5.2: Pool Migrations
Patch 5.2's new Sea Monster is part of set of events I originally called "pool migrations", now formally named "Fish of the Day": Large numbers of rapidly respawning pools appear at specific locations in Pandaria, alongside a single larger pool containing a Krakkanon. Each location has some unique features, and anglers.
Below is a detailed description of these migrations. For the latest information, including Ben's stories, see Fish of the Day.
"'Tis strange how I don't know where I already am. But not half as confusing as when I find myself." - El, on first discovering Salty El at Shado-Pan Monastery.
Introduction
Fish of the Day are clusters of pools around one specific location in Pandaria. As the name suggests, one active Fish of the Day migration may be found somewhere in Pandaria each day. Days start and end at 03:00 (PST for US realms, CET for EU realms, and Australian EST for Oceanic realms). The location of each day's active migration will vary between realms, seemingly at random.
Ben of the Booming Voice (illustrated, who is fishing just east of Halfhill in Valley of the Four Winds) will tell you what and where today's Fish of the Day is. If you ask Ben, he will also mark the current Fish of the Day migration on your map with a red cross.
There are 9 possible Fish of the Day locations, listed and mapped below. Each location has unique pool types, but there are some features common to all migrations:
- Many rapidly re-spawning normal-sized pools, containing the same fish as one of the existing Pandarian pools.
- A single "large"-named pool with a wider diameter, fished to summon a hostile elite Krakkanon.
- A set of travelling Anglers including myself, and sometimes other people who "interact" with the pools.
Pools elsewhere in a zone with a Fish of the Day migration appear to continue to spawn as normal - except the zone's regular pools will not spawn at the location of the migration.
Main "Rapid Respawn" Pools
Each Fish of the Day migration features vast numbers of pools with the same name and contents. The contents (catch type and volume) of these pools are the same as existing Pandarian pools, even where their name is different. For example, Sha-Touched Spinefish are identical to Spinefish School. The benefit of fishing Fish of the Day pools is their proximity to one-another and their respawn rate: Fish of the Day pools can be fished continually, without much movement between pool spawning locations.
The Ancient Pandaren Fishing Charm bonus still applies to Fish of the Day pools. The vast number of pools in a migration means that not all pools can be fished by standing on the land. Water walking (or a raft) is an advantage at most locations, but likely only needed to sustain fishing Swarm of Panicked Paddlefish at Krasari Falls, where the majority of pools are away from the shore.
Large "Krakkanon" Pools
Single active "Large" Krakkanon pool may be found at each active Fish of the Day location. Large pools take up to 45 minutes to spawn after the start of a new Fish of the Day. Once a Krakkanon has been summoned a second large pool may appear nearby, allowing further Krakkanon to be summoned. The respawn rate of Large pools is much slower than the main pool type.
Large pools contain far more catches than main rapidly respawning pools: Typically almost a hundred fish! Once the pool is emptied a Krakkanon (formerly called an Engorged Sea Monster) appears.
The Krakkanon (illustrated) is a level 90 elite with 20 million health. The Krakkanon will not aggro until attacked. It is not automatically "tapped" by the angler that summons it. The Krakkanon must be fought in the water where it spawns, although ranged attackers can safely engage the creature from the shore. Its main attack is Gurrggggle, which fires a water jet. The Krakkanon should be possible for most classes to solo: The Krakkanon's attack is quite weak (apparently never more than 30K damage at once), but you will probably need to be able to heal yourself during the fight, since the Krakkanon's health is so high the fight will last about 10 minutes.
Dead Krakkanon always drop 20 of the regular fish found in the pool the creature was summoned from. In addition, they may yield:
- A rare fish that grants Nat Pagle's Friendship, for example Flying Tiger Gourami. The fish type found is that which may also be caught by fishing the pool.
- Nat's Fishing Journal, which trains 50 fishing skill, bound to account. Nat's Fishing Journal will drop for anglers who do not have the reputation to buy the journal from Nat.
The chance of gaining Nat's Fishing Journal is reasonably high - probably 25-50%. The Journal can be used by either the angler or any of their employees ("alts" on the same account). The only other source for Nat's Journal is Nat himself - and you'll need to be at least half-way towards Best Friends with him to buy it at a cost of almost 1,000g. For entirely new anglers, fishing these Large Krakkanon pools could be a viable way to raise your fishing skill.
Migration Visitors
Fish of the Day migrations attract different people: All migrations attract a set of Anglers, including: Salty El (illustrated, alongside, er, me); Anglers Dry, In Bo Den, Johnny Rotten, Lin Snowclaw (with pet Lulu) and Scottie; Fisherman Crow, and Old Salty Sullivan (with pet Shelby). These Anglers simply fish, and cannot be attacked or talked to. Perhaps I'm still trying to catch an elusive Tiny Carp?
Some Fish of the Day migrations also include a person or creature that visually replenishes or interacts with nearby pools. None of their events seem to make any difference to the fish caught from affected pools - at least, not yet.
Specific Fish of the Day locations are described below:
Binan Village Coast (Kun-Lai Summit)
This location's red cross marker is in the middle of Inkgill Mere, between Binan Village and the Inkgill Ritual Island, south-eastern Kun-Lai Summit. Pools are:
- Sha-Touched Spinefish - Catches are identical to Spinefish School.
- Large Pool of Sha-Touched Spinefish - Krakkanon's home.
The standard set of Anglers (Salty El, etc) may be found fishing here.
Blessing of the Inkgill allows anglers without a special water-walking ability or raft to fish while standing on the water.
Enchanted Woods of the Lost (The Jade Forest)
The Fish of the Day pools appears in two ponds half-way along the river west of Sri-La Village in The Jade Forest. Pools are:
- Glowing Jade Lungfish - Catches are identical to Jade Lungfish School, although I have also caught a Tiny Green Carp from Glowing Jade Lungfish pools.
- Large Pool of Glowing Jade Lungfish - Krakkanon's home.
The standard set of Anglers (Salty El, etc) may be found fishing here. Neutral Spirit Darters fly above, who occasionally feed pools with magic dust. This briefly causes the pool to sparkle, but there is no evidence it enhances the catch.
Fields of Niuzao (Townlong Steppes)
The Fields of Niuzao are close to Niuzao Temple, on one of the large islands in Townlong Steppes. Pools are:
- Crowded Redbelly Mandarin - Catches are identical to Redbelly Mandarin School. In spite of their name, Crowded Redbelly Mandarin contain the same volume of fish - 3 to 5 from each pool.
- Large Pool of Crowded Redbelly Mandarin - Krakkanon's home.
The standard set of Anglers (Salty El, etc) may be found fishing here. In addition, Brother Shallowpond (illustrated) walks counter-clockwise round the lake. The Grummle is accompanied by his Yak, Fishbreath. Occasionally, he will stop and throw a bottle into a nearby pool, saying one of:
- "These fish jump up and down like a bouncing luckydo!"
- "It is very sad that fish have no trails of mountains to climb. If I bring them more fish friends will they be happy?"
- "The smell of good fortune is upon this lake... or is that just Fishbreath?"
Brother Shallowpond's efforts do not appear to improve the catch.
Gokk'lok Shallows
This Fish of the Day migration appears in coastal waters near the mouth of the river separating Dread Wastes and Townlong Steppes. Fish of the Day pools and visitors may take up to a minute to appear once you arrive at the location. Pools are:
- Tangled Mantis Shrimp Cluster - Catches are identical to Giant Mantis Shrimp Swarm.
- Large Tangled Mantis Shrimp Cluster - Krakkanon's home.
The standard set of Anglers (Salty El, etc) may be found fishing here. In addition Shrimp Stuffed Shark (hostile, level 90) and Shrimp Stuffed Seagull (neutral, level 90) patrol the area. These creatures often eat from, and empty, nearby Tangled Mantis Shrimp Cluster.
Krasari Falls (Krasarang Wilds)
This Fish of the Day migration appears at the base of Krasari Falls, just east of Fallsong Village, on the north-west side of Krasarang Wilds. Pools are:
- Swarm of Panicked Paddlefish - Catches are identical to Krasarang Paddlefish School.
- Large Swarm of Panicked Paddlefish - Krakkanon's home.
The standard set of Anglers (Salty El, etc) may be found fishing here, but the water is occupied by a set of Goblins: Wizak Blastbait and his 4 Blastbait Cronies ride around on Stolen Rafts, throwing dynamite at some of the pools of fish (illustrated). This is clearly panicking the fish!
This is the second cameo appearance of dynamite fishing in MoP (the first were in The Anglers Fishing Quests). The original semi-accidental inclusion of dynamite fishing was during WotLK.
Dynamite fishing is still not available to individual anglers: Using the Goblin Fishing Pole on a Swarm of Panicked Paddlefish did nothing to change the pool or its contents.
Mad Qao-Pao (Vale of Eternal Blossoms)
Mad Qao-Pao paces up and down the shore of the Vale of Eternal Blossoms' Summer Fields, next to The Emperor's Burden - Part 8. Pools are:
- Glimmering Jewel Danio Pool - Catches are identical to Jewel Danio School.
- Large Pool of Glimmering Jewel Danio Pool - Krakkanon's home.
The standard set of Anglers (Salty El, etc) may be found fishing here, alongside Mad Qao-Pao. Qao-Pao is a wealthy Pandaren, who is completely blinged out in gold (illustrated). He keeps on making wishes, but he can't decide what he wants, for example:
"Oh wait, I have a better one!" ... "I want a panther encrusted in the world's finest jewels! Wait, doesn't one of my friends already have one of those?" ... "No no no, that's not what I want."
When Mad Qao-Pao makes a wish he throws a coin into a nearby pool. This doesn't appear to make any difference to the pool catch.
Perhaps poor Qao-Pao should stop and read the artefact he passes twice a minute? "...Seeing that all things were connected in an eternal whole, and that his beloved land was more than just the Pandaren Empire, Shaohao at last understood..."
The Mad Qao-Pao pool migration embodies many contemporary Azerothian themes, not least the relentless accumulation of gold and "stuff". Qao-Pao's coin-throwing and wish-making might also finally resolve what happened to Tan Strongpole's (beta) attempt to fish from the Shrine of the Seven Stars' fountain, in the style of Dalaran's fountain.
Unrelated, but interesting: Both with and without an active pool migration, a pair of Blacktalon (Servants of the Black Prince) operatives can be found surveying the same area of water. "Blacktalon Agent examines the waters of the Vale closely." Comments include this exchange:
"Do you think the Pandaren realized what they were sitting on here?" ... "Maybe they've known all along. Maybe that's why they've stayed hidden."
But it seems that these agents have actually been around since the release of Mists of Pandaria, creeping up on unsuspecting anglers when they least expect it... (thanks Eleanor)
Master Snowdrift's Pagoda (Kun-Lai Summit)
Fish of the Day pools occupy the large circular lake on the northern side of Shado-Pan Monastery, in Kun-Lai Summit. Pools are:
- Tiger Gourami Slush - Catches are identical to Tiger Gourami School.
- Large Pool of Tiger Gourami Slush - Krakkanon's home.
Most pools can be fished by standing on chunks of ice in the lake, so there is no need for water-walking or rafts.
The standard set of Anglers (Salty El, etc) fish here, alongside Shado-Pan Snowdrift Trainees. The Trainees occasionally cast blue bolts towards nearby pools.
Sri-La Village (The Jade Forest)
Sri-La Village's Fish of the Day migration occurs in coastal waters in front of the village. The village is found on the north-east coast of The Jade Forest, very close to the Enchanted Woods of the Lost location. Pools are:
- Reef Octopus Swarm - Unusually, these pools are not renamed from the normal pool type, but they are far more plentiful.
- Large Swarm of Migrated Reef Octopus - Krakkanon's home.
The standard set of Anglers (Salty El, etc) may be found fishing here. Many Reef Octopus creatures wander around the beaches and piers of Sri-La Village during the pool migration.
Stormstout Brewery (Valley of the Four Winds)
This Fish of the Day migration is outside of the Brewery, in Valley of the Four Winds. Pools are:
- Brew Frenzied Emperor Salmon - Catches are identical to Emperor Salmon School.
- Large Pool of Brew Frenzied Emperor Salmon - Krakkanon's home.
The standard set of Anglers (Salty El, etc) fish here, alongside Hozen. Hozen Beercatchers wander along the piers. A Hozen Fishnibbler swims around the pools, occasionally spouting gibberish, such as:
"Ookin' slicky just oocked me in the nib tickler!"
Maybe these Hozen should learn to fish with a pole, like the rest of us?
