Pets for the Undead
One of the first things I’m going to do come Cataclysm is create an undead hunter. I’ve been waiting a long time to play an undead hunter.
(In fact, I will probably change Mania herself into an undead later. But I expect that I won’t have that option immediately.)
The most important question to answer regarding my undead hunter is, of course, what pets she will have.
Now there may be new pet families in the Cataclysm expansion, and there will certainly be new pets in the existing families, so I’m not writing anything in stone yet. But I did want to devote some blog space to thinking about the question.
The most obvious route for undead hunters to take is plagued pets. I know a lot of hunters are planning to pick up a Deathclaw the diseased bear from Bloodmyst, or a Diseased Wolf from Elwynn.
Later in life the plagued pet collector can continue the trend with a Diseased Black Bear from the Western Plaguelands, a Rabid Grizzly from Dragonblight, or a Plagued Swine from the Eastern Plaguelands.
There’s also a handful of other pets that, while not technically plagued, would make fine companions for an undead hunter. A Vargul Blighthound, for instance, would look wonderful next to your heroic corpse. So would Death Flayer, the rare black scorpid. Or you could go for a ghost, like the Ghost Saber or Disembodied Jormungar.
And if you are lucky enough to be the proud owner of a retired ghost wolf, ghostly crocolisk, ghostly hydro-croc or even a croco-slime, you may want to consider tranforming your previously-living hunter into an undead to match your pet!
Assuming that works, of course. And assuming Blizzard doesn’t remove these retired pets in the meantime.
Personally, I am strongly hoping (wishing! begging!) that Blizzard uses the advent of undead hunters to open up the taming of these retired pets, plus more. I’d love a black slime, for instance. Or an Ethereal Frostworg.
Another possibility: pet families that fit an undead theme. Bats are a classic here, as are spiders. Black widows seem especially apt, although most spiders will work will with an undead hunter. A festive tarantula like Rekk’tilac may feel a little out of place, however.
Or how about a drippy corehound? (Again, you may want to take a pass on the cute’n'furry Kurken.)
Other undead-ly pet families include: carrion birds (well-trained ones, anyway — don’t want him feasting on your eyes); ravagers (spiky!); worms (especially the ones that look like Flesh Eating Worms); and even hyenas.
And if nothing else inspires you, you can always make a strong case for Spirit Beasts!
Last night I spent some time playing my little troll hunter, Erinye, on the Nesingwary realm (where she hangs with the US branch of the Petopians guild).
At those levels, even most orc and troll hunters don’t give these scorpids a second look — they are more interested in the level 10 raptors and boars in the area. Or at least the sexy level black and red
This isn’t immediately obvious to other players, but it quickly become very apparent to the lucky hunter who tames a beige scorpid. As you run along beside your pet, as you send it before you into battle, your loyal scorpid is flashing its beautiful inner colors only at you.
Patch 3.3 is going live today. The big news for most players is probably Icecrown Citadel, which seems to have something to do with the Lich King. But there’s lots more of interest, from the long-awaited built-in quest mapper to a new fishing tournament.