Summary
TheWorld of Warcraft: Mists of Pandariaexpansion has yet to officially launch, but the pre-patch has already introduced the concept of Pet Battles. Higher-level players will already have a selection in the new Pet Journal now that companion animals have become battle pets, but there are plenty of powerful ones in the open world to discover and capture.
For those players who are curious about the pets that have been scattered throughout Azeroth, Outlands, and Northrend, there’s an impressive selection out in the wild. They start at level one, just like the players, so every character can start finding pets in the open world as soon as they learn the Pet Battle ability.
Many of these pets are only in certain zones, and completionists can look at the list of Achievements to see which ones are required under the “Pet Journal” tab. Players can find the basic information about pets they haven’t caught yet by checking the Filter and making sure the “Not Collected” box is checked. Pets that are available in the open world will have “Pet Battle” in this section, followed by a list of locations.
7Wildhammer Gryphon Hatchling
An Alliance Icon
The name isn’t a joke; this little guy is a perfect mini-replica of the big griffinsthat the Alliance usesas flight path transport, including the familiar blue tabard. Other than the power of a popular design, it’s also one of the most powerful pets in the Flying family. He’s a bitter opponent to Aquatic pets and fast enough to be a tough enemy against virtually everything.
Most players have only seen this pet in the Blizzard store, where it also has a plushie form, but it also appears as a secondary battle pet in the Twilight Highlands. While players are looking for Highland Turkeys and Rats for the Safari Achievements, these little guys often turn up as secondary pets.
6Spirit Crab
An Aquatic Ghost
Most crabs belong to the Aquatic pet family, butthis one is Undead, and in addition to a fighting bonus against Critters in the form of the Snap attack, the Spirit Crab can also fight Humanoid and Elemental enemies. It’s one of the most versatile pets, plus it has the Shell Shield defense against any attack, which is normally a power only Beasts have.
Spirit Crabs are easy to find in the Ghostlands. They line the western coastline, haunting the ragged huts of the Murlocs that killed and ate them, and getting one is part of the Eastern Kingdoms Safari Achievement. Players can kill a few of them to coax a Larva out of hiding, one of the more elusive pets that’s also required for completion.
5Arcane Eye
A Powerful Magical Pet
There are only two battle pets that players can find in the small and narrow zone of Deadwind Pass, which contains little more than a river,an ogre clan, and the morbid towers of Karazhan. The Arcane Eye has a reputation for appearing inside the raid, but a few spawn outside, usually near the front door.
Magical pets are a small family, so it’s wise to grab them when they appear, and this one is designed to destroy Flying opponents but has a nice selection of arcane powers that work in any fight. Players can recruit another pet with the power of Arcane Storm, like the Azure Whelpling, to give these abilities an even bigger impact.
4Spawn Of Onyxia
How To Train Your Dragon
Dragonkin make up another smaller pet family, and this isn’t just becausedragons and their relatives are generally harder to find; it’s also because they’re seriously overpowered. Onyxia has a reputation for being one of the oldest, toughest, and most destructive raid bosses for some very good reasons, and her legacy continues in this fierce little spawn.
The pet journal states that they can be found near Onyxia’s Lair and adds that they should be “handled with extreme caution.” Players should choose the ability of Healing Flame to restore health and go Scorched Earth on enemy targets. They can also choose between the two lethal weapons of Breath and Deep Breath, or they can equip them both for the full devastating effect.
3Twilight Fiendling
Various Talents In One Hideous Pet
These horrible little beasts, who look like eyeless mutations with various limbs, are smaller versions of the fleshbeasts that players can find in certain locations in Azeroth, like the upper tower of Karazhan. They populateareas thick with magical anomalies, which is one of the reasons this pet is located near the glowing fissure at the center of the Twilight Highlands.
The Twilight Fiendling is a Magical pet, but it’s not strong against Flying creatures like others in the same family. Instead, it has a wide range of abilities that deal bonus damage to Humanoids, Elementals, and Critters. It’s an ideal choice when it’s time to give an opponent a nasty and terrifying surprise.
2Oily Slimeling
A Versatile And Resilient Creature
Part of the disgusting and enigmatic oozling category of monsters, the Oily Slimeling is found in and near the pools of dirty water surrounding the Goblin oil rigs in the central and eastern parts of the Borean Tundra. It’s a solid opponent against Flying pets, as a player would expect, but it also has strong abilities against Humanoids, Elementals, and the Undead.
Corrosion is a powerful DoT spell, and it’s also an example of a spell that’s powerful against Flying pets and equally useful for any others. Creeping Ooze is a similar version of the same spell that does bonus damage to Undead targets.
1Lost of Lordaeron
Players should be prepared to grind this pet up from level one, but it’s worth it, and it’s also relatively easy thanks to some of its powers. Even when fighting Critters, who are the strongest pet family for battling the Undead, the Lost of Lordaeron can hold their own and even win. It also looks great to havethis ghost floating nearbywith its unique skin, which isn’t shared by any other pet.
This pet has two signature abilities: Siphon Life and Absorb, and both of them can stack and heal the pet by stealing life from their opponent. This can keep the little ghost up for several turns while they wear a target down, even if it’s a few levels higher.
