In Ashes of Creation, mounts are far more than simple tools for faster travel. They represent a core aspect of the game's player-driven ecosystem, integrating exploration, combat, economy, and prestige. Understanding mounts and their mechanics is crucial for any player who wishes to navigate the expansive world of Verra efficiently and strategically. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of mounts in Ashes of Creation, covering types, acquisition, progression, combat applications, and the animal husbandry system.

 

The Purpose of Mounts

Mounts in Ashes of Creation serve multiple essential functions. First and foremost, they provide increased mobility, allowing players to traverse vast landscapes much faster than on foot. Beyond speed, mounts contribute to gameplay in a variety of ways. Certain mounts possess combat abilities, enabling mounted attacks, charges, or defensive maneuvers. Others have utility functions, such as increased carrying capacity for trading and gathering, specialized movement like gliding, or the ability to traverse aquatic terrain. Mounts also form an integral part of the Animal Husbandry profession, allowing players to tame, breed, and trade creatures for Ashes of Creation Gold, thereby influencing the in-game economy.

 

Mounts are not invincible. They can be targeted and killed during combat, and their destruction usually incurs a resurrection cost or cooldown. This creates a strategic consideration for players in both PvP and PvE environments, emphasizing the importance of selecting the right mount for the right activity.

 

Types of Mounts

Mounts in Ashes of Creation are categorized into tiers and types, reflecting their functionality, rarity, and role in gameplay.

 

Ground Mounts

Ground mounts are the most common and accessible tier. These mounts, such as horses and other domesticated creatures, offer basic speed boosts over running. They are often available through starter quests or purchased from vendors in early-game zones. While not particularly flashy or rare, ground mounts remain vital for daily traversal and questing, especially for new players.

 

Aquatic Mounts

Aquatic mounts specialize in water traversal, allowing players to explore lakes, rivers, and coastal regions efficiently. While typically slower on land, their aquatic mobility makes them essential for ocean exploration, fishing, and accessing water-locked content. Aquatic mounts are often acquired through taming or breeding sea-dwelling creatures, introducing a layer of strategy for players focused on maritime activities.

 

Gliding and Jumping Mounts

Tier 2 mounts introduce vertical mobility through gliding or enhanced jumping. Unlike flying mounts, they cannot sustain flight but provide advantages in navigating cliffs, mountains, and other challenging terrain. Examples include griffons, hippogryphs, and other mythical creatures. These mounts are ideal for players who want to explore areas that are otherwise inaccessible or reduce travel time in regions with complex topography.

 

Flying Mounts

Flying mounts represent the pinnacle of mount progression in Ashes of Creation. These mounts enable true aerial travel and are often among the rarest creatures in the game. Access to flying mounts is typically tied to significant accomplishments, such as holding political office (e.g., Metropolis Mayor or Kingdom ruler), obtaining legendary world boss drops, or hatching rare eggs obtained through community events. Flying mounts not only provide unmatched mobility but also serve as prestigious symbols within the player community.

 

Specialized Mounts

In addition to the primary types, several specialized mounts exist:

 

Pack Animals: These mounts increase carrying capacity, making them invaluable for trading, gathering, and logistical tasks.

 

Group Mounts: Certain mounts allow multiple players to ride simultaneously, enhancing social gameplay and roleplay experiences.

 

Siege Undermounts: Restricted to castle siege events, these flying mounts give guild commanders and officers tactical advantages during large-scale PvP engagements.

 

Acquisition of Mounts

Mount acquisition in Ashes of Creation is diverse, rewarding various types of gameplay. Understanding the acquisition methods is essential for players aiming to optimize their mount collection.

 

Quests and Vendors

The earliest mounts are typically obtained through quest rewards or purchased from vendors in starter nodes. These mounts provide a basic speed increase and are essential for early exploration and progression. They serve as stepping stones toward more specialized or rare mounts.

 

Hunting and Taming

Hunting plays a critical role in mount acquisition. Players can target creatures with taming potential, and successful attempts yield live animals suitable for use as mounts. Failure in taming usually results in a carcass, which can still be used for crafting or sold to other players. Raptors, desert lizards, and other wild creatures can be tamed in specific biomes, making patience and persistence essential. Taming success rates vary by creature type and player skill, introducing a meaningful challenge for those pursuing rare mounts.

 

Animal Husbandry

Animal Husbandry is an Artisan profession that allows players to raise and breed mounts. Once a creature is tamed, it can be brought to husbandry facilities to grow into a usable mount. Breeding introduces complexity and opportunity, as players can combine desirable traits such as speed, health, defense, or unique abilities. Over generations, breeding can produce rare or even exclusive variants, making husbandry both a strategic and economic pursuit. Players can sell their bred mounts or eggs, influencing the broader in-game economy and enabling specialization in mount production.

 

World Boss Drops

Some of the rarest mounts in Ashes of Creation drop as eggs from world bosses or rare spawns. These eggs often have a limited hatching window, and the resulting mount may have a fixed lifespan. Obtaining these mounts is challenging but rewarding, offering both functional benefits and prestige. Players who succeed in acquiring and hatching such mounts are often recognized as elite within the server community.

 

Prestige Titles

Political progression can also grant access to exclusive mounts. Metropolis Mayors and Kingdom rulers receive royal mounts during their tenure, emphasizing the connection between leadership and rewards. These mounts often come with unique appearances, enhanced stats, and other advantages that reflect the player's status and influence.

 

Player Economy

Since mounts are tangible items in the game, they can be bought, sold, and traded. The player-driven economy allows mounts, eggs, and bred variants to become valuable commodities. Traders, breeders, and collectors can all engage in the mount market, creating opportunities for entrepreneurship and specialization. You can buy Ashes of Creation Gold to get them quickly.

 

Mount Stats and Progression

Mounts in Ashes of Creation have meaningful stats that impact their performance. These stats include movement speed, health, armor, special abilities, and unique traits. For example, aquatic mounts may grant improved swimming or underwater breathing, while gliding mounts enhance vertical mobility. Mount gear, such as saddles and harnesses, can further enhance performance, creating customization opportunities for players seeking optimal efficiency.

 

Progression is tied closely to both acquisition and usage. Breeding and raising mounts improve stats over generations, and rare or royal mounts often have unique abilities or increased durability. Players must consider the long-term value of their mounts, balancing speed, survivability, and utility based on their preferred activities.

 

Mounted Combat

Mounted combat in Ashes of Creation adds another layer of depth. While class-specific abilities are generally unavailable while mounted, mounts themselves may have active combat abilities such as charges, defensive skills, or area attacks. Mounts can be independently targeted and damaged in PvP and PvE scenarios, and some crowd control effects may dismount the rider or disable the mount temporarily. Choosing the right mount for combat encounters is therefore a tactical decision, especially in large-scale battles, sieges, or open-world PvP.

 

Conclusion

Mounts in Ashes of Creation are more than mere transportation; they are integral to traversal, combat, economy, exploration, and social dynamics. From basic horses to rare flying dragons, mounts reward dedication, skill, and strategic thinking. They allow players to navigate the expansive world of Verra efficiently, participate in large-scale events, and engage deeply with the game's player-driven economy and political systems.