Original by Mike Cope
If you’re wondering what I mean by this, take a look at what Ghostcrawler recently said about Spirit Beasts and Hunter Pets.
Still don’t see the connection? Well here let me try an help explain what I mean.
When everyone focuses only on Maximizing their “Class” DPS potential, then the Developers will work to simplify their designs in helping everyone achieve that goal.
In the end, we won’t see variety. Basically, EVERYONE will basically look and act the same with only some “cosmetic” differences. And we all know that clones are sterile and can be extremely boring. (Well, except for Scarlette Johannson in The Island! ZOWIE!)
Don’t believe it? Think I’m a bit nuts in the head?
Trust me you’re not the first. But hold on, I’ll try to explain why.
Game manufacturers (as with any manufacturer really) are basically limited to tracking usage trends and other hard data points. In this case their own combat log and other log parses. Verbal feedback is a good indicator of personal opinion, but not what is actually happening.
So, now everyone is focusing on, “What’s the Best Spec?”, “What Pet should I get!”, “What items, gems, weapon are BiS for me?” etc… See my point?
As more and more people focus on these types of questions, then the developers will focus their attention on making this happen.
Now your saying, “HOLD ON BRIG!! What does this have to do with the Spirit Beast!”
Very simple. Look at what Ghostcrawler states. Blizzard created the Spirit Beast as an answer to everyone “camping out the rare spawns.” So it’s job is to just be window dressing. They don’t want to create another Wolf BiS problem. They might buff it within reason, but ultimately, if it’s more than any other pet, then it will be the only pet. And it will lose it’s “specialness.”
So there’s that response to “Public Opinion.” Our voices said we hunters wanted a special pet. Something that we could walk around town with and have “bragging rights.” But our actions speak louder than our words!
We may go out and hunt down the Arcturis, Lok or any of the others. But when it comes play time. We will go back to the default, “What gives us the maximum DPS.” Since we already have that, why change the status quo.
Well, hopefully this random meandering commentary helps explain a bit why I rail against the min/max “playstyle.” Yes, I understand it makes it “easier” and “faster.”
But did we really pick up an RPG much less a MMO-RPG because we wanted quick and easy? Or did we pick it up for the richness and variety. Some way for us to be a part of the story. And as all stories, enrich it with our own uniqueness.
Well, hopefully this gives you some food for thought. And if not, well hopefully, you’ll at least appreciate I gave you an update on my thoughts where Blizzard stands on the whole Spirit Beast/Hunter pet thing.
(Note: Cartoon has been altered from the original. The original was created by Mike Cope of CopeToons)
Eddie “Brigwyn” Carrington is often known as being that crazy dwarf on Twitter.
He's also a blogger, podcaster (Hosts Brigwyn's Corner, Co-host of Everything Blah! and of course Redneck Geek and Cajun Gamer with his good friend Andy "Daewin" Dino. 
So yeah the game’s player-base has gone to hell. Back at release it was all about exploration and then came the glory associated with being one of the few to finish LBRS/UBRS.
Current players are completely spoiled by how easy the game is. I still can’t believe they’re taking up this min-max playstyle when you think about how cake the game is now.
And if you ask when they started playing, you often year “BC” or “just before Wrath”.
So I guess I sound a bit “uphill both ways in a blizzard” but players are just bad now. BAD. They don’t appreciate what they have and won’t appreciate what they get either. There’s no pleasing them and THAT is why WoW is decreasing in popularity lately. It’s not because of Blizz at all–it’s the stupid fans.
<3
True dat! If we just played the game and didn’t worry so much about who’s #1 or what it takes to be #1 we might actually have more fun.
I read GC’s comment and I don’t have an issue with it. The issue I have as a few others brought up in the thread is that the situation makes BM’s 51st talent weak as compared to MM and SV. Yes, you get the extra 4 points for pet skills, but nothing to really make that last talent go KA POW. Unless you bring a Godzilla (Devilsaur) to the party.
In one squeeze of the trigger Chimera shot can make + 4 pet skill points look pointless. I use this example because I am MM, and have never been SV.
I think in the end the 51st talent point in BM needs some more teeth, not the pets literally, but maybe what the talent allows you to do with pets. Yes, I know BM just got a buff, and well deserved (I’ll have to try it out tonight). Maybe beast and master become one for 30 seconds with a 5 minute cooldown. so if Loq and I merged, I could literally become a boomcat for 30 seconds (If druids will not be tamed we will assimilate them somehow
). Then you could open up the taming of all beast to all hunters again.
I don’t have an issue with what Ghostcrawler is saying. And as the Crab points out. The only thing that matters is the Pet’s DPS potential. If that’s the point, then why not only have 1 pet?
Mark my words. You will see this implemented in the future. We’ll either see only a few choices (Tanking/DPS) or what Ghostcrawler has said in the past “Maybe we’ll just let hunter’s select the skin.”
I’ve been wishing for a change to hunter pets for the entire expansion. Keep the Ferocity/Tenacity/Cunning trees in there sure, but maybe just remove special abilities so that yes, it does become a ‘cosmetic’ choice, as, in my opinion, it should be. I hate walking round with a cat pet feeling like a noob because I don’t have a wolf.. so I have a wolf, but I can’t stand it. Every hunter in any given raid will have the exact same wolf, I might go tame Ironjaw.
I say run with what makes you happy. If you’re raiding with a ferocity pet like a cat you’re doin fine. Anyone who calls you a noob doesn’t understand that the dps loss to you is minimal. Heck Daewin takes Sylvester out on all his runs and does damn good.
Sometimes I do, particularly in heroics and old school runs, but sometimes I get a tad competitive
But yeah, generally I don’t pay much attention to other people’s observations, it’s always the same people.
I bring Sylvester everywhere. Even on progression runs and still do top 3 DPS in our 10 man raids. The healers like Sylvester. I like Sylvester, so that’s who I use. I busted out the wolf the other day and Deadpool asked wth was Sylvester? (for the record Sylvester is my Ghost Sabre)