Notable Battle Pets by Family

Di Elektrophorus Aggiornato: 09/04/2019

Information

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Legend

Breeds

This guide will use the standard convention to list breeds:

B = Balanced
H = Health
P = Power
S = Speed

Although this guide will not use them, some alternative names for specific breeds may appear in some other reference guides:

H/H = Guardian
P/P = Destruction
S/S = Ninja

Rarity

The rarities in this guide are color-coded as follows:

Common
Uncommon
Rare
Very Rare
Store / Promotional
Unobtainable -- Pets that are no longer obtainable or are not yet implemented

If a pet is captured from a wild pet encounter, "Wild" rarity will be appended to the rarity color. The level the pet is encountered at is located in brackets in the information cell.

Aquatic

Acquatica
Passive: Harmful damage over time effects are reduced by 50% on Aquatic pets.
Takes extra damage +50% from Flying abilities
Resists -33% from Undead abilities

Although you won't find many heavy-hitting Aquatic pets, pets of this type are useful for their resilience. They oftentimes come with healing moves such as Ondata di Cura or Pioggia Purificatrice. A selection of Aquatic pets also have moves like Guscio Difensivo, which notably stacks with their passive effect to nullify most damage-over-time effects (including weather). Their resistance to Undead is their second selling point. Their weakness to Flying-type moves can prove to be problematic.

Picture	Quality	Description
Very Rare	Astice MagicoObtained from Fishing in Highland Mixed Schools in Terokkar Forest. Ser Chelotto has a 0.2% droprate and has a 1-in-5 chance to grant you Scatola dell'Astice Magico when used (4 hr cooldown, with 3 charges).Magical Crawdad is a great utility pet because he learns Desiderio and Nebbie Curative, allowing you to support your allies. Wish is useful for the Celestial Tournament, because you cannot heal by normal means while competing. He also has a massive 1888 health pool, making him quite tanky.
	Common / Common Wild	BenaxDrops from Anax, a level 110 rare spawn in Suramar.The typical moveset you will use is Sferzata di Lingua / Sciame di Mosche / Bolla. Since Aquatic-types resist Undead moves, Benax is a double counter to pesky Undead-types with its Critter-based moveset. Bubble can be used to waste the Undead passive (since your attacks will be ineffective that turn anyway). Otherwise, you can just use that turn to reapply Swarm of Flies. Standard swamp toads are limited to B/B or H/B, while Benax has the much more preferable H/P. Rana Maculata degli AlberiEncountered as a wild pet in Jade Forest of Gorgrond.As an alternative to the swamp toad, the Leopard Tree Frog boasts an S/S breed, which makes it the fastest breed of frog in the game. It has both Sferzata di Lingua and Sciame di Mosche, but has your choice of Ondata di Cura or Pioggia Purificatrice as a third ability. You will most likely want to use Healing Wave, as the speed makes it more likely you can use it in the turn.
Common Wild	Crostaceo OmbroguscioEncountered as a wild pet in Stormsong Valley.This awkward little pet has an interesting combination of moves not found anywhere else. Lacerazione d'Ombra gives it a spammable source of Undead-type damage, while Richiamo dell'Oscurità, Negozio del Greench, and Prigione di Cristallo give it some random utility in a variety of situations. With these moves, the Shadowback Crawler could be a decent pet to swap into a Humanoid-type. When hunting, this pet can spawn in ten different breeds—you want the P/P or S/S ones only.
Common Wild	Paguro EremitaEncountered as a wild pet in the coastal areas of Zandalar or Kul'Tiras.Although you may not expect it, this pet comes exclusively in the S/S breed, maxing out at an astounding 349. This speed enables Bolla and Immersione to function at their maximal capacity. Armatura a Guscio can be used as an alternative to Bubble, as it is a very powerful defensive ability.
Rare	Murena Scagliafolgore3% droprate from the daily Animali di Draenor/Animali di Draenor.Slithershock Elver is a decent battle pet, although outclassed by the rabbit family due to lower speed (at 325) and a worse racial. The S/S breed is mandatory to make the best use out of Schivata and Immersione. Any other breed is lackluster. Use Morso Profondo for damage and Stretta to be annoying. You'll rarely want to use Colpo Possente in slot 2, but the option is there.
Common Wild	Granchio ImperatoreEncountered as a wild pet in Dread Wastes. Most often found as secondary pets to Rapana Whelks.Emperor Crabs have the highest base power of any crab species, which plays to their advantage when using Ondata di Cura and Guscio Difensivo. Both these abilities scale off of Power, giving this crab an edge over others of its kind. The H/H breed is decent, but you really want the P/P one. Emperor Crabs do in fact outclass the similar Granchio delle Guglie (which also has a P/P breed) for the sole reason that they have more base power.
Uncommon	DentinoChance to drop from the Fishing daily Crocolischi in città.Can also be bought for 0 Distintivo Fuoritempo during TBC Timewalking.Snarly is somewhat useful due to his combination of Squarcio and Fiume di Sangue. Of the crocolisk species, Snarly boasts an H/P breed, giving him an edge over his brothers. Impeto Improvviso always goes first, so Speed is unnecessary.

Beast

	Bestiale Passive: Beasts deal 25% extra damage below half health. Takes extra damage +50% from Mechanical abilities Resists -33% from Humanoid abilities
Beast pets are fairly ubiquitous and oftentimes are generic. However, their attacks deal bonus damage to Critters, which comprise the vast majority of wild pet battles. Their type bonus grants them additional bonus damage, which may be useful at times. However, generally speaking, Beast-types are most often outclassed by other pets unless they have unique utility.

Picture	Quality	Description
Uncommon	Tranciacaviglie Zandalari, Mordirotule ZandalariBoth have a chance to drop off Dinomante Zandalari on the Isle of Giants.These two members of the primal raptor species are unique among pets because they learn both Graffionero and Gruppo di Caccia simultaneously. These two moves have immense synergy with each other, especially when being supported by another pet's Richiamo del Fulmine. Using these three moves in combination makes these pets good counters to Critter and Beast-type pets, as well as single targets with high HP. The other two primal raptors that can drop are not as good. These pets are an absolute must have for PvE pet battling.
	Common Wild	Volpe AlpinaEncountered as a wild pet in Kun-Lai Summit or Townlong Steppes.Alpine Foxling is one of many fox species that is useful for its role in supporting its allies with Ululato and Danza Scatenata. The presence of both of these moves simultaneously is what sets this family apart from other support pets of similar flavor. Alpine Foxling is the only fox that comes in an S/S breed, ensuring that it gets its Danza Scatenata off and allowing it to DPS with Raffica di Colpi. Cucciolo di Worg dei FiordiEncountered as a wild pet in Isle of Spears, Howling Fjord.As a fox species pet, Fjord Worg Pup has the exact same moveset as the Alpine Foxling, but is the only fox that comes in a P/P breed. You will still want to use Ululato and Danza Scatenata, but switch to Morso and adopt a more aggressive playstyle to use the additional power.
Common Wild	Taipan RossoEncountered as a wild pet in Stormheim.The Rose Taipan is an addition from Legion that is a carbon copy of the Death Adder Hatchling, albeit much easier to obtain. With an S/S breed, Veleno Accecante and Raggomitolo make it an extremely hard-to-kill snake.
Uncommon	Famiglio FelinoPurchased for 150 Dolcetto during Hallow's End.This lovable cat is a versatile addition to any pet battling team. With access to Morso d'Onice and Voracità, it can hit both Flying- and Critter-type pets for super effective damage. Out in the wild, these types are by far the most common, allowing you to end random fights quicker. Devour also has the bonus of healing the user, meaning less downtime and saving pet bandages. Movimento Furtivo and Richiamo dell'Oscurità form a deadly combo as well, combining to form a potent anti-Dragonkin nuke.
Common	Corgnelius, Cucciolo di CorgiCorgnelius is obtained through the Order Hall mission, Come sono morbidi!.Corgi Pup is awarded for WoW's 12th Anniversary.These lovable corgi pets are token users of the attack Ultralatrato, which allows them to hit an enemy really hard without killing it. You may find this useful when capturing wild pets that cannot damage themselves with recoil or environmental damage.
Rare	Zao, Figlio di NiuzaoPurchased for (obtained from beating the Celestial Tournament).Zao, Calfling of Niuzao is a versatile pet that you can use for its Desiderio, allowing you to heal your injured pets during the Celestial Tournament (where you can't heal normally). Unlike other Wish pets, he is capable of hitting quite hard with Calpestamento and Carica di Niuzao.

Critter

	Animale Passive: Critters are immune to stun, root, and sleep effects. Takes extra damage +50% from Beast abilities Resists -33% from Elemental abilities
Do not underestimate the critter. Although you will encounter them often and become desensitized to them as a family, a true battler recognizes their strength. Critters are immune to crowd control effects, a utility which is extremely appreciated. In fact, two of the best pet families are critters. Critter moves score bonus damage against Undead, a particularly problematic family.

Picture	Quality	Description
Common Wild	Lumaca GusciolucenteEncountered as a wild pet on the coast of Darkshore.Shimmershell Snail is one of the many snail species. As a snail, it boasts high base HP and has access to a very diverse moveset that allows it to land super-effective hits against Humanoid, Flying, Critter, and Elemental pets. Immersione makes snails the only double counter to Elemental pets. Its Critter typing also confers it immunity to stuns, making it indispensable for many fights. Shimmershell Snail is the only snail to come in an H/P breed, making its Assorbimento and Guscio Difensivo marginally more effective than any other snail. It is also available in H/H if you want that build instead.
Common Wild	This is not a specific pet, but refers to an entire species. I believe that Coniglio-type pets deserve special mention, despite their ubiquity. Unlike most other extremely common vermin, rabbits are competent battlers. They use a combination of Schivata and Rintanamento to consistently dodge powerful attacks. Having access to two evasive moves allows them to alternate between them and exploit its slower foes. When you tame a rabbit, look for the S/S breed, which is available to nearly every rabbit type. Your total speed should be 358.If you are looking for a unique model, Coniglio di Lunacupa is the only rabbit that is covered in blood. However, it learns Denti Grossi e Affilati instead of Raffica di Colpi, which makes it slightly inferior. Avoid Coniglio delle Praterie because it has a lower base speed and Coniglio Elfin since it lacks the S/S breed altogether.Sidenote: Grasslands Cottontail's best build is H/P with Scarica d'Adrenalina in slot 2.
Common Wild	Coniglietto PolverosoEncountered as a wild pet in Dalaran (Broken Isles).To be able to see these pets, you must click on a Tappeto Polveroso, found within buildings of Dalaran.Dust Bunny is a notable member of the rabbit family because it comes in the classic S/S breed, but also learns Bomba Fumogena in the very, very niche event you don't want to use Schivata.

Dragonkin

Dragoide
Passive: Dragons deal 50% additional damage on the next round after bringing a target's health below 50%.
Takes extra damage +50% from Humanoid abilities
Resists -33% from Flying abilities

Dragonkin comprise some of the heaviest hitters in the game. Their racial allows them to easily secure kills against even the hardiest of foes. Though, don't be too impressed by their moves versus Magic-types: they may be super-effective, but the Magic racial mostly negates this bonus. The majority of useful Dragonkin pets will actually use Magic-type attacks, so take this into account when composing your team.

Picture	Quality	Description
Common Wild	Proto-Draghetto di SmeraldoEncountered as a wild pet in the Savage Thicket, Sholazar Basin.Emerald Proto-Whelp is one of the most resilient pets that you will ever find, capable of soloing many NPC Tamers. Generally, you will want to use Presenza di Smeraldo and Sogno di Smeraldo. However, Benedizione Antica and Proto-Assalto have a niche as well. Its attacking move is a choice of Soffio or Morso di Smeraldo, giving it versatility to switch between countering Magic or Flying types. Not a single slot is wasted here. Its Dragonkin typing is very relevant, allowing it to periodically hit extra hard. Look for the P/P breed, as it far outclasses the other options by bolstering its healing capability.
Rare	Crominius18% droprate from Cromaggus in Blackwing Lair.Chrominius is an absolutely essential pet. Its Dragonkin typing makes it a double counter against Flying-types, especially with Esplosione Arcana and Impeto di Potere. In a lot of fights, you will simply send Chrominius out and spam Arcane Explosion until you die. His (only) H/H breed gives him extra HP to get a few more hits in, while his Dragonkin passive will trigger even from hitting the back row. He also learns Ululato, which is essential in some strategies.
Common Wild	Draghetto del NexusEncountered as a wild pet on Coldarra, Borean Tundra.Nexus Whelpling is another double counter to Flying-type pets. With its combination of Tempesta Arcana and Eruzione di Mana, he will absolutely ravage any Flying pets you pit him against. He's a bit fragile, but his DPS is unmatched. This combination hits heavily in its own right anyway, so bring Nexus Whelpling to battle even if there aren't any Flying pets in it. Look for the P/P breed.
Common	Piccola TarecgosaPurchased for from any guild vendor.Only available if your guild has completed Gilda: Drachira, Requie di Tarecgosa.Lil' Tarecgosa is kind of like a smaller version of Chrominius. She only comes in the H/P breed, which may suit your needs. Like Chrominius, she has access to both Esplosione Arcana and Impeto di Potere. She also learns Soffio to combat Magic-types.
Common Wild	Drago Fatato FatuoEncountered as a wild pet in Feralas.Nether Faerie Dragon is a good pet for beginners due to its ability to hit relatively hard while also staying alive with your choice of Evanescenza or Scambio di Vita. Look for the S/S breed, since this will allow you to abuse Evanescence and Life Exchange alike. A much rarer alternative is the Cucciolo di Drago Fatato, which is a world drop from Feralas with a different appearance.

Elemental

	Elementale Passive: Elementals ignore all negative weather effects. Enemy pets can still gain the beneficial effects from weather when facing an elemental. Takes extra damage +50% from Aquatic abilities Resists -33% from Mechanical abilities
In my opinion, Elementals are the coolest looking battle pets in the game. Their battle prowess, however, leaves much to be desired. Their racial is mostly useless and outclassed by other families. You should still keep an eye out, though.

Picture	Quality	Description
Very Rare	Sporoide OmbraneraVery low drop chance from Sporoide Disturbato, which spawn randomly when picking an herb in Draenor.Nightshade Sproutling is a classic disrupt / heal type of pet (Veleno Accecante + Protezione della Natura). This combination makes it quite decent, but almost necessitates the S/S stat spread. Alternatively, it can also be used to set up Richiamo dell'Oscurità. However, due to the fact that the pet itself is fairly rare and can RNG into many breeds, it will be difficult to obtain a perfect one. Great job if you manage to snag one of these!
Uncommon	BrootDruid only, non-cageable. Chance to drop when harvesting soil from the Dreamgrove.Broot is a pet added with Legion that only Druids can obtain. You will not be able to trade these pets. As a battler, this pet boasts a heavy arsenal of almost exclusively damage-reducing or healing abilities, including Pelle di Legnoduro, Pelledura, Fotosintesi, and Luce Solare.
Very Rare	Goccia di Rubino3% droprate from rare spawn Garnia on Timeless Isle.You will find through experience that this pet is one of the hardest to kill pets in existence. Risucchio del Sangue drains a small amount of life from the enemy, but converts it to massive healing for the user. Combined with Bolla and Assorbimento, this pet can't be killed except by taking multiple strong attacks in a row, or by using a very specific moveset tailored to counter Drain Blood.
Common	Pupazzo di Neve PiccinoChance to drop from Regalo Incartato Gioiosamente during the Feast of Winter VeilYou will also be able to pick one up off the Auction House for less than year-roundAfter years of scorning this pet, I will finally acknowledge that it is quite decent. Gelo Profondo is a heavily damaging move that has a guaranteed stun when used in conjunction with either of Tiny Snowman's slot 2 moves. Also, since it has exclusive rights to Cappello Magico, it is one of the few Elementals with a Magic-type move.
Rare	Rapa MaleficaObtained from Seme Inquietante, which has a low droprate while harvesting crops from your farm in Halfhill.Terrible Turnip has limited uses, but deserves mention as it learns Colpo Indebolente, which allows you to hit a foe without killing it. This can make capturing low-level enemies easier. As a lesser benefit, it also learns Canzone Motivante, allowing it to act as a medic during the Celestial Tournament.
Store	Piccolo RagnarosPurchased using real money in the Pet Store.Lil' Ragnaros is not a necessity, but deserves mention because it has the absolute highest Power in the game, at a staggering 374. He is a reliable user of the heaviest hitting Conflagrazione, with access to Lanciafiamme. Alternatively, he also has an infuriating stun in Trappola di Magma and a three-turn dodge, Figli della Fiamma.
Unobtainable	Corgi ArdentePromotionalMolten Corgi was a limited-time pet for players who played during 10° anniversario di WoW. If you were one of the many players who obtained one, you can use it for Ultralatrato, which cannot drop a foe below 1 HP. If you are using this to capture a weak wild pet, be careful not to have Lanciafiamme up, as it will kill the target with the damage-over-time effect. You can use this to your advantage, however, since Superbark hits extremely hard.

Flying

Volante
Passive: Flying creatures gain 50% extra speed while above 50% health.
Takes extra damage +50% from Magic abilities
Resists -33% from Beast abilities

The speedy assassins of pet battling, Flying pets soar into battle with astounding agility. Their racial confers them game-breaking speed so long as they don't take many hits. This allows certain pets to get the edge with moves like Assalto Alfa or Controincantesimo. Watch out for their weakness to Magic, though; it is crippling and limits their effectiveness. Flying-types should avoid fighting Dragonkin.

Picture	Quality	Description
Common	Falena GiallaPurchased for by Alliance players.Grab a moth if you don't have one already. Make sure it is a standard species, with Assalto del Bozzolo and your choice of Feromoni di Falena or Polvere di Falena. Moths may seem weak at first, but with finesse, you can use Cocoon Strike to dodge powerful moves very effectively. Although you can find many moths in the wild, the one I recommend is the Yellow Moth because it is possible to roll into a P/P breed, for a final Power of 341. Alongside the Flying-type speed bonus, this makes the Yellow Moth top tier in offense.Sidenote: Some moth species learn Controincantesimo and Richiamo del Fulmine. Grab one of these as well, as you may find a use for it. Call Lightning allows them to act as double counters to Beast pets, and can be useful in certain combos. The one I recommend is the Falena delle Valli (P/P), which can be found in Val'sharah.
Common Wild	Cucciolo di Fendibecco, Beccosanguigno, BeccobradoEncountered all around Gorgrond or Tanaan Jungle.Toucan pets use a combination of Danza della Pioggia and Assalto Notturno, similarly to ravens. Rain Dance boosts Nocturnal Strike's hit rate to 100%, while also raising critical chance and healing the user. Since Noctural Strike hits naturally hard, a critical hit will deal over 1000 damage. This is particularly devastating versus Aquatic-types. The healing portion can refresh the Flying passive to maintain high Speed. P/P is the best breed because (aside from raising your damage output) it will lower your maximum health and raise your self-healing to abuse your type bonus. Corvo, Corvo GilneanoCrows are encountered as wild pet on Darkmoon Island.Gilnean Raven is the starter pet for Worgen characters.If you want a different flavor of pet for this niche, Crows are useful because they have the combination Richiamo dell'Oscurità and Assalto Notturno. Call Darkness boosts Nocturnal Strike's hit rate to 100%, but also has the added benefit of weakening healing effects. This build is less durable than the toucan, but can counter certain strategies. Crows also have a signature move in Corvi Assassini, which can be very good at support by applying Difese Infrante.
Common	Fendibecco MeccanicoCrafted by EngineersAlthough entirely mechanical, this pet is classified as a Flying-type pet, much to its benefit. As with most Flying pets, it is most preferable to obtain this pet in P/P to maximize both its Power and Speed. With that, we can most effectively abuse Esca and to a lesser extent Assalto Alfa. Fuori Controllo allows it to act as a double counter to Beast-type pets. Since this pet is able to roll into five different breeds, make sure you purchase the right one.
Common	IkkyObtained from the quest chain L'uovo di Ikky.Ikky deserves a mention as a unique pet due to its ability to use both Graffionero and Stormo at the same time. Like the primal raptor pets, you will want to use Ikky with an external Richiamo del Fulmine, boosting its damage to absurd amounts. This makes Ikky a good candidate to defeat Aquatic and Beast-type pets alike.
Common	Cucciolo di GrinfiafurenteLooted from Nido di Grinfiafurente in Talador.I am keeping this pet here for posterity's sake. However, after nerfs, this pet is nowhere near as dominating as it once was. While you were once able to pick both Protezione della Natura and Schivata, these abilities are on the same tier. Still, Teroclaw Hatchling is the only flying pet with Nature's Ward, allowing it to remove its Flying-type weakness to Magic, keep itself healthy to maintain the Flying-type speed bonus, and ensure that Assalto Alfa goes first.
Common Wild	Albapiuma DorataEncountered as a wild pet in Spires of Arak.Golden Dawnfeather is a Flying pet that can be very useful in battles. It learns Luce Solare, which boosts the maximum health and healing power of all pets (including your enemies, so be careful). This combined with Pozione d'Amore can make Golden Dawnfeather surprisingly tough to defeat. At the helm of a team focused on healing abilities, it can erase Richiamo dell'Oscurità and really push the limits of your other pets' survivability. Do note that the extra HP from Sunlight counts toward your Flying passive, though.

Humanoid

	Umanoide Passive: Humanoids recover 4% of their maximum health if they dealt damage this round. Takes extra damage +50% from Undead abilities Resists -33% from Critter abilities
Humanoid pets are notorious for their unwillingness to die and their adaptability in many situations. They confound their enemies with a litany of dodges, stuns, blocks, and interrupts. Look for high base HP pets, since they will regenerate more at the end of each turn. Avoid Undead pets, as they will destroy you.

Picture	Quality	Description
Rare	Idolo Anubisath14% droprate from Imperatore Vek'lor in the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj.Anubisath Idol is one of the most praised pets of all time. Given its diverse movepool, you can switch between Tempesta di Sabbia or Pelle di Pietra depending on the situation. Deviazione offers it a powerful one-turn dodge, while Perforazione gives it a strong Elemental attack. Its Humanoid passive, combined with its large H/H health pool makes this pet a true tank. Use him in PvE and PvP alike.
Uncommon Wild	Cucciolo del Kun-LaiEncountered as a wild pet in the snowy peaks of Kun-Lai Summit.Kun-Lai Runt is a powerhouse. With his resistance to Critter-type attacks and a litany of Beast-type counterattacks, he is a double counter to the vast amount of Critters all around Azeroth and Draenor. If you wish, you can also choose Folgore del Gelo, Gelo Profondo, and Abbattimento for a perfectly viable three-part synergy.
Common Wild (Seasonal)	Guardia QirajiEncountered as a wild pet by the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj in Silithus.This pet is only available between June 21 and September 21 (the Summer season in the Northern hemisphere).Qiraji Guardling is a cheap alternative to the Anubisath Idol, carrying a very similar moveset of Schiacciamento, Tempesta di Sabbia, and Calcio dell'Oscuramento. In most cases, this pet is inferior to Anubisath Idol, but it has a few different builds available. If you are aiming to use Calcio dell'Oscuramento, you must invest in S/S. However, this breed will negatively impact your survival. Also, the move is generally less effective than Deviazione because it does not incur a cooldown on the move you avoid, can't affect Animale or pets immune to stun, and can miss.The other viable breeds available to this pet are H/H, P/P, and H/P, which use Assalto Sprezzante in the last slot instead. This move is very strong but should never be used with any additional Speed. The P/x breeds can also use Turbine/Occhio di Falco, but never pair Whirlwind and Sandstorm together.
	Uncommon	Imp del Nucleo Infuocato11% droprate from Magmadar in Molten CoreCorefire Imp is a really tricky pet that works well with a tanky team. By using Rogo, it is able to both rack up damage and to heal 4% each turn from the backrow (due to its Humanoid racial). Cauterizzazione also allows it to actively heal. If your remaining pets are able to survive for 9 turns, Corefire Imp can heal a very significant portion of its life back. In multiples, this pet is able to cripple most teams without sustaining any significant amount of damage. However, it is severely vulnerable to Undead moves. Imp DemoniacoDrops from Terestian Malazampa in Karazhan (Raid).Likewise, the Fiendish Imp plays very similarly with Rogo, but has Portale Fatuo instead of Cauterize. This ability forces the opponent to swap pets, and arguably makes Fiendish Imp the better choice for both PvE, but especially PvP. This pet does come in a variety of breeds, however, so make sure to grab the S/S type.
Very Rare	Babbo1.5% droprate from Timeless Chest on the Timeless Isle. Speak with Mastro Kukuru to trade in 0 Moneta Senza Tempo for a Chiave della Cassa di Kukuru.Bonkers is not a true necessity, but is nice to have. He has two unique abilities: Follia! and Pugno Tornado. He also has Schivata (which replaces the former), in case you need added survivability. Remember that Speed is key for dodge and stun moves. With the slight boost in regeneration from the Humanoid passive, Bonkers may become hard to kill. As a minor sidenote, Bonkers' Morso allows him to act as a minor double counter to Critters.
Uncommon Wild	Giovane ScorticatoreEncountered as a wild pet on the border of Terokkar Forest and Hellfire Peninsula.If you don't want to go through the hassle of getting Bonkers, Flayer Youngling is a good alternative with Deviazione. Invest in Speed if you aim to use Calcio. As an added bonus, he acts as a double counter to Critters with Triplo Schianto and Furia.
Store	Monaco PandarenPurchased using real money in the Pet Store.Like other Humanoid pets in this list, Pandaren Monk boasts powerful crowd control moves. At the baseline, he has Calcio dell'Oscuramento. However, if you combine Furia dei Millepugni with an external Richiamo dell'Oscurità, you achieve a much better effect. His middle abilities make him very well-rounded, giving you a choice of Chi Concentrato for offense and Noncuranza for defense.
Unobtainable (Mostly)	FoskillottoPromotionalIf you attended Blizzcon 2013, you have access to the only obtainable pet in the game that learns Ispirazione Virtuosa. This move is powerful enough in its own right to warrant a slot on this list. In combination with a strong AoE pet like Graves, this move breaks games.

Magic

Magica
Passive: Magic pets cannot be dealt more than 35% of their maximum health in one attack.
Takes extra damage +50% from Dragonkin abilities
Resists -33% from Aquatic abilities

Magic pets assault you using a wide repertoire of moves, including the AoE Esplosione Arcana to the heavy-hitting Impeto di Potere. Their passive makes them slightly bulkier, demanding that at least 3 moves be landed on them before they die. Notably, this effectively negates their weakness to Dragonkin moves, since they hit naturally hard to begin with. It also allows them to strategically soak up big moves you know are coming. Their biggest weaknesses are damage-over-time effects and flurry-based moves.

Picture	Quality	Description
Common	Scopa IncantataPurchased for 0 Sigillo del Campione by Horde playersFor lack of truly outstanding Magic-type pets, I've included Enchanted Broom here. It deserves special mention for its impressive offensive movepool that carries wide coverage options, including Manico di Scopa versus Dragonkin, Tempesta di Sabbia versus Aquatic, and Esasperazione versus Beast. It also has the exclusive ability Spazzata, which allows it to force an enemy pet swap.
Rare	Servitore di Demidos14% droprate from rare spawn Demidos in Shadowmoon Valley.As a relatively new battle pet, the Servant of Demidos has made a big splash. He has powerful Magic-type attacks, and almost exclusive rights to Lama Magica, a move that critically hits 50% of the time. Notably, Servant of Demidos has a pitiful Health pool. However, this is mitigated by his Magic-type passive, which prevents him from taking more than 35% of his life from any single hit. He also has Aspirazione dell'Anima, which drains life from the enemy. Since his maximum HP is so low, this move will help you to effectively abuse his passive.
Very Rare	Fuoco Fatuo di Hyjal5% droprate from Archimonde in the Battle for Mount Hyjal raid.Hyjal Wisp is a speedy pet that is only available in S/S. This means that it can properly abuse Evanescenza, dodging two attacks instead of one against slower foes. Its Magic-type passive keeps it alive to ensure that Desiderio goes off. The combination makes Hyjal Wisps moderately hard to kill. Wish also allows it to act as a medic in the Celestial Tournament.
Common Wild	Fuoco Fatuo di NordrassilEncountered as a wild pet in Mount Hyjal.Nordrassil Wisp can be one of the most annoying pets to face off against. It uses Lampo to lower your accuracy by 50%, then uses an empowered Luce. It also has Guardia dell'Anima to block a single attack. Find an S/S breed to maximize your dodge ability. Note that this pet often has cooldown issues.

Mechanical

Meccanica
Passive: Comes back to life once per battle, returning to 20% health.
Takes extra damage +50% from Elemental abilities
Resists -33% from Magic abilities

Possibly the best pet family, either slightly above or tied with Undead. Besides their ridiculous passive that allows them to come back from the dead, Mechanical pets are notorious for Esca and Riparazione, giving them substantial bulk. Their weakness to Elemental is seldom exploited, as Elemental-type moves are fairly rare. They also score bonus damage on Beasts, which are fairly common in the world.

Picture	Quality	Description
Common	Miniserpe Volante MeccanicaCrafted by EngineersMechanical Pandaren Dragonling is a double counter to Magic-type pets with its Mechanical typing and Soffio. The remaining ability slots are typically Esca and your choice of Bombardamento or Dardo del Tuono. Thunderbolt absolutely demolishes opposing Mechanical pets while also acting as an outlet for AoE. Decoy can often be used more than once in a fight if you swap out or get revived by the Mechanical passive. It is also the only pet that can learn Thunderbolt and Decoy at the same time.
Uncommon	Carro Giocattolo di LunacupaPurchased for 0 Biglietto Premio di Lunacupa.Also, very rarely drops from Premio dei Giochi di Lunacupa (<0.1% droprate).Darkmoon Tonk boasts the award for being the heaviest-hitting Mechanical pet. Between Missile, Dominio Rapido, and Raggio di Ioni, enemy Beast-type are sure to melt.
Common	Scorpione MeccanicoCrafted by EngineersNot only does this scorpid pet have the broken-ass Mechanical passive, but it comes in an S/S breed with Veleno Accecante and Rinforzi Speciali simultaneously. It also can learn Graffionero in place of Extra Plating--and we all know how degenerate Black Claw can be. Unfortunately, his slot 1 attack move (Esasperazione or Pungiglione Uncinato) leaves much to be desired.
Rare	Microsentinella dei Predatori del Sole20% droprate from rare spawn Costrutto dei Predatori del Sole Fuori Controllo on the Isle of Thunder.This pet is indispensable for the intermediate pet battler. While many pets have Richiamo del Fulmine, Sunreaver Micro-Sentry is the only one to also have Vilimmolazione. The synergy between these two moves are strong, but work best when combined with an external Graffionero and flock move. This combination will hit for several thousand damage on a single target.
Common Wild	Raptor TecnoscagliaEncountered as a wild pet in Blade's Edge Mountains.Cogblade Raptor breaks the mold by being the fastest Mechanical-type pet in the game. There's not really much to say, other than this guy is seriously fast! There's some obvious synergy in his movepool, so mix and match as you see fit. Generally, you will want the S/S breed, but the B/B breed is acceptable if you plan on using Turbo.
Common	Pirostellina di FerroReward from Allertare Orgrimmar / Rapporto al Re (a Blasted Lands quest chain).Iron Starlette is a unique little battle pet that can be obtained for a really cheap price on the Auction House. For the pricetag, you get a strong Mechanical pet with a devastating sequence of moves: Esasperazione, Sovralimentazione, Esasperazione. With this combination, Iron Starlette does amazing damage versus Beast-type pets, and really anything else that doesn't have a dodge move. The strategy is fairly one-dimensional, however, so don't try to use it in PvP. The breeds you are looking for are P/P or P/S.
Rare	Servitore RunaforgiatoChance to drop from Assembly of Iron in Ulduar.Although it only comes in B/B, this pet (added in 7.1) should be an improvement to the Iron Starlette. It can utilize the devastating sequence of Esasperazione, Sovralimentazione, Esasperazione, but also comes with your choice of Riparazione or Richiamo del Fulmine. This gives it significant utility over the useless third ability Starlette is forced to have.
Rare	Gnomo MeccanicoRare artifact created from Frammento Archeologico Nanico.Clockwork Gnome is by no means a necessity for the average pet battler, but deserves mention because it has Costruzione Torretta as a signature move. Although this move has been nerfed since its original release, it still has great synergy with strategies such as Richiamo del Fulmine.

Undead

	Non Morta Passive: Undead pets return to life immortal for one round when killed. Takes extra damage +50% from Critter abilities Resists -33% from Dragonkin abilities
Undead pets hate losing. This plays to the Tamer's advantage, allowing them to always get the last two hits in. As a result, Undead-types are hard to counter effectively. They are a fan favorite in PvP battles.

Picture	Quality	Description
Very Rare Wild	Val'kyr ImpuraEncountered as a wild pet in Northrend. Only one spawns on the entire continent at a time.While exceedingly rare, the Unborn Val'kyr is a must-have pet for any serious pet battler. It will take you some time to get one, but the reward is high. This pet features strong Undead-type attacks, especially Maledizione Tragica. It also has access to your choice of Tormento or Ascensione Empia, moves that can really warp the tide of battle.
Uncommon	Figlio di SethePurchased for and 0 Cristallo Apexis. Requires Revered with Arakkoa Outcasts.Son of Sethe is very similar to the Ruby Droplet. By using Risucchio del Sangue, it can heal an astounding amount every 3 turns. Its other moves, Tocco dell'Animus and Assorbimento, grant additional sustained healing. This pet will not go down easily. Unfortunately, its relatively weak attacks often waste the Undead passive, but you can always use that turn to reapply Touch of the Animus (if available). Your main weakness to look out for is your pitiful health pool.
Very Rare	Frammento della Rabbia2% droprate from Essenza della Rabbia in the Reliquary of Souls fight in Black Temple.Anger is this pet's motto and it delivers in spades. Its signature move, Raggio di Fuocospirito, hits all enemies for heavy Magical damage. In slot 3, Assalto all'Anima hits like a truck, while Aculei Spiritici annihilates users of flurry-based moves.
Common Wild	Scoiattolo InfettoEncountered as a wild pet all throughout Lordaeron.In an unexpected turn, we will introduce the Infected Squirrel (not to be confused with the similarly named Blighted Squirrel) as a listworthy Undead pet. Impeto and Assalto Idrofobo combined make Consumo hit really hard and restore a lot of life. This combination makes the Infected Squirrel a prime counter to Humanoid pets. Even if you are downed prematurely, you can still get a last Stampede in to apply the Shattered Defenses debuff. Either breed (H/P, P/B) is acceptable and depends on whether +82 HP or +13 speed is more important to you.
Rare	Serpente d'Ossa3% droprate from the daily Animali di Draenor/Animali di Draenor.Bone Serpent deserves a mention because it is a somewhat meta call. Critter moves are super-effective versus Undead-types, but the best users of Critter moves right now may be the Aquatic frog/toad species. Call Darkness double counters Dragonkin pets (though, most worthwhile ones use Magical attacks anyway). It also has the near exclusive Raffica d'Ossa. This pet was changed to no longer use the Richiamo dell'Oscurità/Assalto Notturno combination, although it is still a good pet.
Common Wild	Corvo SpettraleEncountered as a wild pet at the Necropolis in Nazmir.The combination of Taglio Feroce, Richiamo dell'Oscurità, and Gracchio d'Avvertimento make this a very dangerous double counter for Dragonkin-type pets to face. Among its available breeds, you should choose the P/P or S/S spawns. To note, as S/S, this is the fastest Undead-type pet in the game as of patch 8.0.1.
Rare	Mascottstein2% droprate from the daily Dominare il Serraglio / Dominare il Serraglio.Weebomination is notable as having the only spammable Undead-type AoE move in the game: Fendente. He also learns Mangiacadavere, which is one the strongest self-heal abilities in the game. His Undead racial allows him to use Suicidio Cadaverico unimpeded on the bonus turn. If left unchecked, this guy can inflict some grievous damage before he goes down.
Promotional	TumulottoObtained by reaching Level 20 in Heroes of the Storm. This is very time-consuming.Graves is our premier AoE Undead pet. With Tempesta d'Ossa or Distruzione della Lapide, this guy is not afraid to hit the backrow multiple times in battle for big damage. Access to Mangiacadavere also makes him synergize very well with other Undead pets that use Tormento (as, each time you use Haunt, it counts as a fresh corpse for you to eat!).

Commenti

Commento di Chrosta

Why everyone ignore such amazing pet Iron Starlette? Promotion pet, but due to cageable flag is still buyable on AH...

Commento di Tirain

A note about Babbo: Because he's a Humanoid he takes less damage from Critter abilities and he has a strong beast-based ability (Morso), along with a strong defensive ability in Schivata.

Bonkers was critical to my success in the Tournament on the Timeless Isle due to this unique combination.

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Looks like that section is also missing a link to Bonkers himself.

Also, have you considered the Gnomo Meccanico and his unique ability Costruzione Torretta. Incredibly potent alongside Call Lightning.

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Love the guide! Thank you for laying all of this out there in such a clear fashion!

Commento di pvpscrub

Excellent Guide! Here's a few suggestions:

Mojo: This frog comes in H/S and is fantastic (you noted frogs came in B/B and H/B)
Jademist Dancer: Very powerful vs elementals and sets up Aquatic abilities
Stormstruck Beaver: One very tempting elemental! (but hard to find!)

Commento di Ohnoto

I'm surprised there isn't any mention of Minfernal or Baby Ape.

Commento di beastersTV

Here are some pets to use as counters that I don't see you mention but have worked really well for me
Magic:
Gufo di Giada to counter aquatics
Vento Tagliente / Occhio di Falco / Decollo
Jewelcrafting(600)
Undead:
Marionetta Macabra to counter dragonkins
Maracas Macabre / Festa col Morto / Aspirazione della Vita
Annual Day of the Dead event (November 1st)
Elemental:
Castoro Folgorante to counter mechanicals
Scarica / Tesoro Sepolto / Diga del Castoro
(Wild) in Stormheim

Commento di rinkworks

Absolutely wonderful guide! Thank you!

I think Bonkers is underrated here. The synergy is subtle but amazing. You've got fast breeds (P/S is usually fast enough and gives extra power, but S/S is available too; I recommend having both in your collection), which empowers both Dodge (dodge an extra turn) and Tornado Punch (when it stuns, you interrupt the enemy for two turns). Meanwhile, your humanoid passive heals you during all these free turns.

Bonkers can frequently kill dragons before they even get a hit in.

He nullifies most multi-move combinations like Wind-Up, Howl, Lift-Off, and Stampede, because you can just Dodge the coup de grace (while passively healing much of the preliminary damage).

He's good against Critters even if you don't use Bite (in particular since Critters often use Stampede).

Obviously Bonkers is weak against Undead, but in a pinch I've been able to hold out decently against some of them when necessary, since he can dodge moves like Haunt, Drain Blood, and Curse of Doom (two chances to dodge that one!).

Bonkers is probably my favorite all-purpose pet. When I ground out my Trainer title and the 5000 PvP pets achievements, Bonkers was the only one I kept through the whole grind. In the other two slots, I had great success rotating different pets in and out, but I never found an alternative to Bonkers that I was happy with.

Commento di 1494369

Sporoide Ombranera is a great elemental choice.

In a S/S breed the combination Sferzata / Protezione della Natura / Veleno Accecante makes this pet very powerful, not only against mechanical pets, making it viable in many different matches.

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Scorpione Meccanico

Look at the move pool of this creature, is simply amazing. The S/S breed allows you to use Veleno Accecante and combine with Rinforzi Speciali to a strong defensive output, and use Esasperazione to erase your enemy. If you have a different breed
you can try to use Pungiglione Uncinato / Ferita Crudele / Graffionero, but sincerely Pungiglione Uncinato is the worst poison possible, creating a very RNG factor until you can use Ferita Crudele effectively.

Commento di Tratatemium

You have a mistake in your Teroclaw Hatchling description. Nature's Ward doesn't make your pet immune to weather effects, he just takes damage like an elemental. So, Teroclaw's healing still can be redused by Call Darkness and he still can be hit by Nocturnal Strike with 100% chance in darkness.
Still, backline healing with that ability is one of the reasons Teroclaw is so grossly OP in PVP petbattles.

Commento di deathlavitz

Dream whelping can have the same move set as the emerald proto-whelp, allowing you to use the other ability in the emerald proto-whelp vs another family or have both. Both have p/p breeds.

Commento di Whiterock

I would recommend to include Compagno della Sentinella
Using Artiglio Oscuro, Assalto all'Anima, Fuoco Lunare/Etereità. With Magica ability set and being Volante itself, this is a strong nuking counter to other Volante pets.

Commento di blackhawkx

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oVR70A4dKTqO1LTx30mOhcn05V5OPXkOPpBnUd9fqV4/edit?usp=sharing

Anyone interested I made a spreadsheet that I think is easier to read for finding the pets from this list I didn't already have.

Commento di Jarkeler

I'd like to mention that the Mechanical Axebeak is a notable Flying type. Since it has access to the ability Haywire, it is a double-counter to beast types, and the addition of Decoy allows it to get away with a P/P breed while retaining its boost to speed stat for as long as possible. The Axebeak is crafted by Engineers for 50 Gearspring Parts; do note that the wide variety of breeds may make getting the one you want one difficult. The Axebeak is perfect for taking on the Darkmoon Pet Battle Tamers, though!

Another excellent pet to have tucked away is the Lost Netherpup. While he has a hefty price tag of 200 Pet Charms, this little guy double-counters Humanoid types via his access to the Shadow Shock ability. Couple this with his Darkflame ability, and healing focused Humanoid pets are going to have a bad time. Sprinkle in your choice of Howl or Vengeance, depending on whichever you prefer. Thankfully, the Netherpup only comes in one breed (P/S), so you won't have to worry about wasting Charms on RNG!

Those two pets are generally excellent to have on hand, and I would wholeheartedly recommend having both of them! I'm happy to say that they are now complimented by a multitude of pets mentioned in this guide, so I wanted to give thanks by mentioning a pair of pets that have served me well.

Commento di Shadowpint

Northern Hawk Owls also has Call Darkness and Nocturnal strike, and they start at lvl 23. Can be found in Highmountain.

Commento di mckaysalisbury

I think Baneling is a very good critter, for DPS, but it's hard to get these days.

Commento di ChefCraizeeMayze

My Anubeth Idol, is lvl 25, rare and H/H. Yet misses a lot, even against critters. When it does hit, it’s a good amount, but missing 4 times in a row hurts a lot. What am I doing wrong?

Commento di nightwater

Chiocciola Pantaguscio is a snail from legion that has the same moves and comes in the same H/P breed as Shimmersnail. And its going to start out at a much higher level.

Commento di Greymyst

A change since this awesome guide was written? Shadowback Crawler no longer has Greench's Gift.

Commento di nightwater

Another possible Darkness + Nocturnal Strike pet to consider listing would be Gufo Reale del Nord. It is always Rare, always P/S breed, and are level 25 in the wild (caught at 23). Which makes it very quick to catch and max out without farming for a rare or using a stone. Its notably better than the Gilnean Raven's B/B breed, which is now its only available breed.

Likewise, due to the lack of solid magic pets, Demone del Mana Onirico is also always Rare, always a single breed, and is level 25 in the wild. It is only caught during nighttime on the server. The daytime version of the pet is Demone del Mana Erudito - which has a worse breed and slightly worse moveset IMO.

They might not meet the criteria to be notable battle pets - but they are pretty useful for a new pet battler. Grabbing some solid battle pets that start at level 23 and don't require searching for a good quality/breed is pretty sweet.

Side note - are there any other wild pets that are always rare?

Commento di mimicron

What is a meaning of "Quality" in the guide? In Legend section "Rarity" is mentioned but further in the guide is not used.
In Legend, maybe "Wild", "Vendor", "Drop", "Fishing" can be added.
How is rarity determined? For example, it might be more proper for Snarly to have "Rare" because it's not the pet that's sold but Fishing Supplies that have a chance of having the pet.

Commento di nightwater

Another notable pet would be Cucciolo di Beccotruce. The moveset is very strong. Ironskin in particular blocks a lot of damage against you. Falcosaur swarm is a typical swam move that is spammable for the extra damage debuff. And Predatory Strike is a great finisher (especially with the debuff from swarm). Good combination of damage and longevity that will decimate many NPC teams.

A common rotation would be:
- Ironskin
- Falcosaur Swarm
- Falcosaur Swarm continued
- Predatory Strike to finish

Also its pretty easy to obtain.

Commento di nightwater

For 8.2, there are many new pets - the one that stands out the most to me so far is Granchietto Strillaspine. A new aquatic pet with a black claw + swarm combo. It hits undead hard and resists undead - so I expect to see it being used like ikky or the zandalari raptors against undead options.

I'm not 100% sure of the breeds yet, but from what I've seen, P/S is probably the best for the combo.

Commento di Sonnillion

What of Elekk Plushie? I find it awesome.

And I use it alot teamed up with any pet(s) with healing abilities that work over several rounds in the background. Elekk Plushie can take in a great amount of damage while the other pets are healing.

Of course, it will not work in EVERY single battle, it does depends on the opponent's team and own strategy.

In my eyes Elekk Plushie qualifies as a special pet, mostly because it does nothing but sleep and send hugs and love to the opponent. Adorable!

P.S. I have recently returned in-game after over a two-year break, so I may not be very up to date with the latest Battle Pet related information.

Commento di deathlavitz

If you're looking at Clockwork Gnome just for build turret there are 2 other pets now with it - should be listed as subs now. Esperimento 13 and Meccartiglio Funzionale (Experiment 13 and Utility Mechanoclaw in case names don't work or links break). Both can have similar movesets, or can do something the Gnome can't. Like Death grip a low health pet into the turrets - otherwise same filler moves are there and they all can repair.

Commento di Deathshooter

I recognize that making this guide took a lot of effort. I've been following it religiously and have really appreciated it! It has worked marvelously. Is there any chance of this guide getting updated anytime soon for any SL pets that are worth leveling (if any)?

Notable Battle Pets by Family

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