Hunters in World of Warcraft: Forever get their first pet at level 10: speak to a Hunter trainer, take the taming quest, tame the beasts it asks for, and you come back with Tame Beast, which you then cast on any beast at or below your own level. Blizzard’s beta notes made that last rule official: “Tame Beast no longer works on Beasts that are higher than the Hunter’s level.”
Below are the steps, where Skyborne Hunters do it differently, every pet family and its new signature ability, how pets learn Bite, Claw and the rest, and which family suits leveling. The pet rules come from Blizzard’s Hunter and Druid class deep dive and its beta development notes on the official forums, checked October 30, ahead of the November 4 launch at 3:00 p.m. PST (6:00 p.m. EST).
When Hunters Get a Pet
Level 10. Blizzard’s posts do not print the level, but beta players on Blizzard’s forums consistently describe “the level 10 beast taming package”, the same point at which Hunters got pets in earlier versions of the game. Until then you level with your bow or gun alone, which is why the first ten levels feel slower on a Hunter than the rest of the climb.
If you never want a pet at all, Marksmanship has a new answer: the Lone Wolf talent gives 20% increased damage with all attacks while you have no active pet. For most players, though, the pet is the point. Blizzard says Hunters “can utilize their pet as a tank in solo and small group play”, and that is a big part of why we rank the class first in our best class for new players guide.
Step-by-Step: How to Tame Your First Pet
- Reach level 10 and visit a Hunter trainer. Beta players report the quest is named “Taming the Beast”.
- Tame the beasts the quest lists. In earlier versions of the game, the trainer handed you a Taming Rod and asked for three specific local beasts in turn. Beta players describe the same three-tame chain in WoW Forever, and say you cannot keep or train the quest tames: treat them as practice.
- Turn the quest in to learn Tame Beast. In earlier versions, a follow-up quest sent you to a Hunter trainer in a capital city to learn the rest of the pet kit (Feed Pet, Revive Pet and Beast Training), so finish the whole chain rather than stopping at Tame Beast.
- Pick a beast at or below your level. WoW Forever will not let you tame anything higher, so a level 10 Hunter is choosing from level 10 and lower beasts.
- Cast Tame Beast and survive the channel. In earlier versions it was a long channel that cut your armor while the beast attacked you, so clear nearby enemies first and start at full health.
- Name it and start using it. Your new pet appears with its own action bar. Blizzard restored Aggressive Mode in an October beta build; it sits under the pet tab in your spellbook alongside the other pet commands.
Skyborne Hunters do it on Zephras Isle
A beta player playing a Horde Skyborne Hunter reported that the Razor Hill trainer offered no taming quest at level 10, while the quest was waiting on Zephras Isle. Another reported that the last of the Skyborne’s three quest tames is a winged, crawling beast that the game labels a Fox, and that it refused Beast Training in the beta. If yours does the same, tame a different beast. Our guide to unlocking the Skyborne race covers who can play one.
Every Pet Family and Its Signature Ability
WoW Forever gives every family one ability of its own. Every family can also learn Bite or Claw (some learn both) and Dive or Dash, per Blizzard’s deep dive:
| Family | Unique ability | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Bat | Sonic Blast | Damage plus a spellcasting slow |
| Bear | Swipe | Hits three targets |
| Bird of Prey (formerly Owl) | Mine! | Damage and a disarm |
| Boar | Charge | Charges and immobilizes, bonus Attack Power on the next attack |
| Carrion Bird | Demoralizing Screech | Damages nearby enemies and lowers their melee Attack Power |
| Cat | Prowl | Stealth, with bonus damage on the opener |
| Crab | Pinch | Damage and a slow |
| Crocolisk | Dismember | Damage and 50% less healing received |
| Fox (new) | Trickster’s Dance | More dodge and attack speed for 12 seconds |
| Gorilla | Thunderstomp | Area damage |
| Hyena | Tendon Rip | Slow and bleed |
| Raptor | Savage Rend | Bleed |
| Scorpid | Scorpid Poison | Stacking damage over time |
| Spider | Web | Immobilize and damage over time |
| Tallstrider | Dust Cloud | Reduces armor |
| Turtle | Shell Shield | Less damage taken and slower attacks for 12 seconds |
| Wind Serpent | Lightning Breath | 20-yard damaging attack |
| Wolf | Furious Howl | Raises party melee Attack Power |
Two scaling changes matter more than any single ability. Pets now gain stats from your gear, and they can no longer receive player buffs that raise their stats. In practice, upgrading your own weapon and armor is how you make the pet stronger.
How Pets Learn New Abilities
Ranks of Bite, Claw and the family abilities are learned the way they were in earlier versions: tame a wild beast that already knows the rank, let it use the ability until you learn it, then teach it to your main pet with Beast Training. That is why beta players want more stable room: one slot ends up reserved for these “learning” tames.
Blizzard has already fixed one trap here. Its October 8 notes say some tameable beasts carried ability ranks “too high level for that creature”, which could make a pet “forget” the ability; those beasts were corrected. Beta players also reported abilities vanishing after a relog in September, before that fix, so if a rank disappears at launch, report it in game rather than retaming in circles.
Which Pet to Tame for Leveling
- Bear or Boar for a tank. Swipe hits three targets, Charge locks a target in place, and both families are sturdy. Beta players on the forums recommend a tanky pet for leveling, so mobs stay on it while you shoot.
- Turtle if you keep pulling too much: Shell Shield cuts the damage your tank takes.
- Cat, Raptor or Wolf once you can handle threat yourself and want damage.
Race helps too: Orcs get Command (5% more pet damage), and Dwarves and Trolls get bonus damage against Beasts. Our best race and class combos lay out the Hunter picks, and every WoW guide we have is on the World of Warcraft hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What level do Hunters get a pet in WoW Forever? Level 10, through a taming quest from a Hunter trainer. Skyborne Hunters find it on Zephras Isle.
Can you tame a beast higher level than you? No. Blizzard’s beta notes say Tame Beast no longer works on beasts above the Hunter’s level.
Are there new pet families in WoW Forever? Yes. Foxes are new, with Trickster’s Dance, and every family now has one unique ability.
Do pets get stronger with my gear? Yes. Blizzard says pets gain increased stats based on the Hunter’s gear, but they can no longer receive player buffs that raise their stats.
Can you play a Hunter without a pet? Yes. Marksmanship’s Lone Wolf talent gives 20% increased damage with all attacks while no pet is active.