Getting your mount can be tough work, especially if you’ve never played through the game before. You’ll need a hundred gold for everything, that’s including your discount from your faction. Don’t worry though, it’s not impossible to get one at or near level forty and it’s actually pretty fun! Some simple things can go a long way into helping you save up the cash needed. That is, unless you are a Paladin or Warlock whom gets their mounts for free.

First thing to do is not get yourself involved with the secondary market (people who sell gold). The satisfaction of having a mount will never be as strong if you simply paid someone else for the effort. It’s not too hard to get together the cash needed for a mount and even if you can’t obtain one at level forty… it’s not as if you absolutely need one.

That said, the first thing to look at is your income. You can gain money from doing quests, slaying enemies, and from tradeskills (especially gathering type tradeskills). If you aren’t making enough money fast enough then there may be some delay in getting your mount. That’s why a few good choices can really help bolster your income and aid you in your quest for a mount.

Professions are the best way to get cash flowing in. At lower levels, your production type (Alchemy, Talioring, Blacksmithing, Leatherworking, and Engineering) rarely provide a profit and instead act as a hindrance for your income. The items produced at low levels rarely sell well and take resources to construct… resources that can probably be sold for a better profit. That’s why two tradeskills are highly advisable.

The best combo would be taking Herbalism or Mining then skinning. Herbalism and Mining’s radar affect one another, so it’s best to pick one or the other. Think about what you’ll want to take up when you get your mount (assuming you want to seriously look at a production tradeskill) and pick from there. I will say that many find Herbalism a better choice due to Swiftthistle being so attractive to high level PvP players while being easily available in low level areas.

Another source of income will be from items gathered during quests, adventuring, and instances. These items should be sold either to the vendor (grey items, white equipment, and generally useless items) or the Auction House (green quality or better items, useful profession items, tradeable quest items, and anything worth something). I suggest grabbing the helpful Auctioneer mod in our U.I. database to assist in getting those items from your inventory to the auction house.

Good item management is important, but also saving up your cash is good as well! You should be careful of what you buy and consider each purchase. Ask yourself if you really need that item or are you getting it because it looks cool. It’s important to only purchase items if they give a direct benefit to you that will be noticeable. After level twenty you can pretty much get any needed item from farming instances (even ones you’ve already ran). It’s completely okay to revisit an instance to search for an item, gain some extra cash/XP, and have a little fun.

If you do aim to use your cash to upgrade your gear then look at what you need most and upgrade stuff that is in dire need of upgrade. Generally speaking, for non-magical types new weapons add the most direct benefit. More damage means needing fewer defenses and faster the enemies are slayed. More DPS direct from the weapon is generally desired over stat points, but don’t neglect your other gear! Magical classes generally benefit from stat heavy gear and are mostly less gear dependant. Focusing on your health and mana as a Mage for instance is generally a good idea.

Another tip would be to watch how much money you are giving away to friends and guildies. It’s very nice to give friends new to the game or guildies some of your extra gold, but it can become a hindrance if you go too far. It’s a choice you make, of course, but there are always alternatives that are just as kind of gestures. For instance, hand-me-down bags and gear may be more helpful then cash, especially for someone who is new and may be easily scammed on the Auction House. Do attempt to be helpful though, showing kindness to newbies is a good way to kickstart their adventuring career.

So putting everything we’ve learned together you should easily have enough cash at or around level forty for your mount. Basically, as long as you do smart with your professions, make smart purchases, and be frugal with your cash then you should easily afford your mount. Working at earning your mount is one of the fun things when leveling up, unless you’re a Warlock or Paladin, in which case enjoy your free mount!

Hey, need more money making advice? Check out these other guides:

• Making Money
• Gathering Guide

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