Mists of Pandaria: Pet Battles

Sections of this post:

• Outlook on Battle Pets before playing Mists of Pandaria BETA
• How to get battle pet companions
• My personal experience with the Battle Pet system
• Using the Battle Pet System
• How to spot wild battle critters
• Where to start training your battle pet

Outlook on Battle Pets before playing Mists of Pandara BETA

Recently we have heard about Blizzard releasing the "Battle Pet" system to Mists of Pandaria. Before doing some investigation into this i had to download an almost 20GB patch for Mists of Pandaria BETA. So either its a completely new install, or just one massive patch which might make World of Warcraft Mists of Pandaria BETA over 40GB in size. At the moment I just don't know.

The theory of introducing the Pet Battles system is somewhat alike the theory of the Pokemon games. Have a pet, and battle it against other players. Whether this is an attempt as to lure more younger, and more female potential players to the game (along with the lure of a kung fu panda) its just a guess and speculation by myself at this point.

Having not yet played with the battle pet system enabled as I am currently waiting for the 20GB patch to download, my outlook on this new feature is optimistic yet reserved.

You can read up on the official news of the Pet battle system at the this link.






After reading up on the information Blizzard have provided us with regarding the new Pet Battle system, it seems that it will turn our companions into Battle Pets. For example, I have a Singing Sunflower companion which I take with my character everywhere, from what Blizzard have described I will be able to send my "Singing Sunflower" companion into a battle after teaching the companion new skills and abilities for battles.

As companions fight in battles and win they will gain experience and levels making them stronger, tougher and unlock brand new abilities for them to learn.

How to gain battle pet companions. 

Blizzard explain that you can go out into the world of warcraft and collect these companions. There are three ways of obtaining battle pet companions.

• Buying them at vendors
• Finding them in loots dropped by MOBS and in Chests etc. 
• "Encountering" them in the wild and after winning the battle with your current companion, the wild battle pet companion will be added to your collection.

My experience with the Pet Battle system

After downloading the new 20gb Mists of Pandaria BETA, I have been playing the game and focusing on the Battle Pet system. The first thing that I noticed was Blizzard had taken away my "Singing Sunflower" and all other companions apart from "Mr Chilly" and the "Corehound pup". This I was not amused at in the slightest as my "Singing Sunflower" companion goes with my character everywhere.

After learning the "Battle Pet Training" at the Battle Pet Trainer in Stormwind, I went out to Elwyyn forest and found the level 1 battle pet critters out there.

Using the Battle Pet Menu

You now access your companions (battle pets) and mounts through a new icon located on the bottom game menu (highlighted in the screenshot below). Once in the menu you click on "Companion Journal" and it will give you all the information you need on your collected "Battle Pet" companions.

How to spot wild battle pet critters.

As the below screen shot shows, battle critters will show up on your mini-map as a green paw print. In this image you see two paw prints of slightly different shades, the bright green one is a live battle critter, the darker green one is a dead battle pet critter.

While wandering the world of warcraft any wild battle critters that you encounter will have a clear green paw print above them. To start a battle with a wild critter, right click the critter itself.

Where to start your Battle Pet Training?

The best place to start is at a trainer, believe it or not. The Battle Pet Trainers found throughout the world of Warcraft will give you the ability to battle your pets, and allow you to buy new battle pets.

Talisman of True Treasure Tracking

 While wandering Shattrath City in Outland I came across a vendor who was selling the "Talisman of True Treasure Tracking" its description says

"Wearing this, one might find the rarest of items in the most mundane of locales!"

The vendor is notorious for selling "joke" goods such as the "soap necklace" however lets think about this descriptive statement for a moment. Lets not dismiss this item as a "fake".

When the Talisman of True Treasure Tracking will not work.

When MOBS are spawned, fishing, herb and mining notes, treasure chests, their loots are set the moment they spawn, not when you kill or collect them.

So realistically this Talisman of True Treasure Tracking may not work when killing NPC's, mining nodes, gathering herbs, opening treasure chests or fishing in pools.

When the Talisman of True Treasure Tracking might work

The only place that I see this Talisman of True Treasure Seeking to work is when you fish in open water. This is because the items you collect are set when you loot in open water (not fishing pools).

Fishing in random open water would technically be classed as "the most mundane of locales" so maybe I am right on this one. Realistically how many players go out fishing in open water now-a-days. Hardly any unless you plan on levelling up your fishing profession.

 

Mists of Pandaria BETA: Farming Spider's Silk

I am an avid Spider's Silk farmer in World of Warcraft Catactlysm and often wondered if I would have to change my method of farming Spider's Silk when Mists of Pandaria comes out publicly. So I decided to load up my Mists of Pandaria BETA account and head on out to the normal farming fields for Spider's Silk (where I usually go in Cataclysm) to gather some Spider's Silk resources.

Here is how it went.

Location: Wetlands, Thelgen Rock (usually cave stalkers and leech stalkers are located in this area in cataclysm so its my first port of call in Mists of Pandaria BETA.)

Spider: Leech Stalker (located outside the cave)

• 0x Spider's Silk
• 17x Gooey Spider Leg
• 15x Small Spider Leg
• 17x Crunchy Spider Leg
• 50x Junk (grey items)
• Total Kills: 50
• Drop rate for spider's silk in Mists of Pandaria BETA: 0%

It appears after my investigation that the Leech Stalker spiders of Thelgen rock will no longer drop spider's silk in Mists of Pandaria.

Spider: Cave Stalker (located inside the cave)

• 2x Spider's Silk
• 8x Gooey Spider Leg
• 19x Small Spider Leg
• 16x Crunchy Spider Leg
• 50x Junk (grey items)
• Total Kills 50
• Drop rate for spider's silk in Mists of Pandaria BETA: 4%

This proves that the Cave Stalker found inside the cave at Thelgen rock still drops Spider's silk, however its frequency and drop rate has reduced in Mists of Pandaria, from how it is in Cataclysm. 

Farming: Ironweb Spider Silk

So you want to know the best place to farm spiders for Ironweb Spider Silk.
Well then read on.

Silithus Spiders which drop Ironweb Spider silk

There are two spiders in this area which drop Ironweb Spider Silk are the:

• Sand Skitterer
• Successful: 4
• Unsuccessful: 48
• Total loots: 52 (Drop rate of Ironweb spider silk: 8%)

• Rock Stalker
• Successful: 6
• Unsuccessful: 48
• Total loots: 54 (Drop rate of Ironweb spider silk: 12%)

Farming: Netherweb Spider Silk

I have been looking into the best spiders in Outland to farm the elusive Netherweb Spider silk. So far I have come across the Dreadfang Lurker spider on the East side of Shattrath City and they seem to drop "Netherweb Spider Silk" very often. Here are my findings.

Which Spiders have the best drop rate for Netherweb Spider Silk.

From experience it is the Dreadfang Lurker and Dreadfang Widow spiders which drop the most Netherweb Spider Silk, I have marked their prime locations on the map below for you.

Dreadfang Lurker Netherweb Spider Silk Drop Rate

• 9 x Successful loots
• 41 x Unsuccessful loots
• Total Loots: 50 (Drop rate: 18%)

Dreadfang Widow Netherweb Spider Silk Drop Rate

The Dreadfang Widow Spiders are located near Allerian Stronghold in outland, and can be found round the East side of the bonewastes closest to Allerian Stronghold itself.

• 11 x Successful loots
• 39 x Unsuccessful loots
• Total loots: 50 (Drop rate: 22%)

Farming: Gooey Spider Leg

The best place I have found to farm Gooey Spider Leg is Thelgen Rock located in the Wetlands. Please view stats on the drop rate for Gooey Spider Legs from each of the Wetlands Spiders below

The best place to farm “Gooey Spider Leg” is in fact located at “Thelgen Rock” in the “Wetlands”. Benefits of farming “Gooey Spider Legs” in this area is a fast spawn rate of spiders and there are two different types of spider (three including a rare inside the cave itself). From personal experience the "Cave Stalkers" found inside the cave, and the "Leech Stalkers" found outside the cave both have the same drop rate for Gooey Spider Leg.

Leech Stalker Gooey spider leg Drops (found outside the cave):

• 7 x Successful Gooey Spider Leg loots
• 13 x Unsuccessful 
• Total Kills: 20
• (Drop Rate of gooey spider leg from Leech Stalker: 35%)

Cave Stalker Gooey spider leg drops (found inside the cave):

• 7 x Successful Gooey Spider Leg Loots
• 13 x Unsuccessful
• Total Kills: 20 (Drop rate: 35%)

I know that there are a lot of people and sites out there with a variance in opinion on the best spiders to kill to farm Gooey Spider leg, this guide was accurate as of my own personal findings while playing the game on the 8th July 2012.

If you have found this post useful or have any further questions please feel free to comment below and I will update the page with the information that you require. 

Farming Arctic Fur

Right I'm going to get right to the point, you want Arctic Fur right?




You have two ways of obtaining it.

1. Farm it from Northrend Beasts
2. Buy it from the Auction house

Obtaining Arctic Fur if you are NOT a professional skinner.

If you are not a Skinner then you will have to purchase Arctic Fur from the Auction house, usually they sell (on my server) for upwards of 50 Gold a piece, they are very rare 1% drops hence their high value in the auction house.

Obtaining Arctic Fur if you ARE a professional skinner.

If you are a Skinner then you need to have at least 375 Skinning Skill before attempting to skin the beasts that carry this valuable and rare loot. 

From experience the best place to farm Arctic Fur is in the Borean Tundra, Northrend.

1. If you travel to "Amber Ledge" there is a load of Wooly Rhino in the area. 
2. Farm enough Wooly Rhino and you will start finding the rare blue item known as "Arctic Fur".

What beasts drop Arctic Fur?

I have personally had Arctic Fur drop from the following Northrend beasts

• Wooly Rhino (Borean Tundra near Amber Ledge)
• Wooly Rhino Bull (Borean Tundra near Amber Ledge)
• Wooly Rhino Calf (Borean Tundra near Amber Ledge)
• Tundra Mammoth (Borean Tundra)
• Tundra Mammoth Calf (Borean Tundra)
• Tundra Mammoth Bull (Borean Tundra)
• Lunchbox (Borean Tundra near Amber Ledge)
• Dreadsaber (Sholazar Basin)
• Longneck Grazer (Sholazar Basin)

I hope that this quick and straight to the point guide has helped you, if you have any questions regarding Arctic Fur and how it can be obtained please feel free to comment below.

New Background to SimplyWarcraft

Updates completed today:
Had another small update to the site, now SimplyWarcraft has a stunning background. Additional to this I have updated the formatting of the "2010 Spider's Silk Farming Guide".

Planned update to content:
I have realised that this guide is now over 2 years old and so I am going out into the world of warcraft and farm some Spider's Silk now in 2012 and see whether the drop rate for this rarely found material has changed. I plan on farming the spiders in the following locations and will publish my findings.

• The Wetlands
• Stonetallon Mountains
• Darkshire

Update to Simplywarcraft: Text now readable

I have only just noticed that when viewing this site on Windows based machines the text was near unreadable. I develop using macs and so did not see the problem until now. This issue has now been resolved and you will be able to now real all the text on the site clearly.

I am surprised that no-one has contacted us regarding this issue.