Being a Hunter in World of Warcraft gives the player several perks that other classes don't have. It's one of the easiest leveling experiences and one of the best damage dealers for endgame content. The best incentive, however, is another collectible in the form of Hunter pets. Each race has its own special hunter pet, such as boars for Orcs or hounds for Worgen, but that's just the start of the fun and unique pets that are available.
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Part of the MMO experience is showing off rare collectibles to other players, and there are a ton of rare Hunter pets . Many of the rarest hunter pets in WoW require a detailed approach to find, let alone tame them. They often only spawn under certain conditions or in specific areas, and there are always other Hunters on the trail. It's important to keep notes handy for each pet players want to tame, just in case it has a specific taming method associated with it, and of course, there's an add-on for that.
Updated November 30, 2024 by Erik Petrovich: Some of the rarest Hunter pets in WoW history aren't necessarily rare because of their long respawn timers or obtuse directions to locate them. Instead, some Hunter pets in WoW are hardly ever seen because of how difficult the taming process can be. In WoW Classic, for example, there is a pet inside of the Scarlet Monstery dungeon, but you can only get it if you return at a high level or have a well-coordinated group with you who knows not to attack or intervene. This guide has been updated to provide sections that give more detail on the specific location and taming methods of each of the rarest Hunter Pets listed here, as well as to include a new section on one of the rarest WoW Classic pets: the Scarlet Tracking Hound.
Before Starting The Hunt, Consider These Add-ons
As with hunting for any kind of unique item in World of Warcraft, taming WoW rare Hunter pets can be a tedious, lengthy task. Many dedicated collectors will spend weeks, months, and even years for the chance to pick up some of the rarest. The add-on scene in World of Warcraft is immense, and there are several helpful mods to aid in the task of expanding the player's collection of rare hunter pets.
- The Hunter's Menagerie: This add-on is an all-in-one tool for tracking, cataloging, and taming hunter pets throughout Azeroth. It is a must-have for the serious collector.
- Hunter Pets: A handy in-game browser that can be used as a searchable catalog for all the tamable pets in the game. It also includes a function to organize stable pets.
- RareScanner: Scans the local area for rare mobs, treasures, and NPCs. Can be very useful for finding the pathing of tamable mobs.
- RareAlert: Similar to RareScanner, this add-on covers Dragonflight and Shadowlands in retail and Northrend in Classic.
- Hunter Traps Bar: Sometimes using a trap is handy for taming a beast that has stealth or dash abilities, and this is a helpful add-on for the class generally.
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19 Scarlet Tracking Hound
Classic-Only Scarlet Monastery Pet
- Expansion: Classic
- Zone: Scarlet Monastery - Armory
- Taming: Any Hunter can tame this pet, if they have time to tame it in-instance
The Scarlet Tracking Hound is one of the rarest Hunter Pets in WoW Classic because of how difficult it can be to finish taming one. You'll hardly ever see other Hunters running this uniquely-colored Hound pet (with the same model as the Hyenas in the Barrens) because this mob is never found on its own, and is only located inside of a relatively high-level dungeon.
This rare Hunter Pet is found only in the Library wing of the Scarlet Monastery dungeon, surrounded by other elite enemies tuned for a level-appropriate dungeon group.
How To Find & Tame The Scarlet Tracking Hound Hunter Pet
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There are two ways to tame the Scarlet Tracking Hound: bring a group to the Scarlet Monastery Library wing that is coordinated around you taming one of these mobs, or go by yourself at a significantly higher level. If you bring a group, ensure that every member understands the strategy: kill every human mob patroling around the plaza, and let the Hunter get aggro on a Scarlet Tracking Hound while the Tank pulls other enemies off of them.
- This can be extremely tricky, but will nab you a Scarlet Tracking Hound early.
- The second method is to go on your own at a high level. Because this pet is primarily desired for its unique color scheme, and not necessarily for being a powerful Hunter Pet stat-wise, it's not a huge deal if you don't get it until later. Just head into the Library wing on your own, kill elite humans and patroling mobs, and draw aggro from a Scarlet Tracking Hound when one wanders far enough away from groups to not pull them.
18 Bushtail
Ridgepoint Tower, Elwynn Forest
- Expansion: Mists of Pandaria
- Zone: Elwynn Forest
- Taming: Any Hunter can tame this Rare spawn, provided they can find it.
Some gamers have mistaken Bushtail for one of the rare pets from the Classic version of World of Warcraft because it's found in Elwynn Forest, an iconic zone from the earliest days of the world's most popular MMORPG. However, it's only been in the game since the Mists of Pandaria expansion, and it's been upgraded since it was first introduced.
Bushtail was initially a level 9 Hunter pet, but since the Battle for Azeroth expansion and patches, it now scales up to level 62. It has the special ability of Agile Focus, which allows them to dodge the next attack.
How To Find & Tame The Bushtail Hunter Pet
Players can find it wandering near Ridgepoint Tower in the heart of Elwynn Forest.
17 Sabertrons
An Island Off The West Coast Of Stormsong Valley
- Expansion: Battle for Azeroth
- Zone: Stormsong Valley
- Taming: Learn Mechanical taming, which includes a one-on-one fight.
Sabertrons were notoriously difficult to tame in Battle for Azeroth because they were tied to a popular world quest. Now that fewer people are spending time in the Battle for Azeroth expansion, it's easier to acquire one of these rare Hunter pets, but it still has a few steps.
How To Find & Tame The Sabertron Hunter Pet
The Sabertron must not be damaged by anybody else during the fight, and the Hunter must have learned how to tame pets in the mechanical family. These are a relatively rare spawn and are only available in red, though other colors were available during the expansion's run.
16 The Ghost Saber
The Ruins In Northern Darkshore
- Expansion: Classic
- Zone: Darkshore
- Taming: At level 20, this is a lower-level beast ideal for grinding.
This is a rare Hunter pet, not necessarily because it's hard to find, although it is in a unique location, but only because most players don't know about it or how to find it. The ruins in northern Darkshore are where players can find this cat pet, which resembles a white leopard and has translucent skin. It has the same stats and abilities as other level-20 cats but can only attack once.
Unlike other animals that require tracking, the Ghost Saber doesn't pat around randomly.
How To Find & Tame The Ghost Saber Hunter Pet
The area where it dwells, the northern part of Darkshore, is decorated with a few small cat figurines. Players can touch one for a chance to summon the Ghost Saber, and it will likely take a few tries. Other players will be after this spawn for the Glowing Cat Figurine he drops, a trinket that summons a temporary Ghost Saber pet for anyone.
15 Elegon, The Spirit Dragon
Found In The Mogu'Shan Vaults Raid
- Expansion: Shadowlands, but in Mists of Pandaria content
- Zone: Mogu'Shan Vaults Raid
- Taming: Learn Spirit Beast taming (available to Beast Mastery spec only).
Elegon is a rare Hunter pet available for taming in Shadowlands. For the first time, Hunters in Shadowlands can tame Cloud Serpents, but Elegon, surprisingly, does not count as one of these. I
t's under the Spirit Beast designation instead and is, therefore, only tamable by Beast Mastery Hunters. The look alone classifies it as one of the coolest hunter pets in WoW.
How To Find & Tame The Elegon Hunter Pet
To tame this beast, the Hunter must travel back to Pandaria and face this boss in the Mogu'Shan Vaults raid. It's very solo-able but still takes a good bit of time to complete.
14 The Duskcloak Panthera
Look In Krokuun Or At The Seat of the Triumvirate
- Expansion: Legion
- Zone: Argus
- Taming: Use Fresh Talbuk Meat on a non-aggressive Panthera.
The Duskcloak Panthera is a beautiful mount that is the first beast listed in this guide to the rarest Hunter pets in WoW that requires multiple specific steps to tame.
How To Find & Tame The Duskcloak Panthera Hunter Pet
While traveling Argus, hunters may get an exclusive rare drop called Fresh Talbuk Meat. The Hunter must gather a few of these, be patient as they have about a 1% drop rate, and then find this Panthera either at the Seat of the Triumvirate or in Krokuun.
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The player must make sure they have no followers and that no other players are nearby to interfere with the taming process. They must avoid getting aggro, use the Fresh Talbuk Meat on the Panthera, and then attempt the tame. It will fail if the player has aggro or doesn't aim the Fresh Talbuk Meat correctly.
13 Skarr and Karkin
South Of Fireplume Peak
- Expansion: Cataclysm
- Zone: Molten Front, Fireplume Peak
- Taming: Interrupt spells, wait 12 hours for the next spawn.
Skarr is a rare panther, and Karkin is a crab, and both of them spawn in the Molten Front. They appear in the same locations but at different times, about 12 hours in between spawns on average. The Hunter must go to the top of Fireplume Peak, a trial in and of itself, and then find the spawn points on the bottom right of the Fireplume Peak area.
How To Find & Tame The Skarr & kKarkin Hunter Pet
The taming process is pretty simple. They will cast spells that interrupt the tame, so players should be sure to disengage and silence the rare before continuing. As long as it's completed, players will have their very own red-eyed chromium beast.
12 Purple Orange Dream Darter
Patrols Throughout The Viridescent Thicket
- Expansion: Dragonflight
- Zone: Viridescent Thicket, The Emerald Dream
- Taming: Requires the book "How to Train a Dragonkin."
Lesser Dragonkin have existed in the game since Classic, but not very many of them were tamable. The rare spawns that lived in an obscure corner of Wailing Caverns were some of the first ones players ever saw, and the new Purple Orange Dream Darter looks very much the same but with more vibrant color and skin.
How To Find & Tame The Purple Orange Dream Darter Hunter Pet
The Purple Orange Dream Darter spawns somewhere in the Viridescent Thicket. To tame beasts that are Dragonkin, a Hunter must have obtained the book "How To Train a Dragonkin," which is available from Kaestrasz after the character has obtained a renown of 23 with the Valdrakken Accord.
11 Oondasta
The Central Part Of The Isle Of Giants
- Expansion: Mists Of Pandaria
- Zone: Isle of Giants
- Taming: Must be a Beast Mastery Hunter of level 10 or higher.
Oondasta wears a lot of hats in World of Warcraft, and being a Hunter pet is only one of them, with impressive abilities like Crush and Piercing Roar. He's also a mount, a world boss, and there's a smaller version of him that any class can have.
How To Find & Tame The Oondasta Hunter Pet
The high demand for a badass giant dinosaur, either as a mount or a pet, has made Oondasta harder to get due to the competition. His respawn time has been reduced since he first appeared on the Isle of Giants, so players have a better chance, but they should fire up those add-ons and be prepared to wait or join a group just in case.
10 Mazzranache
The Plains Of Mulgore Near Thunder Bluff
- Expansion: Classic
- Zone: Mulgore, Kalimdor
- Taming: A low-level pet, it only requires regular beast-taming.
One of the first rare Hunter pet spawns that ever appeared in the game, Mazzranache, made the whole concept of seeking and taming rare spawns a thing. A tallstrider that's also the subject of a quest and sought-after for a twink leather chest piece, it can be difficult to find in these vast plains. Mulgore is a big place, especially at the point before most players have mounts or movement buffs.
How To Find & Tame The Mazzranache Hunter Pet
What gives this beast away is the same reason Hunters spend days looking for him. It's impossible to miss that beautiful, bright pink plumage. It looks more like a giant flamingo than a tallstrider, and since this type of beast is great for leveling anyway, it's even better with a giant pink Mazzranache.