Analysis of new Pet Abilities

[The Insect Man]

I think Rhinos are still due a 2nd ability for their exotic status, so watch this space.

[Aylfric]

Blizzard seems to be stressing player skill and situational awareness over damage meters, so there's a chance that a lot of bosses will have abilities that are susceptible to interrupts, but with a really small window to do it in to keep players on their toes. DBM of course will take a great deal of the guess work out of it, but still, it's something. Having multiple sources raid wide of reduced cast time or school interrupt and making them useful is a great idea IMO and something worth pursuing for Blizzard.

I kind of doubt that they will actually change bosses to be more interruptable or susceptible to cast time reductions. The fact is, we have those abilities on pets right now - and they don't work on bosses.

They're PVP abilities.

But I don't really see any way for Blizzard here. If they want to give us, for instance, a potential pet disarm, then it has to be given to a pet as that pet's ability (unless it's exotic and gets two). Then the ability and pet won't be useful in PVE.

But the alternative is - don't give us anything we can't use in PVE. So no nifty PVP pet powers, period.

P.S. At least, for "PVE" read "raiding". I know I've used my warrior's disarms in various places - just can't remember where off the top of my head. There may well be dungeon and heroic bosses who can be interrupted and disarmed and have casts slowed.

[Nakari]

I kind of doubt that they will actually change bosses to be more interruptable or susceptible to cast time reductions. The fact is, we have those abilities on pets right now - and they don't work on bosses.

That's not entirely true - most bosses are just immune to the mechanics, not to our pet abilities in particular, since class abilites like Curse of Tongues, Kick, Disarm etc. don't work on most bossed either. When a boss can be interrupted (for example Lady Deathwhisper, General Vezax) oder disarmed (Gormokk the Impaler (non-HC only)), our pets can do it too.
The problem with abilities like Snatch or Nether Shock right now on live is that they are too situational to be useful, as the hunter has to give up a damaging/buffing specials to use them, and when they are useful, it's only for a handful of fights where other classes do the job better. In Cata, the damage difference gets eliminated, but pets with a "non-raid debuff special" like a disarm or interrupt are still much more situational than pets that provide one, and the "real" abilities are still more powerful.

[Twila]

Any word on chimeras? Do they keep their slowing ability? Am I losing my pvp baby?! ;.;

[Worba]

Any word on chimeras? Do they keep their slowing ability? Am I losing my pvp baby?! ;.;

I think so - last I checked I think it was just hyenas that were losing the movement debuff (and crabs I *think* are still unknown... in a way I hope they do lose it though since tenacity is now a little overloaded on movement debuffers, at least compared vs ferocity)

[Kalliope]

Pin seems to be the same. And a root is different than a snare.

Chimeras kept the movement debuff.

Scorpids and Birds of Prey only have a disarm and nothing else.

[Nymrohd]

Lo and Behold, the updates from the new patch: http://db.mmo-champion.com/spells/?prim ... mary_skill

Some changes:
Birds of Prey get Trick which is like Fox's Play, cosmetic.
Chimaeras get Froststorm breath, AoE damage?
Rhinos get Horn Toss, a 1min CD knockback
Spirit Beasts get Roar of Courage, the +STR and AGI buff & Spirit Walk which is essentially Prowl (they keep Spirit Mend as well)
Worms get Burrow Attack, AoE damage?
Cats are listed with just Prowl:(

None of the rest seem to change but I did not look spell by spell.

And I missed one. Bears get an extra ability, Rest which is again a cosmetic, sending your bear to sleep (and increasing it's happiness).

[Anyia]

Rhino has knock-back again?!

[The Insect Man]

SHale spider and beetle absent from the list, and carrion birds not updated.

Dubious about chimeras and worms getting a damaging ability, even as exotics. Doesn't that go against the whole plan?

[Nymrohd]

SHale spider and beetle absent from the list, and carrion birds not updated.

Dubious about chimeras and worms getting a damaging ability, even as exotics. Doesn't that go against the whole plan?

Exactly why I have a questionmark next to them.

[The Insect Man]

Actually.... ah crap, plan is out the window it appears.

Spirit beasts, those fantastically hard to get hold of critters, now have a good raid buff and a bonus healing ability - ergo best pets ever. So somewhere down the line BM hunters are going to be refused raid access unless they have tracked one down. SBs are the new wolves, which is basically what Blizzard wanted to avoid.

And survival now get +20% agility, so maybe it's time to edge over...

And I'm still pissed off that every single arthropod pet now has a pvp ability - wasps, spiders, silithids, crabs, moths, scorpids. I mean, FFS.

[Saturo]

And I'm still pissed off that every single arthropod pet now has a pvp ability - wasps, spiders, silithids, crabs, moths, scorpids. I mean, FFS.

QFT.

[Kalliope]

Well well well.

Hunting Party revamped and no longer triggers Replenishment. Now Increases your total Agility by an additional 20%, and increases the Ranged and Melee Attack Speed of all party and raid members by 20%.

Blizzard seems to have agreed with me, with the change to rhinos as well. Also, with that change to rhinos, I expect to see some sort of new beastcleave form...maybe in 5s. Daaaaaaaamn.

The bear "rest" option makes me happyyyyyyy!

The worm/chimera abilities seem to be works in progress, and I assume the cats are as well. The damage part might be a placeholder for another effect.

Re: arthropods: they have natural armor. They're natural choices.

Blizzard seems to be listening to us, or at least thinking the same way. Giving spirit beasts (or another family) Horn of Winter/Strength of Earth was discussed here a few days ago. Wouldn't lose heart; there's still plenty of time.

[Opreich]

Blizzard seems to have agreed with me, with the change to rhinos as well. Also, with that change to rhinos, I expect to see some sort of new beastcleave form...maybe in 5s. Daaaaaaaamn.

It'll go a little like this.

Melee all up in your face? Can't handle the damage? Well try rhino punt, it now comes with 70% more knock back.

Also, hurray for hibernating bears. And I am interested in what trick does, no doubt there will be a video within the next couple of days

[The Insect Man]

Fine. Giev spirit beasts that look like spiders, wasps, etc. Everyone's happy

[Saturo]

Fine. Giev spirit beasts that look like spiders, wasps, etc. :) Everyone's happy

Not MM and SV hunters that like bugs tough.

[The Insect Man]

Well for raiding hunters in 25, your buffs are covered and you can bring a wasp or moth (in fact, if your buffs are covered then a pvp ability is a very small advantage over a buff ability, situationally) or even a spider if cunning pets are really doing respectable damage. For raiding hunters in 10, or instancing in 5, then pet choice will always have a chance of being dictated by group composition.

Hopefully, for soloing, pet family won't be too critical, although the exotics will be bringing some nice personal buffs for BM hunters - gonna be fun levelling with your own fortitude, agility or 5% stat boost.

[The Insect Man]

To illustrate the small advantage of a pvp ability over a buff, if the buffs are covered - Saurfang and Lich King are both fights where an extra slow or stun is sometimes occasionally useful

[Nymrohd]

I am now wondering: http://db.mmo-champion.com/s/24450/prowl/
10 sec cooldown to give +20% damage buff on next ability. This is a dps buff. You can leave it on autocast or even better macro it to Kill Command so it triggers with every second KC. Available to cats, foxes and spirit beasts. Could make them the best pets by a not so small margin.

[Kalliope]

I am now wondering: http://db.mmo-champion.com/s/24450/prowl/
10 sec cooldown to give +20% damage buff on next ability. This is a dps buff. You can leave it on autocast or even better macro it to Kill Command so it triggers with every second KC. Available to cats, foxes and spirit beasts. Could make them the best pets by a not so small margin.

Except pets can't re-stealth in combat the last we saw.

Not usable in combat

^
Upper right hand corner. This is still the case.