Newbie hunter 4.x pet question

[Lord_Beastington]

Sorry if this is a no-brainer but while I seem to find a lot of information about pets all over the tubes, a lot of it seems outdated and I'm not sure what's what for today's hunter.

Basically, I'm not new to WoW but I am new to the Hunter class. My question is this:

I get why I might choose a Ferocity pet over a Tenacity or Cunning pet. I also get why, in the Ferocity family I might choose a Wolf over a Wasp. What I'm not sure about is whether there is any reason in 4.x why I might choose to tame Ironjaw over Deathmaw other than their appearance.

So in a nutshell - if I decide to go with a Wolf pet, can my decision get any more granular than that? Or once I've made that choice is it just a matter of which one I think looks best?

Thanks!

[lilatha]

When picking pets, your prio will be picking what is needed for a Raid buff end of game. But that is why we have 25 slots
Say you needed a Crit buff and you picked your Wolf then go onto Petopia look at the models and find one you like the most the look you pick is totally up to you
But remeber end of game wise you will be looking at what the pets can do more then anything! Say your raid is missing Bloodlust, you as a Hunter could switch to BM and bring a Corehound.

If this makes any sence if not please tell me ^^

(/sleeps D:)

[TygerDarkstorm]

Sorry if this is a no-brainer but while I seem to find a lot of information about pets all over the tubes, a lot of it seems outdated and I'm not sure what's what for today's hunter.

Basically, I'm not new to WoW but I am new to the Hunter class. My question is this:

I get why I might choose a Ferocity pet over a Tenacity or Cunning pet. I also get why, in the Ferocity family I might choose a Wolf over a Wasp. What I'm not sure about is whether there is any reason in 4.x why I might choose to tame Ironjaw over Deathmaw other than their appearance.

So in a nutshell - if I decide to go with a Wolf pet, can my decision get any more granular than that? Or once I've made that choice is it just a matter of which one I think looks best?

Thanks!

Simple answer: Pets are normalized, they all do the same base damage that's only affected by levels and talents. There is no difference between using one wolf or another except which one appeals to you more.

[Lisaara]

Sorry if this is a no-brainer but while I seem to find a lot of information about pets all over the tubes, a lot of it seems outdated and I'm not sure what's what for today's hunter.

Basically, I'm not new to WoW but I am new to the Hunter class. My question is this:

I get why I might choose a Ferocity pet over a Tenacity or Cunning pet. I also get why, in the Ferocity family I might choose a Wolf over a Wasp. What I'm not sure about is whether there is any reason in 4.x why I might choose to tame Ironjaw over Deathmaw other than their appearance.

So in a nutshell - if I decide to go with a Wolf pet, can my decision get any more granular than that? Or once I've made that choice is it just a matter of which one I think looks best?

Thanks!

Simple answer: Pets are normalized, they all do the same base damage that's only affected by levels and talents. There is no difference between using one wolf or another except which one appeals to you more.

Agreed. This also applies to the Families as well. You CAN spec them to be DPS only. I can still be top dps with a tenacity or cunning pet.

[Lord_Beastington]

Awesome, thanks for the (quick) responses!

I find myself a little disappointed though...I think it would be more fun to hunt them if they were more 'flavors' (say, one wolf was the fastest, one had the toughest armor, etc) but playing as a Hunter is still a blast.

Thanks again!

[TygerDarkstorm]

Things used to be that way in Vanilla and then Blizzard decided it was bad design because it forced people to use one or two pets to be the best. Now we can use whichever pet we want.

[Sarayana]

Yeah, while there was definitely something thrilling about getting the "best" pet, it was anticlimactic when everyone had it... I'm much happier with the current system.

[Lord_Beastington]

Hmm...I hadn't thought of it that way, but now that you say it, it makes perfect sense.

Out of curiosity, prior to the change, what *was* the 'best' pet? (Or am I just reopening a can of old worms)?

[Lisaara]

Hmm...I hadn't thought of it that way, but now that you say it, it makes perfect sense.

Out of curiosity, prior to the change, what *was* the 'best' pet? (Or am I just reopening a can of old worms)?

Depended on your spec during Wrath.

BM = Devilsaur
SV/MM = Wolf

[TygerDarkstorm]

Back in vanilla, I believe Broken Tooth and the ZG bat were the "go-to" pets for their attack speed.

[Comett]

And in BC I think cats in general were "the thing"

[Yaone]

BC also was big on raptors and wind serpents

[AdamSavage]

Sorry if this is a no-brainer but while I seem to find a lot of information about pets all over the tubes, a lot of it seems outdated and I'm not sure what's what for today's hunter.

Basically, I'm not new to WoW but I am new to the Hunter class. My question is this:

I get why I might choose a Ferocity pet over a Tenacity or Cunning pet. I also get why, in the Ferocity family I might choose a Wolf over a Wasp. What I'm not sure about is whether there is any reason in 4.x why I might choose to tame Ironjaw over Deathmaw other than their appearance.

So in a nutshell - if I decide to go with a Wolf pet, can my decision get any more granular than that? Or once I've made that choice is it just a matter of which one I think looks best?

Thanks!

Simple answer: Pets are normalized, they all do the same base damage that's only affected by levels and talents. There is no difference between using one wolf or another except which one appeals to you more.

To a point yes. However some pets do have a "raid buff" which is handy to have. Those non raid buff pets are best used when there are others that can provide the missing raid buffs. Other then that, the talents would reduce it's dps but shouldn't reduce it by much.

[TygerDarkstorm]

Sorry if this is a no-brainer but while I seem to find a lot of information about pets all over the tubes, a lot of it seems outdated and I'm not sure what's what for today's hunter.

Basically, I'm not new to WoW but I am new to the Hunter class. My question is this:

I get why I might choose a Ferocity pet over a Tenacity or Cunning pet. I also get why, in the Ferocity family I might choose a Wolf over a Wasp. What I'm not sure about is whether there is any reason in 4.x why I might choose to tame Ironjaw over Deathmaw other than their appearance.

So in a nutshell - if I decide to go with a Wolf pet, can my decision get any more granular than that? Or once I've made that choice is it just a matter of which one I think looks best?

Thanks!

Simple answer: Pets are normalized, they all do the same base damage that's only affected by levels and talents. There is no difference between using one wolf or another except which one appeals to you more.

To a point yes. However some pets do have a "raid buff" which is handy to have. Those non raid buff pets are best used when there are others that can provide the missing raid buffs. Other then that, the talents would reduce it's dps but shouldn't reduce it by much.

The OPs question wasn't about pet buffs though, which I've noticed a couple people have misunderstood.
His/her question was specifically about whether using Ironjaw over Deathmaw provides a certain DPS increase--I answered that question exactly.

[AdamSavage]

The OPs question wasn't about pet buffs though, which I've noticed a couple people have misunderstood. His/her question was specifically about whether using Ironjaw over Deathmaw provides a certain DPS increase--I answered that question exactly.

I know. I figured it was related to a dps increase so I mentioned it.

[Wark]

One other thing of note: currently, Ferocity and Cunning pets are about tied for raid damage. If there's a difference, it's so small and/or situational that even the theorycrafters don't appear to have figured it out. Even a Tenacity pet with a good buff can be worth using, as long as you spec it for maximum damage talents.

So our pet priority is approximately "bring the buff you don't already have; otherwise, the pet you like best." And as Tyger said, a wolf is a wolf is a wolf. Pick the look you like best and it's all the same from there.

[TygerDarkstorm]

Considering our pets benefit from our stats, I don't think they benefit from their own buffs (or the buffs of other hunter pets) just because that would create buff stacking and become OP. That's just my speculation though seeing as how core hounds weren't benefiting from their own Ancient Hysteria.

And yes Wark, you worded it perfectly.

[AdamSavage]

Also if you spec your pet for tanking even then you don't see a large difference if your strictly speaking about the pet dps only and not the combined dps. You do notice it but it's small. So if you want to get the cool turtle you have always wanted you can can go nuts.

[TygerDarkstorm]

It's really wonderful what they've done to pets for us.

[Araela]

I like having the ability to have a set family, as you said, the wolf for example, and then have it be the same stats. Though I have to admit, the rare hunter in me would like to see something specific to rare pets only (even those with common skins, like Snarler) that would be an added ability or something.