Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsCataclysm mount changes
by Matthew Rossi 
Apr 16th 2010 at 9:30PM
Bashiok - #BlizzChat Developer Chat on Twitter 4/16Q: Do you intend to have all 280% flying mounts scale to 310% when a 310% mount is earned, or will only purchased mounts do so?
A: Our current plan, is that in Cataclysm, you can learn a new rank of flying that lets all flying mounts move at 310% (even current 280% mounts). That will probably be as fast as mounts will ever get. We don't like it that when you get a 310% mount that you stop using your old ones.
Q: If 310% speed is becoming trainable, does that mean we'll be able to fly in Azeroth from the get-go?
A: We have considered the concept of "Old Weather Flying." Just kidding. More than likely, you'll just be able to fly from the beginning.
A: Our current plan, is that in Cataclysm, you can learn a new rank of flying that lets all flying mounts move at 310% (even current 280% mounts). That will probably be as fast as mounts will ever get. We don't like it that when you get a 310% mount that you stop using your old ones.
Q: If 310% speed is becoming trainable, does that mean we'll be able to fly in Azeroth from the get-go?
A: We have considered the concept of "Old Weather Flying." Just kidding. More than likely, you'll just be able to fly from the beginning.
No word yet on if players with current 310% speed mounts will still have to learn this new rank of flying skill or not. Previously, 310% speed mounts were seen as status symbols and prizes to be gained via achievements, PvP, rare drops or so on. Personally, I'm hoping people with 310% speed mounts are at least grandfathered in as it would be annoying otherwise to not even be able to ride your mount once the change went live.
On the up side, at least we'll be able to fly in Azeroth right away instead of having to train yet another rank of flying.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it. Nothing will be the same. In WoW.com's Guide to Cataclysm you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion. From Goblins and Worgens to Mastery and Guild changes, it's all there for your cataclysmic enjoyment.Filed under: Blizzard, News items, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 5)
Xannis Apr 17th 2010 10:57PM
Yeah, that's how I read it too.
'A: Our current plan, is that in Cataclysm, you can learn a new rank of flying that lets all flying mounts move at 310% (even current 280% mounts).'
'...that lets all flying mounts move at 310% (even current 280% mounts).'
'...(even current 280% mounts).'
They just want to make it so that the 280% speed mounts are also used and not just the 310%.
'We don't like it that when you get a 310% mount that you stop using your old ones. '
gamerunknown Apr 17th 2010 12:57AM
I was actually looking forward to paying to ride above Azeroth. I want it to be earned, y'know?
I've spent 3 expansions travelling Azeroth by ram and the better part of two travailing by foot, suddenly being able to zip around doesn't make much sense to me. It'd be far, far more interesting if the Goblins taught the secret of being able to fly over Azeroth (with its denser atmosphere than Outland and... less... cold than Northrend?) to the Horde and the Gnomes rediscovered it in Gnomeregan.
and of course, I forked out 10k to get an achievement and afk above stormwind.
ISA Apr 17th 2010 12:58AM
This does kind of suck for people like me who have the 310% speed mounts. I waited all year (and some of those achievements were a pain in the ass/luck) to be the fastest player in Azeroth.
Im cool with the celestial steed being easily available to everyone, its a great looking mount thats available to all of your alts, with me having 8 atm. But letting everyone have 310% speed, I dont know, it does trivialize the time it took to get that ability for my main. Out of my 6 80's, my Pally might not be my next main, and thus they wont have the 310%, but it WAS the best, most awesome achievement for my pally, and I'm totally fine with her being my only char that can go that fast.
I guess Im saying Im cool with homogenizing, but there has to be a line to draw. Giving everyone that speed, makes the best achievement I could get, and worked hard to get, just kills that special feeling.
Yah, yah, in before lol hard work in a video game, and feeling like a snowflake.
Artificial Apr 17th 2010 2:31AM
You forgot "grow up" in your "in before" list. :p
benedikto Apr 17th 2010 1:21AM
This is the best news I ve heard about Cataclysm. I started working on Violet proto drake a couple of months ago and now I won t have to wait too long.
THIS will make me buy the cataclysm collector s edition, just to thank Blizzard.
Shnissigah Apr 17th 2010 1:07AM
Thank Nyarlathotep... I'm one of those people who loves their snowy gryphons... Being able to ride it without being slower than hell is a godsend... Of course, I will miss my talbuk a little...
Nasteriasta Apr 17th 2010 2:36AM
I'm hoping they bring ground mounts to max ground speed as well. My gnome would really prefer to drive her cute blue 60 speed Mechanostrider around battlegrounds instead of the kinda ugly 100 speed version. They should make the 60 speed mounts 100 speed automatically when you get that level of training.
dzsulihime Apr 17th 2010 2:38AM
Everyone starts to cry when most of the players can get something that was status symbol. But i dont know why, that will be an everyday stuff and new status symbols rise, which remains in the hands of the same people...
Llaewynn Apr 17th 2010 3:32AM
I like this idea. Personally I hope they do the same for ground mounts. I think once you have learned one mount that is 100% speed, all of your 60% ground speed mounts should upgrade. I feel sad for all of my non-epic ground mounts who never see the light of day anymore, when once you've learned one epic ground mount, it's all just an art change, really.
Bobbo Apr 17th 2010 3:43AM
I only skimmed the comments here (so I don't know if anyone else has said this) and haven't seen confirmation yet from Blizz one way or the other, but I think I read the twitter comments completely differently than what most are assuming.
It sounds to me that, yes, the new rank of flying will be available to allow all mounts to fly at 310%, but Blizz's primary stated reason for doing so is to allow people to use their full selection of mounts. In other words, could it be that the new rank of flying (which would make all mounts 310%) is only trainable by those who actually already have a 310% mount? I don't really see anything in the statements made thus far that says that *everyone* will be able to upgrade their flying mounts to 310%.
Just a thought until it's clarified either way.
Cerein Apr 17th 2010 3:45AM
they said it will be a skill, they didn't say they were going to offer it on the trainers to every level 85
Frostwrath Apr 17th 2010 3:51AM
I'm still grinding for my Violet proto-drake and on both my 80s, i'm 3-4 events away. If that gets me the skill for free i'll be over the moon, but if not, i'll pay for it. I want to know if all this is definitely happening though, because then i may be a little bit more lax about this.
Steven Apr 17th 2010 3:51AM
THIS is exactly what i was afraid would happen. Another hit by the nerf-bat from Blizz. Soon there is no fuckin point in playing. Whenever Blizzard nerfs the game like this it feels like they suck out the only few jeweles that are left in the game. I hated when they nerfed the Riding skill to lvl 20 trainable cause that ment that Riding was'nt special anymore, same with the price nerfing of the skills. Dont mind us who were first to get the skills at the higher lvl's and that we paid redicilous sums of gold>< Sure, let every damn n00b b00n get a flying skill and clog the airspace of Azeroth. Sounds really good>< And why not let the Ni Hao bot's get a flying steed when they create a character?! They just have to check the "I'm a bot" check-box and they are set to go.
Nah, that doesnt sound right does it?!? Same goes with this Blizzz, it reeks miles away. Stop it and make Riding/Flying special again. Where are the rare status-symbols we once owned? Titels everyone can get now and same with 280 and 310 mounts. And every other noob has atleast 2-3 land mounts. Only thing most ppl dont bother to collect is vanity pets, but soon they will surely be nerfed too=(
Where will this end?
Llaewynn Apr 17th 2010 4:02AM
Did your mommy not reassure you enough that you are a special snowflake?
WoW isn't about being special and unique. The ability to get across a vast world in a reasonable amount of time shouldn't be limited to the few, the proud, the people with absolutely no life and insane luck. There are still plenty of mounts out there that practically nobody has. And look at it this way: with more people "clogging the airspace" there'll be more people seeing you on your super special mount and thinking what a super special snowflake you are.
And nerfing vanity pets? 1) they don't do anything, so their function is difficult to nerf. 2) they give out free vanity pets for every sneeze, burp, and fart. You logged in at a certain time of year! Here's a pet! You made a battlenet account! Here's a pet! You completed a dungeon! Here's a pet! Kinda hard to nerf whatever "special privilege" you think there was attached to those. And let's be realistic: everyone who's ever run Deadmines has a parrot, so once you're about level 20, you're now a member of the "special people who have vanity pets" club you're worried about everyone joining.
Camaris Apr 17th 2010 4:05AM
That's very, very good. I hate only being able to use that ugly Violet Drake!
Nagi Apr 17th 2010 5:19AM
This is the sort of change I welcome with open arms, but hardly find exciting or Earth-shattering (Azeroth-shattering?) all the same. For me, getting mounts has always been about getting good-looking mounts, not necessarily faster ones. Even with epic flying, I still aspire to own a Ravenlord and Brewfest Ram, for example. So it's always kind of gone over my head as to why Blizzard felt the need to "sweeten the deal" by giving some particularly gorgeous mounts like Tempest Keep's phoenix this marginal speed increase. To justify the effort? To reward the effort? The justification and reward is getting a GORGEOUS PHOENIX, a unique mount with a dash of rarity to it if you're into that sort of bragging rights (personally, I'm not, but I don't fault those that are). Making it go 40% faster than other epic flying mounts always seemed a little pointless to me. Detrimental, even, in the fact that it urged people abandon their other epic flying mounts in favor of this excessively minor convenience. Why whip out that nether drake or proto-drake that I ALSO spent an immense amount of effort to acquire when this phoenix or Ulduar Achievement proto-drake goes a smidge faster?
I like making 310% speed the new "gold sink" riding skill. If only because it encourages people to actually utilize their stable of collected mounts a little more. It's hardly cheapening the effort put into getting the existing 310% speed epic flying mounts because you still have them. So what if your nether drake now goes as fast as your Invincible or Ironbound Proto-Drake? You still have the proof that you mastered those associated raids in the fact that you're sitting atop some seriously beautiful and hard-to-get mounts.
With cosmetic flare like mounts, it's the look that counts, not any minor tacked-on utility. And it should stay that way.
Camaris Apr 17th 2010 6:33AM
I'm wondering if this also includes the 60% mounts. I'd love to use that very basic gryphon. Similarly, I hope they introduce that kind of scaling to ground mounts. The unarmored horses are badly underused, and it would be awesome if these scale to 100% speed automatically.
lolikitty Apr 17th 2010 10:10AM
hey you beat me to it so yes, seconded, love that idea.
Rajinnu Apr 17th 2010 8:16AM
Meh I will have my violet at Children's week so as long as they don't make it so I need to buy 310 to use that at 310 I don't care.
I wont buy 310 ever if its like 6 - 7k if I can use my 310 violet or steed
AishaLove Apr 17th 2010 8:46AM
awesome, seems this is the only way I'll ever get one of those fancy fast mounts, and seems It will end up just being the same mount I always fly on XD