Swift Red Gryphon

Swift Red Gryphon is an epic flying Alliance mount added to the game with The Burning Crusade expansion in patch 2.1.0. It is one of four swift gryphons of the Wildhammer Clan, visually distinguished by its bright red plumage with dark russet wings and black flight feathers.

The mount is freely sold by ordinary Alliance gryphon vendors for 100 gold (or cheaper if your character has the Honor Hold reputation discount). It is one of the most accessible epic flying mounts in the game: you don't need to farm raids, wait for a drop, or complete quest chains. The current patch reworked the riding system — flying riding is now learned for free upon reaching level 20, and the fast variant at level 30. As a result, a fresh Alliance alt can grab this gryphon in just a few minutes.

• Full epic flight speed — +280% movement speed in the air (with the Master Riding skill), one of the fastest flying mounts of the classic Alliance
• Unique coloring — within the swift gryphon lineup, this is the only model with reddish plumage that looks great against forested zones
• +1 to your mount collection counter — counts toward achievements for the number of mounts
• Account-wide access — after the first use, the item is saved in your collection and becomes available to any Alliance character on your account
• Tied to the rest of the gryphon lineup — purchased from the same vendors as the Swift Green Gryphon, Swift Blue Gryphon and Swift Purple Gryphon. In a single trip to the NPC you can close out four collection entries at once
• No lotteries or farming — the price is fixed, the mount is granted guaranteed after purchase, unlike raid drops with a fraction-of-a-percent chance

In the current patch, the riding system has been fully reworked: the flying skill is learned for free at level 10, and epic speed at level 30. So old restrictions like "level 70" and "5,000 gold for the skill" no longer apply. The reputation discount still works — at Exalted with the vendor's faction, the price drops to about 80 gold.

The Swift Red Gryphon is sold by five Alliance NPCs. They all trade the same gryphon assortment, so pick the nearest one or the one with whom you have the highest reputation for a discount.

Tannec Stonebeak — Stormwind

The most convenient option for most players. The vendor stands at the Gryphon Roost in Stormwind's Old Town, right next to flight master Dungar Longdrink. You can reach him from any capital through a portal, and even a fresh alt won't have to fly long.

Grunda Bronzewing — Hellfire Peninsula

The gryphon vendor in Honor Hold — the first Alliance camp in Outland. Convenient if you've already passed through the portal to Outland from Stormwind: Honor Hold is right beyond the arrival point. Reputation with Honor Hold usually rises "automatically" while leveling in Outland and gives a good discount.

Brunn Flamebeard — Shadowmoon Valley

Stands in Wildhammer Stronghold in the northwest of Shadowmoon Valley. This is the classic Wildhammer Clan dwarven base on Draenor. It is easiest to reach by air from Shattrath or via the flight point within the valley itself.

Durgan Thunderbeak — Borean Tundra

The gryphon vendor in Valiance Keep, the main Alliance base in the southwest of Borean Tundra in Northrend. A convenient option if you use the portal from Stormwind to Borean Tundra: Durgan stands right at the arrival point.

Mei Francis — Dalaran

The exotic mount vendor in Dalaran over Crystalsong Forest. Located in the "Mounts and Mountaineering" shop in the south of the city. Besides standard gryphons, you can buy the epic Armored Battle Gryphon and rare Northrend mounts from her — a convenient place to close out several collection slots at once.

1. Log in to an Alliance character of at least level 10. If you already have the riding skill (granted by default upon reaching level 10 in patch 11.0), you don't need to buy anything extra
2. Save up 100 gold. At level 80 this is no problem: one or two quests on the Dragon Isles or a few sold profession materials fully cover the need
3. Choose a convenient vendor. If you have no preference — fly to Tannec Stonebeak in Stormwind: it's the fastest route via capital portals
4. Approach the NPC and open the storefront. Find Swift Red Gryphon in the list — the icon of a red flying gryphon
5. Buy the item. It automatically binds to the character
6. Use Swift Red Gryphon from your inventory — the mount will be learned and appear in the "Mounts" section (default key Shift+P)
7. Check the collection — after learning, the mount is available to all Alliance characters on your account

For a fresh alt or a returning player, it's easiest to start with Stormwind — it's accessible at any level through capital portals and through the introductory quests of most races.

For experienced players, the following routes are convenient:

• Stormwind → Outland. Use the portal to Outland in the Mage Quarter. After arriving at the Dark Portal, fly to Honor Hold and find Grunda Bronzewing
• Stormwind → Borean Tundra. Use the portal to Valiance Keep from the Mage Quarter. Durgan Thunderbeak stands by the dock, you won't have to search long
• Dalaran over Crystalsong Forest. You can get there via Cornelius, through the heroic dungeons of Wrath of the Lich King, or via your hearthstone to Dalaran if it's already set there
• Wildhammer Stronghold. A long flight across all of Shadowmoon Valley. It makes sense to combine with farming old TBC content or collecting transmog