Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
Mystery of the Unborn Val'kyr
The latest patch 5.3 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsUndocumented changes in 2.4.2
by Eliah Hecht 
Apr 23rd 2008 at 12:40PM
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Most mount-speed-increasing trinkets (Carrot on a Stick, Skybreaker Whip, Riding Crop) have been changed to enchantments, which can be permanently applied to a single mount in your inventory and cause it to become soulbound. Furthermore, Charm of Swift Flight (which will stay a trinket) now also reduces the mana cost of Flight Form and Swift Flight Form by 115 mana, and Carrot on a Stick is now craftable (1x Simple Wood, 1x Fine Thread, 1x Golden Sansam). I imagine it would be an engineering recipe.
This seems like a good change for the most part, since we won't have to use add-ons to swap in our riding speed trinket all the time (and we'll save an inventory space). However, it does have the major drawback that you'll need to get a new one for each of your mounts, which could get expensive if you're a mount collector. More business for the leatherworkers, I suppose.
- Continuing on the mount theme, a sort of horned Swift Zebra mount appears to have been added to the game, as well as a Headless Horseman's Mount (both pictured).
- Aspect of the Viper has been buffed. Previously, it generated mana equal to up to 55% of the hunter's Intellect every five seconds; now, it generates up to 55% of the hunter's Int plus 35% of his or her level. This means a boost of up to 24.5 mp5 at level 70.
Update: I just signed on to the PTR, and was unable to verify the change to Riding Crop. So this might well not end up happening after all.
Filed under: Patches, News items, Mounts
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 4)
Lesley Smith Apr 23rd 2008 1:07PM
Wow cool we'll finally be able to ride around Azeroth on a Zebracorn :D
JPN Apr 23rd 2008 1:08PM
I think that's kind of a bummer about the Carrot on a Stick. That was one of my favorite quest rewards, primarily because not everyone had one. I do want a zebra mount though!
Silverrealm Apr 24th 2008 2:14PM
/agree
I enjoyed doing that instance, and I think everyone should do it, simply JUST for carrot on a stick!
The suggestion that this can be manufactured... I think maybe the recipe should drop off one of the bosses in ZUl'Farrak or something just for enchanters or engineers. Just so it's not so easily available.
But I still protest, that it shouldn't be available as a recipe/pattern. We already have riding crop... as a recipe (and not an easy to obtain one if you are not a high level).
Corazu Apr 23rd 2008 1:17PM
I'm betting this has something to do with WoTLK. At some level you'll get a quest or at a rep level with someone (and level req) you'll be able to buy an enchant that lets your flying mount fly in Northrend.
Aigarius Apr 23rd 2008 1:22PM
I think that those news are fake. Those are some pretty heavy changes code-wise without any reasoning that I could see. Also the mats for [Carron on a Stick] as listed are *way* too cheap. I could believe the zebra mount for a second until you start to think where it would come from. However the Headless Horseman mount is just a joke, especially now. The headless horseman will not appear until the next hallow's end holiday which is likely to be post-Wrath. Introducing the mount now would be just .. pointless.
OutlandishTrendz Apr 23rd 2008 1:32PM
How is it fake? They data mined the WoW-2.4.1.8125-to-0.4.2.8209-enUS-patch.exe
And too cheap of mats? What you cant make a real life carrot on stick with that cheap of materials?
Aigarius Apr 23rd 2008 1:42PM
Blizzard is know to put stuff into datafiles that never goes live. The item could even go live but simply not have any ways to get them. This whole news item is a speculation based on datamining some item description texts. They could be put in by error, as a joke or to gauge public opinion. That is a very far cry from any of these changes actually being real, working as the speculation describes it or going live.
There were Tuskar models in 2.4 datafiles, they did not appear on the Sunwell island. I'm not even gonna mention the Ashbringer model and stats that have been in the game forever.
Nick S Apr 23rd 2008 1:23PM
the change to mount speed items is not 100% win...
each item enchants one mount, right? so now everyone has to have at least two riding crops, one for flying, one for ground.
maybe this won't really be a problem. maybe riding crops will have charges or something.
Canth Apr 23rd 2008 2:19PM
This is a great boon for leatherworkers. Instead of selling one or two riding crops in their entire career, and the odd leg enchant here and there, they could actually (*gasp*) make some money?!?!
bonse Apr 24th 2008 4:05AM
think of the 40-69 bracket, exactly how many carrots on a stick can one toon currently get? and how many mounts are they expected to get in that time? (answers one, and two)
Hath Apr 23rd 2008 1:26PM
Paladins don't have to worry since Crusader Aura provides 20% mount speed increase and doesn't stack with any other +speed effects
Vash Apr 23rd 2008 1:28PM
So the enchants only one mount at a time or all mounts you are currently carrying in your bag?
Jack Apr 23rd 2008 1:37PM
As someone who likes collecting mounts and has an addon that equips my riding crop whenever I mount, this change is terrible. I really don't want to have to buy six more riding crops to enchant all my mounts, plus another one each time I get one.
Perhaps if the enchantment had unlimited charges, it would be okay. But as it is single use, currently... gaah!
Juliah Apr 23rd 2008 2:25PM
I absolutely agree with Jack. I have multiple mounts, and don't want to have to purchase a speed buff for every single one of them. The riding crop I have on my main was extremely expensive.
cowy Apr 23rd 2008 3:21PM
I have to also agree. Ditto for the multiple rides. I'm a ride addict in the same way that I'm a pet addict. This would really really suck.
Also, c'mon don't change the carrot!! Thats one of the coolest things out of Zul farrak. Who's going to bother to obtain the mallot and summon Gahz'rilla? Poor thing needs to be let out of the water once in a while... sheesh. I just did the whole thing yesterday with a group of friends new to WOW (I know... weird that they're trying it now. FFXI hardcore players, whatcanyado *shrug*) and it was AWESOME. Nostalgia galore.
We all got our carrots and had a blast. It dosn't take THAT much to get the carrot, jeeze a little effort is not a terrible thing. Why spoil players further. If blizz goes this route (catering to lazy butts) why not just make the darn mounts faster to begin with. Kinda stupid really.
BillDoor Apr 23rd 2008 5:16PM
Perhaps it should be an inscription on your riding skill level. That'd be sweet.
Rich Apr 23rd 2008 1:37PM
If this is true, then they need to change the mats for the Riding Crop cause I am not horking another set of mats for another one.
darian Apr 23rd 2008 1:42PM
Agreed. While the leather involved is pretty easy to get, acquiring a primal might for every single one of your mounts is problematic.
Even for people with one character, this patch is effectively a 100g tax. For people with multiple characters or who collect mounts this can dent them for hundreds, even thousands of gold.
Not to mention the horrifying possibility of having the theorized "Fly in Northrend" enchant overwrite the speed enchant.
Jaymya Apr 23rd 2008 2:42PM
@26 if you have multiple characters you already have to buy multiple riding crops. just sayin.
Prauche Apr 23rd 2008 1:41PM
Ah yes, more riding crops = more farming = more time you pay $15/mo.
I suppose I'll just have to accept the loss of the riding crop speed bonus. Epic riding/flying speed'll just have to be enough. I have more than enough things to farm already.