Pets are finally coming to Hearthstone! The new cosmetic type was teased last year, and back then we didn’t really know how exactly they will look or what their scope will be. Now we do. The first pet – King Krush – is coming on July 8, included in a special event offering many other cosmetics. Good news – every player will get at least one random reward. Bad news – the chances of that reward being the pet are incredibly slim (and players will most likely have to pay big money to get it).
But let’s start with what pets actually are. They are interactive, cosmetic companions sitting in the bottom-left corner of the screen (instead of one of the board sections – maybe that’s why Blizzard deprioritized new boards?). They react to what’s happening in the game, such as taking or dealing damage and emotes. You can also pet them, feed them and play with them. You can see your opponent’s pet, and it will also react to your actions (like growl at you if you damage the enemy).
If you play with it and just use it during matches, the pet eventually levels up and unlocks new skins. What’s even cooler is that pets have different personalities and “like” different things. For example, King Krush will gain more experience from playing Rush cards. The default skin is the classic green, but you can also unlock Devilsaur, Crystal and Plush skins.
Probably the most unexpected feature is a brand new Victory/Defeat screen related to the pet you currently have. At the end of the match, pets will “teleport” you to a different place (in case of King Krush, it’s Un’Goro) and perform a cute animation. While it’s something only visible to the player, it might be a big selling point of the pets.
Also, what’s interesting is that pets can be used in most of the formats (excluding Mercenaries) – Constructed, Arena, Solo Adventures, and even Battlegrounds. All example videos in the blog post are from Constructed, but the functionality should probably be similar overall.
However, we now need to talk about pricing. Let me get this straight – pets are purely cosmetic and don’t offer any gameplay advantages. And they clearly take more work than your average skin or Diamond/Signature card to produce. But the way players can get it from the event is just… really bad, if you ask me.
King Krush is accessible only through the new Darkmoon Faire Treasures event, which sounds awful like a gacha mechanic. There are 10 rewards in total (mostly cosmetics, including new Signature/Diamond cards, card back and Hero skins), and players get first pull for free. However, the rewards are weighed – pet is, of course, the rarest one, with only 0.1% chance to get it on the first try. The most common rewards will be some Signature cards and… Golden Un’Goro card pack. Yes, a card pack.
Since you can only pull each reward once, the chances to pull King Krush will get higher and higher, but he’s weighted so low that even on your 9th pull they will only be about 7%. Of course, when he’s the only reward left (10th pull), you will guarantee. Here’s a full table with starting odds and their weights:
The catch? Pulls cost more and more. As I’ve said, the first one is free, and the next few are pretty cheap ($2 for the second, $4 for the third, $6 for the fourth). But it gets way worse the further we go. The 9th pull costs $30, and the final 10th one costs $50. Yes, $50. If you add up the cost of all pulls, you get exactly $158. While you can technically get him on the first pull, the chances are so slim (0.1%) that majority of players will have to pay more. WAY more. Even going all the way to 9th pull gives you only about 13% chance to get Krush COMBINED. So, more than likely, you will have to pay the last $50 for 10th pull.
I’m gonna be honest – I think pets look really cool, Blizzard clearly put way more work into them than I expected. But this gacha event is definitely not the way to go. Expensive, new, hyped cosmetics should NOT be tied to RNG pulls. Pet is clearly the only reward most players will want from this event and the event is structured in predatory way, so that players will have to spend more money then they would normally do.
And while some will get lucky and get it for free or only have to pay a few $ for it, sadly the majority of players will have to pay almost $160 for the first Hearthstone pet (and a bunch of other cosmetics – yes, but again, pet is clearly the main reward most of players aim for, rest is the stuff that many wouldn’t even cosnider buying). I never expected Blizzard to give them for free, and given the price of other cosmetics I knew that they aren’t going to be cheap. But I really do think that they should be offered as standalone purchase, with no RNG, so players know exactly what they’re getting and for how much from the get-go.
My overall opinion is that expensive cosmetics have their place – if high spending players want to fund the game for the rest of the playerbase, that’s great. If Blizzard can find more revenue through cosmetics and not through halting F2P progression, that’s clearly preferable. I just don’t like the way this event is structured, and that 99.9% of the players will be priced out of the cool, brand new cosmetic. I hope that future pets will be more accessible.
Anyway, that’s the end of my rant. You can read the official blog post about pets below:
The cat’s out of the bag: Pets are coming to Hearthstone! We’re excited to share all the details on how these cosmetic companions work and how to obtain one through our new random pull system, Darkmoon Faire Treasures.
Pets Are Interactive Cosmetic Companions
Let us introduce you to Hearthstone’s first collectible Pet, King Krush! This mini version of the precocious—and ferocious—green devilsaur will make for the perfect partner as we prepare to enter the Lost City of Un’Goro! The domesticated dino will chomp and roar by your side during matches, like any good caveman’s best friend would.
Pets are cosmetic creatures that will join you and your Hero on the game board during matches (Hearthstone, Battlegrounds, Arena, and Practice). Your feisty little friend will react to gameplay as you make a big move or suffer a devastating blow.
When your hero emotes, your Pet will mimic your mood. All six emotes prompt your Pet to respond with a unique animation and audio cue. For example, greet your opponent and King Krush will give them a wave, or deliver a threat to hear him let out a growl.
Can you pet the Pet? Of course you can! Give your Pet some personal attention by petting it, feeding it a treat, or playing with it using an interactive toy. Pet King Krush until he starts to growl and wag his tail in dino-delight. Watch King Krush get excited when you bring him a tasty treat. Find out just how strong King Krush’s bite is as you play tug-of-war with his favorite Murloc chew toy.
End your games in style! Pet owners will enjoy a first in Hearthstone history: when a game ends, your Pet will take you to a new endgame screen where they’ll celebrate your victory or lighten the mood after a tough loss. Regardless of whether you win or lose, your Pet will always be there by your side.
Best of all, this is a Pet you’ll never have to clean up after!
Play with Your Pet to Unlock New Skins
Change your Pet’s look! As you interact with your Pet and play games, it will gain experience points that level it up and unlock new skins. Different Pets like to see different things during matches, so each one will gain experience in their own unique way. Let’s just say that King Krush is a big fan of Rush cards!
King Krush looks mean and green with his Classic Krush starter skin. Unlock three additional skins as he levels up: Devilsaur Krush, Crystal Krush, and King Plush.
Come One, Come All to the Darkmoon Faire!
To get King Krush, and other collectible cosmetics, visit the Darkmoon Faire’s newest attraction—Darkmoon Faire Treasures. Here, you can claim wondrous treasures, and all items up for grabs are part of a themed collection of curated rewards for Hearthstone cosmetic enthusiasts—and the first pull is free!
When the Faire visits the Tavern, the Treasures booth displays 10 magical items unlike anything you’ve seen before, such as brand-new Signature cards, unique Hero skins, and an excitable Pet raring to meet its new owner.
Here’s what’s available in the debut collection inspired by the deadly dinosaurs and fabled explorers of the Lost City of Un’Goro:
Pet – King Krush
Diamond Legendary Card – Niri of the Crater x 1
Signature Legendary Card – Opu the Unseen x 1
Hero Skin Set – Aegwynn Mage Hero Skin and Card Back
Signature Epic Cards – Creature of the Sacred Cave x 2
Hero Skin – Field Researcher Elise Druid Hero Skin
Signature Rare Cards – Volcanic Thrasher x 2
Card Back – Clever GIrl x 1
The Lost City of Un’Goro Golden Card Pack x 1
Signature Common Cards – Questing Assistant x 2
These items will be available during the Darkmoon Faire’s stay at the Tavern from July 8 at 10 a.m. PT to July 29 at 10 a.m. PT. Every time the Faire comes around, there will be a fresh selection of treasures that may include a new Pet, Mythic Hero Skin, and other curious collectibles.
How It Works
At the Darkmoon Faire, everyone’s a winner! Your first pull at the Treasures stall is free of charge. Just press the button and receive one random item from the prize pool. After that, the cost increases with each additional pull. Learn more about Darkmoon Faire Treasure pricing.
Every time you pull, you’ll receive another treasure from the remaining items on display. That’s right: no dupes, no duds! Each pull guarantees a reward, and every reward is always a brand-new cosmetic, aside from the Golden Card Pack.
The rarer a reward, the less likely you will get it until closer to the end—but every item, including the Pet and Diamond Legendary, is always a potential prize. And if you want the full set, you can get all 10 items in exactly 10 pulls. Read more details on Darkmoon Faire Treasures pulls and odds.
We can’t wait for you to explore the enchanted relics and arcane delights of Darkmoon Faire Treasures. As with all new features, we look forward to hearing your feedback to ensure it feels fun and rewarding for collectors.
And for those who add King Krush to their collection, know that he’s surprisingly well-behaved for a dinosaur—just don’t forget to pet him.
Darkmoon Faire Treasures is not available to players under the age of 18 in certain regions. Battle.net Account required to access.
Keep up with all of the latest Hearthstone news and content on the Hearthstone website and social media. Good luck, have fun, and we’ll see you in the Tavern!
A Hearthstone player and writer from Poland, Stonekeep has been in a love-hate relationship with Hearthstone since Closed Beta. Over that time, he has achieved many high Legend climbs and infinite Arena runs. He's the current admin of Hearthstone Top Decks.
I don’t know about most players, but I’m certainly NOT hoping to pull a pet. I don’t care about pets and even if I get one, all I hope is that there’s a way to disable it. I want the golden pack. Everything else is useless cosmetic stuff. I’m not paying a cent in this event so I’ll get one roll for a golden pack at 28% odds and that’s fine.
I agree 100%. I only want the golden pack, too and because I don’t want the pet, I’ll probably end up getting it. All the cosmetic junk on Hearthstone is a money grab that doesn’t affect how the game is played other than wondering who you’re playing because there are too many skins.
I’m one of the few people who got the pet. You can’t disable it (I really wish you could). I might just quit ranked completely. Also, the sounds it makes during the game is annoying as hell.
God dammit Blizzard. You make cool stuff and price it way out of what is reasonable. There must be some kind of evidence that says they’ll make more money by aiming stuff at the wales and going high with the price rather than lowering it and catching more people. I just wish that wasn’t the case.
It’s funny to me that people moan about Mario Kart being $80…and that’s a full blown entire game.
> Also, what’s interesting is that pets can be used in any format – including Battlegrounds. All example videos in the blog post are from Constructed, but the functionality should probably be similar overall.
I edited the “any format” part, I completely forgot that Mercenaries exists (and the official blog post doesn’t mention it at all). We’ll have to see in practice, but I honestly doubt it. It’s a dead mode so any amount so I wouldn’t expect any amount of support 🙁
I don’t know about most players, but I’m certainly NOT hoping to pull a pet. I don’t care about pets and even if I get one, all I hope is that there’s a way to disable it. I want the golden pack. Everything else is useless cosmetic stuff. I’m not paying a cent in this event so I’ll get one roll for a golden pack at 28% odds and that’s fine.
I agree 100%. I only want the golden pack, too and because I don’t want the pet, I’ll probably end up getting it. All the cosmetic junk on Hearthstone is a money grab that doesn’t affect how the game is played other than wondering who you’re playing because there are too many skins.
I’m one of the few people who got the pet. You can’t disable it (I really wish you could). I might just quit ranked completely. Also, the sounds it makes during the game is annoying as hell.
Now my pet is gone. Doesn’t show up anywhere. Must be another bug.
God dammit Blizzard. You make cool stuff and price it way out of what is reasonable. There must be some kind of evidence that says they’ll make more money by aiming stuff at the wales and going high with the price rather than lowering it and catching more people. I just wish that wasn’t the case.
It’s funny to me that people moan about Mario Kart being $80…and that’s a full blown entire game.
So… More you spend, more miserable you become. And if you don’t put money at all, you just feel bad. Great desing! xD
I want everything but the golden pack, diamond card, and the pet.
And I fully agree, let us buy what we want directly, and don’t force us into gacha.
> Also, what’s interesting is that pets can be used in any format – including Battlegrounds. All example videos in the blog post are from Constructed, but the functionality should probably be similar overall.
I wonder if that includes Mercenaries.
I edited the “any format” part, I completely forgot that Mercenaries exists (and the official blog post doesn’t mention it at all). We’ll have to see in practice, but I honestly doubt it. It’s a dead mode so any amount so I wouldn’t expect any amount of support 🙁