A vision of pets with armor
by David Bowers 
Jan 3rd 2008 at 1:01PM
The image you see on the right is not an actual pet in the game. Originally highlighted on Mania's Arcania as a possible mystery pet somewhere in Darkshore, it turns out that some player just switched around some of the files on his computer and replaced this pet's normal skin with the night elf armored mount's skin. We certainly don't suggest you try skin-swapping at home -- it's against Blizzard's Terms of Service. Nonetheless, the image brings to mind the hopes and dreams of hunters everywhere, that their pets could someday have armor of their own.It would be a lot of work for Blizzard to adapt even one piece of armor to fit all the different pet models in the game, but surely just a few different armor pieces would suffice to start with. If even one armor slot were implemented for pets, it would be a way for hunters to further adapt and scale their pets to varying situations, and of course visually it would help set epic pets apart from regular ho-hum pets. Of course, there should be a way to hide this armor, too, in case Blizzard got carried away with some sort of ugly design.
In addition, hunters might not be the only ones to benefit from this sort of effort: if such armor could be adapted for pets, perhaps something similar could work out for druids in feral forms as well. Blizzard has given no sign that they intend to make this sort of change, but who knows? Perhaps they'll even go crazy and adapt some of the humanoid armor for demon pets too! It never hurts to dream...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Pzychotix Jan 3rd 2008 1:11PM
Hey, how about them druids!
Here's my druid at 70 with phat epix! He's currently doing BT/Hyjal, and has some crazy gear!
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y287/ShadowedFate/WoWScrnShot_101207_194709.jpg
Chris Anthony Jan 3rd 2008 1:17PM
Now that you've made it clear that you didn't actually read the body of the post, do you have anything constructive to add?
Pzychotix Jan 3rd 2008 1:21PM
My point was perhaps they should focus on druids first, a entire class who is tired of looking at the same bear ass for 60 levels, rather than focus on pets.
Pzychotix Jan 3rd 2008 1:26PM
Let's also not forget that having pets with armor would mean that they would have to adjust armor for EVERY pet type (too numerous to count) in the game, a designer's nightmare, whereas druids only have two forms that really need overhauling.
guesswho? Jan 3rd 2008 1:14PM
this is epic win. give our pets some purpz!
Dunwich Jan 3rd 2008 1:15PM
I'd like to see Demons getting a degree of visual customisation. Just the ability to, say, give your Voidwalker the kit that the Outland versions seem to carry around. That sort of thing. Of course, you could go a step further, and give the armour an actual armour bonus, maybe an effect on aggro-retention. But I'd rather just have visual choice. Saves whinging in the long run.
VincentMagius Jan 3rd 2008 1:43PM
I agree to a point for now. Demons and Druids would be a good place to start. Let armor show on Druids and give demons zero value stat armor for testing purposes. Druids could use a change and there is only one model for each demon. Zero stat armor so the hunters have little to QQ about.
LostOne Jan 3rd 2008 1:27PM
Why stop there? My felguard needs an epic weapon, he's tired of his boring old white weapon. My Succubus wants an epic whip to go with her epic armor (the skimpier it is, the more powerful the stats...).
ninjasuperspy Jan 3rd 2008 1:36PM
That would be pretty cool. I remember when my DM approved a rules variant that allowed "Summon Monster" spells to always summon the same monster (A specific wolf or whatnot) that you could outfit with Professor Plums. I would enjoy something like that in WoW. I'd start leveling my hunter alt again, for instance.
Now the same needs to hold true for Druids. Modify the Cat and Bear forms so that some certain armors appear on them. I'm not sure how you'd do the kilts/robes, but that's an art decision.
Same for other pets. I'm sure people would stop complaining about Warlock pets if they could equip different weps: wands for imps, 2 handers for Felguard, etc.
It would never happen, I WoW has enough of a slowdown problem in crowds, imagine if you tripled the existing number of models in the game. I assume armor on pets/druid forms would be more than resized versions of the same armor mesh as human versus gnome armor, so there would need to be a completely different version of the Malorne set for caster, bear and cat forms. It is a nice dream though. And a level of customization that would be welcome.
Armored ghost wolf plz.
Chris Anthony Jan 3rd 2008 1:41PM
Unfortunately, this is more than just a question of adding new models. Unless the armor is merely cosmetic and can be purchased from vendors, Blizzard is going to have to make decisions about what /kind/ of armor to give to pets: should pets wear the same stuff that drops for PCs, or have their own armor? Both of them will have impacts on server economies (either by hunters buying PC armor for their pets or by pet armor entering the auction house); both of them will lead to player complaints (both from non-hunters - the former because hunters are "stealing" loot, the latter because pet armor is screwing up the loot tables and dropping in place of PC armor - and from hunters, who will complain either way because it's just one more money sink in addition to their own repairs and ammo).
And that's in addition to the changes to the UI to accomodate pet armor, scattering the armor drops in appropriate places (or increasing the armor drop rate slightly), and the inevitable complaints from hunters after the armor is implemented that their pets really should be able to use fist weapons...
Lori Jan 3rd 2008 2:59PM
Unless hunter pet garments are only cosmetic like player shirts. And only craftable by tailors, blacksmiths and leatherworkers. Like a black tuxedo kitty coat.
Chris Anthony Jan 3rd 2008 3:27PM
Granted, Lori, but I don't think that's what people are actually asking for. >_>
baudkarma Jan 3rd 2008 3:50PM
Things could be simplified if pet armor was restricted to high-level items only. If I were Bliz I'd implement it with WotLK, and make part armor lvl70+ only. They'll be doing a lot of work with play balance anyway, they could just work pet armor into the mix.
And as others have said, I don't see pets with a full character armor. I can see a torso piece that would be visible, and maybe a collar that would alter the pets appearance... give the pet an aura like a weapon enchant, alter its size, maybe cause the pets eyes to glow red or blue or whatever.
Pet armor could also be a way to make some of the less popular pet classes more viable. Imagine an item that increases armor by 10%, but can only be used on turtles.
Heck, don't imagine it... here it is! http://www.wowitemcreator.com/view/148683/Reinforced_Shell_of_Ghamoora.html
Lori Jan 3rd 2008 4:00PM
"Granted, Lori, but I don't think that's what people are actually asking for. >_>"
I don't think so either. But it's something.
p-diddy Jan 3rd 2008 1:47PM
Yeah, because horse armor was sooooooo well received by the Oblivion community. ;-)
-p-
Chris Anthony Jan 3rd 2008 3:18PM
Well, remember that part of that was Bethesda saying "hey, you can have horse barding now! $3 per set."
p-diddy Jan 3rd 2008 3:33PM
No, you're right - people were upset because they forced a macro-micro-transaction on you. But any time I hear armor on pets I think first of Battlecat and then I think of horse armor. One was cool, the other, not so much.
-p-
Kyle Meyer Jan 3rd 2008 2:33PM
Way too many if's and work for this. Not to mention that the author mentioned being able to hide the armor, which would be a no-no for arena, it's hard enough telling if a druid is geared or not.
Give the druids an armor display for their forms, I feel pity for them; and it's the same reason I haven't been able to bring my druid past the level 20's.
h8rain Jan 3rd 2008 3:36PM
"which would be a no-no for arena, it's hard enough telling if a druid is geared or not."
I never thought about that. I just recently hit 70 on my druid, and thought it stinks that you can't see my glowing equipment. However that means who i am fight has no idea how good my equipment is :). (which right now the only really good gear consists of a The Night Watchman, the Heavy Clefthoof gear set, and the Staff of Beasts)
Gimmlette Jan 3rd 2008 2:46PM
Interesting concept. Finally "Mistyreed Pants of the Owl" would mean something, although do owls wear pants?
I can't see a helm on any of my pets, side or back armor, yes but not a helm. And my wind serpent doesn't have "shoulders, arms, hands, legs or feet." How do you accommodate him?
Trying out something on feral druids makes sense. Adding armor to a druid's bear form doesn't really change the fact that you have a bear's arse in your face.