Welcome to PvP Pet Battling

Surviving the Meta

1. Introduction

In this part of the PvP section we want to prepare you for the current Meta game that you will face playing against random opponents. Further below is a simple list of some of the most popular and strongest team compositions. We explain their functionality and also name some abilities/pets that these teams are being played with, together with suggestions of how to counter stated strategies.

Furthermore this article serves as a platform to upload your favorite PvP teams for others to discuss about or to help people who find themselves troubled creating good teams on their own. On the left side you can see different categories in which spoken teams can be uploaded.

Please note that different Meta-gameplay can be expected depending on the region you are in. Therefor both lists -the written introduction and the categories of the strategy creation tool- are never considered to be finished and will evolve with the Meta and your suggestions of themes that this article is missing.

We hope that we can make PvP pet battling more attractive to you and we look forward to read your opinions and knowledge for sharing and improving.
-Shenk & Rosqo




Here we will go through the most common strategies and highlighted abilities you will face whilst in the PvP queue and how to set up your teams to counter them.

2. Call Darkness

Chamado da Escuridão is the strongest weather ability bar none. It also has several abilities which synergize extremely well with it: Ataque Noturno, Golpe Espectral, Ataque Sorrateiro, Torrente de Luz, Luz and Fúria dos 1.000 Punhos. Most Darkness teams will run at least one flying pet with Chamado da Escuridão and Ataque Noturno and the rest with something else that gets buffed by darkness or blinding effects. They are difficult combinations to counter because of the burst nature of the teams.

Common pets: Serpente Óssea, any Ataque Noturno flier with 292+ speed or 300+ power like Filhote Medonho, Rato Pelofrio, Broto de Beladona, Corvo Espectral, Crepúsculo, Sombra, Alma dos Aspectos

Counters: Weather Changes (2+), Elementals, Blocks/Deflects/Dodges for the big combo hits, Torrente de Luz, Beasts with strong magic damage (take less damage from Chamado da Escuridão and counter the flier e.g. Porquinho Taumatúrgico)

3. Traps

Traps are in theory depending on RNG but in the majority of fights they work pretty reliable. Quite often both Armadilha de Magma and Armadilha de Urso will trigger right away, dealing not few damage and also stunning the affected pet for an entire round. This gives you a huge advantage. Traps are also hard to counter due to their unpredictability and because they trigger when they get removed.

Common pets: Canígneo, Ragnarinho, Raivíneo de Magma, Fogucho, Guaxinantinho Curioso, Saltador Molagrenagem

Counters: Critters, Arcane Winds (e.g. Tempestade Arcana), Dodge & Block abilities (can still fail) ->Note: dispelling or removing it will trigger the trap!

4. AoE/Cleave

This kind of teams is currently the most popular one for a number of reasons. AoE is easy to play, often very effective, can be tough to beat without a direct counter and you can play it even with very cheap pets. The strength of such a team lies within killing the whole enemy team simultaneously. This can also be used against it, as those players often spam nothing but cleaves, which will struggle against pets that are tanky or have a good self sustain.

Common pets: Putribafo, Fogarra Infernal, Austéria Crepuscular, XTzinho, Abominaçãozinha

Counters: Tempestade de Areia, Team-Blocks (e.g. Bomba de Fumaça), Blinding Effects, Reflect/Thorns Effects (e.g. Teia Quebradiça), Team Heal, Fraqueza/Jarro de Líquido Fedido, High Hp Pets

5. Clone Dance

The Clone Dance strategy covers good single target and team-wide damage, which is what makes it so successful. The core idea is to summon a Ciclone and then boost it with a buff that increases your hit chance. In most of the cases that's a Dança da Chuva (hence the name 'Clone Dance).

Common Ciclone pets: Gavião Pestilento, Filhote Infinito, P/P Buzzards or Eagles (e.g. Penarrei Filhote), Borboleta da Costa, Serpentinha Dourada/Serpentinha de Jade

Common buff pets: Dançarino Névoa de Jade, Doca, P/P Toucans (e.g. Bico Sangrento), Bico-de-grão Régio, Furareia Jovem

Counters: Debuff Removals, Tempestade de Areia, Dragons, Blocking or Blinding the Ciclone, Minefields (unless it's against a Dançarino Névoa de Jade), any Wave Attacks (e.g. Onda de Magma)

6. Leeching (Plagued Blood)

Instead of direct healing abilities this strategy relies on applying buffs or debuffs like Peste Sanguínea, which will heal the attacker whenever it hits the affected pet. That way a team of badly hurt pets can get back to full or high health in the middle of the match while still dealing damage. However, failing to hit debuffed pets however will negate the purpose of this strategy and lower the chance to win. Therefor often mind games will come into action.

Common pets: Filho de Sethe, Gotícula de Rubi, Dragonetinho Flagelado, Filho de Animus, Verme Fantasma, Canelinha Zandalari

Counters: Chamado da Escuridão, Tempestade de Areia, Dodge/Block/Blinding for Toque do Animus or other vampiric abilities with a Cooldown, Reflects (e.g. Pele Tóxica)

7. Toxic Fumes

Emanações Tóxicas is the newest weather in patch 8.3. It has two effects; it extends the duration of any damage over time effect by 1 round (the opposite of cleansing rain) and all pets are considered poisoned. This makes it a versatile ability because there are multiple ways to gain value from it. Golpe Contagioso and Puncionar Ferimento are the only two abilities that are stronger against a poisoned target, but since all pets with these can apply poisons themselve this combo isn't that powerful. The more impactful synergies come from DoTs that used to be balanced by lasting for a short duration and can be extremely potent having one extra round of effect under Emanações Tóxicas. Examples would be Protocolo de Veneno, Grande Aguilhão or Corrosão.

Common pets: Anômalus, Açoitadeira Ululante, Barata Marcada pelo Caos, Baforrível

Counters: Weather changes (2+, espacially Tempestade de Areia), Aquatics against DoT teams, Team heals against DoT teams (e.g. Canção Inquietante), Shields (e.g. Pele de Ferro)

Note that as of 8.3.0 the racial of elemental pets does not work properly for Emanações Tóxicas. For some abilities it works and for others it doesn't (e.g. Puncionar Ferimento).

8. Heal & Stall

For the most part these are the kind of teams which require little to no skill and are unnecessarily lengthening the match. They are spamming a lot of healing and blocking abilities to either prevent you from dealing any damage or outheal that which you can deal. We really don't want to support this behaviour but since there is a high chance for you to encounter them we're listing them for the sake of coverage. Not every pet that falls in this category is negative for the Meta and on its own can be a good and reasonable pick, but focusing an entire team around that theme is toxic and should be avoided for fair sportsmanship.

Common abilities: Fotossíntese+Luz do Sol combinations (e.g. Anciente Florescente), Isca Spam, anything that uses Desejo, Humanoids with Imolação, Drenar Sangue together with Luz do Sol

Counters: Chamado da Escuridão or other Healing Reduce, Root Effects (e.g. Sticky Goo), Forced Swaps, strong Single Target Hits (e.g. Bombear)