Class travel skills changing in patch 3.2
by Eliah Hecht 
Jun 11th 2009 at 4:39PM
They're reading my mind! Just an hour or two ago I was thinking to myself, "if I can get a mount at level 20 in patch 3.2, what's the point of all those level 20+ speed-increasing skills?" Zarhym has solved my conundrum: they're all going to be reduced to level 16!
This includes Druid Travel Form (was level 30), Hunter Aspect of the Cheetah (or as I like to call it, Aspect of the Cheater; was level 20), and Shaman Ghost Wolf (was also level 20). Also in this post, the skull confirmed that class-specific mounts will come at the same levels as generic mounts will: Paladin and Warlock ground mounts at 20 for normal and 40 for epic, Druid Flight Form (now enhanced to 150% speed, like the other normal-speed flying mounts) at level 60, and Swift Flight Form at level 70.
So the days when Ghost Wolf or Travel Form was all you had to go faster for 20 levels may be over, but at least it will be useful for four. There has been a lot of debate back and forth about these changes, but for my money, if they're not going to let us start alts at high levels, this is the next best thing: making leveling much less painful.
Filed under: Druid, Hunter, Shaman, Patches, Leveling, Mounts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Rowan Jun 11th 2009 4:44PM
I'm glad these changes are coming. Makes leveling my alts a hell of a lot easier and much less of a bore. 1 point for Blizz.
Josh Bashara Jun 12th 2009 3:26AM
But still no instant-cast mounting, which I've been waiting for years to see. Every Halloween is just a big tease when we get our Brooms...we get to enjoy all the great benefits of instant-cast mounting for a couple weeks, and then it's gone.
I'm so tired of posting about it on the official forums that I'm not even in the mood to write my wall of text explaining why it's finally time Blizzard gives this to us, how it will benefit the game and populate the ground of flying zones more, the easy ways to counter the PvP arguments of instant-cast mounting and finally, how they can easily "compensate" Druids, just like they did here.
So....tired...of....mount....cast-time......
AyaJulia Jun 11th 2009 4:44PM
It's well-known that the hunter aspect is called Aspect of the Daze. Psh. ;)
I'm curious about the quests to obtain the lock/pally mounts and druid swift flight form... I do hope they aren't going away entirely, as I still have to do my lock's quest. I'm sure they won't be retuned for level 40, but still, I hope they don't get nuked altogether.
Medros Jun 11th 2009 5:41PM
I would hope they would be retuned for 40, since a quest that rewards a epic mount that can't be done until 20 levels after the mount can be bought is a bit... silly to me.
AyaJulia Jun 11th 2009 5:42PM
Well, the Blood Elf Pally mount quest comes to mind specifically. It has you go into a temple in Stratholme. I don't see how they could tune that for level 40... make it SM Cath instead? :\
PeeWee Jun 11th 2009 5:44PM
Why would they+ They are still there now, even though none of them are needed anymore. Druids can buy their epic flight form once they have the skill and ding 71. Paladins and locks can train their respective mounts at lvl 61.
Silversol Jun 11th 2009 5:47PM
Druid quest chain for epic flight is a feat of strength... also required to summon Anzu.
Decaying Jun 11th 2009 6:14PM
@AyaJulia: The 'Lock quest has you going to Searing Gorge, Felwood, and a trip into Dire Maul, so it's not just Pallies who have to venture into level ~60 instances and zones.
I doubt that the quests will be retuned for a level 40. More likely that they'll be scrapped altogether, hence them becoming a Feat, so that only people who did the quest prior to 3.2 will have the Achievement. Take the Plagued and Black Proto-Drakes and the Amani War Bear as examples, if you will, albeit the former two aren't Feats..
Also, the mats for the quests total something in the region of 500g, depending on your Server's economy, compared to the new price of 60g total, before Faction discounts, not only the zones that the quests take place in would be subject to change, but the items required, therefore making several items rather redundant - Dark Iron Ore can be smelted into bars which, alongside copius amounts of other rare Pre-BC mats, can be used to make various Blacksmithing items (Lets face it, no one would actually bother, unless you're bent on making a Sulfuron Hammer) and the Pristine Black Diamond's only other uses are in one Jewelcrafting item and for three of the Pre-BC Libram quests (Unsure if those are the three which people will need for Insane in the Membrane)
@Silversol: Guessing this means the end of being able to obtain the Raven Lord, unless Druids who have already completed the quest get to keep...whatever it is they use to summon him. Personally, hope not, as i'd love to somehow get him on my 'Lock :P
TL:DR.. In all probability the quests will be gone altogether, so if you have them lying around, get them done for the Feat before it's too late.
notworksafe Jun 11th 2009 6:26PM
The Blood Elf paladin quest is still worth doing too. You get the sweet Blood Knight tabard for completing it.
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=25549
elfennau Jun 11th 2009 7:24PM
Aspect of the Run the F*** Faster. ;)
Adamanthis Jun 12th 2009 12:03AM
Considering that the quests were kept after the skills were made trainable, I'd be surprised if they went to the trouble to take them out now. I just did my pally's epic mount quest a few months ago at level 69, and it was an enjoyable quest line despite already having an epic mount.
Deadly. Off. Topic. Jun 12th 2009 11:33AM
I still have the mats on my warlock for summoning the boss - I wonder if they'll delete them without my consent or turn them into grays. I really hope not. These were bosses who still, for the level frame they were for, dropped loot for anyone. Makes me think I should go do a memorial run through these places before they're gone for good.
Jon Do Jun 11th 2009 4:44PM
They should just let a DK 'remember' their old class when they break free of the Lich King.
Land Jun 11th 2009 4:45PM
Ok, the mount level requirement was kinda low, but my god now their lowering this stuff to 16? Might as well just let us start our toons at 55 if they keep making this game so easy to level in. ~_~;; Now we're gonna get more people flying through leveling rather then learning their classes, and notice i said "more" not all.
Robert M Jun 11th 2009 5:06PM
1. Reducing the mount level requirements is less (and not more as you have implied) justification for not allowing all players to start at level 55.
2. Mounts only reduce travel time. They do not make quests easier. A person still has to play the class and learn the mechanics and the leveling, though much improved, will still influence the actual learning of a class.
3. You could slow leveling mechanics to the snail pace vanilla wow was or worse and you are still going to have people who have no understanding of their class. This helps the people that do understand their class and would like to branch out to other classes much more than it helps the players who don’t. It could stand to reason that a player who understands how to learn class mechanics will be better served with a mount and faster leveling.
http://fatchickstank.blogspot.com/
G Jun 11th 2009 5:29PM
To invert that: Walking slowly means more skill? Because if that's true, my grandma had skills.
Tauran Jun 15th 2009 3:25AM
Your grandma walked slowly because of skills
Aedilhild Jun 11th 2009 4:46PM
They're welcome changes, and should please longtime players without allowing the world to zip by mounted newcomers.
Recently I began leveling an alt who had languished for months at 29. I enjoy scenic routes and only recently purchased my epic flying mount, but meandering through Ashenvale bordered on poor use of my time. Peripatetic questing should be kept to starting and adjacent zones.
Ge68 Jun 11th 2009 7:53PM
I like the change in normal flyer speed because Flying mount is an increase in riding skill yet you go down to 60% which isn't an increase, just a waste of 900g.
But mounts at level 16 \(>.
Ge68 Jun 11th 2009 7:57PM
Half my comment didnt come out then >< heres it again:
I like the change in normal flyer speed because Flying mount is an increase in riding skill yet you go down to 60% which isn't an increase, just a waste of 900g.
But mounts at level 16 \(>.