WoW Forever is live, and the mount system has seen some notable changes. One content creator put together a complete mount guide ahead of launch, noting that the system "isn't quite what you know from Classic or even from retail" — it blends elements of both into something unique to Forever. For players, mounts aren't just travel tools; they're a significant expense, and understanding the pricing structure early helps you plan your WoW Forever Gold spending. Players with limited time may also want to look into WoW Forever Boost services to speed up leveling and hit level 40 — and their first mount — sooner (always check official rules and assess the risks yourself).
One caveat: because the beta was capped at level 30 and the first mount doesn't arrive until level 40, the mount system couldn't actually be tested. The details below are based on data mining and may shift after launch.
Key Takeaways
-
Riding skills are the real gold sink — Apprentice Riding costs 100 gold at level 40, Journeyman Riding costs 1,000 gold at level 60. Mounts themselves are cheap by comparison.
-
Paladins and Warlocks get mounts free — their class mount quests include training, saving both the gold and the hassle.
-
Your first racial mount is free — a new Forever change. Standard mounts cost 20 gold; epic mounts cost 200 gold, or come free at 100% speed if you own the Forever Collection.
-
Racial riding still matters — you auto-learn your own race's riding, but riding another race's mount requires Exalted reputation plus 100 gold. A handful of exceptions (Winterspring Frostsaber, Alterac Valley mounts, Deathcharger, Zul'Gurub mounts) need no racial riding.
-
Mounts don't scale — 60% stays 60%, 100% stays 100%. The only exception is the store mount Veteran Adventurer's Loyal Companion.
-
Plan your WoW Forever Gold around riding, not cosmetics — save 100 gold by level 40 and 1,000 gold by 60. If you want to hit those levels faster, WoW Forever Boost services can save time — just check official rules and weigh the risks first.
1. Riding Training: The Gold Sink Moved
In Classic, the mount itself was the major gold sink and training was relatively cheap. WoW Forever flips that — the mount is much cheaper, and the real savings goal is the riding skill.
• Apprentice Riding: Learned at level 40, unlocks 60% speed mounts, costs 100 gold before faction discounts.
• Journeyman Riding: Learned at level 60, unlocks 100% speed mounts, costs 1,000 gold before faction discounts.
• Paladins and Warlocks rejoice: their mount training is included in their class mount quests, so they get their mounts for free.
2. Racial Riding: Classic Meets Modern
When you learn Apprentice Riding, you automatically learn your race's riding skill:
Human: Horse Riding
Dwarf: Ram Riding
Gnome: Mechanostrider Piloting
Night Elf: Tiger Riding
Orc: Wolf Riding
Undead: Skeletal Horse Riding
Tauren: Kodo Riding
Troll: Raptor Riding
New race Skyborn: Gryphon Strider Riding
Want to ride another race's mount? You'll need to reach Exalted with that race's faction and pay 100 gold for the riding skill. A dwarf who wants Night Elf tigers, for example, needs Darnassus Exalted plus 100 gold for Tiger Riding.
Exceptions (no racial riding required):
• Winterspring Frostsaber (the Tiger Riding requirement was removed in Forever)
• Stormpike Battle Charger and Frostwolf Howler from Alterac Valley
• Deathcharger's Reins from Stratholme
• Swift Zulian Tiger and Swift Razzashi Raptor from Zul'Gurub
3. Mount Prices: Your First Racial Mount Is Free
Mounts in WoW Forever don't scale: 60% mounts stay 60%, and 100% mounts stay 100%. The only exception is the store mount Veteran Adventurer's Loyal Companion, which scales with riding skill.
• Standard racial mounts: 20 gold before discounts.
• Your first racial mount: free — a new Forever change. After learning Apprentice Riding at 40, you'll likely get a free racial mount via a quest or similar system.
• Epic mounts: 200 gold before faction discounts, with no free acquisition system currently. However, if you bought the Forever Collection, those mounts are 100% speed — effectively a free epic mount that saves you 200 gold.
Mounts now go into the collection tab and are account-wide, like retail, but riding another race's mount still requires the corresponding racial riding skill. As for the Classic size restrictions (e.g., Night Elves being unable to ride mechanostriders), the data suggests they've been removed in Forever — though this couldn't be 100% confirmed since the beta didn't allow learning riding.
4. New Mounts at a Glance
All Classic racial mounts return and are sold by vendors. Data also suggests some extra colors originally added in Wrath of the Lich King may be available: the Striped Dawn Saber for Night Elves, the Black Wolf for Orcs, the Black Skeletal Horse and Ochre Skeletal Warhorse for the undead, and the White Kodo for Tauren. There's also a brand-new Lavender Kodo (non-epic), presumably vendor-sold as well.
• Skyborn Gale Striders: non-epic Imperial, Stormy, and Umber Gale Striders, plus swift epic versions. Two more — the Regal Gale Strider and Swift Regal Gale Strider — exist in the files but weren't on beta vendors.
• Forsaken Charger: the new undead paladin mount, in non-epic and epic versions; undead paladins get the epic one free.
• Venomhide Ravager: the Horde counterpart to the Winterspring Frostsaber from Wrath, possibly with a Forever version.
• Spectral Bear: a brand-new reward from the new legacy system.
• Reins of the Pack Kodo: a reward from the new Durotar Supply and Logistics (Horde) and Azeroth Commerce Authority (Alliance) reputations.
• Riding Turtle: originally a Burning Crusade trading card game reward.
Two store mounts from the WoW Forever Collection.
About 12 encrypted mounts in the game files — names only, no models yet. The creator declined to spoil them but said he's excited to see where they show up.
5. Mount Speed Items
Classic speed items remain: Carrot on a Stick (3%), Enchant Gloves – Riding Skill (2%), and Mithril Spurs (4%).
New in Forever:
• Gift of Galloping: +10% riding speed for 15 real-time days, purchased for 150 gold from the Powder Fused Port in the new zone Riverglades — a notable gold sink.
• Desert Rose: trinket, +7% riding speed in desert areas.
• Winter Saber Hide-Lined Gloves: +6% mount speed in Winterspring.
• Rider of the Plaguelands set: 2-piece bonus of +5% speed in Western and Eastern Plaguelands, comprising a ring, one-handed sword, and back piece — source unknown.
Final Thoughts: Mounts Are a Long-Term Investment
The hybrid system merges modern Apprentice/Journeyman riding with Classic racial riding, and the creator says he genuinely likes the change. For players, the practical financial goals at launch are clear: save 100 gold for riding by level 40 and 1,000 gold for Journeyman by 60. WoW Forever Gold should go toward necessities like riding training first, not impulse cosmetic purchases. And if you want to reach 40 and 60 faster to unlock your mounts sooner, WoW Forever Boost services can save time — just understand the official rules and weigh the risks first.
Buy WoW Forever Boost — skip the grind, keep all loot.
Buy WoW Forever BoostThe creator also invited viewers to share their favorite new mount and said he'll be streaming WoW Forever launch content on Twitch. Safe travels — and may your journey across Azeroth be a fast one.
