Green Wind Rider

Green Wind Rider is a classic Horde flying mount added in The Burning Crusade expansion. It is a wind rider — a winged lion with a scorpion's tail, the traditional symbol of the Horde's aerial cavalry. The mount's coloring is a rich dark green with a lighter belly and the tufted tail characteristic of the species.

In lore, the wind riders were freed from captivity among the cruel harpies by Cairne Bloodhoof and Thrall during the Horde's exodus to Kalimdor. Since then, these noble creatures have become loyal companions and war mounts of Horde warriors, particularly tauren and orc shamans and hunters.

This mount is one of the Horde's wind riders alongside the Blue Wind Rider and the Tan Wind Rider.

• Guaranteed purchase from a vendor — no randomness, no weekly limits. You only need gold and the right riding skill
• Low cost — just 50 gold (with reputation discounts the price drops to 40 gold at Exalted with your home faction). One of the cheapest flying mounts in the game
• Classic Horde look — the wind rider remains an iconic mount for the racial fantasy builds of tauren, orcs and trolls. Perfect for roleplay
• Fast collection progress — if you collect achievements, buying all of the basic wind riders gives significant progress
• Universal speed — like all standard flying mounts, the Green Wind Rider scales with your riding skill, providing up to +310% flight speed and +100% ground speed

To buy and use the Green Wind Rider you need to:

• Play for the Horde — the mount is available exclusively to characters of the Horde faction. The Alliance has an equivalent in the Green Gryphon
• Reach level 30 — the minimum level to use flying mounts
• Learn Apprentice Riding — the basic riding skill that unlocks the ability to use mounts. Training costs 4 gold
• Save up 50 gold — the price of the mount itself. With Honored reputation or higher with a Horde capital (for example, Orgrimmar) the cost is reduced
• Learn a flying skill — for the mount to fly, you must train Expert Riding or a higher rank from a flight trainer. The mount itself can also be used as a ground mount before you obtain a flying skill

The Green Wind Rider is sold by several wind rider handlers in different locations. Choose the one closest to your current position.

Drakma — Orgrimmar

The main vendor in the Horde capital. Located in Orgrimmar atop the aviators' tower in the Valley of Spirits — next to the wind rider flight point. The most convenient option for most players: quick access via a hearthstone to Orgrimmar.

Bana Wildmane — Hellfire Peninsula

Wind rider handler on Hellfire Peninsula. A handy option if you are playing a character who is already in Outland.

Dama Wildmane — Shadowmoon Valley

Wind rider handler in Shadowmoon Valley. Stands next to the flight point in Shadowmoon Village — the Horde capital in Outland.

Tohfo Skyhoof — Borean Tundra

Wind rider handler in the Borean Tundra in Northrend. Located in Warsong Hold — the Horde's first base in Northrend. Suitable if you are leveling through Northrend and want to buy the mount along the way.

Mei Francis — Dalaran

Exotic mount vendor in Dalaran. Stands at the entrance to "Mei Francis's Mounts" in the northwestern part of the city. In addition to the basic wind rider selection, she also sells rare mounts.

The cost of the mount depends on your reputation with one of the Horde capitals:

• Friendly — 47 gold 50 silver
• Honored — 45 gold
• Revered — 42 gold 50 silver
• Exalted — 40 gold

The discount is applied automatically when buying from Drakma in Orgrimmar if you have high reputation with Orgrimmar. For racial Horde characters (orc, tauren, troll) Revered reputation is initially available with their own capital without grinding.