Posted by pixiestixy on Monday, July 6th, 2009 - 34 Comments
Tags: alpha worg, ancient grimtotem spirit guide, arena, beast, blue post, bug, exploit, game mechanics, garwal, hotfix, howling fjord, humanoid, Hunter, mania's arcade, pet, tame, worg, worgen, wotlk
UPDATE 7/7/09
Wow, I figured this would be fixed, but I didn’t think it would come quite this quick. Mania’s Arcade now is reporting that the Worgen can no longer be tamed, and those that already have been tamed are somewhat useless. It was a good show while it lasted!
Earlier:
This past weekend was a great one for hunters everywhere as word spread about a newly discovered way to tame a Worgen - WoW’s version of a werewolf-like, badass humanoid creature. It turns out that with just the right timing (described in detail at Mania’s Arcade) you can tame Garwal, an NPC in northern Howling Fjord who gives out the quest Alpha Worg (in both Horde and Alliance versions). He has both a worg (beast) and a worgen form, and you have to tame him at just the right time to make sure you get to keep him as a worgen.
And once you’ve gone through the trials of claiming the worgen pet, you then have to be careful in order to keep him. You shouldn’t, for example, risk certain activities like bringing him out in an arena, lest risk his return to worg form.
Now the big question - will Blizzard allow this game exploit/bug/awesomeness to stay in the game? All this excitement over an unexpected new pet reminds me of a similar situation with the Ancient Grimtotem Spirit Guide, who once upon a time in late 2007 / early 2008 was tameable. Similar to this time around, there was a ton of activity on the official hunter forums about the new addition to the pet kingdom. First, a blue poster for WoW Europe said the bug would not be removed. A couple weeks later, a separate post on the US forums informed us that the ability had been removed through a hotfix.
With this in mind, it seems unlikely that the worgen will remain as a pet, now matter how many petitions you sign. In fact, I’d say that all the attention the topic is receiving through blogs and the forums may just hasten Blizzard’s response. But, there is some good news. If you’re able to claim him quickly enough, I would say that chances are good you’ll get to keep him. Any non-hunters who are trying to complete the Alpha Worg quest in the meantime may just have to put up with some serious competition! Also something to keep in mind - not everyone is happy with being able to tame a worgen. But I’m keeping my positive stance until I hear a good reason beyond jealously because you’ve already turned in that quest and can’t go back to redo it (Yeah, I know it sucks. But at least some people can partake in the fun - I’m all for that).
I’ve had a great time sorting through the dozens of threads that have spawned up as a result of the whole situation. Everything from what to name your new pet worgen (my fave submissions - ManBearPig, Sirius, GonnaGetDeleted) to what other creatures players wish they could tame (griffons and zhevras are high on my list). It also makes me want to log on to my lowly level 19 hunter in the Project Lore fan guild and start pumping her up. It’s a race against the clock!
So what does everyone else think of this recently discovered game mechanic? Have any of you hunters gone out and tamed a worgen yet, or have most of you already completed that quest? For those of you who have successfully tamed the worgen, are you hopeful that you’ll be able to keep him?
Related Posts: Hunter, BlizzCon 2009: What’s Up, Worgen?, BlizzCon 2009: Important Changes to Hunters and Warlocks, BigRedKitty: Baby Hunter 4, BlizzCon 2009: Worgen Hands-On Preview,
By some nooby guy on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 11:19 am
first?
By HerofTime on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Thats sounds cool. Blizzard’s tiny oversight may just let us have a bit MORE fun. If I hadnt completed the quest I would definitely go back and attempt to tame him. Well, good luck to those that do tame him. I hope you can keep your new silver-hating friend.
By Arassar on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 11:41 am
This’ll get hotfixed this week, count on it.
By cocopuff on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 11:52 am
hmmm i wonderr how this would work
By some nooby guy on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
this is a message to all “first comment” hater’s
i didnt want to make the first post this time but i coucdt resist it was like the coments took controll oever my body i coudndt stop it and when i finaly made myself back away from the computer then it was already too late.
i tell you this: people maybe dont know what they are doing when they make those “first comments”
HELP THE COMMENTERS BY NOT COMPLAINING
if you have bothered reading to here then you have to go outside.
By Wonocva on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I have a hunter, but no way I’ll power level him from 7 to around 70 in time.
I suppose it looks cool, but lorewise Worgen are actually supposed to be an intelligent, at least decently, race from another dimension summoned here by Arugal. Because they are decently intelligent, I highly doubt they’d allow themselves to be tamed, similar to how higher demons can’t be “summoned” as a pet, just enslaved for a short period of time.
I do admit it looks cool, but in the long run I’d MUCH rather PLAY the Worgen as a race, Horde or Alliance, or neutral, I could honestly care less, than tame them as a pet.
By Ashecroft on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
I managed to tame mine the other night. Took me over an hour to time it perfectly. Atm now Im currently recording a video for youtube with him as the main attraction. My little Zen’aku will have his time to shine ^^
By tess on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Doesn’t taming a humanoid amount to slavery?
By Dalkurth on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Im good without this pet. I got my Spirit Beast (Loque’Nahak) yesterday, 15 minutes after getting another hunter the blue bird, Aotona. Hows that for luck
By Sathas on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
I have an 80 hunter that hasn’t completed the quest… but I’m too lazy,
By morfius on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
i got one of these worgens on my second attempt at taming, sick pet to have. I named mine Porkchop
By Dan on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
WoW I need to find out if I have done this quest line or not. i can’t remember.
By awesomedude on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
ive tamed it on my 80 first attempt yay me! i named mine rarepet
By Agadax on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 12:19 am
I got mine this evening and I’m stoked.
I was put off when I got to the last quest in the chain and found a group of 3 alliance hunters camping the spawn point for Garwal. Fortunately, they not only refrained from ganking my ass to high heaven, they even charaded that they were taking turns on the respawns and that I could join the queue. So after 30 mins of /cry and /sorry with some allies and an odd feeling of comradery, I managed to time my Tame Beast perfectly and walked away with a new worgen pet to the cheers and congratulations from my fellow hunters.
Not only is it an awesome-looking pet, but it was a strange yet appreciated experience working towards the goal with some alliance that were there for the same reason as myself and not thirsting for each others blood.
Congrats to everyone who nabbed a worgen. Pretty please to blizzard in hopes that they’ll let us keep the pets as is, even if they fix the bug. Finally, good hunting and thanks to those alliance hunters with whom I shared that special moment.
By bloodhunter on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 2:46 am
hey im a level 70 hunter hopeing to tame it but im dumb at the game any hunters that have it wanna help me please im on the relm draka
By oaky on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Blizzard wouldn’t have put it tameable if they didn’t want anyone to tame it like the Frostsaber in Winterspring…
Does it say what Spec it can be? Tanacity ?Feroicty?
I already did the quest unfortently
By oaky on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 9:43 am
he looks badass tho
By SaintGermain on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 11:31 am
HOT FIXED at 10:30 PDT 7.7.09
The mob is not longer tameable in either form…
damn
By SaintGermain on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Correction 11:30 AM PDT
By SaintGermain on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 11:32 am
damn… right when I was doing the tameing
By Díana on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Got him yesterday, and WAS working fine, played with him morning of tuesday 7th July, all fine, logged out untill this evening, no longer works..mostly. He’s still a pet, I can still mostly command him, but cant feed or change abilities, says i dont have a pet. Suckage, major major suckage. Looks like this is just for show now.
By Skaedi on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
really weird, I tried to tame for like 5 times and didn’t work, even when he is still a wolf, it says that he isn’t tamable….
By evilnancyreagan on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
There is a lot of debate over whether Blizzard will revert previously tamed worgens into worg form retroactively or not. Blizzard’s solution to similar situations involving typically untamable creatures becoming hunter pets (i.e. the famous spirit wolf, hydras and crocoslimes) was to fix the error which allowed a hunter to tame the creature but, allowing hunters to keep any instance of the creature tamed prior to the hotfix.
However, this situation is unique from the other cases in the past. Spirit wolves, hydras and even confused slimes can (with some small stretch of the imagination) be rationalized as being domesticated by a hunter. The difference here is that Worgen are for all intent and purpose, humanoid. To draw a parallel, imagine a hunter taming furbolgs, murlocs, gnolls, tuskarr or even Mekgineer Thermaplugg for that matter. So, you can see why Blizzard may have an issue with this. I admit, being able to conscript a Wolvar (or other humanoid creatures) as a companion for a fee would be a fun feature to include in the future (remember the mercenaries in Diablo II?) I think that a hunter subjugating sentient humanoids truly conflicts with a lot of the in-game lore. That is unless you are Swamplord Musel’ek of course.
Even as far back as vanilla WoW many people have speculated seeing the Worgen as a playable race sometime in the future and I think the way Blizzard handles this situation maybe some indication to whether or not this will come to pass. But hell, if hunters get to keep their worgen minions AND Blizzard decides to introduce the Worgen as a playable race, players rolling Worgen better get a racial ability that allows them to consume Kibler’s Bits, nuff said.
By Hatell on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
First time I saw this was a couple nights ago (7-2-09) when a hunter in Naxx 25 pulled him out. I seriously thought it was because of the talent spec some people go for the (more annoying pets IMO) special pets. Then I heard it all over trade when I turned it back on for a few to find an enchanter. XD
By Joe on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
I love this pet I tamed it on my third try about 3 days ago. And today I’m going to be taking it to my guilds naxx run.
By Joe on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Well this is an edit to my post above, I log in today to find that the worgen has been hot fixed. He is still there but has no talent tree or and buffs as in his HP is 5000 when it should be close to 12k
By unknown on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I am so mad
I would enjoy at least have it, but today, I came home, and when I knew about the wargon I entered the game and di the quests, when I’m about to tame it: cannot be tamed. I was so angry……”damn you….damn you all to hell!”
By Blizzard Lizzard on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Blizzard is acting like a little baby. The bug was created by the developers. Perhaps they should hire qualified people to do the job right. They made a mistake and did not cover all the bases otherwise this would not have happened.
Hunters stick together and cancel game play for one week = Millions of dollars that wow will misout on revenue.
Baby Blizzard stated in BLUE POST;
CRY CRY CRY, “we dont want hunters to have Worgen as pets” This is the reason whether you find it reasonable or not”
By wat on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Blizzard Lizzard your the one acting like a little baby.
By unknown on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 7:26 am
In a way, yes, Blizzard is acting a little babyish, but, that was a bug wasn’t it?The only thing I do not understand is why they make hunters ‘’suffer”, they can have they’re worgon, but they can’t feed him, use abilitys, etc…did they do the same with the ooze?the gost wolf?The Nagas????I mean, Blizzard say that hunters aren’t supposed to have a worgon because it’s a humanoid, then, can someone please explain to me what are the Nagas???
By smelt on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 8:19 am
hmm.. i learned of this a few days ago, and been a lazy hunter i had never done teh quest.. so i up and tamed him .. then 2 other guild hunters tamed him too, was imba and the best pet in the game but alas yesterday during a raid and a wipe he lost all his talents i coul dnot feed him but still can attack things.
i realy hope they let us keep him, its boring seeing only wolves ( still pref them to worgs as they have better animation) and as not many hunters will be able to get him due to them already doing the quest, and they allowed others to keep there special pets.
so what about the whole “salver” thing.. many of teh tamable npc chars are inteligent beasts and a hunter pet is ment to be a companion, plus a werewolf is still a beast, just one that stands on 2 legs.
By Alphius on Thursday, July 9th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
OK so i am a level 80 Night Elf hunter on Smolderthorn.
I completed 90 quests in Howling Fjord but some how missed this 5 quest chain… =) Happy as a pig in slop.
It’s Sunday July 5th. I go over there and complete the first 4 quests and after about 5-6 attempts, I tame my worgen. I am exstatic! I name him Lucian. Wow he has all of the abilities my pet wolf Roscoe has but looks 1000 times cooler. So i begin leveling him. Got him from 75-78 grinding some lvl 80 mobs. My guild needed some eternal fires so i thought 2 birds with 1 stone. So far so good. Its Monday and we are finishing up Ulduar 25 so I stable him as he is not yet lvl 80 and bring my level 80 wolf. Its Tuesday, patch day and i come home from work hoping that i still have him. As i log in I’m in Dalaran and low and behold Lucian appears by my side so im pleased… but whats this?
No pet talent tree and thus no pet special abilities.
No growl No cower No nothing…whats more? He now has about 5600 health at level 78. Are u serious? Oh and i can’t feed him either so i guess if not for the mend pet glyph he would leave on his own eventually.
And for those of you who claim “it fit the category of slavery” first he did not have a single ability more than what my wolf had and second he does not ever walk around on 2 feet but rather runs around on all fours. he only stands on 2 feet when he stands still. In addition there are WoW hunter pets that have no legs (snakes etc) 2 legs (striders etc) 4 legs (cats etc) and 8 legs (crabs etc.) Even a hundred legs (Jormungars) the amount of legs a pet has is irrelevent.
Blizzard is gay for nerfing him so badly that he is almost pointless to own at this point. Can u say buffed vanity pet? as i wouldnt use him for anything besides show and at this point im actually considering abandoning him to regain my WASTED stable slot.
By Bucketface on Friday, July 10th, 2009 at 11:22 am
The wolf IS A WOLF!! Hunters can interacte and tame wolfs because they are part of nature, and a worg isnt any different.
I JUST WANT A WORG!!
By Marc on Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 at 5:27 pm
On Monday July 6 I had a werewolf as a pet through a truly honest to God mistake, that made a world of incredible imagery go WOW. Like the Spirit wolf it was an achievement through virtue of its inconceivability to attain. Sure it had no talents, special skills or a shred of happiness or functionality; but it was a rare thing that many would hear about and fewer still would see. It was Beautiful.
On July 21 the werewolf pet became extinct, replaced by a normal wolf with approved talents and the standard “special” skills. Its unique presence gone the way of the Dinosaurs. It’s just a regular pet or an enemy that’s just like the rest. Like a fossil the experience is limited.
Blizzard was well within its right to do what it did. Like in the “Matrix Reloaded” it happened upon a mistake and then limited the ghosts and removed the werewolves.
I’ve been playing on WOW since year one, was never a heavy duty player but someone who wanted to play for fun. It was fun to have a pet like that, and was as close to a real RPG game experience a game like WOW ever got for me, because it was a mistake. When pet worgens got nerfed the first time it didn’t bother me, but when they took away what it was a scene from “Pirates of the Caribean At Worlds End” lingered in my mind.
As Jack and Barbosa look upon the dead Kraken.
Barbosa: The World’s becoming a smaller place
Jack: No…just less in it
I had a pet werewolf…I Called him Noble