Get Armored Snowy Gryphon mount

Armored Snowy Gryphon is an epic flying mount available only to Alliance characters. It was added to World of Warcraft in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion (patch 3.0.2). This is a large gryphon with snow-white plumage and blue armor, one of the most recognizable flying mounts of the faction. The item description reads: "When these gryphons attack, the blood barely leaves a stain on their feathers. Neat, huh?"

The mount is purchased from the vendor Mei Francis in Dalaran (Northrend) for 2,000 gold. Reputation with the Kirin Tor lowers the price down to 1,600 gold at Exalted status.

• Unrestricted flying mount — flight speed depends on your riding skill and can reach +310%. On the ground the mount moves at +100% speed.
• Striking appearance — the massive gryphon in blue armor with snow-white plumage stands out from standard gryphons. The model is unique to the armored series and differs from ordinary Alliance gryphons.
• Easy to obtain — the mount is bought from a vendor for gold with no additional requirements such as reputation or achievements. You just need to fly to Dalaran and find the right NPC.
• Account-wide — once purchased, the mount appears in the collection of all your Alliance characters.
• Collector's value — the Armored Snowy Gryphon belongs to the armored gryphon family and often becomes one of the first epic flying mounts for new players.

Technically, base riding skill and level 10 are enough to make the purchase. However, to fly on this mount you will need to learn Expert Riding, which unlocks the ability to fly.

1. Travel to Dalaran in Northrend. The fastest way is to use the portal from Stormwind. Open the portal room in Stormwind and find the "Dalaran, Crystalsong Forest" portal.
2. Once in Dalaran, head to the exotic beasts shop "Magical Menagerie". The shop is located east of the Runeweaver Square.
3. Find the NPC Mei Francis — she stands at the entrance to the shop.

4. Talk to Mei Francis and select Armored Snowy Gryphon from the list of goods
5. Pay 2,000 gold (or less if you have reputation with the Kirin Tor) and use the item — the mount will appear in your collection right away

Mei Francis offers discounts on all her goods depending on your reputation level with the Kirin Tor faction. Mages start the game with Friendly reputation, other classes start at Neutral.

You can earn reputation with the Kirin Tor through Northrend dungeons on Heroic difficulty, daily quests in Dalaran, and faction tabards. That said, saving 400 gold is minor, and most players prefer to simply buy the mount at full price.

Mei Francis sells several unique mounts. If you have already reached her, it makes sense to look at the whole assortment — you may want to add several mounts to your collection at once.

Mount	Price	Faction
Armored Snowy Gryphon	2,000 g	Alliance
Armored Blue Wind Rider	2,000 g	Horde
Armored Brown Bear	750 g	Both factions
Wooly Mammoth	10,000 g	Both factions
Traveler's Tundra Mammoth	20,000 g	Both factions

Note: Armored Blue Wind Rider is the Horde counterpart of the Armored Snowy Gryphon. Both mounts cost the same and are sold by the very same vendor.

Dalaran (Northrend) is a flying city above the Crystalsong Forest zone. The easiest way to reach it is through a portal.

Alliance:

1. Go to Stormwind and enter the portal room (the building by the Stormwind Lake)
2. Find the portal labeled "Dalaran, Crystalsong Forest" — it will teleport you straight into the city

Alternative ways:

• Mages can use the spell Portal: Dalaran - Northrend
• If you already have a flight path to Dalaran open — fly there via a flight master from anywhere in Northrend
• Dalaran Rings (sold by Harold Winston in Dalaran for 8,500 gold each) have a teleport-to-city ability with a 30-minute cooldown