WotLK: Pet Talent Trees

Posted on by

We are extremely lucky to have received early details of pet talent trees from that great hunter Nimizar! I don’t (yet) have a flashy talent calculator presentation for this information, so you’ll just have to bear with the plain text for now. *grin*

General Info

  • There are three trees: Tenacity, Cunning, and Ferocity.
  • Each pet family has access to only one tree, but over half of the talents in each tree are identical between trees. Each tree has 17 total talents in 5 tiers; 9 of those are shared between the trees, while 8 are unique to each tree.
  • The arrangement of the unique talents differs somewhat between trees, but all three trees have three tier 5 talents.

Also, note that some of the pet talents currently have a display bug where they say they require too many prerequisite points — 5 per tier (as for characters) instead of 3 per tier (for pets). This is just a display bug, though; those talents can still be purchased with the correct number of prereqs. Talents like this are marked with an asterisk (*).

Shared Talents

Tier 1: no prerequisites

  • Cobra Reflexes: 2/2 as per the old skill
  • Dash or Dive: 1/1 as per rank 3 of the old skills
  • Great Stamina: 3/3 for 4/8/12% increase in pet stamina
  • Natural Armor: 2/2 for 5/10% increase in pet armor

Tier 2: (requires 3 points in tree)

  • Spiked Collar: 3/3 for 3/6/9% increase in pet damage
  • Boar’s Speed: 1/1 as per old hunter talent Bestial Swiftness

Tier 3: (requires 6 points in tree)

  • Avoidance: 3/3 for 25/50/75% less damage from AoE attacks
  • Lionhearted: 2/2 for 15/30% reduction in Stun & Fear duration

Tier 4: (requires 9 points in tree)

  • Great Resistance: 3/3 for 3/6/9% less damage from Arcane, Fire, Frost, Nature and Shadow damage

Tenacity – The Tanking Tree

Known Pet Families Include: Boars, Scorpids

Tier 2: (requires 3 points in tree)

  • Blood of the Rhino: 2/2 for 1/2% increase in pet Stamina and 20/40% increased healing taken by the pet (also requires 3 points in Greater Stamina)
  • Pet Barding 2/2 for 3/6% increase in pet armor and 1/2% increase in pet chance to dodge (also requires 2 points in Natural Armor)

Tier 3: (requires 6 points in tree)

  • Improved Growl: 2/2 for 10/20% additional Growl threat
  • Intervene*: 1/1 for 40 focus, 8-25 range, 30 sec cd ability to redirect one attack on a friendly target to the pet

Tier 4: (requires 9 points in tree)

  • Grace of the Mantis: 2/2 for 2/4% dodge and hit chance

Tier 5: (requires 12 points in tree)

  • Last Stand*: 1/1 for +30% to pet max health for 20 seconds 6 minute CD (requires 3/3 Avoidance)
  • Taunt*: 1/1 for taunt on a 3 minute CD (requires 2/2 Improved Growl)
  • Roar of Fortitude*: 1/1 for 100 focus, 5 minute CD, 40 sec duration roar that increases total health and Dodge chance of all party members within 20 yards by 10%

Cunning – The Utility Tree

Known Pet Families Include: Owls (now called Birds of Prey), Ravagers, Wind Serpents

Tier 2: (requires 3 points in tree)

  • Mobility: 2/2 for 15/30 second reduction in Dash/Dive CD

Tier 3: (requires 6 points in tree)

  • Carrion Feeder: 1/1 for pet to be able to recover health and happiness by munching on a corpse (2 minute cooldown)

Tier 4: (requires 9 points in tree)

  • Owl’s Focus 2/2 for 5/10% chance that each pet special ability will make the next special ability cast within 8 seconds cost no focus
  • Cornered 2/2 for 25/50% increase in damage and reduction in chance to be crit when at less than 35% health
  • Feeding Frenzy 2/2 for 20/40% additional damage to targets with less than 20% health

Tier 5: (requires 12 points in tree)

  • Wolverine Bite*: 1/1 for 20 focus, 10 sec CD attack that cannot be dodged, blocked or parried, but can only be used after the target dodges. Currently listed as doing 5 damage in the tooltip, but that *has* to be a typo (requires 3/3 Great Resistance, but should probably require 2/2 Feeding Frenzy)
  • Roar of Recovery* 1/1 for 34 focus, 5 minute CD, 30 yd range roar that restores 40% of the hunter’s total mana over 8 seconds (requires 2/2 Owl’s Focus)
  • Bullheaded* 1/1 for 40 focus, 3 minute CD PvP trinket for the hunter’s pet (removes all movement impairing effects and all effects which cause loss of control of the pet) (requires 2/2 Cornered)

Ferocity – The DPS Tree

Known Pet Families Include: Wolves

Tier 2: (requires 3 points in tree)

  • Improved Cower: 2/2 for 10/20% damage reduction for 10 seconds after using Cower
  • Loyalty 2/2 for 10/20% for the pet’s attacks to increase it’s happiness by 10% and heal itself for 5% of it’s max health (my lord that’s a good raiding pet talent)

Tier 3: (requires 6 points in tree)

  • Charge*: 1/1 for 35 focus, 8-25 range, 30 second CD immobilises target for 1 second, +25% PAP on next attack

Tier 4: (requires 9 points in tree)

  • Spider’s Bite: 3/3 for 10/20/30% increased crit damage bonus
  • Heart of the Phoenix: 1/1 for auto pet self-res with 10% health once per 10 minutes (not clear on whether or not Longevity will affect this). (requires 2/2 Loyalty)

Tier 5: (requires 12 points in tree)

  • Rabid* 1/1 60 focus, 10 second cooldown, 30 second duration Increase pet AP by 5%, each successful attack has 50% chance to increase pet AP by a further 5% (capped at 5 stacks) (requires 3/3 Avoidance, but should probably require 3/3 Spiked Collar)
  • Lick Your Wounds* 1/1 for channeled 3 minute CD where pet heals itself for 25% of max health over 10 seconds (requires 1/1 Heart of the Phoenix)
  • Call of the Wild* 1/1 for 100 focus, 5 minute CD, 20 sec duration roar that increases melee and ranged attack power of all party members within 20 yards by 5% (requires 3/3 Spider’s Bite)

My undying gratitude goes out to Nimizar for providing this wonderful information. Any mistakes in this information are mine, not his.

[Update] Frotes on the beta forum added info on the trees for wind serpents (Cunning) and scorpids (Tenacity).

100 thoughts on “WotLK: Pet Talent Trees”

  3. “Each pet family has access to only one tree.”

    I can’t say I’m happy about this, as it encourages people to quantify pets with cookie-cutter builds. However, that would probably happen anyway.

    It also means I can’t give my solo pet (which is DPS spec) improved growl.

  4. @DarkWolff: But you can give your solo pet Charge, which, since it increases pet attack power, will make for a decent aggro-grab, IMO.

  5. True, but it won’t buff Growl. It will probably be Ok the ways it is, but that doesn’t mean I can’t dream.

  7. Do we have any clue where focus dumps, growl, dash/dive, and the family-specific abilities fit in yet?

  8. Dash and dive were listed in the shared talents. As for focus dumps, it appears as though pet families will start with either bite or a claw and a family ability at the very least. Not to sure yet where growl or cower are fitting in at. Also, pets abilities level automatically as they level now, so the second a new rank is applicable, they learn it. I would say that pets start with both growl and cower, but wouldn’t that crowd the little autocast bar?

  9. Considering what other clases are getting and the paucity of anything amazing in the Hunter’s talent trees, I’m distinctly underwhelmed. Especially with the loss of resistances… 9% less damage won’t do squat to save pets in most situations. Pet standing beside you much…

  10. It looks like all pets come knowing Growl, Cower, Bite/Claw and their family skill. I’ll have more information on skills up shortly.

    Edit: Whoops, plus the spell resistances.

  12. Dash and dive were listed in the shared talents.

    Knew there was a reason I didn’t have dash/dive in the original version of the post…

  13. Woot:
    My ghost wolf is gonna get a whole new lease on life.

    BTW, another very important pet change in the beta (at least according to the notes), if you tame a pet more than 5 levels lower than you, he will instantly level up to within 5 levels of you. No more mindless grinds of low level pets.

  14. 1 ‘tank pet’ hunter in the tank party for Roar of Fortitude. (and intervene)
    1 ‘dps pet’ hunter in the melee party for Call of the Wild.

    We be in demand

  15. Just verifying that we will no longer need to tame animals to learn new skills…the third stable slot is now available for full-time pet housing?

  16. Did they mention where cats would go or am I missing that? It’s late in the day so might be missing it. :)

  17. @ Toque, however they thinking about making some buffs raid wide so. . . maybe it won’t have to be per party.

    I would really like to know which “tree” the Gorillas get, if any beta testers could “pretty please” check for me.

  18. yes please include more information on where the cats would be…..i’m thinking its the dps tree as thats what they usually do…but could it be confirmed please !?

    and how is this change gonna work? will each pet that we have tamed be automatically be converted? or will we have to respect them ourselves?..at our own cost??

  19. It also looks like inorder to get the most out of these pets. . .BM with the extra pet talent points, is gonna be high in demand as well.

  20. Telsek: As far as I can tell, the pet skills (not talents) like Growl, Cower, and the family skill will now upgrade ranks automatically as the pet levels.

    saphia & others: I’ll post info about which families use which trees as soon as I know it. :> Unfortunately I am not yet able to log into the beta.

    On the other hand, I am now preparing my characters to copy … (YES!)

  21. Whoo hoo! Yay for Mania being in the beta! Makes it a lot easier, now you won’t have to rely on other people for information!

  22. Pingback: Wrath of Lich King Stuff (was 'Blizzcon' thread) - Page 220 - Elitist Jerks

  23. Carrion Feeder sounds great! Just another reason why we should have undead hunters!
    If the undead hunter beats up an ally hunter, the pet munches on the oposing pet and the hunter munches on the oposing hunter!

  25. I absolutely agree with DarkWolff. Trees restricted to pet families? No fun.

    Hopefully dear Mania will soon find out, what family belongs to what tree.

    I am curious about the new “exotic” pets as well. Where will they fit in?

  26. Ok so each pet has only access to one tree? I’m a tad confused about this. Is this to say that if I use a wolf, I only have access to the DPS Ferocity tree? So that instead of having a choice of having a dps, utility, or tanking wolf, I have to take the Ferocity tree if I use wolf?

    I’m just trying to see if I understand this right or not, and if anyone can clear it up a tad, would be great.

  27. Is it just me or do the DPS and utility trees seem backward? It seems the utility tree has more dps boosting abilities than the DPS tree.

    Either way, good stuff. I’m officially psyched. Although as a diehard cat fan, I’m wondering if they’ll get the DPS or Utility tree…

  28. Hrm, anyone think that, while the abilities in Ferocity are very nice for a DPS raiding pet, the boon from Roar of Recovery in Tenacity might be more of a raiding tool?

    These are thrilling to look at. Thank you very much for the write-up, Mania.

  29. @Wolf68 and Rikaku:

    Yes, only 1 tree per family, but from what I understand each family will also have a family specific ability that isn’t listed here (correct me if I’m wrong Mania).

    And really this isn’t any different from the previous (current) system of only certain pet families being able to learn certain abilities, like dash. We are actually getting more customization for our pets this way, in a much easier to manage system. The way I see it this can only stand to improve the situation for us hunters.

  30. @ Ujarak

    Thanks. It’s kind of lame though in the sense that it would’ve been nice to have say DPS specced crabs if you wished. Mind you, that a DPS crab wouldn’t out perform a dps cat, but it would’ve been kind of interesting to see the many choices.

    However, I’m completely estatic since I can now have a DPS specially specced wolf. I’ve always been a fan of wolves and always wanted to have a good wolf. Now my ghost wolf Kiba can be the little pet superstar he’s always wanted to be.

    On the plus side, all the unused families will finally get some attention. (I’m looking at you hyenas!) So I think from the current position, I gotta say despite my disappointment in all 3 trees for all families, I’m impressed and honestly can’t wait.

  31. Heart of the Phoenix goes well with my ghostwolfy. =3

    And I’m really glad to see they’re adding ways to keep pets happy aside from, y’know, feeding them. I always thought pets should be able to eat what they kill and now at least my Ravager will be able to.

  34. No resilience. No resilience. No resilience. Now that the game is arena centric, pets must have resilience for arena. Pets must have resilience for arena. Hello Blizzard! Anyone there play arena?

  36. Here I come what Ive always wanted in 4 years…

    Hyena/sporebat/crocolisk. I just hope they have decent/fun family abilitys :D

    I’m just thankfull they added the limiting factor (bite/claw family abilty and dash/dive) to every family, eliminating the whole only 25% out of all the tameable pets are even considered to be tamed.

  39. currently dash/dive are 15s duration with 30s cooldown, ie 15s of downtime before it cools up. Mobility in the cunning tree is 2/2 reducing the cooldown by 15/30s. I’m just curious what happens when a pet casts the ability again immediately. If it doesn’t stack, maybe it should only be 1/1 for the 15s reduction

  40. @Patrick: Notes on MMO-Champion that I read indicated pet scaling will be in some way affected by hunter resilience for the purposes of PvP. So rest easy there.

  42. I am so f*cking pissed I missed out on a Ghost Wolf now! Not only that, but it sounds like Ravagers are getting the move to PVP pet instead of tank or DPS :-(

  43. ok i looked over the talents, and did not see like poison for my scorpid I hope they ddint leave it out QQ

  46. If I remember rightly, Nimizar said some where else that even in roles they don’t have the tree for, pets can still perform just fine. Also of note, utility has its own brand of DPS it brings to the table, while mantaining a much different approach then we are used to. Finally, keep in mind that half of the pets talents are shared between trees, so there are still some aspects of each type for every pet family.

    From what we know, pets will start off with either bite or claw, their family ability, and both growl and cower. These abilities will automatically be of the correct rank. For example, the second your wolf hits fifty six you’ll aquire bite eight.

  47. Pingback: A Day Full of Win! « The Empty Quiver

  48. Kiya, tallstriders family ability is dust cloud, which reduces enemies chance to hit by 30% for eight seconds. Further, they come with charge, meaning tallstriders will be in the DPS tree, ferocity. Sorry for the double!

  49. Many thanks to Nimizar for the info and Mania for posting it! This is all great news!

    A few minor points. I’m glad to see that Owls are now called Birds of Prey because when I look at my “Owl” it looks more hawk like.

    Also, wolves are DPS – now that really surprised me… I was so sure they’d be utility due to the middle-of-the-road stats and Furious Howl. This is great though, because I love taking my wolf raiding with me.

    On the other hand… I can’t wait for more info on Exotic creatures. I’d love a Devilsaur! Or a Basilisk! Or even one of the lesser used creatures now they’ll be getting their own special abilities. Ah, choices! Something tells me I’m going to be making another hunter for Wrath…

  50. Agreed, Suzi, I was a little let down to hear pet families are restricted to one talent tree. On top of that the current arena pet to mask Viper Sting, Scorpid, are now in the Tenacity tree missing out on the Cunning Tree’s Roar of Recovery for drain teams. Also a little surprised to see Ravagers in the Cunning Tree considering they effectively slightly out DPS cats while the wolf with mediocre stat bonuses and a party buff lands in the Ferocity Tree. Still looking forward to trees, but I’m sort of hoping which families go where gets tweaked or maybe family restricted trees removed :P

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>