Cryptozoic Entertainment provided Blizzplanet Loot Cards from the Throne of the Tides TCG expansion pack to let us show you guys a video and screenshot preview. In our preview, you will read some of the features of each loot card, and our videos (1080HD / 720HD) and screenshots.

The World of Warcraft TCG: Throne of the Tides expansion pack is Set 1 of 3 in the Aftermath Block. You can learn more about it at the official WoW TCG website, and Cryptozoic Entertainment website.

  • Release Date: 11 October 2011
  • Set Size: 262
  • 88 Common
  • 80 Uncommon
  • 24 Hero
  • 60 Rare
  • 10 Epic
  • $3.99 MSRP per pack

The two most attractive loot cards of the trio are the Purple Puffer (companion pet) and the Swift Shorestrider (mount). Both of these count toward the respective achievements: Littlest Pet Shop and the Mountain o’ Mounts.

The Purple Puffer is an in-game pet companion reward from the Bloat the Bubble Fish loot card. This pet is based on real life porcupine fish (blowfish) which has spines and swallow water or air to increase its size and bloat up as a defensive mechanism. The in-game companion pet lives inside a water bubble, similar to the Sea Pony (fished from Darkmoon Isle waters). The Purple Puffer doesn’t seem to have any sounds, or special animations such as the bloating (at the time I reviewed it). Its eyes move around every second in a different direction like a chameleon. Looks pretty nice. It opens and closes the mouth constantly, and its four fins move back and forth randomly. Very unique pet.

The Swift Shorestrider mount is an in-game mount reward from the Wasteland Tallstrider loot card. When you press the jump button while standing still, it makes a loud squeak sound — like those annoying Greater Plainstriders found near Crossroads in The Barrens . I checked up my mounts collection (110) and there’s no other Tallstrider model — making this loot card kinda unique. However, while doing my Darkmoon Faire dailies I was checking ticket prices for the new pet/mounts and noticed there’s a Swift Forest Strider for 180 tickets. If you catch the Mulgore Hatchling from the Argent Tournament Thunderbluff Quartermaster (Horde) you’ll have a nice mount/pet combo to show off. You can see a screenshot in this page of my character on the Swift Shorestrider mount with the Mulgore Hatchling pet tagging along. Very cute.

The Bag of Starfish item can be redeemed from the Throwing Starfish loot card. When you click the bag of Starfish, a cast bar is seen onscreen to create Throwing Starfish x 5. There’s a 30 minute cooldown to create the next five. When throwing the Starfish, it makes a low squishy sound effect as the starfish is splat on your friendly target’s face.

To redeem these loot cards you must type the code found on it at the following Redeem Loot page. Select the region (US, EU, etc.) and the server/realm name. If the code is valid, it will auto-generate a new code and display it on the page. That code must be copied and then pasted in-game.

Go to Booty Bay (in Stranglethorn Vale) and talk with Landro Longshot who stands outdoor on the deck mid-Booty Bay. Browse through his list of World of Warcraft TCG expansions and select the Throne of the Tides option. There, pick the appropriate loot card and paste the code provided at the official World of Warcraft Promotion Code Retrieval page.

Happy hunting! As a reminder, Blizzard Entertainment revealed at BlizzCon 2011 (Oct 20-21, 2011) plans to introduce the Pet Battle System in the upcoming World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria MMO expansion. You can read about it in our BlizzCon 2011 Panels Transcript Archive.

It would be interesting to find out what the Purple Puffer pet’s spell / abilities might be once the Pet Battle System becomes available.

Order the World of Warcraft TCG: Throne of the Tides to hunt for these loot cards.


Loot card from Throne of the Tides

1. Purple Puffer

This little puffer fish had big dreams. While the oceans are vast and full of adventure, he longed for the time he’d be able to put his little puffer fin on solid land. Those arrogant turtles, always moving between land and sea. So smug! Unfortunately for this little fish, he needs water to live. Fortunately, this is a world of magic and he travels in a little bubble of water. Now he’s free to float along in life on both land, sea, and air. Who knows what’s next for this little puffer fish. What’s ahead of him is a mystery. The important thing is that he achieved his dreams and is an inspiration to us all.

Loot Facts
  • This pet is bind-on-pickup
  • Counts towards pet achievements
  • Is a fish that can live on land. Crazy, huh?

 

 

2. Swift Shortstrider

Imagine, if you will, cruising along the beach on a majestic, winged creature. Okay, now imagine that it can’t fly. Now imagine it slightly less majestic, and then I think we’re on the same page. You’re riding the WoW TCG-exclusive Wasteland Tallstrider, a bird long only thought useful for the delicious buffalo wings it could produce. Well, it turns out that it can run really fast too, and since it’s so tall and sturdy, you don’t need to worry about breaking its back if you’re a tauren, orc, or draenei.

Loot Facts
  • Counts toward mount achievements
  • Scales its speed to your riding skill level

 

 

Throwing Starfish

The mysteries of the sea are as deep as the sea itself; mysteries like “could you throw a starfish like it was a shuriken?” have plagued our finest scholars since time immemorial. Well, guess what! With the Throwing Starfish, we can finally provide you the answers you’ve been seeking: a starfish is not quite as deadly as a shuriken, but it does stick to the face of anyone you throw it at. Good luck peeling that sucker off. Well, suckers, that is. Because it’s a starfish. Get it?

Loot Facts
  • Reusable item
  • Sticks to the face of whoever/whatever you throw it at
  • Throwable from 30 yards at hostile targets or 40 yards at friendly targets