Mount

	Riding (Profession)
	Trainers • Mounts

“You don't want to walk forever, do you?”

— Salanar the Horseman

An undead riding his giant mammoth.

Mounts are a much sought after form of transportation in which players ride atop the backs of various more or less exotic beasts (or machines). Warlocks, paladins and death knights can learn to summon mounts as a class perk. Mounted travel is almost always faster than walking/running (amphibious mounts such as the  [Sea Turtle] provide only circumstantial speed boosts on land). World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade introduced flying mounts in select areas, which further increased the maximum possible player movement speed and also increased accessibility to various locations previously unreachable. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm introduced flying to Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, as well as the new areas exclusive to the expansion.

Mounts were generally expensive in the past, but their prices have been reduced while the training to ride them increased in order to compensate. However, some mounts do not cost any gold or other currencies (such as honor points) and will drop at very low rates from bosses in instances such as Stratholme, Tempest Keep, Magisters' Terrace, Sethekk Halls, Karazhan, and Utgarde Pinnacle. There are numerous other methods to obtain mounts as well, such as class quests, completing achievements, the Trading Card Game, and the Black Market Auction House for older ones from removed content.

Mounts have a 1.5 second cast time, which will be interrupted by taking any damage, moving, or entering combat.

Riding skills and abilities

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

Blood Knights riding their Horde paladin mounts.

Since patch 4.0.1 most mounts no longer have intrinsic values for speed; their speed is dependent only on the player's riding skill.

Mounts can swim (but not any faster than swimming without the mount). There are aquatic mounts which move at +60% swim speed anywhere and amphibious ones which can walk on land, and another that can only be used underwater in Vashj'ir but moves at +450% swim speed. Vanity mounts confer no benefits (and thus, require no riding skill or character level).

Apprentice: Level 10

Once a character reaches level 10, they will automatically receive a quest directing them to visit their racial riding trainer and mount vendor. Apprentice riding skill (75) costs 4 for training and an additional 1 for each mount, both reduced by the appropriate reputation discounts. Increases mounted movement speed by 60%.

At level 10, warlocks and paladins can learn the spells [Summon Felsteed] and [Summon Warhorse]/ [Summon Exarch's Elekk]/ [Summon Sunwalker Kodo] at the cost of 1 from their class trainers, which grants them apprentice riding skill. Additionally, worgen learn [Running Wild] at level 10, which functions as their automatic racial mount.

Journeyman: Level 20

Journeyman riding skill (150) costs 50 for training and an additional 10 for each mount, both reduced by the appropriate reputation discounts. Increases mounted movement speed by 100%.

At level 20, paladins and warlocks can learn [Summon Charger]/ [Summon Great Exarch's Elekk]/ [Summon Great Sunwalker Kodo] and [Dreadsteed] from their class trainers after learning the Journeyman riding skill from the riding trainer. There is no need to purchase a new mount. Death knights receive their epic ground mount, the Acherus Deathcharger (ability), after the completion of the quests   [8-30] Grand Theft Palomino and   [8-30] Into The Realm of Shadows at level 55.

Expert: Level 30

Once a character reaches level 30, they will automatically receive the quest   [30] I Believe You Can Fly, this time directing them to visit their factions' most accessible riding trainer and mount vendor. Expert riding skill (225) costs 250 for training and an additional 50 for each mount, both reduced by the appropriate reputation discounts. Increases mounted movement speed by 150% in the air and 100% on the ground.

Druids can learn [Flight Form] from any druid trainer at level 24 for 3. However, they will need to pay for Expert Riding to fly, meaning that Druids have to wait until level 30 to be able to use their Flight Form.

Master: Level 40

Master riding skill (375) costs 5,000 for training, reduced by the appropriate reputation discount. Introduced with patch 4.0.1, it increases the air speed of flying mounts to +310%. However, any characters that already had a 310% speed flying mount pre-4.0.1 were given this skill automatically and free of charge with 4.0.1. Formerly, earning the  [Reins of the Violet Proto-Drake] before patch 5.0.4 through What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been awarded Master riding for free.

Cold Weather Flying was also automatically learned at this level for free, if it was not yet purchased.

Draenor Flying

This section concerns content related to Warlords of Draenor.

For most of Warlords of Draenor, Blizzard had not planned on implementing flight on Draenor, nor any expansion in the future despite an early forum post mentioning implementing flying in the first content patch. This sparked outrage on the World of Warcraft forums, causing players to create numerous threads as each would reach their post limit, with many posters threatening to unsubscribe due to the decision. Blizzard later reversed course and added the  [Draenor Pathfinder] achievement. The idea, and compromise on Blizzard's part, is that players will have to experience the game content on the ground the way it was designed at least once, after which all their characters will be free to fly to the content they want to do again if they so wish.

To earn the achievement, players must experience most open-world content, by exploring the zones, completing the zone storylines, completing all of the Apexis dailies, finding a large number of treasures, and reaching revered with the three factions of Tanaan Jungle.

With the release of patch 9.0.1, Draenor Pathfinder is no longer required for Draenor flying. Players only need Expert Riding to be able to fly within Draenor zones. The achievement is still in game and still grants the  [Soaring Skyterror] mount.

Legion Flying

This section concerns content related to Legion.

Taking a cue from how to earn flight in Draenor, a similar set of achievements is required to be completed to unlock flight in Legion areas on the Broken Isles. The first achievement,  [Broken Isles Pathfinder, Part One], comprises the bulk of the effort to unlock flight. As in Warlords, players must explore all of the zones, complete the zone storylines, their Class Hall campaign, 100 world quests, and reach revered with the opening six Legion factions.

On completing Part One,  [Broken Isles Pathfinder, Part Two] requires exploring the Broken Shore and reaching revered with the area's faction, Armies of Legionfall. Pathfinder, however, does not apply to the planet Argus, a new "area" added and featured in patch 7.3, much like how Wisdom of the Four Winds did not apply to the Isle of Thunder, the Isle of Giants, and Timeless Isle in Mists of Pandaria.

When flying was introduced with patch 2.0, Isle of Quel'Danas did not receive flying when it was released in patch 2.4. The same thing applied to Isle of Thunder and Isle of Giants in 5.2 and Timeless Isle in 5.4. These zones are about exploration with a bit of danger, making Argus fit quite nicely into that theme.

Although there is no flying in Argus, an increased mount speed is available via the  [Explore Argus] achievement.

With the release of patch 9.0.1, the Broken Isles Pathfinder achievements are no longer required to fly within the Broken Isles and players can fly after purchasing Expert Riding. The achievements are still in the game and still grant increased mount speed.

Battle for Azeroth Flying

This section concerns content related to Battle for Azeroth.

The first achievement,  [Battle for Azeroth Pathfinder, Part One], is the first step to unlocking flight in Kul Tiras and Zandalar. It requires to explore each zone in Kul Tiras and Zandalar, complete 100 world quests, reach revered with the opening six Battle for Azeroth factions, completing the War Campaign, and finishing the zone storylines.

Released with patch 8.2.0,  [Battle for Azeroth Pathfinder, Part Two] requires exploring Nazjatar and Mechagon Island, and reaching revered with the local factions.

Shadowlands Flying

This section concerns content related to Shadowlands.

It was mentioned by Ion Hazzikostas in an interview that unlike Legion and Battle for Azeroth, which was unlocked in the 2nd major content patch, so patch 7.2.0 and 8.2.0 respectively, that Shadowlands flying would be unlocked in the first major content patch. This was followed up by mentions that flying would be tied to Renown, with no reputation requirements.

At BlizzConline 2021, Chains of Domination was announced. At the Q&A panel, Ion Hazzikostas stated that Shadowlands Pathfinder would be coming with Chains of Domination, and that players will only need to complete the new chapters of the Chains of Domination campaign coming with the patch, and once players complete it they will be rewarded with flying. The achievement was stated to be account-wide, and once players would unlock it, all characters at level 50 or higher would be able to fly.

With the first Chains of Domination PTR build release, an item known as the  [Memories of Sunless Skies] was added, but not used. However, in the following PTR build, the item was rewarded from finishing Chapter 4 of the campaign, which requires Renown 44 to start.

Players will be able to fly within the 4 Covenant zones - Bastion, Maldraxxus, Ardenweald, and Revendreth. players will not be able to fly within Oribos, The Maw, or Korthia. Due to technical limitations, players will be unable to fly on a mount between zones and will need to use the flight paths to do so. Ion Hazzikostas stated that this is because if flying between zones was allowed, it would take 30 minutes or more to fly from one zone to another.

Summary

Proficiency		Cost		+Speed		Required for	Requires
		Skill	Mounts	Land	Flying
75	Apprentice	4	1	60%		Ground mounts	Level 10
150	Journeyman	50	10	100%		Ground mounts	Level 20
225	Expert	250	50	60%	150%	Flying mounts	Level 30
375	Master	5,000	—	100%	310%	Maximum speed on all flying mounts	Level 40
[Draenor Pathfinder]		N/A				Flying in Draenor, prior to the release of patch 9.0.1	Achievement
[Broken Isles Pathfinder, Part One]		N/A		+20%		Increased Broken Isles mount speed	Achievement
[Broken Isles Pathfinder, Part Two]		N/A				Flying in the Broken Isles, prior to the release of patch 9.0.1	Achievement
[Explore Argus]		N/A		+20%		Increased Argus mount speed	Achievement
[Battle for Azeroth Pathfinder, Part One]		N/A		+20%		Increased Zandalar and Kul Tiras mount speed	Achievement
[Battle for Azeroth Pathfinder, Part Two]		N/A				Flying in Zandalar, Kul Tiras, Nazjatar, and Mechagon Island	Achievement
[Memories of Sunless Skies]		N/A				Flying in Bastion, Maldraxxus, Ardenweald and Revendreth	Item

Removed riding skills

The subject of this section has been removed from World of Warcraft.

Flight Master's License: Level 60

The subject of this section was removed from World of Warcraft in patch 7.3.5.

The [Flight Master's License] (often referred to as "Old Weather Flying") used to cost 250 and unlocked the ability for players to fly in the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor excluding the zones that requires The Burning Crusade expansion (like Eversong Woods and Ghostlands), much like [Cold Weather Flying] can at 68 for flight in Northrend. It required level 60 and Expert riding skill. It also required purchasers to have World of Warcraft: Cataclysm attached to their account.

This ability was not required for Cold Weather Flying or any higher skill tier.

Cold Weather Flying: Level 68

The subject of this section was removed from World of Warcraft in patch 7.3.5.

The [Cold Weather Flying] skill used to cost 50, reduced by the appropriate reputation discount. This granted players the ability to also use their flying mounts in Northrend and required level 68 and expert riding skill. One could also wait until level 80, at which it would be automatically learned for free.

Before a hotfix with patch 7.0.3, it was purchasable for 500. Before patch 4.0.1, only level 77 characters were able to buy this training directly for 1,000. In patch 3.2.0, a bind to account heirloom, the  [Tome of Cold Weather Flight], was made available for level 80 characters to purchase for 1,000, which allowed characters of level 68 to learn the spell making flight in Northrend possible from an even earlier level. Patch 4.0.1 made the tome redundant, so it was removed.

This ability was not required for any higher skill tier or flying on Outland.

Artisan: Level 70

The subject of this section was removed from World of Warcraft in patch 9.0.1.

Artisan riding skill (300) used to cost 5,000, reduced by the appropriate reputation discounts. Increases mounted movement speed by 100% on the ground and 280% in the air. No class-granted abilities awarded artisan flying, although the druid ability [Swift Flight Form] required it. Although Artisan Riding was removed from the trainers with patch 9.0.1, characters that previously had it unlocked will retain it.

Wisdom of the Four Winds: Level 90

The subject of this section was removed from World of Warcraft in patch 7.3.5.

The [Wisdom of the Four Winds] skill used to cost 2,500, reduced by reputation discount with the Golden Lotus, and could be learned from their trainers in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms at the Shrine of Two Moons or Shrine of Seven Stars.

In patch 6.0.2, the bind to account heirloom  [Grimoire of the Four Winds] was added to the Black Market Auction House. It could be listed by San Redscale for the opening bid of 1,000, allowing level 85 alts to learn the spell.

Cloud Serpent Riding

The subject of this section was removed from World of Warcraft in patch 6.0.2.

[Cloud Serpent Riding] was rewarded for completing  [10-35] Riding the Skies after reaching exalted standing with the Order of the Cloud Serpent reputation faction at the Arboretum in Jade Forest. It was needed to use cloud serpent mounts, along with requiring Level 90 and at least 300 (Artisan) riding skill. Once removed, cloud serpents became just like any other flying mount.

Increasing mounted speed

Through guild perks

The guild perk [Mount Up] increases your speed while mounted by 10% except in Arenas and Battlegrounds.

Through class abilities and talents

File:Trollsraptors.jpg

Two trolls riding raptors.

•  Death knight
  • [On a Pale Horse] increases your speed while mounted by 20%. The mounted movement speed increase does not stack with other effects.
•  Paladin
  • [Heart of the Crusader] increases your speed while mounted by 20%. The mounted movement speed increase does not stack with other effects.

Through items and enchants (level 70 and below)

There are five other methods for increasing your mounted speed, with no effects beyond level 70:

•  [Riding Skill]: +2% (stacking), world drop Enchanting recipe
•  [Carrot on a Stick]: +3% (stacking), reward from the Gahz'rilla quest in Zul'Farrak.
•  [Mithril Spurs]: +4% (stacking), world drop Blacksmithing plans
•  [Riding Crop]: +10% (non-stacking), Leatherworking pattern sold in Old Hillsbrad Foothills.
•  [Skybreaker Whip]: +10% (non-stacking), quest reward from  [25-30] Dragonmaw Race: Captain Skyshatter, must be Honored with Netherwing.

The first three of these effects stack with each other, before being applied as a multiplier to your current mounted speed. Players with all three effects will, therefore, gain a 9% increase.

The last two items both increase mounted speed by 10%. However, they do not stack with each other, or the other previously mentioned methods. It should be also noted that the  [Riding Crop] is only usable for two levels (69 and 70), and the  [Skybreaker Whip] only for one level (70).

All speed improvement items work on both normal and flying mounts (with the exception of NPC controlled point-to-point flight).

Characters higher than level 70 will not benefit from these mount speed improvement items and enchants. Blizzard's design goal is to eliminate the trinkets, but they've had technical issues with an implementation of an alternate system.

Statistics

Mount	Base Speed	[Mount Up]/Crop/Whip	[Heart of the Crusader]/ [On a Pale Horse]
Vanity mounts	100%	110%	120%
Apprentice riding (ground)	160%	176%	192%
Journeyman riding (ground)	200%	220%	240%
Expert riding (flying)	250%	275%	300%
Artisan riding (flying)	380%	418%	456%
Master riding (flying)	410%	451%	492%

Flying in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms

With careful use of [Eagle Eye] or [Far Sight], it was possible to see why Flying Mounts were not allowed in the old world until the Cataclysm expansion hit.

At BlizzCon 2009 it was revealed that flying mounts would be available in some form to use in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms with the release Cataclysm. Blizzard had previously stated that it was unlikely that they would allow flying mounts in these continents since doing so would require them to redesign the continents with flying mounts in mind.

The former state of the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor was unsuitable for flying mounts; there were visual glitches like mountains and high buildings whose tops could not be seen, and places where the terrain abruptly changed from one tileset to another, creating a grossly unrealistic appearance in some areas. There were also zones which should be there lore-wise but were empty and unfinished.

Since Cataclysm, players could fly all over Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor but are still unable to fly in Azuremyst Isle, Bloodmyst Isle, Ghostlands, Eversong Woods, and the Isle of Quel'Danas. Attempting to fly toward Ghostlands will be encountered with an invisible wall that stretches from the Forbidding Sea to the Northern Lordaeron area above Eastern Plaguelands and northeast of Western Plaguelands.

Notes

• Most mounts have a special emote they can do: this can be invoked while motionless on the ground, either by the /mountspecial slash command for flying mounts or by pressing the Space key for ground-bound mounts.
• Flying mounts can perform a loop! Press Pitch Up or Pitch Down (normally ⌤ Ins and ⌦ Del) while in flight to perform a loop. On a Macintosh, the Help key, or the Fn+⌦ Del combination (on the laptop) will start it.
• Additionally, while in a loop, you can use your strafe keys.
• There are mounts that allow other characters to ride as passengers (such as the  [Mekgineer's Chopper], the  [Reins of the Grand Ice Mammoth], the  [Reins of the Traveler's Tundra Mammoth] and  [Reins of the Grand Black War Mammoth]).
  • There are also flying mounts that allow passengers. Two of these came from the pre-patch 8.2.5 Recruit-A-Friend system; the  [X-53 Touring Rocket] and the  [Heart of the Nightwing]. The  [Vial of the Sands], made through Alchemy, grants the [Sandstone Drake]. The  [Stormwind Skychaser] and  [Orgrimmar Interceptor] were rewards for purchasing a BlizzCon 2017 ticket.
• During the World of Warcraft beta, tauren were meant to use the [Plainsrunning] ability instead of being able to use mounts, but this was eventually cut before release.

Patch changes

• Patch 9.0.1 (2020-10-13):
  • The achievements  [Draenor Pathfinder] and  [Broken Isles Pathfinder, Part Two] are no longer required to fly in Draenor or the Broken Isles, and you can fly in those zones once you have unlocked Expert Riding at level 30.
  • Artisan Riding has been removed, although characters that had it unlocked prior to the release of the patch will retain it.
    
• Patch 7.3.5 (2018-01-16): [Flight Master's License], [Cold Weather Flying] and [Wisdom of the Four Winds] removed.
  
• Patch 6.2.2 (2015-09-01): The maximum size of a mount is now capped at 150% of base size for cosmetic effects (up from 100%). Additionally, the minimum size of a mount is no longer capped.
  
• Patch 6.0.2 (2014-10-14): All flying mounts are now able to be used as a ground mount in areas that do not allow flying.
  
• Patch 5.2.0 (2013-03-05): Upon reaching level 20 and level 60, characters will automatically receive a new quest directing them to visit the racial riding trainer and mount vendors.
  
• Patch 5.0.4 (2012-08-28): All non-class specific mounts are now account-wide.
  
• Patch 4.0.1 (2010-10-12):
  • All mounts now scale to the appropriate riding skill. This means that all 310% speed mounts earned from achievements or were awarded from this patch onward are 280% in order to match the current max riding skill, Artisan. Players who already have a 310% mount are grandfathered into the system.
  • Mounts that are both ground and flying will no longer need to be dismounted and then re-mounted to switch between types. This will now be automatic.
    
• Patch 3.3.3 (2010-03-23): Battlegrounds will no longer award Marks of Honor. Items which previously required Marks of Honor will have their costs adjusted to remove these requirements.

  PvP mounts now cost 50,000
  

• Patch 3.3.0 (2009-12-08): Knockbacks no longer dismount players. If on a flying mount, you will be knocked back a short distance before being able to resume flying.
  
• Patch 3.2.2 (2009-09-22): Undocumented change

  The riding trainers in Thrallmar and Honor Hold are now part of the Orgrimmar and Stormwind factions respectively. Note also that this change doesn't apply to trainers in Northrend.
  

• Patch 3.2.0 (2009-08-04):
  • The cast time for summoning any ground or flying mount is now 1.5 seconds, down from 3 seconds.
  • Apprentice Riding (Skill 75): Can now be learned at level 20 for 4. Mail will be sent to players who reach level 20 directing them to the riding trainer.
  • Journeyman Riding (Skill 150): Can now be learned at level 40 for 50. Mail will be sent to players who reach level 40 directing them back to the riding trainer.
  • Expert Riding (Skill 225): Can now be learned at level 60 for 600 from trainers in Honor Hold or Thrallmar. Faction discounts now apply (Honor Hold for Alliance; Thrallmar for Horde). Flight speed at this skill level has been increased to 150% of run speed, up from 60%.
  • Artisan Riding (Skill 300): Faction discounts now apply (Honor Hold or Valiance Expedition for Alliance; Thrallmar or Warsong Offensive for Horde).
  • Flying over Dalaran and Wintergrasp is now possible so long as players keep a healthy distance above the ground.
    
  • The ravasaur trainer Mor'vek has returned to Un'Goro and will offer to help Horde players raise and train a  [Whistle of the Venomhide Ravasaur] as a mount... if they can survive the creature's deadly poison.
• Patch 3.1.0 (2009-04-14): All Ground Mounts may now swim without dismounting the rider. Flying Mounts still may NOT, and will dismount the rider upon entering water.
  
• Patch 3.0.8 (2009-01-20): Racial restrictions on mounts have now been lifted. Night elves on mechanostriders? Tauren on raptors? You're not seeing things.
  
• Patch 3.0.2 (2008-10-14):
  • Mounting is now permitted in Ahn'Qiraj.
  • New Vanity Pet and Mount changes: Players will now be able to access their non-combat pets and mounts by clicking on the pets tab in the Character Info panel. These pets and mounts will be now learnable much like spells or abilities. Once a vanity pet or mount is learned, the icon will disappear from within a player's inventory and reappear in the appropriate tab under the pet tab under Character Info. Say goodbye to your vanity pets and mounts taking up bag and bank slots! Lost pets and mounts (one time quest rewards) can be recovered by visiting a stablemaster.
    
• Patch 2.4.3 (2008-07-15): Mounts at 30?! Yes, it's true: Apprentice Riding and mounts are now available at level 30. Training costs 35.
  
• Patch 2.3.0 (2007-11-13): Nutral, the flight master in Shattrath City, now has a quest for characters who are level 70 and do not yet have a riding skill of 225. The quest will direct a character to visit the appropriate riding instructor in Shadowmoon Valley so that the player will know where they can purchase the skill necessary to use a flying mount.
  
• Patch 2.1.0 (2007-05-22):
  • Swift Flying Mounts: All the swift flying mounts will now display as epic items, rather than superior-quality items.
  • Using abilities and casting spells that cannot be used while mounted will now auto-dismount players as needed. This can be disabled by turning off the auto-dismount option in the UI options.
  • New Lua conditional [flyable] which is true if you're in a location where you could use a flying mount.
    
• Patch 2.0.3 (2007-01-09): New macro command: /dismount
  
• Patch 2.0.1 (2006-12-05): Honor system revamp

  PvP mounts no longer limited to rank 11s, now available for 30 30 30 each.
  

• Patch 1.12.1 (2006-09-26): The riding skill has been changed. A riding skill of 75 is now needed to ride level 40 mounts and a skill of 150 for level 60 mounts. Those that already have mounts will automatically be granted the appropriate level skill.
  
• Patch 1.12.0 (2006-08-22): The Items that summon mounts have been changed in their color/quality. Items that summon normal mounts are now blue (superior) items and items that summon swift mounts are now purple (epic) items.
  
• Patch 1.6.0 (2005-07-12): Clarified the error message when trying to attack while mounted.
  
• Patch 1.5.0 (2005-06-07): Many of the Swift Mounts have gained eye glows and some have had other tweaks made to them to improve their looks.
  
• Patch 1.4.0 (2005-04-19): Level 60 mounts purchased at vendors now have a whole new look. Faster undead mounts already have a different look and so have not changed. The new mounts can be seen standing near the mount vendors. If you have one of the old fast mounts, you can exchange it for one with a new look at the mount vendor.
  
• Patch 1.3.0 (2005-03-07): Mounts now are Horde or Alliance restricted in the tooltip. We do not intend to allow Horde players to ride Alliance vendor-purchased mounts and vice versa.
  
• Patch 1.2.0 (2004-12-18): Players will now be able to purchase and train mounts from other races in their faction. However, you will first need to obtain "Exalted" reputation status with that race in order to do so. Mounts of the opposing faction are not available for purchase.
  

See also

• Riding skill
• List of mounts (MountID)
• Mounts by source
  • Class mount
• Transportation category for a detailed list of methods of transportation in WoW.
• If you want to get a head start, read a Guide for Preparing to Buy a Mount.
• Mount lore

External links

WarcraftMounts.com Images of all the currently available mounts!

WoW Insider Images, descriptions, and prices of all WoW mounts.

• Wowhead