I liked the original system of granting mounts at level 40, and although reducing the level requirement to 30 made gameplay sense, from a story perspective it wasn’t particularly meaningful. Level 20, though, not only makes sense from a gameplay perspective, it also carries a lot of weight in the storyline. At level 20, if you’ve been proceeding as planned through the quest lines:
- Humans have scattered the Defias Brotherhood and defeated Edwin VanCleef, and in recognition of this, Stormwind has instructed Randal and Katie Hunter to allow them access to one of their prize rounceys.
- Dwarves and gnomes have defused a plot by the Dark Iron Dwarves to destroy the Stonewrought Dam and flood the Wetlands. King Magni Bronzebeard rewards his loyal defenders with a fine war ram from the stables kept at Amberstill Ranch.
- Night elves have defended the port town of Auberdine from invasions on two fronts – naga to the north, and demons and undead to the east and south – and the Cenarion Circle has extended these fierce kal’dorei the privilege of riding the druids’ saber cats.
- Draenei have fought off the blood elves who stowed away aboard the Exodar and have slain Sironas, the Eredar who attempted to create Sun Gates between Bloodmyst and Outland. In thanks, the Prophet Velen allows the heroic Draenei to take an elekk from the Exodar‘s already-limited menagerie.
- Orcs, trolls, and Tauren have cleansed the Wailing Caverns of the Druids of the Fang, driven out invading humans at Northwatch Hold and dwarves at Ba’el Modan, foiled the efforts of the Venture Company, forced the tenacious quillboar and centaur out, and staved off an invasion by the Silithid. Thunder Bluff, Orgrimmar, and Sen’Jin Village each recognize the Horde irregulars’ efforts with kodo, worgs, and raptors from their stables.
- Forsaken have defended the Sepulcher from the Kirin Tor and Arugal’s worgen. The Dark Lady Sylvanas rewards her servants with undead chargers, necromantic steeds that are an additional insult to the defeated Kirin Tor.
- Blood elves have cleansed the Ghostlands of the undead and nerubians left behind from Arthas’s attack on the Sunwell. Regent Lor’themar Theron has rewarded these staunch sin’dorei by ordering the Farstriders to allow them to ride the hawkstriders normally reserved for the finest rangers.
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Comment by Psynister — June 12, 2009 @ 11:26 AM
Since I only understood about 30% of that, I bow to your nerdiness.
A job well done…I think. ;)
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Comment by Jess — June 12, 2009 @ 1:23 PM
I, uh… I killed, like, 50 gorillas in Stranglethorn Vale, then I got me a bonypony.
POWER TO THE FORSAKENnn-ah!
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Comment by Tsark — June 15, 2009 @ 2:09 AM
As the other commenters wrote – this would be pretty awesome, if there actually was some sort of quest pre-requisite to the mounts. Otherwise, the mount is basically the reward for slaying gorillas (or wolves, or scorpids, or…). Don't get me wrong though – I think it's a good change, but mostly from a gameplay perspective. For it to make sense from a lore perspective, you would have to tie it into too many quest pre-reqs, and Blizz won't do that, because they like the flexibility to level as people prefer.
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Comment by Zusterke — June 15, 2009 @ 10:59 PM
Good point. There is a very consistent story line up till about level 20. Beyond that there is a pretty high 'go look for a job yourself' message in the followups though there tends to be a preferred area to get to 30. I hadn't thought about that aspect yet.
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