World of Warcrafthas been busting out new mounts for 20 years, consistently satisfying the players' endless hunger for cool cosmetics. Despite them varying little in practical use, the visual differences are astounding, and the statement they make is what matters. They show off a player’s style, dedication, taste, skill, and veteran status, and these are just some examples of the best and most beautifulWorld of Warcraftcan offer.
S-Tier Mounts in World of Warcraft
Incognitro, the Big Daddy of Riddles
There are a handful ofsecret mounts inWorld of Warcraft, so named for their puzzling and elusive nature. The only way to get these rewards, such as the Lucid Nightmare or Sinrunner Blanchy, is to embark on a wild journey of seemingly random activities, searching for the tiniest of clues high and low. The only reason these mounts are obtainable at all is due to the tireless efforts ofWoW’s secret-finding community. This Discord server has thousands of dedicated players willing to spend countless hours banging their heads against the most nonsensical and eclectic riddlesWoWdevelopers can come up with.
The king of these mysterious mounts is Incognitro, the Indecipherable Felcycle, currently owned by 0.01% of players. Introduced duringWoW’s 20th anniversary, the sheer number of hoops a player has to jump through to get this Light-forsaken motorbike is mind-blowing. Every corner of the game’s nearly dozen continents comes into play, fulfilling bizarre criteria such as having the right pet or toy and praying to Old Gods while doing the Hokey Pokey. Getting this mount from a fresh account would take months of work, so only the most obsessive collectors are willing to pursue Incognitro, few succeeding with their sanity intact.
Invincible, the Loyal Steed of Arthas Menethil
No other mount inWorld of Warcraftis as fabled and beloved as Invincible. Not only does this undead winged horse have a small chance of dropping from the game’s mosticonic boss, the Lich King, but the story behind it is also cherished. When Arthas was a teenager, he raised a young stallion he called Invincible. He treasured that horse above all else, but in a tragic accident, Invincible slipped on icy terrain and broke his legs. Heartbroken, a young Arthas had to end his best friend’s suffering.
Years later, at the pinnacle of his unholy power,Arthas returned to Invincible’s burial site. He raised the horse into undeath, reuniting with his old friend once more. The horse even inspired the game’s best-regarded song,Invincible, which serves as the musical theme for the Wrath of the Lich King expansion. Invincible’s is a story of courage, pain, and love, making this mount a true honor to ride, even to this day.
A-Tier Mounts in World of Warcraft
The Bloodfang Widow, an Arachnophobe’s Nightmare
Spider mounts may seem commonplacein The War Within, but there was a time when only one arachnid terrorized the streets of capital cities. The Bloodfang Widow was introduced in Legion, but it was so tantalizingly rare, that players were awestruck by its presence. Even to this day, only 3% of players have this mount, despite it being sold by a vendor. The problem is that this vendor, the Mad Merchant, only shows up in Dalaran when he feels like it. One could have to wait hours or even weeks for him. When the Mad Merchant does appear, he demands 2,000,000 gold for the spider, a princely ransom to spend on an eight-legged creature. If one catches a glimpse of this spider, one can be sure the owner is likely proud of it.
Alunira, the Gryphon of Indomitable Will
Alunira is a gorgeous ethereal griffin of storm and mist. This mount is reminiscent of a Pandaria one from years ago, the Thundering Ruby Cloud Serpent, which required players to kill countless creatures in a specific zone for a chance to get a Sky Shard. Collecting enough of these allowed an otherwise untargetable NPC to become attackable and drop a mount. The War Within version works the same way. Players must be both lucky and persistent topresent Alunira with worthy tribute, killing thousands of enemies on the Isle of Dorn to amass enough Crackling Shards to get her attention. Despite the unforgiving grind, Alunira’s grace and beauty soaring through the sky is unmatched.
B-Tier Mounts in World of Warcraft
Mists of Pandaria was an expansion that paid loving respect to traditional Chinese culture and motifs. The mounts players could collect on this secluded continent also followed this ideal, introducing dragons that adhered to another culture’s interpretation of the mythical creatures. None ofWorld of Warcraft’s Cloud Serpents, as they are known, are incredibly rare, even less so since theMists of Pandaria: Remix event. But what makes the Cloud Serpents special is their mesmerizing beauty.
WoW’s design team went all out with these wingless reptiles, giving them graceful, smooth animation, glistening scales, and vibrant colors. When they first came out, players had to train especially to ride these venerated serpents, showing the proper respect and reverence for them and the culture they hail from. The most beautiful of all these are theHeavenly Cloud Serpents, whose flowing particle effects give them a truly divine aura.
C-Tier Mounts in World of Warcraft
Some mounts are regarded indifferently by players, particularly those given for free. Starter mounts such as faction-based ones might be some of the most common, but they do still retain their nostalgic flair.Store mounts are also poorlyregardedby some, but this disdain stems more from a differing ethos towards a real money shop existing at all. Store mounts can be some of the most beautiful in the game, by design, but their reputation will likely always carry a small stain.
There are seldom any mounts that no player enjoys, even if their models grow outdated over time.Every mount inWorld of Warcraftis special to at least one player, and that’s largely where their true beauty lies. Mounts aren’t just cosmetics, but animate entities that serve as constant companions in the world of Azeroth. Players can truly bond with mounts and the memories they muster, which is why none can really be considered as bad.
