Into the Wild Blue Yonder

[Ponderer]

I’ve just completed my goal of catching a wild blue/rare pet of every single type available in WoW. The final one, gently ushered into the fold, was a delightful Golden Eaglet from way up in bleak Stormheim.

Why this insane quest, you may ask. Well, it all began back when pets were first introduced into WoW. In those days (for those still damp behind their shell-likes) if you wanted a wild blue, the only way you could get one was to catch one: there was no going to your local pet dealer and getting them stoned! I wanted blues, of course, so, I set about catching them. I remember that, at the time, the bee’s knees, the cat’s pajamas, the dog’s dodads, was the mighty Fluxfire Feline. Naturally, I decided that a team of three would be rather nice, so, I proceeded to catch 3 blues (of course, like our beloved Pandaren Water Spirit, it was so good that Bliz nerfed it). After that, there was no turning back: I wanted 3 blues of every pet! So, that’s what I set about getting. I happily went from zone at zone, giving homes to 3 blues of every pet. But, one day, something really strange happened: the blessed Pet Journal said I couldn’t add my latest catch: there was no more room in the inn! I couldn’t understand it. It took me quite a while, but eventually I found out about the dreaded 1000 pet limit: nobody seemed aware of it back then: I don’t think they thought that anyone would ever catch 1000 pets! Oh the wailing and gnashing of teeth! The tearing out of hair and uncontrollable sobbing! (And that was only the Blighted Squirrels, the Darkshore Cubs, and the [now extremely] Lost of Lordaeron!) Talk about ‘singing the blues’!

There was nothing for it: if I wanted to carry on collecting, I’d have to release one in three of my wild catches. I was the Wild One! I wasn’t going to have to decimate my collection: I was going to have to thirdimate it (or, tertiumate, if we’re going to stick with Latin)!!! Anyway, the job was tearfully done, and I resumed my collecting, but, this time, ever mindful of that sword of Damocles dangling over my collection, I decided to settle for a single blue of each type (with a few exceptions: I mean, who could resist catching 3 rare Unborn Valks?) And so it went on, right up until today.

At least Legion, with it’s Pocket Pet Portal, has given us the long-overdue option to increase our collect by 50%. Yay!

It’s been a wild ride: sitting out sandstorms, rainstorms and snowstorms; waiting for day to turn into night; waiting for the seasons to pass from one to another; waiting for festivals to Wander along. And, of course, all that sight-seeing!

Anyway, that’s me all set until the Wild Bunch expands again, and if anyone ever tells you not to get the blues… don’t listen to them: you go get’em! Get ’em all!

Ponderer

[Uduwudu]

Hi,

Gratz.

Major Gratz.

I'm still working on getting all my pets to Rare. Only some 50 to go ... and in general, I fight to get a Rare, rather than pickup a Poor and the like, unless ... I came across one pet I had not seen in all the zones in Legion, and I decided to pick up that Common one ... my first "Common" or "Uncommon" in like 3 to 4 months, since I cleared them up by replacing and such.

[Darkchyld]

I'm more picky about breeds and since I had started my collection in WoD I just figured the pet charms were best used for making pets rare. I did a route of all the MoP/WoD trainers to level up my collection and subsequently got enough charms/stones to make them all rare.

What you started doing is beyond crazy to me though.. props to you. Luckily the pet journal limit made you somewhat sane.

[Peanutty]

Wow someone crazier than me lol! I'd say about 95% of my wild pets were caught as rares, but breeds and skins also matter to me, which complicates things - once I learned about breeds I had to go out and retame a bunch of pets I already had. Unlike the OP I don't do duplicates unless it's to obtain a unique skin or pet size, so I wasn't in danger of running out of space in my pet journal any time soon, but still... finding that many rares is indeed quite a task!

[Jazeel]

I didn't realise padded cells had internet access , seriously though well done, I originally tried doing that but 2 days in tanaris looking for a rare sand kitten taught me to go the stone/charms method instead.

[Noel]

all the blues I caught naturally were just luck...I find the breed I want and tame it...stones are VERY plentiful!

Love that internet access in a padded room joke Aren't we all a tad crazy though ?

[Gráinne]

That's incredible.

I really feel for you having to release such hard caught pets, but I'm happy that you've completed what you set out for.

You will probably miss the hunt. I know I do. While I used to grumble about having to level so many - and that was before there were any vendor stones from Pet Charms - it was something I enjoyed, that kept me in the world I loved.

At least you can have the satisfaction of probably the truly rarest collection in the world.