Speculation: Number of new species introduced in expansions?

[Andine]

As for hydras and their chances of tameability, I think it's one of those arbitrary policies Blizzard seems to teem with. Someone up there probably thinks "we don't want hunters to tame hydras / we don't think hydras fit our artistic vision / we think lack of hydras for hunters is vital to the game style of WoW". Yes, none of those three arguments make sense, but you'd find Blizzard uses them much more often than they should.

So I reckon we get those six now, and that's it for MoP.

If someone upstairs really thought those things, the ghost hydras wouldn't actually be hydras. Or if they (god forbid) changed their minds, those same hydras would most likely go back to the crocolisk family.

Whatever the actual reasoning behind the call, I just don't think that's it.

I think that one ghost hydra is just insubstantial enough to let it slide. But outside of that one, I'm not counting on hydras any soon now.

[Equeon]

Who was it that made the argument of there only being new tameable families if they were "represented" in the new continent?
Basilisks, as far as I know, do not live in Pandaria. And if they do, they're not commonly found.

I still don't see how we can't get shoveltusks and talbuks with goats or clefthooves with rhinos in some later additions. And it's not far off for hydras to be added if basilisks were.

I'm still praying for sandreavers!

[Andine]

Who was it that made the argument of there only being new tameable families if they were "represented" in the new continent?
Basilisks, as far as I know, do not live in Pandaria. And if they do, they're not commonly found.

There are basilisks in the Jade Forest. Haven't seen any other than this one particular mob variety, but there is one.
On a related note, I think I've heard of some hydras up in VoEB.

[Kalliope]

Who was it that made the argument of there only being new tameable families if they were "represented" in the new continent?
Basilisks, as far as I know, do not live in Pandaria. And if they do, they're not commonly found.

There are basilisks in the Jade Forest. Haven't seen any other than this one particular mob variety, but there is one.
On a related note, I think I've heard of some hydras up in VoEB.

It was me. And see above. The yellow Outland basilisks are there, which is part of why I made that argument. Common or not, they are represented.

[Ickabob]

I know it's kind of a drag about hydras, but if we don't get them this expansion I guess we don't get them. I'm sure there's a reason behind it as they're well aware of how popular they are with the community in general. We'd have them by now, so I can only assume there's something holding them back.

Mmm, I'm not so sure that it's now or never. There aren't any hydras in Pandaria, and every single one of the new families added has some sort of representation out there. Fen striders got lumped in with the new water striders, so they got a pass.

Overall, this has been the theme of new families, looking back at the previous expansions. The only arguable additions are from Wrath: core hounds and silithids don't have tamable representation in Northrend (and even core hounds get a bit of a pass, since there's a representative inside Violet Hold). However, Wrath was also the expansion in which exotics were added, so exceptions make some degree of sense.

And yet, while there's all that solid reasoning, the fact remains that some players DO have actual hydra pets. They wouldn't've been made a real family if Blizzard hadn't been considering giving them to us. So I do agree that there is likely some reason they're being held back. Blizzard knows how much players pine for "limited edition" (read: totally unintended) pets; they learned that with the ghost wolves. Here's hoping that whatever they have planned, it'll work out sooner than later.

Honestly why can't we have them? And why did they make all the ghost hydras out there hydras with their own unique special ability? Don't you think we've been teased long enough? They even have the hydra NPC at the Darkmoon Faire for crying out loud. If that isn't salt in the wound I don't know what is.

[Kalliope]

Honestly why can't we have them? And why did they make all the ghost hydras out there hydras with their own unique special ability? Don't you think we've been teased long enough? They even have the hydra NPC at the Darkmoon Faire for crying out loud. If that isn't salt in the wound I don't know what is.

$64,000 question is bolded.

There is clearly a reason of some sort; we just don't know what it is.

Not that that answers the question, but it's basically rhetorical, since we don't know.

[Sandpanther]

I'm hoping for a tameable camel.I'll name it Edi =P

[Slickrock]

I still want the Sand Reavers....

[Tahlian]

I think the whole hold-up on Hydras might actually be the exotic/non-exotic question. Granted, the current "available" glitch hydras are non-exotic, but the whole theme of hydras seems to fit with the whole idea of exotic pets being beasts that not just any Joe Hunter can tame.

That being said...as a long-time beast master and lover of my exotic pets - I'm perfectly fine with hydras going non-exotic and staying that way. Nothing says there can't be some cool-looking non-exotic pets for the non-BM crowd to have and hold. So if Blizzard would just make their minds up on that point, we might see Hydras in MoP after all.

[Ickabob]

Personally I think it would be easier for them to keep them as is. Having to flag them as exotic and then make a new exotic only special skill would be harder work then just flipping the switch and giving them to us as they are on live for the lucky few who have them. And like you already stated, why not let all hunters have something nice for a change? Not every cool pet needs to be exotic.

[Ziarre]

Not to mention, it would be a massive and unpleasant first--that of an existing pet family being made Exotic. All of the current Exotics have been introduced as such.

[Andine]

Not to mention, it would be a massive and unpleasant first--that of an existing pet family being made Exotic. All of the current Exotics have been introduced as such.

One could argue that one, no longer tameable pet hardly constitutes an existing family and the rarity of it can be used as a reason for not caring too much. As in, it would not disappoint "too much" people.

Though essentially I think the problem with hydras lies in Blizz's philosophy: usefulness first, aesthetics second. Unless they find some useful niche or abilities for hydras (current abilities make them little more than cats), we're probably not getting them.

[Slickrock]

I think the issue with Hydras is that they are not happy with the animations, in addition to the other issues that have been mentioned. The models seem pretty rough too.

But we are getting some nice new pets, we can't get everything in the first tier of the the xpac.

[Rikaku]

Normally I would agree that maybe Hydras just won't make it, but the fact that they went all the way to make it a family is bizzare. Once they made it a family, even if its just for ONE freak-of-nature-tame Ghost Hydra, it doesn't make sense to not include others in the family. I really don't get it.

If Hydras were something that Blizzard absolutely didn't want tamed, they would've removed it/changed it to a crocolisk similar to the 'I tamed a Worgen!' incident during wrath with Garwal. Those tamed 'worgen' had their pet removed and replaced with a normal worg.

I think Andine hit the nail on the head:
"Though essentially I think the problem with hydras lies in Blizz's philosophy: usefulness first, aesthetics second. Unless they find some useful niche or abilities for hydras (current abilities make them little more than cats), we're probably not getting them."

I just hope they make them tameable. Hydras have been almost 'expected' since they were given a family. I certainly never thought in my wildest dreams we'd get Basilisks and Fen (water) Striders before Hydras...

[Vephriel]

I definitely agree that hydras seem to be on the forthcoming list, I'm just not so certain we're getting them in this expansion. We may have to wait until the next.

[Kalliope]

Not to derail the discussion, but this thread is more intended for definitive questions and answers rather than hypotheticals. We could discuss hydras for pages upon pages, but none of us truly know the answer.

It's been several days now, so could we please let this go, or at least move it elsewhere? Thanks!

Eurgh, I thought this was the questions/answers thread, sigh. Ignore me!

But yes, what Veph said below is still very relevant.

[Vephriel]

I didn't mind too much since I originally made this thread to speculate on possible new species, and hydras were definitely one of the top. However in light of getting our batch of new pet families for MoP, I'm not sure if more are on the way. Regardless, there's not much to add to the hydra discussion. We can go round in circles about the reasons, but no one will know for certain, and I think all angles have been covered. We'll just have to wait and cross our fingers.