All About Mounts in WOW (Classic and Retail)

You have to walk just about everywhere in Classic WOW, which is prompting a lot of questions about mounts, especially flying mounts.  This is a good summary about mounts in general for the entire game.
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Mount

In Classic, you can't get a mount until you are Level 40.  Flying mounts are not available in the Classic version of the game since flying wasn't introduced until Level 60 in the Burning Crusade expansion.
https://www.pcgamesn.com/world-of-warcraft/wow-classic-mounts

There are differences between how mounts work in Classic/Vanilla WOW and in Retail WOW.
https://progameguides.com/wow/wow-classic-how-to-get-a-mount/

If you want to run the numbers before picking that first mount for Classic, this is the website for you.
https://vanilla-wow.fandom.com/wiki/Mount

You can also get mounts from other races in Classic.  It can be convoluted but this site will guide you.
https://www.gosunoob.com/wow-classic/how-to-get-mounts-from-other-races/

Here is a nice summary of how to get flying mounts in Retail WOW, with a special druid section since they have a flying ability.  Bottom line:  it'll cost a lot of gold and you have to be Level 60.
https://www.wikihow.com/Fly-in-World-of-Warcraft

Wowpedia has a list of all the mounts in the game which is useful.  This is for both versions of the game I think.
https://wow.gamepedia.com/List_of_mounts

Warcraft Mounts is a specialist site just about mounts, including retired ones and upcoming mounts.  This is for both versions of the game I think.
https://warcraftmounts.com

And naturally Blizzard will sell you mounts for real cash.  (Note that this is the US shop.  You'll need to switch to your local shop if you are not US and then use the search function to find the available mounts.)  This is also the place to buy pets and in-game fireworks, etc.
https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/family/world-of-warcraft#mounts

WARNING WARNING WARNING
Don't buy a mount from the Blizzard store and expect to use it in Classic.  It looks like all the currently available mounts for purchase are flying mounts which are not available to use in Classic.

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How to Get a WOW Camel Mount

Camels are available through reputation in Cataclysm or through clicking on camel statues in Uldum and killing Dormus.
http://feature.mmosite.com/wow/guide/tips_on_wow_camel_mounts.shtml

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Skyrim: Can Shadowmere Be Killed?

Shadowmere has more health than other horses in Skyrim and can recover health fairly quickly, but can be killed.  (The Solo MMO Player says he's not a jumper.) Apparently there is console code for the PC version of the game to resurrect the horse but the Elder Scrolls wiki says that the horse will respawn in the death location 15-20 days later automatically.
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Shadowmere

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Skyrim Horse Mods

If you are finding your horse controls lacking, there are two mods currently available that make your horse come when you whistle or that make your horse run from combat.  Here is the link to Horse Whistle.
http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=1767

Here's Cowardly Horses.  There are a ton of mods that change your horse's appearance but I was interested in improving control of the horse when I browsed SkyrimNexus.com.
http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=1522

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Rift: Meridian Guide (Defiant)

This two page article is a guide to navigating Meridian, with an explanation of where to find various vendors, the bank, where to buy a guild charter, etc.
http://www.brighthub.com/video-games/mmo/articles/111057.aspx

http://www.brighthub.com/video-games/mmo/articles/111057.aspx?p=2

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Rift: Mounts UPDATED

Basic mount information.
http://thisisnotarift.blogspot.com/2011/02/short-post-about-mounts.html

Maps showing where mount vendors are located.
http://thisisnotarift.blogspot.com/2011/02/short-post-about-mounts.html

An explanation of mount speed, mount types (with photos), and the fact that there are no flying mounts
http://telarapedia.com/wiki/Mount

Here is a list of the available mounts and where to find their vendors.
http://rift.ign.com/wiki/Mounts

A video showing buying and summoning your mount.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d8YW5LYb5E&feature=related

UPDATE:  Here's the story about the Guardian mount (the lion-like mount with horns and a split tail) that you see some Defiant riding. Short version:  a hotfix on March 25 means Defiant players can no longer take advantage of a quest that makes them look like Guardians to buy a Guardian mount.  By the way, The Solo MMO Player has heard that those Defiant who managed to snare a Guardian mount before this loophole was plugged had it disappear and their money was refunded.
http://forums.riftgame.com/archive/index.php/t-133663.html?s=ac848f71ea6a370c3209a8f27ae9367c

Here is Trion's own mount and vanity pet guide.
http://forums.riftgame.com/showthread.php?138521-Vanity-Pet-and-Mount-Guide

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Rift: Artifact Sets

The artifacts you pick up here and there can be turned into the Artifact Collector (in Meridan and Sanctum).  In return you get Lucky Coins that can be used to buy vanity pets and mounts, and achievements, and various caches.  The caches are random and include gold, potions, and epic weapons and gear.  They are also tiered according to the zone the artifacts were collected in.
http://telarapedia.com/wiki/Artifact_Collector

http://telarapedia.com/wiki/Lucky_Coin

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How to Navigate without Portals

Strategies to pass the time while traveling without portals
http://www.pinkpigtailinn.com/2010/11/strategies-of-fun-for-frequent-flyer.html

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Top Ten Changes in The Shattering

A list of ten major changes.  Many thanks to the Pot for pointing this out.
http://thewownoob.blogspot.com/2010/11/its-end-of-world-as-we-know-it-and-im.html

More changes.
http://birdfall.blogspot.com/2010/11/cracked-world-or-tomorrow-we-get-whole.html

What happens now and what happens when Cataclysm hits.
http://fallingleavesandwings.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/just-a-quickie-4-0-3a-information/

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Get Your Mount Now

Since some mounts will no longer be available in Cataclysm, WOW Insider has done an article about how to get them now.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/the-overachiever-how-to-get-disappearing-mounts/

A guide to all the new Cataclysm mounts.
http://www.wowhead.com/blog=176438/cataclysm-mount-guide-lions-drakes-and-camels-oh-my

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Extreme Soloing for Hunters in Patch 4.0.1

You'll be happy to hear that Eidotrope thinks hunters can solo still now that Patch 4.0.1 is here.  He's planning to farm Anzu to get the rare Raven Lord mount and outlines how he'll go about it here.
http://outdps.com/2010/10/16/farming-anzu-and-some-news-on-extreme-soloing/

Here is a bit more about Anzu the Raven God.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/15/patch-4-0-1-is-all-anzu-all-the-time/

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New Pets and Mounts in Cataclysm UPDATED A LOT

A list of new animals in the latest Cataclysm build.  No pictures except for the tiny dragon pet Deathy.  Sorry.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/09/18/cataclysm-beta-new-mounts-and-companion-pets-in-build-12984/

UPDATE:  Videos of Alliance and Horde Guild Mounts
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/09/19/cataclysm-beta-horde-and-alliance-guild-mounts/

UPDATE #2:  Worgen are their own mounts.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/09/18/cataclysm-beta-worgen-are-their-own-mounts/

UPDATE #3:  Players will be able to transform into a dragon mount and carry a second player on their back.
http://birdfall.blogspot.com/2010/09/alchemy-mount-or-they-found-it.html

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Cataclysm Changes Alert

BBB just learned that when Cataclysm hits, Zul'Gurub (a 20 man raid in Vanilla WOW) will disappear.  Some mage Polymorth spells can be gotten here and there are rare mounts, too.  No one knows if these items will be moved to another portion of the game, so if you are interested, read the two links below.

http://thebigbearbutt.com/2010/09/01/oh-noes-zulgurub-going-going-gone/

http://almostevil.blogspot.com/2009/02/farming-zulgurub.html

By the way, there have been changes to the UI in the beta that have a nice Eclipse bar.   Druids may want to check out the photos here.

http://www.restokin.com/2010/09/new-cata-eclipse-bar-pictures/

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Cataclysm Beta Notes (Flying Mounts, Clients, Hunter Solo Runs)

I've been mostly ignoring Cataclysm beta information since it is all in flux. Who knows what will actually make it into the next expansion?  This is a reference site, after all, and linking to information that may or may not end up in an expansion that isn't even dated yet seems useless to me.  However, I have found a few articles I do want to mention because they are useful for beta players or have special relevance to solo players.

WOWHead has posted how to use their client to gather beta information for their database.  If you are in the beta, consider downloading their client to add to the Cataclysm database.
http://www.wowhead.com/blog=163527

It looks like buying a faster flying mount will be quite expensive in Cataclysm, especially for players with a good number of characters they play.  Looks like players should start accumulating gold now.
http://wowalone.blogspot.com/2010/08/100000-gold-for-flying.html

Cold Weather Flying changes in Cataclysm.  Now you can buy it at Level 68 for less than in Patch 3.3.5.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/09/20/cataclysm-beta-cold-weather-flying-at-68/

The Warcraft Hunters Union has posted two articles about soloing Cataclysm, first as a Beast Master hunter--
http://www.warcrafthuntersunion.com/2010/08/cataclysm-beta-hunter-soloing-as-bm/

and secondly as a marksman hunter.
http://www.warcrafthuntersunion.com/2010/08/cataclysm-beta-hunter-preview-soloing-as-mm/

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Mount and Pet Organization Addon (Equus Infinata)

Want an addon that works with the existing Blizzard interface pane?  This mount and pet organizer's filters might be what you need.  There's a short interview with the developer, as well.
http://www.wow.com/2010/07/29/addon-spotlight-equus-infinata/

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How to Solo Skadi the Ruthless as a Feral Druid

This is in Utgarde Pinnacle and you get a proto drake mount if you make it through.  You have to be a Level 80 feral druid, mostly a bear but with good cat gear.  Details here.
http://feralaggression.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/pimp-your-druid-skadi-the-rutheless/

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Everquest 2 Adds a $25 Mount

See what happens when you give Blizzard millions of dollars for a Celestial Mount?  Other game developers jump on the bandwagon.
http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2010/05/20/everquet-2-introduces-its-own-greed-steed/

It's either the end of civilization as we know it or the first steps into widespread micro-transactions in MMOs.

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Tobold's Dual Box Adventure

Tobold is trying dual boxing via the Recruit-a-Friend program.  Here's what he's done to date, with the pluses and minuses of using this program to help level and get the fancy two-seater rocket mount.
http://tobolds.blogspot.com/2010/05/dual-boxing-with-recruit-friend-in-wow.html

http://tobolds.blogspot.com/2010/05/dual-boxing-part-ii.html

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Instructions and Tips for Getting the Deathcharger Mount

In case you are too cheap to spend $25 on a sparkling pony.
http://birdfall.blogspot.com/2010/02/deathcharger-farm-or-easier-than-it.html

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Flying Mount and Robot Pet at Blizzard's Online Store

The Celestial Mount and the Lil XT robot pet are now for sale at Blizzard's online store.  Details like pricing for these in-game digital items here-
http://www.wow.com/2010/04/15/celestial-steed-lil-xt-now-active-on-the-blizzard-store/

There's a queue 70,000 80,000 140,000 people long in the U.S. store.  Do the math.  Blizzard made a mint.  Expect more such items in the future.
http://www.wow.com/2010/04/15/queue-for-celestrial-steed-and-lil-xt-is-above-70-000/

If you are curious about the Celestial Mount and the robot pet, there are videos here.
http://birdfall.blogspot.com/2010/04/celestial-steed-buyable.html

UPDATE:  My favorite comment about Blizzard's selling of digital items is at the link below.  I believe folks aren't complaining about buying such expensive digital items now because kids are overrunning WOW. Thoughtful adults are not purchasing such things, especially in such a down economy, but there are few adults left playing the game.
http://www.massively.com/2010/04/16/anti-aliased-shut-up-people-come-buy-my-horse/#comments

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