Pondering Pet Levels...

[Arisia]

I was actually sitting and thinking earlier how much I really dislike the limits of pet levels. Let me explain...

I love making new hunters; gives me the opportunity to try different things. Problem is, and I cannot be the only odd duck out there, considering so many of us RP, write, or draw our toons, that you aren't just playing a game; you're making a character.

I personally would LOVE to, right now, make a night elf hunter who has a tiger-- one of the brown ones from Pandaria. I'd love to LEVEL her all the way with that pet-- heck, since I can set the sort of pet it is (cunning/ferocity/tenacity) it'd be fun to have perhaps one of the elder dragon turtles for her too... and one of the STV gorillas. I like some of the old models, but right now, I'd like a option for a new toon to level with some of the new art pets. And yes, I can go tame a tiger and just say it "evolves" and tame newer skins as I level progress but being honest here, I like the LOOK of the new tigers better, and since it will be racing alongside me for 85+ levels, why not be a skin I LIKE? But with that tiger being level 84, no way it can happen.

I can't see why, aside from the reality that these are pets from the expansion and thus are at a higher level because there are higher level people fighting the mobs, this could not be done. Hell, why not have a set up in the major cities where higher level hunters could "bring in" NON RARE pets for starting hunters to tame for free if you don't want to toss some of the new skins in with the old ones wherever the creature spawns usually -- NPCs to keep it from turning into a gold exchange that would set every single other class to screaming. Since it is all just appearance, why can't I have a level 12 tiger who is wearing the Pandaria tiger skin?

And before everyone implodes about how it takes away the fun of getting things at higher levels... well, then have Rares KEEP levels. Savage can remain level 85-- he can be a hope for the future, a tiger your toon "hears about and can plan to someday tame". Things they don't WANT you to tame? Make them keep their levels as well, far above what anyone can reach, just like they do currently. Spirit beasts? Hey, again, keep the levels with the concept that these are creatures that you must learn to tame as you progress as a hunter. I'd just like any COMMON creature to have level limits removed with some way for starting hunters to tame them, that's all.

I'm probably one of the only ones who do feel this way, but I will admit, having to use pets that I'm less than happy with has kept me from making and leveling new hunters recently. Heh; I like the new art-- just don't want to wait the weeks it would take me personally to level to get it it... not to mention, I'd like to have the same pet level up with me. Anyone else feel this way? Or is it "No, Anne, just you" ::

[Shadow]

I'm partially in the same boat with you. Since my main got transferred to a PvE realm, I re-rolled a brand new hunter instead of moving my Cata raiding main (mostly because I don't have money right now and I don't expect to see it for another week or two right now). I don't regret my choice. See. I RPed the entire experience. Not that my character split herself into two separate beings in two realities, no. But that she took so much shit from the Sha and a relationship she had recently failed where she had a very strong bond with a man, it all took a toll on her. To her, the Sha were right, and already being a veteran of warfare, she's seen so much crap it's hard for her to keep her head in reality sometimes. Everything could go south to her. Nothing can go right. She gets exhausted just thinking about all of the kids running around her (none of them being as experienced as she is, she considers them little ones for her to watch over in her guild).

So, to her, taking a break from Pandaria is the safest way for her to begin her recovery. Her mind has tricked her into maintaining the lowest of the lows as a fact, even though she isn't infected with the Sha's presence, it's a terrible mental state and mind game that she has to replay every time doubt, fear, anxiety, anything potentially negative (which is everything...) comes into play. So she dropped her gear off at the local Shrine of the Seven Stars' bank, took a portal to Stormwind, and only "goes back" when she's called upon specifically so she isn't treated like a runaway.

Because of that, she left her more powerful beasts behind as well. Savage, Loque (I'm NOT looking forward to getting him again...), Sunwing, the whole gang. Gone. Slowly, she is re-adding them to her stables, not saying that they ran away from her, but that they ran from the stables to come back to her. Kelros was the first to return, her faithful black wolf who has been with her for ages and became her first pet when humans were allowed to become hunters. He came to her in the form of a level 18 elite wolf that comes in packs of 10-20 when you try to pick off one to tame. Took me a couple of tries without the tame glyph, but I got him.

Somewhat following the random pet challenge and the self-imposed 10 level pet tame limit another hunter has done (So tired, so sick, I'm sorry, I forgot your name, but it was inspiring to read), I tried to get a new pet every 10 levels. I ended up with Lamepaw the Whimperer as my first personal pet at level 10, Kelros came back at 18 because I can't stand Worgs, period... I got Ghost Saber at 22 because of that hunter, we went pet taming together and it was fun, so I can't complain. At 25 or so I went and got a double treat for myself, Quall and Feras. Quall got the name Sky, and Feras earned a funny bit of RP as my hunter convinced a naive Draenei that the cat got waxed and that's why it's shiny. But I never bonded with Feras and I'm going to release him back to his home soon.

... and then I leveled with Sky until 51 for Sunwing's return because I'll be damned but I couldn't find a single pet that matched my wishes between 25 and 51 (rare spawns only, I wanted it to be a hunting challenge, and looked interesting). So Eclipse has returned to my hunter, and I shall be keeping an eye out for a level 60 tame to try to get the ball rolling again.

So. Yes. It is terrible that we can't get the pet that we want right away, but you might just find more than what you wished for still to be found out there in the world. I never thought myself a fan of owls, but I believe Sky will be making an appearance in my main hunter's stables very soon, because I've fallen in love with Quall and re-affirmed a strong bond with Kelros the black wolf.

[GormanGhaste]

It's funny, I'm the opposite. If I could get all the common pets I wanted at the beginning, I'd never level my hunter alts.

[Makoes]

I really don't have a problem with different skins being at different levels. To me its like animals in the real world, different types/skins are found in different parts of the world. Its not exactly like leveling is hard or difficult, heck, you can easily get to lv 80+ within a week of only playing a few hours a day.
If every pet skin was available at any level (excluding rares) then you might as well just turn pet taming into the same thing that warlock demons are. You auto-learn them. Doesnt seem very hunter-ish to me. Hunters track down their targets, they actively go out and seek what they want. They are not lazy warlocks that sit in stuffy candle lit rooms and shout out a few incantations and are happy with whatever demon answers.

For me, what pets I want to tame, the family/skin, that's something I work towards and when I do reach the level/zone and track down my target, it makes it all the sweeter.
I don't RP a lot in-game, by for me, when I go out to tame something, there's an RP type thing going on in my head, and my heart leaps when I find my pet, and ready the tame. How many times I've gotten so excited about the tame that I was about to do, that I end up hitting the wrong button or botching it somehow, but then get it right and my new partner is standing beside me, ready to go on many adventures with me. What I have to go through to get each of my pets, bonds them to me, I wouldn't want to give that up just to have every skin at any level.

However, there is the other route that could be done in that tamable pets do not have level restrictions, can be located in high level zones (Guild Wars 2 style) so that basically, we would still have to go out and find "Tamable" versions of the pet in a zone (in GW2 they are called "Juvenile <insert animal name here>" and Juveniles are the only ones tamable. So basically you could be a lv 10 running around a lv 80+ zone looking for juvenile animals to tame. Would still keep the challenge of getting to the pet, but allow players the choice of what pets they want to get without requiring leveling to do so.

[GormanGhaste]

However, there is the other route that could be done in that tamable pets do not have level restrictions, can be located in high level zones (Guild Wars 2 style) so that basically, we would still have to go out and find "Tamable" versions of the pet in a zone (in GW2 they are called "Juvenile <insert animal name here>" and Juveniles are the only ones tamable. So basically you could be a lv 10 running around a lv 80+ zone looking for juvenile animals to tame. Would still keep the challenge of getting to the pet, but allow players the choice of what pets they want to get without requiring leveling to do so.

I could get behind this idea! Seems a lot like the Isle of Giants, too

(And your warlock comment made me laugh. My other half's main was a warlock through the end of Cataclysm.)

[Chimera]

However, there is the other route that could be done in that tamable pets do not have level restrictions, can be located in high level zones (Guild Wars 2 style) so that basically, we would still have to go out and find "Tamable" versions of the pet in a zone (in GW2 they are called "Juvenile <insert animal name here>" and Juveniles are the only ones tamable. So basically you could be a lv 10 running around a lv 80+ zone looking for juvenile animals to tame. Would still keep the challenge of getting to the pet, but allow players the choice of what pets they want to get without requiring leveling to do so.

That's prolly one of the only things i enjoy about GW2.. doesnt matter what lvl you are, what the zone your in is, what the juvenile is, it can be tamed if it can be reached

I'm with the OP in this, however, in a slightly different way. I would like to see reskins at lower levels, so like, the new tigers. Its an updated skin, same skeleton, same animal, why are the only ones available to the users as a whole available so far away? They are proven to be an extreme jump from the old model so to have just at least ONE, even if its a rarespawn, just ONE tiger in ONE zone with the new model would open things up for people who want to immerse themselves in the new rather then dragging on with the old.

The old models will still be present everywhere else in pre-panda levels and zones, so it aint hurting anyone. What about Sin'Dal? She's in her 20's, we get tame beast at 10, we dont need to literally be able to tame these new skins right off the bat, why not change one or two named mobs? Saves them the time to add in a completely new rare if they cant find one that can be replaced appropriately.

The new turtles, they are dragon turtles. They are an entirely new 'species' of turtle so i wouldnt demand them to replace native turtles of kalimdor and eastern kingdoms, i'd be more then happy to leave them where they are because they divvy completely from existing turtles and are in no way reskins of the 'spikeback' turtles. I certainly wouldnt oppose to a rarespawn here and there getting remodeled to spice things up but i can definitely understand any reasoning to keep them on pandaria only.

Cranes for me, while i'd kill to have some low level ones, are an entirely new species and family so i see them the same way i see the dragon turtles.

Quilen, they are definitely 100% pandarian

Porcupines.. i have absolutely no idea They could work outside pandaria, adopting similar climates as the ones currently in-game are dominant in, since theres no lore keeping them there, they're just kinda.. there.

Goats would work in the dwarven hill lands/snowy regions

Water Striders (not Fen Striders) are definitely 90% pandarian. They could work in hot climates like pools and still lakes in stranglethorn, maybe even in swamp of sorrows or fel-tainted ones in blasted lands where wormsnarl grew his forest. Maybe even as north as dustwallow over on kalimdor but they definitely feel a lot more at home (prolly due to all the magical 'glowyness' and the different markings some of them have) in pandaria. Blue and green of the ity-bity stick-legged ones could work and be a nice color pop in stranglethorn, and maybe the not-so-flashy orange and yellow varieties in the more drab swamplands. The armored varieties, i dont really see them being a common species in azeroth. Maybe some rarespawns in related areas using that model/skin but water striders have a hard fit to begin with outside pandaria

Silk Worms could replace some moth's that are fluttering around in areas where their colors are in abundance. Like, a whole bunch of blue moths with two different names are in the area, one of those moths could be replaced with a color of silkworm and have the npc renamed so now instead of 2 differently named blue moth species flying around, you have a blue moth species and a silk worm species.

[Thwip]

Well, I can see this to a point if the content were not just brand new. Most of those types of beats are -native- to Pandaria. I don't expect them to bring the new, shiny toys down off the shelf just yet for those who do not own the expansion until it's been out so long. That's part of the draw to get -to- Pandaria in the first place. To get to the new, shiny pet models that you may want.

Case in point, the Saber Worgs were purely Northrend wolves when Northrend was new. Same with the Ravagers in Outlands. Now that these models aren't in the current Xpac; Blizzard has actually -gone out of their way- to add many older models from previous xpacs into the old world so that people who may not have those xpacs can get to them/aquire them before the previously obtainable levels. [But considering you get all the way to Wrath now with the starter edition, most people should have the correct xpacs needed.]

They don't have to constantly be making rare spawns or swapping models around, but they have been already and to be honest, I kinda feel like we're looking a gift horse in the mouth. I feel like we're too focused on the new shinies rather then saying thank you for the ones that -have already- been moved to a more obtainable place. Just this last patch, no less.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that they shouldn't, but I think we need to be patient about it, because it will happen in time so long as we don't nitpick about it like we've done with the Hydra situation.

Just my two cents.

[Shadow]

Another point to this is that... it could happen later on. I mean, look at what they did with the 5.1 pets. They've been crawling through the portal and now we have Outland pets in Azeroth. It could happen. Someone's tiger could run away and have kittens. In the future, of course.

[Apaché]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. The point of implementing cool pets is to earn them. If they were easily obtainable, it defeats the purpose and takes away the fun

[Zhinru]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. The point of implementing cool pets is to earn them. If they were easily obtainable, it defeats the purpose and takes away the fun

What about people who don't like any challenging processes needed to get one pet, but like the look itself? For them it's the "challenge" that takes away the fun.

Just something to think about.

While making every skin available at all levels might be going a bit far, I wouldn't complain if we got some quilen etc. in the old world. And definitely goats, it just doesn't make sense the lowest level tameable goat is 86.

[Arisia]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. The point of implementing cool pets is to earn them. If they were easily obtainable, it defeats the purpose and takes away the fun

What about people who don't like any challenging processes needed to get one pet, but like the look itself? For them it's the "challenge" that takes away the fun.

Just something to think about.

While making every skin available at all levels might be going a bit far, I wouldn't complain if we got some quilen etc. in the old world. And definitely goats, it just doesn't make sense the lowest level tameable goat is 86.

Its the goats, etc that was what I was talking about actually. I understand that some species come from new lands, and places you need to level to reach but honestly, some of the new skins are the SAME CREATURE with new art. Creatures that already exist in the older zones, with in many cased, old, clunky, unattractive art. I'd like a tiger; right now even a night elf can make their way to Durotar -- yes, you die, but you CAN make it there. Why can't I have that nice orange tiger in the new orange tiger skin from Pandaria? And I brought up that keeping RARES where they are was fine and even pointed out ways to do it-- I don't want speshul snowflake treatment, just not getting why having some skins that are simple, common skins in the new expac be added to low level areas. The game is up to another major content patch; throwing in one or two of the new skins into the old areas isn't inconceivable.

Does anyone really think that making some of the common creatures have reskin will stop people from buying the expac? I dunno, but I think there is more than a few pet types and skins, not to mention oodles of amazing content that make up for the few new skin critters slipping into low level areas for hunters who might like them.

[Gimlion]

I'm still not entirely sure why rams weren't implemented as goat pets... *sigh*

[Chimera]

I'm still not entirely sure why rams weren't implemented as goat pets... *sigh*

Looking at the skin, im sure they'd rather wait till updating them before adding em in :S since everything was still all about MoP and getting people into the new expac, i dont think they had plans at the time to introduce existing rams into it yet. Or at all. Hopefully rams will get put in eventually.

[Apaché]

I do agree somewhat with having to travel to durotar to get a tiger, but I do believe a bright orange tiger would look sonewhat... Funky in ashenvale or teldrassil : P

[Chimera]

I do agree somewhat with having to travel to durotar to get a tiger, but I do believe a bright orange tiger would look sonewhat... Funky in ashenvale or teldrassil : P

Well, lore wise thats prolly why there arent orange tigers prowling around there but people will make massive treks across continents as lowbies to get a desired model /still remembers her trek from durotar as a troll to the frigin snowy realm of the ironforge dwarves.. that trek.. was hell.. XD But i got mah polar bear in the end 83

[Gimlion]

I'm still not entirely sure why rams weren't implemented as goat pets... *sigh*

Looking at the skin, im sure they'd rather wait till updating them before adding em in :S since everything was still all about MoP and getting people into the new expac, i dont think they had plans at the time to introduce existing rams into it yet. Or at all. Hopefully rams will get put in eventually.

Eh, I personally love the way the rams look now. I don't really understand your other reason though. Well, let me rephrase, I understand, but it does not follow logic (IMO of course), as bog striders were also added to a "new" family of "new" beasts.

I might just be a little disheartened as a dwarf that can't tame a dwarven goat while still being able to tame another, still-azerothian, pandaren goat. Regardless, I strongly hope they plan to implement them eventually, whether on their own, or more likely, with the goats.

[Chimera]

I'm still not entirely sure why rams weren't implemented as goat pets... *sigh*

Looking at the skin, im sure they'd rather wait till updating them before adding em in :S since everything was still all about MoP and getting people into the new expac, i dont think they had plans at the time to introduce existing rams into it yet. Or at all. Hopefully rams will get put in eventually.

Eh, I personally love the way the rams look now. I don't really understand your other reason though. Well, let me rephrase, I understand, but it does not follow logic (IMO of course), as bog striders were also added to a "new" family of "new" beasts.

I might just be a little disheartened as a dwarf that can't tame a dwarven goat while still being able to tame another, still-azerothian, pandaren goat. Regardless, I strongly hope they plan to implement them eventually, whether on their own, or more likely, with the goats.

Erp, my bad, i meant that, because the current graphic is pretty low scale for their standards (look at their reasoning for hydras, GC said specifically hes not happy with how hydras look right now and they're far better detail-wise then rams), they were too busy making MoP to update the ram skins to add them with the goat family right off the bat with MoP's release.

My speculation is that, with goats being a brand new skin and design to the ram skeleton, blizz feels we dont need current graphic-rams and instead they can go sit on the back burner waiting for updates. Absolutely no idea if its true or not, im just going off a mixed idea of their reasoning for no hydras (GC said he doesnt like how they look but they are far superior to things like basilisks. Basilisks were added though for whatever reason despite their terrible graphics (the azeroth variety anyways, outlands models look great)).

They also keep saying plain out for a lot of misc. things 'we're removing this, this, and this so we can make new models and then we'll give it to you.' Its hard to say what they'll do. we've been waiting for clefthooves for a long time which are better graphics then both basilisks and goats and we have an existing family for them yet they still have yet to share their thoughts on the concept. :<

To re-route back to the topic as a whole, I must say, Shadow has a point. It's taken a long, long time for some models and a short time for others from other expansion beasts like Northrend Worgs, Green Madexx skin, Shale Spiders, Ravagers, etc. etc. to be introduced into Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms. In time i do see the new updated skins migrating to lvl10-60 areas, but looking at how long Blizz waits before making those changes, it could take till the next expansion.

I guess a lot of us are losing track of time between expacs, or at least, i am I still feel like Cata was just last month and WotLK ended just several months before that :K Maybe we're just jumping too far ahead and not actually taking into account each expac has lasted approx 2 years between releases xD

[Thwip]

To re-route back to the topic as a whole, I must say, Shadow has a point. It's taken a long, long time for some models and a short time for others from other expansion beasts like Northrend Worgs, Green Madexx skin, Shale Spiders, Ravagers, etc. etc. to be introduced into Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms. In time i do see the new updated skins migrating to lvl10-60 areas, but looking at how long Blizz waits before making those changes, it could take till the next expansion.

I guess a lot of us are losing track of time between expacs, or at least, i am I still feel like Cata was just last month and WotLK ended just several months before that :K Maybe we're just jumping too far ahead and not actually taking into account each expac has lasted approx 2 years between releases xD

This is what I was trying to get across.

Do I believe it would affect sales? No. I know you want to level with the pet of your choice, but at the same time, those are your DRIVE to get to the level needed to get those pets. BM hunters -still- have to wait until lvl69 in order to tame exotic pets, yet there are tons of exotics available below lvl60 now. All they have to do is reach the level required, to me, waiting for the skin you want is no different.

I still feel like we're overlooking allllll the pets that Noah has gotten dropped down to easier obtainable levels/skins we've not had available prior. All of which are -old- content. This is still new, this is still VERY new. It's not even been out a year yet, I'm not even sure if it's been out six months yet. I do not expect to see lowbie rares of these models for quite sometime. To be honest, them moving pets down for lower level hunters is a rather new thing we've gotten, I'm just happy that they're doing it at all.

Am I saying that you're asking for special treatment? No. All I'm saying is it's sounding rather a tad impatient. That's all. These are beautiful models and I can understand people wanting them as soon as possible. Pandas can get them before they even leave the starting zone, so at least one race -can- get these at a very low level. It may not be with the race you want, but the possibility -is- there.

Would it kill blizzard to move them? Most certainly not. However, in the end the executive decision to make these available to lower level hunters is all to the dev team, but...with the trend they are already putting forth, I do not see them being moved until this xpac is either almost over or over with entirely. These are still the new, shiny toys that come with actually reaching Pandaria.