Creepy Menagerie
Posted under: 
Theorycrafting
World of Warcraft attracts a variety of gamers, some of whom are theorycrafters. Some build spreadsheets for gear. Some test to maximize talent points and damage output.
Me? I build hunter stables. I’m like the interior decorator of theorycrafters.
It’s fun, even if it’s not terribly “useful”. Take, for example, my Creepy Menagerie. I don’t even WANT this particular hunter set, yet I built it anyway.
The Spark
The keystone of the Creepy Menagerie is the Undead Eagle. I saw the model on Petopia (yes, I follow Petopia even when I’m not playing the game, and no, I find nothing wrong with that) and my imagination was sparked. What sort of hunter, I imagined, would tame such a gloriously gory thing?
… and if such a hunter existed, what else would they want?
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the Creepy Menagerie.
The Creepy Menagerie
Bird of Prey
Diseased Hawk
Mummy-wrapped, gray, skeleton-headed bird. Available only when spawned as part of a cross-faction quest, “A Different Approach” in Western Plaguelands at level 37-38.
Bear
Rabid Grizzly
There are actually a lot of diseased bear looks, but my favorite is the white bear in Dragonblight at level 71-72.
Wolf
Diseased
Many names share this same black diseased wolf model, from level 1 through level 84.
Spider
Bone Spiders
There are a lot of different bone spider colors available. My favorite is the light gray (matches most closely to the Diseased Hawk, and I am indeed a fan of color matching) but it’s not available until level 76 in Icecrown while some of the others can be found very early on in Silverpine.
Dog
Demon Dogs
The Demon and Runed Demon dogs are all pretty creepy. Ghostly demon dogs (white and gray) can be found only within Karazhan as level 70 elites and I think they’re the most appropriately colored for the Menagerie. If a hunter was tiring of all the grays, any of the runed demon dogs would add a bright spot of color to an otherwise drab hunter stable.
Boar
Felboars
Man, oh man, are these guys wicked looking. I think the grey & orange boar most fits the menagerie’s style. You’ll find him in Hellfire Peninsula at level 58-61 and he’s gorgeous.
Cat
Ghost Saber
Missing from this list is the ever-popular cat choice. They bring such a great buff to the group or raid that I’d be remiss in leaving them out, even if they’re more cuddly than creepy. The Ghost Saber is as creepy as they get.
Like the spirit of a snow leopard, the ghost saber is always slightly faded – as if it has one paw in this world and the other in the next. You’ll find these beauties only in Darkshore, spawned sometimes from scattered tiger statues on the ground. A great hunt for a level 20 hunter to embark on, and the fun sort of hunt where you know you’ll get one if you’re patient enough and it feels very rewarding when you actually tame the beast.
Other Options
There are a few more options for the Menagerie hunter to consider. Scorpids are fairly creepy and have some beautiful color combos. Some find hyenas to be creepy, though I think they are in desperate need of a model update. The new condor models are just gorgeous and their flapping animation isn’t nearly so irritating as the vultures from BC – even though I like the double-head look moreso than the real-vulture head. Some folks think ravagers are creepy, even though I think they’re adorable. Same with worms. Worms are squee-worthy, not scream-worthy.
There’s a definite venn-diagram that utilizes “Awesome” and “Creepy”, which makes it a little tempting to add models like wasps or chromaggus or even the new spiked crabs.
And, I suppose, with the new hunter stable system, why not go for the gold and pick up everything?
But! For my primary list, I tried to focus on pets that had that special “shudder-worthy” quality to them – they looked great, but that doesn’t mean I want to touch them. Whether or not a pet evokes that sensation is probably a personal thing – the Creepy Menagerie Hunter would need to decide for themselves the precise make-up of their team.
Roleplay
Being a storyteller, I can’t help but ask myself what sort of hunter would choose this particular grouping of pets.
Sure, undead can be hunters now and they’re an obvious choice. But what sort of … draenei, for example, would choose these pets? Why would she choose them? Perhaps someone with a broken past, taking pity on the unloved? Perhaps someone with a broken mind, who sees the world differently than others?
The possibilities are very intriguing.
This is an interesting thought to work on. Another option for a hunter who would have a stable such as this… someone who prefers to be left alone. Wandering the world with undead and/or creepy pets may leave others prone to giving you a wide berth, which is just fine with me. ;)
However, I could never bring myself to include a spider in my stable. I’ll admit, the bone spiders certainly have a great look… but still… *shudder* Eww.
On a slight side (albeit Cataclysm related) note, I was very disappointed to learn that my much cherished Scarlett Tracking Hound is now a mastiff. Granted, I did want a mastiff eventually… but I didn’t want to lose my gorgeous red Hyena to get it! :(
I saw that! Looks like the model you had is still available elsewhere, but you’re right – those hounds are now actual hounds rather than hyenas.
Tami´s last post ..Mice- Microphones- Puppies- and a Christmas Llama
*sniffles* I was so proud of Loki, especially after all the hard work gone through to obtain him. I mean, cripes… you brought in how many from your guild to help? It was a blast!
You’ve still got the only red mastiff in the game. :D
Oh I definitely won’t be getting rid of the Mastiff, I’ll just need to change his name. :) Loki doesn’t fit a Mastiff as well as it fits a Hyena in my opinion.
…does this have anything to do with that place you lived at in Navasota? Do you have deep-seeded psychological scars? ;)
Thhhhbbbbt. No. Maybe. Look, living for half a year in a place that keeps dead cats in the freezer would scar anyone, okay?
Tami´s last post ..Mice- Microphones- Puppies- and a Christmas Llama
is THAT what the little cat statues are good for? I was always hoping I could turn them in for a big tiger statue or something. i guess I never noticed a random ghost cat showing up occasionally.
Oh yes! If you keep picking them up, sooner or later a ghost cat will spawn. It’s tameable and doesn’t have very good loot, so it’s really only worth it if you’re seeking the pet on a hunter. Gorgeous cat, though. <3
Tami´s last post ..Mice- Microphones- Puppies- and a Christmas Llama