The pre-expansion patch is here — "The Iron Tide" introduces a few new pets and accuracy changes to Pet Battles. It's just a small taste of what's to come in Warlords of Draenor! [source]
Patch 6.0 Pets and More
The Iron Starlette is a reward from a quest chain. Players will need to fight back the Iron Horde that have taken over a revamped, level 90 version of Blasted Lands. At the very end of the short adventure, the final quest Report to the King (Alliance) and Warning the Warchief (Horde) will reward the pet.
While battling the Iron Horde in Blasted Lands, keep your eyes open for a special drop off of the Ironmarch orcs. There's a chance you'll loot a Time-Locked Box which teaches the Bronze Whelpling.
According to Jonathan LeCraft, Senior Game Designer, the Bronze Whelpling will still drop from mobs after "The Iron Tide" event is over. This pet is also cageable so if you're not interested in killing orcs, the Auction House might have a Bronze Whelpling with your name on it!
Another new pet that you'll be able to start working towards (if you don't meet the requirements already) is Stormwing (pictured right). Completing the achievement So. Many. Pets. (collect 600 unique battle pets) rewards this beautiful blue bird.
Last but not least, Sky-bo is a new pet that seems to have snuck into Blingtron 4000's daily gift package. Be sure to speak with him for a chance at your very own miniature version of a Sky Golem!
There are more pets that might become available in the weeks prior to WoD's release, but we'll have to wait and see if these in-game events are updated with the new holiday content.
- Cursed Birman - From the Hallow's End in-game holiday
- Widget the Departed - From the Hallow's End in-game holiday
- Syd the Squid - Chance to drop from the new Darkmoon Faire trainer bag
- Grommloc - BlizzCon 2014 pet
Although there are only a few new pets to collect in Patch 6.0, the Pet Journal has previews of upcoming WoD pets. These pets cannot be collected at this time, but we've added them to the database for your viewing pleasure.
Over 90 new pets added!
Accuracy Changes and Damage Ranges
A few months ago, we covered the changes to hit and critical strike in Pet Battles. These updates are now live with Patch 6.0.
Many abilities have had their values changed and now have 100% base hit (example right, tooltips courtesy of Wowhead).
A damage variance was also implemented for some attacks, such as Crush and Dive.
Keep in mind that the accuracy change mainly applies to pet abilities that were already very close to 100% base hit (90-95%). Attacks with low base hit, such as Demolish, remain largely unchanged.
With these accuracy updates, miss-streaks should occur less often. However, it is still possible to miss, especially if a pet is under the effects of an ability that reduces hit. And even though your pets may hit more often than miss, these changes mean trainer pets will also have a better chance at landing an attack.
@Aerozia, I got my Sky-Bo from my Blingtron 4000.
Is anyone else having the problem of when a pet levels up, it's health doesn't return to 100%?
Has anyone noticed, since the patch, a lack of rare pets coming up when battling wild pets, and when fighting pets who are only available as the top pet, the groups aren't so random? The levels will change, but it's the same 2nd and 3rd pets every time, and they're always the same quality. I reported it as a possible bug, but even so, I'm still wondering if it is a bug or just my luck...
Oh, awesome. i was going on the tooltip ingame.
@Aerozia
https://twitter.com/TheCrafticus/status/522133599009525760
Either one is fine, just a possible better chance out of the Bling 5k ....
Um, sky-bo drops from blingtron 5000 not 4000...
techinqly theres a 5th pet during the patch, from what Ive heard. a new cat from halloween.
Noticed the changes with my Anub. Idol- more of a close-run fight than it used to be.