I Do NOT Mouthbreathe, Thank You Very Much!

In my excitement and haste when previewing the updated Winter Veil holiday pets, I failed to notice that they not only emote speech and "no", the helper companions actually SAY stuff as well!

Note: If you'd like to read what each helper says each time, leave the option for hovering chat bubbles checked on and don't remove the UI (like I do for screenshots and video). There's no voice over, so the chat window and chat bubbles will be the only way of seeing their sassy remarks.


They share a small selection of angry comments that they will randomly say when you summon them. Most of them are protests to being unceremoniously summoned away from their work making the Winter Veil toys and other items. They even had the nerve to call me a mouthbreather! lol!

Here's a list of what they might say upon each summon:

WarcraftPets Facebook Giveaway

Interested in the Blizzard PetStore companions? Warcrafpets is hosting a contest featuring nearly all the pets on their official Facebook page!

To enter, go to their newly added Blizzard PetStore photo album, click on the pet you'd like to try for, and leave a comment on that pet's picture with your WarcraftPet's username. You can enter for all six pets, but keep it to one entry per pet, per person. Winners will be randomly selected on Sunday (October 2), so you have until then to enter!

Good luck to all those entering. :D

4.3 List

I've created yet another list of possible new pets datamined from the 4.3 PTR. Keep in mind it shows just the NEW pets, and there are still a handful of previously datamined companions that we have yet to see that could be coming in the future. (Such as the Feline Familiar, Creepy Crate, Guardian Cub, etc.) If I find any new information on the older and unlisted pets, I'll probably just do a separate feature on them.

So far there are sources (or highly possible sources) for nearly all of them, and I'm just missing information on the Sea Pony and Lumpy. If you discover where these two pets come from or might have leads/clues, or have details about any of the pets on the 4.3 list, please leave a comment! I enjoy surprises (sometimes), but I enjoy playing detective even more. :P

Hopefully the Darkmoon Faire will be up for testing on the PTR next week, and I'll have more ammo to update the list with. :D

4.3 PTR - TCG Pets

Too much new pet news in one day/night? Psh, never! :P

Anyway, the PTR version of Landro is definitely giving up his secrets for the future TCG loots! Unfortunately, I can't preview the actual pets in-game yet. But just as a teaser, the "Throne of the Tides" common loot card is the Purple Puffer (originally thought to be Bloat the Bubble Fish, but that could just be the actual card name and not the in-game pet name). Next is the "Crown of the Heavens" common loot card, the Gregarious Grell. And last but not least, the "Tomb of the Forgotten" common loot card, the Sand Scarab.

While this is all very enticing and exciting news, things could change since it's usually at least a month or two between the release of new TCG expansion decks.

Check out the screenshots behind the jump for the full list of possible loot from the upcoming decks!

4.3 Winter Veil Pet Changes

Straight from the 4.3 PTR: Tiny Snowman dies, Helper pets hearth, and the Winter Reindeer dresses down!


Yes, you read that correctly. Out of the four existing Winter Veil companions, only the Winter Reindeer persists when summoned outside of the holiday event.


The Tiny Snowman will only last a few seconds before falling over and "dying". I have to admit, it was quite a shocking and upsetting thing to see! Totally did not expect that. :( My poor snowman, I guess without that snowball to fuel it, it just can't withstand the heat of non-Winter Veil days.




Much like the snowman, the Winter's Little Helper and Father's Winter Helper don't seem to want to stick around either. They will briefly appear before doing a small conversing and "no" emote, and then promptly hearth (back to Father Winter's side, no doubt).

I've uploaded two videos showcasing two of the four Winter Veil pets. Winter's Little Helper and the Tiny Snowman. The snowman video is a bit heartbreaking, at least for me. T_T But who knows? Maybe some will find it hysterical, you snowman-haters! :P

Analyzing 4.3 Datamined Pets

Alright now that the initial news of 14 possible pets is out, let's go into some detail about some of these new pets. Some of this will be speculation and until confirmed otherwise, your guess is as good as mine!

4.3 PTR - NEW PETS!

Yes, the all caps title is warranted. MMO-Champion has A TON of datamined *new* pets. I won't go into detail about all of them yet, but here's a run down:

Darkmoon Balloon
Darkmoon Cub
Darkmoon Monkey
Darkmoon Tonk
Darkmoon Turtle
Darkmoon Zeppelin
Festival Lantern
Fetish Shaman
Gregarious Grell
Lumpy
Lunar Lantern
Purple Puffer
Sand Scarab
Sea Pony

And those are just the new pets!

There are tooltip changes to the 4 Winter Veil pets that should be noted. What the changes mean, I'm not sure yet. Some of them sound as though they can only be summoned during a certain time of year, but on the other hand, it could just indicate that when summoned outside of their designated holiday they'll look or behave differently. Also note that they will no longer require snowballs to summon!

So exciting!

A Wish for a Fish

As expected, WoWTCG Loot now has the official card of Bloat the Bubble Fish up for preview! They will probably announce their usual presale soon (normally a joint affair with WarcraftPets), so keep an eye out for that!

I'm really anxious to find out more about this fishy pet; what it's idle animations are, sounds (if any), and how it will interact with varying environments. Does a fish need to be in a bubble even if you go underwater with it? Wouldn't that be a bit.. redundant? :P lol.

Super excited about this new, unique, and common TCG loot card companion!

Imminent Win

Zarhym, a blue poster, recently stated that the 4.3 PTR should be available within the next week. Things could change but I'm extremely hopeful and excited. I can't wait to check out the revamped Darkmoon Faire and hear about any possible datamined pets from MMO-Champion and Wowhead. Even if there are only just a few new pets in 4.3, it's better than nothing at all.

Speaking of better than nothing at all, I may have stumbled on what Bloat the Bubble Fish might look like. WoWTCG's Facebook posted pictures from the recent Throne of the Tides sneak preview and competition event that was held in Irvine, CA.

One picture in particular caught my eye, a shot of some of the cards found within the next expansion deck. If you look closely at the card on the far right (in a clear plastic sleeve), it looks like a loot card. I can't make out the name of the card, but it definitely looks like a "fish in a bubble" to me! We'll probably see an actual preview of the card and the companion pet soon, but this teaser just adds to my anticipation.

This coming week holds a lot of promise for pet news; I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

The Wait

It doesn't look like there's anything new for this year's Brewfest other than updated gear from the holiday boss. No new pets that I've found or heard of.

There's the new Brewfest Keg Pony, but since it does not count towards any companion pet achievement nor is it added to your companion spellbook tab, it's not quite a real vanity pet. Despite all of this, there are reports that it does respond to Papa Hummel's Old-Fashioned Pet Biscuits. Very curious! I wonder if we can hope that it will become a true vanity pet in the near future?

Anyway, I guess that's it for this month in terms of possible pets. Here's looking to the future.

Next event(s) that I'm eagerly awaiting:

- Throne of the Tides (October 11. I wonder if Bloat will look the way I imagine him to look like.)

- Hallow's End (October 18. Revamped in-game event with two new possible pets? I'm hoping it doesn't involve any dailies because it starts just as Blizzcon begins. *crosses fingers*)

- Blizzcon 2011 (October 21 - 22. Can't wait for the WarcraftPets meet up! :D)

- 4.3 PTR (Date unknown. Let's see some of those datamined vanity pets! :P)

So while September was pretty uneventful on the pet-front for me, October is absolutely stuffed with new companions! I'm excited, anxious, eager, yet apprehensive all at once. Here's hoping that all goes well and everyone has a fantastic collecting experience!

Throne of the Tides Release Date

Looking forward to October? Well you should be! Not only is there Blizzcon and Hallow's End, the next TCG expansion deck is coming. October 11th is the official release date, and wowtcgloot.com has announced they will be doing another loot card presale. They've also confirmed that the upcoming deck's common loot card will be Bloat the Bubble Fish. :D

There's a little less than a month before the release of Throne of the Tides, but hopefully we'll get a teaser of Bloat either from the PTR or an official Blizzard preview. It's been a while since Blizzard's kept us in the dark for such a long time. I can't wait to find out what this pet's idle animation is (if any at all)!

Six Pet Package

MMO-Champion is reporting that the WoW magazine is being canceled. To compensate for the abrupt cancellation, Blizzard has emailed magazine subscribers to inform them they can request for either a refund of the remaining balance on their subscription OR they can receive a package of the 6 Blizzard PetStore in-game redeemable companions. There are only two weeks left to submit a request for a monetary refund or pet refund.

The pets that come in the package include:

- Pandaren Monk
- Lil' K.T.
- Lil' XT
- Lil' Ragnaros
- Moonkin Hatchling
- Cenarion Hatchling

Unfortunately, the Gryphon Hatchling and Wind Rider Cub are NOT part of the magazine cancellation compensation. Even if these two aren't included, the rest of the pets are worth $60 altogether!

I'm unsure if they can be gifted, since this is a special pet package for those with remaining magazine subscription time. If you're thinking of choosing this option over the monetary refund with an intention to give the pets away, I would double check that that's possible first. EDIT: Sounds as if it is possible to gift the pets even if it's part of the compensation package. :D

And just as a cautionary measure, be wary of ANY email that claims to be Blizzard offering "free" stuff. MMO-Champion has what I think is the official email being sent to current magazine subscribers, detailing how to request for the refund. Practice safe web browsing for the sake of your WoW account and all of your critter companions!

2011 Blizzcon Presale

The 2011 Blizzcon Presale's started, but unfortunately it doesn't look like there are any new pets in the PetStore. I was hoping for the Guardian Cub (either just an in-game code or code + plushie), but I guess I'll have to wait a bit more.

Anyway, there's one item that caught my eye: the Murloc Murhawk Designer Toy. It's a baby murloc toy that's based off of the in-game Mr. T inside joke. Sometimes I think the whole murloc pet theme is overdone, but I think a mohawk murloc companion would be pretty sweet! An idea for its idle animation? Throws mohawk grenades onto nearby critters or players, giving them temporary mohawks lol. :P

Why So Serious?

Success! Staff acquired, awesome fur-dye-job done. This totally makes up for the Disgusting Oozeling's -20 resist aura. XD

Cashing In With Pets

Do you enjoy vanity pets? How about gold? Would you like to combine the two together? WoW Insider has a new Gold Capped article about the pet market and how to profit from selling companions. It's a pretty good read if you're just starting out and need some quick ideas to boost your income.

Personally, I've never really taken an interest in the AH (even for vanity pets), but I'm sure there are others who enjoy playing the market and may even have already struck it rich.

With all the incentives for pet collecting these days, more players are looking to delve into this once-exclusive hobby as an actual route of gameplay. Naturally there are those who are going to look for a quick and painless way to bolster their collection number, and I'm sure some wouldn't bat an eye at spending a hefty chunk of gold on a companion.

So if you're looking to get started on selling pets, check out that article. Keep in mind that AH prices will vary from server to server, but most of what the author writes is generally true.

A Lot of Hoping n Waiting

I'm feeling a bit anxious about the future pet prospects. I have a huge plate of unknowns, with a giant side of just waiting and hoping. Here's my list of new pets and possible pet-related events I'm looking forward to in the next few months:

September

- In-game event: Brewfest. Another new pet possibly? No real indication that Blizzard is adding another one, but they've managed to surprise us before.

October

- In-game event: Hallow's End. This one has a high chance of new pet(s) since it sounds like it's going to be revamped and updated. Might include, but is not limited to, Creepy Crate and Feline Familiar.

- Blizzcon! Confirmed pet is Murkablo.

- New TCG expansion deck: Throne of the Tides. Not quite sure of the release date, but last I heard it was scheduled for release early to mid-October. Landro may have Bloat the Bubble Fish waiting for me! :D

November

- In-game event: Day of the Dead. Each year I keep hoping that Blizzard makes the Macabre Marionette a permanent vanity pet, and each year I'm disappointed. This won't change for this year, and yet I still hope... :(

- In-game event: Pilgrim's Bounty. Same as Brewfest. Not really seeing much in the way of a newly added pet, but who knows? It's still something I plan on checking out.

- WoW's 7th Anniversary. They've mentioned they don't want to hand out gifts every single anniversary, so while I hope for a pet, my hopes for aren't that high.

December

- In-game event: Feast of Winter Veil. There should be either a new pet or a new toy under the tree this year. Needless to say, I'm eager for the former. :P

Unknown When

- Patch 4.3. Darkmoon Faire pet(s) and other companions that may come with the patch.

- Guardian Cub. Where are youuuuu? Still waiting to see if this pet ever becomes available.

Did I miss anything? Well, I feel slightly better now that I've somewhat organized my future potential pet collecting plans. All I can do now is wait.

Born Free

The Darkmoon Faire is in town so I've been slowly but surely raising my reputation with them. It's a rough grind. My goal is to reach at least honored before they leave town.

Honestly, I'm not even sure I'll need the rep for the new DMF pets coming in 4.3. I'll have to wait until the PTR to see if my theory that reputation will play a part in the revamped faire or not. Even if it doesn't, though, it's something interesting to do. I've been meaning to earn some esteem with the carnies, anyway.

One thing that I normally take some time to do while the DMF is visiting is make a stop by Hornsley's cage and say hi to him. :( Poor little baby thunder lizard. One day you'll be free!

Maybe pet collectors should plan a secret rescue mission for Hornsley? I know I wouldn't mind caring for a baby thunder lizard and show him all around Azeroth. Who wouldn't want one as a non-combat companion? :)

Throne of the Tides - Sneak Peak

As mentioned in early August, the next TCG expansion deck will be Throne of the Tides. What wasn't mentioned was what the next common pet loot card would be. There is speculation that it will be a "fish in a bubble", but there hasn't been much in the way of details or even an official name for this possible pet.

Well I may have found more information on that!

I can't confirm the pet 100% yet, but wowtcg.com is having a Throne of the Tides sneak peak event and tournament. They've listed the loot card prizes as follows:

5 Wins: 4 Throne of the Tides booster packs, 1 Wasteland Tallstrider Loot card

4 Wins: 3 Throne of the Tides booster packs, 1 Throwing Starfish Loot card

3 Wins: 2 Throne of the Tides booster packs, 1 Bloat the Bubble Fish Loot card

The first loot card sounds like the Tallstrider mount that was rumored to be coming soon. The second loot card seems like the misc "fun" loot card. And last but not least, Bloat the Bubble Fish sounds like a fish in a bubble to me. If this isn't an indicator of what the next TCG companion will be, I'm not sure what is! I'm hoping to see a datamined version of this pet once 4.3 hits the PTRs. :D

As exciting as this prospect is, keep in mind that things could change and we may not get a "fish in a bubble" pet afterall. Regardless, I'm still excited and anxious to find out more about the next TCG common loot card!