New Ride

I don't normally do the "guess what uber piece of new gear I got" game. But this I just HAVE to share...

Significant Milestone

On Sunday, my hunter plunked down 5200 gold at the place in Shadowmoon Valley and picked up this little beauty. All I can say is wow, this thing is fast.

And for once I was the one being cursed for quick mining and not the one doing the cursing.

For me, this is a fairly big milestone. Even though I had three level 60s when the expansion went live, only one (my warlock) had an epic land mount. I had just never really been able to save up that kinda of cash. Since then, of course, I've leveled four toons to 70 (the hunter was a wee level 37 at BC Go Live) and have purchased epic ground mounts and normal flying mounts for all of them. And now I have my first epic flying mount. (Astute readers will note that I said "first." I'm sure I'll get other epic fliers--probably for my other toons, but you know, a netherdrake is only some faction grinding away).

Cost Accounting 101: Your mount and you

One of the Loyal Readers (of which there are some) prompted the posts of the last week about mounts. I drew a quick table for this person relating costs based on classes. I realized at that point that I had never seen this table before and set about to fix that problem. Then I wrote two days worth of posts about mounts, quests, and costs and never once put the table onto the blog. I'm here to fix that.

Riding Skill	Cost	Warlock Cost	Paladin Cost	Druid Cost>
75	80	0	0	80
150	600	0*	0*	600
225	800	800	800	0
300	5000	5000	5000	5000
TOTAL	6480	5800	5800	5680

* Costs do not reflect prices paid for reagents, necessary quest items or quest rewards.

Sermon on the Mount

Today I pick up on a topic I started on Tuesday. We had discussed then the mount options up to (and including) the level 60 mounts for all classes. This time we will look at the level 70 mounts (better known as "flying mounts").

This time, the love train for Warlocks & Paladins has derailed. There are no "free" riding skills for either of these classes. They'll have to pay the 800 Gold (no discount for honored) fee to learn the skill just like everyone else.

Oh. Wait. Not like everyone else because Druids, jump on the Riding Skill Love Train. At level 68 druids can train "Flight Form" from their trainers and get the 225 riding skill for free.

Sidebar: Does it really make much sense that you train Flight Form in the "Old World" from Druid Trainers in Moonglade or other places that, ostensibly, have NEVER USED THE FORM since it can only be used in the Outlands. Isn't it great when lore continuity and technical issues clash head to head?

So, for a full two levels, druids are flitting about going where no sub-70 can. Yes, this means they can run all the Tempest Keep instances, can pick mana thistle, abuse the landscape to reach that just slightly too high Khorium vein or Dreaming Glory. In short doing the things that only level 70's can normally do. And did I mention the 225 riding skill is free?

For the great majority of the rest of us, one of the first things we do upon reaching level 70 is head over to Shadowmoon Valley and buy both the flight skill and the epic mount of our choice. (Total cost of mount & training 900G). Of course the druids that have been flying for two levels can also head over and buy their own flying mount for a measly 100G.

The only other mount "stuff" to do after this is scrimp, save, beg, steal, and instance your way to 5200 Gold. Yes. Five thousand two hundred. When you have that amount saved up you can buy your 300 riding skill (5000 Gold) and epic flying mount (200 Gold).

The only other mount related topics are Netherwings, Druid Epic Flight Form, and collecting dropped mounts.

• I can't speak to Netherwing-I've not done it and I have nothing useful to add.
• I can't really speak to Swift Flight Form either. I understand there are a number of quests that can (generally) be soloed. This all culminates in the Heroic Run of Sethekk Halls where the final quest in that line is completed. Hope you saved up on your Lower City Reputation.
• In all my time playing I've never seen a mount drop. No skeletal warhorse from the Baron, no raptor from Bloodlord Mandokir, no Swift Zulian tiger, nothing. Let's just say the drop rate is small.

So, that's all on mounts.

Dude, where's my mount?

The defining moment in the lives of many characters is getting the mount. I was an old school player who was used to paying a LOT for the mount and a little for the training. Some time ago Blizzard reversed those requirements. That makes some of the classes that get free mounts or riding skill particularly appealing.

For instance, most characters hit 40 and go buy a mount for 20 Gold (18 Gold Honored) and training for 80 Gold (72 Gold Honored). Not so either the paladins or warlocks. They go train a skill and get a mount and the riding skill to go with it. Total cost 1 Gold (90 Silver Honored). All these mounts are considered 75 Riding Skill mounts and give you 60% increase in run speed.

The level 60 mount again costs gold for the training and mount. The mount itself is 100 Gold (90 Gold Honored) and the training is 600 Gold (540 Gold Honored). The paladins and warlocks are again the exception. Each deserves its own subsection below

Warlock Epic Mount Questlines

Upon reaching level 60, the trainer in either Ironforge or Orgrimmar will send the new warlock to the Burning Steppes. This will set two quest lines in motion which can be completed concurrently. The materials branch of the quest requires:

• 10 [Elixir of Shadow Power]


• 6 [Large Brilliant Shard]


• 25 [Dark Iron Ore]


• 3 [Black Dragon Scale]


• 3 [Arcanite Bar]

The questing portion requires purchasing 3 shadowy potions (6 Gold) and Xorothian Stardust (150 Gold). It also requires a trip to Scholomance up to Ras Frostwhisper's room.

Once the materials collection is done, you'll be able to buy the 3 items you need to complete the ritual in Dire Maul. These items are NOT consumed in the ritual and can be supplied by another warlock. This saves 250 Gold if a friendly guild warlock has them. It also requires nearly a full clear of Dire Maul West. Total price will vary based on what items you can get from your own tradeskills, your guild and the auction house.

All in all, probably much less than the 630 Honored Price most classes will pay. And the riding skill is free.

Paladin Epic Mount Questlines

Upon reaching level 60, the appropriate Paladin Trainer will give you quests. I'm not an expert at Paladins. I don't know the first thing about them except that they're always trying to tank things or beat me on the healing meters.

It appears that both horde and alliance need similar things consisting of:

• 150 Gold


• 6 [Arcanite Bar]


• 40 [Runecloth]


• [Stratholme Holy Water] (Alliance Only)


• [Arthas' Tears] (Alliance Only)


• [Dark Rune] (Horde Only)


• [Sungrass] (Horde Only)

Apart from these quests, it looks like each side has an easily soloable small quest chain costing about 200 Gold. Each side culminates in a quest in a 5-man dungeon. From my reading the horde side looks easier, but I don't know for sure.

All in all, I'm not sure about the paladin side quests. The amount of money and questing may not make it all that much more cost effective go get the free riding skill for the paladin. I might go the normal route and just buy the mount and training. Of course, lorewise, its almost required for the paladin to have his epic warhorse.

That's WAY more than enough today. One day later this week, I'll talk about flying mounts and epics fliers.