Pre-Cataclysm: Avoid a 5k Gold Hit — A List of 310% Flying Mounts

Screenshot from MMO-Champion

Oh, the dreaded flying skill. I know plenty of guildies who are holding off on handing over the 5k gold needed to learn the artisan riding skill that takes you up to 280% flying speed. A lot of them are not going to be happy to hear the news that came out over the weekend.

Cataclysm (as of the latest beta build) will up the ante and require an additional 5,000 gold to learn the Master Riding skill that takes your flying speed to 310%.

While that may be considered too steep a price to pay at this point, I also know that Cataclysm likely will increase the weight of our moneybags considerably as inflation hits. Regardless of how you feel about the pricetag, there is some good news.

According to MMO-Champion, toons that already have a 310% flying mount will not be required to pay the gold for this new skill. So if you don’t already have a lucky 310% mount, now’s the time to get one. Let’s take a look at your options:

  • Reins of the Violet Proto-Drake — If you didn’t finish What a Long, Strange Trip it’s Been for the achievement points, then you can do it for the guaranteed mount. Big time investment, but big reward.
  • Reins of the Rusted Proto-Drake — Your reward for completing Glory of the Ulduar Raider (10-man). Still in-game, but may eventually be removed like the original Glory of the Raider mounts. Blue Posts indicate that if it is removed, players will be given a 1-month notice.
  • Reins of the Ironbound Proto-Drake — Same as above, but for the 25-man version of Glory of the Ulduar Raider.
  • Reins of the Onyxian Drake — About a 1% drop rate off 10/25 man Onyxia – if you can get the groups together, that means you have two shots per week. It’s the rarest item yours truly has ever won in a roll, and I can testify to her beauty.
  • Ashes of Al’ar — Another rare mount, but perhaps THE coolest looking one currently in-game. About a 1.7% drop rate of Kael’thas Sunstrider in The Eye of Tempest Keep, and you can only farm once per week. Good luck on this one, it’ll be a tough ride.

My list doesn’t include mounts that scale to 310% — since you already have to have a 310% mount for it to scale that high — or old PvP rewards / other mounts that are no longer available (such as the original Glory of the Raider mount rewards). But if you already have another 310% mount that isn’t listed, then you’re still in luck.

Who’s going to try to get one before Cataclysm? Alternatively, anyone already raising the 5k gold you’ll need to train the skill? It certainly doesn’t seem that this will be a necessity to have, but it will be a perk for flying high over Azeroth. Personally, my alts probably won’t be getting it anytime soon after Cata’s release, unless I get lucky with another drop before then.

14 Comments

  1. Let’s say I’ve got all the “What a long, strange Trip it’s been” metas up to Merrymaker. So this christmas, PROBABLY after cata is out… I get my violet proto… if it was a 310 before cata… is it still? Or does it drop to a 280? Or do I have to drop 5k to ride it?

    I guess only time will tell.

  2. Got the Violet proto, so I’m all set for the freebie riding :)
    I wouldnt have turned down Ashes of Al’ar until a few days ago, after seeing the Guid flying mount (the Dark Phoenix).
    Also, working towards the ICC 10-man frostbrood mount, my ultimate fave flyer in the game.

  3. bleh I dont wanna hear any complaining about gold Earthen Ring is horrible in the economy you gotta be rich to get anything. That little rant aside.

    Well hopefully they will be offering new mounts that go 310% if they are gunna make us pay another 5k.

  4. @Arthoul

    I assume that you have to have a 310% mount before Cataclysm in order to get all of your 280% mounts to scale. Post Cataclysm, my guess is that only the Violet will be a 310%, and you have to buy it for the rest of them.

  5. 5k really isn’t that much if you play the game long enough. I’ve bought 280% for 4 of my 8 toons and I’m still sitting on 38K.

    I’ve also got the Violet on my main which is all I need. So I’ll be good to go come next xpac.

    As for everyone else, I only have 1 word for you.

    Dailies. (yes, there boring. but there F#%@#$ gold mines)

  6. In case no one else has, I can confirm that having a 310 drake makes all your mounts 310, and I mean ALL your mounts. Mounts that used to be 100% fliers are also upgraded. Also if you haven’t noticed, ground mounts scale up too so the Un-armoured versions of the race mounts are now 100% ground.

    -Dan

  7. Nice info! Currently grinding out the violet proto drake.. no chance of getting it before cataclysm though. And I guess 5k isn’t a huge amount these days.. hmm decisions decisions.. :)

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