Mount

	Riding (Profession)
	Trainers • Mounts

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 machinations). Warlocks, Paladins and Death Knights can learn to summon mounts as a class perk. Mounted travel is almost always faster than walking/running (some vanity mounts such as the  [Sea Turtle] provide only circumstantial speed boosts). 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, and even playing the Trading Card Game.

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 two aquatic mounts, one that can be used anywhere but only moves at +60% swimspeed and 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 20

Once a character reaches level 20, 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 20, 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 20, which functions as their automatic racial mount.

Journeyman: Level 40

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 40, 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], after the completion of the quests Grand Theft Palomino and Into the Realm of Shadows at level 55.

Expert: Level 60

Once a character reaches level 60, they will once again automatically receive a quest directing them to visit their racial 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. Flying in Northrend requires Cold Weather Flying training, while flying in Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor requires a Flight Master's License (see below).

Druids can learn [Flight Form] from any druid trainer at level 60 for 3, which grants them expert riding skill for next to nothing.

Flight Master's License: Level 60

The [Flight Master's License] (often referred to as "Old Weather Flying") costs 250 and unlocks 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 requires level 60 and 225 skill. It also requires purchasers to have World of Warcraft: Cataclysm attached to their account.

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

Cold Weather Flying: Level 68

The [Cold Weather Flying] skill costs 500. This non-discountable training grants players the ability to also use their flying mounts in Northrend and requires level 68 and expert riding skill. Before Patch 4.0.1, only level 80 characters were are able to buy this training directly for 1000. 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 1000, 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 is not required for any higher skill tier or flying on Outland.

Artisan: Level 70

Artisan riding skill (300) costs 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 award artisan flying, although the Druid ability [Swift Flight Form] requires it.

Master: Level 80

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.

Wisdom of the Four Winds: Level 90

The [Wisdom of the Four Winds] skill costs 2500 before faction discounts and can be learned from trainers in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms at the Shrine of Two Moons or Shrine of Seven Stars.

Cloud Serpent Riding: Level 90

[Cloud Serpent Riding] is rewarded for completing  [90] Riding the Skies after reaching exalted standing with the Order of the Cloud Serpent reputation faction at the Arboretum in Jade Forest. Cloud Serpent Riding is required to use all cloud serpent mounts.

Summary

Proficiency		Cost		+Speed		Required for	Requires
		Skill	Mounts	Land	Flying
75	Apprentice	4	1	60%		Ground mounts	Level 20
150	Journeyman	50	10	100%		Ground mounts	Level 40
225	Expert	250	50	60%	150%	Flying mounts	Level 60
300	Artisan	5000	100	100%	280%	Flying mounts	Level 70
375	Master	5000	—	100%	310%	Maximum speed on all flying mounts	Level 80
[Flight Master's License]		250				Flying in Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor and Deepholm	Level 60 & 225 skill
[Cold Weather Flying]		500				Flying in Northrend	Level 68 & 225 skill
[Wisdom of the Four Winds]		2500				Flying in Pandaria	Level 90 & 225 skill
[Cloud Serpent Riding]		N/A				Use of cloud serpent mounts	Level 90 & 300 skill

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

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:

•  [Enchant Gloves - 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  [70] 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%

List of Mounts

• List of mounts
• Mounts by source

Flying mounts 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 officials 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.

Notes

• Mounts have a special emote they can do: This can be invoked while motionless on the ground, either by the /mountspecial slash command, or by pressing the Space key
• 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.
• Mounts that allow passengers (the two choppers, the Reins of the Grand Ice Mammoth, the Reins of the Traveler's Tundra Mammoth and Reins of the Grand Black War Mammoth) allow other characters to ride as passengers. Currently, there are only three flying mounts that allow passengers. Two of these comes from the Recruit-A-Friend system; the now unobtainable  [X-53 Touring Rocket], and the  [Heart of the Nightwing]. The third is obtained from the  [Vial of the Sands], made through the arts of Alchemy, which grants the [Sandstone Drake].

See also

• Riding skill
• List of mounts for a full list of mounts
• Mounts by source
• 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.
• Locations of fixed devices throughout Azeroth, including where to purchase mounts.

Patch history

Mists of Pandaria

• 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.
  

Cataclysm

• 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.
    

Wrath of the Lich King

• 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.
    

Burning Crusade

• 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.

Classic

• 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 (2005-05-05): 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.
  

External links

WarcraftMounts.com Images of all the currently available mounts!

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

WarcraftOverachiever Complete Horde/Alliance Mount Guide