Be sure to check out this month's
feature on the Mechanical Pandaren Dragonling!
How Do You Use Your Mechanical Pandaren Dragonling?
The [pet]Mechanical Pandaren Dragonling[/pet] (commonly referred to as 'MPD') is kind of an odd case. Unlike other showstopping pets, the MPD doesn't have a single ability or combo that makes it OP. With pets like [pet]Chrominius[/pet], you can look at [ability]Howl[/ability] and understand immediately why that pet is a favorite, but the popularity of the MPD is a bit tougher to target.
In a vacuum, its abilities are decent, maybe even a bit ho-hum. Sure, you have the asset of the off-family filler [ability]Breath[/ability], [ability]Decoy[/ability] as a solid dodge, and most of its other moves are alright too. The Dragonling has a 309 speed stat, fairly high for mechanical pets, and that certainly helps. That Mechanical family passive ability (resurrect on death) on a fast pet is a big deal, especially combo'ed with that Decoy dodge. [ability]Thunderbolt[/ability] is also a factor, with middling AOE toward the beginning of a fight, or a huge bomb toward the end. All these small things together end up making a pet which is a favorite for both PVE and PVP pet battling.
Personally, there’s no way I could’ve made it through the Celestial Tournament without my Mechanical Pandaren Dragonling. It’s just too good against Xufu’s relentless attacks. It’s a pretty good choice for several of the regular fights around Draenor, too.
There's no one good pet you can make a direct substitute for the Dragonling. If you're looking for mechanical power, the [pet]Darkmoon Zeppelin[/pet] is a decent bet. They have a couple similar movesets, though the Zepp lacks the speed of the Dragonling, so plan your turns carefully.
In many instances where you're countering a Magic pet, an [pet]Emerald Whelpling[/pet] or [pet]Emerald Proto-Whelp[/pet] can take the slot of the MPD. They swap the MPD's family defense for more overall sustain with healing abilities, though MPD still tends to be preferable against heavy burst in particular.
How do you use your Mechanical Pandaren Dragonling? Do you have a special team you like to use in PVP, or another use for PVE we didn't discuss? Lets talk about it!
