Pet Battle System now on Beta Realms (Early Version)
This build of the beta introduced a very early version of the Pet Battle System!


I want to be the very best!
Picking up Pet Battle Training on the beta is pretty easy, all you need to do is visit the trainer in your capital city and pick up the 2 abilities.



Update - Almost forgot about those, added something about the Pet Battle Masters.

Tracking Pets
The pet tracking changed slightly since our first preview, you now track 2 types of pets: the ones that you can't capture and are only here to let you gain XPs will show up as a small yellow dot on your map. The ones you can actually capture will show up with an easily noticeable green icon and will be flagged as capturable in their tooltip.



Fight!
The fight is started by right clicking a pet creature when you're in range (approximately 30 yards). The camera will rotate around your character and the game will switch to Pet Battle mode. From this screen you can:

  • See the status of all your pets at the top left of your screen.
  • Control the abilities of your active pet at the bottom.
  • Switch between pets and see them by clicking the 4th icon on the bar.
  • Capture pets when they're low on life!
  • You can also surrender but that sounds pretty wimpy to be honest.
The battle is pretty simple, weaknesses and strengths are already implemented and if you pick the wrong type of pet you will get your ass kicked pretty fast. It ends whenever the enemy is defeated or captured.



Pet Battle Masters
The Pet Battle System will also have fights against NPCs, some of the achievements datamined last night point to "Pet Battle Masters" that you have to defeat on every continent.

Category Name Points
Pet BattlesTaming Eastern Kingdoms
Defeat all of the master pet tamers in Eastern Kingdoms.
0
Pet BattlesTaming Kalimdor
Defeat all of the master pet tamers in Kalimdor.
0
Pet BattlesTaming Northrend
Defeat all of the master pet tamers in Northrend.
0
Pet BattlesTaming Outland
Defeat all of the master pet tamers in Outland.
0
Pet BattlesTaming Pandaria
Defeat all of the master pet tamers in Pandaria.
0
Pet BattlesTaming the Wild
Defeat a master pet tamer.
0


Finding New Pets
How are you going to know where to find new pets for your collection? Easy, Blizzard is going to integrate a full encyclopedia directly in the game. Maps aren't implemented yet but currently, the info page of any pet will already tell you where you can find it!



Pet Family Passive Bonuses
Newly added are passive bonuses for all pet families.

  • Aquatic - Purity - The duration of harmful damage over time effects is reduced on Aquatic pets.
  • Beast - Enrage - Beasts deal 25% extra damage below half health.
  • Critter - Elusive - Critters break out of crowd control effects more quickly.
  • Dragonkin - Execute - Deals 50% additional damage to targets with less than 25% health.
  • Elemental - Weather Immune - Elementals ignore all weather effects.
  • Flying - Swiftness - Flying creatures gain 50% extra speed while above 50% health.
  • Humanoid - Recovery - Humanoids recover 2% of their maximum health every time they attack.
  • Magic - Spellshield - Magic pets cannot be dealt more than 50% of their maximum health in one attack.
  • Mechanical - Comes back to life once per battle, returning to 25% health.
  • Undead - Damned - Undead pets return to life for one round when killed.


Pet Battle Abilities
If you missed the update last week, check out the updated list of pet battle abilities on WoWDB!


The tooltips for individual abilities will show you which pets the attack is strong against, and which pets the attack is weak against. The page will also show you which pets can learn the abilities. On each pet's page, we have listed all of the spells that the pet can learn. We will continue to add features as the system is fully implemented in the beta.

This article was originally published in forum thread: Pet Battle System now on Beta Realms (Early Version) started by Boubouille View original post
Comments 261 Comments
  1. Necrotan's Avatar
    The team that was in charge of this was the UI team. So you didnt lose any precious raid because of this system.

    This minigame in no way changes how any of you play WoW. Unless you want it to. Period.

    People who call it childish have a very narrow and close minded view. You already play a cartoony game full of silly humor. Those who even play the actual pokemon games are not nessearily any more childish than anyone playing this game.


    In my time playing Pokemon at its end game competitive level and interacting with that community Ive seen far more mature behavior on a regular basis than I -ever- see in a typical pug, trade chat or any other populated area.

    tl/dr: People throwing out random claims of childishness are deluding themselves. A game does not define the gamer.
  1. Angoth's Avatar
    I have to timeline this.

    Proposal in the idea stages of beta: "You know what we could do? POKEMON! That's fun, right?!?!" "YEAH! Pets just sit there now. Let's make them fun."
    Developers reading it: "Are you kidding me?! I have to program pet battles?"
    Proposers: "It will be fun."
    Developer: "I don't see how."

    Announcement: "Pet battles!!!! That's fun, right?"
    Kids: "Yeah!!!!"
    Others: "WTF?!?"

    Kids in beta: "This is awesome!"
    Beta participants who aren't kids: "WTF?!?"
    Developers: "I have to debug the pet battles? Kill me, please."
    Me: "WTF?!??

    As others have said....this is a gigantic, monumental, colossal waste of development time.

    Are you really expecting people will run around collecting, training and battling pets and consider that fun?

    PETS?!?
  1. artem123's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Zeldaveritas View Post
    Utter trash. Waste of resources.

    How about that dance studio and upgraded character models guys! oh wait...
    your.. saying this is a waste of resources.
    But a dance studio in NO WAY is a waste of resources?
    Seriously?
    SERIOUSLY?
    does it matter that much? id rather have content to play w/ or time wasting then a silly dance studio which would be pointless quick, and models you barely look at close up
  1. Zatheyll's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Zeldaveritas View Post
    Utter trash. Waste of resources.

    How about that dance studio and upgraded character models guys! oh wait...
    If anything is complete and utter trash it's the dance studio idea. Why do you think Blizzard hasn't bothered with it? Because people will mess around with it for 5 seconds, get bored of it, and forget it even existed.
  1. grandpapeckinpah's Avatar
    Man, some of your guys need to take a long look in the mirror. If you're so insecure that you feel the need to make sure everyone knows that you think something is immature...well you have other problems. I assure you know one is interested in your underdeveloped sense of self.

    Look, I'm 27 years old and have been playing this game on and off since '04. It's okay if you don't want to take part, but backing it up with sweeping generalizations about "12 year olds" makes you look less mature than said 12 year old.
  1. muto's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Zeldaveritas View Post
    Utter trash. Waste of resources.

    How about that dance studio and upgraded character models guys! oh wait...
    Nope would rather have something to do then something to look at.
  1. Zatheyll's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Angoth View Post

    As others have said....this is a gigantic, monumental, colossal waste of development time.

    Are you really expecting people will run around collecting, training and battling pets and consider that fun?

    PETS?!?
    I would say more people will do exactly this then both PVP and raiding combined. I'm being absolutely and completely serious.
  1. Angoth's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by grandpapeckinpah View Post
    Man, some of your guys need to take a long look in the mirror. If you're so insecure that you feel the need to make sure everyone knows that you think something is immature...well you have other problems. I assure you know one is interested in your underdeveloped sense of self.

    Look, I'm 27 years old and have been playing this game on and off since '04. It's okay if you don't want to take part, but backing it up with sweeping generalizations about "12 year olds" makes you look less mature than said 12 year old.
    Look up. See that dotted line? That's where Wow's integrity as a game used to be.
  1. MagicalPiracy's Avatar
    Pet battles look awesome. For those of you complaining, when you eventually break down and start participating, I hope you look back on this day and look deep into your soul to learn more about how much of a spoiled, pretentious dick you actually are.
  1. Nev yn's Avatar
    ITT: Lots of teenagers who are afraid people will call them childish due to this feature. And then a mix of teenagers and adults who are comfortable admitting that they're playing a video game, and are just interested in whether it's fun or not.

    It's the "Kung Fu Panda" issue all over again.
  1. Terranullis's Avatar
    Wow... that looks really boring.
  1. Necrotan's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Angoth View Post
    I have to timeline this.

    Proposal in the idea stages of beta: "You know what we could do? POKEMON! That's fun, right?!?!" "YEAH! Pets just sit there now. Let's make them fun."
    Developers reading it: "Are you kidding me?! I have to program pet battles?"
    Proposers: "It will be fun."
    Developer: "I don't see how."

    Announcement: "Pet battles!!!! That's fun, right?"
    Kids: "Yeah!!!!"
    Others: "WTF?!?"

    Kids in beta: "This is awesome!"
    Beta participants who aren't kids: "WTF?!?"
    Developers: "I have to debug the pet battles? Kill me, please."
    Me: "WTF?!??

    As others have said....this is a gigantic, monumental, colossal waste of development time.

    Are you really expecting people will run around collecting, training and battling pets and consider that fun?

    PETS?!?
    Oh man, the irony that this showed up right under my post.

    People alread yrun around collecting the pets. Why wouldnt they utilize another method to show them off to each other? I'd be willing to bet real money that more people actively participate in the pet collecting community than in the arena community.
  1. Angoth's Avatar
    Ok, hold on one second.

    Let me ask everyone on both sides of this argument one question: Would you rather have pet battles in game or a new primary profession?
  1. terrih91's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by kolz4ever View Post
    LOLOL that lame shit is your new pokemon rip off game? It's gonna be even more hilarious laughing at you people with your bonsai panda's while you hunt the the pokemons. So from the great start of wow we go in to the amazing bc era and then we quickly begin going down hill in wotlk because of the p[iece of shit casuals needing every thing dumbed down from them. Then we go in to cataclysm which was nice to be honest and then continue the same lame garbage for the piece of shit casuals having trouble putting effort in to the game(Fire lands continuous nerfs anyone?) and reused maps. After all that we go in to cutsey let have a hug bonsa panda hunting pokemon? LOLOLOL.. Yeah fanboys, enjoy your extra lame game because "its the lore" and it will be a wonder why every other game will crush that garbage.
    jees somone call the waaambulance. look guy take it easy. WoW is moving along with the gaming meta of being more user friendly and less of a freaking chess match where one mistake costs you greatly. i understand that you want the glory days were you would spend 3 weeks farming boss number 2 of a raid and feeling accomplished because you were the only person on your server that did this. but take a step back and think of if thats a good game design. if you say that it is then im sorry you are a fool. people play a GAME to get some enjoyment out of it not to die over and over again for 2% or 3% dps needed to kill something so meaning less as an in game boss. the weeks that you spent dieing on one or even 4 bosses is in most peoples eyes a waste of time. shit shouldnt be so hard to kill for little rewards.

    the game is moving into a new design of content being easier for most people to kill on normal mode and significantly harder on heroic mode for you elitests and this is coming from somone whos been a raider since bc and been doing heroics at content level since wrath so i know a thing or 2 about progression raiding. i dont know what vanilla was like besides from what ive heard and from some of the long time raiders i hear from vanilla was pretty shitty for raiding fi you werent in the number one guild on your server.
  1. Nev yn's Avatar
    Let me ask everyone on both sides of this argument one question: Would you rather have pet battles in game or a new primary profession?
    Since when can the UI team implement a new primary profession? The question doesn't even make sense. That's like asking if you'd rather have a new way to report harassment or a new raid.
  1. Zatheyll's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Angoth View Post
    Ok, hold on one second.

    Let me ask everyone on both sides of this argument one question: Would you rather have pet battles in game or a new primary profession?
    Pet battles. It can be used by all without having to drop the professions you already have. Anyways, there are already way too many professions Blizzard should spend time on updating and making more interesting before adding another one.
  1. Paladin885's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Angoth View Post
    Ok, hold on one second.

    Let me ask everyone on both sides of this argument one question: Would you rather have pet battles in game or a new primary profession?
    I'll take the 3rd option, for an MMO that isnt selling itself out.
  1. Zatheyll's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Masterpd85 View Post
    I'll take the 3rd option, for an MMO that isnt selling itself out.
    If adding new features into the game is selling itself out, I hope all MMO's do that.
  1. Krugbuu's Avatar
    All you people crying about how this is for little kids, are just looking for something to complain about. It is as simple as this, if you are interested in it, it is not going to change anything about your game. Those who are interested, are being labled as kids.

    I am one of these people. I am very much not a child. I am almost 26 years old, have been playing this game since it came out. Yes it is very much a pokemon battle system rip off. But that is a fun game. If you enjoy turn based rpgs, there is a good chance you will like this system. Yes I used to play Pokemon back in middle school. That does not mean I am a child. I just enjoy something from my child hood.

    All you crying about this, you are just wasting your time, as well as everyone elses.
  1. Necrotan's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Angoth View Post
    Ok, hold on one second.

    Let me ask everyone on both sides of this argument one question: Would you rather have pet battles in game or a new primary profession?
    For me, honestly? Of those two choices pet battles. I found inscription to be a lackluster primary profession compared to the others.

    also there is absolutely nothing wrong with throwing a bone towards a subcummunity that already exists anyways.

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