To wolf or not to wolf, that is the question

[Anansi]

One pet shouldn't have that huge of a benefit over others, it's just...wrong, and it forces people to do it one way or be shunned. I get disgusted at how many wolves I see on my server. It's not just one here and there, it's just about every single hunter I see (level 80, that is). I think it sucks. But that's just my opinion and I know people will disagree, and that's fine.

No I agree. I am doing end-game raiding but I also did not choose to play a Hunter for min/max DPS reasons, I chose it because I like everything about the class and that includes the option to tame a wide variety of pets. Basically being forced into requiring one pet family in order to push out the DPS required for raids isn't exactly thrilling.

Blizzard knows the problem with Wolves being the raiding pet, but they have not done anything about it yet as to nerf Wolves would be a nerf to the vast majority of raiding Hunters, and Hunter DPS is pretty much where Blizz want it now.

I think Blizz needs to do with all pet's special abilities and make them all talents. That way you could have any skin pet you want. You could have ANY ferocity pet with furious howl. Or ANY cunning pet pet demoralizing screech. (Just to name a couple off the top of my head.)

Yep, I wish for this too. What they did with the Tenacity family's Thunderstomp should be applied to all trees, where the most desired ability is a talent, like Furious Howl. Obviously just sticking FH into the tree isn't possible as some pets would become wildly overpowered but something along the lines of making these abilities into Talents I believe is the way to go.
Hunter pets have never been very well balanced, there has always been one pet or one pet family that dominates. Remember when every Hunter had King Bangalesh because his attack speed was so fast?

I think Blizz needs to rework taming so the crature is tagged to the hunter. That way if anyone kills the beast you're taming they won't get any loot or achievement out of it.

It should work like that as the tagging rules state that anything which causes aggro on a mob tags it to the aggro-generator. Taming causes aggro. I've never had a tame ganked out from under me, but did the two Druids get an achievement and were able to loot your target? If so, I'd honestly report that as a Bug on their forums since that does not coincide with how tagging is supposed to work.

Is there anywhere on the website that lists pet's base dps? It's make it easier than taming all these creautres and taking them out for a spin. I know it will change based on level and talents, but at least then you could look at them and say... ok, a base wolf does X dps at 50 or 60 or 70. It'd make it so much easier to compare when choosing a pet.

Use the Zeherah's Hunter DPS Analyzer spreadsheet at www.femaledwarf.com for this, it will show how much DPS your pet can do and how that will change with different talent builds, and how it affects your own overall DPS.

This is only a dps increase of +146.21 dps. It's a difference, but not a big one.

That is a big difference actually. Again, what would you do for a piece of gear that adds that much DPS? It'd be a massive upgrade.
Personally I find that my DPS with a Wolf vs another Ferocity pet (tested with a Wasp and Cat) is about 1000 dps higher over couple of minutes worth of boss-level combat. Which realistically speaking is ridiculous and circles back to the comments above regarding the need to alter the nature of FH and either make it available as a talent to all Ferocity pets or do something to provide rational options.

[Epicfail]

If you want to do the most dps as Marks/Surv
Go wolf if you want the best right now. 145 dps is the same as an upgraded weapon or swapping from blue to epic arrows/bullets. Its a no brainer.

If you want to do the most dps as BM
Go devilsaur.

If you want to contribute but don't care about topping meters -
Go with whatever pet you like. Ferocity and Cunning will net you more dps.

Conclusion - you either care about performing your best dps or you don't. Its ok either way. Do what you like.

[FuzzyDolly]

As soon as the druid's attacked Nuramoc, it turned grey to me, and yes they were able to loo it. Maybe I'm doing something wrong all these years? Is there a way of making sure it's tagged to me first? Maybe because I didn't use a trap it wasn't tagged. I haven't been for taming since turning 80 for no reason than it's not necessary. Maybe that was the issue?

I think I might break down and dual spec tonight. Why I'm not sure. I'f I'm going to be using MM and a wolf in randoms and raids, then why spend the G, right? I'm hoping someday BM will be vialble again and than I won't have to re tame all those beautiful creatures I've worked so hard to get.


Oh, and if I get a wolf, it's going to be the most unique skin out there. One I've never ever seen tamed... one of those level 1 disseased wolves from Northshire. Between the scars and the cloud of gas with the skulls in it it's almost a BM type pet, right? lol

[Vephriel]

Unfortunately those diseased wolves don't keep the poisonous gas clouds after taming.

Still, I agree that they're really unique and I'm surprised I don't see more of them around.

[Anansi]

Maybe because I didn't use a trap it wasn't tagged. I haven't been for taming since turning 80 for no reason than it's not necessary. Maybe that was the issue?

Maybe yeah. You might try hitting your target with a Distracting Shot immediately followed by a Tame Beast into a trap.

[FuzzyDolly]

Unfortunately those diseased wolves don't keep the poisonous gas clouds after taming.

Still, I agree that they're really unique and I'm surprised I don't see more of them around.

The one I have tamed on my 20 hunter on Smolderthorn did. I'll let you know when I train one for my 80 on Velen. I really wish there were different dog models. Too bad the core hounds don't have furious howl. I'd be using my Kurken everywhere. I don't care for the blighthounds, they're way over done. I've been seeing alot of Ramps hounds today after thinking about getting one. Other than that, all the wolves look the same. There's always old Ironjaw with that beautiful reddish grey color, but again, way over done. I don't know... Guess I'll head off to dual spec and see what happens...

[FuzzyDolly]

Well I broke down and dual specced BM/MM and got myself a wolf. Couldn't decide between the disseased one from Northshire and the armored one from Ramps, so I got Timber the lvl 10 rare from Dun Morgh. He's almost pure white... most wolves I see are grey, dark grey, Ironjow... I have decided, however that I definitely like the wolf model over the worgen model. I also can't believe how much Timber grew when I tamed him. Guees that instant 10-75 really does a body good. I still might go get one of the other skins.. we'll see what I feel like later. Now to try a random with him and see what he does. (And figure out a MM rotation.)

[sargeaw]

Its sad to me that this rift has caused everyone to hate the wolfies now I happen to love wolves alot in RL, and enjoy having one with me in game. I currently have the Black Mastif one from Darshire area. i am new to WOW as in just started playing this last month. I am currently lvl 35 going with BM spec till I hit 80 then will prolly dual spec MM for DPS. I hope to someday tame Skoll as he is a really cool looking Wolfie even though hes a SB. I just want to say I really have enjoyed the petopia site and the forum here. It has helped me learn alot about my class and pets that are available. I agree with someone who posted earlier that I think they should do away with all the family trees and make the skills totally talent spec just like you char. that way you could customize any pet to be Uber for any situation including raids. That way if your like me you can have a wolf cause you like them not because everyone thinks they have to

[Rhyela]

Aww, I don't hate the wolves. I probably made it sound like I do, but I don't. I've used wolves as a pet up until recently. I hate what Blizz has done to them that makes them so overused, that's all. I have always liked the old-world "skinny" wolves (they look more coyote-esque to me), and sometimes I think about getting one just because I like them. But I also am picky in that I like to look unique. I don't play role-playing games to be like everyone else! So that's why I've given up the wolf pet for a while in favor of other, more unusual pets.

[FuzzyDolly]

I don't hate wolves either. Dogs are my favorite animals... Just ask my RL pet Lucy. What I hate is the notion that if you don't raid with a wolf, you're a bad hunter. If blizz put furious howl on a rabbit and not on wolf, then everyone would have a rabbit as a pet. Actually a vorpal bunny would be really cool.. it could have long pointy teeth and... and... look at the bones! Anyway I digress... I didn't want a wolf pet because 98% of the hunters in raids have wolves, and half of what's left use cats. I'd love it not to matter what your pet looks like... even if it means ALL tamed pets have the same abilities. Blizz really needs to make the special attacks a top end talent point. That way any ferocity pet could have furious howl, or and tenacity pet could have rake. It would make the game so much more interesting because then if there were 5 hunters in the raid, you could end up with 5 different pets instead of 3 wolves, 1 cat, and 1 random pet of a BM hunter.

Still undecided on whether to keep Timber or trade him in on a diseased or ramps hound. As I write this, Fuzzy stands in Dal looking at 2 Gondrias, 1 skoll, an arcturis and 2 Aotonas. You know I'm going to go do a fly over for Skoll, find him, abandon the wolf, and then realize I'm still in MM spec, right?

[Dakonic]

Everyone says there great, but ive always had a soft spot for wolves anywase, my first pet on my first toon was a worg from silverpine, there my favorite animals in real life, they are b!eautiful and fun, its almost like having a dog by your side

[sargeaw]

Well I am glad to see that there are some who still like Wolfies . I totally understand you guys not wanting to be like everyone else. Part of the draw of being a hunter is having a unique and fun pet that others will admire

[FuzzyDolly]

During the Skoll fiasco, I dropped Timber to have an open slot. Anyway, when Skoll didn't work out, I found myself needing a wolf again. Instead of Timber this time, I tamed one of the lvl 5 wolves from Mulgore. It's cocloring is almost identical to my dog Lucy, and she even has the big puff of fur hbehind the head. Even anmed it Lucy, lol. Anyway, I dind't know when I tamed it that when you right click on it, it barks! It has 3 different sets of barks. Just a nice added bonus. Funny tho... at lvl 75, it's only doing about 200-250 dps. Gondria at 80 does over 600. Maybe it's the difference in levels... maybe it the BM?MM difference. I don;t know. I do know my first run as a MM with a wolf, was disaterous. We were doing about 1400 dps instead of 2500. I was expecting an increase.

[Anansi]

Funny tho... at lvl 75, it's only doing about 200-250 dps. Gondria at 80 does over 600. Maybe it's the difference in levels... maybe it the BM?MM difference. I don;t know. I do know my first run as a MM with a wolf, was disaterous. We were doing about 1400 dps instead of 2500. I was expecting an increase.

Well you can't just switch specs and expect to see an immediate improvement, that's highly unrealistic. It takes time to learn a spec and all the tricks and proper use of all your tools to get the most out of it. And Marksmanship is, at the start, pretty complex. My DPS dropped too when I switched from BM to Marks but I practiced and read and read and read and figured it out (and I still read and read and read).

There are so many factors to work out -
a) Spec
b) Shot Rotation
c) Gear - Enchants & Gemming
d) Use of Cooldowns
e) Co-ordinating procs with Abilities & Cooldowns
f) Pet Talenting and use of Pet Cooldowns

[Tzia]

Every time I see the "you have to have x pet" discussion pop up my stomach turns over. I've been playing long enough that I remember when the Rake or Broken Tooth or whatever in the bleep was the best for pvp. I picked up a Ghostpaw Alpha to be diffrent. I wanted something interesting, something that most pvpers would not see coming. Helki, as I named her, worked wonderfully for me. Then blizzard removed attack speeds from the pets, bringing them all down to a base 2.0 attack speed. Hunters started tossing those "hard to get" 1.0 AS pets to the way side en mass. They'd gotten them because they were Min/Max players. Not because they liked the look of a certain creature, and stuck with it.

I love cats, and I love wolves. I still have Helki. She runs with me most times I jump into LFG. I never know when that last little ounce of DPS will make or break a group. I've tamed a number of pets, some just for the challenge. My all time favorite pet - the one that does all new content with me first, hands down - is my purple Frostsaber Pridewatcher, Ruka. She comes in first.

I've played with a wolf when they were the "worst" out there. I've played with cats when everyone was sick of them. I've used boars when everyone else laughed at a pig. I played with what I wanted, and let the rest of the WoW-verse go to fel. If the pet to a hunter is nothing more than a DoT, that's their way of playing, have fun. If the pet is a companion in the playing, then take what you want to play with. Like minded people are out there.

To me, it always boils down to, my $15 a month to do with as I will. Until somebody else starts paying my sub, they have no say in how I play, or who I decide to have running next to me.

Just a long time hunter's 2 copper.

[Anansi]

Nobody here is telling you what pet to use.

Discussions on this have ranged from covering the requirements of casual playing to pvp to end-game progression raiding and through that spectrum we see pet options move from maximum variety to min/max restrictiveness. We see discussions on what raids expect and allow for, and how your personal situation is the key factor in regards to what pet(s) you use.

Nowhere is there a "you must use this pet or else you fail" perspective.