Notable Battle Pets by Family

By Elektrophorus Updated: 2019/04/09

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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

Aquatic
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 Healing Wave or Cleansing Rain. A selection of Aquatic pets also have moves like Shell Shield, 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	Magical CrawdadObtained from Fishing in Highland Mixed Schools in Terokkar Forest. Mr. Pinchy has a 0.2% droprate and has a 1-in-5 chance to grant you Magical Crawdad Box when used (4 hr cooldown, with 3 charges).Magical Crawdad is a great utility pet because he learns Wish and Renewing Mists, 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 Tongue Lash / Swarm of Flies / Bubble. 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. Leopard Tree FrogEncountered 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 Tongue Lash and Swarm of Flies, but has your choice of Healing Wave or Cleansing Rain 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	Shadowback CrawlerEncountered as a wild pet in Stormsong Valley.This awkward little pet has an interesting combination of moves not found anywhere else. Shadow Slash gives it a spammable source of Undead-type damage, while Call Darkness, Greench's Gift, and Crystal Prison 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	Hermit CrabEncountered 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 Bubble and Dive to function at their maximal capacity. Shell Armor can be used as an alternative to Bubble, as it is a very powerful defensive ability.
Rare	Slithershock Elver3% droprate from the daily Critters of Draenor/Critters of 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 Dodge and Dive. Any other breed is lackluster. Use Deep Bite for damage and Grasp to be annoying. You'll rarely want to use Clobber in slot 2, but the option is there.
Common Wild	Emperor CrabEncountered 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 Healing Wave and Shell Shield. 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 Spirebound Crab (which also has a P/P breed) for the sole reason that they have more base power.
Uncommon	SnarlyChance to drop from the Fishing daily Crocolisks in the City.Can also be bought for 0 Timewarped Badge during TBC Timewalking.Snarly is somewhat useful due to his combination of Rip and Blood in the Water. Of the crocolisk species, Snarly boasts an H/P breed, giving him an edge over his brothers. Surge always goes first, so Speed is unnecessary.

Beast

	Beast 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	Zandalari Anklerender, Zandalari KneebiterBoth have a chance to drop off Zandalari Dinomancer on the Isle of Giants.These two members of the primal raptor species are unique among pets because they learn both Black Claw and Hunting Party simultaneously. These two moves have immense synergy with each other, especially when being supported by another pet's Call Lightning. 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	Alpine FoxlingEncountered 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 Howl and Dazzling Dance. 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 Dazzling Dance off and allowing it to DPS with Flurry. Fjord Worg PupEncountered 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 Howl and Dazzling Dance, but switch to Bite and adopt a more aggressive playstyle to use the additional power.
Common Wild	Rose TaipanEncountered 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, Blinding Poison and Crouch make it an extremely hard-to-kill snake.
Uncommon	Feline FamiliarPurchased for 150 Tricky Treat during Hallow's End.This lovable cat is a versatile addition to any pet battling team. With access to Onyx Bite and Devour, 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. Prowl and Call Darkness form a deadly combo as well, combining to form a potent anti-Dragonkin nuke.
Common	Corgnelius, Corgi PupCorgnelius is obtained through the Order Hall mission, It's so FLUFFY!.Corgi Pup is awarded for WoW's 12th Anniversary.These lovable corgi pets are token users of the attack Superbark, 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, Calfling of NiuzaoPurchased for (obtained from beating the Celestial Tournament).Zao, Calfling of Niuzao is a versatile pet that you can use for its Wish, 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 Trample and Niuzao's Charge.

Critter

	Critter 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	Shimmershell SnailEncountered 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. Dive 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 Absorb and Shell Shield 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 Rabbit-type pets deserve special mention, despite their ubiquity. Unlike most other extremely common vermin, rabbits are competent battlers. They use a combination of Dodge and Burrow 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, Darkmoon Rabbit is the only rabbit that is covered in blood. However, it learns Huge, Sharp Teeth! instead of Flurry, which makes it slightly inferior. Avoid Grasslands Cottontail because it has a lower base speed and Elfin Rabbit since it lacks the S/S breed altogether.Sidenote: Grasslands Cottontail's best build is H/P with Adrenaline Rush in slot 2.
Common Wild	Dust BunnyEncountered as a wild pet in Dalaran (Broken Isles).To be able to see these pets, you must click on a Dusty Rug, 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 Smoke Bomb in the very, very niche event you don't want to use Dodge.

Dragonkin

Dragonkin
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	Emerald Proto-WhelpEncountered 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 Emerald Presence and Emerald Dream. However, Ancient Blessing and Proto-Strike have a niche as well. Its attacking move is a choice of Breath or Emerald Bite, 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	Chrominius18% droprate from Chromaggus in Blackwing Lair.Chrominius is an absolutely essential pet. Its Dragonkin typing makes it a double counter against Flying-types, especially with Arcane Explosion and Surge of Power. 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 Howl, which is essential in some strategies.
Common Wild	Nexus WhelplingEncountered as a wild pet on Coldarra, Borean Tundra.Nexus Whelpling is another double counter to Flying-type pets. With its combination of Arcane Storm and Mana Surge, 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	Lil' TarecgosaPurchased for from any guild vendor.Only available if your guild has completed Dragonwrath, Tarecgosa's Rest - Guild Edition.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 Arcane Explosion and Surge of Power. She also learns Breath to combat Magic-types.
Common Wild	Nether Faerie DragonEncountered 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 Evanescence or Life Exchange. Look for the S/S breed, since this will allow you to abuse Evanescence and Life Exchange alike. A much rarer alternative is the Sprite Darter Hatchling, which is a world drop from Feralas with a different appearance.

Elemental

	Elemental 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	Nightshade SproutlingVery low drop chance from Disturbed Podling, which spawn randomly when picking an herb in Draenor.Nightshade Sproutling is a classic disrupt / heal type of pet (Blinding Poison + Nature's Ward). This combination makes it quite decent, but almost necessitates the S/S stat spread. Alternatively, it can also be used to set up Call Darkness. 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 Ironbark, Barkskin, Photosynthesis, and Sunlight.
Very Rare	Ruby Droplet3% 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. Drain Blood drains a small amount of life from the enemy, but converts it to massive healing for the user. Combined with Bubble and Absorb, 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	Tiny SnowmanChance to drop from Gaily Wrapped Present 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. Deep Freeze 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 Magic Hat, it is one of the few Elementals with a Magic-type move.
Rare	Terrible TurnipObtained from Ominous Seed, which has a low droprate while harvesting crops from your farm in Halfhill.Terrible Turnip has limited uses, but deserves mention as it learns Weakening Blow, 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 Inspiring Song, allowing it to act as a medic during the Celestial Tournament.
Store	Lil' 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 Conflagrate, with access to Flamethrower. Alternatively, he also has an infuriating stun in Magma Trap and a three-turn dodge, Sons of the Flame.
Unobtainable	Molten CorgiPromotionalMolten Corgi was a limited-time pet for players who played during WoW's 10th Anniversary. If you were one of the many players who obtained one, you can use it for Superbark, which cannot drop a foe below 1 HP. If you are using this to capture a weak wild pet, be careful not to have Flamethrower 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

Flying
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 Alpha Strike or Counterspell. 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	Yellow MothPurchased for by Alliance players.Grab a moth if you don't have one already. Make sure it is a standard species, with Cocoon Strike and your choice of Moth Balls or Moth Dust. 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 Counterspell and Call Lightning. 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 Vale Flitter (P/P), which can be found in Val'sharah.
Common Wild	Axebeak Hatchling, Bloodbeak, JunglebeakEncountered all around Gorgrond or Tanaan Jungle.Toucan pets use a combination of Rain Dance and Nocturnal Strike, 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. Crow, Gilnean RavenCrows 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 Call Darkness and Nocturnal Strike. 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 Murder, which can be very good at support by applying Shattered Defenses.
Common	Mechanical AxebeakCrafted 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 Decoy and to a lesser extent Alpha Strike. Haywire 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 Ikky's Egg.Ikky deserves a mention as a unique pet due to its ability to use both Black Claw and Flock at the same time. Like the primal raptor pets, you will want to use Ikky with an external Call Lightning, boosting its damage to absurd amounts. This makes Ikky a good candidate to defeat Aquatic and Beast-type pets alike.
Common	Teroclaw HatchlingLooted from Teroclaw Nest 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 Nature's Ward and Dodge, 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 Alpha Strike goes first.
Common Wild	Golden DawnfeatherEncountered as a wild pet in Spires of Arak.Golden Dawnfeather is a Flying pet that can be very useful in battles. It learns Sunlight, which boosts the maximum health and healing power of all pets (including your enemies, so be careful). This combined with Love Potion can make Golden Dawnfeather surprisingly tough to defeat. At the helm of a team focused on healing abilities, it can erase Call Darkness 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

	Humanoid 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	Anubisath Idol14% droprate from Emperor 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 Sandstorm or Stoneskin depending on the situation. Deflection offers it a powerful one-turn dodge, while Rupture 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	Kun-Lai RuntEncountered 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 Frost Shock, Deep Freeze, and Takedown for a perfectly viable three-part synergy.
Common Wild (Seasonal)	Qiraji GuardlingEncountered 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 Crush, Sandstorm, and Blackout Kick. In most cases, this pet is inferior to Anubisath Idol, but it has a few different builds available. If you are aiming to use Blackout Kick, you must invest in S/S. However, this breed will negatively impact your survival. Also, the move is generally less effective than Deflection because it does not incur a cooldown on the move you avoid, can't affect Critter 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 Reckless Strike 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 Whirlwind/Hawk Eye, but never pair Whirlwind and Sandstorm together.
	Uncommon	Corefire Imp11% droprate from Magmadar in Molten CoreCorefire Imp is a really tricky pet that works well with a tanky team. By using Immolation, it is able to both rack up damage and to heal 4% each turn from the backrow (due to its Humanoid racial). Cauterize 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. Fiendish ImpDrops from Terestian Illhoof in Karazhan (Raid).Likewise, the Fiendish Imp plays very similarly with Immolation, but has Nether Gate 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	Bonkers1.5% droprate from Timeless Chest on the Timeless Isle. Speak with Master Kukuru to trade in 0 Timeless Coin for a Kukuru's Cache Key.Bonkers is not a true necessity, but is nice to have. He has two unique abilities: Going Bonkers! and Tornado Punch. He also has Dodge (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' Bite allows him to act as a minor double counter to Critters.
Uncommon Wild	Flayer YounglingEncountered 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 Deflection. Invest in Speed if you aim to use Kick. As an added bonus, he acts as a double counter to Critters with Triple Snap and Rampage.
Store	Pandaren MonkPurchased 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 Blackout Kick. However, if you combine Fury of 1,000 Fists with an external Call Darkness, you achieve a much better effect. His middle abilities make him very well-rounded, giving you a choice of Focus Chi for offense and Staggered Steps for defense.
Unobtainable (Mostly)	MurkalotPromotionalIf you attended Blizzcon 2013, you have access to the only obtainable pet in the game that learns Righteous Inspiration. 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

Magic
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 Arcane Explosion to the heavy-hitting Surge of Power. 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	Enchanted BroomPurchased for 0 Champion's Seal 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 Broom versus Dragonkin, Sandstorm versus Aquatic, and Wind-Up versus Beast. It also has the exclusive ability Sweep, which allows it to force an enemy pet swap.
Rare	Servant of 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 Magic Sword, 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 Siphon 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	Hyjal Wisp5% 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 Evanescence, dodging two attacks instead of one against slower foes. Its Magic-type passive keeps it alive to ensure that Wish 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	Nordrassil WispEncountered as a wild pet in Mount Hyjal.Nordrassil Wisp can be one of the most annoying pets to face off against. It uses Flash to lower your accuracy by 50%, then uses an empowered Light. It also has Soul Ward to block a single attack. Find an S/S breed to maximize your dodge ability. Note that this pet often has cooldown issues.

Mechanical

Mechanical
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 Decoy and Repair, 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	Mechanical Pandaren DragonlingCrafted by EngineersMechanical Pandaren Dragonling is a double counter to Magic-type pets with its Mechanical typing and Breath. The remaining ability slots are typically Decoy and your choice of Bombing Run or Thunderbolt. 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	Darkmoon TonkPurchased for 0 Darkmoon Prize Ticket.Also, very rarely drops from Darkmoon Game Prize (<0.1% droprate).Darkmoon Tonk boasts the award for being the heaviest-hitting Mechanical pet. Between Missile, Shock and Awe, and Ion Cannon, enemy Beast-type are sure to melt.
Common	Mechanical ScorpidCrafted by EngineersNot only does this scorpid pet have the broken-ass Mechanical passive, but it comes in an S/S breed with Blinding Poison and Extra Plating simultaneously. It also can learn Black Claw in place of Extra Plating--and we all know how degenerate Black Claw can be. Unfortunately, his slot 1 attack move (Wind-Up or Barbed Stinger) leaves much to be desired.
Rare	Sunreaver Micro-Sentry20% droprate from rare spawn Haywire Sunreaver Construct on the Isle of Thunder.This pet is indispensable for the intermediate pet battler. While many pets have Call Lightning, Sunreaver Micro-Sentry is the only one to also have Fel Immolate. The synergy between these two moves are strong, but work best when combined with an external Black Claw and flock move. This combination will hit for several thousand damage on a single target.
Common Wild	Cogblade RaptorEncountered 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 Overtune.
Common	Iron StarletteReward from Warning Orgrimmar / Report to the King (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: Wind-Up, Supercharge, Wind-Up. 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	Runeforged ServitorChance 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 Wind-Up, Supercharge, Wind-Up, but also comes with your choice of Repair or Call Lightning. This gives it significant utility over the useless third ability Starlette is forced to have.
Rare	Clockwork GnomeRare artifact created from Dwarf Archaeology Fragment.Clockwork Gnome is by no means a necessity for the average pet battler, but deserves mention because it has Build Turret as a signature move. Although this move has been nerfed since its original release, it still has great synergy with strategies such as Call Lightning.

Undead

	Undead 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	Unborn Val'kyrEncountered 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 Curse of Doom. It also has access to your choice of Haunt or Unholy Ascension, moves that can really warp the tide of battle.
Uncommon	Son of SethePurchased for and 0 Apexis Crystal. Requires Revered with Arakkoa Outcasts.Son of Sethe is very similar to the Ruby Droplet. By using Drain Blood, it can heal an astounding amount every 3 turns. Its other moves, Touch of the Animus and Absorb, 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	Fragment of Anger2% droprate from Essence of Anger in the Reliquary of Souls fight in Black Temple.Anger is this pet's motto and it delivers in spades. Its signature move, Spiritfire Beam, hits all enemies for heavy Magical damage. In slot 3, Soulrush hits like a truck, while Spirit Spikes annihilates users of flurry-based moves.
Common Wild	Infected SquirrelEncountered 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. Stampede and Rabid Strike combined make Consume 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	Bone Serpent3% droprate from the daily Critters of Draenor/Critters of 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 Bone Barrage. This pet was changed to no longer use the Call Darkness/Nocturnal Strike combination, although it is still a good pet.
Common Wild	Spectral RavenEncountered as a wild pet at the Necropolis in Nazmir.The combination of Vicious Slice, Call Darkness, and Warning Squawk 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	Weebomination2% droprate from the daily Mastering the Menagerie / Mastering the Menagerie.Weebomination is notable as having the only spammable Undead-type AoE move in the game: Cleave. He also learns Consume Corpse, which is one the strongest self-heal abilities in the game. His Undead racial allows him to use Corpse Explosion unimpeded on the bonus turn. If left unchecked, this guy can inflict some grievous damage before he goes down.
Promotional	GravesObtained by reaching Level 20 in Heroes of the Storm. This is very time-consuming.Graves is our premier AoE Undead pet. With BONESTORM or Grave Destruction, this guy is not afraid to hit the backrow multiple times in battle for big damage. Access to Consume Corpse also makes him synergize very well with other Undead pets that use Haunt (as, each time you use Haunt, it counts as a fresh corpse for you to eat!).

Comments

Comment by Chrosta

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

Comment by Tirain

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

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 Clockwork Gnome and his unique ability Build Turret. 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!

Comment by 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!)

Comment by Ohnoto

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

Comment by beastersTV

Here are some pets to use as counters that I don't see you mention but have worked really well for me
Magic:
Jade Owl to counter aquatics
Slicing Wind / Hawk Eye / Lift-Off
Jewelcrafting(600)
Undead:
Macabre Marionette to counter dragonkins
Macabre Maraca / Dead Man's Party / Siphon Life
Annual Day of the Dead event (November 1st)
Elemental:
Stormstruck Beaver to counter mechanicals
Jolt / Buried Treasure / Beaver Dam
(Wild) in Stormheim

Comment by 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.

Comment by 1494369

Nightshade Sproutling is a great elemental choice.

In a S/S breed the combination Lash / Nature's Ward / Blinding Poison makes this pet very powerful, not only against mechanical pets, making it viable in many different matches.

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Mechanical Scorpid

Look at the move pool of this creature, is simply amazing. The S/S breed allows you to use Blinding Poison and combine with Extra Plating to a strong defensive output, and use Wind-Up to erase your enemy. If you have a different breed
you can try to use Barbed Stinger / Puncture Wound / Black Claw, but sincerely Barbed Stinger is the worst poison possible, creating a very RNG factor until you can use Puncture Wound effectively.

Comment by 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.

Comment by 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.

Comment by Whiterock

I would recommend to include Sentinel's Companion
Using Dark Talon, Soulrush, Moonfire/Ethereal. With Magic ability set and being Flying itself, this is a strong nuking counter to other Flying pets.

Comment by 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.

Comment by 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.

Comment by Shadowpint

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

Comment by mckaysalisbury

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

Comment by 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?

Comment by 439373

Mudshell Conch 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.

Comment by Greymyst

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

Comment by 439373

Another possible Darkness + Nocturnal Strike pet to consider listing would be Northern Hawk Owl. 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, Eldritch Manafiend 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 Erudite Manafiend - 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?

Comment by 207078

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.

Comment by 439373

Another notable pet would be Direbeak Hatchling. 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.

Comment by 439373

For 8.2, there are many new pets - the one that stands out the most to me so far is Chitterspine Skitterling. 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.

Comment by 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.

Comment by 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. Experiment 13 and Utility Mechanoclaw (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.

Comment by 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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