Most notable rares?
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 12:07 am
What are the most notable rares from each expansion? The ones you think of right away when you think about a certain expansion? I'm working a silly taming project. I may not finish it, but I'm collating a list of rares anyway.
No idea really for vanilla. I wasn't around then. I think Brokentooth was important? What others?
But, for Outland zones, we have Nuramoc, Goretooth, Hawkbane and Marticar. I know Marticar and Hawkbane were after BC, but they're there. And I think Hawkbane was originally there, then removed, then put back. Or something like that?
For WotLK, I think it's an obvious roster. King Krush, Aotona, Loque'nahak, Skoll, Arcturis, Gondria, Terror Spinner, Icehorn
For Cataclysm, the "big" rares are probably Ghostcrawler, Terrorpene, Jadefang, Maddex, Sambas, Karoma, Magria, Ankha, Ban'thalos, Kirix, Skitterflame, Anthriss, Solix, Deth'tilac, Skarr and Karkin.
But, Cata went completely nuts with adding lesser rares literally everywhere. Do you think there are any of those that particularly notable? Five new families were added (beetles, shale spiders, dogs, foxes, monkeys) Only one of these families has a really notable rare: Jadefang. I guess Gib the Banana Hoarder is sort of notable, in his own way, as is Ashtail.
In Mists of Pandaria, we got 7 new families: basilisks, cranes, goats, porcupines, quilen, direhorns and water striders. We got a rare for each new family, except the direhorns. The most prominent rares, the tracking tames, were Glimmer, Savage, Patrannache, Bloodtooth, Bombyx, Bristlespine, Stompy, Rockhide, Hexapos, and Portent.
Then we got spirit porcupines, which was an odd choice considering the other expansion appropriate beasts available. But, Gumi, Degu and Hutia were now our new best friends. Sort of.
Were there other rares added? I don't recall.
After MoP, rares got weird. They're almost always up. There are so many new ones even in current content. Rares just aren't so rare. But that said...
Warlords of Draenor. It ushered in rylaks, stags, hydras, riverbeasts and clefthooves. Rares started to get weird here, with being almost always up and basically just loot pinatas, and also no longer "rares" but "vignettes". We got a rare for each family and then some, which was nice I guess. But personally I think they went overboard.
What was notable? Anything?
The list of rares is rather long. Maybe too long to make any of them particularly special. And since the advent of always-up vignettes, it's even harder to call one special.
Amaukwa <Breath of the Moon>, Rockhoof, Velos, Insha'tar, Killmaw in Shadowmoon Valley. Stonespite, Sunderthorn, Blightglow, Jiasska the Sporegorger, Varasha, Echidna in Spire of Arak. Taladorantula, Klikixx, Hammertooth, Glimmerwing, Ra'kahn, Gennadian, Hen-mother Hami, No'losh in Talador. Tura'aka, Flinthide, Bergruu, Nakk the Thunderer, Thek'talon, Greatfeather, Xelganak, Vileclaw, Gnarlhoof the Rabid, Direhoof, Gaz'orda, Aogexon, Grizzlemaw in Nagrand. Reassigned Warbeast, Steelsnout, Magwia, The Goreclaw, Broodlord Ixkor, Shadowthrash in Tanaan Jungle. Mother Araneae, Berthora, Mogamago, Riptar, Hive Queen Skrikka, Venolasix in Gorgrond. Canyon Icemother, Chillfang, Giantbane, Coldstomp the Griever, Coldtusk, Slogtusk the Corpse-Eater, Jabberjaw <Devourer of Ogres> in Frostfire Ridge.
Are any of those rares notable to you?
The pets/tames that stand out to me aren't actually rares, technically: Gara (who's not really a rare but a quest), the fel wolf, who isn't a rare but is a rare PITA and the fel boar.
And that brings us to Legion. We once again got new families. Mechanicals, oxen, scalehides. There is at least one rare for each new family.
Once again, rares really aren't too rare. At least there are fewer of them.
Baconlisk, Pinchshank, Tideclaw, Mar'tura, Myonix <Manasaber Matron>, Pashya, Maia the White in Suramar. Bulvinkel, Starbuck in Stormheim. Gorebeak, Bahagar in Val'sharah. Arru <The Terror>, Tamed Coralback, Sekhan in Highmountain. However, there are some that should be rares in my opinion, but apparently aren't. Rush and Treble come to mind. There are rares outside the Broken Isles in the new families that deserve mention too, I think, by virtue of being new and fairly unique. Arra'chea, Gruff, Thunderstomp, Ironfur Steelhorn, and then the mechs, of which some are rares and some are not. I think it's too soon to say which ones will stand out as defining pets of the expansion.
Legion also brought us the very first non-rare spirit beasts. It's a very strange feeling to go pick up a spirit beast on a whim, knowing it and many others just like it are just kinda hanging around. I suppose it's nice not to have the camp. But, maybe they could have made them tracking tame or...something. I dunno. So, all you cool cats hanging around Suramar, you guys can't be on the list cause you're just normal mobs.
In both WoD and Legion, there are named elites that feel like they should be on the list, but aren't.
So, in doing this little project which someday I may finish and inflict on the forums, hehe, I've come to the conclusion that I don't like where rares went after WotLK, with the exception of the tracking rares and tricky tames like good ol' Deth'tilac. Their special-ness has been stripped away. I think it also messes up taming the old rares, since new players are of the mindset that all rares come back in a few minutes.
But anyway, what defines each expansion to you? Did I miss any big ones? And how do you feel about the not-so-rare rares?
Oh, also, two things I noticed about the pet search. Petopia needs a search category for those vignette mobs, since they don't turn up if you search rares, and mechs, oxen and scalehides aren't in the searchable families.
No idea really for vanilla. I wasn't around then. I think Brokentooth was important? What others?
But, for Outland zones, we have Nuramoc, Goretooth, Hawkbane and Marticar. I know Marticar and Hawkbane were after BC, but they're there. And I think Hawkbane was originally there, then removed, then put back. Or something like that?
For WotLK, I think it's an obvious roster. King Krush, Aotona, Loque'nahak, Skoll, Arcturis, Gondria, Terror Spinner, Icehorn
For Cataclysm, the "big" rares are probably Ghostcrawler, Terrorpene, Jadefang, Maddex, Sambas, Karoma, Magria, Ankha, Ban'thalos, Kirix, Skitterflame, Anthriss, Solix, Deth'tilac, Skarr and Karkin.
But, Cata went completely nuts with adding lesser rares literally everywhere. Do you think there are any of those that particularly notable? Five new families were added (beetles, shale spiders, dogs, foxes, monkeys) Only one of these families has a really notable rare: Jadefang. I guess Gib the Banana Hoarder is sort of notable, in his own way, as is Ashtail.
In Mists of Pandaria, we got 7 new families: basilisks, cranes, goats, porcupines, quilen, direhorns and water striders. We got a rare for each new family, except the direhorns. The most prominent rares, the tracking tames, were Glimmer, Savage, Patrannache, Bloodtooth, Bombyx, Bristlespine, Stompy, Rockhide, Hexapos, and Portent.
Then we got spirit porcupines, which was an odd choice considering the other expansion appropriate beasts available. But, Gumi, Degu and Hutia were now our new best friends. Sort of.
Were there other rares added? I don't recall.
After MoP, rares got weird. They're almost always up. There are so many new ones even in current content. Rares just aren't so rare. But that said...
Warlords of Draenor. It ushered in rylaks, stags, hydras, riverbeasts and clefthooves. Rares started to get weird here, with being almost always up and basically just loot pinatas, and also no longer "rares" but "vignettes". We got a rare for each family and then some, which was nice I guess. But personally I think they went overboard.
What was notable? Anything?
The list of rares is rather long. Maybe too long to make any of them particularly special. And since the advent of always-up vignettes, it's even harder to call one special.
Amaukwa <Breath of the Moon>, Rockhoof, Velos, Insha'tar, Killmaw in Shadowmoon Valley. Stonespite, Sunderthorn, Blightglow, Jiasska the Sporegorger, Varasha, Echidna in Spire of Arak. Taladorantula, Klikixx, Hammertooth, Glimmerwing, Ra'kahn, Gennadian, Hen-mother Hami, No'losh in Talador. Tura'aka, Flinthide, Bergruu, Nakk the Thunderer, Thek'talon, Greatfeather, Xelganak, Vileclaw, Gnarlhoof the Rabid, Direhoof, Gaz'orda, Aogexon, Grizzlemaw in Nagrand. Reassigned Warbeast, Steelsnout, Magwia, The Goreclaw, Broodlord Ixkor, Shadowthrash in Tanaan Jungle. Mother Araneae, Berthora, Mogamago, Riptar, Hive Queen Skrikka, Venolasix in Gorgrond. Canyon Icemother, Chillfang, Giantbane, Coldstomp the Griever, Coldtusk, Slogtusk the Corpse-Eater, Jabberjaw <Devourer of Ogres> in Frostfire Ridge.
Are any of those rares notable to you?
The pets/tames that stand out to me aren't actually rares, technically: Gara (who's not really a rare but a quest), the fel wolf, who isn't a rare but is a rare PITA and the fel boar.
And that brings us to Legion. We once again got new families. Mechanicals, oxen, scalehides. There is at least one rare for each new family.
Once again, rares really aren't too rare. At least there are fewer of them.
Baconlisk, Pinchshank, Tideclaw, Mar'tura, Myonix <Manasaber Matron>, Pashya, Maia the White in Suramar. Bulvinkel, Starbuck in Stormheim. Gorebeak, Bahagar in Val'sharah. Arru <The Terror>, Tamed Coralback, Sekhan in Highmountain. However, there are some that should be rares in my opinion, but apparently aren't. Rush and Treble come to mind. There are rares outside the Broken Isles in the new families that deserve mention too, I think, by virtue of being new and fairly unique. Arra'chea, Gruff, Thunderstomp, Ironfur Steelhorn, and then the mechs, of which some are rares and some are not. I think it's too soon to say which ones will stand out as defining pets of the expansion.
Legion also brought us the very first non-rare spirit beasts. It's a very strange feeling to go pick up a spirit beast on a whim, knowing it and many others just like it are just kinda hanging around. I suppose it's nice not to have the camp. But, maybe they could have made them tracking tame or...something. I dunno. So, all you cool cats hanging around Suramar, you guys can't be on the list cause you're just normal mobs.
In both WoD and Legion, there are named elites that feel like they should be on the list, but aren't.
So, in doing this little project which someday I may finish and inflict on the forums, hehe, I've come to the conclusion that I don't like where rares went after WotLK, with the exception of the tracking rares and tricky tames like good ol' Deth'tilac. Their special-ness has been stripped away. I think it also messes up taming the old rares, since new players are of the mindset that all rares come back in a few minutes.
But anyway, what defines each expansion to you? Did I miss any big ones? And how do you feel about the not-so-rare rares?
Oh, also, two things I noticed about the pet search. Petopia needs a search category for those vignette mobs, since they don't turn up if you search rares, and mechs, oxen and scalehides aren't in the searchable families.
but he's still my favorite raptor. Personally I think the model/skin has aged really well too, and while I think they did an AMAZING job on the new ones, none of them have the beads, bands or feathers which was such a neat little nod to their intelligence. I'm a bit of a sucker for the little nuances 
Also makes me want to try it or something VERY close to it.