One of the more popular guides on the site just got even better. Tonight I added build info to my PvP Pet Guide.
After seeing a visitor comment – noting that they’d not been able to find any current info anywhere on Cataclysm PvP pet builds – I decided to answer the call.
Rather than write up a new post, I figured it would be best served as part of the PvP Pet Guide so I just filled it out a bit more.
So, if any of you are looking for additional insight on how to talent up your beasties for some player versus player action… have a look at the updated guide.
Gar, thanks for the updated guide. 🙂
I have my own version of the Tenacity pet build which sacrifices increased HP for more damage and utility. In this one, my favored beast is the Scorpid for the disarm, which is EXTREMELY useful against melee–particularly Rogues, Paladins and Warriors–though if and when I do have the chance I would also grab a Shale Spider for the stun:
http://www.wowhead.com/petcalc#MzdMu0hbbokM
I took away 3 points from Great Stamina and Blood of the Rhino and put them into Culling the Herd for the 3% extra damage. I wouldn’t exactly sacrifice Wild Hunt for the damage, and as the following video shows, Last Stand + Intervene actually increases the amount of damage absorbed by the latter ability–especially against applied DoTs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMSj3jzoBRE&feature=channel_video_title
Again thanks for the updates and thanks Kazador for the DPS Cunning build (you gave me another reason to drag my hapless Chimera and Silithid into battle again–lol). Although I did notice that an update is also needed for the Spirit Beast page, since it still uses the old WotLK info.
D’oh, I forgot to update the pet build link. That was my old one which used Natural Armor instead of Great Stamina. Here it is:
http://www.wowhead.com/petcalc#Mzdbu0hbbokM
Also, I totally agree with your Ferocity recommendation, but not with your Cunning talent build.
Cornered and Bullheaded come into play FAR too infrequently. If your pet is that low on health, you need to pull it out of combat and heal it, not keep it there for more damage. And a 3 min cooldown on Bullheaded just isn’t worth it. Lionhearted is nice, but non-essential. I loved those talents in WotLK, but no more.
On the other hand, Feeding Frenzy is EXTREMELY important to help finish off targets, before they get healed. Bear in mind that this adds 16% damage to your Kill Command too, and stacks wonderfully with the 50% boost during Bestial Wrath.
2/2 in Wild Hunt is also vital for all BM builds, because BM generates way more pet focus, and the bonus damage from pets is worth a lot more. Especially true for Cunning, which uses less focus due to Owl’s Focus, and doesn’t spend focus on Charge.
Here’s the Cunning build I would recommend for BM PVP:
http://www.wowhead.com/petcalc#cibozzfh0MoMd
Take a look and see what you think.
I don’t really use tenacity for PVP, so no comment there.
I think you’re on track with your talent builds for MM and SV PVP, where utility is much more important than damage. I’ve seen many top PVP hunters take even less damage talents for their cunning pets, and instead invest in survivability talents like Great Stamina, since the damage talents simply aren’t nearly as effective for these pets.
Thanks for making these great guides!
Kaz
I think your build is great.
As I mentioned in the guide, I don’t necessarily think there is only one way to do it. Personally, I like Bullheaded, as well as a more utilitarian Cunning pet. If I want DPS I go Ferocity. But yea… I think you’re build is another great example. I’ll probably add it.
By the way… great suggestions and critiques. I updated the bit about pet stances and added a patch 4.2.2 note near the top. Thanks again. 🙂
Thanks for the response, and for adding this build into your site. I figure BM PVP is all about a well-timed burst, so I spec for as much damage as possible. A Cunning pet with this spec will do almost identical damage to a Ferocity pet (ask femaledwarf.com). It should do even more damage than a Ferocity pet on an enemy below 35% health. Using a stronger DPS build allows you to pick the best pet for the situation, regardless of whether it is Ferocity or Cunning.
In regular BGs, duels, 2v2, and 3v3, that’s usually a Spirit Beast, or sometimes a Devilsaur or Corehound, because of the abilities they bring. In rated battlegrounds or 5v5 Arena, it’s often worth bringing a Cunning pet for their abilities, especially if other buffs (Str/Agi, 5% Crit, and Heroism) are covered by teammates.
Silithid are good for flag running RBGs, to keep the undispellable Stamina buff up on allies at all times even if you’re far from a priest, and to root the Flag Carrier for kills.
Chimera is great for flag-defending RBGs like Arathi Basin, to slow approaching enemies and to AOE the flag to prevent enemies from capping (You can order your Chimera to AOE the flag even if you are CCed at the time, and even with a smoke cloud on the flag. It’s nearly impossible to cap a flag with a hunter and Chimera guarding it.)
I bring cunning pets for DPS and for those buffs and abilities, not mostly for the utility offered by the more defensive talents that I skip.
Nice! You should update your section on pet stances (still talks about Aggressive Stance), and put some sort of “Updated for 4.2.2” at the top so people know this info HAS been updated since March 9.