Long, Strange Trip achievement will award Master Flying
by Anne Stickney 
Oct 16th 2010 at 12:30AM
The recent changes with Patch 4.0.1 introduced the Master Riding skill, which allows players to purchase 310 percent riding speed for all flying mounts, for a cost. The upsides to this are nice -- instead of mount speed being assigned per mount, mount speed is now being assigned by riding skill, and mounts will go faster according to your riding skill. In other words, all those 60 percent speed ground mounts you have in your bags will now move at 100 percent speed when you learn Journeyman riding at level 40.
The downside to this, however, is that achievement drakes have been changed as a result and will no longer fly at 310 percent speed. Instead, they will fly at your highest riding skill level, and you will have to purchase Master Riding to fly faster. This was all well and good for the Ulduar and Icecrown drakes, which will be progressively easier to get as we level to 85 and beyond. But for those people just one or two steps away from completing the achievement What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been, an achievement that takes a full year to complete regardless of what level you happen to be, this was a crushing blow. Guess what guys? You can breathe a sigh of relief -- it's been fixed!
The downside to this, however, is that achievement drakes have been changed as a result and will no longer fly at 310 percent speed. Instead, they will fly at your highest riding skill level, and you will have to purchase Master Riding to fly faster. This was all well and good for the Ulduar and Icecrown drakes, which will be progressively easier to get as we level to 85 and beyond. But for those people just one or two steps away from completing the achievement What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been, an achievement that takes a full year to complete regardless of what level you happen to be, this was a crushing blow. Guess what guys? You can breathe a sigh of relief -- it's been fixed!
ZarhymI provided an update in the lengthy thread about Master riding, so in case it gets missed I'm throwing it up in its own non-sticky thread for now.
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=27187849344&sid=1&pageNo=28
I have a slight update to spread to the masses. We are going to be adding a hotfix for the achievement What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been. This hotfix will make it so that obtaining the Reins of the Violet Proto-Drake will award players Master riding.
The way in which 310% will be awarded is going to be a little quirky at first, but we plan to make it a more smooth process in a future patch. For now, you will need 280% flying in order to learn to use the Violet Proto-Drake. Once you mount the drake for the first time it will teach Master riding. The only catch is that you have to dismount and mount the drake again in order for 310% speed to take effect.
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=27187849344&sid=1&pageNo=28
I have a slight update to spread to the masses. We are going to be adding a hotfix for the achievement What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been. This hotfix will make it so that obtaining the Reins of the Violet Proto-Drake will award players Master riding.
The way in which 310% will be awarded is going to be a little quirky at first, but we plan to make it a more smooth process in a future patch. For now, you will need 280% flying in order to learn to use the Violet Proto-Drake. Once you mount the drake for the first time it will teach Master riding. The only catch is that you have to dismount and mount the drake again in order for 310% speed to take effect.
For those working on the achievement -- don't stop now! Master riding can be yours for free once the achievement is complete!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Jeremy Oct 16th 2010 12:35AM
Great ... I was going to get my Violet Proto-Drake at Christmas, which obviously was going to be after Cata came out, and since the Ulduar, etc., drakes were changed too, I went ahead and bought Master riding yesterday. 5,000 gold down the drain.
Raijen Oct 16th 2010 1:47AM
I'm in the same boat. I was cool with the change, so I bought the 310% training. I would have been more than happy to wait until Christmas if I would have known.
Squirrel Thug Oct 16th 2010 2:48AM
That's gotta suck pretty bad, I almost bought 310 on my main if I had 1000 more gold. Glad I decided to wait, Hallow's Eve is when I get my violet proto and before this post I was crushed that I was so close and missed it.
myhelfy Oct 16th 2010 3:03AM
Don't forget, profligate pilots, that you can get Master Flying at a faction discount (4K at exalted) from Valiance Keep if you're alliance or Wackyhappyville if you're horde. (I forget the name.)
Xid Oct 16th 2010 3:14AM
Try sending in a ticket explaining your reasoning and asking for a refund?
Comito Oct 16th 2010 9:41AM
Yes!! Not paid for mount flying yet, and just need Hallow's end, bring it on!!
dwoodfill@me.com Oct 16th 2010 6:17AM
I hope everyone realizes Artisan riding is 280% and Master Riding is 310% you need to be Artisan(ie pay the 5k) before you can mount the Violet Proto-drake and get your free 310%. I beiieve Master skill will be fairly cheap.
Hoof Oct 16th 2010 7:29AM
Hahaha, knew Blizzard would cave, I'm only sad they did so quickly. I was hoping for another month or so of epic QQ on the forums.
Oh well.
Kalyr Oct 16th 2010 8:50AM
@ dwoodfill@me.com
It's 5k to get epic flight (280%). No discounts available.
It's another 5k to upgrade to Master Flight (310%). [Free to those who earned it previously.]
It will only be 250g to fly in Azeroth, when available.
Avan Oct 16th 2010 9:19AM
@Kalyr
Artisan riding is available for a discount, and has been since 3.2. You need to be exalted with Stormwind or Orgrimmar to buy it for the low cost of 4000g.
Toothy Oct 16th 2010 9:57AM
@Comito - you and me both, brother. Now if they would only make the 280% free with the reigns too...
Superthrust Oct 16th 2010 11:06AM
@Myhelfy - The horde place's name youre thinking of is Thrallmar. The ONLY reason i remember it, is because whenever i got to Wal-Mart, i say "Hey honey! Can we go to Thrall-Mart?". She rolls her eyes and says yes.
/giddygirlscream
Herman Oct 16th 2010 2:11PM
you can get it for a rep discount either from HH/thrallmar with exalted stormwind/org, or form the keep in borean tundra with exalted alliance expedition.
Killik Oct 17th 2010 3:21PM
Damned if they do, damned if they don't.
katharine.toth Oct 18th 2010 9:12AM
same here. most vexing.
DaShiVa01 Oct 18th 2010 11:32AM
Yeah, I read that we weren't getting it so I spent the last of my cash on learning 310%. I won't get violet till christmas event, but I was willing to wait. I was also most of teh way through ulduar rusted proto achievement too :/
Maccabeus Oct 16th 2010 12:38AM
OMG I can use my felsteed as my mount again?
/squee
niko Oct 16th 2010 12:39AM
never say blizzard doesn't listen to its playerbase.
this was the right thing to do.
/gets druid 310 fo free in Tgiving :D
Zalvi24 Oct 16th 2010 4:58AM
i was so disappointed with the changes to the %310 mounts that i was not gonna complete the holidays meta for my other toons but now, im just like a little girl on Christmas morning that got her first barbie
Llyneth Oct 16th 2010 8:12AM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that the Thanksgiving meta wasn't part of the Long, Strange Trip meta. This makes me curious as to what it is you do actually still need for it. Me, I have to wait til next summer since I was on hiatus for both of the Midsummers' so far :(