Get Swift Forest Strider mount

Swift Forest Strider is a ground mount from the strider family, added in patch 4.3 of the Cataclysm expansion. It is a large bird with bright purple plumage, resembling the hawkstriders of the blood elves. The mount is purchased from the vendor Lhara on Darkmoon Island for 180 Darkmoon Prize Tickets.

According to the mount journal description: "This vibrant breed is found only in the forests of Darkmoon Island." The mount model was updated in patch 8.1, receiving improved textures and more detailed geometry.

• Guaranteed acquisition — the mount is purchased from a vendor for a fixed currency. No drop chance and no failed attempts — accumulate the required number of tickets and the mount is yours
• Available to all characters — after purchase and learning, the mount appears in the collection of every character on your account
• Vibrant appearance — the purple strider stands out noticeably among standard mounts. Its model was updated in patch 8.1, making the mount even more appealing
• Requires no reputation or achievements — the only condition for obtaining it is having 180 prize tickets and the Apprentice riding skill
• Counts toward your collection — every mount brings you closer to mount-collecting achievements

To purchase the mount you must visit the Darkmoon Faire and have 180 Darkmoon Prize Tickets on hand.

1. Wait for the Darkmoon Faire to begin. The event starts on the first Sunday of every month and lasts one week
2. Travel to Darkmoon Island. You can get there via the portal located near the faire barkers next to the faction capitals (Stormwind for the Alliance, Orgrimmar for the Horde)
3. Find the vendor Lhara — she stands among the merchant tents on the faire grounds
4. Accumulate 180 Darkmoon Prize Tickets by completing daily mini-games, profession quests and other activities on the island
5. Purchase the Swift Forest Strider from Lhara and use the item to learn the mount

Darkmoon Island is a special zone accessible only during the Darkmoon Faire.

When the Darkmoon Faire takes place

The Darkmoon Faire begins on the first Sunday of every month at 00:01 server time and lasts exactly one week. You can track the schedule via the in-game calendar (default key — click the clock next to the minimap).

How to get there

1. Find a faire barker near your faction's capital. Barkers appear a few days before the faire begins
2. Follow the road to the portal to Darkmoon Island. The portals are located: near Stormwind — to the southwest of the city gates (Elwynn Forest), near Orgrimmar — to the south of the entrance
3. Step through the portal — you will arrive on the shore of Darkmoon Island
4. Lhara is located among the merchant tents in the central part of the faire, not far from the entrance

To purchase the Swift Forest Strider you need 180 tickets. All the main sources are listed below.

Daily mini-games (main source)

Several mini-games are available on the faire grounds, each granting prize tickets on the first daily completion:

• Cannon shooting — knock down targets with a cannon (reward: 1 ticket)
• Human cannonball — you are launched from a cannon toward a target on the water (reward: 1 ticket)
• Ring toss — throw rings onto a turtle (reward: 1 ticket)
• Archery — hit targets with arrows (reward: 1 ticket)
• Hammer strike — test the strength of your blow (reward: 1 ticket)
• Mount race — guide a horse along the track (reward: 1 ticket)

Over a week of the faire, the mini-games grant a total of about 42 tickets.

Profession quests

For each profession there is a monthly quest yielding 3–4 tickets. Quests are available for two primary and three secondary professions (Cooking, Fishing, Archaeology). All profession quests together can earn roughly 15–20 tickets per month.

Battle pets

Battle pet tamers are present at the faire. Defeating them grants additional tickets daily.

The "Test Your Strength" quest

A weekly quest requiring you to kill a certain number of enemies. The reward is 10 tickets.

Weekly artifacts

In dungeons and on battlegrounds you can find Darkmoon Faire artifacts. Each artifact is exchanged for 5 tickets. Over a month you can turn in several different artifacts.

The Faded Treasure Map method

If you have several characters, you can speed up farming significantly. Buy a Faded Treasure Map for 100 sharptooth from a vendor at the faire. Completing the map quest grants 100 tickets. Thanks to the account-wide system, tickets are a shared currency for all characters on your account. Repeat on every alt — and you'll gather the required amount in a single faire.

How long it will take

Daily plan during the faire

1. Visit Darkmoon Island and complete all available mini-games — this takes about 10 minutes
2. Check whether battle pet tamer quests are available and complete them
3. Turn in Darkmoon Faire artifacts if they have accumulated in your bags
4. Check the profession quests — they can be completed once per faire
5. Take the "Test Your Strength" quest and complete it alongside regular play

Using alternate characters

Thanks to the account-wide system, Darkmoon Prize Tickets have become a shared currency for all characters on your account. This means you can complete mini-games and quests on every alt, and the tickets will stack.

The fast treasure-map method

The fastest method is to use the Faded Treasure Map on several characters. To do this:

1. Buy sharptooth at the auction house or catch them yourself in the waters around Darkmoon Island
2. Exchange 100 sharptooth for a Faded Treasure Map
3. Complete the map quest — it takes about 5 minutes
4. Receive 100 tickets
5. Repeat on another character

Two characters are enough to gather 180 tickets in a single faire, accounting for the extra tickets from mini-games.