Has anyone ever done this to give themselves a challenge?

[Kuraine]

A few years ago, I decided to abandon all four of my spirit beasts, so that I could have the challenge of finding them again. My boyfriend said I was mad, and at times I seemed to regret it, but it wasn't too long before I had them all back again.

Has anyone else ever done this before? Or thought about it? It seems horrid to let go of your pets like that, but in a kind of roleplay perspective I decided that somehow the pets had gotten loose from their stables, running back into the wild and searching for their lost master. So I went to retrieve my lost pets again. Of course they all got named the same names I named them before. (Except for Loque'nahak, who's first name was Mystral, now shortened to Myst.)

I'm considering doing it AGAIN. I dunno. I really do love the thrill of the hunt. And I have all the Cata/WotLK rares now. But this time it would be more than the original four spirit beasts. Sambas, Ghostcrawler, Karoma, all of them. Just for the hell of it.

Edit: Decided to go against this idea and just wait for the new 4.2 rares. When I remembered how lucky I was to get all the Madexx colours without seeing the same one twice, I realised that next time I probably wouldn't be as lucky. Plus I just got finished with that collection. I'm sure I can wait for some more rares.

[erwil]

I've considered it. I have to say I really miss the thrill of the hunt, but I'm also afraid I'll just regret it too much. D:

[Sarayana]

I am really, *really* bad at the whole search n' camp thing, so I'm just glad I have them to begin with!

[Vephriel]

Hmm, not quite the same, but in a somewhat similar vein, I found that after I had tamed all the spirit beasts back in the day I realized that the hunt was the part I actually enjoyed about them, and not the aspect of keeping them. I released them all, sometimes randomly taming one or another if I stumbled across them again, but as of now the only spirit beast that's managed to 'stick' is Skoll (third time's the charm for him). It's really fun camping out and getting that thrill of finding a spirit beast in the wild, but as a whole they all seemed rather soulless and flimsy to me. Once I realized I had no connection to the pets themselves I had no desire to keep them, but I'll never regret going after them as the thrill of the hunt was exciting no matter what.

[snuzzle]

It's not nearly so mad anymore, now that you no longer have to relevel the pets or grind Loyalty. I think it would be fun. I too enjoy the hunt but not quite that much, I think

People think I'm mad that I have four 85 druids and a fifth at 40 on the way. I enjoy druids, I enjoy levelling, so I level druids. Do what you enjoy

[Kuraine]

I realized that the hunt was the part I actually enjoyed about them, and not the aspect of keeping them.

I can understand where you're coming from with that. I adore my Loque'nahak and I take Skoll and Karoma out for a play every once in a while but the other spirit beasts in my stable I feel barely any connection with. I never liked Arcturis and Ghostcrawler much anyway, I find the idea of a spectral bear and crab rather silly really. I don't mind Gondria at all but alas, I still feel not much love between us as a master and her companion.

The only pets I really feel connected to are Loque, Sambas, Terrorpene and my red Madexx. But then again, those are the pets I use most often. Sambas for PvE, Loque for PvP, Terrorpene/Madexx for soloing. The others barely get used. Lucky little Aotona will be coming to play for a bit soon, however, since me and my boyfriend have decided to take up trying out some Arena.

To be fair though, it's hard to have a stable available for 25 pets and be able to stay totally in love with every single one.

[Kalliope]

I've had to retame pets before, but not in that exact way. It's funny how all of that dead time which can be a drag can also be the most rewarding part of the experience. It's hard to explain, but I do understand where you're coming from.

[Shade]

It seems a little crazy to me-but then I had to spend four months looking before I got my Loque'nahak. I wouldn't let him go for anything.

I do like the thrill of the hunt though-thats the biggest point of the game to me. So while I wouldn't do it I could understand the idea. But instead of getting rid of pets I spent so much time trying to tame-I'm just leveling more hunters to tame those pets on again if I really want them. I would feel bad taming a pet that I had had then released if there were other hunters about that I know would want to have them.

*shrug*

I've been grinding my littlest hunter for a bit now-got her from 20 to 64 in about a month, and am pushing hard to get her to 76 so I can get Loque on her.

So yeah I would think its a little crazy-but if it is what you want to do, why should anybody get to tell you yes or no?

[pengupuff]

Hmm, not quite the same, but in a somewhat similar vein, I found that after I had tamed all the spirit beasts back in the day I realized that the hunt was the part I actually enjoyed about them, and not the aspect of keeping them. I released them all, sometimes randomly taming one or another if I stumbled across them again, but as of now the only spirit beast that's managed to 'stick' is Skoll (third time's the charm for him). It's really fun camping out and getting that thrill of finding a spirit beast in the wild, but as a whole they all seemed rather soulless and flimsy to me. Once I realized I had no connection to the pets themselves I had no desire to keep them, but I'll never regret going after them as the thrill of the hunt was exciting no matter what.

Pretty much this exactly, except the one spirit beast I finally ended up with is Karoma.

But that high you get after finally taming a super rare pet is unmistakable, regardless of whether or not you end up keeping it.

[Kuraine]

But that high you get after finally taming a super rare pet is unmistakable, regardless of whether or not you end up keeping it.

I remember all those hours and hours and hours I spent looking for Loque'nahak the first time... When NPC Scan finally blared out a warning to me and I see a huge white kitty not far from me, it's the first time I've ever panicked when NPC Scan went off. In fact, I was too busy panicking to think about what I was doing properly. I tagged him and the frost trap broke, I was level 76, so he killed me instantly. I actually started crying a little, thinking, 'He's no longer mine, someone's swooped down and killed him or tamed him by now.' as I ran back to my corpse. To my amazement, when I got back to my corpse, he was still there, untouched. Okay. Eat some food, get health back, calm down. Laid down a trap, pressed tame beast. Loque came flying though the air as he does and landed in front of me, giving me one good smack before freezing in his tracks. I was amazed, stunned, when I saw him shrink down beside me and his name turn green.

The thrill of the hunt is still there, but there's nothing as amazing as finding that first rare pet for the very first time.

[Kurenio]

I love the thrill of the hunt.... but I don't think I could bring myself to abandon my pets even if I did roleplay they got out.... And thats why I rehome rares now :O

[Craich]

That short yet 'oh-so-long' time whilst the tame spell is channeling is the highlight of being a hunter on the hunt.

There are some pets that I have released (in a similar 'escaped' storyline) and gone searching for again; or others that I have tamed for the heck of it, but very few have that bond. Not to mention, if there is a story about them or how they were tamed, then they are for keeps (even if they never come out of the stable)

For example, I was in a PuG one morning and there were two hunters in the group, everyone was getting along very well. The tank stopped the group suddenly and marked two wolves so that we could tame them - without even asking. He just wanted to make sure we had a wolf. I wasn't all that fussed about the look of the wolves (preferring the more wild looking ones) but I tamed him and named him "comraderie" as he is a good reminder of how people (and PuGs) can be genuinely good-hearted

[Vignax]

Yes i had the same thing with my spirit beasts, I barely had any connection with them lol

Karoma - no connection, abandoned
Skoll - nope, abandoned
Ghostcrawler - nope, abandoned
Artcuris - nope, abandoned
Gondria - didn't even tame him, don't like the colors

Loque'nahak <3, I think i have something with cats and foxes, half of my stable is full with cats of all kinds, and Magria is joining them soon

[Foru21dr]

I like to get my NPCScan fix... but I try finding the rares for others. In the guild on with /who. It's the thrill I get by hearing NPCScan go off.

[Samskeyti]

I rolled a second hunter, so I could go all on a taming spree again. As soon as she was level to tame Madexx, Madexx vanished and I never saw him, conpared to the many times I saw and rehomed him before. Then, last saturday, npcscan goes off, just to let me see a last glimpse of bronze Madexx being killed. But it's all good Sunday morning, I woke up earlier, have a lazy hopeless fly through Uldum and there: green Madexx!!!! If anyone remembers, I was looking for green Madexx pretty much nonstop for two weeks for my other huntress.

But, like Foru, I rehome rares, not really in the guild as noone really cares, but by whispering hunters who are on at that time. Rehomed countless countless pets, and it makes me happy everytime to see them tamed and not killed

[Nubhorns]

I like to get my NPCScan fix... but I try finding the rares for others. In the guild on with /who. It's the thrill I get by hearing NPCScan go off.

This. For me it's not really the pet itself that sets off the adrenaline, it's NPCScan shrieking at me about it. When I saw one of the new PTR Spirit Beasts earlier the only thing I could really say was "oh, hey, birdy's up!". I was surprised, admittedly, but not the way I was when I found Karoma, and I think it has something to do with NPCScan as well as not really wanting the pet I saw. I'm sure that's not the same for everyone else, though.

I guess it depends on what you consider the thrill of the hunt to be, really. If it's the waiting, day or night, rain or shine, then no, I hate that, and I'd rather eat my kneecaps than willingly do it any more than I feel I absolutely have to. For me the thrill of the hunt is the moment where your prey finally shows up. :P