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[[Attumen the Huntsman]], [[Karazhan]]<br>
 
[[Attumen the Huntsman]], [[Karazhan]]<br>
 
[[Anzu]], [[Sethekk Halls]] (Heroic)<br>
 
[[Anzu]], [[Sethekk Halls]] (Heroic)<br>
[[Nalorakk]], [[Zul'Aman]]
+
[[Zul'Aman]] Timed Run (Chest 4)
 
|Journeyman (150)
 
|Journeyman (150)
   

Revision as of 23:40, 4 February 2008

Riding Horse Icon WoW Icon update Riding (Profession)
TrainersMounts
Elekk Screen

A draenei riding his Elekk mount.

Mounts are a much sought after form of transportation in which players ride atop the backs of various Bind on Pickup creatures (or machines for gnomes and engineers). Warlocks and paladins can summon their mounts with special spells. Mounted travel is faster than walking, and the Burning Crusade expansion introduced both new mounts and flying mounts.

Mounts were generally expensive in the past, but their prices have been reduced with the training to ride them increased to compensate. There are however some mounts which do not cost any gold or Marks of Honor, and will drop at very low rates from bosses in instances such as Stratholme, Zul'Gurub, Zul'Aman, Tempest Keep, and Karazhan.

Riding skills and abilities

Beebonmount

A Human Mage riding a Swift White Steed, an Alliance Epic Mount.

There are several types of mounts, all which correspond to one of the four different riding skills (Apprentice, Journeyman, Expert, and Artisan).

At level 40, players may learn the Apprentice riding skill (at a base cost of 100g, subject to faction discount) and may purchase Apprentice mounts, which have a 60% movement speed increase.

At level 60, epic Journeyman mounts become available with a standard 100% movement increase, but require additional training (600g, also subject to a faction discount). The character gets an epic item to summon their mount.

At level 70, a player can learn both the expert and artisan riding skills. The expert riding skill costs 800g for training and 100g for the mount. The artisan riding skill costs 5000g for training and 200g for an epic flying mount. There is no way to gain a discount for the Expert and Artisan flying skill. The flying mounts are only usable with these skills and may only be summoned in Outland.

Faction specific mounts

Mounts by race

File:Trollsraptors.jpg

Two trolls riding Raptors.

Each race has their own mount and other races can ride these mounts if they have the appropriate faction and physical abilities, although before patch 1.1 the tauren had no mount, and learned an ability called Ability warstomp [Plainsrunning].

Mounts by race
Alliance Alliance
Template:Race Icon NightElf Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon NightElf Female Small Night elves Template:Mount Icon Saber Small Nightsaber
Template:Race Icon Human Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Human Female Small Humans Template:Mount Icon Horse Small Horse
Template:Race Icon Dwarf Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Dwarf Female Small Dwarves Template:Mount Icon Ram Small Ram
Template:Race Icon Gnome Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Gnome Female Small Gnomes Template:Mount Icon Mechanostrider SmallMechanostrider
Template:Race Icon Draenei Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Draenei Female Small Draenei Bc icon Template:Mount Icon Elekk Small Elekk
Horde Horde
Template:Race Icon Tauren Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Tauren Female Small Tauren Template:Mount Icon Kodo Small Kodo
Template:Race Icon Orc Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Orc Female Small Orcs Template:Mount Icon Wolf Small Wolf
Template:Race Icon Troll Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Troll Female Small Trolls Template:Mount Icon Raptor Small Raptor
Template:Race Icon Undead Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Undead Female Small Forsaken Template:Mount Icon SkeletalHorse Small Skeletal Horse
Template:Race Icon BloodElf Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon BloodElf Female Small Blood elves Bc icon Template:Mount Icon Hawkstrider Small Hawkstrider
Flying Mounts Bc icon
Alliance Alliance Template:Mount Icon Gryphon Small Gryphon
Horde Horde Template:Mount Icon Wyvern Small Wyvern

Purchasing other mounts

You can purchase your own race's mount regardless of your reputation provided you have enough gold stockpiled. However, to purchase another race's mount, your reputation with that race's faction must be "Exalted". Before Patch 1.12.1, it was required to get additional training to ride that race's mounts. After Patch 1.12.1, a universal riding skill was introduced that superseded all the mount-specific riding skills. Do keep in mind that mount vendors of cities owned by races other than your own will not show you what they have to offer unless you are exalted with them.

There are two exceptions:

  • Tauren can only ride kodo beasts, wolves, talbuks, and the rare epic mounts, as they are just too large to ride anything else.
    • The [Black War Raptor] is also ridable by tauren, but none of the other raptors are ridable.
  • Mechanostriders can only be ridden by gnomes and dwarves, as they are the only races small enough.
Mount Type Template:Grc Template:Grc Template:Grc Template:Grc Template:Grc
Elekk File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png
Rams File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png
Mechanostriders N/A File:Check.png File:Check.png N/A N/A
Horses File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png
Sabre Cats File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png
Mount Type Template:Grc Template:Grc Template:Grc Template:Grc Template:Grc
Hawkstriders File:Check.png File:Check.png N/A File:Check.png File:Check.png
Wolves File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png
Kodos File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png File:Check.png
Raptors File:Check.png File:Check.png PVP File:Check.png File:Check.png
Skeletal Horses File:Check.png File:Check.png N/A File:Check.png File:Check.png

Discount

Faction discount

File:Orcswolves.jpg

A troop of orcs on their wolves.

Because of the large expense of mounts, and the way Blizzard implements the discount system, it will be often seen that people refer to prices which are 10% less than the prices listed here. There was only one discount available for training riding skill and purchasing mounts:

  • 10% Honored faction discount.

As of patch 2.3, Blizzard included discounts for all levels of a faction beyond neutral; the discounts are as follows:

  • 5% Friendly faction discount.
  • 10% Honored faction discount.
  • 15% Revered faction discount.
  • 20% Exalted faction discount.

Class discount

Technically not a discount, warlocks, and paladins can get class-specific mounts (via quests Warlocks pay 1 gold and 10 silver to learn the Felsteed spell). They are equivalent to standard mounts, but require a small amount of mana to summon. When the summoning spells are learned, the player will automatically receive the requisite riding skill to ride that particular mount. As of patch 2.1, when a warlock receives their felsteed, they automatically receive the Apprentice riding skill that applies to "normal" mounts. This is also true for paladins. While some say these mounts are free, Warlocks pay the difference while buying their spells, as all their spells cost 10% more at all levels, as well as having to buy Pet skills.


Mounts by class
Template:Class Icon Paladin Small Paladin Alliance Template:Mount Icon Warhorse Small Warhorse (blue and silver colored) at level 40.
Template:Class Icon Paladin Small Paladin Alliance Template:Mount Icon Warhorse Small Charger (blue and golden colored) level 60.
Template:Class Icon Paladin Small Paladin Horde Template:Mount Icon Warhorse Small Warhorse (red and bronze colored) at level 40.
Template:Class Icon Paladin Small Paladin Horde Template:Mount Icon Warhorse Small Charger (red and bronze colored) at level 60.
Template:Class Icon Warlock Small Warlock Neutral Template:Mount Icon Felsteed Small Felsteed at level 40.
Template:Class Icon Warlock Small Warlock Neutral Template:Mount Icon Felsteed Small Ability mount dreadsteed [Dreadsteed] at level 60.

Class Abilities

Druids and Shamans get shapeshift forms that increase their movement speed (not as much as a mount, but it is trainable at an earlier level), while Hunters get Aspects to boost their movement speed and that of their party. Rogues get a self-buff to temporarily increase movement speed.

  • Template:Class Icon Druid Small Druid
    • File:Ability Druid AquaticForm.png Ability druid aquaticform [Aquatic Form] from a Druid quest that starts at level 16. Aquatic form increases swim speed by 50%.
    • Spell Nature SpiritWolf With a Talent, Spell nature spiritwolf [Feral Swiftness], it is possible to increase Ability druid catform [Cat Form] movement speed by 15% (one talent point) or 30% (two talent points).
    • Ability Druid Dash Dash first obtained at level 24, increases Ability druid catform [Cat Form] movement speed by 50% (rank 1 - level 24), 60% (rank 2 - level 46), and 70% (rank 3 - level 65) for 15 seconds. However, it does not stack with Feral Swiftness's movement speed increase.
    • File:Ability Druid TravelForm.png Ability druid travelform [Travel Form] at level 30. Movement speed increased by 40%. Can shapeshift in combat. Only usable outdoors.
    • Bc icon Ability Druid FlightForm Ability druid flightform [Flight Form] at level 68. Usable in Outland-only. Movement speed (flying) increased by 60%. Instant cast, cannot shapeshift in combat. Learning the ability also gives Druids the Riding Skill 225 for free. Requires Riding skill 150 to learn.
    • Bc icon Ability Druid FlightForm Ability druid flightform [Swift Flight Form] at level 70. Usable in Outland-only. Movement speed (flying) increased by 280%. Instant cast, cannot shapeshift in combat. Learning the ability requires the Riding Skill 300.
  • Template:Class Icon Shaman Small Shaman
    • Spell Nature SpiritWolf Spell nature spiritwolf [Ghost Wolf] at level 20. Movement speed increased by 40%. Only usable outdoors.
  • Template:Class Icon Hunter Small Hunter
    • Ability Mount JungleTiger Ability mount jungletiger [Aspect of the Cheetah] at level 20. Movement speed increased by 30%. Able to boost to 38% through talent spending.
    • Ability Mount WhiteTiger Ability mount whitetiger [Aspect of the Pack] at level 40. Movement speed of the party increased by 30%. Able to boost to 38% through talent spending.
  • Template:Class Icon Rogue Small Rogue
    • Ability Rogue Sprint Ability rogue sprint [Sprint] at level 10. Movement speed is increased by 50% for 15 seconds (rank 1 – level 10), 60% for 15 seconds (rank 2 – level 34), and 70% for 15 seconds (rank 3 – level 58). Sprint can also have a 50%/100% chance to remove all movement impairing effects via Improved Sprint in the Combat (Changed in a patch) talent tree.
    • Ability Rogue FleetFooted Ability rogue quickrecovery [Fleet Footed] (Assassination tree talent tier 5) Increase chance to avoid movement imparing effects by 5/10% and movement speed by 8/16% (2 ranks)
  • Template:Class Icon Paladin Small Paladin

Mounts tables

Rare ground mounts

Mount type Speed increase Availability Required riding skill
Alliance Crest

Template:Race Icon Human Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Human Female Small Humans : Template:Mount Icon Horse Small Horse Mounts
Template:Race Icon Dwarf Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Dwarf Female Small Dwarves : Template:Mount Icon Ram Small Ram Mounts
Template:Race Icon Gnome Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Gnome Female Small Gnomes : Template:Mount Icon Mechanostrider Small Mechanostrider Mounts
Template:Race Icon NightElf Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon NightElf Female Small Night elves : Template:Mount Icon Saber Small Saber Mounts
Template:Race Icon Draenei Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Draenei Female Small Draenei : Template:Mount Icon Elekk Small Elekk Mounts Bc icon

60% 10g Apprentice (75)
Horde Crest

Template:Race Icon Orc Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Orc Female Small Orcs : Template:Mount Icon Wolf Small Wolf Mounts
Template:Race Icon Tauren Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Tauren Female Small Tauren : Template:Mount Icon Kodo Small Kodo Mounts
Template:Race Icon Troll Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Troll Female Small Trolls : Template:Mount Icon Raptor Small Raptor Mounts
Template:Race Icon Undead Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Undead Female Small Forsaken : Template:Mount Icon SkeletalHorse Small Skeletal Horse Mounts
Template:Race Icon BloodElf Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon BloodElf Female Small Blood elves : Template:Mount Icon Hawkstrider Small Hawkstrider Mounts Bc icon

60% 10g Apprentice (75)
Ahn'Qiraj Template:Mount Icon QirajiTank Small Qiraji Battle Tanks 100% AQ40 Drop Apprentice (75)

Epic ground mounts

Swift mounts have been available since Patch 1.4, making pre 1.4 mounts no longer purchasable. Pre 1.4 mounts have rare epic mount styles but different colors. Players with old epic mounts can exchange their mount for the newer mounts but since old epic mounts can no longer be purchased, people keep their old epic mount as a novelty.

Mount type Speed increase Availability Required riding skill
Alliance Crest

Template:Race Icon Human Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Human Female Small Humans : Template:Mount Icon Horse Small Swift Horse Mounts
Template:Race Icon Dwarf Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Dwarf Female Small Dwarves : Template:Mount Icon Ram Small Swift Ram Mounts
Template:Race Icon Gnome Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Gnome Female Small Gnomes : Template:Mount Icon Mechanostrider Small Swift Mechanostrider Mounts
Template:Race Icon NightElf Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon NightElf Female Small Night elves : Template:Mount Icon Saber Small Swift Saber Mounts
Template:Race Icon Draenei Male SmallTemplate:Race Icon Draenei Female Small Draenei : Template:Mount Icon Elekk Small Swift Elekk Mounts Bc icon

100% 100g Journeyman (150)
Horde Crest

Template:Race Icon Orc Male Small Template:Race Icon Orc Female Small Orcs : Template:Mount Icon Wolf Small Swift Wolf Mounts
Template:Race Icon Tauren Male Small Template:Race Icon Tauren Female Small Tauren : Template:Mount Icon Kodo Small Swift Kodo Mounts
Template:Race Icon Troll Male Small Template:Race Icon Troll Female Small Trolls : Template:Mount Icon Raptor Small Swift Raptor Mounts
Template:Race Icon Undead Male Small Template:Race Icon Undead Female Small Forsaken : Template:Mount Icon SkeletalHorse Small Skeletal Warhorse Mounts
Template:Race Icon BloodElf Male Small Template:Race Icon BloodElf Female Small Blood elves : Template:Mount Icon Hawkstrider Small Swift Hawkstrider Mounts Bc icon

100% 100g Journeyman (150)
Alliance PvP Mounts

Template:Mount Icon Mechanostrider Small [Black Battlestrider] from the gnomes
Template:Mount Icon Ram Small [Black War Ram] from the dwarves
Template:Mount Icon Horse Small [Black War Steed] from the humans
Template:Mount Icon Saber Small [Black War Tiger] from the night elves

100% 30 Warsong Gulch Mark of Honor 30 Arathi Basin Mark of Honor 30 Alterac Valley Mark of Honor Journeyman (150)
Horde PvP Mounts

Template:Mount Icon Wolf Small [Black War Wolf] from the orcs
Template:Mount Icon SkeletalHorse Small [Red Skeletal Warhorse] from the Forsaken
Template:Mount Icon Kodo Small [Black War Kodo] from the tauren
Template:Mount Icon Raptor Small [Black War Raptor] from the trolls

100% 30 Warsong Gulch Mark of Honor 30 Arathi Basin Mark of Honor 30 Alterac Valley Mark of Honor Journeyman (150)
Neutral PvP Mounts

Template:Mount Icon Talbuk Small [Dark War Talbuk] from Halaa blade merchant Bc icon
Template:Mount Icon Talbuk Small [Dark Riding Talbuk] from Halaa blade merchant Bc icon

100%

Journeyman (150)
Rare faction Alliance: Template:Mount Icon Saber Small [Winterspring Frostsaber]

Neutral: Template:Mount Icon Talbuk Small Riding Talbuk Bc icon
Neutral: Template:Mount Icon Talbuk Small War Talbuk Bc icon

100% 100g

70g
100g

Apprentice (75)

Journeyman (150)
Journeyman (150)

Alterac Valley Mounts Alliance: Template:Mount Icon Ram Small [Stormpike Battle Charger]

Horde: Template:Mount Icon Wolf Small [Frostwolf Howler]

100% 50 Alterac Valley Mark of Honor Journeyman (150)
Rare drop mounts

Neutral: Template:Mount Icon SkeletalHorse Small [Deathcharger's Reins]
Neutral: Template:Mount Icon Saber Small [Swift Zulian Tiger]
Neutral: Template:Mount Icon Raptor Small [Swift Razzashi Raptor]
Neutral: Template:Mount Icon Felsteed Small [Fiery Warhorse's Reins] Bc icon
Neutral: Template:Mount Icon Raven Small [Reins of the Raven Lord] Bc icon
Neutral: Template:Race Icon Bear Small [Amani War Bear] Bc icon

100%

Baron Rivendare, Stratholme
High Priest Thekal, Zul'Gurub
Bloodlord Mandokir, Zul'Gurub
Attumen the Huntsman, Karazhan
Anzu, Sethekk Halls (Heroic)
Zul'Aman Timed Run (Chest 4)

Journeyman (150)

TCG Mounts

All the TCG mounts must first be unlocked using a code found on a loot card, before they can be purchased from Landro Longshot in Booty Bay.

Mount type Speed increase Availability Required riding skill
TCG Mounts
Template:Race Icon Turtle SmallNeutral: [Riding Turtle] 0% 0g None
Template:Mount Icon Saber SmallNeutral: [Reins of the Spectral Tiger] 60% 10g Apprentice (75)
Template:Mount Icon Saber SmallNeutral: [Reins of the Swift Spectral Tiger] 100% 100g Journeyman (150)
Template:Mount Icon Rocket SmallNeutral: [X-51 Nether-Rocket] 60% 100g Expert (225)
Template:Mount Icon Rocket SmallNeutral: [X-51 Nether-Rocket] 280% 200g Artisan (300)

Legendary ground mounts

Mount type Speed increase Availability Required riding skill
Legendary mount Template:Mount Icon QirajiTank SmallNeutral: [Black Qiraji Battle Tank] 100% No longer attainable on current servers, long quest chain Journeyman (150)

Flying mounts

Bc icon This section concerns content related to The Burning Crusade.

Mount type Speed increase Availability Required riding skill
Flying mounts (expert)

Alliance: Template:Mount Icon Gryphon Small Gryphon Mounts
Horde: Template:Mount Icon Wyvern Small Wyvern Mounts

60% on land, 60% in air 100g Expert (225)
Cenarion Hippogryphs[1]

Neutral: Template:Mount Icon Hippogryph Small [Cenarion War Hippogryph]

100% on land, 280% in air 2000g Exalted with Cenarion Expedition Artisan (300)
Flying mounts (artisan)

Alliance: Template:Mount Icon Gryphon Small Swift Gryphon Mounts
Horde: Template:Mount Icon Wyvern Small Swift Wyvern Mounts

100% on land, 280% in air 200g Artisan (300)
Sha'tari Skyguard Mounts

Neutral: Template:Mount Icon Netherray Small Nether ray

100% on land, 280% in air 200g Exalted with Sha'tari Skyguard Artisan (300)
Netherwing Drakes

Neutral: Template:Race Icon Netherwing Small Nether Drake

100% on land, 280% in air [2] Questline / Exalted with Netherwing Artisan (300)


Arena Rewards

Neutral: Template:Race Icon Netherwing Small [Swift Nether Drake]

100% on land, 310% in air [3] Seasonal Arena reward Artisan (300)
Tempest Keep Phoenix

Neutral: Template:Mount Icon Phoenix Small [Ashes of Al'ar]

100% on land, 310% in air Kael'thas Sunstrider, The Eye Artisan (300)
Engineering Mounts (expert)

Neutral: Template:Mount Icon Flyingmachine Small [Flying Machine Control]

60% on land, 60% in air 350 Engineering Expert (225)
Engineering Mounts (artisan)

Neutral: Template:Mount Icon Flyingmachine Small [Turbo-Charged Flying Machine Control]

100% on land, 280% in air 375 Engineering Artisan (300)

Holiday mounts

Mount type Speed increase Availability Prerequisites
Festive mount changer Template:Race Icon Stag Small [Fresh Holly] N/A Feast of Winter Veil Requires level 40
Template:Race Icon Stag Small [Preserved Holly] N/A Feast of Winter Veil Requires level 40;
N [60] Metzen the Reindeer or
N [60] The Hero of the Day
Brewfest Rams Template:Mount Icon Ram Small [Brewfest Ram] 60% Brewfest Requires level 40;
10g and 600 [Brewfest Prize Ticket]s
Template:Mount Icon Ram Small [Swift Brewfest Ram] 100% Brewfest Requires level 60;
100g and 600 [Brewfest Prize Ticket]s
Brooms Template:Mount Icon Broom Small [Magic Broom] 60% Hallow's End Requires level 40 and Riding skill Apprentice (75)
Template:Mount Icon Broom Small [Swift Magic Broom] 100% Hallow's End Requires level 60 Riding skill Journeyman (150)
Template:Mount Icon Broom Small [Flying Broom] 60% on land, 60% in air Hallow's End Requires level 70 Riding skill Expert (225)
Template:Mount Icon Broom Small [Swift Flying Broom] 100% on land, 280% in air Hallow's End Requires level 70 Riding skill Artisan (300)
Template:Mount Icon Broom Small [Rickety Magic Broom] 0% Hallow's End Requires level 1 and no Riding Skill.

Mount speed

File:Netherdrake.jpg

A Nether Drake flying in the skies of Outland

There are five methods for increasing your mounted speed which are available to all players:


These last two items effectively increase a mount's speed by 10%. However, they do not stack with the previously mentioned methods, so they are approximately (see below) a 1% improvement over using the above 3 items combined.

All speed improvement items work on both normal, as well as flying mounts (with the exception of npc controlled point-point flight)

Totals

The first three effects act as percent multipliers of your total mounted speed, stacking with previous multipliers. Thus, if you have spurs but nothing else, your normal mount speed will be increased to about 166.4% ((100% + 60%) * 1.04 = 166.4%). These numbers were obtained experimentally using a position-tracking addon written specifically for this purpose.


Using the highest speed-enhancing effect produces a total movement speed of about:

  • 110% for Ability hunter pet turtle [Riding Turtle] — (100%) * (1.1)
  • 176% for normal land and air mounts — (100% + 60%) * (1.1)
  • 220% for epic land mounts — (100% + 100%) * (1.1)
  • 418% for swift gryphons and wyverns — (100% + 280%) * (1.1)
  • 451% for [Swift Nether Drake] — (100% + 310%) * (1.1)


Additionally, paladins have a talent called Pursuit of Justice which increases mount speed by 5/10/15% (non-stacking) and hunters have a talent called Ability hunter animalhandler [Animal Handler] which increases your mount speed by 4%/8% (non-stacking). Since the speed bonus from this talent is non-stacking, it increases the Warhorse's total speed to 166.4%/172.8% and the Charger's to 208%/216%.

Paladins also get Spell holy crusaderaura [Crusader Aura], available at level 62, which increases mount speed for all members in the party by 20% (non-stacking). This does not stack with Pursuit of Justice. This also affects flying mounts.


Total movement speed while using Spell holy crusaderaura [Crusader Aura]

  • 192% for Warhorse/Non-Epic — (160%) * (1.2)
  • 240% for Charger/Epic — (200%) * (1.2)
  • 456% for swift gryphons and wyverns — (380%) * (1.2)
  • 492% for [Swift Nether Drake] — (410%) * (1.2)

Flying mounts in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms

Blizzard officials have stated that it would be possible to "rebuild" the existing continents to accommodate for flying mounts, but this would take enormous amounts of time as Kalimdor and the Eastern continents combined are more than four times the size of Outland.

Comment from Drysc, a Blizzard representative:

2006, November 13
Unfortunately our designers and developers are not a limitless sea of people; there are decisions that have to be made as to where we should appropriately direct the development efforts. It's our feeling that providing new content, new places to explore and progress your character, new races and professions, all equal a very worthwhile expenditure of our resources. We're definitely committed to ensuring parts of the game already developed continue to be refined, but in this case delaying an expansion for a potentially "very long time" just wouldn't make sense, and wouldn't be very fair to our fans and players who would rather keep progressing their character than flying through places they've already been.

Let's say that we did allow flying mounts in Azeroth and chose to redesign it at some point, it would be no small task. We would need to correct all of the terrain outside of the 'walkable' areas, including building out zones that currently don't exist but through lore are known to exist in those areas. We would also have to rework most outdoor areas as content not intended to be bypassed could be, as well as any possible terrain exploitation potential (ie lots of time testing and refining). We would need to think about what happens when the edge of the map is reached. Since Outland is flat, a bounding wall makes sense, but for a planet that starts to break down. Do players zone in to the other continent while flying or do we make it seamless? If it's seamless we have to rebuild our server architecture, not to mention any further technical issues, etc. etc. While summed up in a sentence or two each of these things would require teams of people working together for a long time to pull off well.

It really all comes down to making the game fun to play for everyone, and allocating resources and time to do that as efficiently as possible. Right now spending time reworking Azeroth so that flying mounts can simply exist, for some ease of travel and sight seeing, doesn't seem like an appropriate use of our time or efforts. In the future though, who knows?

Comment from Nethaera, another Blizzard representative:

2007, February 14
As much as people keep trying to convince us we need to do this there are reasons for things being the way they are. For one, Outland was created specifically with flying mounts in mind. From the ground up to the sky, we worked on the technology involved to make this happen. For another, by keeping them a part of Outland, it makes them unique to the new land and relays a sense of 'ooh and ahh' that they aren't commonplace all around Azeroth too. Also, to retro-fit Azeroth to allow for them would take a lot of time and it's time we'd much rather dedicate to moving forward towards new content than trying to rework something.

Time and resources are two things we are very careful about and as you can see from reading the forums, a lot of people believe we should be doing more with it no matter how much we actually do. We do the best we can to put out fixes and content as quickly as possible but we have a constraint we've put on ourselves as well that if we are going to put something out there, that we should do it well and with Blizzard quality in mind. This is something that will always be at the top of our list to strive for.

See also

  • Riding skill
  • Transportation category for a detailed list of methods of transportation in WoW.
  • Mounts category for a list of articles on mounts.
  • If you want to get a head start, read a Guide for Preparing to Buy a Mount.
  • Inv misc plant 03 [Fresh Holly], a way to transform your mount into a reindeer for half an hour

Notes

  • Flying mounts can perform a loop! Make sure you have you [Num Lock] turned off, then press the 0 (zero) button on your numeric pad while in flight to perform a loop.
  • You can also make loops using the Pitch Up and Pitch Down keys (normally [Ins] and [Del]). Additionally, while in a loop, you can use your strafe keys to do a Barrel Roll manoeuvre.

References

External links