by scoot2112Alright, since there’s a good Hunter Leveling Guide on the site, I’m going to try to tackle the Hunter’s Best Friend.
- Talent Trees
- Pet Families
- Taming the Savage Beast
- Training Your Pet
- Stables
- Resources
- Beast Mastery
- Survival / Marksmanship
- My Opinion
- Stable Masters
- Pet Trainers
There are three Talent Trees for you to choose from Tenacity, Ferocity, and Cunning. Tenacity pets are mostly used as tanks, Ferocity pets are mostly used as DPS, and Cunning is sort of a combination between the two and is mostly used in PVP. That’s said, there are really enough talents in all the trees to customize your pet to your unique play style.
Bears, Boars, Crabs, Crocolisks, Gorillas, Rhinos*, Scorpids, Turtles, Warp Stalkers, Worms*
Carrion Birds, Cats, Core Hounds*, Devilsaurs*, Hyenas, Moths, Raptors, Spirit Beasts*, Tallstriders, Wasps, Wolves,
Bats, Birds of Prey, Chimaeras*, Dragonhawks, Nether Rays, Ravagers, Serpents, Silithids*, Spiders, Spore Bats, Wind Serpents
(Pet Families denoted with a * are Exotic Pets and can only be tamed if you take the final talent in the Beast Mastery Tree)
All of the Pet Families have their own unique talents that can also affect your choice. (ex. Bears can Swipe, Cats can Prowl, Spiders shoot Webs)
While you are leveling, you may also want to consider what your pet can eat. (You loot a lot of meat in all zones, but fungus is harder to come by for free)
You can only tame creatures that are labeled as Beasts! Some creatures which look like Beasts are not! (ex. The Hellboars in Hellfire Peninsula are Demons, not Beasts, even though they look like Boars.)
There are also Beasts you can’t tame.
Non-Tamable Beasts
Basilisks, Clefthoofs, Diemetradons, Elekks, Frenzys, Giraffes, Ghost Wolves, Gryphons, Hippogryphs, Hydras, Kodos, Krakens, Mana Wyrms, Orcas, Pterrordax, Rams, Sharks, Spirit Wolves, Spore Walkers, Stags, Stegodons, Talbuks, Threshadons, Thunder Lizards, Wyverns, Zhevras
The first thing you need to do is get the quest chain from the Hunter Trainer in YOUR RACE’S starting area to learn the spell Tame Beats at level 10. Tame Beats is a channeled spell and you can’t do anything while channeling or you will fail your attempt.
Until level 20, the best idea is to pick a beast a couple levels below you in a nice clear area, use Concussive Shot from max range, cast Tame Beats, and pray you don’t die.
At level 20, you get Freezing Trap, so your rotation becomes something like: Concussive Shot from max range, Freezing Trap, Tame Beats. You may still get hit, but it won’t be much.
Any beats tamed will automatically be within 5 levels of your level (ex. level 80 Hunter tames a level 1 Spider, the pet is now level 75), so go get anything you want, but you can’t tame beasts that are higher level than you.
Training your Pet is easy. Open your Talent window (N key) when your pet is out, on the side there is a tab with a picture of your Pet on it. Open it and if your Pet has any new points, place them in the skill you want.
Your pet will get its first Talent Point at level 20 (the pet’s level, not yours) and every 4 levels after that, for a total of 16 Points, unless you go all the way down the Beast Mastery Tree, then you will get 4 Bonus Points for a total of 20 Points.
There are NPCs called Pet Trainers, but all they do is allow you to respec your Pet’s Talents. A list of these Trainers is at the end.
You can keep up to 4 Pets in Stables located all over the world. They are just like banks, so you can go to any Stable Master and access your pets. Also like banks, you have to buy new slots.
Slot 1 = 5 silver
Slot 2 = 5 gold
Slot 3 = 50 gold
Slot 4 = 150 gold
Total = 205 gold, 5 silver
The Stable Slots are in addition to your active pet, so you can have a total of 5 pets.
While in the Stables, your pets will not level, but when you take them out they will automatically be only 5 levels below you, so they can be useful immediately (don’t forget to update their Talent Points).
At level 80 you learn a spell that allows you to call a pet from the Stable without visiting the Stable Master. There is a list of Stable Masters at the end.
Obviously, all the the links on this page are from Wowhead, so look there. Another great site for Pets is Petopia. There you will find all the details to pick the perfect Pet(s) for you. Other than that, just search the web, there are tons of Hunter sites out there, I’m sure you can find one you like.
I’m going to cover the Talent Trees for Beast Mastery first, since the leveling guide puts you in that tree.
Tenacity:
While there are talents that can increase DPS in this tree, you’ll do better to make these Pets into Tanks. With this build you should be able to Main Tank any Normal 5-man Dungeon, and Off-Tank 5-man Heroics and some 10 / 25-man Raids.
Levels 20, 24, 28, 32: 3 points Great Stamina, 1 point Charge
Stamina is always good. Charge gets you to the mob faster. Take these Talents in any order you want.
Levels 36, 40: 2 points Blood of the Rhino
More Stamina plus healing works better, sign me up.
Level 44: 1 point Thunderstomp
We got here as fast as we could. This gives you AoE Tanking.
Levels 48, 52: 2 points Natural Armor
Back up top for Armor.
Levels 56: 1 point Pet Barding
Armor and Dodge, can’t go wrong.
4 Bonus Points: 1 point Pet Barding, 1 point Guard Dog, 2 points Grace of the Mantis
You’ll get these points before your Pet hits 60. More Armor, Dodge, Threat, and reduced melee crit.
Level 60: 1 point Guard Dog
You can switch this up with Grace of the Mantis, in the last step, if you want.
Level 64: 1 point Taunt
This could pull that pesky mob off you or your buddy.
Level 68: 1 point Roar of Sacrifice
Really just to open up Wild Hunt, but can keep someone alive until they can get healed.
Levels 72, 76: 2 points Wild Hunt
Boost from your Stamina and Attack Power, no brainer right.
Level 80: 1 point Culling the Herd
More damage for you and your pet after Focus Dump crit.
At 80, you may choose to respec your pet and remove the 1 point from Charge and put it on Culling the Herd.
This build should put you near the top of the DPS chart.
Levels 20, 24, 28: 2 points Cobra Reflexes, 1 point Dash
Increased attack speed, overall you will do more damage. Dash will get you to the fight faster, but is really a placeholder. If you want to take something else in the first level, do it.
Levels 32, 36, 40: 3 points Spiked Collar
More Damage, need I say more.
Levels 44, 48: 2 points Bloodthirsty
The Healing will keep your pet alive longer.
Level 52: 1 point Culling the Herd
More damage after Focus Dump crit.
Level 56: 1 point Heart of the Phoenix
Free rez to full health, take it.
4 Bonus Points: 1 point Culling the Herd, 3 points Spider’s Bite
Damage after Focus Dump crit and increased crit chance.
Level 60: 1 point Culling the Herd
Last one.
Level 64: 1 point Rabid
Stackable Attack Power increase.
Levels 68, 72: 2 points Shark Attack
More Damage.
Level 76: 1 point Call of the Wild
Increased Attack Power for you and your Pet, who can say no to that.
Level 80: 1 point Wild Hunt
Boost from your Stamina and Attack Power, no brainer right.
This is basically a PVP build. It’s fairly balanced between damage mitigation and DPS, with a few things thrown in to make sure your pet annoys your enemy as much as possible.
Level 20: 1 point Dash
Chase down enemy.
Levels 24, 28: 2 points Natural Armor
Increased Armor. You could put these points in Stamina if you prefer.
Levels 32, 36, 40: 3 points Spiked Collar
Damage, damage, damage
Level 44: 1 point Mobility
This makes Dash have no cooldown.
Levels 48, 52, 56: 3 points Culling the Herd
More Damage after Focus Dump crit.
4 Bonus Points: 2 points Lionhearted, 1 point Wolverine Bite, 1 point Grace of the Mantis
Less Stun and Fear, an attack that can’t be stopped after a crit, reduced melee crit.
Level 60: 1 point Grace of the Mantis
Last point here, opens up Roar of Sacrifice.
Levels 64, 68: 2 points Wild Hunt
Stamina and Attack Power.
Levels 72, 76, 80: 2 points Feeding Frenzy, 1 point Roar of Sacrifice
Finish the enemy fast. In a pinch, Roar can save you or your buddy. Put these points in any order you want.
Survival / Marksmanship (16 Points)
Since you have 4 less points, there are some slight differences in these builds, but they are basically the same. For notes on the abilities, see the Beast Mastery section.
Levels 20, 24, 28: 3 points Great Stamina
Levels 32, 36: 2 points Blood of the Rhino
Level 40: 1 point Natural Armor
Level 44: 1 point Thunderstomp
Levels 48: 1 point Natural Armor
Levels 52, 56: 2 points Pet Barding
Levels 60, 64: 2 points Guard Dog
Level 68, 72: 2 points Grace of the Mantis
Levels 74, 80: 2 points Culling the Herd
Levels 20, 24, 28: 2 points Cobra Reflexes, 1 point Dash
Levels 32, 36, 40: 3 points Spiked Collar
Levels 44: 1 point Bloodthirsty
Level 48, 52, 56: 3 points Culling the Herd
Levels 60, 64, 68: 3 points Spider’s Bite
Level 72: 1 point Rabid
Level 76: 1 point Call of the Wild
Level 80: 1 point Shark Attack
Level 20: 1 point Dash
Levels 24, 28: 2 points Natural Armor
Levels 32, 36, 40: 3 points Spiked Collar
Level 44, 48: 2 points: Mobility
You need 2 points here in this build to get rid of the cooldown for Dash, since you don’t have Longevity. If that’s not important to you, put 1 point any where you like.
Levels 52, 56, 60: 3 points Culling the Herd
Level 64: 1 point Lionhearted
Level 68: 1 point Wolverine Bite
Level 72, 76: 2 points Feeding Frenzy
Level 80: 1 point Wild Hunt
These are some Pets I have used and the reasons I like them. This is solely my opinion and not meant to start an argument about which Pet is the best. If you want to do that, start a Forum page and I’ll put a link to it here.
Tenacity:
I like Tenacity Pets for leveling. How can you go wrong having your own personal Tank.
Bears: These are my favorite. Having Swipe and Thunderstomp gives Bears a big advantage if you pull multiple mobs, and they are still good for single pulls.
Turtles: The Shell Shield Ability makes them really good as Dungeon Tanks and against 2-3 man Elites (like in Dragonblight) if you’re trying to solo them.
Ferocity:
I use these Pets in Groups, Dungeons, and Raids to get near the top of the DPS charts, but they really don’t hold aggro well enough, for me, in solo situations. Good in PVP for burning your enemy down.
Cats: Probably the most seen Pet in WoW. Most Forums rank them in the top 3 for DPS.
Wolves: Furious Howl makes these guys a great asset for Groups, Dungeons, and Raids. Also usually ranked top 3 for DPS. (Devilsaurs are the other one, if you’re curious, I just don’t like them as much)
Spirit Beasts: As far as I’m concerned, Gondria is the coolest looking Pet in the game. Who needs a better reason.
Cunning:
I use these Pets for PVP, but they can be useful in Groups, Dungeons, and Raids also. I don’t really like them in solo situations.
Spiders: Their Web keeps people from running out of your range or into your melee range. Can also help your buddy to catch them while you move on to someone else.
Birds of Prey: If you can coordinate Snatch with a Warrior (Disarm) and /or a Rogue (Dismantle) could you kill someone while they are unarmed? Think about it.
Silithid: The exotic form of the Spider, Venom Web Spray also does damage.
Alassin Darnassus
Andurg Slatechest The Storm Peaks
Antarius Feralas
Arthaid The Exodar
Artie Grizzlehand Howling Fjord
Asgari Zul’Drak
Astur Bloodmyst Isle
Azzleby Winterspring
Bethaine Flinthammer Wetlands
Boarmaster Bragh The Storm Peaks
Celidh Aletracker Borean Tundra
Chelsea Reese Howling Fjord
Crinn Pathfinder Shadowmoon Valley
Darren Malvew Hillsbrad Foothills
Erma Elwynn Forest
Esbina Azuremyst Isle
Fala Softhoof Zul’Drak
Fiskal Shadowsong Blade’s Edge Mountains
Grimestack Stranglethorn Vale
Hadrius Harlowe Sholazar Basin
Heksi The Storm Peaks
Horatio the Stable Boy Howling Fjord
Ilthuril Shattrath City
Imhadria Icecrown
Jaelysia Darkshore
Jenova Stoneshield Stormwind City
Jimmy the Stable Boy Borean Tundra
Joraal Zangarmarsh
Kameel Longstride Zangarmarsh
Kari the Beastmaster The Storm Peaks
Killium Bouldertoe The Hinterlands
Kirk Maxwell Westfall
Laziphus Tanaris
Leassian Terokkar Forest
Lina Hearthstove Loch Modan
Liza Cutlerflix Netherstorm
Luftasia Nagrand
Maluressian Ashenvale
Master Sergeant Lorin Thalmerok Hellfire Peninsula
Matthew Ackerman Grizzly Hills
Michael Dustwallow Marsh
Moonbell Icecrown
Oruhe Shattrath City
Penny Redridge Mountains
Reggifuz The Barrens
Ronald Anderson Borean Tundra
Sentinel Sweetspring Dragonblight
Seraphina Bloodheart Isle of Quel’Danas
Seriadne Teldrassil
Shelby Stoneflint Dun Morogh
Shelgrayn Desolace
Skyguard Stable Master Blade’s Edge Mountains
Squire Leoren Mal’derath Silithus
Squire Percy Grizzly Hills
Stable Master Mercer The Scarlet Enclave
Steven Black Duskwood
Stormpike Stable Master Alterac Valley
Sylista Stormwind City
Tassia Whisperglen Dalaran
Thomas Partridge Icecrown
Tim Street Grizzly Hills
Toby “Mother Goose” Ironbolt Borean Tundra
Trapper Saghani Borean Tundra
Trapper Shesh Howling Fjord
Trapper Tikaani Dragonblight
Ulbrek Firehand Ironforge
Wesley Hillsbrad Foothills
Zybarus of Darnassus Dragonblight
Aboda Desolace
Anathos Eversong Woods
Andurg Slatechest The Storm Peaks
Anya Maulray Undercity
Asgari Zul’Drak
Awenasa Thousand Needles
Azzleby Winterspring
Breka Wolfsister Borean Tundra
Bulrug Thunder Bluff
Craga Ironsting Grizzly Hills
Durik Stranglethorn Vale
Durkot Wolfbrother Borean Tundra
Fala Softhoof Zul’Drak
Frostwolf Stable Master Alterac Valley
Garmin Herzog Dragonblight
Gedrah Shadowmoon Valley
Gereck Stonetalon Mountains
Greth Badlands
Grimestack Stranglethorn Vale
Hadrius Harlowe Sholazar Basin
Halona Stormwhisper Borean Tundra
Hekkru Swamp of Sorrows
Heksi The Storm Peaks
Huntsman Markhor The Hinterlands
Huntsman Torf Angerhoof Hellfire Peninsula
Ilthuril Shattrath City
Imhadria Icecrown
Kameel Longstride Zangarmarsh
Kari the Beastmaster The Storm Peaks
Kelsuwa The Barrens
Khalan Zangarmarsh
Kor Grizzly Hills
Laziphus Tanaris
Liza Cutlerflix Netherstorm
Lor Blade’s Edge Mountains
Mahana Frosthoof Howling Fjord
Mary Darrow Howling Fjord
Morganus Tirisfal Glades
Ogrin Blade’s Edge Mountains
Oruhe Shattrath City
Paniar Ghostlands
Qeeju Ashenvale
Reggifuz The Barrens
Robert Clarke Howling Fjord
Sarah Goode Silverpine Forest
Seikwa Mulgore
Seraphina Bloodheart Isle of Quel’Danas
Shalenn Silvermoon City
Shoja’my Durotar
Shyrka Wolfrunner Feralas
Sikwa The Barrens
Skyguard Stable Master Blade’s Edge Mountains
Soar Hawkfury Dragonblight
Soulok Stormfury Grizzly Hills
Squire Leoren Mal’derath Silithus
Stable Master Mercer The Scarlet Enclave
Steen Horngrass Icecrown
Tassia Whisperglen Dalaran
Tharlidun Arathi Highlands
Theodore Mont Claire Hillsbrad Foothills
Thomas Partridge Icecrown
Trag Terokkar Forest
Trapper Saghani Borean Tundra
Trapper Shesh Howling Fjord
Trapper Tikaani Dragonblight
Udoho Icerunner The Storm Peaks
Wilda Bearmane Nagrand
Xon’cha Orgrimmar
Belia Thundergranite Ironforge
Bolyun Ashenvale
Buruk Azuremyst Isle
Caelyb Ashenvale
Claude Erksine Loch Modan
Ganaar The Exodar
Karrina Mekenda Stormwind City
Keldas Teldrassil
Nalesette Wildbringer Felwood
Peria Lamenur Dun Morogh
Silvaria Darnassus
Grokor Swamp of Sorrows
Halthenis Silvermoon City
Harruk Durotar
Hesuwa Thunderhorn Thunder Bluff
Reban Freerunner Mulgore
Telenus Eversong Woods
Xao’tsu Orgrimmar
Zudd Stranglethorn Vale
Nice Pet Guide! Very nice pet I guide I will check up now and then. Nice work!
Needs an updateWe are recently working on improving the quality of content here on WoW-Pro.com, both by limiting low ranked guides and by moving out of date guides into archives. For more information, see [url=https://www.wow-pro.com/node/3016]the full news post detailing this process[/url].
This guide needs an update to make sure it is current with patch 4.0. However it still has enough useful information that it will be left in it’s proper section as-is.
If someone else would like to adopt the guide, or if you have any questions about this process, feel free to comment here.
What? You suggest that Tenacity pets can main tank instances? What instances are you talking about? O_o
Updated for 3.3Updated for 3.3
Alright, this is how WildAlright, this is how Wild Hunt works.
Your Pet gets 22% of your AP as a base. Wild Hunt says it “Increases the contribution your pet gets from your Attack Power by 15%” (forget the Stamina for now, we’re talking about DPS), but that is 15% of the 22% you are already contributing, so 3.3%, for a total of 25.3% with 1 rank of Wild Hunt.
With your numbers here’s what you get.
5500 * .22 = 1210 base AP to your pet
1210 * .15 = 181.5 Wild Hunt Bonus
Now, you gain 1 DPS for every 14 points of AP, so
181.5 / 14 = 12.96 (around 13) DPS
Your pet does 800 DPS on average.
800 * 1.03 = 824 (24 from Shark Attack)
24 DPS > 13 DPS
Now I know Shark Attack says “Your Pet does 3% additional damage” (It doesn’t actually say DPS), so let’s look at this another way.
If your Pet averages 800 DPS over a 30 sec. fight without Shark Attack.
800 * 30 = 24,000 base damage
Same fight with Shark Attack.
24000 * 1.03 = 24,720
720 additional Damage
I established your Pet gets 13 extra DPS from Wild Hunt, so
813 * 30 = 24,390 damage
390 additional damage
720 > 390
Either way, Shark Attack is better than Wild Hunt.
If your Pet needs the Stamina, by all means take Wild Hunt
I hope this helps clear this up.
Added a couple of newAdded a couple of new sections.
So for level 80…So for level 80 as a survival or marks hunter using a ferocity pet…
You have it listed for them to put their points into shark attack for an additional 3% damage. At any point when you have epic gear it is a larger dps gain to put your 1 point into Wild Hunt. This not only increases the survivability of your pet during any encounter due to the stamina gain, but it also increases their dps. For example, my hunter has 5500 AP, but for the means of people with less AP we’ll use an example of a flat 5000 AP.
So 5000 x 0.15 = 750 Additional Pet AP.
Using a wolf (the current highest dps pet as a marks/ survival hunter) the pet can be expected to put up roughly 700-900 dps. So if we take the average of 800 dps…
800 x 1.03 = 824
In conclusion, an additional 750 pet AP is a higher dps gain than the 3% damage increase and if you want to go further down the line and do the math, this holds true to any hunter with 4000 or more AP.
-Zachariah
FlawlessFlawless
Very nice quality on thatVery nice quality on that guide. Keep it up 😉
There is a link to petopiaThere is a link to petopia in the guide, but I will think about putting it in a more prominent location. As far as the Exotic Pets (BM-only) go, they are all listed in the Pet Families section, but I didn’t want to get into a big discussion about which pet is the best, since many factors (opinion, playstyle, etc.) can affect that. That being said, this is still kind of a work in progress, so I’ll update it when I get new ideas. Thanks.
Scoot
Very nice, but this shouldVery nice, but this should be expected from you Scoot 🙂 I didn’t read it in detail, but the formatting is good and what I did read looked accurate and well-said.
Thanks for your excellent contributions to the site!
EDIT: You may want to add something pointing people to external resources such as petopia for their more specific pet needs, and talk about what those resources contain. I mention Petopia in particular because, while this guide has pretty much all the important gameplay information, I know on my hunter I always wanted to know where to find the cool looking pets!
Also, do you mention spirit beasts in here? As a hunter noob, I never really knew what the deal was with them. What are they and why are they cool? Is there anything special about the beastmaster-only pets (like the T-rex or rhino) ?
Hunter Pet GuideJust finished my pet guide, check it out.