So I just got an Ankylodon because they look cool, but I noticed it doesn’t have an extra attack ability that my other pet has called ‘bite’. That one is exotic and the new one is not; will I be missing out on DPS?
Pets will have either Bite, Claw, or Smack. It’s purely a thematic difference.
There is no DPS difference between any pet in BFA.
However, there is a competitive difference when not using an Exotic Pet because Exotic Pet families have an extra family ability. This will ALWAYS be extra utility, not DPS. For example, Spirit Beasts have both an offensive dispel and a heal; a non-exotic pet will only have 1 family ability.
Check the pet details on this page:
https://www.icy-veins.com/wow/beast-mastery-hunter-pve-dps-spell-summary
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OK, so I just looked again and saw that the Smack ability just wasn’t showing on the pet bar, but it was in the spellbook. Thanks, haven’t played hunter for a few years and forgot they did that lol.
there’s literally no reason to use a normal pet as BM, you can obviously use one and not lose dps but you’re missing out on major utility abilities that are extremely beneficial like spirit mend. exotic pets are substantially better than regular ones, don’t willingly put yourself in bad habits
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I wouldn’t say there’s literally no reason. I mean if you want everything to the max then sure, but I’m not a hardcore raider and I don’t have problems taking on a lot of lvl 122 elite rares with my bear. I’d like Arcturis but it uses the old bear model and I’m not fond of it. It’s not a bad habit picking a pet that fits your aesthetic or roleplay style since this is a rpg. 
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You still need a bat or nether ray for dungeons and raids if there is no other source for Bloodlust. This is VERY unlikely for raids though.
No, in BfA you can use any pet! however you might want to use a pet with Primal Rage … that will definitely increase your DPS by increasing your haste 30% for 40 seconds and everybody else in your party!
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No. You just won’t have the heal and extra hp.