Thundering August Cloud Serpent

Thundering August Cloud Serpent is a flying mount shaped like a majestic cloud serpent with gleaming golden scales and a constant aura of thundering lightning. It is one of the four thundering cloud serpents introduced in the Mists of Pandaria expansion, and the only one of them awarded for faction reputation. The mount rewards you for diplomatic work in Pandaria: to buy it, you must reach Exalted with the August Celestials.

On the current patch the mount is still available from the same quartermaster, and the obsolete "Cloud Serpent Riding" skill was scrapped long ago — the standard riding skill is enough. This makes the mount an appealing target for collectors who have a stash of gold and the desire to close out one of Pandaria's classic reputations.

• Unique visuals. The thundering aura and lightning effect around the golden serpent set this mount apart from the dozens of other cloud serpents in your collection.
• Counts toward achievements. Buying it adds one unit to your flying mount counter and brings you closer to rewards for Lord of the Reins and similar collection achievements.
• Available on all characters. Once purchased, the mount unlocks account-wide — your other heroes get it automatically.
• Reliable source. The mount does not depend on a drop chance: you are guaranteed to get it after reaching Exalted and paying 10,000 gold.

To buy the mount, prepare your character according to the following list:

• Level: technically the mount is available from level 10, but grinding reputation in Pandaria is easiest at level 80 in TWW.
• Reputation: Exalted with the August Celestials (42,000 points from Neutral).
• Gold: 10,000 gold on hand to buy the reins.
• Riding: the basic "Flying" skill — a separate "Cloud Serpent Riding" is not required since patch 6.0.2.
• Access to Pandaria: the Vale of Eternal Blossoms and one of the two faction capital temples are unlocked.

How to reach the vendor:

• Alliance: teleport or fly to the Temple of the Seven Stars in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms and look for Sage Whiteheart on the temple's upper tier.
• Horde: fly to the Temple of the Two Moons in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms and climb up to Sage Lotusbloom.
• If you have not unlocked Pandaria yet, complete the short intro chain "Wrath in Stormwind/Orgrimmar" from the traveler's panel and fly to the Jade Forest.

1. Unlock Pandaria. At level 80, open the traveler's panel (Shift+J) and select the "Mists of Pandaria" chain. Complete the starter quests in the Jade Forest until you gain access to flying in the region.
2. Fly to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. Via travel stones or a direct flight, reach your faction's capital in Pandaria — the Temple of the Seven Stars (Alliance) or the Temple of the Two Moons (Horde). Unlock the flight points in the vale.
3. Start the August Celestials quests. In both temples, pick up the starter tasks from the August Celestials representatives — they unlock access to daily quests in four Pandaria regions: Kun-Lai, Krasarang Wilds, Townlong Steppes, and the Vale of Eternal Blossoms.
4. Do dailies every day. Each game day the faction issues a set of 3–4 dailies in one of the regions. One day yields about 1,100–1,250 reputation, plus bonuses from feats.
5. Buy the commendation. Upon reaching Honored, purchase the Grand Commendation of the August Celestials from the same quartermaster — it boosts reputation gained by 100% across the whole account.
6. Use the tabard in dungeons. The August Celestials tabard grants extra reputation for killing bosses in any heroic Pandaria dungeons, speeding up the grind by 10–20%.
7. Reach Exalted. In total, going from Neutral to Exalted requires 42,000 reputation. With dailies and the commendation, the journey takes roughly 27–35 calendar days.
8. Buy the reins. Return to Sage Whiteheart or Lotusbloom, open the Exalted goods section, pay 10,000 gold, and receive the Reins of the Thundering August Cloud Serpent.
9. Use the mount. Open the mount collection (Shift+P), find the new serpent, and summon it in any location where flying is allowed.

• Combine it with the Order of the Cloud Serpent. While working toward Exalted with the August Celestials, level reputation with the Order of the Cloud Serpent in parallel — you'll get another serpent and bank reputation "for later."
• Don't skip the Tu Shen event. The daily battle for the village of Tu Shen grants a large bonus to August Celestials reputation and closes quickly in a group.
• Do quests in the right order. Start the day with the region where the August Celestials are issuing tasks today — that way you won't lose access to your main reputation source.
• Use experience-as-reputation bonuses. Reputation elixirs stack with the Grand Commendation to push gains even higher.
• Heroic Pandaria dungeons. Each boss with the tabard grants about 100–200 reputation — run 2–3 heroics a week for a steady increase.
• Stockpile gold in advance. 10,000 gold is a token amount in TWW, but check your balance before the last daily so you can buy the mount the same day.
• Don't spend currency on old gear. The only goal at the quartermaster for you right now is the mount, so ignore the obsolete item level 476 gear.