Mounts by source

Available mounts
The tables below are separated based on mount source, such as purchase requirements, killing specific creatures, participating in world events, completing achievements or more.

Racial mounts
Racial ground mounts are typically the first mounts players will acquire. To purchase a racial ground mount, players must either purchase their race's mount (such as horses for humans, or wolves for orcs), or gain exalted standing with that race's representative faction (such as exalted with Darnassus to purchase sabers). Flying mounts do not require any reputation rating.

Worgen are not required to purchase their own racial mounts or that of other races, but instead learn Running Wild at level 20. Running Wild functions exactly like a mount as far as the game is concerned, but using the player's model (dropping down to all fours in worgen form) instead of a mount. Running Wild confers the standard 60% speed bonus from level 20 to 39, then unlock 100% speed at level 40.

Class-specific mounts
There are four classes in the game that can acquire special mounts and abilities linked to their own class through lore: death knights, druids, paladins, and warlocks. The original quests to gain the paladin charger, warlock dreadsteed, and druid's swift flight form were removed in Patch 4.0.1; those that completed them were given feats of strength. Instead of going to a class trainer, they are now automatically learned by players of the appropriate level, like any other class ability.

Druid and paladin abilities are slightly different based on race and faction. For example, the Alliance charger is blue and golden, while the Horde version is red and bronze. Similarly, night elf druids are black in flight form, while tauren are tan. With Cataclysm, tauren and draenei paladins receive Sunwalker Kodo and Exarch's Elekk, respectively, in place of chargers.

PvP mounts
PvP mounts can be obtained by exchanging Honor Points or other world PvP currency. For Arena rewards, see the Arena section.

Quest reward mounts
Some laborious or involved quest chains reward mounts.

Faction reward mounts
As a reward for gaining high reputation standing with various factions, players can purchase mounts. Such high reputation is a function of large quantities of time. Notes:

Rare drop mounts
Rarely, specific creatures will drop a mount as a reward. If the mount drops, only one mount will appear per kill, no matter the size of the party or raid killing the creature. Also, mounts may rarely be inside other containers rewarded for doing other objectives.

Guaranteed drop mounts
A guaranteed drop mount will result in one mount being awarded upon killing the specified creature under the condition listed, regardless of the size of the party or raid. For mounts rewarded such that everyone who completes the achievement gets the mount, see the "Achievements" section. There is no direct achievement for killing the Time-Lost Proto-Drake or Aeonaxx; the hard part is actually finding either drake alive. There is likewise no achievement for killing Dormus the Camel-Hoarder; the hard part is finding a working Mysterious Camel Figurine in Uldum.

Crafted mounts
Mounts can also be created by players. Typically such mounts are a perk of the profession and are not available to other players, but a few are.

Vendor mounts
in Dalaran and at the Grummle Bazaar in Kun-Lai Summit sell mounts to all comers, with no requirements outside of gold or Justice Points.

Argent Tournament mounts
A major draw of the Argent Tournament is the large quantity of mounts rewarded in exchange for Champion's Seals.

Aquatic mounts
Aquatic mounts confer a slight increase in swim speed, but when designed to be amphibious, move no faster than walking while on land. Aquatic mounts do not give their riders the ability to breathe underwater, so plan accordingly with an appropriate item or abilities.

Achievement system mounts
These mounts are obtainable by completing certain achievements. As part of completing the achievement, the mount will be mailed directly to the player, or for guild achievements, made available for purchase from the guild vendors.

Holiday mounts
There are several disguises and time-limited items that are available during holidays. Disguises simply turn the player's mount into something "more festive" like a kodo or a reindeer but do not otherwise affect mount mechanics. Time-limited items exist only during the duration of the holiday itself. Previously, time-limited items had a set time such as seven or 14 days, but were changed to be directly tied to the holiday.

Back during Brewfest 2007, an "Honorary Brewer" Hand Stamp was available for purchase and granted access to the Brewfest Ram and Swift Brewfest Ram vendors. (the holiday boss in the Grim Guzzler of Blackrock Depths) had not yet been implemented, so completing the quest was the only way to get the mounts. The hand stamp was removed for the 2008 Brewfest and the Swift Brewfest Ram added to Coren Direbrew's loot table (along with the new Great Brewfest Kodo), but the 60%-speed Brewfest Ram can no longer be purchased except by players who completed the Hand Stamp quest.

Outside of game mounts
The mounts in previous sections are acquired using solely in-game means. The mounts that follow require some real-world interactions, such as getting a rare loot card in the TCG, going to BlizzCon, or purchasing mounts from the Blizzard Store.

Trading Card Game mounts
All the TCG mounts must first be unlocked using a code found on a loot card, then they can be purchased from in Booty Bay.

Blizzard Store mounts
Mounts are also available from Blizzard Store. They function exactly like Pet Store-purchased pets do: all characters on the account will get mail from with the mount attached.

BlizzCon mounts
The first BlizzCon mount was obtained from the BlizzCon 2008 Welcome packages. Using a code found on the Blizzard Convention Card, the mount is then unlocked by redeeming the code to an NPC found in the Valley of Honor in Orgrimmar for Horde, or in the Forlorn Cavern in Ironforge for Alliance. Two additional mounts were available by purchasing a ticket or virtual ticket to BlizzCon 2017.

Recruit-A-Friend mounts
These mounts are obtainable by recruiting a friend with the Recruit-A-Friend program.

WoW Annual Pass
Announced at BlizzCon 2011, players that signed up for the World of Warcraft Annual Pass would receive as one of the additional bonuses a winged horse called Tyrael's Charger.

Scroll of Resurrection
Reintroduced to players on March 6, 2012 for a limited time, the Scroll of Resurrection service, when accepted by an inactive player, will reward the inviting player one Spectral Mount Crate to the character of their choice. The resulting mount is faction-specific.

Arena System reward mounts
At the end of each Arena season, the top 0.5% of teams in the 3v3 and 5v5 bracket each battlegroup are rewarded with a 310% speed flying mount.

Such mounts are inherently time-limited and are not currently available.

Removed from game mounts
These mounts are no longer obtainable in the game.