Mount changes in 1.12.1

Incoherence · 09/15/06, 12:24 AM

Blizzard forums are down at the moment (what else is new), but apparently on the test realms there have been some changes made to mounts. They go like this:

There is now one riding skill for all factions. It has two levels: 75 and 150. 75 allows you to ride level 40 mounts, PvP mounts, dropped mounts, and AV mounts. 150 allows you to ride all racial epic mounts.

The cost structure has also changed (these are all before discounts):
Level 40 mounts now cost 10g apiece.
75 riding skill costs 90g.
Racial epic mounts now cost 100g apiece.
150 riding skill costs 900g.

If you want another faction's epic, you still have to grind exalted because they changed it awhile back that you need Exalted to even speak to the mount vendor.

All existing characters will be converted to the new system in some way. No details given, but if I were doing this, I'd give 75 riding skill to anyone who currently has a soulbound mount, and 150 riding skill to anyone who has a soulbound racial epic mount. I can also see them making the slight mistake of giving all level 40s 75 riding skill and all 60s 150 riding skill, which is a benefit to anyone who still doesn't have their mount at those levels. (My alt needs an epic...)

The other edge case that occurs to me is that faction mounts are currently bind on use... hopefully they thought of that and put some sort of requirement on them that's either faction or race (since most people don't have exalted with their own faction).

The stated reason for this is to allow people to pick up multiple faction mounts at a lower cost; I suspect that it's in preparation for flying mounts, the fast variation of which might require 225 riding skill (and some obscene amount of gold), and as a side effect to make it less helpful to buy mounts for your alts/low level guildmates by getting a [race] sergeant to buy the mount for them.

Gort · 09/15/06, 12:27 AM

Thank you zombie jesus.

My 55 herbalist just got very, very happy indeed.

ETA: Okay, missed the "900". Zombie baby jesus now cries. Little zombie tears.

Nite_Moogle · 09/15/06, 12:32 AM

What the.

Didn't see this one coming. Too bad I wasn't busy saving up for an epic mount :(

spronk · 09/15/06, 12:34 AM

i really wonder about blizzard sometimes, this is a non-trivial change that should have been pushed out to the expansion, it just introduces a ton of potential bugs and exploits and takes away more time from the dev & testing teams that should be going towards the expansion. first it was sand and towers and now this...

Rane · 09/15/06, 12:34 AM

Do the normal mount limitations still apply? Tauren on raptor, human on chicken, etc?

Copernicus · 09/15/06, 12:36 AM

The mounts are now bind on acquire. All of them.

SquattingCow · 09/15/06, 12:37 AM

Interesting. I'll have to check out this change to make a comment on it, but as you said, sounds like they want to crack down on people who buy mounts for others.

Also, to those who picked up baron/tiger/raptor mount without having an epic, :zoid:

blindworld · 09/15/06, 12:38 AM

Some weird things to note...
(Premades)
Hunters start inside Dalaran.
You start with 10K gold
100 healing pots, 80 mana pots, 80 bandages
Epic PVP gear (rank 14 weapons)
10 more epics in my bags, rings/trinkets/cloaks/zin'rokh
150 Riding Skill
999/1000 Exalted with Timbermaw Furbolgs!?

Character xfers are closed for the night, I'm going to try and transfer a 60 over tomorrow that doesn't have an epic yet, just to see what default riding skill I get.

I've also heard (but can't verify) that "prize" epic mounts only require 75 skill (AV exalted, PVP, ZG, Baron)

taylor · 09/15/06, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by Copernicus

The mounts are now bind on acquire. All of them.

Including currently unbound ones in peoples backpacks? Or are those not part of ALL of them?

Incoherence · 09/15/06, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by Copernicus

The mounts are now bind on acquire. All of them.

Well, that solves the "buying mounts for others" problem.

Rane · 09/15/06, 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by SquattingCow

Interesting. I'll have to check out this change to make a comment on it, but as you said, sounds like they want to crack down on people who buy mounts for others.

Also, to those who picked up baron/tiger/raptor mount without having an epic, :zoid:

Oh crap

*holds Razzashi Raptor tightly*
Don't let go boy!

SquattingCow · 09/15/06, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by taylor

Originally Posted by Copernicus

The mounts are now bind on acquire. All of them.

Including currently unbound ones in peoples backpacks? Or are those not part of ALL of them?

Going to try this when personal character transfers are available. Watch this space! (This could get very expensive very quickly)

SquattingCow · 09/15/06, 12:44 AM

Originally Posted by Rane

Originally Posted by SquattingCow

Interesting. I'll have to check out this change to make a comment on it, but as you said, sounds like they want to crack down on people who buy mounts for others.

Also, to those who picked up baron/tiger/raptor mount without having an epic, :zoid:

Oh crap

*holds Razzashi Raptor tightly*
Don't let go boy!

Actually, thinking about it, you'll probably get 150 riding skill. Those who pick up Baron's mount etc come patch will need to buy it. I'm just bitter some people got away without paying 800-900g.

Copernicus · 09/15/06, 12:45 AM

Linking a pre-made's mount in trade chat listed it as "Binds on pick up".

It should be possible to tell if a current mount is BoP or not after transfers just by linking it in trade or tells etc.

impossible! · 09/15/06, 1:03 AM

Originally Posted by Rane

Originally Posted by SquattingCow

Interesting. I'll have to check out this change to make a comment on it, but as you said, sounds like they want to crack down on people who buy mounts for others.

Also, to those who picked up baron/tiger/raptor mount without having an epic, :zoid:

Oh crap

*holds Razzashi Raptor tightly*
Don't let go boy!

Several sources indicate that any non-standard mounts (i.e. instance, battleground or pvp mounts) only require the basic level 40 riding skill.

Zyrxil · 09/15/06, 1:06 AM

O_o

Does that mean they'll default me to 75 riding skill if all I have is an AV Epic Mount? It may not have cost 800g, but 600g is still a damn lot of gold.

Emily · 09/15/06, 1:38 AM

Hmmm, I've currently got my Undead epic mount; I'm undead.

So if I got someone to buy a kodo mount now and give it to me (mounts are BoU?), I could use it after the patch, thanks to having epic riding skill already (even though I myself am not TB exalted)?

Seems like a loophole if I've understood this whole business properly (which I probably haven't).

Kuai · 09/15/06, 1:43 AM

Does this mean if i rep up to exalted for Thunder Bluff and just buy the riding skill i can buy a epic kodo for 100g after the patch and not pay 900g for the riding skill?

Azera · 09/15/06, 1:45 AM

Originally Posted by Emily

Hmmm, I've currently got my Undead epic mount; I'm undead.

So if I got someone to buy a kodo mount now and give it to me (mounts are BoU?), I could use it after the patch, thanks to having epic riding skill already (even though I myself am not TB exalted)?

Seems like a loophole if I've understood this whole business properly (which I probably haven't).

Well, you have to compare it. 1000g now and no faction later, or faction later and 100g (if it's lining up that all you need is exalted faction and 100g for other races mounts).

If that's correct, pick your poison.

snurre · 09/15/06, 1:48 AM

Currently:
1 mount + riding skill costs 1000g.
2 mounts + riding skills costs 2000g.

After patch:
1 mount + riding skill costs 1000g.
2 mounts + riding skill costs 1100g.

Muraevin · 09/15/06, 1:57 AM

What is the point of this change? All I see it doing is annoying those crazy poeple who collected every mount possible.

Copernicus · 09/15/06, 2:06 AM

Originally Posted by BLUE

This change was implemented after the latest revision of the patch notes was made available for inclusion into the 1.12.1 patch binary. It will be documented in a future revision however.

There will be effectively two riding skill levels, apprentice and journeyman. The cost for the riding skill will be significantly higher than it previously was, however this is offset by a drastically lower cost for the actual mount.

For current players with mounts there will be a seamless transition to the new system. You will continue to have your mount; you will continue to be able to use it, etc. What this change does for players who don't yet have a mount or an epic mount is take the emphasis off of the mount itself, and put it on the riding skill. This helps give players access to more variety without requiring a large monetary investment if they, for instance, just want to pick a different colored horse.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...eNo=3&sid=1#52

Sentouki · 09/15/06, 2:10 AM

Probably an expansion thing with flying mounts, only idea I can come up with.

Gort · 09/15/06, 2:35 AM

Neato, I can go get me a wolf and/or kodo without paying a retarded amount of money!

...

Oh god, I think I'm the target market.

henaki · 09/15/06, 2:42 AM

There's some cool (stupid) oddities with the test realm, for example: Druids don't start with Innervate or Teleport: Moonglade

Also Horde were camping Refuge Point for a few hours (which is where EVERY SINGLE PERSON is bound by default on Alliance). Also, they give Druids a Feral weapon, but not Feral cloaks, rings or necks (but many variants of spell damage, healng and mana regen for these slots).