In World of Warcraft Classic, managing your pet as a Hunter is crucial to maintaining its happiness, loyalty, and combat effectiveness. Feeding your pet is one of the essential tasks in pet management, ensuring it stays content and performs at its best. Here’s a detailed guide to help you feed your pet correctly and efficiently.
Learning the Feed Pet Skill
To begin feeding your pet, you must first learn the Feed Pet skill. This ability becomes available from your Hunter trainer when you reach level 10. Once learned, the skill can be found in the Beast Mastery section of your spellbook. Its icon resembles a bone-shaped biscuit, making it easy to identify.
How to Feed Your Pet
There are two primary ways to feed your pet in WoW Classic:
- Using the Feed Pet Skill: Activate the Feed Pet skill, which changes your cursor to a glowing hand. Then, click on a food item in your inventory or hotbar that matches your pet’s diet.
- Dragging Food to Your Pet: Drag the food from your inventory (not the hotbar) and drop it onto your pet’s portrait or directly onto its 3D model in the game.
If the food is acceptable, your pet will eat it with an animation and a satisfied growl. If it’s not suitable, an error message will indicate why.
Understanding Your Pet’s Diet
Each pet family has specific dietary preferences. For instance, wolves may enjoy meat, while bears might consume a mix of meat and fruit. To determine your pet’s dietary needs, check the Pet tab in your Character Info panel or use the Beast Lore ability on wild creatures.
Food compatibility isn’t just about type; the food level matters too. Pets will refuse to eat food that is significantly below their own level, generally 30 levels or more. It’s recommended to use food close to or above your pet’s level to keep it satisfied.
Where to Find Pet Food
Pet food can be sourced in various ways:
- Vendors: Many general goods vendors sell food items. For example, fruits, bread, and meat are commonly available.
- Cooking Profession: If you’re skilled in cooking, you can prepare meals for your pet using ingredients gathered through fishing or hunting.
- Drops from Creatures: Wild animals often drop meat that can be used to feed carnivorous pets.
Why Feeding Is Important
Feeding directly impacts your pet’s happiness. A happy pet deals 125% of its base damage, while an unhappy one may eventually abandon you. The pet’s happiness is indicated by a face icon next to its name: green for happy, yellow for content, and red for unhappy. To keep your pet loyal and effective in combat, ensure it’s well-fed and happy.
Special Pet Snacks
Though not essential, certain items like Kibler’s Bits or Sporeling Snacks can boost your pet’s happiness. These items don’t count as regular food but can be used to enhance your pet’s well-being in unique ways.
Tips for Feeding Your Pet Efficiently
- Keep an Inventory of Suitable Food: Always carry a stock of your pet’s preferred food type, especially when venturing into remote areas where vendors may be scarce.
- Use Add-ons for Convenience: Add-ons like Feed-O-Matic can automate feeding tasks and ensure you never miss a feeding session.
- Test Food Compatibility: If you’re unsure about a food item, try feeding it to your pet. There’s no penalty for experimenting with different food types.
Handling Food Levels
The level of food is crucial in WoW Classic. While food does not need to match your pet’s level exactly, it should be within a reasonable range. A level 10 pet, for instance, can consume high-level food, but using food too low in level may result in rejection.
To determine the level of food, check its required player level. As a general rule, the required player level is about 10 levels lower than the actual food level.
Maintaining Pet Loyalty
Loyalty is another critical factor in managing pets. A loyal pet stays with you and responds effectively in battle. Feeding your pet regularly helps increase loyalty over time. Additionally, spending time with your pet in combat strengthens the bond, ensuring it remains a dependable ally.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
- Feeding Incorrect Food: Always ensure the food matches your pet’s dietary preferences and level requirements.
- Ignoring Happiness Levels: Neglecting to feed your pet can lead to unhappiness, reduced damage, or even abandonment.
- Running Out of Food: Keep an ample supply, especially during long quests or dungeons.
By mastering the art of feeding your pet, you’ll not only maintain its happiness but also enhance its combat performance, making your adventures in WoW Classic smoother and more enjoyable.