Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsPatch 4.2 New Hunter Pets: Ahnka
by Mathew McCurley 
Jun 1st 2011 at 1:00PM
8 new rare tamable beasts have been added, each of which provides a unique taming challenge. Will you be the first hunter to tame Deth'tilac, the rarest and most powerful of them all? Players will need to progress through the Hyjal Regrowth and Molten Front daily questing areas in order to unlock access to the full gamut of taming challenges.
I hopped on to the PTR this morning and, lo and behold, found the first of these eight new challenges -- Ahnka, the spirit cat.
Ahnka presented a simple yet devious challenge -- the damage Ahnka does to you is based on how much armor you have. High armor rating means you'll be one-shot and dead in a second. Having no armor means you can survive the cat's onslaught. Ahnka is also immune to slows, traps, and anything that would prevent this beast from mauling your face off. In order to tame Ahnka, you'll have to strip down.
Name: Ahnka
- Type: Spirit Beast
- Pet spec: Ferocity
- Found in: The Regrowth
- Gimmick: Does damage based on armor. Take off your armor to tame and survive.
The news is already rolling out for the upcoming WoW Patch 4.2! Preview the new Firelands raid, marvel at the new legendary staff, and get the inside scoop on new quest hubs -- plus new Tier 12 armor!
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 8)
Amaxe Jun 1st 2011 1:45PM
Comment fail...
Bart Jun 1st 2011 1:47PM
$5 says thhe gimmick is removed for live or at least in 4.2.5
Bapo Jun 1st 2011 1:55PM
Why would they remove the challenge? Ghostcrawler's gimmick of phasing in and out, and nerfing you to the ground is still around, and we're getting closer to 4.2.
Dreyja Jun 1st 2011 1:53PM
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE!
While I feel that this particular kitty is really just the white version of Gondria I'm CRAZY excited for these challenges.
This is exactly up my ally. I'm not much of a raider. I'm not leading the boards in my guild for achievment points. I'm only "meh" at PVP (though I do it a lot) but HUNTING RARES IS WHAT I DO! The fact that they are including a challenge to tame them makes me so happy I could puke a rainbow!
NOW, I just really need more stable slots, for realz. I can't give anyone up!
Fletcher Jun 1st 2011 2:23PM
The next spirit beast will be a spirit horse. To tame it you'll need to avoid the rainbows it vomits at you.
Dreyja Jun 1st 2011 2:26PM
LOL, and the kittens it poops?
Azi Jun 1st 2011 1:55PM
So all 8 new pets are Spirit Beasts? Is Blizz only catering to one fraction of the Hunter base here?
I usually never complain about Blizz, but this will be one. I hate this idea that they are all BM only. Are they saying that MM and SV should never get anything nice? Or that everyone should roll BM? Its not like its ONE new BM pet. Its friggen 8. Bad effing move for a lot of Hunters man.
VioletArrows Jun 1st 2011 2:04PM
MM and SV never get anything nice? Really? YOU GET TO ACTUALLY RAID.
adam Jun 1st 2011 2:04PM
from some of the youtube videos i saw all 8 are not spirit beasts
Dreyja Jun 1st 2011 2:30PM
Come on, the exotic beasties is ALL that we have. It's kind of the point of being a Beast Master! I LOVE this as I'm a BM hunter just like I'm a dwarf - it is WHAT I am. So yes, I've had to sacrifice DPS and flexibility. I'm okay with that as long as I get the beasties.
Skyshard Jun 1st 2011 2:33PM
The point of BM hunters is to be able to get pets that other hunters can't. That is their thing, just like each spec of each class gets something the others don't. It makes sense that they would make pets for a specific spec that has the main point of being able to tame exotic pets. That's the reason you become a BM hunter. Not to raid or do anything else, it's to be able to use awesome pets that others can't. Heck some hunters with the other specs don't even use a pet. I'm sure there will be something that the other specs can tame, but I don't see a point in getting angry that they are putting out special pets for a spec that revolves around pets, and getting special ones. Makes sense to me.
niall Jun 1st 2011 2:04PM
It's kinda sad that they add challenges like this that are so specific to one talent tree of one class. I'd retrain BM but i find having SV and MM is far more flexible in the current tier of raiding. When i had BM I found i never used it except to get the rare pets that i will never use because i just don't enjoy the spec.
Right now there ar very few unique tames for non BM such as the Cringer cat in Felwood and Terropene in Hyjal of which i have had robbed from me with less than a second left on the tame cast by another hunter on the same faction as me (pretty lame).
Fletcher Jun 1st 2011 2:25PM
The green kitty in Felwood is a quest objective, he should respawn fairly fast.
Dreyja Jun 1st 2011 2:31PM
Cringer cat isn't an exotic.
niall Jun 1st 2011 2:39PM
It's kinda sad that they add challenges like this that are so specific to one talent tree of one class. I'd retrain BM but i find having SV and MM is far more flexible in the current tier of raiding. When i had BM I found i never used it except to get the rare pets that i will never use because i just don't enjoy the spec.
Right now there ar very few unique tames for non BM such as the Cringer cat in Felwood and Terropene in Hyjal of which i have had robbed from me with less than a second left on the tame cast by another hunter on the same faction as me (pretty lame).
niall Jun 1st 2011 2:48PM
It's kinda sad that they add challenges like this that are so specific to one talent tree of one class. I'd retrain BM but i find having SV and MM is far more flexible in the current tier of raiding. When i had BM I found i never used it except to get the rare pets that i will never use because i just don't enjoy the spec.
Right now there ar very few unique tames for non BM such as the Cringer cat in Felwood and Terropene in Hyjal of which i have had robbed from me with less than a second left on the tame cast by another hunter on the same faction as me (pretty lame).
niall Jun 1st 2011 3:08PM
Sorry for the triple post, not sure how I pulled that one off.
@Fletcher Yeah I was more commenting on the lack of option than the availability of said mobs.
@Dreyja I never said it was exotic, in fact i said quite the opposite.
I just don't feel BM being a very viable spec if you raid since MM is tops for single target and some fights your gimped if you don't have SV for an offspec (Magmaw, Cho'gall).
I guess you gotta decide what is more important to you but cool challenges like this sound fun. Of course maybe we are wrong and half of them won't be exotics.
Dreyja Jun 1st 2011 3:09PM
Gotcha. I missread.
Dreyja Jun 1st 2011 3:55PM
Some really interesting looking pets that I hardly ever see people with are:
Angered Arakkoa:
http://www.wow-petopia.com/look/carrionbirdskinoutlandblue_ghost.html
Olm the Wise:
http://www.wow-petopia.com/look/owlspirit.html
Hell Hoot (who is SOOO purty):
http://www.wow-petopia.com/look/owlblue.html
Dreyja Jun 1st 2011 3:56PM
Emerald Spirit:
http://www.wow-petopia.com/look/owljade_ghost.html
The Lone Hunter:
http://www.wow-petopia.com/look/direwolfskindarkgrey_ghost.html
None of those are exotics. :) I’m amazed more MM/SV hunters don’t have one of these.