September 2018   « Archives | Current News »

Coming soon to the PTR is the next major content patch, Tides of Vengeance. Blizzard gave us a brief preview today, and yes, there's Pet Battle content! [source]

New Pet Battle Dungeon
The Gnomeregan Pet Battle Dungeon will be coming in the next content patch!


You can view the full WoW Developer stream on Twitch.

No other details are available at this time, but we won't have to wait too long to learn more. Players might begin testing Tides of Vengeance on the PTR as early as the end of this week. Keep in mind that new Pet Battle content may not be available at the start of the testing cycle.

We can't wait to check out the Gnomeregan Pet Battle Dungeon. Will there be additional Pet Battle content or pets to collect? We'll have to wait and see. Stay tuned for more updates and news as testing on the PTR progresses!

UPDATE: Blizzard recently released a hotfix that gives Cap'n Crackers to ability to respond to the /whistle. He will now sit on your character's shoulder if you target and use this emote! [source]

Unfortunately, Cap'n Crackers doesn't get along with Crackers. If you already have either one on your shoulder, summoning the other will result in the one sitting on your shoulder to despawn. They don't like sharing their perch, it would seem.

Just in time for "Talk Like A Pirate Day", a new battle pet was added to the Blizzard Store. Meet Cap'n Crackers! [source]

Cap'n Crackers (pictured right) costs $10 (USD), and can be purchased from either the In-Game Shop or the online Blizzard Store.

We'll have this pet's profile added to the database as soon as we can. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

So ye goin' to take thee plunge and adopt this adorable pirate parrot? Yarr, Cap'n Crackers is ready to go on some epic adventures. If ye show him a good time, maybe he'll even make ye his first mate!

UPDATE: Community Manager Kaivax clarified that purchasing the Interdimensional Pet Portal will require already having used the Pocket Pet Portal.

Additionally, it's possible we'll see other ways to earn Polished Pet Charms in the future.

The latest PTR build added new pets, a few details regarding the upcoming Gnomeregan Pet Battle Dungeon, plus an item to increase the size of your Pet Journal even further. [source]

New Pets
At least 5 new pets (pictured below) will be coming in Patch 8.1. (But we're sure there will be more!)

• Enchanted Tiki Mask (see below for more information)
• Child of Pa'ku
• Feathers
• Redridge Tarantula
• Spawn of Krag'wa
• Thunder Lizard Runt

Check out all 8.1 pets

It should be noted that the Enchanted Tiki Mask (pictured right) is not actually new. It was added to the database at BFA's release. The recipe to craft it and its Pet Journal entry were not yet implemented at the time, but Enchanters will finally have a way to create this neat companion in Patch 8.1.

The Pet Journal entries for most of these pets seem to be somewhat incomplete, so it's not entirely clear how we'll obtain each one.

There is also an interesting schematic for Engineers, Schematic: Mechantula. The recipe itself says it creates a follower equipment item, however a pet named Mechantula (not included in the PTR Pet Journal at the time of this article) was datamined. We'll have to wait for a future PTR build to see if this schematic will teach Engineers how to craft this pet.

We'll have more updates as the PTR continues, so stay tuned!

Gnomeregan Pet Dungeon
It was previously announced that the Gnomeregan Pet Battle Dungeon would be coming in Patch 8.1. We now have an early preview of what this dungeon will have in store for battlers. (The dungeon is not open for testing yet on the PTR.)

There appears to be 9 stages while in the scenario. [source]

1. Automated Defenses - The automated defenses of Gnomeregan have been activated!

2. Out of Control Elementals - Defeat the Living Elementals.

3. Pull the Correct Levers - Use the correct sequence of levers to activate the Door Control Console.

4. Bypass the Mine Field - Ride the Bomb Stomper 5000 through the deadly field of Bomb Bots.

5. Resilient Critters - Defeat the critters that somehow survive in this place.

6. You Dirty Rat - There's a Leper Rat of unusual size guarding that door. It looks mean.

7. Gnomeregan Defense Force, Activate! - Defeat the Gnomeregan Defense Force.

8. Shadowy Figure - Someone has telepoted into the room. Confront them!

9. Thermaplugg's Latest Invention - Mekgineer Thermaplugg has left his latest invention here as the last bastion of defense for Gnomeregan. Smash it!

Datamining also revealed that there will be a new currency tied to the Gnomeregan Pet Dungeon, Pristine Gizmo.

A new vendor, Micro Zoox (pictured right), can be found at the entrance of the Gnomeregan dungeon.

He currently sells Unopened Gnomeregan Supply Box and Schematic: Mechantula. It's possible that new pets will appear in his inventory, and players will be able to purchase them in exchange for Gizmos. We'll have to wait and see!

Bigger Is Better!
If you're having trouble finding space for all of BFA's new pets, this one's for you! Last but not least, the recent PTR update added a new item, Interdimensional Pet Portal.

This item upgrades the Pet Journal to allow 2,000 total pets! Currently, it is sold on the PTR by the same BFA vendors that sell the new pet toys, and costs 1,000 Polished Pet Charms. It does not require having learned the previous journal upgrade, Pocket Pet Portal, at this time. No other requirements are necessary to learn the new Pet Portal. Keep in mind this might be subject to change.

It is still fairly early on in the PTR phase, so we expect to see changes, updates, and hopefully even more pet additions in future builds.