Armored Brown Bear (Horde)

The Armored Brown Bear is a ground mount added in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion (patch 3.0.2). It is a massive brown bear clad in heavy brown armor, available exclusively to characters of the Horde faction. The Alliance has a mirror version with blue armor. Both mounts are bought from the same vendor in Dalaran, but each faction sees only its own variant.

The mount is purchased for gold from Mei Francis — a vendor of exotic mounts in Dalaran. No additional requirements are needed beyond having the gold and belonging to the Horde.

• Easy to obtain — all you need is to fly to Dalaran and buy the mount from the vendor. No farming, queues, or random drops.
• Unique bear model — a large armored bear in massive brown armor, visually distinct from standard riding bears. Your Horde battle cries sound especially fearsome from the saddle of a heavily armored beast.
• Part of an achievement — buying this mount counts toward the Armored Brown Bear achievement, and also increases your total mount counter for the "Leading the Cavalry" achievement series.
• Account-wide — once purchased, the mount appears in the collection of every character on your account.
• Affordable price — the base cost is 750 gold, and with high Kirin Tor reputation the price drops even further.

The process of getting the mount is as simple as possible — you need to reach Dalaran in Northrend and buy the item from the vendor.

1. Make sure your character belongs to the Horde faction. Alliance characters only see their own version of the mount with blue armor.
2. Reach Dalaran in Northrend (more details in the section below).
3. Find Mei Francis — she stands next to the "Magical Menagerie" pet shop on the eastern side of the Runeweaver Square.

4. Open the trade window and purchase the Reins of the Armored Brown Bear for 750 gold
5. Use the item from your inventory — the mount is added to your collection permanently

Dalaran is a city of mages floating above Crystalsong Forest, a neutral zone for both factions. You can get there in several ways.

Mage Portal

The fastest option. Ask any mage to open a portal to Dalaran (Northrend). Mages learn the spell "Teleport: Dalaran - Northrend" at level 71. Players usually do this for free or for a token reward.

Hearthstone

If you have already been to Dalaran and bound your hearthstone to one of the local inns, simply use it.

Zeppelin and Flight

Take a zeppelin from Orgrimmar to the Borean Tundra (the zeppelin tower is on the upper tier of Orgrimmar). From the Borean Tundra you can fly to Dalaran on a flying mount — the city floats in the air above Crystalsong Forest, roughly in the center of the continent.

Quest "The Magical Kingdom of Dalaran"

Characters level 74 and above can pick up the one-time quest The Magical Kingdom of Dalaran at the Borean Tundra inn. The quest instantly teleports you to the city. After arriving, we recommend binding your hearthstone at the local inn.

Mei Francis belongs to the Kirin Tor faction, so the prices of her goods depend on your reputation level. The higher the reputation, the cheaper the mount.

In 2026, grinding Kirin Tor reputation for a 150 gold discount makes no practical sense — it is easier to buy the mount at full price. However, if you are working on achievements or farming in Northrend, the reputation builds up along the way.

While you are in Dalaran, take a look at the other mounts in Mei Francis's stock. If you are a mount collector, it makes sense to buy everything in one visit.

The Traveler's Tundra Mammoth is one of the most useful mounts in the game: it carries two vendor NPCs who let you sell junk and repair gear right in the field.