Raid Pet Worry and LFR Release Schedule

Throne of Thunder LFR is coming next Tuesday (March 12), however keep in mind that it's only the first wing (first three bosses). This means the pets Ji-Kun Hatchling and Son of Animus will not yet be available in LFR (they can still be obtained through normal Throne of Thunder, though). On the bright side, the Living Sandling is rumored to be a drop off of trash just before the Council of Elders encounter (last boss in the first wing).

The downside to this is that if it is a trash drop, will everyone receive one? Or will a group of 25 be required to roll for one pet? Can collectors use a bonus roll for this pet drop if only one player can win the actual drop? What about the pets that drop off the boss? Will they also be a competition between all 25 people, or will everyone receive one? These unknowns make me pretty anxious, doubled with the fact that this is one of the first "raid pets" to drop from current content.

Part of me is still wary about pets dropping from raid bosses. I know it's probably me just nit-picking at this point, but despite all the reassurance about not having to choose, I still feel as though I'm being back into a wall, and will ultimately have to pick if I want to use a bonus roll for a pet in LFR or not.

Originally, the argument was that you would use a roll in LFR anyway (for the gear), so no big deal if you use your bonus roll. However, that was before it was announced that this tier of content would have a staggered release. By the time the later section(s) of Throne of Thunder is released (the portions that drop pets), the gear in LFR may not be upgrades for me (I'm in an active raiding guild running the normal version). If I don't need the gear in LFR, but I do in normal mode, I'll want to save my extra roll for my guild's raid rather than spending it on a chance for a pet in LFR.

At that point, I'll have to choose, won't I? Save for later normal mode bosses that I still need gear from, or spend them on earlier LFR bosses that I don't need gear from (but need the pet instead). I'm at a bit of a loss with what to do.

Then again, by the time wing 2 and 3 come out in LFR, I may have saved up enough coins to roll on both gear upgrades in normal mode plus the pets in LFR. That's yet to be seen though, and the uncertainty of it all has got me a little flustered.

I guess all I can hope for is a relatively "high" droprate, so I won't have to make that tough choice between raiding progression and personal progression.

I'd be lying if I said I was a fan of how these three raid pets were implemented, though. It's foreign to me with many unknowns, and that's frightening. I'm sure everything will work out in the end (hopefully), but it's tough accepting and adapting to such a new mechanic. Especially when you feel as though you have a lot on the line. Pets and raiding, I adore them both. Having to choose one over the other is near impossible without me going into a state of panic. :(

Anyway, enough of my rambling. Here's what you need to know if you plan on collecting the three pets that drop from Throne of Thunder LFR:

- March 12: Living Sandling will be available in LFR, Throne of Thunder wing 1. It might come from the trash that's before Council of Elders.

- March 19: Ji-Kun Hatchling will be available in LFR, Throne of Thunder wing 2. This pet comes from the boss Ji-Kun.

- April 2: Son of Animus will be available in LFR, Throne of Thunder wing 3. This pet comes from the boss Dark Animus.

You may have noticed that each pet comes from the last boss for each wing. Perhaps it's Blizzard's way of providing more of an incentive for players to stick around for the "harder" content? Well, whatever the reason may be, I wish everyone lots of luck collecting these pets (as well as best wishes on a successful LFR raid group)!