BM pet choice- are exotic pets mandatory for heavy PvE content?

[Texan Penguin]

I'm a rookie hunter (62) who is kinda confused. What separates an exotic pet from a regular one if damage is normalized and you get the family ability regardless of species? Do I need a Core Hound/Spirit Beast/etc for 5-man heroic/mythic (non-keystone) at endgame or can I safely use a normal pet?

[KronoFett]

As long as it is dps it maters little what pet you use for max damage.

However exotic pets have great bonus abilities such as devilsaurs that reduce healing on the target or spirit beast that give a heal. If you are doing mythic plus and there is no shaman you should bring a corehound however.

[Kulspruta]

I went with utility, so list goes as following:
Exotic Pet Raptor, Self-heal and remove 1 enrage/magic effect+reduce damage taken 20% for 6s. (tenacity)
Exotic Pet Water Strider, Water walking and remove 1 enrage/magic effect+remove moving impairing effects and grants immunity for 4s. (cunning)
Exotic Pet Rugged Red Silithid, reduce movement speed for 50% for 6s+remove moving impairing effects and grants immunity for 4s. (cunning)
Green Bat, Lust, 15% leech+remove 1 enrage/magic effect. (ferocity)
5th I use different ones, but mostly Fenryr. Does look swell! (mostly when toon is parked and logged out)

M+ I use Raptor when lust is not needed and Bat when it is needed.
Raid I use mostly Raptor or another self-heal pet

[chupoptero]

In my experience, you only need 2 pets:

Soloing: Clefthooves because of Blood of the Rhino, totally OP on a ferocity pet because of the leech, its exclusive to this pet family.
Raiding: Spirit beasts because of Survival of the Fittest, Spirit Mend, Spirit Shock and 10% stamina buff.

If you are into farming you may enjoy a water strider too, for the waterwalking buff.

[bullseyed]

In my experience, you only need 2 pets:

Soloing: Clefthooves because of Blood of the Rhino, totally OP on a ferocity pet because of the leech, its exclusive to this pet family.
Raiding: Spirit beasts because of Survival of the Fittest, Spirit Mend, Spirit Shock and 10% stamina buff.

If you are into farming you may enjoy a water strider too, for the waterwalking buff.

Until you get a water walking mount, which is much less buggy anyway.


But yeah, spirit beasts is what 95% of people use basically all the time.

[Nythiz]

I'm a rookie hunter (62) who is kinda confused. What separates an exotic pet from a regular one if damage is normalized and you get the family ability regardless of species? Do I need a Core Hound/Spirit Beast/etc for 5-man heroic/mythic (non-keystone) at endgame or can I safely use a normal pet?

All exotic pets come with an extra ability.
For example Core Hounds come with Molten Hide, which makes them deal fire damage to every mob that hits them with a melee attack.
Spirit Beasts come with Spirit Mend which is a pretty potent heal. Waterstriders can give the water walking buff.
Etc
(You can find them all here: https://www.wow-petopia.com/abilitie...abilitysection )

Are they required? Not really; none of them provide dps increases, however some can be really good utility.
For example the spirit beast is considered the "best pve pet" because of the potent heal combined with the offensive dispel.

[Charo]

As long as it is dps it maters little what pet you use for max damage.

However exotic pets have great bonus abilities such as devilsaurs that reduce healing on the target or spirit beast that give a heal. If you are doing mythic plus and there is no shaman you should bring a corehound however.

There is a lot wrong here. There is no "DPS" pet type, all three types do the exact same damage, they provide different utility: Ferocity gives you 10% Leech and Heroism, Cunning gives you 8% movement speed and Master's Call, and Tenacity gives you 10% max health and a damage reduction cooldown. All three do the same exact DPS. Some pet families have useful abilities, Spirit Beasts are Tenacity but provide a strong heal and offensive dispels but do not provide Heroism, Devilsaurs extta ability just allows them to eat corpses to regain health, their healing reduction ability can be provided by other nonexotics. Corehounds are not required at all.

https://www.wow-petopia.com/index.php

Is a website all Hunters should have bookmarked. Check what abilities you want and filter away until you find a pet you like/need.

[Rozz]

No, but a group may ask you to have one if they're short within their comp.

Spiritbeasts are popular due to their pocket heal, damage reduction, and aesthetic. Pets that have a lust are popular because they have a lust. Most hunters just use what they want, even in the end game unless their group has something planned. Unless asked, do what you want and what's most convenient for you. It is true that certain pets have abilities that are more helpful in certain types of play, but it doesn't matter too much. Nothing is mandatory unless you join a group that needs it. Even then it's your choice to play by their style or join someone else.

[Perrito]

I only carry 2, if I need to lust, I carry a bat, for lust and dispel enrage. if not I use any of my spirit beast that provide a strong oh shit heal 20% dmg reduction and dispel.

dmg wise it doesn't matter what you have.

[wanax]

I usually use a core hound because I like them and the list is helpful for soloing harder group quests. Other helpful ones are water walk from the water strider, or the spirit beast for the heal.


Removed old info about quilen. Didn’t realize hunters lost their brez in BFA

[Illana]

Only 2 exotics I have with me are core hound and spirit beast. Core hound is for soloing as it's ferocity and the leech makes it tankier than any other pet family, plus it's exotic ability does aoe damage which leeches even more.

Spirit beast is for pvp.

I really do wish I had at least 2 extra slots though, I need a tenacity purge pet and cunning mortal wounds

[bullseyed]

I usually use a code hound because I like them and the list is helpful for soloing harder group quests. Other helpful ones have brez like the Quillen, water walk from the water strider, or the spirit beast for the heal.

No hunter pets have battle rez and quilen has one l.

[wanax]

No hunter pets have battle rez ANYMORE and quilen has one l.

My apologies spell check.

[Youn]

Spirit beast for dispel and de-enrage is nice in M+. The heal is just a bonus, i normally have mine targeted at the tank.


I like to use the mana cat for my spirit beast. They are easy to get and look good.

[wulzurebrah]

Just waiting until the post by Kaver about how braindead BM is

[Tehterokkar]

Spirit Beast is the best pet, On-demand heal and offensive dispel are the only good abilities out of any of the pet families, everything else is trash.

[kaid]

As long as it is dps it maters little what pet you use for max damage.

However exotic pets have great bonus abilities such as devilsaurs that reduce healing on the target or spirit beast that give a heal. If you are doing mythic plus and there is no shaman you should bring a corehound however.

Eventually its kinda hard to not take hati or a similar spirit beast it gives you an on demand heal+ an enrage dispel on demand option.

DPS wise it does not matter but for harder content the spirit beasts have a lot of utility. PVP things like the trex are handy if you need to burn through healing.