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Pet families are a system of classification for hunter pets. A pet's family, which is generally based on its species, dictates what food it can eat; what abilities it will have; and what requirements, if any, a hunter needs to meet in order to tame it.

In Dragonflight, there are 60 pet families. In Classic Wrath, there are 32 pet families. In Classic, there are 17 pet families.

Restricted families[]

Exotic families[]

Certain pet families, known as Ability hunter beastmastery [Exotic Beasts], can only be tamed and used by Beast Mastery hunters. These families are often composed of unusual species like core hounds, devilsaurs, and spirit beasts.

Skill families[]

A small number of families can be used by any hunter specialization, but the hunter must first know how to tame them. Generally this involves reading a tome to learn the required skill.

Mechanicals are a special case among skill families; gnomes, goblins, and mechagnomes, being engineering-oriented races, can tame them by default. Other playable races have the usual requirement of using an item to learn about the family.

Although they are not standalone pet families, some specific species of pets belonging to otherwise normal families have similar requirements:

Abilities[]

Main article: Pet abilities

All pets have access to the common abilities Ability physical taunt [Growl] and Ability druid dash [Dash]; beyond that, a pet's abilities are decided by what family it belongs to.

Every pet family has two specialization-specific abilities and two family abilities. Some families are allowed additional abilities as well; see other abilities below for a general explanation on these extra abilities, or list of families for all families and what abilities they have.

Specialization[]

Each pet family has a specific specialization, which grants a passive ability and an active ability:

Prior to Battle for Azeroth, pet specialization could be changed after taming, and it had a more profound effect on a pet's role in combat. Cunning pets, for example, did less damage than Ferocity pets but offered a variety of PvP-oriented abilities. Now, each specialization deals the same amount of damage, and the two spec-specific abilities are the only difference.

Family abilities[]

Each family has a damaging ability and a utility ability. The three damaging abilities—Ability druid ferociousbite [Bite], Ability druid rake [Claw], and Ability druid bash [Smack]—are all functionally identical. The utility ability can fall into one of six types:

  • Defense: Reduce damage taken by 50% for 12 sec.
  • Dodge: Increase dodge change by 30% fo 20 sec.
  • Mortal Wounds: Grievously wound the target, reducing the effectiveness of any healing received for 10 sec.
  • Slow: Reduce movement speed by 50% for 6 sec.
  • Tranquilize and Dispel: Remove 1 Enrage and 1 Magic effect from an enemy.
  • Triggered Defense: When health falls below 40%, reduce damage taken by 60% for 15 sec. Can only occur once every 120 sec.
    • Note: The stone hound ability Achievement moguraid 01 [Stone Armor] is slightly different in that it offers 40% damage reduction but regenerates 3% max health every second.

Other abilities[]

Certain pet families have additional abilities beyond the "default" ability types listed above. These include:

  • Exotic abilities: All exotic families have a unique ability. Some of these abilities grant combat bonuses such as additional damage or defense, while others grant utility such as water walking.
  • Bonus abilities: A very small number of families are given an extra ability—usually a form of Ability stealth [Stealth]. This ability is not dependent on whether the family is exotic.
  • Tricks: A few families have an ability that causes them to do a small, non-utility behavior, such as doing a flip or going to sleep.

Diet[]

Each pet family has its own dietary preferences that dictate what it will eat when using Ability hunter beasttraining [Feed Pet]. Food items are divided into six types for this purpose: bread, cheese, fish, fruit, fungus, and meat. Certain families, such as gruffhorns and boars, are able to eat a wide variety of food; others, such as rodents, will only eat a single type. Several pet families are exclusive meat-eaters.

Mechanical pets are an exception, as they eat "mechanical bits" instead of food. Mechanical bits are items like bolts, wiring, and other gizmo parts; many of them are created by engineering or sold by engineering vendors.

Raw food types were briefly introduced as sub-types of meat and fish that only a few families would eat, but they were phased out with Wrath of the Lich King.

List of families[]

Family name Exotic Spec. Family ability Additional abilities Skill requirement Diet
Bread Cheese Fish Fruit Fungus Meat
Wrath-Logo-Small IconSmall SilithidWorker Aqiri Cunning Inv misc monsterclaw 09 [Tendon Rip] (Slow) Exotic: Ability hunter pet silithid [Dune Strider]
Mists of Pandaria IconSmall Basilisk Basilisk Cunning Inv pet -basilisk [Petrifying Gaze] (Slow)
WoW Icon update IconSmall Bat Bat Ferocity Spell arcane massdispel [Sonic Screech] (Dispel)
WoW Icon update IconSmall Bear Bear Tenacity Spell druid bristlingfur [Thick Fur] (Defensive) Trick: Ability hunter separationanxiety [Rest]
Cataclysm IconSmall Beetle Beetle Tenacity Inv qiraj carapaceoldgod [Harden Carapace] (Defensive)
WoW Icon update IconSmall Owl Bird of prey Cunning Ability druid mangle2 [Talon Rend] (Slow) Trick: Ability hunter separationanxiety [Trick]
Battle for Azeroth IconSmall Crawg Blood beast Tenacity Artifactability blooddeathknight umbilicuseternus [Blood Bolt] (Slow) Blood-Soaked Tome of Dark Whispers
WoW Icon update IconSmall Boar Boar Cunning Spell magic polymorphpig [Bristle] (Defensive)
Shadowlands IconSmall Camel Camel Cunning Ability mount camel brown [Hardy] (Defensive)
Battle for Azeroth IconSmall Krolusk Carapid Tenacity Inv shield 18 [Bulwark] (Defensive) Exotic: Trade archaeology blacktrilobite [Calcified Carapace]
WoW Icon update IconSmall CarrionBird Carrion bird Ferocity Ability hunter pet vulture [Bloody Screech] (Mortal Wounds)
WoW Icon update IconSmall Lion Cat Ferocity Ability hunter catlikereflexes [Catlike Reflexes] (Dodge) Bonus: Ability druid supriseattack [Prowl]
Wrath-Logo-Small IconSmall Chimaera Chimaera Ferocity Spell frost chillingblast [Frost Breath] (Slow) Exotic: Spell frost ice shards [Froststorm Breath]
Wrath-Logo-Small IconSmall Clefthoof2 Clefthoof Ferocity Inv misc nativebeastskin [Thick Hide] (Defensive) Exotic: Spell shadow lifedrain [Blood of the Rhino]
Wrath-Logo-Small IconSmall CoreHound Core hound Ferocity Ability mage moltenarmor [Obsidian Skin] (Defensive) Exotic: Spell shaman improvedfirenova [Molten Hide]
Shadowlands IconSmall Horse Courser Ferocity Inv horse3 pale [Fleethoof] (Dodge)
WoW Icon update IconSmall Crab Crab Tenacity Ability hunter pet crab [Pin] (Slow)
WoW Icon update IconSmall Crocolisk Crocolisk Ferocity Ability hunter pet crocolisk [Ankle Crack] (Slow)
Wrath-Logo-Small IconSmall Devilsaur Devilsaur Ferocity Inv misc bone 09 [Monstrous Bite] (Mortal Wounds) Exotic: Ability racial cannibalize [Feast]
Mists of Pandaria IconSmall Direhorn Direhorn Tenacity Inv pet direhorn [Gore] (Mortal Wounds) Ancient Tome of Dinomancy
(not required for Zandalari trolls)
Bc icon IconSmall Dragonhawk Dragonhawk Tenacity Ability hunter pet dragonhawk [Dragon's Guile] (Dodge)
Legion IconSmall Hippogryph2 Feathermane Tenacity Inv feather 13 [Feather Flurry] (Dodge) Bonus: Spell magic featherfall [Updraft] Tome of the Hybrid Beast
Cataclysm IconSmall Fox Fox Cunning Inv misc foxkit [Agile Reflexes] (Dodge) Trick: Ability hunter separationanxiety [Play]
WoW Icon update IconSmall Gorilla Gorilla Ferocity Silver Back (Defensive)
Mists of Pandaria IconSmall Goat Gruffhorn Cunning Inv pet goat [Gruff] (Defensive)
Cataclysm IconSmall Mastiff Hound Cunning Ability druid lacerate [Lock Jaw] (Slow)
Warlords of Draenor IconSmall Hydra Hydra Tenacity Spell nature corrosivebreath [Acid Bite] (Mortal Wounds)
WoW Icon update IconSmall Hyena Hyena Cunning Ability druid primaltenacity [Infected Bite] (Mortal Wounds)
Dragonflight IconSmall Veilwing Lesser Dragonkin Ferocity Inv misc rubysanctum1 [Shimmering Scales] (Defensive)
Battle for Azeroth IconSmall Saurolisk Lizard Tenacity Inv misc bone 09 [Grievous Bite] (Mortal Wounds)
Shadowlands IconSmall Elekk Mammoth Tenacity Ability mount ridingelekk [Trample] (Slow)
Legion IconSmall Mechanostrider Mechanical Cunning Ability vehicle shellshieldgenerator [Defense Matrix] (Defensive) Mecha-Bond Imprint Matrix
(not required for gnomes, goblins, or mechagnomes)
Non-standard food type; see diet above.
Cataclysm IconSmall Monkey Monkey Cunning Inv pet monkey [Primal Agility] (Dodge)
Wrath-Logo-Small IconSmall Moth Moth Cunning Spell arcane massdispel [Serenity Dust] (Dispel)
Legion IconSmall Yak Oxen Tenacity Ability monk chargingoxwave [Niuzao's Fortitude] (Defensive)
Battle for Azeroth IconSmall Pterrordax2 Pterrordax Cunning Inv skinning 80 coarseleather [Ancient Hide] (Defensive) Exotic: Spell magic featherfall [Updraft]
WoW Icon update IconSmall Raptor Raptor Cunning Ability gouge [Savage Rend] (Mortal Wounds)
Bc icon IconSmall Ravager Ravager Ferocity Artifactability feraldruid openwounds [Ravage] (Mortal Wounds)
Bc icon IconSmall Netherray Ray Ferocity Spell arcane massdispel [Nether Energy] (Dispel)
Warlords of Draenor IconSmall Riverbeast Riverbeast Tenacity Ability devour [Gruesome Bite] (Mortal Wounds)
Mists of Pandaria IconSmall Porcupine Rodent Cunning Inv pet beaver [Gnaw] (Mortal Wounds) Trick: Ability hunter separationanxiety [Rest]
Legion IconSmall Mushan Scalehide Ferocity Inv artifact dragonscales [Scale Shield] (Defensive)
WoW Icon update IconSmall Scorpid Scorpid Ferocity Trade archaeology tinybronzescorpion [Deadly Sting] (Mortal Wounds)
WoW Icon update IconSmall Serpent Serpent Cunning Ability hunter serpentswiftness [Serpent's Swiftness] (Dodge)
Cataclysm IconSmall ShaleSpider Shale beast Cunning Inv misc stonetablet 01 [Solid Shell] (Defensive) Exotic: Inv skinning 80 shimmerscale [Shimmering Shale]
WoW Icon update IconSmall Tarantula Spider Ferocity Inv misc web 01 [Web Spray] (Slow)
Wrath-Logo-Small IconSmall SpiritBeast Spirit beast Tenacity Spell arcane massdispel [Spirit Pulse] (Dispel) Bonus: Ability druid supriseattack [Spirit Walk]
Exotic: Spell shaman spiritlink [Spirit Mend]
Bc icon IconSmall Sporebat Sporebat Cunning Spell arcane massdispel [Spore Cloud] (Dispel)
Warlords of Draenor IconSmall Talbuk2 Stag Tenacity Spell arcane massdispel [Nature's Grace] (Dispel)
Mists of Pandaria IconSmall Quilen Stone hound Tenacity Achievement moguraid 01 [Stone Armor] (Defensive) Exotic: Spell nature reincarnation [Eternal Guardian]
WoW Icon update IconSmall Tallstrider Tallstrider Ferocity Inv misc dust [Dust Cloud] (Slow)
Battle for Azeroth IconSmall Toad Toad Tenacity Spell nature insect swarm2 [Swarm of Flies] (Dodge)
WoW Icon update IconSmall Turtle Turtle Tenacity Ability hunter pet turtle [Shell Shield] (Defensive)
Bc icon IconSmall WarpStalker Warp stalker Cunning Spell arcane arcane04 [Warp Time] (Slow)
Wrath-Logo-Small IconSmall Firefly Wasp Ferocity Ability poisons [Toxic Sting] (Mortal Wounds)
Mists of Pandaria IconSmall Crane Waterfowl Tenacity Spell arcane massdispel [Oiled Feathers] (Dispel) Trick: Ability hunter separationanxiety [Trick]
Mists of Pandaria IconSmall WaterStrider Water strider Cunning Spell arcane massdispel [Soothing Waters] (Dispel) Exotic: Spell frost windwalkon [Surface Trot]
WoW Icon update IconSmall WindSerpent Wind serpent Ferocity Ability hunter serpentswiftness [Winged Agility] (Dodge)
WoW Icon update IconSmall Wolf Wolf Ferocity Ability hunter pet wolf [Furious Bite] (Slow)
Wrath-Logo-Small IconSmall Worm Worm Tenacity Ability creature poison 02 [Acid Spit] (Slow) Exotic: Inv qiraj skinsandworm [Burrow Attack]

External links[]

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