Does it matter?

[Redith]

Are there any substantial stat differences between Named rare pets and pets that are common but share its skin. for example
Rak'Shiri, when tamed is he more powerful then a Frostsaber Pride Watcher?

[Anansi]

Nope.

Once upon a time it did, the named animals often had traits unique to them over other animals in their family, but this was removed quite a while ago. So there is no difference between a named, elite and normal beast of one family in terms of stats.

[Tilo]

^

beat me to it

[Foru21dr]

It's only the thrill of knowing you went and tamed the actual rare instead of getting the common skin.

[Vephriel]

It's only the thrill of knowing you went and tamed the actual rare instead of getting the common skin.

^ This.

Sometimes I'll specifically go for a particular rare pet just for the sake of having that uniqueness about it. Even though there could be multitudes of common beasts using the identical look. Just more exciting or fun that way. ^^


The only exception to the above would be The Beast - a red core hound boss from UBRS. Though the stats are the same, if you can successfully tame him he keeps his Boss portrait and ?? Skull level after taming. Proof that you went through hell and back just to get him. xD

[Dulanie]

What they said ^ Though I do miss the days when King Bangalesh was the only pet with catlike reflexes, and elites were elite pets. The good old days when being a good hunter took real skill.

[Anansi]

What they said ^ Though I do miss the days when King Bangalesh was the only pet with catlike reflexes, and elites were elite pets. The good old days when being a good hunter took real skill.

Well being a good Hunter still takes skill, but the focus of that skill has changed dramatically, and perhaps to the more mundane and certainly not to any end that is Hunter-unique. Of course I'm not sure any of the classes feel unique anymore.... but that's a whole other topic!

[FuzzyDolly]

Ahhh... the good old days. Boy I miss them.

[zedxrgal]

So how long ago did Blizz make that change?

[Rhyela]

I'd say Patch 3.0 or maybe even before that. 2.0? It's been quite some time.

[Anansi]

It was during Burning Crusade, I don't recall when exactly though.

[Congafury]

I remember being laughed at during classic warcraft time for using a Ghost saber, his attack speed was slow compared to other cats, just a few weeks after i got him to level 60 a patch came out that normalised all pets attack speed, i remember how unpopular Broken tooth became after it, was sad to watch a previously beloved pet to be abandoned by most hunters for not looking cool enough, i then suddenly realised that there are hunters that treat their companions as weapons, just like their bow or a polearm, heh i was surprised;)

[Azzrazzah]

Sigh I do miss the days of that "Elite" tag.

[zedxrgal]

I wish the elite tag stayed though. I went after Snort back in the day still thinking they had kept it then was saddened to find out much much later that things had changed and they didn't. But that wasn't why I tamed him even back then. It was just something with him specifically. Just like other elites I'd gone after. It was a feeling of self accomplishment that I did it. As already said that it took skill. I was out of the game for a year or maybe just a bit longer because of medical reasons. When I came back I had realized a bunch of changed were made.
Anyways.

[kamoodle5]

I once remembered seeing a hunter a long time ago with Humar and the cat still had his Elite tag on. Stats didn't seem much different compared to my cat though.

The wind serpent I got from WC does still have his Elite tag on, but his powers seems pretty normal. I do like the tag though.