Project Lore

As you may have read, one of the new pets slated to be included with patch 3.2.2 is the Pandaren Monk. This miniature kung-fu fighter remains the only in-game implementation of the ursine race. Though they once held an ancient empire in the center of Kalimdor, the Pandaren race have since hidden themselves away in the uncharted regions of Azeroth. Will they one day return en masse? My guess is only when their home is threatened by some massive, outside force. But despite their isolationist tendencies, some Pandaren evidently find their way to the main continents, not entirely unlike Twoflower on vacation. The only thing I know for sure is that I wish Blizzard would stop teasing us about it! More data-mining goodness from over at MMO-Champion has revealed the Monk's intricate martial artistry, and it is only making the wait even harder:

I have to admit that I'm really loving the animations here, and I hope its a preview of things to come way down the road. Not including Pandaren at this point is like not including the Cow Level in Diablo II, it would just be cruel not to! Besides, next to stealthy-roguey-assassination types, my favorite kind of class to play is a hand-to-hand fighter, and that's something that World of Warcraft is sorely lacking at this point.

If you're wondering how you can get your mitts on this pint-sized pugilist, well, we still don't know just yet. There's no specific indication as to where the Monk might drop, and it doesn't appear to be one of the trading card game's new loot cards, either. We here at Project Lore will let you know when we hear something about it. Here's to hoping that it's not a region-specific gift!

Obviously, we're pretty excited about the Pandaren Monk, but what about the rest of you? Knowing how cool the animations are and how rare it will likely be, no doubt this will be one of the most sought-after pets in the game! Is it worth going out of your way to get one for yourself?

Click to read more ...

As per usual, Boubouille of MMO-Champion has been doing his fair share of digging in the game files, and the last PTR update has revealed some interesting new pets to add to your collection. They're so nauseatingly adorable, that even Elmyra would think twice about snatching up these little guys. Below is the list of cuddle-bums you pet freaks out there will no doubt be scouring the far corners of Azeroth for when 3.2.2 goes live (note: some of these were listed in last week's patch notes update):

• Cute pets... nature's defense against jerks and cynics! Onyxia Whelpling: Most of you already know about this one. It will be available to anyone who logs in during the 2-3 week period that Blizzard considers World of Warcraft's 5th anniversary in November.
• Zipao Tiger: The interwebs tells me that "Zi Pao" is both a kind of purple jade and a style of traditional Chinese carving. The look of the pet certainly seems to fit the color description, but I'm unsure how the tiger fits into the world or where it might come from. Could this have something to do with the impending relaunch of the game in China? A good-will present perhaps?
• Wind Rider Cub: A miniature version of the Horde's flying mount du jour.
• Gryphon Hatchling: A miniature version of the Alliance's flying mount du jour.
• Spectral Tiger Cub: Available only by obtaining a loot card from the upcoming "Scourgewar" trading card game expansion, the vanity version of the very rare Spectral Tiger Mount will no doubt be in similarly large demand!
• Pandaren Monk: This one has kind of come out of left field. Blizzard likes to joke about Pandaren in Warcraft as much as they do about the Cow Level in Diablo, and yet neither is a complete farce (there was a hidden, and very challenging Cow Level in Diablo II). The only in-game representation of the bear-like race so far has been a quest associated with famed brewmaster, Chen Stormstout. Well, at least until now. They may not be playable, and it doesn't mean you're going to start seeing NPCs popping up around Azeroth, but you can have finally have a mini-Pandaren of your very own.
• Lil' KT: Only Blizzard could be capable of making an Arch Lich into a cute, cuddly little pet. That's right. The "KT" stands for the one-and-only Master of Naxxramas, himself -- Kel'Thuzad. Like most of the others, it's currently unknown when or where this one drops.
• Core Hound Pup: Nothing cuter than a tiny, two-headed dog that spews lava all over your shoes, is there? I wonder if you can carry them around in your Gigantique bag.

So there you have it. It seems that with each new patch or expansion, the cadre of available vanity pets continues to grow by leaps and bounds. It makes you wonder why Blizzard hasn't implemented some sort of Pokemon-esque battling game with them yet. "Grunty the Murloc Marine, I CHOOSE YOU!" Anyway, which of these new pets are you readers looking forward to the most?

Click to read more ...