Cataclysm Beta: Worgen are their own mounts? [Update: Confirmed!]
by Gregg Reece 
Sep 18th 2010 at 7:00PM
There have been a lot of people anxiously awaiting the arrival of worgen mounts on the beta. Goblins have had their mounts for a little while now, and most people are still curious what the worgen mounts will even look like. With some of the information mined out of the most recent beta build, it looks like a worgen mount will end up being the worgen themselves.
A new racial ability called Running Wild has been added for worgen, with a 1.5-second cast time that adds the "mounted" aura to the player. The description says, "Drop to all fours to run as fast as a wild animal." However, worgen already have their own version of Sprint called Darkflight, which gives them a temporary speed boost, but this new racial implies mounted speeds.
If this is true, then it will mean different things for different groups. For worgen druids, you never have a reason to buy a mount of any type now. For those Alliance players out there, this might mean a lack of worgen racial mounts, which will probably be compensated elsewhere to keep the number of mounts equal between Horde and Alliance. For tauren players, yes, someone else appears to be getting Plainsrunning before you.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 10)
Bueas Sep 18th 2010 7:05PM
THAT IS SO COOL! I think it would be way better if they didn't have a mount anyways.
relmatos Sep 18th 2010 7:51PM
Very cool indeed. Love the idea of worgen running on all 4.
However it seems a bit strange and unfair after Blizzard spent so much time creating new mounts so that both factions had the same ammount of mounts only to remove the balance suddenly.
Wasnt there a cool mount artwork for the worgen?
Oh well. my main already has 110 mounts. Should have enough for any new mount achievement that blizzard decides to add when I get the Cataclysm mounts and my worgen will have a cool way of walking around.
The time to "mount up" should be smaller than normal mounts though as compensation.
Mattimus Sep 18th 2010 8:50PM
Could be the Racial is just the level 20 version, and there will be several awesome flavors of Epic Worgen Mounts (and if all mounts will scale to max training and location, then players can still opt to use Pawsrunning over a mount anyway).
Malsi Sep 18th 2010 9:56PM
I think this is cool too! But if Worgen ever do get mounts, it should be Evil black sheep! With glowy red eyes and a pair of horns and all that good stuff.
Note: I really am serious. Also, I don't have a wow account, I don't plan on getting one till the expansion comes out, so if someone could go and recommend my Black Sheep mount idea in the suggestion forum, it would be greatly apprieciated!
Cowy Sep 18th 2010 10:19PM
Uh whut...
As a long-time playing Tauren and Plains Running advocate ( 5+ YEARS and I guess a bit longer it seems) ... I am a tad ...annoyed.
*Steamy fizzle cloud above head*
thebitterfig Sep 19th 2010 12:42AM
I say it's lame as all hell. Not only does it reek of taking the cheap way out rather than designing a new model, it screws alliance mount collectors royally. Unless we're able to summon up worgen to ride on if we hit exalted Gilneas rep.
Tuhljin Sep 19th 2010 1:02AM
I just want to say this: To me, at least, Running Wild makes a lot more "sense" than Plainsrunning did both lore-wise and mechanics-wise, and any argument of "then just give Tauren Plainsrunning with the same mechanics as Running Wild" ignores half of the problem. Now, I'm a lore buff but by no means an expert, so there is some lore for Tauren Plainsrunners, but outside of mechanics-centered NPCs there for teaching players the ability, I don't see any that would make me conclude Tauren are known for running as fast or with the endurance of, say, a horse... and they certainly don't look the part!
Mitawa Sep 19th 2010 1:28AM
I suppose you figure a bison is "fat" so it wouldn't be able to run long distances or jump more than 20 feet forward from a dead stop either?
Seriously. Our culture and their focus on looks. *storms off in a nerdrage*
Elmouth Sep 19th 2010 2:25AM
Thats it Im definitly rolling a worgen.
Drakenlord Sep 19th 2010 2:53AM
@Bueas : I couldn't disagree more, but that's neither here nor there
tharveyyorkshire Sep 19th 2010 10:29AM
@thebitterfig
Running Wild is indeed the new racial "mount" for worgen. Functionally the ability works exactly like a mount. This does mean the worgen are not bringing faction mounts to the table which other Alliance races can access. This is also of course very different from the original Plainsrunning implemented for taurens. We have no plans to try and bring that ability back in any form.
Ultimately, we feel Running Wild fits very well with the nature of the worgen race. Rather than getting a physical mount, they get down and sprint on all fours. When you're playing a worgen, it just feels awesome. :)
[ Post edited by Zarhym ]
note the second sentence and quit your whining before you even know all the facts
Aitron Sep 19th 2010 11:14AM
@ Tharveyyorkshire
Perhaps it is you who should take note of the key word in the second sentence:
"This does mean the worgen are NOT bringing faction mounts to the table..."
Before criticizing somebody else's comment, be sure you have your own facts straight.
Tuhljin Sep 21st 2010 9:11PM
Oh yeah, because when I talked about "lore" what I really meant was "looks." It had nothing to do with the whole "tauren at best SPRINT relatively short distances" thing from the games and lore vs wolves' long-distance-running thing. You whining at *me* about the culture is pretty... ironic, I guess.
Matthew Sep 18th 2010 7:04PM
I think they should get the option to have a racial mount, AND this.
Just like tauren should be able to ride kodos or do plainsrunning again (activated, natch)
So can they "mount" in human form? :O That would be something to see!!!
followthategg Sep 18th 2010 7:20PM
Wild guess here: worgens will have to be in human form to mount up horses, camels, proto-drakes etc.
I like this idea too if it is their racial mount, better than the idea of them somehow riding around boars or helboars as some people think.
Gregg Reece Sep 18th 2010 7:32PM
@followthategg - There was concept art at BlizzCon last year with a strange boar-like beast labeled as the Worgen mount. That's where people were getting that idea.
Fletcher Sep 18th 2010 8:06PM
Yeah, and it was uuuuuugly. I'm kinda glad to see this, and kinda not - as former humans, it makes sense that the Gilneans wouldn't be riding about on their own unique animals. But on the other hand not getting a racial mount is kinda sucky.
Snuzzle Sep 18th 2010 11:07PM
Stormwind horses:
http://www.imperialpark.co.nz/copperas.jpg
Gilnean steeds:
http://www.honnington.com/images/rupert824x308.gif
(And, as a side note, gnome ponies):
http://cdn.webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/thumbelina-horse.jpg
In short, it would be easy to give worgen a horse mount of some type, which would be in keeping with their Gilnean background, but still make it look unique from the Stormwind horses. That's a Shire Horse I've linked for the Gilnean picture, by the way.
I mean, look at Tauren Sunwalkers getting super shiny kodos. The blood elf pally mount versus the Alliance pally mount. Gilneans could have a type of horse and still have a unique and special looking mount.
tulipblossom Sep 19th 2010 1:38AM
I'd really love it if they had the option Matthew describes. I'm thrilled for all the folks out there who were really craving something like this and it's not that I don't like the idea, because it's definitely cool. But, I was really really looking forward to getting a more savage looking group of mounts for the Alliance. And, now I'm a little worried that the cool boar mount that we saw a sneak peak of at Blizzcon, won't make it into the game.
I'm happy and sad at the same time, it's bittersweet for me, right now. I was really looking forward to seven or eight new mounts for the Alliance. But, I guess it's still possible they'll implement new ones, to keep the number balanced between the factions.
Felix_NZ Sep 19th 2010 4:01AM
@Snuzzle While not usually in favor of 'moar horsies' I would LOVE a Gilnean clydesdale