A little analysis of new pet abilities and what we're missin

[The Insect Man]

So, for this post I take as my sources MMO Champion and WHU, and I'm more than happy to be corrected on facts. Neither source lists all the known pets, and the new pets are still unknowns in part. Beta Testers may be able to fill in some gaps, if the skills etc. are in the Beta and just not noted yet.

I take as my assumptions that:
normal pets will have one non-damaging ability (although the ability may, of course, indirectly increase damage by, say reducing armour).
exotic pets seem to have one normal ability that duplicates that of a normal pet, and one exotic ability which is often (but not always) a raidbuff.

To break down by talent tree we have:

Cunning
Stun (bat)
Root (Spider, Silithid, Beetle?)
Disarm (Bird of Prey)
Move debuff (Chimera)
??? (Chimera exotic ability)
Magic damage increase (Dragonhawk, wind serpent)
Blind (Monkey -assume this is a confusion-type stun?)
Interrupt (Nether Ray)
Physical damage increase (Ravager)
Armour debuff (serpent)
Fortitude buff (silithid and beetle exotic ability)
Cast time debuff (sporebat)

(continued on fresh post because of length)

[The Insect Man]

Ferocity
Enemy damage debuff (Carrion Bird)
??? (Cat - I agree with Frostheim that they won't keep Rake)
Cast time debuff (core hound)
Bloodlust/heroism (core hound exotic ability)
Crit buff (wolf, devilsaur)
Healing debuff (devilsaur exotic ability)
Heal (spirit beast exotic ability) (EDIT)
??? (dog - same as wolf?)
Attack speed debuff (Tallstrider, Fox?)
Bleed damage increase (Hyena)
Interrupt (Moth)
Armour debuff (Raptor)
??? (Spirit beast normal ability)
Heal target (Spirit beast exotic ability)
Stun (Wasp - bah!)

Tenacity
Enemy damage debuff (Bear)
Bleed damage debuff (Boar, Rhino)
??? (Crab)
Move debuff (Crocolisk, Warp Stalker)
Interrupt (Gorilla)
??? (Rhino exotic ability)
Disarm (Scorpid)
??? (Shale Spider normal ability)
Blessing of Kings (Shale spider exotic ability)
Self shield (Turtle)
Physical damage increase (Worm)
??? (Worm exotic ability)

So - first obvious gaps, we have no normal ability for: cats, spirit beasts, crabs, shale spiders, prompting the thought that cats and SBs will share one, and so will crabs and SS's. Secondly, three of the exotics have yet to get any exotic ability, so I guess that's Watch This Space.

(continued on third and last post)

[The Insect Man]

To breakdown by ability, therefore:

Armour debuff - cunning, ferocity
Attack speed debuff - ferocity, ferocity
bleed damage increase - ferocity, tenacity, tenacity Exotic
blessing of kings - tenacity exotic
bloodlist/heroism - ferocity exotic
cast time debuff - cunning, ferocity exotic
crit buff - ferocity, ferocity exotic
disarm - cunning, ferocity
enemy damage reduction - ferocity, tenacity
fortitude buff - cunning exotic
heal target - ferocity exotic
healing debuff - ferocity exotic
interrupt - cunning, ferocity, tenacity
magic damage increase - cunning, cunning
move debuff - cunning, tenacity, tenancity
physical damage increase - cunning, tenacity
root - cunning, cunning exotic
self shield - tenacity
stun - cunning, cunning (monkey so kind-of), ferocity

There appears to be a certain amount of pointless redundancy - wind serpents and serpents are identical, foxes and tallstriders, crocolisks and warp stalkers - this seems pointless and I wonder if some pets will jump families (foxes to cunning has already been suggested). Either Beetles are intended to be silithids in a different hat or they've currently got the silithid skills etc. and need their own.

One also sees a few gaps - perhaps cats/SBs will get physical damage increase for ferocity, and crabs/shale spiders get armour debuff which tenacity surely needs?

[Undra]

The redundancy isn't pointless. If only one family does one thing, then not only do we run out of things to do, but we're locked into just one type of pet to do that thing. Where as having two failies share an effect, it gives us a choice.

For example, I can't stand dragonhawks, but I do like windserpents. If I'm in a caster heavy group that is missing the Magic buff, I can bring a windserpent out to help and never bother taming a family I don't like.

It's about giving hunters more choice on how they can fill the missing niche.

[Vephriel]

The redundancy isn't pointless. If only one family does one thing, then not only do we run out of things to do, but we're locked into just one type of pet to do that thing. Where as having two failies share an effect, it gives us a choice.

For example, I can't stand dragonhawks, but I do like windserpents. If I'm in a caster heavy group that is missing the Magic buff, I can bring a windserpent out to help and never bother taming a family I don't like.

I fully agree there. I'm glad there's multiple options otherwise we'd be stuck filling our stable slot with practically one of each family. This way ensures that we can most likely have a pet we enjoy for the particular skill it utilizes.

[Paurixote]

Organized these a bit more concisely for those interested in raid buffs specifically:

5% Agility, Strength, Intelect and Stamina — Druid, Paladin, pet Shale Spider
Agility and Strength — Death Knight, Shaman, Warrior
Armor — Shaman, Paladin
10% AP — Marksmanship Hunter, Enhancement Shaman, Blood Death Knight, Paladin
Burst Haste — Shaman, Mage, pet Corehound (exotic)
3% Damage — Beast Mastery Hunter, Arcane Mage, Retribution Paladin
Health — Warlock (probably Destruction), Warrior, Priest, pet Silithid (exotic)
Mana Pool — Mage, Warlock (probably Affliction)
Mana Regen — Paladin, Shaman, Warlock (probably Affliction)
Replenishment — Shadow Priest, Frost Mage, Survival Hunter, Destruction Warlock, Retribution Paladin
5% Crit — Fury Warrior, Feral Druid, Subtlety Rogue, Elemental Shaman, pet Devilsaur (exotic), pet Wolf
20% Melee Attack Speed — Shaman, Frost Death Knight, Retribution Paladin, Survival Hunter
5% Spell Haste — Shaman, Balance Druid, Shadow Priest, Destro Warlock
6% Spell Power — Mage, Shaman
10% Spell Power — Elemental Shaman, Demonology Warlock, Fire Mage
12% Armor Debuff — Warrior, Rogue, Druid, Hunter, pet Raptor, pet Serpent
10% Physical Damage Debuff — Warrior, Druid (probably bear), Protection Paladin, Warlock, Blood Death Knight, pet Bear
30% Bleed Damage Debuff — Arms Warrior, Feral Druid, Subtlety Rogue, pet Boar, pet Hyena, pet Rhino
30% Cast Speed Slow — Warlock, Rogue, Arcane Mage
5% Spell Crit Chance Taken — Fire Mage, Warlock (probably Demonology), Mage (possibly Frost)
25% Healing Taken — Arms Warrior, Fury Warrior, Hunter, Rogue, Frost Mage, Shadow Priest
10% Melee Attack Speed Debuff — Warrior, Death Knight, Feral Druid, Protection Paladin
4% Physical Vulnerability — Arms Warrior, Combat Rogue, Frost Death Knight, pet Ravager, pet Worm
8% Spell Damage Taken — Warlock, Unholy Death Knight, Balance Druid, Assassination Rogue, pet Dragonhawk, pet Windserpent

[The Insect Man]

Thanks for that, much clearer.

I don't mind redundancy, it would just make sense to, say, make the wind serpent a ferocity pet - that way we really do get more choice - otherwise the two of them might as well be the same family.

And wouldn't it be nice if one of the missing exotics gave us the str/agi buff currently reserved for DKs and shamen.

[Protego]

You forgot about healing from Spirit Beasts.

[The Insect Man]

D'oh. Put it in now.