The Unborn Val'kyr Mystery Continues

The Unborn Val'kyr might be the most mysterious pet to date, as there is still no information on what exactly causes this undead pet to spawn. A few players have found it on the PTR, but there aren't any clues or leads to indicate when/how/why it spawned where it did.

So far there's only one noticeable pattern: rare spawn points.

Keep in mind that this doesn't mean that the Unborn Val'kyr is directly linked or affected by any rare spawns, but they may share the same or similar spawn locations.

Or it could all be a major coincidence. We have such little information on where the pet could pop up, so it may just be natural that players tend to wander towards already known "hot spots" (aka: rare spawn points) where the val'kyr could just happen to be. Other non-rare spawn ares are highly likely.

That being said, 3 out of 4 confirmed spawn locations for the Unborn Val'kyr have been uncannily close to rares spawns.

Icecrown - High Thane Jorfus' spawn area
Scholazar - near Loque'nahak's spawn
Zul'Drak - close to Gondria 's spawn

The last point was confirmed in Storm Peaks, "north of K3", but I couldn't determine the exact spot since a map image wasn't provided. As far as I can tell, only the two rare dragons spawn/pat near K3. If the player was even further north than I guessed, it gets closer to another rare spawn point. It's hard to say, though.

Until we can collect more varied confirmed locations, there isn't much to disprove the whole "rare spawn" idea. More information might be impossible at this stage, though, since the PTR appears to be coming to a close "soon". A release candidate was recently patched in, so in the end we might have to wait for 5.3 to hit live servers to test our luck then.

I have no doubt that we'll eventually figure out the puzzle that is the Unborn Val'kyr. It might take longer than any other pet discovery though!

The Undermine Journal: Great Resource For Pet Buyers/Sellers

The Undermine Journal is finally showing pet items AND caged pets! Yaay. :) Now you can check up on pet prices on the AH across multiple servers without having to log into each realm.

For caged pets, the website shows what breed it is, but it doesn't list the pet's level or its quality. So while it's convenient to check up on whether a certain pet's available on a server, be sure to double check that the pet is what you're really looking for before throwing your money at the auctioneer.

In addition to showing caged pets, if you're on a PVE server and don't have the time to camp out at the BMAH to check for especially rare pets, The Undermine Journal does it for you! It's only for PVE servers, though, because apparently they gather the information manually. WowInsider covers how they do it.

So if you're big on selling/buying pets from the AH, The Undermine Journal is a very useful tool and resource. Heck, I don't play the market much but I still enjoy checking out what's for sale and how much pets/items are going for. :P

Holiday Wild Pets: Terrific or Terrible Idea?

Currently all major in-game holidays have pets associated with them. From Pilgrim's Bounty's Plump Turkey to Love is in the Air's Peddlefeet and Toxic Wasteling, each one has at least one corresponding pet. Sidenote: I say "major holiday" because there are some events such as Day of the Dead, Pirates' Day and the Harvest Festival that are fairly short and/or don't have much to do/collect during them.

Many collectors, old and new, have managed to obtain most if not all these pets, though. After everything's been collected and all achievements completed, what's to do after that? Blizzard could just add more pets to each holiday, but with the implementation of Pet Battles, there is another idea that might be more interesting than simply adding another vendor or holiday boss-dropped companion. As stated in the linked Tweet, capturable wild pets that only spawn during holidays. Think of all the possibilities! It would be a great way to finally introduce those pink bunnies for Noblegarden. ;)

Now, if wild pets for specific holidays becomes a thing, it could go either very well or turn into a nightmare for collectors. I'm a huge critic of limited-time pets, as it's somewhat punishing for those that don't actually have the time and collectors in general. There's a lot of stress and anxiety, during certain holidays, due to many overbearing factors that collectors have to deal with. So if wild pets is the next step, there should be some things to consider in order to keep things balanced.

My biggest issue with holiday pets is that collectors must contend with multiple factors for the sake of "rarity" (not the quality of the pet, but in terms of how difficult/exclusive a pet is). Namely RNG, low droprates, limited attempts, and the pets being around for a limited time. The latter two aren't huge issues these days since most holiday companions are now cageable and account-wide. (It's still pretty rough for those who don't have the means to utilize alts and extra gold, such as new players.)

In previous situations where holiday pets were involved, it was great if you got lucky on your first few attempts at acquiring said pet, but it was pretty devastating if the RNG gods weren't in your favor. It was painful to hear about others finding nothing but dissapointment day after day. With the clock ticking down, it was discouraging to try but still come up empty handed without so much as a consolation prize.

That being said, consider these factors being applied to wild pets, pets that CAN'T be traded. The result would definitely be frustration and headache.

Some things wouldn't apply obviously, such as droprates and limited attempts. But imagine being able to find and battle only one holiday pet per day. It doesn't sound all that pleasant right? Or maybe it seems ok because you can just capture the first one you find and upgrade it with a Battle-Stone. Keep in mind that we're talking about wild pets, though, and there's bound to be loads of competition. These will be in great demand if there are only limited spawns throughout the duration of the event. It could get pretty infuriating if the spawn-rates are too low or too few. Add on top of that the fact that they'll only be around for a week or so. It sounds less and less pleasant the more you think about it.

It's understandable that Blizzard would like to keep some pets "rare", but there has to be a balance between rarity and actual availability. When collectors face so many factors (and have little to no control over any of them), the fun starts to melt away and turn into irritation. A great example of this is the Minfernal hunt, and I think this Tweet says it all.

"..getting a Minfernal was not very fun. I just wanted it cause it looked cool. Not cause it was rare."

Not all collectors feel this way, but there are many who do share the same sentiment towards certain pets. That being said, a compromise between rarity and actual availability should always be considered. Especially in the case of wild holiday pets IF they are ever implemented. Limited duration/chances can already be frustrating for both those that don't have the time and those that do, but if even more factors are added for the sake of just "rarity", the fun is lost for many players.

There are probably many ways developers can implement holiday-only wild pets, and my hope is that if they choose to do so, they pick a system that's a bit more forgiving than the previous holiday-pet model. If there are limited attempts, perhaps increase the spawn/droprate. If there are limited spawns/drops, then maybe allow players to find them in many areas. The bad luck protection mechanic is being released soon, so somewhere in there might also be an idea to help players feel as though they are actually working towards their goal, rather than feeling unproductive.

Of course there's also the "replayability" factor when it comes to reoccurring in-game events, which is something that we, as collectors, need to keep in mind. To play devil's advocate, if everyone managed to capture a holiday-pet the moment it was released, would Blizzard need to keep implementing a new one each year (to each holiday) to keep us interested? That sounds pretty unreasonable when you think about how low a priority pets, pet battles, and pet collecting must be on Blizzard's "to-do" list.

So in the end it's all about compromise. Compromise between aspects of the game (rarity and fun) and between players and developers. If Blizzard hears us out and takes into consideration our issues, we must also keep in mind there is more to it than what meets the eye.

It's hard to say what will be coming in the future, and the whole holiday wild pets idea may never see a live server. The concept sounds fun, but if a good balance can't be found, I'd rather not see it be implemented at all. It's all about finding the sweet spot between gameplay and fun (even if "fun" is a subjective term). If anything, I hope all sides are taken into consideration, and even if special event wild pets are never implemented, the idea of compromise should still be applied for other features.

Unborn Val'kyr Is a Picky Pet

New news on the Unborn Val'kyr, and it's a tad bit frustrating. In response to an inquiry about whether or not players can actively trigger this wild pet to spawn, Mumper stated:

"Players have no effect other than capturing or killing what they find."

There's further clarification that the spawning is dependent on realm conditions and not the player.

While I'm glad for the confirmation either way, it still leaves us with very little to go on. On top of that, now that we know we cannot initiate the right conditions for it to spawn, that means we have to rely purely on luck. If we happen to find any Unborn Val'kyr up, every little detail of the time, day, environment, etc. will have to be noted to try and pin point exactly what on the server triggered the spawn.

It's pretty frustrating when you think about it. We're going to have to contend with RNG and possibly CRZ, and on top of that, we're going in completely blind. The only hint we have to go on is that it's a "new spawn mechanic", which could mean anything. Other pets that have specific spawning conditions at least give us hints as to what is necessary to find them. Winter for the Snowy Owl, Rain for the Baby Ape, etc. The lack of knowledge about the Unborn Val'kyr is fairly irritating.

I was excited to try and find out what the spawn mechanic would be for this pet, but only when I was under the impression that I could play a part in its spawning. My interest was piqued, and I was actually enjoying trying to brainstorm what I could do next to try and force a spawn. Now that I know I'm just going to have be 100% lucky, it doesn't seem as fun anymore. My role in this is purely random which is kind of discouraging.

So there you go. In the beginning it will be completely based on RNG until more people find the Unborn Val'kyr, take down notes on the conditions at the time and compare notes to determine the common factors and possibly the exact reason it spawned. Good luck to everyone, and seriously, may the RNG gods smile on pet collectors.

Tiny Carps Possibly Cageable In 5.3

El and Wowhead are both reporting that the Tiny Carp pets might become cageable/tradeable in Patch 5.3. Keep in mind that this was previewed on the PTR, so things are subject to change at any time and nothing is 100% set in stone yet.

If this change goes live, I think many collectors will be pretty pleased. Catching the Tiny Carp pets, while not entirely dependent on fishing skill level, does require a lot of time/patience due to the high RNG factor. When they were first released, it was pretty puzzling to me why they weren't cageable. Not everyone has the time to fish and fish and fish... and fish. And not everyone is extraordinarily lucky either.

So this change will probably make the Tiny Carps a little less rare. There is still the RNG factor, so unless many people have tons of time to fish multiple pets up, I don't expect the AH to get flooded with the carps all at once. They will start making an appearance, though, I have no doubt about that.

I must admit that while I'm for this change, I'm a little bummed that it's happening so soon. For those that spent the time and effort to obtain these pets prior to 5.3, it's a little bit of a statement to bring out a Tiny Carp. If you see a player with one, you know they either spent a hell of a lot of time fishing it up (or got very lucky). After 5.3, it will be anyone's guess how so and so obtained their little carp companion. It's not a bad thing, it's not a good thing. It's just a thing that I'm sure some do care about, though.

Ah well, times change.

We'll have to wait and see if this change to the Tiny Carps goes live in 5.3 or not.

Thoughts On Spectate Mode In 5.3

Why do I pet battle? Why do I collect? Because it's fun for me. For. Me. What I collect, when, how, and so on is my own personal choice. This is my "me time" and I should be allowed to enjoy it as I please. It's a minigame that involves just me and my opponent (who's usually a NPC).

That being said, spectate mode virtually forces this individual minigame into a form of public display. If you enjoy battling in private and in peace, out of others' view, you can kiss that goodbye come 5.3. Whether battling in the wild or with friends, your match will invite an audience. Unintentionally. Even if the attention is unwanted.

As mentioned in a previous post where I previewed spectate mode on the 5.3 PTR, battling while hidden will no longer be possible if spectate mode is released as is. Stealth/shadowmeld battling will still be possible, but it will be useless as your entire pet team and NPC avatar will essentially shine a bright light over your pet battle encounter. Anyone that happens to travel by will see 6 little pets and either you or your stand-in, and know that a pet battle match is occurring.

Now, if you're on a PVE server, the main concern will be that it's invasive having random people walk by and stop to stare at your performance. But if you're on a PVP server, not only will it be weird having an audience, it just invites all sorts of harassment from the opposite faction. You're rendered completely powerless with spectate mode, as your option to battle in peace will be removed.

Many are probably excited for spectate mode, however not everyone will want to have an audience, even on a PVE server where the threat of PVP isn't big at all. Some may prefer to battle alone or might have anxiety when being watched. There are likely a few psychological factors that are being overlooked. The simple fact that player choice is being taken away will have some negative affects on a some players.

Spectate Mode and PVP
In the beginning, I grudgingly accepted that PVP was inevitable and it wouldn't be removed from Pet Battles. It's understandable that developers didn't want to make a system that players could exploit in PVP or to get out of PVP.

However, it was only acceptable to me because there was still a small option to battle while hidden. You may not be phased out like my idea of an ideal battle situation, but it gave me a slight chance to enjoy my minigame with fewer interruptions. I wasn't doing anything special, just using my class/race ability to my advantage. It's like a rogue who chooses to wander around the world stealthed while questing. They avoid being detected for the most part, but are still vulnerable to attacks at any time.

So I was not completely removed from PVP and I was entirely vulnerable the entire time. In fact, there were more than a few times where the opposing faction found me and decided to knock me out of my match. Still, there was a nice balance of player option/control, while still maintaining intended gameplay. I could choose to hide, but there was still a large chance I would be found. To me, that was balanced.

With the addition of spectate mode in 5.3, you won't even get a choice and that balance is all but removed. Everything will be out in the open. Battle while stealthed? Sure, but guess what? Your pet team and opposition will still be out there and in your place a randomly generated NPC. If that's not a signal to any and everyone passing by that someone is standing still, immersed in their battle, and ripe for the ganking, I don't know what is. Maybe a large "gank me" sign over their head?

Compromise, Please?
Don't get me wrong, though. I don't think spectate mode is a bad idea. It will be great for social events and just having fun when the player chooses to involve themselves in a multiplayer pet battle setting.

That probably makes it sound as if I want my cake and I want to eat it too, right? How can I dislike spectate mode on one hand, but praise it on the other? Much like many new features and aspects of this game, some compromise wouldn't hurt.

One way to give the player some control back is by allowing them to toggle spectate mode on and off. By default it could be on, and if a player doesn't desire an audience, they could turn it off. During guild contests or similar gatherings, spectate mode could be toggled back on. This would give players the option to play their own personal minigame in the fashion that they feel most comfortable with, while not removing the option to participate in a multiplayer setting.

Another suggestion that my guildmate recommended was implementing spectate mode to occur only in a party or raid group. In this situation, only players in your party or raid would be able to view your pet match. This would give the player more control over viewership (if desired). If you wanted someone to watch your wild pet battle, simply invite them to a group. Or perhaps you only want your friend to see your match. You would have the power to decide who can watch and who can't. Don't want the attention at all? That's ok too, and you would have the option to make that happen.

Both would be great compromises and would appease both gameplay and player option/control. Players that are excited for spectate mode and players who aren't will both have something to look forward to. Some really don't mind having others watch, and this new feature will be a great addition to the game for them. Those that do mind, though, shouldn't be punished for their desire to maintain a small sense of "me time", so an option for them should be included too.

Perhaps I'm in the minority in this, and as the label implies, the minority is but a minor factor when it comes to the ultimate decision. There are many excited for spectate mode, and I'm excited for them. However, I do hope that developers will keep in mind that there are those that do play a little differently than most, and sometimes even the majority may want to hop onto the minority wagon too. Allowing the option to choose (while still maintaining intended gameplay) empowers the player and generates an all around 'feel good' response. And at the very least, if not for the coming patch since it's already well on its way, some consideration for a future patch would definitely be appreciated.