Get Notorious Gladiator's Proto-Drake mount

Notorious Gladiator's Proto-Drake is an epic flying mount added in patch 8.0.1 of the Battle for Azeroth expansion. It is a deep indigo proto-drake clad in iron armor that was awarded for the achievement Gladiator: Battle for Azeroth Season 3. The mount is one of four seasonal PvP proto-drake rewards released over the course of Battle for Azeroth.

This mount is no longer obtainable. Battle for Azeroth PvP Season 3 ended on January 14, 2020, and the achievement can no longer be completed since then. If you did not earn the mount between July 9, 2019 and January 14, 2020, it is impossible to obtain.

The item description reads: "They say proto-drakes can smell fear. This iron-clad monster FEEDS on it."

The Notorious Gladiator's Proto-Drake was awarded automatically upon completing the Gladiator: Battle for Azeroth Season 3 achievement. This required:

1. Reaching a rating of 2400 or higher in 3v3 arena to gain the "Elite" rank
2. Winning 50 matches in 3v3 arena while holding the "Elite" rank
3. Completing both conditions within Battle for Azeroth PvP Season 3 (July 9, 2019 — January 14, 2020)

If your rating dropped below 2375, the "Elite" rank was lost and win progress was paused until you reached the 2400 mark again. After completing the achievement, you also earned the special achievement Notorious Gladiator's Proto-Drake.

Starting with the Battle for Azeroth expansion, Blizzard changed the gladiator reward system. Instead of being tied to a percentage of top players (previously the top 0.5% of the ladder), the mount became available to everyone who reaches a rating of 2400 and wins 50 matches in 3v3 arena at that rank. However, each season still has a unique mount that cannot be obtained after the season ends.

Battle for Azeroth PvP Season 3 ended with the release of patch 8.3 "Visions of N'Zoth" on January 14, 2020. After that date the achievement was locked and the mount moved into the unobtainable category.

The mount shares its base model with three other Battle for Azeroth gladiator proto-drakes, differing from them in color scheme:

• Season 1 — Dread Gladiator's Proto-Drake
• Season 2 — Sinister Gladiator's Proto-Drake
• Season 3 — Notorious Gladiator's Proto-Drake
• Season 4 — Corrupted Gladiator's Proto-Drake

Reaching the "Gladiator" rank in World of Warcraft required serious preparation in PvP content. Below are the key aspects that players needed in Season 3 of BfA.

Class and specialization choice

In Battle for Azeroth Season 3 (patch 8.2, "Rise of Azshara"), the strongest PvP specializations were considered to be Rogues (Assassination), Mages (Fire), Warlocks (Destruction) and Druids (Restoration). However, the gladiator achievement was possible on any class with a sufficient level of skill.

Gear and preparation

In Battle for Azeroth, PvP gear played a significant role. Players needed to:

• Assemble gear with optimal stats for their specialization
• Choose azerite powers that enhance PvP potential
• Configure PvP talents for specific matchups
• Select Heart of Azeroth essences suited for the arena

Team play

The 3v3 arena format required a coordinated team of three players. It was necessary to find permanent partners to play together, as random groups very rarely allowed reaching a rating of 2400+.

If you missed your chance to obtain the Notorious Gladiator's Proto-Drake, take a look at other proto-drake mounts that are still available now:

• Reins of the Blue Proto-Drake — drops from Skadi the Ruthless in the Utgarde Pinnacle dungeon (Heroic mode)
• Reins of the Rusted Proto-Drake — a reward for the "Glory of the Ulduar Raider (10 player)" achievement
• Reins of the Ironbound Proto-Drake — a reward for the "Glory of the Ulduar Raider (25 player)" achievement

These mounts use a different proto-drake model, but will let you expand your collection of flying mounts of this type.