PTR Notes: Dashing raptors
by Mike Schramm 
Jul 24th 2007 at 1:30PM
The always interesting Mania's Arcania has more great news for Hunters from the PTR blog. Apparently in 2.2 (and right now on the PTR), Raptor family pets will be able to learn the Dash ability. Previously, I believe, Dash was primarily available from the cats in STV (Bhag'thera, the elite panther down there, gave Dash rank 2). But now Raptors are getting in on the speedy fun, too.Now, Raptors can already learn to both Bite and Claw (they can Growl and Cower, too, but those are the standard pet abilities that every pet has), so you might think a third ability would make them a little OP. But it turns out Raptors have been getting the short end of the stick for a while-- Cats can do all those things and Prowl, and Boars even get an extra Charge ability. Heck, even Tallstriders can Dash, so a Raptor doing it is no problem.
Bears, it seems, are stuck with the short of the stick, as they only have the Bite and Claw. But Bears get extra HP and Armor, plus a lumbering bear isn't exactly sprightly, so Bear-owning Hunters don't have much to complain about. If you're a Raptor kind of Hunter, make sure to stop by the pet trainer after 2.2, because your pet, clever girl, has picked up a new skill.
Filed under: Hunter, Patches, Analysis / Opinion, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nails Jul 24th 2007 1:49PM
heh, nice JP reference
Urthona Jul 24th 2007 1:51PM
Well, I happen to a know a Bear that can Charge. It'd be nice if my slightly more feral friends could learn it.
Phil Jul 24th 2007 1:55PM
This is great news. Raptors were always cool looking pets and had great DPS as well, but for some reason they were slow as molasses.
Now they can finally learn Dash, which makes sense from a gameplay standpoint and a RL standpoint, since Raptors were fast dinosaurs if I'm not mistaken.
Prepare to see an influx of Raptor pets.
Usul Jul 24th 2007 1:57PM
It does seem interesting that Druids in Bear Form can charge, but Bears themselves cannot.
Even worse, I have always been perplexed by the fact that a Raptor can knock me on my tookus using a charge, but if you try to tame them, it mysteriously disappears.
Oh well, I guess Blizz considers that the price of domestication.
Paul Jul 24th 2007 1:59PM
"...which makes sense from a gameplay standpoint and a RL standpoint, since Raptors were fast dinosaurs if I'm not mistaken."
um, ACTUALLY, they were not fast from a RL standpoint, as the devil just buried fake fossils in the ground to make people falsely believe that the earth is more than 6,000 years old. everyone knows that, sinner!
ThorinII Jul 24th 2007 2:08PM
What I want to know is, why do all the animals shrink so much when you tame them? If I tame an animal that is three times my size, by golly it should stay three times my size! I am a dwarf afterall, three times my size is not that big. :)
Shawn Jul 24th 2007 2:06PM
I heard the Dashing Raptors play at a club back in college. They were great! Good to see they're making a comeback.
James Jul 24th 2007 2:11PM
Cool, maybe I'll go tame one when Blizz finally gives hunters more stable slots
JP Jul 24th 2007 2:12PM
And hyenas still have nothing but bite...
Nookni Jul 24th 2007 2:27PM
Alas, de poor Kayrab of mine just sits there with his shell and claws the critters to death. No crab loving for me, eh?
SeanKReynolds Jul 24th 2007 3:42PM
@9: According to Petopia, hyenas can learn bite, cower, dash, and growl.
Compare to crocs, crabs, and spiders, which ONLY get bite (claw, for crab), cower, and growl.
And the poor, sad sporebats, which only get cower and growl.
Oomfoofoo Jul 24th 2007 3:54PM
/cry
Oh how I miss you Takk the Leaper ...
This ... /sniff> /sniff
... is great news.
Oomfoofoo Jul 24th 2007 4:00PM
@9 (sorry just noticed)
& Dash.
syco Jul 24th 2007 4:14PM
Always be cautious when dealing with raptors...
http://www.velociraptors.info/
len Jul 24th 2007 8:43PM
That's great and all, but did they ever get around to giving them a swimming animation?