Champion's Treadblade

Champion's Treadblade is a single-seat ground mount in the form of an armored motorcycle. While moving, the bike roars its engine with a sound resembling a lion's roar, accompanied by gear-shifting noises. The mount has a unique special-action animation: the motorcycle performs a 360-degree spin around its axis. Visually, it is one of the most spectacular mechanical mounts of the Alliance, and according to the Mount Journal description it was "forged through the combined efforts of humans, gnomes, and dwarves, this armored masterpiece can effortlessly slice a tauren into thin strips."

This mount is a direct symbol of belonging to the Alliance and the faction's answer to the Horde Warlord's Deathwheel. Collectors want it for several reasons. First, it is exclusive to the Alliance: the Horde cannot obtain it. It also fills a slot in the collection next to the Warlord's Deathwheel - having both bikes at once is something only players who transferred their characters between factions can achieve. Second, the mount counts toward the overall mount-count achievements, which brings you closer to rewards like the Armored Blue Dragonhawk. Third, it is a rare visual: there are few mechanical motorcycles in the game, and this is one of the most detailed ones.

To purchase and use the mount you need: an Alliance faction character (the Horde cannot buy it), 100,000 gold in your account, the "Apprentice" level riding skill (it costs only a few silver from a trainer), and at least character level 10. Previously the mount required level 40 and the "Journeyman" skill, but after Blizzard reworked the riding system the threshold was lowered. No reputation or achievements are needed - gold alone is enough. In The War Within (level cap 80, patch 11.1) the mount is available to all Alliance characters immediately upon reaching level 10.

Step 1. Make sure your character is in the Alliance faction. Horde players will first have to use a faction change in the Blizzard store, otherwise the vendor simply will not appear in the enemy city.

Step 2. Save up 100,000 gold. In TWW (11.1) this is realistically earned over a couple of weeks of active play: selling rare profession reagents, completing weekly Council of Dornogal quests, gathering loot in Season 2 dungeons, and doing tasks on the Isle of Dorn.

Step 3. Head to Stormwind. Use a portal from your capital, the portal room, a Stormwind hearthstone, or a mage teleport. Fly on your mount to the Old Town - it is the northeastern district of the city, right behind the barracks.

Step 4. Find the NPC named Paulie. He stands near the well in the center of Old Town at coordinates roughly 73, 59. Paulie is surrounded by crates and looks like a gnome/human mechanic, so don't miss him.

Step 5. Open the trade window with Paulie and buy the Champion's Treadblade for 100,000 gold. Be sure to double-check the amount before confirming - an accidental spend of that much gold cannot be undone.

Step 6. Right-click the item in your bag to use it. The mount will be learned permanently and appear in the Mount Journal (Shift+P by default) under the "Ground" section.

To gather 100,000 gold faster in TWW Season 2, use several income sources at once. Professions: herbalism and mining remain the most stable - materials from Khaz Algar and the Isle of Dorn are always in demand by crafters. Dungeons: full clears of Season 2 Mythic dungeons yield a noticeable amount of gold and a chance at valuable items for transmog. Weekly activities: quests from the Council of Dornogal factions, the Earthen circles, and the Northern expedition together bring in about 3-5 thousand gold per week. Auction house: keep an eye on in-demand reagents for transmog and alchemy - prices usually rise as new raid tiers approach. Vault missions: send your champions on gold missions in the command table - it's passive income with no effort. With this approach, 100,000 accumulates in 10-14 days.

1. The Horde's paired mount - the Warlord's Deathwheel - is given for free via a quest from Paulie in Orgrimmar, while the Alliance has to pay. This is part of the lore: the Horde won the Chopper of Azeroth contest in 2014.

2. The mount cannot be used as a two-seater - only one rider, unlike some other motorcycles such as the Mechano-Hog.

3. Before buying, check whether you already have a duplicate in your collection: if you ever changed factions and bought/received this mount, it may already be in your Journal.

4. The mount is considered mechanical, so death knights and druids in Tree of Life form can use it without issue, but it will sink in water - you cannot swim on it.

5. For achievements that require a certain number of mounts, this bike counts, so if you are already close to a milestone - it may be worth hurrying with the purchase.