LEON Barnett's 73rd-minute leveler bagged never-say-die Albion a hard-earned share of the points and extended their unbeaten Championship run to six games.
Bogey side Stoke snatched a 28th-minute lead against the run of play thanks to on-loan Manchester United defender Ryan Shawcross' far-post header.
The draw ended Albion's perfect home league record following four successive Hawthorns victories.
But Tony Mowbray's men deserve immense credit for battling their way back into this no-holds barred clash against a stubborn City outfit who were pegged inside their own half for long spells.
Six-goal top scorer Kevin Phillips failed a late fitness test and was replaced by Craig Beattie in Mowbray's only change from the 5-1 trouncing of QPR on Sunday.
Carl Hoefkens faced the club he quit in the summer for the first time - and made a vital contribution inside two minutes.
After a long throw-in had wreaked havoc in the Baggies box, the right-back did brilliantly to block Mamady Sidibe's close-range effort.
The Midlands derby had been billed as the ultimate clash of styles and Albion soon got their passing game going against Tony Pulis' physical outfit.
The Baggies began to build up a considerable head of steam but kept hitting a red-and-white brick wall, with the Potters blocking no less than four goalbound efforts in the opening eight minutes.
But Mowbray's men soon unlocked the visitors' rearguard, with Ishmael Miller muscling his way onto Robert Koren's clever ball, holding off Shawcross and hooking goalwards.
It took a fine Steve Simonsen reflex save to keep the game goalless.
Moments later, Filipe Teixeira came within a whisker of getting on the end of skipper Jonathan Greening's dangerous centre.
The Albion pressure continued and Barnett flashed a header just wide from Teixeira's pinpoint cross.
Stoke didn't threaten again until the 22nd minute when Ricardo Fuller teed up John Eustace, but Dean Kiely was equal to the ex-Coventry midfielder's 20-yard drive.
Back came Albion and Teixeira will feel he should have done much better than dinking the ball straight at Simonsen from 15 yards after Miller's presence had set up the chance.
But Stoke snatched a 28th-minute lead against the run of play.
After Albion had only partially-cleared Liam Lawrence's corner, the ex-Sunderland man whipped the ball back into the box and giant defender Shawcross headed home at the far post.
It was only the second home league goal conceded by the Baggies this term.
Albion spent the next 12 minutes camped inside the Stoke half, only for their attacks to be repelled by City's stubborn rearguard action.
The best effort they could summon was Koren's 25-yard exocet which flew into Simonsen's arms.
Two minutes before the break, Teixeira fed Miller on the left and the on-loan Manchester City striker did well to hold off his marker and flash a shot inches past the far post - the final action of the half.
The second-half started in similar vein, with Stoke blocking two ferocious efforts from Greening and Teixeira in quick succession.
But Albion almost suffered another sucker punch in the 55th minute when they needed Koren, marshalling the far post, to head Sidibe's downward header off the line from Lawrence's corner.
Normal service soon resumed, with Albion camped inside the Potters' half.
After a prolonged spell of Baggies keep-ball, Beattie was just inches away from connecting with Greening's diagonal pass into the box.
Albion kept plugging away and finally got their just desserts in the 73rd minute.
After Teixeira had won a free-kick on the left-hand edge of the box, the Baggies midfielder floated the ball to the far post.
Sub Zoltan Gera headed back across goal where Barnett bundled the ball home - his second goal of the season and first-ever at The Hawthorns.
Seconds later, Miller raced clear down the left and came within inches of finding the advancing James Morrison in the six-yard box.
Another sub also almost made a telling impact, with Sherjill MacDonald jinking inside Stephen Wright and unleashing a 15-yard rocket which Simonsen did well to push over.
Morrison was then inches away with an 18-yard snapshot which flew just over the bar after dogged play by MacDonald.
Albion could, and should, have won it in the dying stages.
Koren sent Miller clean through and the 20-year-old looked certain to score when he pulled the trigger from 15 yards, only to fire straight at the on-rushing Simonsen.
Brunt then saw a goalbound volley blocked by a red-and-white-striped shirt before Gera had a terrific effort from the edge of the box tipped over by the Stoke No.1
Ironically, it was City who had the game's last chance, with Fuller heading wide from Richard Cresswell's cross.
Had that gone in, it would have been the ultimate of smash-and-grab jobs.
ALBION (4-4-2): Kiely; Hoefkens (Gera 67), Barnett, Albrechtsen, Robinson; Morrison, Greening, Koren, Teixeira (MacDonald 77); Miller, Beattie (Brunt 67). Subs not used: Steele (gk), Pele.
STOKE (4-4-2): Simonsen; Wright, Zakuani (Dickinson 34), Shawcross, Wilkinson; Lawrence, Matteo, Eustace, Cresswell; Fuller, Sidibe (Parkin 64). Subs not used: Hoult (gk), Sweeney, Pericard.
GOALS: ALBION - Barnett (73). STOKE - Shawcross (28).
BOOKINGS: ALBION - Barnett (removing shirt 73). STOKE - Wright (time-wasting 32), Lawrence (foul 56), Matteo (foul 63), Shawcross (foul 69).
REFEREE: C Oliver (Northumberland).
ATTENDANCE: 20,048.
ALBION STARMAN: Jonathan Greening.
PICS: GETTING SHIRTY...Miller congratulates Barnett after his leveler
