Pet Usage Flowchart and Ability Spreadsheet

[Kalliope]

Please add replenishment to druids (http://cata.wowhead.com/spell=48545) on the buffs spreadsheet. Also, Retribution Paladins can also do a physical damage reduction debuff (http://cata.wowhead.com/spell=26016).

Vindication is a 5th tier Protection talent, so I don't think we'll be seeing too many Ret paladins pick it up. But I've added Resto druids to the replenishment list... a healer with replenishment (gasp!), that's kinda OP!

Thanks for the info!

I had totally the same reaction! Then I thought about it. Resto druids already had revitalize, which returned mana/rage/runic power - it was totally separate from replenishment. But that got changed into real replenishment. So while it's not REALLY fair to other healing classes that druids get replenishment and they don't, druids already kinda did have that as an advantage.

[Malazee]

I've figured out how to get the whole spreadsheet up on the web instead of just posting screenshots of it in pictures! I uploaded the spreadsheets to Google Docs, where you can see the whole sheet on one webpage and even download it for yourself if you have MS Excel and want to tinker with it.

--> Zee's Hunter Pet Spreadsheets <--

There's an option to allow people to edit the spreadsheet on the site as well, but I'm not sure if those changes are just for the viewer or if they actually change the spreadsheet for everyone, so I left editing off. Don't have a whole lot of experience with Google Docs.

[Ardor]

Thanks for this. Lot's of work.

I am sad for the changes myself (noisy, noisy core-hound = new wolf) but ... there ya go. Do not want my pet to be a totem, want it to just do damage and not run the risk of being overwritten all the time or want it to tank for me and be uncrittable.

Hate that Blizzard stated no direct damage abilities for pets then gave it to two of them, no matter how small they may be.

Loathe how PvP centric it's all become.

Dismayed also at how much chaos we'll be thrown into when the first really skillful hunter/healer arena teams start realizing how many buffs they can stack with exotic pets and the nerf bat falls, and falls hard.

All in all ... not a well thought out change imo.

But we will adapt ...

[Raydex-of-the-dawn]

Thanks for this. Lot's of work.

I am sad for the changes myself (noisy, noisy core-hound = new wolf) but ... there ya go. Do not want my pet to be a totem, want it to just do damage and not run the risk of being overwritten all the time or want it to tank for me and be uncrittable.

Hate that Blizzard stated no direct damage abilities for pets then gave it to two of them, no matter how small they may be.

Loathe how PvP centric it's all become.

Dismayed also at how much chaos we'll be thrown into when the first really skillful hunter/healer arena teams start realizing how many buffs they can stack with exotic pets and the nerf bat falls, and falls hard.

All in all ... not a well thought out change imo.

But we will adapt ...

Really, it's not that many. A hunter can provide two buffs max with an exotic - no more than a druid or rogue or anything. The arenas aren't going to be that important, especially considering that they're nerfed versions of the actual spells in many instances. And core hounds won't become the new wolves. IF you have NO mages OR shammies (never happens) you need ONE hunter with a corehound to use once every ten minutes. :/

The direct damage abilities belong to a tenacity pet with a long CD (no raidability) and a channeled spell that does LESS than normal fighting that long unless it's in an AoE situation, because we do need AoE. These are pretty cool changes. There's a star now - and there has never been a star on the chart before.

Also, with 25 slots and a total of 17 pets on that chart (EVEN IF you count tenacity pets, and dragonhawks AND wind serpents instead of just one, serpents AND raptors, etc.) you'll have at least 8 just-pretty-pet slots.

The only thing that really irks me is that Dragonhawks and Wind Serpents are EXACTLY the same. Unlike Serpents and Raptors, where one is cunning and another ferocity, or Devilsaurs and Wolves, where one is Exotic and the other not, they are EXACTLY the same (except for diet). Family, ability...heck, they're both flying snake things. Honestly...

[Malazee]

Really, it's not that many. A hunter can provide two buffs max with an exotic - no more than a druid or rogue or anything. The arenas aren't going to be that important, especially considering that they're nerfed versions of the actual spells in many instances. And core hounds won't become the new wolves. IF you have NO mages OR shammies (never happens) you need ONE hunter with a corehound to use once every ten minutes. :/

The direct damage abilities belong to a tenacity pet with a long CD (no raidability) and a channeled spell that does LESS than normal fighting that long unless it's in an AoE situation, because we do need AoE. These are pretty cool changes. There's a star now - and there has never been a star on the chart before.

Also, with 25 slots and a total of 17 pets on that chart (EVEN IF you count tenacity pets, and dragonhawks AND wind serpents instead of just one, serpents AND raptors, etc.) you'll have at least 8 just-pretty-pet slots.

The only thing that really irks me is that Dragonhawks and Wind Serpents are EXACTLY the same. Unlike Serpents and Raptors, where one is cunning and another ferocity, or Devilsaurs and Wolves, where one is Exotic and the other not, they are EXACTLY the same (except for diet). Family, ability...heck, they're both flying snake things. Honestly...

Thanks for reminding me... I really need to update the flowchart, it's a little out of touch. I'll either remove the tenacity pets where there are better alternatives or just label the pets with their specs. And I'll take the worm/chimaera bit off too, since the spells were fleshed out to be something other than what we thought they would be.

Probably do that later tonight or tomorrow some time.

[PonTelon]

On your chart, Reduced Armor section should include Expose Armor, a Rogue ability that Assassination especially can keep up pretty much without trouble. The other two specs can give the same debuff, if for a little bigger DPS hit.

EDIT: Now all Druids give the -12% armor from three stacks of Faerie Fire according to wowhead.

Basically, Sunder Armor, Expose Armor and Faerie Fire all give 12% armor debuff, but Expose armor is duration instead of stacking 3 times.

[Malazee]

Updated the Flowchart:

• took off all the tenacity pets that were redundant
• color-coded the talent specs
• removed worm/chimaera aoe damage... you'll just have to use your own judgment on these

On your chart, Reduced Armor section should include Expose Armor, a Rogue ability that Assassination especially can keep up pretty much without trouble. The other two specs can give the same debuff, if for a little bigger DPS hit.

EDIT: Now all Druids give the -12% armor from three stacks of Faerie Fire according to wowhead.

Basically, Sunder Armor, Expose Armor and Faerie Fire all give 12% armor debuff, but Expose armor is duration instead of stacking 3 times.

Thankies much! Should be fixed.

[Kalliope]

Thanks again so much for maintaining this!

[Anyia]

Alright, I've started hacking on an add-on to provide some of this information in-game easily, using these excellent spread sheets as a base!

Allow me to add the following (possibly not complete - I've been staring at talent trees too much tonight!):
%3 All Damage
Hunter (BM - "Ferocious Inspiration")
Mage (Arcane - "Arcane Tactics")
Paladin (Ret - "Communion")
5% Spell Crit
Warlock (Destro - "Shadow and Flame")
Mage (Fire - "Critical Mass")
Mage (Frost - "Winter's Chill")

Also, Warlocks don't have the 5% Spell Haste as far as I can see. Perhaps you were thinking of the spell crit?

And last, does anyone know whether "Arcane Intellect" or "Divine Spirit" is still hanging around in Cata/PTR? I'm getting conflicting information on Wowhead.

(Anyone notice how every paragraph in this post begins with an "A"?)

[Malazee]

Alright, I've started hacking on an add-on to provide some of this information in-game easily, using these excellent spread sheets as a base!

Allow me to add the following (possibly not complete - I've been staring at talent trees too much tonight!):
%3 All Damage
Hunter (BM - "Ferocious Inspiration")
Mage (Arcane - "Arcane Tactics")
Paladin (Ret - "Communion")
5% Spell Crit
Warlock (Destro - "Shadow and Flame")
Mage (Fire - "Critical Mass")
Mage (Frost - "Winter's Chill")

Also, Warlocks don't have the 5% Spell Haste as far as I can see. Perhaps you were thinking of the spell crit?

And last, does anyone know whether "Arcane Intellect" or "Divine Spirit" is still hanging around in Cata/PTR? I'm getting conflicting information on Wowhead.

(Anyone notice how every paragraph in this post begins with an "A"?)

All the single-target 30min raid buffs were replaced with their raid-wide 60min counterparts, so Arcane Intellect is gone but Arcane Brilliance remains, and it's on the chart under Bonus Mana (it's no longer Int, which would give spellpower too). Divine Spirit, and Prayer of Divine Spirit were removed from the game. My main is a holy priest, and quite frankly I'm glad about not having to buff three times for every boss attempt (huzzah!).

And thanks very much for the added info. I'm just gonna quickly double check your research and then add it all to the sheets. And I'd be EXTREMELY interested in downloading your mod when it all comes together. I'm glad that my work (and that of everyone else who has contributed ) was able to help you! <3

Also, this should be the final update before the patch which is deploying on live servers as we speak! Still plenty of time for Blizzard to make changes before Cataclysm (and after, for that matter), so I will keep maintaining these sheets as long as they are useful and relevant!

.....A.



AFTERWARD (uh, Edit?):
As I'm looking at these spells on WoWhead, I'm not seeing Winter's Chill as a current mage ability. There are several ranks of the talent listed under "uncategorized spells," but I'm not seeing the talent anywhere in any of the mage trees. Are you sure it wasn't taken out?

[Anyia]

Arcane Intellect is gone but Arcane Brilliance remains, and it's on the chart under Bonus Mana (it's no longer Int, which would give spellpower too). Divine Spirit, and Prayer of Divine Spirit were removed from the game.

Thanks for confirming that.

As I'm looking at these spells on WoWhead, I'm not seeing Winter's Chill as a current mage ability. There are several ranks of the talent listed under "uncategorized spells," but I'm not seeing the talent anywhere in any of the mage trees. Are you sure it wasn't taken out?

It would appear you are correct in that it is in fact gone. I thought I had double-checked with the latest talent trees, but wowtal.com was very unresponsive last night, so I guess it's possible I only found Winter's Chill via the search function on cata.wowhead.com. I'll remove it from my data tables - thanks for the correction!

[Ryai]

I just can't shake the feeling that someone, somewhere, is going to try to tell us all that one pet is the best.

Already had it happen on the PTR. Mentioned how imba the debuffing pets are, IE WS and etc, and how it's so fun to be able to use any pet really [as I find it hard to believe a raid would actually be short on any of those debuffing/buffing units right there for the most part], and this fellow hunter proudly stated; No Wolves, Raptors, WS, Dragonhawks are going to be the best!!!!!!! Because of their debuffs!!!!!/Buffs!!!!

He only stfu'd when I pointed out that their buffs don't stack with player buffs.

[Scruff]

Still no word on what beetles are getting?

[Anyia]

And I'd be EXTREMELY interested in downloading your mod when it all comes together. I'm glad that my work (and that of everyone else who has contributed ) was able to help you! <3

The WowAce/Curse automatic addon packager seems to be offline at the moment so I can't get an early beta out for you to test. I got some nice progress done on it tonight though, and most things seem to work now. You can grab a sneak peak of what it currently looks like if you want.

[Sarayana]

And I'd be EXTREMELY interested in downloading your mod when it all comes together. I'm glad that my work (and that of everyone else who has contributed ) was able to help you! <3

The WowAce/Curse automatic addon packager seems to be offline at the moment so I can't get an early beta out for you to test. I got some nice progress done on it tonight though, and most things seem to work now. You can grab a sneak peak of what it currently looks like if you want.

That looks AWESOME! Great work, both of ya! Thank you from the bottom of my huntery heart. <3

[Kalliope]

Eeee, I love seeing the community working together like this! May need to add this to my list of raid addons.

[Uxul]

Awesome work Zee.
I am in the process of turning this into an addon.
The idea is that once you are grouped, you run a /petrecommend command and it will look at the characters in your raid, find out which buffs are missing (based on the priorities in your chart) and find the best pet you have available.

This is my first addon so I am keeping it limited functionality at first no graphics or configurability just yet, just a simply command that gives you a response.
Will let you know when it is ready!

Uxul

[Sarayana]

Uxul, Anyia is making an addon of it that she spoke about (and linked an image of) only three posts above yours. I'm not telling you not to make the addon, I just wanted to draw your attention to Anyia's work.

[Nimizar]

I just managed to tame the Beast before the rolling restarts hit Proudmoore, so my corehound slot is now covered (the Beast is disturbingly cute when paired with the Core Hound Pup!)

Cat and wolf/devilsaur are covered by my current pets, ravager and wind serpent will be covered once I go back and tame all my old pets again and we can't get shale spiders yet, so I just have to go pick up a silithid, raptor and maybe a hyena

Also, hooray for not needing a sacrificial pet when going on a taming run!

[Uxul]

Uxul, Anyia is making an addon of it that she spoke about (and linked an image of) only three posts above yours. I'm not telling you not to make the addon, I just wanted to draw your attention to Anyia's work.

Doh!

Looks a bit more comprehensive than where I have gotten to so far. Mine was aimed specifically at the hunter as they join a raid, so they could quickly decide which pet they should grab from the stables. Looks like Anyia's got that covered and buckets more!

*sigh* I guess I need to come up with another addon to write. I will probably finish it just to satisfy myself that it works, but I will probably end up using Anyias one. Nice work!

Uxul