New PvP mounts: Swift Warstrider and Black War Elekk

by Zach Yonzon Mar 4th 2008 at 10:30AM

As previously reported, the latest push from the notoriously progressive Patch 2.4 revealed that a Black War Elekk has been added to the game, but some more digging has also unveiled the Swift Warstrider, a PvP version of the oversized chickens that Blood Elves ride. The models for both mounts have been in the game files since The Burning Crusade was launched but were never introduced into the game, despite slavering anticipation from many players. It looks like there'll be a use for those extra Marks of Honor, after all, as the mounts are finally available on the PTR from each faction's respective Mount vendors -- Raider Bork in the Hall of Legends for the Horde and Lieutenant Karter in the Champion's Hall for the Alliance -- for 30 Marks of Honor from Alterac Valley, Arathi Basin, and Warsong Gulch.

Strangely enough, the current model for the actual Warstrider on the PTR seems to be the Swift White Hawkstrider which drops of Kael'thas in the Magister's Terrace, rather than the customary black mount in the game files. This can possibly change when Patch 2.4 finally goes live, or it could stay the way it is... Patch 2.3 on the PTR had one color for the Cenarion War Hippogryph while there were several models found in the game files, including a lilac one that my wife fell in love with and was prepared to pony up 2,000 gold for. The Black War Elekk also currently shows the Hawkstrider icon, rather than the normal Elekk icon. It looks like the patch isn't quite ready to go live just yet. Enjoy the mounts!

Tags: black-war-elekk, mounts, patch-2.4, PTR, pvp-mounts, swift-warstrider, swift-white-hawkstrider

Filed under: Patches, News items, Mounts

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Razielwings Mar 4th 2008 10:41AM

On the subject of mounts, what will become of the flying mounts once Wrath hits? People have invested a lot of time in them, and may well be dissapointed if they're restricted from using them in the new zones.

Ktok Mar 4th 2008 10:53AM

It's already been stated by Blizzard that flying mounts will work in Northrend, but not right away. You'll have to level up, probably to 80, before you can fly there. You'll be able to use your existing mounts and flying skill though.

The reason is that Blizzard doesn't want people bypassing ground content on the way to 80, and I find that completely reasonable.

Epoc Mar 4th 2008 11:09AM

blizzard has stated specifically once you hit lvl 78 you will be able to ride you flyer in Northrend just not any other old world zone.

blizzard has also stated that the reason you can't ride flyers in the old world zones is because they would have to completely redesign the entire world which would take way too much time so you won't be able to ride flyers there ever.

Any new zone or xpac (minus draenei and BE starting zones) will have the ability to use flying mounts

Zach Mar 4th 2008 11:16AM

I think the biggest reason they don't want players to fly right away is because they don't want people to miss out on the great content they've poured so much work into making. If you flew everywhere, you miss so many cool things on the ground.

Sigmaomega Mar 4th 2008 10:52AM

ugh Taurens get no love..i want to ride a chicken.

Zach Mar 4th 2008 11:21AM

I feel your pain!

Mel Mar 4th 2008 12:31PM

I feel the pain of the poor chicken... ;P

Felwrathe Mar 4th 2008 6:54PM

Bah, none of the Alliance get to ride one.

Damn Horde and your damn cool looking mounts. All we get are zoo animals and robot chickens that look like Dr. Robotnik made them.

Kryostherion Mar 4th 2008 11:21AM

Lots of players still don't have flying mounts because they are:
1) Casual players are basically grounded due to the amount of time /gold needed to acquire this.
2) Players who prefer PVP, to whom a flying mount is pretty much worthless.
3) There's one reason for limited flying post patch, it's so it's a level playing field on pvp servers. You can still skip content on an epic ground mount with any number of buffs, potions, corpse walking, etc.

I expect to see a major reduction in the price of the flying skill. Blizz knows that many don't have flying mounts. The is price prohibitive to anyone playing 1-2 hours a day a few times a week.

Slowly new players are expecting to work less to get more, just like the removal of keying in the patch.

I wouldn't be surprised if someday a new player can opt for an instant lvl 40 just to bypass the long grind to 80.

Derryl Mar 4th 2008 11:39AM

It is not price prohibitive to have a flying mount! I challenge somebody to level from 60 to 70 without making 1000g. I think I had something like 3000g saved up by the time I hit 70, and that's just from quests, vendoring quest rewards/greens, and selling the ore and leather I got along the way. No farming involved whatsoever.

anonymoose Mar 4th 2008 12:11PM

I'm not sure how you can say lots of players don't have flying mounts. I don't know anyone at 70 (including 95% of alts of mains) lacking a flying mount. This seems to be the case on the 3 servers I play on.

NeSuKuN Mar 4th 2008 12:01PM

even the epic one isn't prohibitibe, you just need patience, i consider myself casual and I got my nether ray last week. Daylies and questing are the key.

Milktub Mar 4th 2008 12:15PM

The chickens are yet another reason I'm embarrassed that the Blood Elves are Horde. It's enough that I have to deal with their fey laughs and assymetrical haircuts, but chicken mounts? Ugh. Then again, I wouldn't be any happier with an elephant riding space alien with chin tentacles.

Cenarion Expedition War Hyppogryph ftw!

Oh, and I know three people who can't afford their flyers at 70. But the reason is that they wasted their gold, either on madly leveling their crafting professions, trying to outfit a stable of alts, or compusively buying and enchanting new gear at every level.

Ancalimon Mar 4th 2008 12:20PM

@8 i agree with you totally. i play an average of 2 hours per night maybe 3-4 nights per week. i generally don't do instances, and simply quest my way to 70. i am currently lvl 65 and have recently been spending a LOT of gold on useless and rediculous things (non-combat pets) and i still have 1500 gold, if continued like this, i SHOULD be pretty close to having the cash for my epic flyer by the time im 70. but to #9, i dont know if a casual player can really get their rep up for those rep mounts. some will be able to if they are on thehigher playing end of a casual gamer, but not the lower time played end.

Milktub Mar 4th 2008 1:49PM

I do think some of the faction mounts are out of the hands of the casual. The CE mount is pretty casual-UNfriendly, even though a casual player can take an SV run a couple times a week on a decently populated server.

But the Skyguard mount is Casual friendly. It might take a while, but anyone can log on, fly over to Skettis and bomb a few eggs. Now that's casual friendly.

Netherwing is in between. Getting a group together for the Zuluhead quest can be a PITA, but after that you've got a whole host of easy solo dailies for rep.

Ancalimon Mar 4th 2008 12:21PM

#10 not 9

Angry Joe Mar 4th 2008 1:09PM

Numbers change as more people reply.

Ancalimon Mar 4th 2008 1:53PM

damn replies!!! messin up my numbers!! lol

JPN Mar 4th 2008 12:27PM

I have no desire to ride my orc around on a chocobo, but I would love to get him on an elekk...

mattarin Mar 4th 2008 1:31PM

i would like to see newer mounts like boar mounts, bat mounts for flying, flaming dragons for flying, more bear mounts, new dino mounts like a triceratops and the pteradactyls for flying, or maybe those demon dogs from the undead starting area or more hound mounts like worgs or hyenas, cleft hoofs and zehvras would be cool to ride also or maybe the abiltiy to fly with some kind of potion that lasts for 1hr or so. im sure we could go on forever about this tho.

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