Riding Crop in flux
by Eliah Hecht 
Sep 2nd 2008 at 4:00PM
There was a brief period of time, reflected in some spells mined from the data files, when the Crop was going to be an item that would be right-clicked to enchant your mount with extra speed. This led to many people complaining that they would now have to buy one Crop per mount. Anyway, now that mounts are going to be learned instead of kept in the inventory, this doesn't work anymore, apparently. So Blizz is still undecided on what precisely to do with it. It does seem certain that it won't stick around in its current trinket form, and virtually certain that it won't disappear entirely, but everything else is up in the air. What do you think they should do?
Filed under: Items, Mounts, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Rumbledor Sep 2nd 2008 4:05PM
Passive Talent, anyone?
Alopex Sep 2nd 2008 4:14PM
I like the idea of a passive ability; have the crop teach you the passive ability and put it in the general tree of the spellbook.
JDM Sep 2nd 2008 4:21PM
this
Ametrine Sep 2nd 2008 4:28PM
Got my vote.
Papadoc Sep 2nd 2008 5:16PM
+1
Oneiroi Sep 2nd 2008 5:20PM
While I think that woudl be great, I don't think Blizzard just wants to give everyone a 10% speed increase without it being limited somehow.
Having it take a slot, having it be only usable on one mount, that's the path they go for. Just having a random 10 percent increase that you buy once and never think about again, is not something they ever do.
I mean, think of any other special buff that you can use without giving something up?
Tresk Sep 2nd 2008 6:04PM
idd. a passive talent learned from the crop sounds great.
theremover Sep 4th 2008 1:13AM
I rather liked the idea they had about enchanting the mounts themselves until they made other changes removing the mounts from inventory. I'm not sure what would be best, I was excited about LWing being ever so slightly profitable again.
Slayblaze Sep 2nd 2008 6:29PM
While I mostly agree, I also feel they have to attempt at least a cursory nod to "reality". Yes this is a Fantasy themed game, but think about it - how would a Riding Crop (you know the thing you smack a horse with to make it go faster) actually *teach* you anything? You all know as well as I that it wouldn't. It's not like smacking your mount several times translates into a learnable spell...at least not by any stretch of my not entirely insubstantial imagination!
I'm sure there will be a way that 'makes sense' but having a Riding crop that turns into something you have in your spellbook is not the answer imo. It's the little details like this, and the way that Blizz seems to get them mostly right, that separates this game from others. I'm glad they are still using their thinking caps and have not yet decided on a solution.
Bootsanator Sep 2nd 2008 6:36PM
Win
Sl0th Sep 3rd 2008 3:26AM
Either a passive talent, or if it really still needs a physical presence of some sort, how about simply having one in your pack grants the buff. I mean, you don't have to equip a skinning knife to skin or a pickax to mine. You're just using it to smack your ride to go faster... I still question how that works with Mechanostriders anyway. Or the helicopters.
Legather Sep 3rd 2008 5:03AM
I would utterly hate to see yet another stream of itemisation to muddy the water.
In response to Slayblaze' nod to reality, would it really be necessary in the context of a system where we have the potential for innumerable mounts stored 'somewhere', accessed through a menu and summoned from the ether?
A passive 'talent' learned through a riding crop need not necessarily mean that one has permanently learned to increase their mounted speed without thwacking their mount with said crop. Merely that they have the permanent use of a crop when summoning their mount, they do all have riding harnesses after all, it's not as if we carry those in our bags.
A passive buff named Riding Crop granting 10% speed increase while mounted seems perfectly acceptable to me. Or a similar learning use of the crop that grants a (+#) to riding skill that translates to the same. We really don't need to introduce yet more itemisation here.
outtacontrol891 Sep 4th 2008 9:25PM
I think the best thing would be to somehow incorporate this into inscription and apply riding crops to the summoning spells for mounts
Andrethir Sep 2nd 2008 4:06PM
Easy, make it a learned spell ala the mounts/pets/etc. that gives you a bonus to mounted speed.
Clasifyd Sep 2nd 2008 4:08PM
IMHO, they should implement a 'Collar' space for your mounts, in which you could attach a trinket, or going with the theme, a 'Tag'. Something like that would work just fine, and wouldn't change the mechanics of the game at all, as far as I can see.
Clasifyd Sep 2nd 2008 4:12PM
Sorry for the double post, but I actually just thought of another reason they should do 'Tags'. Why not have a 'Decrease the chance you'll be unmounted when struck by x%' tag, or possibly a boost to health/mana regen when mounted? Just a few more ideas, but I like the possibilities, myself.
G Sep 2nd 2008 4:58PM
That might be cool for other things, but I'd prefer a passive personal ability in this case. Blizzard's old idea to enchant each mount wasn't going to be fun either. I don't want to have to scrounge up yet another Primal Might to make a new Riding Crop every time I get a new mount. This will get even less fun as we move past Outland.
Halokon Sep 2nd 2008 8:28PM
Wow...I actually like that idea.
Added bonus if the 'collar' lets me name my mount/minipet.
Not really needed, but "Netherwhelp" isn't exactly the name I'd give my pet. They have the ability, i.e. hunter pets, so i think it'd be nice.
Also, more pokemon? :P
Prandor Sep 2nd 2008 8:34PM
Tags is a great idea
i'd like to see something like an interface similar to hunter pets where you could buy 'talents' or attach enhancements and trinkets for your mounts. Slots where you could attach items like saddle bags or the riding crop, or even some cool abilities such as being able to perform attacks like a talon strike or fire breath on other mounted people ala dogfighting. that would be great for pvp places like halaa.
how about a stealthy trinket for allowing sneaky flying over opposing factions cities?
i'd also like to see a 'homing pigeon' trinket in which you could click a location on the map and your mount would take you there similar to the flight paths.
there are a ton of things that could be done with mounts and enhanced abilities.
sarah Sep 3rd 2008 3:57PM
i like this idea. i was thinking the same thing, why don't they just add another trinket slot that is specified for your mount trinkets? one thing i'd want to put there is the preserved holly. i dislike how the item is now, you click on it, ,your riding a deer, and you either dismount or get dazed and auto dismount and you loose that item. i'd like it as a permanent item that makes your mount a reindeer, or to keep it more of a rare item, you equip it in the mount slot, and right click it to activate it and the enchant lasts for an hour. no matter if you dismount or die. like the way oil enchants work. items like this could add more vanity fun for your mounts! hm, maybe we'd need 2 mount slots. one for practical items - riding crop - one for vanity/fun items.