NEW* Hunter Pet Changes

[SpiritBinder]

Utility Abilities
(Pets with a - E are exotic pets tameable only by Beast Mastery Hunters)

Bloodlust / Heroism
Ancient Hysteria (Core Hound - E) - Increases melee, ranged, and spell casting speed by 30% for all party and raid members. Lasts 40 sec.
Allies receiving this effect will become Sated and be unable to benefit from Bloodlust or Time Warp again for 10 min. / Instant, 6 min cooldown

Healing
Spirit Mend (Spirit Beast - E) - The Spirit Beast heals the currently friendly target for {1237.75+((RAP*0.35)*0.5)} plus an additional {475.97+((RAP*0.35)*0.335)} over 10 sec. / 25 yd range, Instant, 40 sec cooldown

Stamina Buff
Qiraji Fortitude (Silithid - E) - Increases party and raid members' Stamina by 584.76. / Instant

Critical Strike Buff
Furious Howl (Wolf / Dog) - The wolf lets out a furious howl, increasing the critical strike chance of all party and raid members by 5%. / Instant, 45 sec cooldown
Terrifying Roar (Devilsaur - E) - The devilsaur lets out a terrifying roar, increasing the critical strike chance of all party and raid members by 5%. / Instant, 45 sec cooldown

Casting Speed Reduction
Lava Breath (Core Hound - E) - Your pet breathes a double gout of molten lava at the target, reducing the target's casting speed by 25% for 10 sec. / 30 yd range, Instant, 8 sec cooldown (No longer deals damage)
Spore Cloud (Sporebat) - Dusts nearby enemies with spores, reducing all enemy targets within 6 yards casting speed by 25% for 9 sec. / 6 yd range, Instant, 12 sec cooldown

Attack Speed Reduction
Dust Cloud (Tallstrider) - Your tallstrider kicks up an obscuring cloud of dust, causing all enemies within 10 yards to have their melee and ranged attack speed reduced by 20% for 8 sec. / 5 yd range, Instant, 40 sec cooldown

Movement Speed Reduction
Ankle Crack (Crocolisk) - Snap at the target's feet, reducing movement speed by 50% for 6 sec. / 5 yd range, Instant, 10 sec cooldown (Replaces Bad Attitude)
Frost Breath (Chimaera - E) - Your pet simultaneously breathes frost and lightning at an enemy target, slowing the target for 5 sec. / 30 yd range, Instant, 10 sec cooldown (No longer deals damage)
Time Warp (Warp Stalker) - Slows time around the enemy, reducing their movement speed by 50% for 6 sec. / 25 yd range, Instant, 15 sec cooldown

Healing Debuff
Monstrous Bite (Devilsaur - E) - Your devilsaur ferociously bites the enemy, reducing the effectiveness of any healing received by 25% for 8 sec. / 5 yd range, Instant, 8 sec cooldown

Root
Venom Web Spray (Silithid - E) - Sprays toxic webs at the target, preventing movement for 5 sec. / 30 yd range, Instant, 40 sec cooldown (Up from 4 sec, no longer deals damage)
Web (Spider) - Encases the target in sticky webs, preventing movement for 5 sec. / 30 yd range, Instant, 40 sec cooldown

Silence / Interrupt
Serenity Dust (Moth) - The moth's wings produce a cloud of dust that interrupts the enemies spellcasting and preventing any spell in that school from being cast for 2 sec. / 25 yd range, Instant, 1 min cooldown

Armor Reduction (Sunder Armor)
Tear Armor (Raptor) - Tears at the enemies armor with the raptor's talons, reducing it by 4%. Stacks up to 5 times. Lasts 30 sec. / 5 yd range, Instant, 6 sec cooldown
Corrosive Spit (Serpent) - Spits poison at an enemy, corroding their armor, reducing it by 4%. Stacks up to 5 times. Lasts 30 sec. / 30 yd range, Instant, 6 sec cooldown

Increased Bleed Damage
Gore (Boar) - Your boar gores the enemy, causing it to take 30% additional damage from bleed effects for 15 sec. / 5 yd range, Instant, 10 sec cooldown
Tendon Rip (Hyena) - Tears at an enemy's legs, increasing damage taken from bleed effects by 30% for 15 sec. / 5 yd range, Instant, 10 sec cooldown

Increased Magic Damage
Fire Breath (Dragonhawk) - Breathes Fire on the target, increasing magic damage taken by 8% for 45 sec. / 40 yd range, Channeled, 30 sec cooldown
Lightning Breath (Wind Serpent) - Breathes lightning, increasing magic damage taken by 8% for 45 sec. / 40 yd range, Channeled, 30 sec cooldown

Increased Physical Damage
Acid Spit (Worm - E) - Your worm spits acid, causing the enemy target to take an increased 4% physical damage for 25 sec. / 20 Focus, 30 yd range, Instant, 10 sec cooldown
Ravage (Ravager) - Violently attacks an enemy, causing the enemy target to take 4% increased physical damage for 25 sec. / 5 yd range, Instant, 15 sec cooldown

Stun
Sonic Blast - Emits a piercing shriek, stunning the target for 2 sec. / 20 yd range, Instant, 1 min cooldown (No longer deals damage)
Sting (Wasp) - Your wasp stings the target, stunning them for 2 sec. / 5 yd range, Instant, 45 sec cooldown

Physical Damage Reduction
Demoralizing Roar (Bear) - The bear roars, reducing the physical damage caused by all enemies within yards by 10% for 15 sec. / 5 yd range, Instant, 10 sec cooldown

Disarm
Clench (Scorpid) - The scorpid clenches the enemy's weapon with its talons, and disarming their main hand and ranged weapons for 10 sec. / 5 yd range, Instant, 1 min cooldown

DPS Abilities
Bite - Bite the enemy, causing {187.74+((RAP*0.35)*0.40)} damage. / 25 Focus, 5 yd range, Instant, 3 sec cooldown
Claw - Claw the enemy, causing {187.74+((RAP*0.35)*0.40)} damage. / 25 Focus, 5 yd range, Instant, 3 sec cooldown
Smack - Smack the enemy, causing {187.74+((RAP*0.35)*0.40)} damage. / 25 Focus, 5 yd range, Instant, 3 sec cooldown

[Redoxe]

so crabs ability doesn't change?

[Darknez]

There's also beetles and Shale Spiders now as seperate families.

[bluddy]

i think i'll like have a SB from now on ,) nice healing...can they heal themselves?

[Tahlian]

I'll have to log in and check Clayburn on beta this morning....I thought the new devilsaur ability was duplicating Mortal Strike as reduction of healing received. They wouldn't be on par with the other exotics if their new special was something identical to a non-exotic's ability.

EDIT: Ah, there it is, further down the list. That'll teach me to post without being all the way awake yet. Never mind!

[Kalliope]

!!!! I MISSED THAT TOO!

*squee* That actually kinda makes devilsaurs PvP pets now, since widow venom can be dispelled...and I bet the devilsaur one can't be. Wheeeee!!!! That's pretty nuts.

Will have to peruse the list when I'm not mostly asleep to readjust my planned stables...again.

[Renle]

So basically pets don't do damage with any of their special abilities anymore? Just with their one DPS ability and auto attack?
I still don't know if I like it or not xD

On one hand, some of these abilities are amazing, and the fact that only BM hunters can bring them (as apposed to our SV and MM counterparts) means we should definitely have our niche in cata, but I feel like we'd be doing less damage :/

Though,

Healing
Spirit Mend (Spirit Beast - E) - The Spirit Beast heals the currently friendly target for {1237.75+((RAP*0.35)*0.5)} plus an additional {475.97+((RAP*0.35)*0.335)} over 10 sec. / 25 yd range, Instant, 40 sec cooldown

Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside :>

[Kalliope]

Hrm, so there's still no sign of a new cat ability yet? Hopefully Blizzard's busy cooking up something amazing.

(I do so want to bring my cat again...)

[Raydex-of-the-dawn]

Bloodlust / Heroism
Ancient Hysteria (Core Hound - E) - Increases melee, ranged, and spell casting speed by 30% for all party and raid members. Lasts 40 sec. Allies receiving this effect will become Sated and be unable to benefit from Bloodlust or Time Warp again for 10 min. / Instant, 6 min cooldown

Might want to fix that xD Also, else unhappy with Time Warp? If my pet slows time, then golly I want to use him to get that stupid arena trinket! Make him...AoE everyone out of combat and stunned until he stops channeling! 8D Not OP AT ALL...heck, I want normal Warp back :/ I love Kael, my teleporting lizard, not my time-affecting lizard. Not that I don't love him either way. He's my Kael 8D They should give them mage ports (not portals) because it would be awesome. XD Also, how do Toxic Webs NOT do damage? They're TOXIC like poison. Tooltip should prolly be changed to Not-Toxic Webs xD And how does cracking someone's ankle open not do damage? And how does a freezing storm of lightning not do damage? And why am I asking so many dumb questions? Does Lightning Breath/Fire Breath do damage? They sound painful.

Don't want to seem unhappy, though. I love most of the changes (especially Spirit Beast, sounds like I might be doing a camping trip :/ Arcturis ofc, he's easiest with his single spawn point). Deadlock might see the light of day. Hey, does Explosive Shot DoT count as Magic damage or Physical damage for pet debuffs? I really want an excuse to use her soloing. xD Maybe I'll bring her along (for the mage's sake, of course). Loki might see more day, too, with him having his awesome new Ancient Hysteria. The only pet I'm a bit worried about is Kael, as I can't do as much with him if he doesn't have his survivability warp :/ as much as I love him, I can't put him against elites without it. It's almost as good as a turtle. And Hunger will be making his triumphant return.

[Teigan]

I kinda dig the spirit heals. I'm hoping they somehow keep spirit strike too, but I don't think they are, are the? But, hey, from one druid ability to another! And they say we can't tame druids!

[Rikaku]

I think I'm the only one who hates the Spirit Mend *giggles* If Loque wasn't my favorite pet, I'd probably stop using him. If its one thing I never wanted my pet to do, it's heal. Though this is assuming SB's lost spirit strike.

I'm predicting Core Hound = Cataclysm's "Wolf" though. XD

[Palladiamorsdeus]

I'm going to have to go dig up a spirit beast on beta and do a few groups to give this a run, see how effective and useful it is.

[Teigan]

I'm predicting Core Hound = Cataclysm's "Wolf" though. XD

If you're right, I really hope they give us more than 3 models to choose from! It'll be worse the "Oh, look, another Northrend worg." I plan to retame the Kurken and kind of enjoyed how out of the ordinary he was.

[Saturo]

I'm going to have to go dig up a spirit beast on beta and do a few groups to give this a run, see how effective and useful it is.

While you're doing it, check if you can use it on other targets than the pet itself.

[Rikaku]

I'm going to have to go dig up a spirit beast on beta and do a few groups to give this a run, see how effective and useful it is.

While you're doing it, check if you can use it on other targets than the pet itself.

Is that how it works currently? So it's like Super Mend Pet? I suppose if it can target itself, it's okay. Though, I'd still take Spirit Strike a billion times over this new skill.

Core Hounds, Devilsaurs, and Wolves still seem to be the winner's of the 'Most Likely To Be Used', which doesn't really change much up honestly. Maybe it's cause I don't PVP or something, but none of the "Slows enemy's casting speed' type skills really interest me enough to suddenly use one of those pets.

While I love the idea in theory, I wish Blizzard kept in mind a lot of us Hunters enjoy high dps pet abilities. I like that claw is stronger, but... I dunno it just seems not as fun. If that makes sense. Having utilities is awesome, not saying it isn't. I like that they gave pets more to do this expansion, I just wish some of the pets had actual damage skills beyond Claw/Bite/etc

[Makoes]

Some pets have more then one ability? cool. I'am liking these changes, and each pet can really contribute now, making pets much more versatile and makes them ALL viable for raids...though i am curious to know whether some of these abilities will stack with players abilities...if not then there will be some families that will be snubbed by the min/max'rs and hard core players. Though again, I will raid with what I love. My Hyena, a fox, Warp stalker, Boar (grunter-hellboar?), and my Loque (unless a new SB catches my eye in cata)

well, I think blizz is trying to get rid of damage dealing pets skills to avoid the high concentration of "one type of pet" being used because they did the most damage.

[Kalliope]

Slowing enemy casting speeds are also good for soloing, since they can drop a heal's cast time to a more reasonable speed, making it easier to interrupt.

It seems like giving spirit beasts a heal makes them more "in the wild" (aka soloing) pets rather than raiding pets. But then, if you can cast the heal on anyone (pet included), it could be another pseudo-tank cd. *imagines a raid full of hunters and spirit beasts all casting heals at the same time*

Unless it's been changed, the DoT from Explosive Shot is magical.

Agreed on needing more corehound models if we're going to be seeing them EVERYWHERE. Sigh, poor Cerberus is going to blend right in again. >_< Oh well, good thing I already decided that I love him too much to live without him.

I still think raptors are going to be highly desired in raids; non-tanks hate sundering. Unsure about serpents, since they're cunning pets.

[Draakje]

Devilsaur has a bug right now (i hope its not a bug).
He does numerous 15-20k crits sometimes giving him on its own a dps of 6k

[Kalliope]

Devilsaur has a bug right now (i hope its not a bug).
He does numerous 15-20k crits sometimes giving him on its own a dps of 6k

I wonder if that's a bug or not. He does benefit from his own crit buff!

[Raydex-of-the-dawn]

*hugs Deadlock* She gets to be my new SV spec pet in Cata along with Mari, Kaido, and Bloodlord! (yup, I'm gonna have 4 wind serpents. Mari is a Cloud Serpent and Deadlock's child, Kaido is a blue outland model and Deadlock's child (Mari's half-sister), and Bloodlord is Deadlock's former boyfriend/Mari's father) Soloing obviously cause my raid group won't let me have a cunning pet. They might, I guess...8% spell is good and we're pretty magic-heavy. We don't have many hunters, though. :/

I'm not predicting Core Hound as the wolf because its first ability is PvP-centric and its second you only need one pet with.