Every World of Warcraft player loves loot and some of it is harder to get than others. The rarest pets and mounts are not even in game. Yes, if you want a Spectral Tiger or a flying rocket, then you have to look deeper, as these items can only be found in the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. In February, Cryptozoic will be releasing the “Crown of the Heavens” expansion set which includes more cards for fans of the TCG and, of course, more loot cards that translate into some valuable in-game items.

The way the TCG works is like this. Each pack has a random chance of producing a loot card. Some of these cards are simple consumable items, like the super common Path of Illidan that gives players a neat fiery footprint for five minutes to epic rare mounts like the Spectral Tiger. Each expansion introduces additional loot cards that players across the world seek to have something neater than other players.

Crown of the Heavens will be launching on February 7th and features 198 new cards. As a warning, Blizzard WILL NOT assist in any real world money trades. So if you buy one of the physical loot cards and get scammed then Blizzard will not help. Some TCG loot items are BoE and available for purchase with gold, which follows their terms of service clearly.

Who doesn't want to cosplay as an Ogre in-game?

Crown of the Heavens is themed around monsters, such as Demons, Dryads, and Ogres and follows their highly successful Dungeon Decks and Throne of the Tides set. All three sets focus primarly on the Cataclysm expansion, introducing new Cataclysm lore directly into the TCG.

As for loot cards, this set contains three interesting items themed around the expansion set itself. There’s a Grell pet, an Ogre Idol which will cosmetically transform your appearance and, finally, a truly epic mount in the form of a Corrupted Hippogryph. There’s a small chance to get one of these extra special cards in every pack of cards.

The Grell

Ah Grells, they’re annoying little pests. Anyone who ever rolled a Night Elf will be familiar with these little critters as they can be found in Teldrassil and Shadowglen as well as in the higher area of Bashel’Aran in Darkshore. While irritating little critters, they’re also an awesome non-companion pet for Warlocks as Grells look a little similar to their demonic cousins. Now, with the arrival Crown of the Heavens, you can finally have one of your very own.

This non-combat pet should come standard with the “Epic” edition. A set that contains six Booster Packs, a Playmat and Deckbox, a storage box with class dividers, a single loot card, the visual pocket guide, and 5 foil heroes.

The Ogre Idol

Ogres are a staple of Outland as well as Azeroth. After all, need we mention Cho’gall? It’s not the first time an Ogre disguise has been seen in-game either. In this case though, it’s just a matter of having this little statue in your inventory and then activating it to gain the illusion that you have a low IQ and two heads for five minutes.

This tainted hippogryph is the epic mount in this expansion set.

The Corrupted Hippogryph

Mounts themselves are always the most sought after items in any TCG loot, we’ve had dragons and tigers, chickens and even tiny ponies. That said, one of the most common in-game has to be the noble hippogryph. You can get Cenarion ones, Argent Tournament ones, Silver Covenant ones and now one practically leaking Fel energies.

The Corrupted Hippogryph has obviously been flying in places thick with unnatural magics and as a result it looks particularly sickly with haunt legs, weeping eyes that glow and dull wings. That said, for mount collectors, it’s an awesome addition. Though don’t expect it to come easy, mounts are usually super rare and hard to come by.

Though, in the end, remember that the Trading Card Game just isn’t about the loot cards. No, really, it isn’t. It’s about another way of accessing a fantasy world without the need for a computer and a virtual barrier. You may come for the loot, but will find yourself staying for the fun and excitement for dueling other players with a fun take on the TCG genre.

Do you play the TCG in hopes of getting loot cards or are you a Darkmoon Faire grandmaster? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.