Reins of the Armored Brown Bear

Reins of the Armored Brown Bear is an epic-quality ground mount from the Wrath of the Lich King expansion (patch 3.0.2). It's a massive brown bear clad in heavy plate armor whose speed, according to the flavor text, is boosted by the magic of the Kirin Tor sorcerers. The mount comes in two visually distinct versions: an Alliance one and a Horde one (Horde reins). The vendor automatically hands you the rig that matches your character's faction.

The mount is bought with gold from Mei Francis, the exotic-mount dealer in Dalaran above Northrend. It's one of the most accessible armored bears in the game: no quest chains, no raid runs, no rare drops — all you need is gold and a basic riding skill.

• A rare fully-armored bear model. Fully armored bears are few in the collection, and this one is the easiest of them to get. It looks right at home on warriors, paladins, and druids.
• An achievement included. The first time you use the reins you earn the Armored Brown Bear achievement, which counts toward the mount-collecting meta-achievements.
• A low barrier to entry. These days you only need level 17 and the Apprentice Riding skill to use it, so even young alts can grab the bear without any trouble.
• Account-wide access. Once purchased, the mount unlocks on all your characters of both factions, and the model automatically changes to match the active character's faction.
• A quick start to Mei Francis's mount lineup. Stopping by the vendor once also lets you see her full selection of mammoths and plan your next purchases.

The whole process comes down to a single visit to the vendor — but first you need to reach the right Dalaran. This is specifically the "old" Dalaran above Northrend, not the city on the Broken Shore.

1. Use the portals in the capitals: both Stormwind and Orgrimmar have passages to Dalaran above Northrend. Portals from later game hubs also lead there.
2. Classes with a teleport (Mage) or anyone holding the matching return items can conveniently jump straight there.
3. Once in the city, head to the "Magical Menagerie" building in the northeastern part. Mei Francis stands outside, by the entrance, next to the flight master's platform.

4. Right-click Mei Francis and open the trade menu.
5. Find the Reins of the Armored Brown Bear — the vendor shows only the version for your faction.
6. Buy the reins and use the item: it teaches the mount and grants the achievement.

At neutral reputation with the Kirin Tor the mount costs 750 gold. The higher your reputation, the bigger the discount — down to 600 gold at Exalted.

The mount requires essentially no farming — it's a one-time purchase for a token sum. At max level, 750 gold adds up from just one or two daily quests, so there's no need to save up specifically. But if you're building the collection on a young character and want the bear early:

• Gathering professions (Herbalism, Mining) provide a steady flow of gold even at low levels.
• Quests from the notice boards in the capitals and weekly tasks reward gold.
• Chasing the Kirin Tor discount on its own isn't worth it: the difference between Neutral and Exalted is only 150 gold. The discount is a nice side bonus at best, if the reputation builds up on its own.