do add another class of tameable, my money is on undead beasts first, seeing as (i) we have Undead Hunters and (ii) there's already a bunch of tameable beasts where it's hard to believe they're still alive .

Aberrations would best fit them, imo. For any who may question the idea of them being Fal'dorei hatchlings, you just to go to one of the final rooms in the Withered Training - the one filled with dozens of eggs, and a Fal'dorei broodmother in the center.

Interesting. I agree regarding the Burning Legion spiders, but I had always thought the Suramar ones were pets / under the control of, the Fal'dorei who became perverted. There are a number of locations where they appear without Fal'dorei being present and I thought the implication was they were free-breeding creatures. But maybe not. If they really are the offspring of the Fal'dorei then that's a kind of poor duplication of plot, but it happens . Either way, as you say, they shouldn't be demons, any more than the Fal'dorei are demons. I reported that back in Beta but nothing came of it.

There are a couple of other places that model is used where they could be considered mostly-natural (albeit perverted) beasts. One is the Mana-Engorged Spiderlings that spawn in the Dalaran sewers from Rotten Eggs, as part of one of the FFA events. They simply seem to be spiders that (like every other creature in the Sewers) have been influenced by the waters there. So, if anything, they should be either beasts or aberrations. The other is in the Nightmare raid around Elerethe Renferal, unless she gave birth to them herself. I guess in the they could be demonic as the Legion has corrupted the Nightmare, but they are classed as Beasts.

[Shelassa]

To add to the discussion, from a position of Warlock (second played character after Hunter) I'd be a bit peeved if Hunters were to get this close to Warlock class fantasy (such as it is). Especially considering it was already blurred by the addition of the Demon Hunters.

It had been a major issue on the Warlock forums since the launch of Legion: a demon-themed expansion bringing very little to Warlocks in regards of demons. Having Hunters tame a demon which is unavailable to Warlocks as a "normal", persistent summon might be the last straw

[Wain]

It does sound like Warlocks have every reason to be disappointed with class changes this expansion, though admittedly they have a lot of company in this respect. So probably best they don't have to see demonic pets going to other classes too :/ Maybe in another expansion or two.

If we're facing off against the creatures of the void in a future xpac, maybe we'll find void hounds, or even cooler things to tame.

[SpiritBinder]

If we're facing off against the creatures of the void in a future xpac, maybe we'll find void hounds, or even cooler things to tame.

Oh Hai Thur

[Wain]

Oh, I meant like this lady