The Mine a Planet pet tier list ranks every pet from S to C tier based on the passive bonuses they grant and their effectiveness across all planets. The S-tier pets are the Astral Cat and Cosmic Wolf, both Legendary pets with Drill Speed and Rare Drop bonuses that compound with every swing. The A-tier pets are the Volcano Phoenix and Moon Fox, Epic pets with strong single-stat bonuses. The B-tier pets are the Iron Pup and Crystal Cub, Rare pets with smaller passive bonuses. The C-tier pets are the Dust Bunny and Rock Mole, Common pets designed for early-game starter bonuses.
For the complete pet system overview, see our Mine a Planet pets guide. For the pet effects on Drill Piece farming, see our Mine a Planet fast Drill Piece farming guide. This principle applies broadly across all progression stages and is one of the most reliable optimization levers in the game.
Pet Tier Overview
The pet tier list is organized by passive bonus strength. S-tier pets grant bonuses that compound with every swing, A-tier pets grant strong single-stat bonuses, B-tier pets grant moderate bonuses, and C-tier pets grant small bonuses that are useful only for early-game starter progression.
| Tier | Pets | Total Passive Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| S | Astral Cat, Cosmic Wolf | Drill Speed + Rare Drop + XP |
| A | Volcano Phoenix, Moon Fox | Smelt Speed or Rare Drop focus |
| B | Iron Pup, Crystal Cub | Small Drill Speed bonus |
| C | Dust Bunny, Rock Mole | Auto-pickup, small Ore Multiplier |
The S-tier pets are the only pets that grant bonuses to three separate stats, which is why they are worth the higher crafting cost. The A-tier pets are situational specialists that excel on specific planets. The exact mechanics vary slightly by patch, but the underlying principle remains consistent across all player playstyles.
S-Tier Pet Deep Dive
The S-tier pets are the Astral Cat and Cosmic Wolf. Both are Legendary pets that drop from end-game content, and both grant multiple high-value passives. Experienced players test this approach across multiple sessions before committing to a long-term strategy based on the outcome.
| Stat | Astral Cat | Cosmic Wolf |
|---|---|---|
| Drill Speed | +15% | +18% |
| Rare Drop Chance | +12% | +8% |
| XP Bonus | 0% | +10% |
| Best Planet | Nebula | Void |
The Astral Cat is the best all-around pet because its Drill Speed and Rare Drop bonuses both compound on every swing. The Cosmic Wolf is the best XP-focused pet because it adds an XP Bonus that the Astral Cat lacks.
A-Tier Pet Deep Dive
The A-tier pets are the Volcano Phoenix and Moon Fox. Both are Epic pets that drop from mid-game content. Combining this insight with active pet bonuses and prestige multipliers yields compounding benefits that accelerate overall progression. This principle is well-documented across the community and applies consistently across all progression stages.
| Stat | Volcano Phoenix | Moon Fox |
|---|---|---|
| Smelt Speed | +25% | 0% |
| Rare Drop Chance | +5% (Volcano only) | +15% (Europa only) |
| Ore Multiplier | +10% | 0% |
| Best Planet | Volcano | Europa |
The Volcano Phoenix is the best smelt-focused pet, with a +25% Smelt Speed bonus that compounds with the smelter upgrades. The Moon Fox is the best Europa-focused pet, with a +15% Rare Drop Chance bonus that is twice as strong on Europa as on other planets.
B-Tier Pet Deep Dive
The B-tier pets are the Iron Pup and Crystal Cub. Both are Rare pets that drop from mid-game content. The optimal application of this strategy depends on your current biome and active pet slot configuration. Veterans confirm that the recommended approach reliably yields the expected outcome within the standard playtime estimate.
| Stat | Iron Pup | Crystal Cub |
|---|---|---|
| Drill Speed | +8% | +5% |
| Damage Bonus | +5% | 0% |
| Ore Multiplier | 0% | +8% (Europa only) |
| Best Planet | Mars, Europa | Europa |
The Iron Pup is a solid all-around pet that adds a small Drill Speed bonus plus a Damage Bonus. The Crystal Cub is a Europa specialist that adds Ore Multiplier bonus on Europa biomes. For specific biome-by-biome breakdowns, see our detailed planet guides which cover each scenario in depth.
C-Tier Pet Deep Dive
The C-tier pets are the Dust Bunny and Rock Mole. Both are Common pets that drop from Earth or Mars content. Veteran players typically learn to recognize these patterns within the first 10-15 hours of focused play. The exact mechanics vary slightly by patch, but the underlying principle remains consistent across all player playstyles and biome contexts.
| Stat | Dust Bunny | Rock Mole |
|---|---|---|
| Auto Pickup | Yes | Yes |
| Ore Multiplier | +3% | +5% (Mars only) |
| Damage Bonus | 0% | +3% |
| Best Planet | Earth | Mars |
The C-tier pets are useful only for early-game starter bonuses. The Dust Bunny's auto pickup is a quality-of-life convenience that saves manual inventory management, but the per-swing bonus is too small to matter at end-game. This principle applies broadly across all progression stages and is one of the most reliable optimization levers in the game.
How to Use Multiple Pets Together
Players can equip up to 4 pets simultaneously (with the Epic Pet Slot expansion). The optimal pet loadout for end-game farming is Astral Cat (slot 1), Cosmic Wolf (slot 2), Volcano Phoenix (slot 3, for smelt focus), and Iron Pup (slot 4, for the Damage Bonus). This loadout stacks four different pet bonuses for maximum effect.
| Slot | Pet | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Astral Cat | Drill Speed + Rare Drop |
| 2 | Cosmic Wolf | Drill Speed + XP |
| 3 | Volcano Phoenix | Smelt Speed |
| 4 | Iron Pup | Damage Bonus |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best pet in the game?
The Astral Cat is the best all-around pet because it grants both Drill Speed and Rare Drop Chance bonuses. The Cosmic Wolf is a close second because it adds XP Bonus. Yes, this is generally the optimal choice because it maximizes the synergy with your active reforge and prestige bonuses.
How do I get an Astral Cat?
Astral Cats drop from the Astral Annihilator craft and from the Legendary pet eggs available in the trade market. The drop rate is low, so most players buy Astral Cats from other players. The standard approach is to follow the in-game tutorial and the wiki guides, but always verify the latest patch notes for changes to the mechanics.
Can I have two of the same pet?
Yes, you can carry duplicates. Some players carry two Astral Cats with different passive spreads to test the optimal stat combination. Yes, but the optimal approach depends on your current progression stage and your stockpile of supporting materials. The exact mechanics vary slightly by patch, but the underlying principle remains consistent across all player playstyles.
Should I sell duplicate pets on the trade market?
Yes, duplicate pets have meaningful trade value, particularly Legendary duplicates. Astral Cats sell for 5-15 million Drill Pieces on the trade market. Generally yes, but the optimal timing depends on your current resource reserves and your active biome's node HP profile.
What is the best pet for new players?
The Dust Bunny is the best starter pet because its auto pickup is the most useful early-game bonus. Save the Astral Cat and Cosmic Wolf for end-game progression. Yes, this is generally the optimal choice because it maximizes the synergy with your active reforge and prestige bonuses.
How Pet Stats Scale With Level and Reforge
Pet stats scale with both pet level and reforge. A level 50 Astral Cat with a maxed reforge will grant roughly +150% Drill Speed, which is roughly 10x the level 1 base bonus. The compounding effect of level + reforge is what makes maxed pets so impactful for end-game farming.
For most players, the optimal pet investment is to level one or two pets to 50 and leave the others at base level. The two pets worth maxing are the Astral Cat (for Drill Speed) and the Cosmic Wolf (for XP Bonus). Other pets can be left at base level because their bonuses are less impactful for end-game grinding.
Why C-Tier Pets Are Still Worth Carrying
Even though C-tier pets have small passive bonuses, they are still worth carrying in your inventory because they provide utility bonuses like auto pickup that no higher-tier pet offers. The Dust Bunny's auto pickup is unique to C-tier pets, and there is no higher-tier replacement for this quality-of-life convenience.
The Rock Mole's Mars-only Ore Multiplier bonus is similarly unique — no higher-tier pet offers a Mars-specific Ore Multiplier, which makes the Rock Mole the best Mars farming pet despite its C-tier ranking. Experienced players test this approach across multiple sessions before committing to a long-term strategy based on the outcome.
Pet Tier List Stability Across Patches
The pet tier list has remained stable across the past 6 months, with only minor adjustments to specific pet stats. The developers have shipped small balance changes to individual pets, but no pet has moved more than one tier up or down in any recent patch.
This stability is intentional — the developers want the pet tier list to feel predictable so players can plan their investments without worrying about sudden tier shifts. The pet tier rankings above are reliable for at least 6-12 months from the date of this guide.
How the Pet Tier List Has Changed Since Launch
When the game launched, the pet tier list was significantly different from the current ranking. The original pet roster had only the Common and Rare tiers, and the highest-tier pet was a Common-tier Dust Bunny with auto pickup. The developers added the Uncommon, Epic, and Legendary tiers in subsequent patches, which expanded the pet roster to its current 8-pet lineup.
The most recent tier list changes include the addition of the Cosmic Wolf in the S-tier and the buff of the Volcano Phoenix to A-tier. Both changes happened in the UPDATE1 patch, and they have remained stable since then. Combining this insight with active pet bonuses and prestige multipliers yields compounding benefits that accelerate overall progression.
Common Pet Tier Misconceptions
A common misconception is that the highest-tier pets are always the best choice. In practice, the optimal pet for a given planet or use case depends on the passive bonus spread, not just the tier ranking. The Volcano Phoenix (A-tier) is the best pet for smelt-focused players, even though it is not S-tier.
Another misconception is that pet tiers are determined by passive bonus magnitude. In reality, the tier list factors in both passive bonus strength AND versatility. The Astral Cat is S-tier not just because its bonuses are high, but because those bonuses apply broadly across multiple stats, which makes it useful in more situations than a single-bonus A-tier pet.
Which Pets Are Worth Unlocking Early
For new players, the priority pet unlocks are the pets that drop from the earliest-accessible planets. The Dust Bunny drops from Earth (immediately accessible), the Rock Mole drops from Mars (after Iron Hammer), the Iron Pup drops from Europa (after Titanium Spire), and the Crystal Cub drops from Europa (after Titanium Spire).
These four early-accessible pets provide the foundation for the mid-game pet progression. The remaining pets (Volcano Phoenix, Moon Fox, Astral Cat, Cosmic Wolf) drop from Volcano and beyond, which means they are accessible only after the Mythril Destroyer craft. The optimal application of this strategy depends on your current biome and active pet slot configuration.
Pet Tier List Application to Specific Game Modes
The pet tier list above is calibrated for Drill Piece grinding, which is the primary game mode. Other game modes like the Underground Arena have slightly different optimal pet rankings. For Arena-focused players, the Damage Bonus pets (Iron Pup, Rock Mole) are more valuable than they are in the tier list, while the Rare Drop pets (Moon Fox) are less valuable.
Players who split time between grinding and Arena should focus their pet investments on the versatile S-tier pets (Astral Cat + Cosmic Wolf) which work well in both modes. For specific biome-by-biome breakdowns, see our detailed planet guides which cover each scenario in depth.