Lil' Smoky and Other Crafted Pets

Another handy aspect of the Armory and information readily available in game about your guildies are their professions (hit "J" and you can sort your guild by profession). I personally squealed out loud when my guild master sent me the Sapphire Cub that he made as a level 600 jewel crafter. I don't have any alts with JC, so unless I was ready to shell out the 1,000 plus gold at the Auction House, there was no way I could get one of these little gems without someone making it for me.

Enchanting, Engineering, Jewelcrafting, Inscription, and Tailoring professions all have crafted pets that can be made and gifted. Fishing and Archeology do as well. If you have a friend who doesn't have one of these professions, crafting a pet for them is a really good way to go since they probably don't have that particular pet unless they're willing to pay at the AH.

I personally made a half dozen Lil' Smoky for a handful of friends since I have an engineer. The convenient thing about this was that an engineer can make one with only a skill level of 205. The schematic drops in the Gnomeregan instance with a fairly high drop rate (4% chance on three bosses). It's a low level instance run so run it solo or with someone who has no need for the pattern. Plus, making them is simple and only requires low level materials.

So if you have one of the listed professions, just cross check your gift recipient with their professions and skill levels, and you can craft them a lovely* hand-made present they'll cherish.

Possible craft able pets include (but totally are not limited to...mainly because there are about 15 different Engineering pets to make):

Enchanting: Enchanted Lantern and Magic Lamp

Engineering: De-Weaponized Mechanical Companion, Pet Bombling, and Mechanical Pandaren Dragonling.

Inscription: Chi-Ji Kite and Yu'lon Kite

Jewelcrafting: Jade Owl and Sapphire Cub

Tailoring: Imperial Moth and Imperial Silkworm.

*Lil' Smoky is not "lovely." He's loud, leaky, and billows pollution constantly. So maybe not a great choice for a Night Elf.