Reins of the Spectral Wolf

Reins of the Spectral Wolf is a ground mount in the form of a ghostly wolf with a distinctive bluish glow. This mount was added in the Cataclysm expansion and is a reward for reputation with the Hellscream's Reach faction on Tol Barad. The mount is available only to Horde characters, and its Alliance counterpart is the Reins of the Spectral Steed. When you obtain one of them, the other is automatically added to the collection for characters of the opposite faction.

The Spectral Wolf stands out among other mounts thanks to its semi-transparent ethereal appearance and glowing eyes. The in-game tooltip reads: "It only fears fire."

• Rarity — few players deliberately farm Tol Barad reputation, so the Spectral Wolf is rarely seen.
• Striking appearance — the semi-transparent ghostly wolf model with a blue glow looks great with most transmogrifications.
• Account-wide — once obtained, the mount becomes available to all characters, and Alliance characters see the Spectral Steed instead.
• Solo content — all reputation grinding is done solo through daily quests.
• Extra rewards — along with reputation, you will earn Tol Barad Commendations, which can be spent on other useful items and mounts.

How to Get There

The easiest way is to use the portal in Orgrimmar. The portal to Tol Barad is located near the Valley of Wisdom, close to the flight master. The portal will take you to Hellscream's Grasp — the Horde base on the Tol Barad Peninsula.

Mages can use the "Portal: Tol Barad" spell for quick travel.

Step 1: Reach Tol Barad

Head to Orgrimmar and find the portal to Tol Barad near the Valley of Wisdom. Pass through it — you will arrive at Hellscream's Grasp on the Tol Barad Peninsula.

Step 2: Pick Up Daily Quests on the Peninsula

At the Hellscream's Grasp base, 6 daily quests are available each day from a rotation of 22 possible ones. Each quest grants:

• 250 reputation points with Hellscream's Reach
• 1 Tol Barad Commendation

The exception is the elite quest "The Leftovers" (Shark Pool), which grants 350 reputation and 2 commendations.

Step 3: Complete Quests on Tol Barad Itself

If the Horde controls Tol Barad, you will gain access to another 12 daily quests in the fortress itself. Of those, 6 are available at a time (3 quests in two of the three dungeons). Each quest also grants 250 reputation and 1 commendation.

Thus, you can complete up to 18 daily quests per day (6 on the peninsula + 12 in the fortress when the Horde is in control), which gives:

• Up to 4,500–5,400 reputation points per day
• Up to 18–19 commendations per day

Step 4: Take Part in the Battle for Tol Barad

The Battle for Tol Barad is a PvP fight that takes place every few hours. Rewards:

• Victory: 250 reputation + 3 commendations
• Defeat: 1 commendation
• Weekly quest "Victory in Tol Barad": an additional 3 commendations

In the retail version of the game, the battle often takes place without opponents, so winning is easy.

Step 5: Reach Exalted and Buy the Mount

When your reputation reaches Exalted and you have accumulated 165 commendations, head to Pogg on the Tol Barad Peninsula:

Buy the Reins of the Spectral Wolf — the mount will immediately appear in your collection and will be available on all characters of the account.

How Long It Will Take to Obtain

Reaching Exalted from scratch requires at least 42,000 reputation points (Neutral → Exalted). By completing all 18 daily quests and taking part in the battles, you will earn about 5,000–6,000 reputation per day. This means:

• Optimistic scenario (all quests + battles): 7–8 days to Exalted
• Relaxed pace (peninsula quests only): 14–16 days to Exalted

Commendations

Note: you need not only Exalted, but also 165 commendations. At maximum farming (18 quests + battles) you earn about 20–22 commendations per day. Over 8 days that is about 160–176 commendations — just enough for the mount.

If you farm at a relaxed pace, the commendations will accumulate before your reputation reaches Exalted.

Reputation Bonuses

• The guild perk "Mr. Popularity" (+5%/+10% reputation) will speed up the grind
• The Hellscream's Reach Tabard — purchased from Pogg for 10 commendations at Honored, adds 10% reputation in the zone
• Harvest Festival (event) grants the "Spirit of Sharing" buff (+10% reputation)
• The Tol Barad mount for commendations can also be bought for the Alliance through the Quartermaster Brazie — the Spectral Steed costs the same