possible RaF rewards will be unobtainable pets

[Farnzworth]

copied from wowhead news.

Several cute pets that were unobtainable except for brief promotions on Asian servers are now marked as being from Recruit-a-Friend on the 5.4.1 PTR!

A blue post last week stated that the upcoming RAF program will have even more reward options, so maybe these are some of the new rewards in addition to the Emerald Hippogryph tied to Friends In Places Even Higher Than That.

Some new UI elements are up on the PTR as well--it looks like you'll be able to invite friends to RAF from directly in-game and choose your reward.

Golden Pig Coin teaches Golden Pig: Critter, Breed 7 H/P. Hoof, Crouch, Uncanny Luck, Diseased Bite, Buried Treasure, Headbutt. This was formerly available on Chinese servers in 2008 for the New Year's Celebration.

Silver Pig Coin teaches Silver Pig: Critter, Breed 7 H/P. Hoof, Crouch, Uncanny Luck, Diseased Bite, Buried Treasure, Headbutt. This was formerly available on Chinese servers in 2008 for the New Year's Celebration.

Jade Tiger: Magic, Breed 3 B/B. Jade Claw, Rake, Devour, Pounce, Jadeskin, Prowl. This was a gift to players on Chinese servers after the servers had been offline for several months.

Zipao Tiger: Magic, Breed 6 H/H. Onyx Bite, Rake, Devour, Pounce, Stoneskin, Prowl. This was formerly a Taiwanese server promotion pet.

"It’s been a while since we’ve updated the Recruit-A-Friend program, but the time has come once again to close the doors for a bit and do a little remodeling. On Tuesday, October 15, we’ll be temporarily shutting down new Recruit-a-Friend sign-ups. Don’t worry though—the program will be back (and better than ever) before you know it.

While we don’t have an official date to share regarding the release of the updated Recruit-A-Friend (RAF) program, those whose accounts are already linked are not affected by this, and any unclaimed rewards will be redeemable once the program starts up again. You’ll also be happy to learn that the current reward will still be available when the Recruit-A-Friend program returns—in fact, players who participate in the upcoming program will have even more reward options available to them. We’ll have more details for you at a future point in time." ---- Blue post

Please i hope this is real. i dont care about the mounts but a pet!!! yes!!! any thoughts

[Gilneas]

I was speculating that might be the case, since they were looking for a way to get those on US servers and we all ready knew the Zhevra and rocket were coming back.

[Quintessence]

My only hope is that this won't cost an arm and a leg for collectors who recruit themselves (just for the pets). The idea seems promising, though!

[Dragonwizard]

On one hand this is absolutely great news. I mean finally a way to get those pets that have been unobtainable prior to this. But on the other hand, $#%^*!&$ you blizzard for making me (yeah I know they are not making me do anything) have to find a way to do RAF 15 (16 if they do add that new dog pet to RAF) times.

[Dragonwizard]

As long as the cost of the RAF doesn't change then the actual cost of this if you did it all yourself is this.

Normal RAF cost
+ $20 for each Starter game bundle
+ $30 for 2 months game time
- $15 due to your main account getting a free month of game time
--------------------
$35 total cost per RAF



Sale RAF cost
+ $10 for each Starter game bundle (on sale)
+ $30 for 2 months game time
- $15 due to your main account getting a free month of game time
--------------------
$25 total cost per RAF


So if you wait until Blizzard has their usual sale then to get all 4 pets it will cost you $100. It will be $125 if they make it 5 pets with the 4 event pets + the new Dog pet that is rumored to be part of RAF. But if they add all 15 of the unobtainable region specific pets and that new dog then you are looking at $400 (for US peeps at least).

[Dakaf]

Do you have to actually buy the client every time? I havent done the program yet, but I thought that since I had the software, I would only really need to buy the time.

[Gilneas]

Normal RAF cost
+ $20 for each Starter game bundle
+ $30 for 2 months game time
- $15 due to your main account getting a free month of game time
--------------------
$35 total cost per RAF



Sale RAF cost
+ $10 for each Starter game bundle (on sale)
+ $30 for 2 months game time
- $15 due to your main account getting a free month of game time
--------------------
$25 total cost per RAF

This is assuming that the program is unchanged. They've indicated its getting a revamp, so I don't think its safe to assume it will be the same as always until they make that announcement.

So if you wait until Blizzard has their usual sale then to get all 4 pets it will cost you $100. It will be $125 if they make it 5 pets with the 4 event pets + the new Dog pet that is rumored to be part of RAF. But if they add all 15 of the unobtainable region specific pets and that new dog then you are looking at $400 (for US peeps at least).

Based on these pets, I'm dubious that the St Bernard will be RaF and not the Pet Store, unless its classification changed in the journal this build. Also seems unlikely that they'd re-introduce all 15 non-US pets via the RaF. They want to make them available but I suspect they will use different avenues to make that possible (assuming they even bring back all 15).

[Dragonwizard]

This is assuming that the program is unchanged. They've indicated its getting a revamp, so I don't think its safe to assume it will be the same as always until they make that announcement.

That is a good point. I added a blurb about as long as the cost doesn't change into my original post.

Based on these pets, I'm dubious that the St Bernard will be RaF and not the Pet Store, unless its classification changed in the journal this build. Also seems unlikely that they'd re-introduce all 15 non-US pets via the RaF. They want to make them available but I suspect they will use different avenues to make that possible (assuming they even bring back all 15).

That makes sense. I can see them making the St Bernard a store pet and hopefully they do add the other unobtainable pets another way and just keep the RAF the 4 pets mentioned in the OP.

[Gilneas]

Also, quoting someone from the official forums on the topic:

Wouldn't be shocked if they lumped the Pigs together and the Tigers together as rewards - they usually don't value mounts and pets on a 1:1 basis, it's usually somewhat closer to a 1:2 basis (see: blizzard pet store).

Sounds pretty logical.

[Ryazan]

Sigh, I hoped this wouldn't happen buuuuuuuuut.... I'm gonna need more email accounts... :D

[Mehetabel]

Good grief, I already have THREE accounts . . .

I might actually have to find some real people who I can get hooked this time around . . .

[Maizing]

Good grief, I already have THREE accounts . . .

I might actually have to find some real people who I can get hooked this time around . . .

LOL... I have FIVE accounts myself (2 active, the other 3 inactive). I have found it useful to have 5 accounts at times (for example: if i want to make a new alt guild, all I have to do is activate the inactive accounts... which I can do every 6+ months for free via the Mists 10-day trial... and I have the 5 signatures I need for the charter), but I wasn't willing to make a sixth account just for another mount (and I really wish that I had known what they were going to do with mounts and pets when I got the last of my accounts and claimed a second rocket so both my active accounts would have one). I may have to rethink this if they add pets to the RAF program.

Do you have to actually buy the client every time? I havent done the program yet, but I thought that since I had the software, I would only really need to buy the time.

Yes. Each account requires a separate purchase of the client... basically, what you are actually buying is the key to activate the account (they give the program away for free).

[Ishildur]

Oh dear, well I guess it's time to buy some more game time cards... there's no way I'm keeping that many accounts or doing that all at once. Hm, although I could let one of them lapse and then scroll of resurrection it for that mount...

So glad for the Zipao Tiger, I've wanted that ever since I saw it.

[Avalee]

So if you wait until Blizzard has their usual sale then to get all 4 pets it will cost you $100.

Really not that expensive. Just Murkablo is more than that.

But how does all of this work? Do I need to install 4 starter editions? How do I stop with using (and paying) these 4 accounts? Do I actually need to play them? Like make a character and level it up a bit or can I just ignore them?
Do I need to keep those accounts around or else these pets may disappear?
Can I activate all 4 at once or would that be considered suspicious?

[Jettemakaron]

So if you wait until Blizzard has their usual sale then to get all 4 pets it will cost you $100.

Really not that expensive. Just Murkablo is more than that.

But how does all of this work? Do I need to install 4 starter editions? How do I stop with using (and paying) these 4 accounts? Do I actually need to play them? Like make a character and level it up a bit or can I just ignore them?
Do I need to keep those accounts around or else these pets may disappear?
Can I activate all 4 at once or would that be considered suspicious?

U only need to have 1 game client installed.
Just log into your account/accounts and manage them online.
No u dont need to keep them around.
U can activate as many accounts as u want.

[Maizing]

But how does all of this work? Do I need to install 4 starter editions? How do I stop with using (and paying) these 4 accounts? Do I actually need to play them? Like make a character and level it up a bit or can I just ignore them?
Do I need to keep those accounts around or else these pets may disappear?
Can I activate all 4 at once or would that be considered suspicious?

U only need to have 1 game client installed.
Just log into your account/accounts and manage them online.
No u dont need to keep them around.
U can activate as many accounts as u want.

Additional info:
You can buy game time cards or purchase game time directly from the Blizzard store (so you don't need to set up a recurring subscription). You do need to pay for 2 months subscription to get the RAF reward (at least that is how it worked with previous rewards). Bonus for paying for the subscription time this way... you get the reward immediately (instead of having to wait for the months to roll by if the account is on a recurring subscription)... and the only thing that really matters to Blizzard is the payment for the license and the subscription time.

You can have up to 8 licenses bound to a single battle.net account... though you can (of course) make additional battle.net accounts. Note: if you bind the new accounts to your current battle.net account, a drop down box will be added to the launcher that will give you the option to log into any of those accounts when you log into the game. While the drop down box is not obtrusive, if you don't want it added to your launcher, you might want to make a new battle.net account rather than adding the new licenses to your current one (especially if you don't plan to ever use them and won't even be logging in and making a character).

[Mizix]

Uhm, dumb question maybe, but: will these new RAF-pets be US only or EU too? Because I want them too, and I have been trying to hook a friend back in WOW for a few months now... May as well tell her to wait a little longer