"Essential" pet families for raiding?

[Phoronid]

I have seen quite a few pet choice topics talking about what people plan to tame beyond the "essential" skills/families for raiding.

Can anyone give a short list of what is considered pets we are expected to have available for raiding, come Cataclysm? I understand that this is partially dependant on our raid group and what classes are not around, but this is doubtlessly going to fluctuate as players come and go.

What skills/families do you all think we should we be planning for once we start lvl 85 raiding and want to carefully coodinate our RP/style pet themes?

[ZeroEdgeir]

This is something that is also dependent on your spec.

BM should have a Core Hound for sure. It's a Ferocity Pet, and brings Bloodlust if you lack a Mage or Shaman at 85. Very helpful.

Marksman should have a pet with a Bleed modifier likely, being a Boar, since Rhinos are Exotic, as it will help with their bleed, and other bleeder classes, unless you got a Feral Druid/Rogue around to do it instead (I think Arms Warrior can do it too...). Boars are Tenacity pets however.

Survival should consider a Dragonhawk or Wind Serpent for the Spell Damage debuff, as it will boost your non-physical damage (Explosive Shot, Immolation Trap, Cobra Shot, Black Arrow), plus the other casters, unless you got a Balance Druid or Unholy Death Knight (I think those are the only two). Note: Both pets are Cunning, not Ferocity.

That would be the MANDATORY ones I could see. Make sure you got a favourite Ferocity pet in general too, for obvious DPS reasons.

Cats and Spirit Beasts bring the Strength of Earth/Horn of Winter/Battle Shout buff for Strenght and Agility, which can help if you are missing one of those 3 classes (Shaman/DK/Warrior).

Shale Spiders bring the Mark of the Wild/Blessing of Kings buff, in case you lack a Druid or Paladin (Good luck on that one). Note, Shale Spiders are Exotic and Tenacity pets.

Silithid bring the big Stamina buff, that a Priest, Warrior, and Destruction Warlock can also do (Power Word: Fortitude, Commanding Shout, Imp's Blood Pact). Silithid are Exotic Cunning pets, as a note.

Wolf and Devilsaur bring the +5% Critical Strike buff, that I know Feral Druids have. Forget any other classes. Both pets are Ferocity, but the Devilsaur is Exotic (and brings the -10% Healing Debuff too).

That is about it, as many of the other skills are far less likely to be missed, or are stuns/slows/roots.

[Acherontia]

I'd imagine that Cat (or Spirit Beast), Shale Spider, Wolf (or Devilsaur) and Core Hound will be the big ones. I am not a Shale Spider fan, though, so I'll be skipping that one

I imagine that, situationally, the + physical damage, Mangle (Hyena) and + Magical Damage (Dragonhawk, Wind Serpent) will also be very useful.

I'll be keeping Cat/Spirit Beast, Wolf/Devilsaur, Corehound, and Hyena. The Hyena is the main one I'm keeping -just- for raid buffs, in case of a missing Mangle debuff.

[Bubu]

Wolf, Silithid and Core Hound I think is a base pets for raid.
But anyway you have to ask RL or figure out yourself depends on raid configuration...

[pengupuff]

Don't forget that hyenas also have the bleed modifier AND they're ferocity, so they're a much better pick over a boar.
An oftentimes overlooked pet with an excellent effect is the ravager, which causes the enemy to take 4% increased physical damage. This is an excellent ability, and for most serious fights I bring my ravager along.

Edit: If all buffs within the raid are covered, raptors are also a great option as they reduce enemy armor by 4%, which stacks up to 5 times.

So I guess conclusively my personal must-have raid list is as follows:
-Ravager
-Hyena
-Core hound
-Carrion bird (for raid trash)
-Raptor
-Dragonhawk
-Wolf/devilaur (depending on what spec I'm in)
-Cat

[GormanGhaste]

Short list from Warcraft Hunter's Union:

* Cat (str/agil)
* Corehound – exotic (burst haste & cast speed reduction)
* Silithid – exotic (health)
* Wolf or Devilsaur(crit)
* Shale Spider – exotic (5% stats)
* Raptor (armor debuff)
* Carrion Bird(physical damage caused debuff) (debuff provided by all tanking classes)
* Hyena (bleed damage)
* Sporebat (cast speed reduction)
* Tallstrider or Fox (attack speed slow)
* Ravager (physical damage vulnerability)
* Dragonhawk or Wind Serpent (spell damage taken)

[Nightsights]

http://forums.wow-petopia.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4753

need to re sticky this again

[Cialbi]

Don't forget that hyenas also have the bleed modifier AND they're ferocity, so they're a much better pick over a boar.
An oftentimes overlooked pet with an excellent effect is the ravager, which causes the enemy to take 4% increased physical damage. This is an excellent ability, and for most serious fights I bring my ravager along.

Edit: If all buffs within the raid are covered, raptors are also a great option as they reduce enemy armor by 4%, which stacks up to 5 times.

So I guess conclusively my personal must-have raid list is as follows:
-Ravager
-Hyena
-Core hound
-Carrion bird (for raid trash)
-Raptor
-Dragonhawk
-Wolf/devilaur (depending on what spec I'm in)
-Cat

You can bring a Carrion Bird if you really want, but it isn't necessary. Every proper tanking class/spec (That is, any tank that you'll see raiding) has either an ability or talents that allow them to apply the Demo Shout debuff. I know that at least three of the four tanking classes applies this debuff in an AoE manner (not certain about paladins one way or another).
Same is true for the debuff provided by a fox or tallstrider, for that matter.