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For the groups of dispersed siblings, see Dispersal wolf group.

A dispersal wolf is a wolf who has either departed from its birth pack, or is interested in leaving its birth pack when approached by an outsider. These wolves are — much like the player-wolf — in search of a mate of their own with whom they will start a pack of their own. The implementation varies across major revisions of the game.

In WolfQuest: Anniversary Edition, dispersal wolves will appear alone or in groups of 2-5 individuals. They will spawn in all game maps in single-player gameplay. If they are of the opposite sex to the player's wolf, they have the potential to become the player's mate. They do not spawn in multiplayer.

Dispersal wolves are believed to be randomly generated by the game itself, if not generated from a predetermined pool of developer-defined preset values.[1] Keep in mind that your roll of a dispersal wolf might not be shared — even if they have the same name in common, other players are more likely to see and experience a completely different wolf. This is why it is not ideal to recommend any roaming dispersals.

Randomised values include the individual's age, alternating (if not randomised) sexes, customizations such as personality traits, attributes, primary and secondary howls, eye color and modifiers, ear, and body modifiers, and coats. Classic coats are player-exclusive and are never generated on any NPC wolves. Add-on content is rolled only if the respective content pack is owned and installed.

Pack dispersals refer to wolves belonging to one of the three established wolf packs on the game map. They remain with their pack and can only be found within their own territory, thus a little risk must be taken in order to seek them out — the player-wolf is expected to trespass. Wolves numbered 1-4 always possess consistent values, while 5+ are always randomised.

Roaming dispersals refer to wolves who wander in areas composed of unclaimed hexes. They are not natives belonging to any of the three large packs who occupy territory in the active game map; on the contrary, they are passing through on their own personal journey to find a mate of their own. Pack dispersals refer to stranger wolves belonging to any one of the three large established packs in the active game map. They do not leave their territory and have not dispersed, and will instead await suitors who come to court them on their own home turf. Their packmates may standby to watch such encounters and might not engage in hostility against the player so long as they behave during their courtship visit.

Unlike previous versions, dispersals are active at all times. All groups start in pre-defined areas which they will roam around in at random. Those of the opposite sex are non-interactable until the Learn to Hunt mission has been cleared. Those of the same sex to the player-wolf may exhibit hostility and will fight if provoked or challenged during their attempt to court other NPCs. Designated IDs for pack wolves and roaming dispersals are always consistent across replays.

In WolfQuest: Classic, a dispersal wolf is a non-hostile NPC wolf who is interested in leaving his or her natal (birth) pack.

In this version of the game, dispersal wolves appear exclusively in the single-player mode of gameplay, and only during the Amethyst Mountain episode where it is the player's primary objective to find themself a mate of the opposite sex to their own wolf. They reappear in Lost River's single-player campaign. They do not appear at all in multiplayer across all game worlds.

To fulfil this objective, the player must survive the wilderness and gain experience along the way. There are three wolf territories designated around the game world. Once a sufficient amount of experience points (as early as 750xp) have been accumulated, will indicate that dispersal wolves will from that point onwards have a chance of spawning inside any wolf territory in place of a hostile stranger wolf.

In Legacy versions of WolfQuest, a dispersal wolf is a non-hostile NPC wolf who is interested in leaving his or her natal pack.

During Amethyst Mountain, it is the player's primary objective to find themselves a mate of the opposite sex to their own wolf by way of encountering one stranger wolf in each the three wolf territories designated around the game world. Once all three territories have been visited and one of the stranger wolves inhabiting each have been met at least once, it will be possible to encounter dispersal wolves of any color and sex in any of the territories thereafter.


Bonding

Main article: Courtship

In the Anniversary Edition, during the Find a Mate mission of Amethyst Mountain, the player is required to find and interact with dispersal wolves in the hopes of forming a bond and becoming mates with only one of them. Once a dispersal of the opposite sex has been encountered, they may begin the process of courting the desired wolf through the use of emotes. Once all of the courtship steps are completed, the player-wolf and their chosen dispersal wolf will become their trial mate. The new partner may offer assistance with hunting, scavenging, pup raising, and conflicts... or they may choose not to. How they behave depends entirely on their personality traits, which the player can only glean through observation during the courtship and trial stages. Once they have passed their trial by accumulating a sufficient amount of affinity, the player-wolf will be presented with a choice: either take on this wolf to be their lifelong partner, or reject them and continue their search for a mate.

The player may only have one mate at a time per location. If one's mate happens to die, the player-wolf is then offered the Find a New Mate subquest, enabling them to recomplete the courtship ritual and on a new mate.

Other important factors to consider are diversity (represented by up to four star icons), age (mortality and fertility), and genetic coat color (health of offspring), as these will affect litter size. For instance, a wolf with a lower diversity rating means they more closely related to the player-wolf, resulting in smaller litters which may be more prone to illnesses or death in utero as a result of the often fatal KK genome. A wolf with a higher diversity rating is more likely to be unrelated to the player-wolf, resulting in bigger, healthier litters.

If no wolves are particularly desirable to the player-wolf, simply start a new game to reroll available possibilities. Do note that this is only valid for as long as no pups have been born. It is not possible to reroll post-litter without also forfeiting progress. It is not possible to court a same-sex wolf. However, changing the avatar's sex can be used to bypass this, allowing for same-sex pairings if the player reverts the change post-courtship.

Main article: Social arena#Classic

In Classic, dispersals will not appear until the player-wolf has earned a sufficient amount of experience points, which in turn completes the Learn to Hunt mission and allows dispersals to potentially spawn in any stranger wolf territory. Courting takes place in a turn-based social encounter arena, requiring the player to input the correct sequence of dialogue to progress.

As a dispersal, they are quite unremarkable in that they stand idle and show no reaction to the player-wolf while outside of a social encounter. It is unknown if they possess any stats of their own. Once acquired, the mate is a helpful partner who will assist with hunting, scavenging, pup-rearing, and dealing with conflicts.

Like the player, it is possible for dispersal wolves to use the same fifteen pelt textures and tints. These are randomly generated and applied per wolf encountered -- take note that this applies to most, if not all stranger wolf encounters.

Main article: Social arena#Legacy

In Legacy versions, dispersals will not appear until the player-wolf has visited all three stranger wolf territories AND encountered one wolf within each. Doing so will then enable dispersal wolf spawns in any stranger wolf territory, albeit this is only a chance of spawn; they are not guaranteed. Courting takes place in a turn-based social encounter arena, requiring the player to input the correct sequence of dialogue.

As a dispersal, they are quite unremarkable in that they stand idle and show no reaction to the player-wolf while outside of a social encounter. It is unknown if they possess any stats of their own. Once acquired, the mate is a helpful partner who will assist with hunting, scavenging, pup-rearing, and dealing with conflicts.

Like the player, it is possible for dispersal wolves to use the same fifteen pelt textures and tints. These are randomly generated and applied per wolf encountered -- take note that this applies to most, if not all stranger wolf encounters.


Behavior

In the Anniversary Edition, dispersal wolves of the same sex as the player-wolf are always hostile towards the player-wolf. They will growl and may fight with the player to drive them off if they come too close, or if they try to muscle their way into an ongoing courtship encounter between NPCs. However, these dispersal wolves will immediately flee if encountered within pack territory. Those of the opposite sex are never hostile.

Non-dispersal pack wolves are also naturally hostile and will not be interested in courting the player. This state is flagged during world generation and won't change mid-game, requiring the player to potentially reroll repeatedly until the wolf they seek is eligible for courtship. Should the player-wolf manage to find a disperser with a non-disperser packmate, the latter will not exhibit hostility and will instead standby to watch.

Dispersals can also be observed hunting prey and scavenging from carcasses. They are generally encountered alone or together in groups composed of two to three siblings. (See next section.)

Regardless of activity, dispersal wolves engaging with the player may fail to take their own safety into consideration. Occasional fatalities can occur at the hooves of aggressive ungulates and predators when these wolves are drawn to the player-wolf, resulting in a premature death sometimes before courtship can be initiated.

How a dispersal wolf acts during the courtship ritual and trial phase can be used to determine their personalities and attributes. This time spent observing a potential mate will prove to be essential as the game goes on; a wolf who does not pull its own weight is often considered fodder, while a wolf who will actively participate in hunting, feeding and protecting pups is considered to be ideal.

In Classic, unlike most stranger wolves, dispersal wolves are not hostile and will not get themselves into a fight with the player regardless of their interaction decisions in the social arena. If provoked, it is not uncommon for a dispersal wolf to deduct socialisation one or more hearts, or leave the encounter arena their own volition. Dispersal wolves of either sex cannot be fought and will never initiate a fight with the player regardless of their actions.

It is believed that a dispersal wolf's stats are affected by the territory in which they are encountered; for example, finding a dispersal wolf of the opposite gender to the player's wolf in the druid territory will grant the mate a higher strength stat. This has not been proven nor disproven by the WolfQuest Team.

In Legacy versions, unlike most stranger wolves, dispersal wolves are not hostile and will not get themselves into a fight with the player regardless of the player's interaction decisions in the social arena. If provoked, it's not uncommon for a dispersal wolf to flee or leave the player of their own volition. It is impossible to fight these wolves.

It is believed that a dispersal wolf's stats are affected by the territory; for example, finding a dispersal wolf of the opposite sex to your wolf in the druid territory (Soda Butte Vista) may mean your mate will have higher strength. This theory has yet to be proven.


Packs and Groups

Main article: Dispersal wolf group#Anniversary Edition

In the Anniversary Edition, as stated previously, dispersals will either wander in small roaming groups in the safe area composed of unclaimed hexes in Amethyst Mountain and Lost River, or they will continue to inhabit their natal pack territory until courted inside one of the three large territories. Non-fixed roaming groups are travellers who have come from packs not established in the active game map. They are always randomly generated and will always have different attributes, personalities and customizations assigned upon world generation after starting a new game. The first four males and females in the large, fixed wolf packs have fixed values and are not randomized with every replay though the fifth male and female and upwards will have its values randomized. If a wolf belonging to the large, fixed packs is hostile, it will remain so each time it is encountered and the player will be unable to court it; rerolling only offers a chance of it being flagged for courtship eligibility.

All groups of stranger packs and dispersal groups are composed of related individuals who are siblings. Two or more groups in the same area will not get along, and will compete for the player's affection. In the event of multiple groups meeting the player in the same area, one group will always drive away any others. Growling at the victor group three times and then following the defeated group may allow the player to bond with its individuals provided they do not despawn.

In Slough Creek, small roaming groups of dispersal wolves will continue to appear, but they seem to become scarce when there is no unclaimed safe area. They may rarely be found trespassing inside pack-claimed hexes. If the mate has died, those of the opposite sex to the player-wolf will occasionally find, approach and court the player.

In Classic, dispersals have yet to disperse. They have not left their natal packs and can only be found in wolf territories after clearing the experience requirement outlined at the start of the game.

In Legacy versions, dispersals have yet to disperse. They have not left their natal packs and can only be found in wolf territories after clearing the conditions outlined in the Quest for a Mate mission.


Locations

In the Anniversary Edition, dispersals have a tendency to spawn in the no-man's-land of unclaimed hexes on the active game map.

In Amethyst Mountain, roaming dispersals are randomly distributed in a few select areas.

  • Among the regrowth of the Burn
  • Within a moderate range away from Spawn Rock
  • Along the edge of the forest, south of the Lamar River
  • Along the slopes of Amethyst Mountain
  • Along the southern banks of the Lamar River

In Slough Creek, it is harder to pinpoint dispersal spawns due to the amount of unclaimed hexes. The game does not seem to generate very many dispersals even if the game is started mateless via the null litter flaw; those few who have been found do appear to correspond to the initial no-man's-land arrangement of unclaimed hexes.

In general, spawned dispersals may wander around and eventually roam away from their initial spawn node. The longer the save is played, the harder it will be to pinpoint their spawn positions. Howling will temporarily reveal their positions on the compass, though both wolves of the opposite sex and the same sex may respond and be revealed. Dispersal spawns are always randomised for each potential spawn node.

In Classic, dispersal wolves have a chance of appearing inside any of the three wolf territories in Amethyst Mountain and Lost River after satisfying the experience requirement. They will not appear before this condition has been met.

During the Slough Creek episode, dispersal wolves do not spawn and thus cannot be found at any point of progress within the game.

In the fictitious Lost River game world, much like the first episode, the player is still required to have gained sufficient experience before these wolves can be encountered and bonded with. However, it is not possible to migrate to Slough Creek from Lost River after finding a mate, as they are unable to leave and are permanently locked into this location.

In Legacy versions, dispersal wolves have a chance of appearing at all three territories in Amethyst Mountain only after meeting at least one stranger wolf in each of the three territories; they will not appear before this condition has been met. During Slough Creek, dispersal wolves cannot be encountered.


Re-rolling

In the Anniversary Edition, if wolves in roaming groups are undesirable, or desirable individuals in the large, fixed pack territories are undesirable or hostile and ineligible for courtship, re-rolling the selection is possible. Doing so will generate new roaming dispersal wolves and it has a chance of changing which hostile pack wolves are hostile, and which are passive and eligible for courtship.

To re-roll, simply start a new game until a desired wolf is found. Pack wolves are a little more complicated; desirable wolves must be eligible for courtship, but this is purely based on chance at world generation. Re-rolling does not guarantee they will be available to suitors.

In Classic, re-rolling is unnecessary. While the Legacy strategy has been patched out and wolves will persist at any distance, the player-wolf need only leave the territory, sleep to another time of day, and repeat until they find a desirable partner. Add-on coats will be rolled if the player owns the full game on computer, or has purchased the Complete Game mobile in-app purchase.

In Legacy versions, re-rolling is unnecessary. The player can regenerate a spawned dispersal by backing away from it until it despawns, then approach again to spawn a new, changed instance. As there are only five coats to choose from, it is not too complicated to find a desirable partner.


Gallery

Anniversary Edition Gallery

Contributions for Dispersal wolf in the Anniversary Edition are welcome in this gallery!

Classic Gallery

Contributions for Dispersal wolf in Classic are welcome in this gallery!

Legacy Gallery

Contributions for Dispersal wolf in Legacy versions are welcome in this gallery!


Bugs

Anniversary Edition Bugs

Classic Bugs

  • Due to a possible bug, it is possible for the game to lock-up during a social arena after establishing a bond has been completed. This renders it impossible to save. Fortunately, the game autosaves, so reloading should allow players to continue if they are affected by this bug.

Legacy Bugs

  • Due to a programming flaw, it is currently possible to determine your mate's pelt colour.


Trivia

  • Wolves are known to share a lifelong bond until parted by death.

Anniversary Edition Trivia

  • This game is the first to offer dispersal encounters across all game maps.
  • As of version 1.0.8l, dispersal wolves have a small chance to spawn with modifiers to the body, head, or ears, such as mange-afflicted tails or bent ears. Prior to this, dispersal wolves did not spawn with any modifiers available to the player aside from the radio collar, meaning they only differed in their coats and the presence or absence of a collar.
  • Depending on diversity rating, the player can unlock two possible "Above & Beyond" achievements: one for securing a four-star diversity dispersal, and another for securing a one-star diversity dispersal. The respective achievements unlock only after completing the trial phase by accepting the dispersal as your partner.

Anniversary Edition and Classic Trivia

  • If a player changes the sex of their wolf during courtship, the player wolf’s sex will match the dispersal’s sex (who is always the opposite sex). Courtship can still be completed and the game will still continue as normal, as the player is free to experience raising a family with their same-sex mate.

Classic Trivia

  • If a potential dispersal wolf leaves the social arena due to poor interaction choices, the Charmless achievement will be awarded.

Classic and Legacy Trivia

  • Because the mate cannot die, there is no need for dispersal wolves to appear in Slough Creek.

Legacy Trivia


References & External Links

  1. Exactly which has not yet been determined, though some similarities have been noted across multiple replays.


NPCs
Competitors & Predators Bald eagleBobcatBlack bearCougarCoyoteDogGolden eagleGrizzly bearRavenRed fox
Prey BeaverBighorn sheepBisonDomestic cattleElkMooseMule deerPorcupinePronghornSnowshoe hare
Newborns & Juveniles Bighorn sheep lambDomestic cattle calfElk calfGrizzly bear cubMoose calfMule deer fawnPronghorn fawn
Wolves Dispersal (Mate) • Offspring: Pup, Yearling, Adult, DisperserPredatorStranger
Non-interactable BirdsCatInsect
Non-entity Human
Miscellaneous AirplaneAmphibiansFishHerdsWolf Packs
Anniversary Edition Wolf Packs
Family & Packmates Family & Packmates Single-player Breeding Pair Player-wolfMate
Offspring PupYearlingSubadultAdult (dispersal)
Multiplayer Packmates
Shared CompanionshipFondnessHome SitesTerritory (hexes, scent posts)
Activities CommandsCourtshipHunting (scavenging) • Pack Info (known wolves, roles)
NPC Packs & Wolves Hostile Established Rivals (stranger wolves, predator wolves) • Rival Territory (home hex) • Wolf Packs
Neutral Disperser Groups (dispersal wolves)
Locations
Amethyst Mountain Established Rival Pack 1 Rescue CreekRival Pack 2 Lamar CanyonRival Pack 3 Wapiti LakeRival Pack 3 MolliesRival Pack 4 Rival Pack 4Rival Pack 5 Rival Pack 5
Replacers Pending Data
Dispersers 8 MileBeartoothBiscuitCanyonCinnabarHaydenHoodooMadisonPahaskaProspect PeakQuadrantRosebud
Slough Creek Established Rival Pack 1 Junction ButteRival Pack 2 Prospect PeakRival Pack 2 OxbowRival Pack 3 Crevice LakeRival Pack 4 Rival Pack 4Rival Pack 5 Rival Pack 5
Replacers BaronetteBison PeakFrenchysHornadaySilver TipWolverine Creek
Dispersers AvalancheBeartoothCastle CreekEmigrantFishtailFridleyLake SurrenderLebo PeakQuadrantRimSlip n' SlideSouth ForkToadflax
Dollar Tower Fall Established Unknown • Placeholder
Replacers Unknown • Placeholder
Dispersers Unknown • Placeholder
Dollar Hellroaring Mountain Established Unknown • Placeholder
Replacers Unknown • Placeholder
Dispersers Unknown • Placeholder
Lost River Dollar Expansion Established Rival Pack 1 Van WinkleRival Pack 1 ElevationRival Pack 1 TempletonRival Pack 1 BadlandsRival Pack 2 LuckyRival Pack 3 Lost RiverRival Pack 4 Rival Pack 4Rival Pack 5 Rival Pack 5
Replacers Pending Data
Dispersers AvalancheCalamityDesolationEclipseElementsGhostRenegadeRequiemRogueSalvageShadowSolaceStardustStargazerStormcloudSulfurTumbleweedWindstorm
Classic Established Rival Pack 1 Lost RiverRival Pack 2 Van WinkleRival Pack 3 Elevation
Replacers Pending Data
Dispersers CalamityDeltaDesolationEclipseGhostRenegadeRequiemShadowStormcloudTumbleweedWindstorm
Classic & Legacy Wolf Packs
Family & Packmates Single-player Breeding Pair Player-wolfMate
Offspring Pup
Multiplayer Packmates
Shared Den SitesRendezvous SiteTerritory (wedges)
Activities Hunting (scavenging) • Pack StatsSocial Arena
NPC Packs & Wolves Hostile Stranger Wolves (packs, territories) • Predator Wolves
Neutral Dispersal Wolves
Locations
Amethyst Mountain DruidSloughSpecimen
Slough Creek Identities Unknown
Lost River ElevationLost RiverVan Winkle
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