Blue Notes: Epic flight form and Hunter pet despawns
by Eliah Hecht 
Feb 6th 2007 at 3:45PM
It looks like not only do Druids get the free flying mount we've all discussed, but they're going to get to quest for an epic flight form as well. From Ommra:
- We have upcoming development plans which we wanted to share now, as it could impact choices that Druids might make in the immediate future regarding flying mount riding skills or purchasing epic mounts:
The regular Storm Crow form remains trainable at level 68 and moves at 60%. Also as previous, the normal flying mount skill comes with the form.
An epic quest line will be going into an upcoming patch which will grant Druids an additional flying form with increased stats. The epic flying form will move at the epic rate of 280%, but basically fall under the same conditions as the previous flight form (i.e. can't run on the ground).
However, the first prerequisite of the quest will require the epic flying mount riding skill, so it would not be a loss to Druids if they wish to purchase their epic flying mount skill now or in the near future. Obviously, one could then diversify their epic mounts beyond the Druid's casted epic form if they choose.
And following up on the news about Warlock pets despawning when you flying-mount up, it looks like Hunter pets are getting the same treatment. Ommra again:
- This change should apply to hunter's pets in the same way.
Filed under: Druid, Hunter, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ShadowXOR Feb 6th 2007 3:56PM
Warlocks need a questable/summonable/special flying mount!
Kahja Feb 6th 2007 4:08PM
So do Paladins.
and Me.
Gman Feb 6th 2007 4:17PM
Hey, now druids will finally be able to run away!
Matt Feb 7th 2007 3:51PM
Why should Warlocks and Paladins get ANOTHER one? Can't stand actually having to pay for it? Oh, and dont give me that crap about the epic not being free, cause its a hell of a lot cheaper than the 900 I paid for mine.
I think mages should get some sort of quested flying mount. Maybe a phoenix, that would be sick.
Pritchard Feb 6th 2007 7:08PM
Did Druids ever get a land form that was equal in speed to an epic mount?
Roguerhunter Feb 6th 2007 7:00PM
What would be awesome would be Hunters would have a Epic Quest line to be able transform there pets into mounts and perhaps back to there pet. if its a flying pet then there goes his flying mount. Would be nice if hunters could carry an additional pet for certain situations.
Soup Feb 6th 2007 5:21PM
I think its already a bit off that druids dont have to pay for the first training, but I digress. Any word yet on if they'll ever balance out flying mounts and make the non-epic one 100%; since you already have to have epic riding skill?
Roguerhunter Feb 6th 2007 5:46PM
What would be awesome would be Hunters would have a Epic Quest line to be able transform there pets into mounts and perhaps back to there pet. if its a flying pet then there goes his flying mount. Would be nice if hunters could carry an additional pet for certain situations.
kol Feb 6th 2007 8:22PM
WTB Stealthing mount with reduced speed for rogues.
Pritchard Feb 6th 2007 6:20PM
How about hunters have 10 pets, that they carry in their back pocket, and they're able to tame their own mounts, and on their down time, their pets make the hunters arrows and farm gold for them too!
Anything else you want hunters to be able to do?
Roguerhunter Feb 6th 2007 6:31PM
Hey that idea fits idealy... Mounts/pets/Tamable why shouldnt we be able to tame a pet into a mount. Look at HE-MAN AkA battle cat. A pet / fighter and a Mount when called upon... There are soo many other related catoons like that what about transformers. Kinda like pets but attack by your side in battle! Also since you brought that up how about tier for out pets/talents specs for them too or some sort of bags we could equip on our pets to carry more items. The Blind have it on there dogs so why cant we! I can keep going and going to prove a good point. Hey dont forget we got Nerfed and I dont ever complain about nerfing classes it is what it is, your a player adapt to it or roll another toon!
Prauche Feb 6th 2007 7:02PM
How bout we let Droods shapeshift into Fel Reaver form at level 20. Trainable for 50s.
Roguerhunter Feb 7th 2007 2:21AM
Jup thought so!
Arslin Feb 6th 2007 7:39PM
No, Druids do not have a travel form equivalent to an epic mount. I think the flying travel form is nice, but it does take the place of possibly more useful trainable skill (like an instant cast AOE - Moonfire AOE FTW)
qqmorel2p Feb 6th 2007 11:18PM
This is fair. Druids will still have to pay for the skill and finish a chain of quests in order to get the epic flight form. This is similar to the warlocks' and paladins' epic mounts, where a lot of time and money (although not as much money as an epic mount normally costs) has to be invested in order to acquire the mounts. Here, a druid has to spend AT LEAST as much money because the prerequisite is to get the riding skill. More time and possibly more money is required to get the flight form, but in return it is instant cast (this is an assumption I made...since normal flight form is instant cast, it seems that epic flight form would be as well).
Also, this will be the first druid epic quest, and frankly, druids are quite lacking in class-specific quests. You have a couple chains to acquire bear and aquatic forms and the lvl 52 one that leads to ST, and that's it.
Matthew Rossi Feb 7th 2007 12:18AM
Maybe we could just let druids wear plate in bear form? I mean, while we're giving them every bloody thing in the game.
BigFreak Feb 7th 2007 4:34AM
Aren't Druid-forms instant-cast? Doesn't it take time to summon flying mounts? They'd best sort this out or Druids'll definitely have, while not an I-WIN button, a fairly-fucking sure I-DON'T-LOSE button.
lessqqmoremewmew Feb 7th 2007 7:13AM
Flight form isn't castable in combat. I doubt epic fight form will be either.
Deafdumbandblind Feb 7th 2007 7:24AM
I have to say I'm really disappointed with the whingers posting on this thread. I thought WoWInsider readers would be a little more mature. But no.
Druids have had it bad for soooo long and now that Blizz start to correct years of unfairness, people - who aren't playing druids btw - start shouting for them to be nerfed or asking for their classes to have druid-like abilities.
I've never asked for any class to be nerfed, other than locks but thats only because the CEO of Blizz plays a lock hence the imba.
I say live and let live. Prolly cos I have active mid-to-high level alts of every class so every nerf or buff affects me (yes even a lock).
I just cheer when there is a buff and QQ when there is a nerf and then carry on as before.
Now that there are all classes in both factions there is no point whining and whinging.
Be happy when a class gets a buff and commiserate when a class gets nerfed. You will either play or come to depend on that class at some point in your WoW-playing life.
Zuuler Feb 7th 2007 7:41AM
@13
The cost for training for the epic land mounts was reduced to 540g with discounts (patch 2.0.3 i believe). This puts it on level with the warlock epic mount quest (406g + cost of mats, or if you know someone, 156g + cost of mats). Factor in the time spent running scholo and DM west, and the constant flights to burning steppes (costs more when you're horde), and you have a pretty expensive mount.
I don't know about the paladin mount cost.
I also think locks should get a flying mount quest. Part of the reason I picked a lock as my first was the mounts. I'd like to see my class get the same treatment for flying mounts as they did for land mounts. I expect a quest for something like this to cost a lot of gold, perhaps even more than if I just bought a mount.