1545 pets
Updated Abilities Coming In Pre-Patch
These changes for existing battle pets will go into effect in the Shadowlands Pre-Patch (Patch 9.0). It's still unclear when the Pre-Patch will be released, but some speculate it will be within the next few weeks.
In the meantime, it might be a good idea to review pet teams and strategies to make sure they aren't heavily impacted by the upcoming adjustments.
Here's a breakdown of changed abilities.
Flock-like Abilities
- Dead Man's Party (Pre-Patch)
- Family Reunion (Pre-Patch)
- Flock (Pre-Patch)
- Inflation (Pre-Patch)
- Junk Mail (Pre-Patch)
- Murder (Pre-Patch)
- Puppy Parade (Pre-Patch)
- Stampede (Pre-Patch)
- Swarm (Pre-Patch)
- Zergling Rush (Pre-Patch)
LIVE
— Flat damage each round + Opponents struck take double damage
PRE-PATCH
— Increasing damage each round + Opponents struck take 50% increased damage
LIVE
— Opponents struck take 100% increased damage
PRE-PATCH
— Opponents struck take 50% increased damage
LIVE
— Opponents struck take double damage
PRE-PATCH
— Increased damage + Opponents struck take 50% increased damage
Adjusted Damage (reduced)
Adjusted Damage (DoT component increased)
Aquatic Pet Family Passive
LIVE
— Harmful DoT effects reduced by 50% on Aquatic pets
PRE-PATCH
— Harmful DoT effects reduced by 50% on Aquatic pets + Damage of DoT effects dealt by Aquatic pets increased by 25%
Other Changes
- Righteous Inspiration (Pre-Patch) - Ability starts on cooldown
- Jar of Smelly Liquid (Pre-Patch) - Increased cooldown from 1 round to 2 rounds
- Magma Trap (Pre-Patch) - Chance to trigger trap upon each ability use, instead of each attack
Although Black Claw and other similar flat damage-taken abilities aren't receiving a direct change, how they are applied in combat. Per Blizzard's blog post:
"Flat damage-taken modifiers such as Black Claw now happen **after multipliers such as Shattered Defenses, or pet species strengths/weaknesses. This is a significant change to the value of flat damage abilities. Prior to this change, the value of Black Claw was increased 100% by Shattered Defenses, and if your pet was strong vs the other pet type, it would be increased even further. Flat damage modifiers now happen after all other combat calculations, which wound up being a significant damage output nerf to abilities that hit multiple times, upwards of 25-30% total damage reduction."
The biggest part of pet battles is "one time play" content, what never be balanced. Such dmg nerf did many and many battles impracticable.
Oh how fun!....not.
I wonder if any of the Devs actually pet battle. Tedium is not fun. I don't fancy having to come up with new strategies to fight annoyingly difficult bosses. A lot of bosses were unbearable without the Flock + damage strategies. This is the HowlBomb nerf all over again. I wish they'd just add new pets and pet battle dungeons and stop trying to "balance" pet battles. They just make it worse.Jar of smelly liquid has left the chat
This is painful. After working out so many battles, we have to start again. It is rather inconvenient and has a high boredom content. Alas, designers often confuse tedium with game difficulty.
So time to start making new guides like Tannan pet battles, pet leveling guides, Elekk guide, etc.
unfirtunatly they do this every xpac to one degree or another we (meaning me also) will complain and then we will all prevail gl everyone
they neutered Ikky. Hes me favorite! -sad-
Let's hope they add some interesting pets as replacement otherwise old content that we have learnt will be a horrible experience with lacking this tactic.
Oh boy I knew this was coming but I thought it was Shadowlands release, not prepatch. I have some work to do.
Finish the Celestial Tournament, etc., before the patch, if you can.
Oh. Oh man. How many strategies are gonna have to be re-worked now...