Tallstrider

Tallstrider
Classification	Medium Animal
Homeworld	Azeroth, Draenor
Environment	Temperate and warm forests and plains
Area(s)	Mulgore, the Barrens, Darkshore, Terrokar Forest, Swamp of Sorrows, Azuremyst Isle and Durotar
Average height	6 ft
Organization(s)	Solitary, pair, or flock

A tallstrider, or simply strider, is large flightless birds native to Kalimdor. A tallstrider's speed on open ground is unrivaled, so predators rely on stealth and pack tactics when hunting them.

Tallstriders are skinnable and most tallstriders are neutral, but Mazzranache is hostile, as are the Timberstriders of Azuremyst Isle. Tallstriders are tamable and become the generic "tallstrider" after taming.

Types of Tallstriders

• Darkmoon Striders are on loan by "Dusty" Brandom for those wishing to quickly arrive at the Darkmoon Faire.
• A group of Foreststrider Fledglings are found in Darkshore. They are led by the Strider Clutchmother.

• After the Cataclysm, normal Foreststriders and their giant variation have been removed from the game.

• The Geru Strider is a rare species of strider. The remains of one can be found in Ironforge.
• Hornbill Strider only spawns when looting the  [Hornbill Strider Egg] inside the cave at the Singing Marshes in the Valley of the Four Winds.
• Lost Torranches are found in Terokkar Forest, on an island drifting in the twisting nether called Sorrow Wing Point
• Plainstriders are found in the Northern Barrens, Southern Barrens, Durotar and Mulgore. They appear in a very wide variation throughout the four zones.
  • Normal, adult and elder variations can be found in Mulgore.
  • Wayward Plainstriders, driven out of their homes by the Cataclysm, can be found in Durotar.
  • Fleeting, Greater and Ornery Plainstriders are found in the Northern Barrens.
  • Towering Plainstriders can be found in the Southern Barrens.
  • Deviate Plainstriders are found near the Wailing Caverns, corrupted by the energies that dwell there.
• Swampstriders have been added to the swamp of sorrows after the Cataclysm
• Timberstriders are found on Azuremyst Isle, also appearing in the greater and fledgling variations.

Notable Tallstriders

• Dustflight the Cowardly is a rare mob found in center of the Stonetalon Mountains.
• Fleetfoot is found in southern Darkshore. It's tailfeathers are neccesary for the quest  [19] The Bear's Blessing
• Goodie is found in Ashenvale. He is the pet of Elenna Edune.
• Mazzranache is a rare pink tallstrider found in Mulgore. Since the cataclysm, he has had four children: Hazzranache, Jazzranache, Razzranache and Spazzranache.
• Seawing is a rare mob running the northern coast of Swamp of Sorrows.
• Violet is found on Darkmoon Isle. She was previously simply named Afrazi Forest Strider and appeared with the faire in Terrokar Forest.

As a companion

• Mulgore Hatchlings can be bought from the Tauren quartermaster in the Argent Tournament.
• Darkmoon Hatchlings can be bought from Lhara during the Darkmoon Farie each month.

Tallstriders as mounts

Main article: Tallstrider mounts

There are three tallstrider mounts available in-game.

• The  [Swift Forest Strider] is sold during the Darkmoon Faire monthly event for 180 .
• The  [Swift Lovebird] is sold during the Love is in the Air seasonal event for 270 .
• The  [Swift Springstrider] is sold during the Noblegarden seasonal event for 500 .

In addition, a  [Swift Shorestrider] mount is available as a loot card from the TCG

As A Hunter Pet

Levels	Type
	Ferocity
Diet
Abilities
Basic	Special	Bonus

• Rarely seen as a Hunter pet due to their scarcity. Mazzranache, due to his comical flamingo-like appearance, is the most popular of them all.
• Tauren hunters will start with a Tallstrider pet.
• In the 2.1 patch, a new breed of tallstrider named Lost Torranche became available on an island south of Terokkar Forest called Sorrow Wing Point. They are level 70 with a purple and green coloration, and are tamable as hunter pets, making the first tallstrider pet available above level 20. As of the Cataclysm, several more striders above level 20 have appeared, though none as high in level as the Lost Torranche

Patch changes

• Patch 3.0.2 (2008-10-14): Major changes.
  

[Bite] replaced with Claw.
Gained new ability, [Dust Cloud]
Tallstriders can now eat bread.
Damage had no bonus and now has a +10% bonus.

• Patch 3.1.0 (2009-04-14): Bonuses equalized.
  

Damage had a +10% bonus and now has +5% bonus.
Armor had no bonus and now has a +5% bonus.

RPG

This section concerns content exclusive to the Warcraft RPG and is considered non-canon.

Tallstriders are large, flightless birds of prey that look to kill anything they can outrun or overpower. They have a pair of muscular legs, and their vestigial wings flutter as they walk. Their thick hairless necks swing about a head ending in a heavy, sharp beak as they hunts for prey. Renowned for their speed, tallstriders are difficult to shake for those trying to flee them. They resemble 6-foot tall ostriches with strong, thick necks and heavy, sharp beaks. Tallstriders are common in Mulgore, Darkshore, the Barrens, and Durotar. Young heroes in these regions hunt these beasts in tests of honor and valor. Tales tell of heroes who attempt to tame tallstriders as mounts or beasts of burden, but these tales are typically humorous ones. If it is possible to domesticate the flightless birds, no one has claimed success at the task.

Tallstriders are tenacious pack hunters. A tallstrider’s main mode of attack is with its beak and talons. It will smash its beak down upon a victim with ruthless efficiency. Tallstriders hunt instinctively in packs. Tallstriders attempt to isolate single members of a pack of prey and run them down. When facing stronger prey, they harry a single victim if possible until, after hours of running, the quarry is most likely exhausted and weak. Tallstriders will attack prey - which includes anything larger than a field mouse - on sight, always fighting to the death. They leap at their opponents while slashing with their claws and stabbing with their beak. If hungry, tallstriders will attack until they or their prey are dead.

RPG species

• Axe beak
• Bludgeonbeak
• Clubnek

Notes

• The gnomish Mechanostrider mounts were inspired by tallstriders.
• The blood elf mount is called a Hawkstrider, and bears some similarity to a tallstrider, though Hawkstriders generally have much more vibrant plumage. In Mists of Pandaria another similar species called the Crane was added, though it has thinner limbs and a longer beak.
• Tallstriders resemble the real-life bird order of Ratites, which includes the ostrich. Though these creatures are rarely considered fierce now, the tallstrider may have been inspired by pre-historic variations of these creatures, like the deadly Terrorbird.

External links

• Wowhead

Petopia