Profession Pets In Cataclysm

unfortunately, mmo-champion had to take down the lovely screenshots of many of the new cataclysm creatures, critters, and possible pets, but a blue post has given us some goodies about professions to speculate over:

engineering

Engineering is still being designed, but expect new unpredictable gadgets to use on yourself or enemies. Toys, explosives, and even a new vanity pet or two. Oh, and powerful mechanical bows and crossbows in addition to guns.

enchanting

An enchanter vanity pet is being added.

i expected new engineering pets for cataclysm, but color me surprised about the enchanting pet! that's going to be a doozy, i'm sure.

what worries me slightly, though, is that these new pets may be limited to their professions only (bind on pick up) for the first year or two, and then blizzard will eventually feel the need to switch it up and make it bind on equip. i hope they know how this is slightly disheartening for both those that can craft the limited-time-profession-exclusive pets and to those that who can't.

why can't the profession pets be either bind on pick up or bind on equip? why must there be a change? with a sudden switch in how these pets are obtained, those who worked hard on gathering mats, leveling the profession, getting the pet recipes, etc. will feel a bit cheated. as if all their hard work and dedication was for nothing, because in the end everyone will have it. those who don't have the profession will rejoice in the end, but in the mean time will be upset that they have to wait for the pet to become bind on equip. if only blizzard would choose one way or the other instead of changing their minds.

personally, i'd prefer the bind on equip profession pets. i went through the experience of dropping one profession to engineering, leveling engineering up to the correct skill level, gathering the mats and pet recipes, crafting and learning the pets, and then switching back and maxing out my original profession (all in one night!), and after undergoing that massive adventure i can definitely say i'd rather not do it again.

it stung quite a bit when blizzard announced the lil' smoky and pet bombling change shortly after i made the switch and switch back. part of me enjoyed the challenge but another part groaned and said 'if only i had waited just a little longer, i could have gotten the pets without having to pick up engineering!' my blood, sweat, and tears put into it all felt like it was devalued once the pets became available to everyone.

we'll see what blizzard decides come cataclysm. in the end i may wind up doing another switch and switch back since i just can't resist companion pets!