Should I tie myself down to just wolves?

[Nick]

At the current time I'm dual spec BM/Surv and using Surv to the best of my abilities because it really out DPSs my BM.

But my problem is, I have never been the one to realy settle on just one type of pet. Current time, my stable is being taken up by three spirit beasts I refuse to let go of and my bugged crocoslime. Which mean I only have one stable spit left and it's really starting to wear me out to find a (maybe?) permanent pet so I can stop stressing about it.

I go tame a wolf for Surv and not even a week later I'm rethinking it and want to go out and tame a turtle or bear...
Or a wind serpent.
Or a spider.
Or a ravager.
Or a devilsaur.

I think you see my problem.

But my real question is should I go wolf if I'm only using it for randoms which seem to take up most of my time on my 80 now days, or should I sacrifice the DPS I get from the howl and go for a different pet outside of the wolf family?
(I also find the Call of the Wild talent in the ferocity tree to be very helpful, so that's why I'm so hesitant about getting rid of wolves because of the nice stack the howl and call do together on boss fights.)

[Vephriel]

If you're not raiding and only doing random heroics, then I'd say by all means take what you want to take. Absolutely any pet can be used in a random, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[Nick]

If you're not raiding and only doing random heroics, then I'd say by all means take what you want to take. Absolutely any pet can be used in a random, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

My guild has the weekly raids every sunday, which is why I'm asking. But there's multiple hunters in our guild and (even though I haven't been to one of their raids in awhile on account of no one even showing up, the bloody wankers) I can guess they'd bring wolves even though that wouldn't help my DPS much.

My guild leader isn't an "OMFGZZZ WOLF OR GTFO" person when it comes to raiding, so I can say she wouldn't be really affected by me being wolfless.

[Dewclaw]

To the OP, I'm a firm believer in playing for fun, but I know raiders currently have the you must have a wolf mentality. I curse the day that Blizz corned hunters into that little niche. I say go with your heart, the dps boost isn't that dramatic, but I'm sure some raiders would disagree. At any rate,I'm a bm hunter and can't be anything else. Does anyone know what kind of dps I can reasonably expect with 232-264 items (and no, I dont run with a wolf)? Also, will I ever be able to see an ICC raid? It's the weekly on my server so I've sat it out so far this week, but I want my badges.

[Rhyela]

To the OP, I'm a firm believer in playing for fun, but I know raiders currently have the you must have a wolf mentality. I curse the day that Blizz corned hunters into that little niche. I say go with your heart, the dps boost isn't that dramatic, but I'm sure some raiders would disagree. At any rate,I'm a bm hunter and can't be anything else. Does anyone know what kind of dps I can reasonably expect with 232-264 items (and no, I dont run with a wolf)? Also, will I ever be able to see an ICC raid? It's the weekly on my server so I've sat it out so far this week, but I want my badges.

With the new 15% buff in ICC, last night by the end of the first wing my total overall DPS was 6900, which was #1. There were other equally-geared people in the raid and they were around 6100-6200 dps. I run with my devilsaur because he's freaking awesome (so fun seeing a big red rex stomping on Saurfang), so to heck with Survival/Marksman and to heck with wolves (well...I actually do like wolves, but you know what I mean). BM does just fine. It's not the best of the three, and it's not a super-awesome dps spec in the sea of dps classes, but it's still perfectly acceptable and if you try your best, you can still pull off really good numbers. The only thing really holding BM back right now is the dirty, dingy stigma surrounding it.

[Dewclaw]

Thanks for the info. My guild is going to try ICC for the first time together Sat. It's a casual guild, and we'll probably have to pug in a few to get a full group. I'm going to take my bm hunter.

[Lilandre]

Raptors do about the same dps as a wolf on a single target fight, though you numbers will take a little hit on aoe pulls.
If you have roads in your raid who use hunger for blood they might appreciate the bleed effect from a cat.

Also If you really like windserpents I hear in cata they might be getting a curse of elements like ability. That might make them primo pets for the surv hunter
(since you do a great deal of elemental damage) Roar of recovery is a usefull ability and even with my wolf I find myself wishing I had my cunning pet out for the "OMG IT HAS TO DIE NOW" phase when Ive exhausted my mana and cant swap to viper >.<

[Tilo]

@ Rhyela -
Saurfang with Reptar *KKrush* - 5.5k+ dps 10% increase from ICC Buff
Festergut with Reptar *KKrush* - 7k+ dps 10% increase from ICC Buff

@ Harpier - heck yeah if they don't mind use whatever pet you want, however because it's not one of the specific dps pets, that they'll technically be carrying you through the run, but hey if it's all fun, & friends, then whatever you choose shouldn't matter one bit.

[Chrizesu]

When it comes to heroics, I even use a warpstalker. It's a healer saver.

[Helio]

Use whatever you like. I personally use my wolf for everything from the very rare raids, everyday heroics and battlegrounds.. down to my dailies even... but that's just because I've always loved wolves and my wolf will always be my primary means to go about the game.. yeah, sometimes I switch it up and use my boar.. but that's about it.

[Nick]

When it comes to heroics, I even use a warpstalker. It's a healer saver.

At the moment I actually do have one of the Netherstorm warp stalkers. cx

I love the colors, but I've never really bonded with them, even after multiple tames. But I bet if I get a good name and start role playing my warpie, I may bond more than I did with the others.

[Dewclaw]

I raided ICC with my devilsaur on Sat. We down the first 3 bosses (not bad for a first ever try) and then called it a day. Then I did a VOA pug and someone said "woa, a BM," like I was some rare thing that had just been spotted in the wild, lol.

[Nick]

I raided ICC with my devilsaur on Sat. We down the first 3 bosses (not bad for a first ever try) and then called it a day. Then I did a VOA pug and someone said "woa, a BM," like I was some rare thing that had just been spotted in the wild, lol.

I was BM all through my leveling days before I went dual and got MM, which became my main spec, with BM as an off.
Maybe it was my choice in pets that nobody immediantly pointed it out that I was BM, I dunno. /shrug

[Azzrazzah]

Inside the raids I use my wolf (I like the buff); outside My white lion, or skoll, or slime, or hydra... I just want more stable slots!!

[Dewclaw]

I raided ICC with my devilsaur on Sat. We down the first 3 bosses (not bad for a first ever try) and then called it a day. Then I did a VOA pug and someone said "woa, a BM," like I was some rare thing that had just been spotted in the wild, lol.

I was BM all through my leveling days before I went dual and got MM, which became my main spec, with BM as an off.
Maybe it was my choice in pets that nobody immediantly pointed it out that I was BM, I dunno. /shrug

I had my winterspring cat out for that, so it wasn't blatantly obvious. I guess it was when he got big and red though.

[Pawtrack]

Go with what you want to.

I have many pets I want to tame, and if you're looking for a pet that you'll like and bond to, I'd suggest trying out any pet you want to try - you might even find the perfect one.

If you're really starting to wig out and don't have a pet that you've really bonded with as much as you'd like to, try a pet that you think you hate - worked for me; I thought I hated gorillas, intill I tamed one

Well that's my advice, though I'm not much of a hardcore "must get max DPS" person, if it's a pet that you'll like and bond with that you want, try all of the ones you ever wanted to try

[kairii]

like everyone is saying get any pet you like when i was MM 24/7 i use to have a really cute purple raptor from zul'drak

but a few weeks of having him people started to call him raptard due to teh fact he liked to ninja pull when tanks took to long




and psst down here! wolfs aint the best for raids anymore i read a blue post ages ago that that howl doesnt stack with with BoM and warr shouts (ive tested and its doesnt <3) though im not 100% sure if this is also true but they also over write the howl ( i didnt have a attention span long enough to keep the wolk after finding teh 1st part out xD)

[Wassa]

and psst down here! wolfs aint the best for raids anymore i read a blue post ages ago that that howl doesnt stack with with BoM and warr shouts (ive tested and its doesnt <3) though im not 100% sure if this is also true but they also over write the howl ( i didnt have a attention span long enough to keep the wolk after finding teh 1st part out xD)

No, that's oooooold info. That's how howl worked previously before patch 3.1. Howl was a group buff, seen as a replacement if you didn't have a warrior or pally. Since every raid has at least one warrior or pally, wolves were rarely used.

In patch 3.1 howl buff was changed to work for the hunter and pet only, the attack power bonus was increased, and bom and battle shout does not override it; it stacks. This is why when Ulduar came out EVERYONE used wolves.

But back on the original topic I have a wolf (ghost puppy, won't ever get rid of him since he cannot be tamed anymore) but I don't have a huge attachment to him. He only comes out in progression nights for 25 man raids. Otherwise, I love to use my tallstrider, and my guild could care less what pet I use over another.

[Jakkra]

I'd say, if you're doing only randoms heroics, by all means, take whatever you want, it doesn't really matter.

However, if your guild is planning on raiding, every little dps increase helps, and for survival and MM, unfortunately, that means bringing a wolf. As a raider, I try to preform to the best of my ability to help my guild out, even if it means being attached to a certain pet (that isn't particularly my favorite).

Cataclysm will have loads of pet changes, though, so don't let it bring you down too much.

[Chrizesu]

Actually now that I think of it, there's a hunter in my guild who runs with a wasp even if our guild leader is a druid tank.