Toward a minimal roster for all battles

Gameplay Pet Battles
1

In a recent thread, the question came up of what a minimal roster would be to complete ALL battles in the game.

While there seems to be general agreement that maybe 50 or so pets would suffice for non-Family battles, the Family achievements would certainly need more.

All praise to Aranesh, I grabbed the 10 most-used pets for each Family and the number of strategies in which they appear. I then applied a bit of personal judgment to

  • remove duplicates of identical-moveset pets (e.g. Rabbits/Hares)
  • remove duplicates of near-identical-moveset pets (e.g. the Anubisaths)
  • suggest my preferred Breed, where relevant

and I present the result below.

I have no doubt this set could complete all non-Family battles, but could it complete the Family achievements? I don’t know. I doubt it. For a start, I would probably make a few substitutions to increase the variety of attacks available in each Family. And there are likely other considerations. A couple of Family battles come to mind and I think “We’re gonna need a bigger roster.” :stuck_out_tongue:

But this should be able to form the core of a minimal roster. I leave it here for interest and discussion.

Name Breed Xu-Fu Strategies
Aquatic
Chitterspine Skitterling SS 267
Emperor Crab PP 118
Benax HP 95
Hydraling PB 93
Inland Croaker PP 76
Gulp Froglet HP 61
Spawn of G’nathus PB 57
Chitterspine Deepstalker PS 57
Puddle Terror PS 56
Hermit Crab SS 49
Beast
Zandalari Anklerender SS 349
Zandalari Kneebiter PP 205
Xu-Fu, Cub of Xuen PP 195
Feline Familiar PB 175
Infernal Pyreclaw PB 86
Gizmo PS 66
Jingles SS 61
Cinder Pup PP 55
Fel Pup SS 40
Lost Netherpup PS 39
Critter
Mudshell Conch HP 85
Rabbit SS 59
Scurrying Mawrat HS 58
Dust Bunny PS 55
Lovebird Hatchling SS 49
Frostfur Rat SS 48
Darkmoon Hatchling SS 41
Scooter the Snail HH 37
Decaying Mawrat PS 36
Sneaky Marmot SS 35
Dragonkin
Chrominius HH 416
Nexus Whelpling PP 344
Emerald Proto-Whelp PP 260
Nether Faerie Dragon SS 206
Stormborne Whelpling PS 186
Emmigosa PS 87
Twilight Clutch-Sister PS 81
Scaley SB 59
Thunderscale Whelpling HS 58
Lil’ Tarecgosa HP 55
Elemental
Corrupted Blood PS 132
Pandaren Water Spirit HS 121
Fel Flame HP 120
Ravenous Prideling PB 107
Tiny Twister HP 90
Electrified Razortooth BB 88
Tiny Snowman BB 78
Singing Sunflower HB 76
Core Hound Pup HP 71
Molten Corgi SS 60
Flying
Ikky PS 635
Crimson Spore HH 305
Teroclaw Hatchling HP 141
Mechanical Axebeak PP 112
Seaborne Spore PP 106
Sentinel’s Companion PS 92
Stormwing PB 82
Brilliant Spore PS 68
Fledgling Warden Owl PP 66
Foulfeather SS 63
Humanoid
Anubisath Idol HH 290
Rotten Little Helper PP 159
Kun-Lai Runt PP 139
Squirky BB 125
Ranishu Runt PP 99
Father Winter’s Helper BB 96
Flayer Youngling SS 85
Sister of Temptation PB 73
Corefire Imp PS 73
Hogs HP 58
Magic
Anomalus PP 261
Baa’l BB 190
Enchanted Broom SS 119
Minfernal HH 110
Eldritch Manafiend PS 102
Netherspace Abyssal HH 96
Death Seeker HH 91
Servant of Demidos PP 89
Arcane Eye PS 70
Enchanted Pen SB 70
Mechanical
Iron Starlette PP 589
Mechanical Pandaren Dragonling SS 454
Darkmoon Zeppelin HB 318
Timeless Mechanical Dragonling PP 315
Lil’ Bling SS 219
Microbot XD HP 196
Darkmoon Tonk HP 146
Sunreaver Micro-Sentry PP 136
Tranquil Mechanical Yeti HB 120
Pet Bombling HS 118
Undead
Unborn Val’kyr HH 499
Boneshard BB 186
Infected Squirrel HP 133
Scourged Whelpling HH 112
Blightbreath HP 112
Cursed Birman PS 91
Fragment of Anger HP 91
Restored Revenant PP 86
Widget the Departed SS 73

P.S. I had included Mud Jumber as Aquatic#10, missingthat it shares a moveset with Benax. I have replaced it with Hermit Crab.

5 Likes
2

I could live with it

After collecting so many pets, there are favorites of mine. I can’t do without my Jubling. And I’d take the Darkmoon Rabbit over a generic one. Clockwork Gnome. Lil Rags. But you’ve hit all the high points.

Might actually be able to randomly pick pets from 3 different columns and put together a reasonable PvP team. Worth a shot during the next critter week.

3

I doubt it, too. Just off the top of my head, I can think of a few family battles that I needed pets that aren’t on this list. For instance, I recall using Mr. Bigglesworth. (Because we sure don’t have enough undead cats. I mean, Cursed Birman, Widget the Departed, Smoochums, Lucy and Mr. Bigglesworth. We need to start demanding more dead cats! Devs, you’re slacking on us!)