Animal Companion

Animal Companion is a hunter spell card, inducted into the Legacy set, formerly from the Basic set. It randomly summons one of three possible minions: Huffer, Leokk or Misha.

Strategy
Animal Companion randomly summons either Misha, Leokk or Huffer, each uncollectible 3-cost Beast minions. Although you cannot choose or predict which minion will be summoned, all three are more mana-efficient than collectible 3-mana minions. They maintain their mana efficiency if "returned" to your hand, since each can be summoned back for 3 mana.

This spell can be used to obtain early board presence and apply pressure to your opponent, forcing them to deal with these early threats. Since these minions are all beasts, they also synergize with the various hunter cards that benefit from having beasts in play, such as Scavenging Hyena, Kill Command, Stablemaster or even Ram Wrangler.

As a spell, Animal Companion is able to serve to maintain board presence when playing Spell Hunter.

Call of the Wild is a more powerful but more expensive alternative means of summoning the companions.

Huffer
Huffer is versatile and can be useful in almost any situation. Huffer is very efficient at outputting damage and can pose an enormous threat to a slower deck. Paired with Houndmaster the next turn, Huffer can efficiently get rid of its issue with low health. In wild, Crackling Razormaw can offer significant bonuses which fit into Huffer's style of play very much, with Rocky Carapace eliminating the possible health weakness which the opponent can take advantage of to make better trades, Lightning Speed not only increases Huffer's damage output, but also adds a bonus to all future buffs, while Crackling Shield can protect Huffer from a trade to gain tempo.

Huffer is more efficient than Wolfrider, as they both cost 3 mana and have Charge, but Huffer has +1/+1 in stats when compared to Wolfrider.

Leokk
Leokk is the most situational out of the three animal companions. Leokk is only useful when multiple other minions are controlled at the same time. Leokk's aura is most beneficial to large amounts of small minions, most notably, Leokk can help kill large minions with Unleash the Hounds, Springpaw, and Snakes from Snake Trap. In an beast focused deck, Leokk can help serve the purpose of Timber Wolf, just at a higher cost and with a sturdier body. Leokk is generally not efficient at trading, but it can do the job in the early game, being able to efficiently trade into minions such as Sorcerer's Apprentice, Acidic Swamp Ooze, and Flame Imp, but is very vulnerable if played later than turn 3, as popular minions such as Kirin Tor Mage, Spellbreaker, Houndmaster, and Twilight Drake can all kill Leokk while still leaving a threatening body on the field, thus, protecting Leokk later on in the game can be quite beneficial.

Leokk is more efficient than Raid Leader as they both cost 3 mana and grant other friendly minions +1 attack, but Leokk has +1 health in stats when compared to Raid Leader.

Misha
Misha is one of the most efficient 3-drops in the game, it is very favorable when trading, has a sturdy body, and can protect other important minions. Although Misha, when compared to Huffer, is not able to provide an immediate board impact, Misha still has the capability to gain a huge boost in tempo. Later on in the game, Misha becomes less favorable as 4/4 bodies aren't as impactful as they are in the early game. With 4 health, Misha is able to kill many early minions and survive, such as Blink Fox and Augmented Elekk, however, Misha is still vulneable to removal such as Eviscerate and Vendetta.

Misha is more efficient than Ironfur Grizzly, Silverback Patriarch, Fierce Monkey, Hired Gun, and Squirming Tentacle, with Misha being better than them in varying degrees of stat difference.

Lore
Misha, Leokk and Huffer are all known companions of Rexxar.

Misha
Misha is a level 72   that is a sworn companion of Rexxar.

Rexxar's trusted companion, Misha is a bear who will fight at Rexxar's side whenever she is called upon. Misha battles ferociously, and loyally follows Rexxar to every location he travels to. Rexxar is very protective of Misha when they enter civilized areas, and ensures that the bear stays close to him.

Misha accompanied her master in the aftermath of the in the battles of Kalimdor against Daelin Proudmoore. Years later, Misha found the body of an orc named. She carried him on her back to.

She was later seen by her master's side in the, , and. Misha accompanied Rexxar through the Dark Portal to Outland and could be found in the in the.

Misha continues to follow her master on the during the 's  of. She is also briefly seen in at a ceremony hosted by. Though traditionally by her master's side during the, Misha wasn't part of Rexxar's mission to break out out of her prison.

Leokk
Leokk is a level 70 elite found in. He is one of several beasts belonging to Rexxar.

Shortly after Rexxar arrived in Blade's Edge Mountains, he was attacked by ogres. Although Rexxar escaped after slaying many, Leokk was taken prisoner. Thankfully, with the help of and a , Leokk was located and freed.

Huffer
Huffer is a boar companion of Rexxar. He is summoned by.

Huffer accompanied Rexxar to, where he helps a  steal {{wow|Grulloc's Sack]] by leading {{wow|Grulloc}} on a merry chase to distract him.

Trivia

 * The artwork for this card comes from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game "Reign of Fire" series, for the card Rexxar the Wanderer.
 * If you play Animal Companion against the Kel'Thuzad boss in the Curse of Naxxramas adventure, Mr. Bigglesworth will be summoned instead.
 * The phrase "Always Huffer" refers to the apparent ability of Face Hunter players to consistently get Huffer when playing Animal Companion (its Charge ability offering the best possible outcome for dealing face damage), often enabling unlikely lethals.
 * When Rexxar is the hunter player's hero, he will say "To my side!" when casting this card. Other characters, including the alternate hunter hero Alleria Windrunner, do not have quotes when casting this card.

Patch changes

 * Moved from Basic to Legacy set.
 * Leokk's text has been changed from "Other friendly minions..." to "Your other minions..."
 * Now features a "To my side!" soundbite when played.
 * Now features a "To my side!" soundbite when played.