Survival Hunter Pets Guide — The War Within (11.0.5)

Last updated on Oct 30, 2024 at 14:00 by Azortharion 34 comments
General Information

The following guide covers everything you need to know about Beast Mastery Hunter Pets in The War Within, including the best ones to use in each situation such as Raiding, Mythic+, and Soloing/Open-World Content.

Please refer to our Hunter Pets Guide for more information regarding Hunter pets, including what the different pet families are and where you can find pets.

1.

Best Raiding Pet for Survival Hunter in The War Within

As a Survival Hunter, you should generally be using a Ferocity pet for raids. They provide 4% Leech, which will heal you when you do damage.

While any good-looking Ferocity pet will do well in most situations, Healing Reduction pets like Carrion Birds, Ravagers, Scorpid, and Wasps can be situationally useful. These will reduce enemy healing, and this effect works on bosses that heal themselves and can be invaluable in niche scenarios where no one else is providing this effect.

Tenacity Pets are also helpful, as they provide a powerful defensive in Fortitude of the Bear Icon Fortitude of the Bear, and 5% max health. This is more useful for surviving individual, heavy damage periods of fights, while Ferocity is better for long-term self-sustain. If you want a Tenacity Healing Reduction Pet, you will need a Direhorn, Hydra, Lizard, or Riverbeast.

2.

Best Mythic+ Pet for Survival Hunter in The War Within

For Mythic+, the first consideration you need to make is whether you need to be the Bloodlust Icon Bloodlust for the group. If you do, you are locked into using a Ferocity pet. The best Ferocity pet you can use for almost all Mythic+ purposes is a Mortal Wounds Icon Mortal Wounds healing reduction pet, such as a Carrion Bird, Ravager, Scorpid, or Wasp. There are several mobs throughout Mythic+ in The War Within that heal themselves, as well as bosses. Since none of the other pet utilities is typically relevant for Mythic+, having a Ferocity healing reduction pet as your "default" is a safe bet.

It can also be worth having a Damage Reduction Tenacity pet prepared. These can be used to taunt mobs for heavy tankbuster mechanics to spare your tank a lot of damage. With their 50% damage reduction on a 1-minute cooldown and 5% extra max health, these pets can take heavy hits regularly.

3.

Best Soloing and Leveling Pet for Survival Hunter in The War Within

For open-world content and soloing in The War Within, Ferocity pets are preferred, as their Leech will allow them to heal themselves for a bit of their damage. The best Ferocity pet for tanking things is a Scalehide, as they have 50% reduced damage taken on a 1-minute cooldown.

4.

Pet Specializations

There are 3 different pet specializations. These specializations are determined by your pet family and they cannot be changed. We recommend having a variety of pets of each spec, so that you can cover any situation.

Pet Spec Passive Effect Active Ability
Ferocity Predator's Thirst Icon Predator's Thirst gives you and your pet 4% Leech. Leech heals you based on how much damage you do. Primal Rage Icon Primal Rage, which provides the Bloodlust Icon Bloodlust/ Heroism Icon Heroism effect, increasing Haste for you and all nearby allies by 30% for 40 seconds. This shares cooldown with Bloodlust/Heroism and similar effects.
Tenacity Endurance Training Icon Endurance Training increases the maximum health of you and your pet by 5%. Fortitude of the Bear Icon Fortitude of the Bear is a defensive ability that increases your maximum health by 20% for 10 seconds, on a 2-minute cooldown.
Cunning Pathfinding Icon Pathfinding increases the movement speed of you and your pet by 8%. Master's Call Icon Master's Call removes all movement-impairing effects from your pet and a friendly target, and makes them immune to movement-impairing effects for 4 seconds. The friendly target can be you. It has a 45-second cooldown.
5.

Pet Families and Abilities

Every Pet Family has a special ability. We recommend having at least one of every special ability and spec combination.

5.1.

Ferocity Pets

Special Ability Description Pet Families
Damage Reduction Cooldown Reduces the damage taken of your pet by 50% for 12 seconds. This has a 1-minute cooldown. Core Hound (Exotic), Scalehide.
Self-Dispel Removes 1 Disease, 1 Magic, and 1 Poison effect from your pet. 10-second cooldown. Bats, Rays
Healing Reduction Reduces the healing taken of your pet's target by 25% for 10 seconds. This has a 6-second cooldown, which means that it will be active all the time. Carrion Bird, Devilsaur (Exotic), Ravager, Scorpid, Wasp.
Damage Reduction On Low Health Reduces your pet's damage taken by 60% for 15 seconds when your pet falls below 40% health. Clefthoof (Exotic), Gorilla.
Dodge Chance Cooldown This ability increases your pet's Dodge chance by 30% for 20 seconds. It has a 1.5-minute cooldown. Cat, Courser, Wind Serpent
Slow/Snare Reduces the movement speed of your pet's target by 50% for 6 seconds. It has a 10-second cooldown. Crocolisk, Spider, Tallstrider, Wolf, Chimaera.
5.2.

Tenacity Pets

Special Ability Description Pet Families
Damage Reduction Cooldown Reduces the damage taken of your pet by 50% for 12 seconds. This has a 1-minute cooldown. Krolusk (Exotic), Beetle, Turtle.
Self-Dispel Removes 1 Disease, 1 Magic, and 1 Poison effect from your pet. 10-second cooldown. Spirit Beast (Exotic), Waterfowl, Stag
Healing Reduction Reduces the healing taken of your pet's target by 25% for 10 seconds. This has a 6-second cooldown, which means that it will be active all the time. Direhorn, Hydra, Riverbeast, Lizard.
Damage Reduction On Low Health Reduces your pet's damage taken by 60% for 15 seconds when your pet falls below 40% health. Oxen, Bear.
Dodge Chance Cooldown This ability increases your pet's Dodge chance by 30% for 20 seconds. It has a 1.5-minute cooldown. *Feathermane, Dragonhawk, Toad.
Slow/Snare Reduces the movement speed of your pet's target by 50% for 6 seconds. It has a 10-second cooldown. Worm (Exotic), Crab, Mammoth, Blood Beast
Magical Damage Reduction Shimmering Scales Icon Shimmering Scales reduces your pet's magical damage taken by 70% for 8 seconds, on a 1.5-minute cooldown. Lesser Dragonkin

*Feathermane pets also have Updraft, which enables Slow Fall for you and your pet, allowing you to fall safely from almost any height while the pet is active for 30 seconds.

5.3.

Cunning Pets

Special Ability Description Pet Families
Damage Reduction Cooldown Reduces the damage taken of your pet by 50% for 12 seconds. This has a 1-minute cooldown. Shale Beast (Exotic), Boar, Mechanical.
Self-Dispel Removes 1 Disease, 1 Magic, and 1 Poison effect from your pet. 10-second cooldown. Sporebat, Moth, Water Strider (Exotic)
Healing Reduction Reduces the healing taken of your pet's target by 25% for 10 seconds. This has a 6-second cooldown, which means that it will be active all the time. Hyena, Rodent, Raptor.
Damage Reduction On Low Health Reduces your pet's damage taken by 60% for 15 seconds when your pet falls below 40% health. Gruffhorn, Pterrordax (Exotic), Camel
Dodge Chance Cooldown This ability increases your pet's Dodge chance by 30% for 20 seconds. It has a 1.5-minute cooldown. Fox, Monkey, Serpent.
Slow/Snare Reduces the movement speed of your pet's target by 50% for 6 seconds. It has a 10-second cooldown. Basilisk, Bird of Prey, Hound, Warp Stalker, Aqiri (Exotic).

* Water Strider pets also have Surface Trot Icon Surface Trot, a passive ability that lets you and your pet walk on water while out of combat. Damage will break this effect.

5.4.

Exotic Pets (Beast Mastery-only)

Pet Family Specialization Special Ability Exotic Ability
Core Hound Ferocity Obsidian Skin Icon Obsidian Skin reduces your pet's damage taken by 50% for 12 seconds. It has a 1-minute cooldown. Molten Hide Icon Molten Hide causes your pet to gain Molten Hide when it gets hit by a melee attack, causing it to deal slight Fire damage to all further melee attackers for 10 seconds. It can only activate every 60 seconds.
Chimaera Ferocity Frost Breath Icon Frost Breath reduces the movement speed of your pet's target by 50% for 6 seconds. It has a 10-second cooldown. Froststorm Breath Icon Froststorm Breath is an 8-second channeled ability for your pet that deals AoE damage to all enemies within 12 yards every 2 seconds. It costs 10 Focus to activate, and then 5 Focus per second to maintain.
Devilsaur Ferocity Monstrous Bite Icon Monstrous Bite reduces the healing taken of your pet's target by 25%. It lasts 10 seconds and has a 6-second cooldown, meaning it is up all the time. Feast Icon Feast lets you order your pet to consume a nearby Humanoid or Beast corpse within 5 yards, healing your pet for 20% of its maximum health, and restoring 20 Focus over 6 seconds.
Clefthoof Ferocity Thick Hide Icon Thick Hide gives your pet a 60% damage reduction for 15 seconds when it falls below 40% health. This can only occur once every 2 minutes. Blood of the Rhino Icon Blood of the Rhino is a passive effect that increases your pet's armor by 10%, and increases the effectiveness of all healing done to it by 20%.
Carapid Tenacity Bulwark Icon Bulwark reduces the damage taken of your pet by 50% for 12 seconds. It has a 1-minute cooldown. Calcified Carapace Icon Calcified Carapace reduces the Physical damage taken of your pet by a very small amount.
Stone Hound Tenacity Stone Armor Icon Stone Armor buffs your pet when it falls below 40% health, reducing its damage taken by 40% and healing it for 3% of its maximum health every 1 second for 15 seconds. This effect can only occur every 2 minutes. Eternal Guardian Icon Eternal Guardian is an instant resurrection for your pet. If your pet has died, you can use it to instantly revive it with 100% of its health. It has an 8-minute cooldown.
Spirit Beast Tenacity Spirit Pulse Icon Spirit Pulse removes 1 Magic, 1 Disease, and 1 Poison effect from itself. It has a 10-second cooldown. Spirit Mend Icon Spirit Mend heals a friendly target for a small amount instantly, and applies a small healing DoT for 10 seconds. It costs 5 pet Focus. It can be cast on yourself as well. Spirit Beasts also have the Prowl stealth ability, like Cats.
Worm Tenacity Acid Spit Icon Acid Spit reduces the movement speed of your pet's target by 50% for 6 seconds. It has a 10-second cooldown. Burrow Attack Icon Burrow Attack is an 8-second channeled ability for your pet that deals AoE damage to all enemies within 12 yards every 2 seconds. It costs 10 Focus to activate, and then 5 Focus per second to maintain.
Krolusk Tenacity Bulwark Icon Bulwark reduces your pet's damage taken by 50% for 12 seconds. It has a 1-minute cooldown. Calcified Carapace Icon Calcified Carapace passively reduces your pet's Physical damage taken by approximately 10%. The proper spell data is not in the game for this ability yet.
Shale Beast Cunning Solid Shell Icon Solid Shell reduces your pet's damage taken by 50% for 12 seconds. It has a 1-minute cooldown. Shimmering Shale Icon Shimmering Shale passively reduces your pet's magic damage taken by approximately 10%.
Aqiri Cunning Tendon Rip Icon Tendon Rip reduces the movement speed of your pet's target by 50% for 6 seconds. It has a 10-second cooldown. Dune Strider Icon Dune Strider passively increases your pet's movement speed by 30%.
Water Strider Cunning Soothing Waters Icon Soothing Waters removes 1 Magic, 1 Disease, and 1 Poison effect from itself. It has a 10-second cooldown. Surface Trot Icon Surface Trot allows you and your pet to walk on water. Any damage taken will cancel the effect and cause you to fall in the water.
Pterrordax Cunning Ancient Hide Icon Ancient Hide Reduces your pet's damage taken by 60% for 15 seconds when your pet falls below 40% health.
6.

Changelog

  • 30 Oct. 2024: Updated for October 29 Hotfixes.
  • 22 Oct. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 11.0.5.
  • 09 Sep. 2024: Preliminary update for The War Within Season 1.
  • 22 Aug. 2024: Updated for The War Within.
  • 23 Jul. 2024: Reviewed for The War Within Pre-Patch.
  • 07 May 2024: Reviewed for 10.2.7.
  • 22 Apr. 2024: Reviewed for Season 4.
  • 19 Mar. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6.
  • 15 Jan. 2024: Updated for Patch 10.2.5.
  • 06 Nov. 2023: Updated for Patch 10.2
  • 04 Sep. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
  • 10 Jul. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5.
  • 01 May 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.1.
  • 20 Mar. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 24 Jan. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 06 Jan. 2023: Added page.
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