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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsPatch 4.3 PTR: Changes in store for Winter's Veil vanity pets
by Anne Stickney 
Sep 27th 2011 at 8:30PM
The patch 4.3 PTR brings an unexpected change to the vanity pets received during the Winter's Veil celebration. These pets were unique in that players had to have a Snowball in order to summon their wintry companion.
It seems that the Snowballs are no longer necessary as of Patch 4.3, but there's a catch -- Winter's Veil pets are only able to be summoned during the Winter's Veil event. The tooltip for the pets has been changed to reflect this as follows:
It seems that the Snowballs are no longer necessary as of Patch 4.3, but there's a catch -- Winter's Veil pets are only able to be summoned during the Winter's Veil event. The tooltip for the pets has been changed to reflect this as follows:
-
Father Winter's Helper: Right Click to summon and dismiss your Father Winter's Helper.
Requires a Snowball to summon.Helpers are very busy year-round, and only have leisure time during the Feast of Winter Veil. -
Tiny Snowman: Right Click to summon and dismiss your Tiny Snowman.
Requires a Snowball to summon. Build or destroy a tiny snowman. The snowman is larger and lasts longer during Winter Veil. -
Winter Reindeer: Right Click to summon and dismiss your Winter Reindeer.
Requires a Snowball to summon.reindeer. The Winter Reindeer only dresses up for Winter Veil. -
Winter's Little Helper: Right Click to summon and dismiss your Winter's Little Helper.
Requires a Snowball to summon.Helpers are very busy year-round, and only have leisure time during the Feast of Winter Veil.
Along with the changes to existing pets, there are a ton of new pets to snap up. Follow after the break for the full list.
The new Darkmoon Faire has a ton of new pets available, not just the monkey mentioned in the preview. A Darkmoon Balloon, Darkmoon Cub, Darkmoon Tonk, Darkmoon Turtle and Darkmoon Zepplin have all been datamined as well.
In addition, players can potentially pick up a Festival Lantern, Fetish Shaman, Gregarious Grell, Lumpy, a Lunar Lantern, a Purple Puffer, a Sand Scarab, and a Sea Pony from unknown locations. The Lanterns sound like they will be offerings from the Lunar Festival, while the sea animals may be vanity items from an upcoming WoW Trading Card Game expansion pack. We've already seen some previews of the Throne of the Tides expansion pack, and with a watery theme, it seems like these vanity pets would fit right in.
Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Look at what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back! Filed under: News items, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Snorintauren Sep 27th 2011 8:48PM
Megh, it was good to have slave-gnomes throughout the year, but I can deal with that. Though what's this then about the snowman "lasting longer"? I'm over here assuming my poor little dancing partner is gonna be melting if not summoned during Xmas! ... I guess it makes sense, but in a world of time traveling dragons, magical tree elves and top-hatting worgen, who needs any of THAT?!
Snorintauren Sep 27th 2011 8:50PM
...Ooh. I registered just now to QQ about the changes, and it changed my name afterwards when I replied! Would have preferred it stay Kavie, heeeeeh... I blame the lack of helper gnomes and possibly melting companions! =(
Vrykerion Sep 27th 2011 8:41PM
The Sand Scarab might be from the new coffers they're adding to the Ruins of AQ.
Bellajtok Sep 27th 2011 8:44PM
Oh look. Engineering is even less useful. I'm shocked. Really, I am.
MysticalOS Sep 27th 2011 8:51PM
don't know what you're talking about, i get 3 snowballs a day from polarbear daily that i been doing for 2 years that STILL hasn't given me a mount. so i just get snowballs, every day.
was never hard to have them handy for tehse pets.
Teliko Sep 27th 2011 8:51PM
I don't see how that makes it worth it. It's really lame, actually.
furrama Sep 27th 2011 8:58PM
WHAT IS THIS? THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY PETS!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgIrXKpv2gw
arawn.chernobog Sep 27th 2011 9:06PM
SHOO BE DOO! SHOO! SHOO BE DOO!
Call upon the Sea Ponies when you're in distress...
David Sep 27th 2011 9:16PM
You got that stuck in my head now. :(
Alchemistmerlin Sep 27th 2011 9:30PM
Wow, that's a really shitty change.
cloudhopper013 Sep 27th 2011 9:51PM
I was going to downvote this, but then I saw your avatar right after reading it and burst out laughing.
Alchemistmerlin Sep 27th 2011 10:00PM
I'm glad you appreciate it, but why would you downvote someone expressing their opinion?
Haarits Sep 27th 2011 9:45PM
Not really liking the change; reading the changes, tho, it seems like it might only be the Helpers that can't be summoned year-round. The wording on the Tiny Snowman and Winter Reindeer make it seem like they'll be available year-round, only the Snowman will melt/vanish in a short time and the Reindeer may still appear but without his decorative elements (nose, saddle). One can hope!
The other pets all sound great, I just hope not many of them are from the card game.
kabshiel Sep 28th 2011 2:51AM
I'm guessing the Fetish Shaman is Diablo 3 related. Probably the D3 collector's version equivalent of the Mini Thor pet.
Thedave Sep 28th 2011 9:36AM
Laaame!!!! My little elf helper has been following my lock around forever! I can still see him now, all tiny in his little green outfit. Man i hate this place! You guys never let me do NOTHING!!!
Sinfulle Sep 28th 2011 9:20AM
*Drums fingers on desk* Holiday restricted mini pets that we've been able to use all year long for years? What's next, more "Requires Holiday" then goes *poof* pets that you only get to enjoy once, like the Day of the Dead pet? Someone got their realism in my fantasy. Was there something game breaking about me having a holiday themed pet out all year round? Will the Spring Rabbit, Wolpertinger, Pink Elekk, Spirit of Summer, Sinister Squashling and Peddlefeet eventually become restricted to respective holidays? I understand the Winter Veil ones required snowballs making them less used than other pets, but to change two pets to only work for a few weeks of the year? *Frown*
Tenebrae Sep 28th 2011 9:30AM
Man I kinda feel bad now, I just sold a winter helper for a heap of gold.
Jyotai Sep 28th 2011 1:03PM
This is the biggest buff in the whole patch. :D
FINALLY I can pwn bosses with my tiny snowman. Who's been sitting there in my collection since 2006...
I'll finally get to see what he looks like in game. I've got him, and had him since day one (I bought wow Christmas day of 2006, so literally had this pet since day one)... but rarely seen him.
Joseph Smith Sep 28th 2011 9:44PM
I'm not overly impressed by this. I always thought ahead and stocked up on snowballs during Winter's Veil so i would always have a good stock (plus you would not BELIEVE how much those things will auction for by late summer/early fall, at least on my server). So now because I wanted to be a little unique and pull out a pet that most people wouldn't have, I lose out.
Next patch? Kirin Tor Familiar is only usable in Dalaran.