Five Wins Or Bust
I missed a few days of battling due to being tired from being sick and still working out. Probably not too healthy but what can I say, I’m addicted to exercise. Coming home after that level of exhaustion made it impossible to pet battle, let alone blog about. Hell, I’m in the same boat today (just played basketball for over three hours) so I better get to it before I completely crash.
Battle 1: Contwerkulate
Red Dragonhawk Hatchling, Fel Flame, Blackfuse Bobmling
vs. Rapana Whelk, Chuck, Onyxian Whelpling
I was worried about all of my elemental damage against the soft countering critter but my opponent started with the snail versus my BFB. I had to cast Armageddon a round earlier than I would have liked due to a fear of being stunned by Headbutt. The BFB didn’t finish the snail but left it close enough to death for my Fel Flame to take it out. Chuck took a conflag, I swapped out of the bleeding BITW and it actually missed my dragonhawk. No Surge on Chuck meant the bonus attack from Quills was in effect and the aquatic paid for it.
Record: 1-0
Battle 2: Teeth And Paws
Darkmoon Rabbit, Darkshore Cub, Snarly
vs. Death Adder Hatchling, Mechanical Pandaren Dragonling, Emperor Crab
Yuck, what a nasty team to face. Things went just right for me so I was able to pull off the victory to my disbelief. I started my DMR against the adder. I cast Dodge first as the snake tried to sneak in a Poison Fang. Next I applied the bleed while still being unable to be hit. I swapped to Snarly who took the blind on the swap. I was hoping my opponent would stay in, they did so took a big BITW hit which “always hits when the target is bleeding”. The snake perished to a Surge after that but I still had two annoying pets to deal with. Snarly took out the Decoy from the mech dragon then died shortly after. The DMR cast Huge Sharp Teeth, Dodge then Stampede. I was worried that the mech dragon would take out the rabbit because I really needed a bleed on the crab. The rabbit took out the mech dragon and had enough hp left to survive a Surge from the crab and get the bleed up. Bash, and 800+ damage Maul then a Bite finished the crab before it could heal.
Record: 2-0
Battle 3: Party Party Party
Tiny Twister, Lil’ Bling, Macabre Marionette
vs. Lost Of Lordaeron, Celestial Dragon, Anodized Robo-Cub
This was a lot closer than I would have liked it to be. I forgot about the dragon being able to change the weather so my initial strategy got a little bit messed up. The Tiny Twister was faster than all the opposing pets so the Bashes ended up giving me three extra turns, which is a lot in a 26 rounder. The ticks from Flamethrower and Siphon Life made my weather go against work against me, which is always a possibility with lightning. The Tiny Twister gave the beefy undead a Bash on its undead round and was able to survive with around 300 hp remaining.
Record: 3-0
Battle 4: The Usuals
Spirit Crab, Robo-Chick, Scalded Basilisk Hatchling
vs. Lil’ Ragnaros, Chi-Chi, Spineclaw Crab
I don’t talk much about the P/P Spineclaw Crab because I’m afraid of it. I think it is one of the best pets around. I’ve never really talked about it because I honestly don’t want it to catch on. I’ve had more trouble with well constructed Spineclaw Crab teams than with any other pet in 5.4. This team that I just faced has some nice coverage, my team already has a weankness to flyers, there was no way I could win this without getting really lucky. I didn’t. I better try to make a counter team.
Record: 3-1
Battle 5: Blue Flag
Nexus Whelpling, Arcane Eye, Azure Whelpling
vs. Bonkers, Death Adder Hatching, Xu-Fu
Ok, now I’m annoyed. I was too lazy to come up with a new team so I just went scrolling down for something interesting. I thought Arcane Winds could help with a Magma Trap, the magic pet could eat the BITW, the Azure Whelpling might get a racialled Surge Of Power off against the crab. Then I get this team. I should make a list of pets that I hate losing to. Both Bonkers and Xu-Fu are on that list. So now I’m taking strong damage from an overrated rng pet that I hate. Not a good day for my 5.3 teams.
Record: 3-2
Battle 6: Blight Bastards
Blighted Squirrel, Fiendish Imp, Sen’Jin Fetish
vs. Pocket Reaver, Blackfuse Bombling, Darkmoon Tonk
Finally a good match-up. Too good, in fact. I made a mistake by letting the Darkmoon Tonk get a Minefield down while the mask was on the back line but I was able to overcome it due to having a strong team against all of these mechs.
Record: 4-2
Battle 7: Beige Bandits
Qiraji Guardling, Living Sandling, Direhorn Runt
vs. Nordrassil Wisp, Scorpid, Moth
This is the only Sandstorm team that I use regularly and it does pretty well (11-1 at the moment). Sleep didn’t proc so the Slicing Winds-equipped moth was worthless in the Sandstorm. The Trihorn Shield blocked a lot of the Wisp’s damage.
Record: 5-2
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I have an H/H Spineclaw, and use it way too little. I’m afraid of the P/P, as well…but for a different reason than you, Disco. I’m afraid if I use one, it’ll die in 2 rounds, lol…and I won’t get the full benefit out of it. Any thoughts?
I also severly neglect my Spineclaws, these posts just inspired me to use them a bit more this coming week. Previously I have been very wary of having pets with below 1400 Health, especially with abundant AoE around. But I still often find myself using the P/P Ravager Hatchling and that pet only has 1237 Health but I rarely find that an issue if it can get in 3 or 4 turns of damage. The Ravager though is much faster than the Spineclaw and can slow the opposing pet, and when beast racial kicks in numbers really start to fly. Essentially a glass-cannon since it has no defense other speed and powerful hits.
That being said I’m sure that unless running into Call Darkness birds the P/P spineclaw will last longer with it’s very powerful heal. I do believe you will need some kind of darkness bird defense, well at least the teams I face very very rarely field any other flying pets other than the three darkness birds. Just this week I have had lots of fun with Spectral Strike. I had my spectral tiger cub oneshot a Crow in the first round of a fight, it had cast darkness, and then it also took out a Moth using Leap to be faster and getting in another Spectral Strike during the same Darkness, that was sweet but of course things rarely go that good.
At least bring an elmental that does not get blinded, this usually screws with their plans.
One thing I just today started trying out is the Great Horned Owl. I just levelled up a H/H breed. I plan to try using it a bit like the H/H Buzzard, but since it does not have a speed increase it will not be as good as an adder hunter. But I’m planning to have it as more coverage than that. Cyclone to be able to handle decoys, Nocturnal Strike to use facing Call Darkness birds. Still respectable 1725 Health and 260 Power and speed. After two fights I have not yet been disappointed in it, but that is a really low sample.
Well, I have perhaps not been playing very well the last couple of games but I have seriously started to question my faith in the Owl.
I used to use an H/P Great Horned Owl before Predatory Strike was nerfed then on a Darkness team afterwards. Since the Dread Hatchling came out I started using that as a secondary darkness bird. If I used it again I would go with the H/H like you are doing.
The heal is powerful enough to keep it alive. I suppose it is vulnerable to burst like the P/P Emperor. Like I mentioned, it’s been hard for me to take out on a number of occasions. Plus its BITW hurts like hell.