16 new battle pets we can’t wait to collect in Shadowlands

With every new expansion, Blizzard brings us new battle pets to collect for fighting and sometimes for accompanying our characters around the World … of Warcraft. Shadowlands is no different, providing us with over 125 new pets to collect, level, or just hang out with.

Since I’m not in the beta I haven’t had a chance to interact with them in-game, but thanks to the wonderful people over at warcraftpets.com who have done a ton of work assembling the data, I was able to find the pets that I’m going to collect as soon as I can once the expansion launches.

Tranquil Wader

In real life the Great Blue Heron is my kindred spirit, and while Blizzard uses ‘crane’ interchangeably with ‘heron’ in-game — despite them being two distinct species in the real world — my headcanon is that they’re all actually herons. The Tranquil Wader is one of a few new heron pets added in Shadowlands, and can be found tagging along with other wild pets in Ardenweald. It’s an add-on pet that jumps into battle, so you won’t see it on your mini-map. As a wild pet it’s not cageable so you won’t see it on the auction house either, although other color versions like the Pearlwing Heron can be purchased.

Deepwood Leaper

Another wild pet, the Deepwood Leaper utilizes a long-eared squirrel model new to the game in Shadowlands. Like the Tranquil Wader you’ll find it in Ardenweald as an added pet. There are a few other color variations of this model, including the delightfully-named Sir Reginald.

Bound Lightspawn

Joining the plethora of elementals and manafiends of the same model, we finally get a battle pet that resembles the Lightspawn we’ve seen around and about since Legion. The Bound Lightspawn drops from the Amalgamation of Light, a rare vignette mob found in the Light-blasted section of Revendreth known as the Ember Ward. Spawning the Amalgamation is relatively easy, you just need to maneuver three mirrors to free it. However, the pet is currently a rare 4% drop so be prepared to farm.

Animated Tome

Scrivener Lenua is another vignette rare in Revendreth. When she’s available to fight, there will be Forbidden Tomes available scattered in the Banewood near the Ember Ward. Collect four of them and bring them to the Forbidden Library and she’ll engage. It is currently unknown what the drop rate of the Animated Tome is, but due to the slightly more complicated method of summoning the rare, let’s hope it’s a higher drop rate than the Bound Lightspawn.

Archivist’s Quill

Now that we have a flying book, what could be better for an aspiring writer — the game is always on the hunt for more contributors to the Steamy Romance series — than a flying quill to keep by your side? The Archivist’s Quill is the first battle pet in our list that is purchased via reputation. We’re still in Revendreth, and the faction that sells it is called the Avowed. You don’t need to be pledged to the Venthyr in order to gain reputation with the Avowed; reputation factions are independent of Covenant choice. It will require Exalted, and they also use a special currency called Sinstone Fragments to purchase it (they’re also used to complete other activities for the faction).

Stemmins

Look at the cute little one! Look at it! It’s like a little sapling and I just want to hug it and cuddle it and … ahem, sorry. Anyway, Stemmins is another reputation purchase, this time from the Court of Night in Ardenweald. Unlike the Archivist’s Quill, however, this one simply requires Friendly and only costs 250 Polished Pet Charms. There are three other colors of this new model, all equally lovable and I just have to collect them all!

Hissing Deathroach

One of three pets using a new variety of the roach model, the Hissing Deathroach can be found in Torghast. We think. Maybe. There’s honestly not much info on this fiery little guy; it and the other two varieties appear to be gained by quests, but how those quests are started and what is required to complete them has still not been ascertained.

Death Seeker

Unlike the Deathroaches, we know exactly how to acquire this awesome-looking armored flying eye: the Death Seeker is the reward for completing the achievement Twisting Corridors: Layer 2 in Torghast. You will not be able to purchase it caged, and you can only have one at a time in your pet journal. In addition, it’s the second pet (besides Baa’l) that has the Murder the Innocent pet battle ability, an ability particularly useful against pet battle bosses and elites because it ignores the inherent damage reduction mechanic.

Sable

I’m not going to lie: Vulpins are cute. Blizzard knows it too because they’re adding seven color variations in Shadowlands. And while any of the Vulpin pets could be included in this article, I’m focusing on Sable because of its acquisition. Sable is one of several pets that can be obtained regardless of which Covenant you’ve chosen, but it’s unlocked via the Sanctum mechanic within your Covenant. For example, if you’ve chosen the Necrolord Covenant, you gain access to this pet by unlocking the Abomination Factory feature and crafting Atticus.

Micromancer

A miniature undead necromancer, the Micromancer is a unique model of a battle pet. It probably won’t be easy to get — acquisition is via the dreaded paragon cache mechanic, in this particular case of the Undying Army. The reputation faction of Maldraxxus, it doesn’t require you to choose the Necrolords as your Covenant but it probably wouldn’t hurt as you’re going to be spending a good amount of time there. It can be caged though, so if you get desperate and have the gold you should be able to find it on the auction house for a hefty price before 9.1.

Jiggles

The pet version of the mount that did not win the vote last month, Jiggles (aka the Jellycat) is the first pet in this list that you have to choose a specific covenant to acquire. Reaching Renown level 27 with the Necrolords in Maldraxxus will make Jiggles available to purchase using Reservoir Anima, the common currency used to purchase cosmetics from Covenant quartermasters.

Sinheart

I think I’ve made it pretty obvious by now that I’m a sucker for odd little pets, and Sinheart may be the oddest yet: a pile of rocks and twigs animated by the sins of great souls. Makes sense to me! Anyway, its acquisition is the same as Jiggles: Renown level 27, this time with the Venthyr Covenant.

Burdened Soul

Another unique battle pet model, the Burdened Soul can be found in Secret Treasures throughout Revendreth. These Secret Treasures have various methods of accessing and opening, similar to the special chests on Argus or in Nazjatar. The current drop rate is unknown, but it can be put into a cage so there’s always the Auction House if you don’t have the luck necessary to acquire it.

Larion Pouncer

While the Vulpins are probably the cutest denizens of the Shadowlands, the Larions give them a run for their money. These winged lions of Bastion are available as mounts, Hunter pets, and, of course, battle pets. The Larion Pouncer is one of three color varieties available, although this one is a little tricky. If you played Warlock or Demon Hunter in Legion, you probably remember the Class Hall upgrade that let you summon and kill mobs in the hope of getting a drop. Well the mechanic is back with Anima Conductors, and spawning the necessary mobs requires you to be in the Kyrian Covenant and to open up Flowing Power to the Citadel of Loyalty. Doing so will let you summon and kill the rares Larionrider Orstus and Eliminator Sotirous. Note that while you need to be in the Kyrian Covenant to summon these rares, you don’t need to be in it to kill and loot them. It is currently unknown what the drop percentage is.

Lost Featherling

First revealed at the BlizzCon ’19 announcement of Shadowlands, Stewards were an immediate hit. These buff little owl dudes (sometimes referred to as swolekin) are an important part of Bastion society and as such they’re a prime candidate for battle pet status, with three different colors available. While the picture above is of Ruffle — acquired like Jiggles and Sinheart at level 27 Renown — I want to draw attention to the Lost Featherling for one simple reason: it truly is lost. We know it’s a drop in Bastion, but that’s all we know so far, so if you find it please let us know, so we can get taming!

Last but not least, the Will of Remornia

All the above pets are great, and I can’t wait to acquire them. But there’s one battle pet that rises above all of them in my mind, and this is my favorite of Shadowlands.

The Will of Remornia is a floating sword that travels alongside you! And if that’s not enough, it’s a fantastic-looking sword, one similar in model to an item that has been datamined but whose purpose and acquisition are still not quite yet known. The Will of Remornia itself we know drops from the final boss of the first raid (names redacted to protect the spoiler-free), but its drop rate is currently unknown but probably not common. Rest assured I will be farming this battle pet with all my energy because it can not be caged and therefore is only available as a drop. I just need to plan my transmog to wear alongside it now.

Header image by Buuloki of Wowhead.