Mounts and Races?

[persocom]

Hey everyone, I have a question. I was told by a person OOC that you have to stick to your race's given mount. I've scoured the site but haven't seen anything listed anywhere about the issue; can my draenei keep her saber?!

[Mikain]

Sure, but we'd like most mounts to make sense. Some races just seem more inclined to not ride some mounts, and other mounts probably shouldn't be ridden IC at all (such as dragons and whatnot. That's claiming a fair bit of fame to have a sentient being offer to carry you around. Perhaps through some solid storytelling.)

[Shane]

So you wouldn't wanna see a tauren reading a hawkstrider :mrgreen:

[garrett]

So basically what you are saying is:

Collect mounts as you want to screw around with in OOC, but for IC, stick to something that is appropriate for your race. Meaning no Draenei riding Mech Striders. xD

[Kaghuros]

They might have been getting after you because Nightsabers are particularly important to the Night Elves. A foreigner riding one usually needs to have done something to impress the Elf who taught them how to ride it/gave it to them, or spent the effort to raise it and train it on their own. Other circumstances can explain it, but they're one of those things most people don't just go out and buy.

[Lylithiann]

Hmmm, so if I could get my hands on a Talbuk that would be perfectly fine right? I mean they life in Outland as well and as far as I know they aren't that special. I just don't want a lame Elek that's all I wanna say about that one xD

[Hexproof]

Tabulk and Elekk are the main mounts of Draenei, though, all things considered, generic horses are good too.

As for the saber, the Nelfs and Draenei are pretty close, literally and otherwise, and, while a bit of a stretch, I could totally see a Drae riding a saber as long as it's not: "LOL LUK GUIS I JUST BOUGHT CAN HAS SABORZORZ !!!!!!1ONE!"

[HeroLief]

Dragonmad, you just made my day with that quote.

But to stay on-topic, yes. Make it reasonable. For example, a Human riding a Ram might be acceptable depending on how close that individual Human is with the Dwarven race. Humans and Dwarves are generally close, so it wouldn't be too hard to explain that one. Same with a dwarf on a mechnostrider. And, for the most part, I believe almost all Alliance races should be able to ride horses, minus the Gnome, of course, do to just plain size issues. As for the horde, they're a bit different, just due to the mounts. Tauren stay to kodos; While no doubt they would be friendly with the other creatures that are mounts, the kodos are really the only mounts that can actually CARRY a Tauren. No offense to any owners of a Tauren character; it just is. Trolls probably would stay to their own mount. Orcs on the other hand might own a kodo, depending on how much they travel, due to the kodo beast being a great luggage-carrier.

[PiesOfNub]

Well, my Orc Cutathr is a Kodo Rider, but that's only because he's raised it from a small (Well, relatively small) calf.

But yes, like everyone's said/is saying, if you're going to go over the line with mounts, at least have a valid reason to do so.

[Drust]

Aww my dreams of a gnome riding an Elekk are ruined!! :P

[Maulbane]

Aww my dreams of a gnome riding an Elekk are ruined!! :P

Well, actually... There was once a Gnome named Jarving.

...Yeah.

[DaveM]

You know what would be brilliant? A GM approved table crossing the races and the main mount species, indicating likelyness that the race rides that mount.

0 to 10 or maybe 0% to 100%, etc.

For example: 80-100 requires virtually no explantion, 50-79 some explantaion, 30-49 serious explantion, 10-29 biiig and very specific explanation, 0-9 % NO.

[Hexproof]

Jarves rode an elekk?

More to the point, that's another one that'd make sense, kind of, as the Draenei are pretty close to all the other alliance races, reallly.

And I support this table idea.

[Kaghuros]

It should be common sense that most people in your race would rather ride the animals they've associated with throughout their childhood than a scary new animal that requires a whole new set of skills to ride and care for.

[garrett]

I think you ultimately can tell what is what for acceptable mounts.

First look at the size of the race. Is it too small or too large to be easily carried by the mount in question?

Obviously Mechanostriders should only be used really by Dwarves and Gnomes. But Draenei are just too big for them, you'd need a bigger version of one to support them. Humans could maybe slide through with it, and if they had Gnomish engineering, they could get by with having built one capable of supporting them.

Really the Mechanostrider setup is one that anyone could use. They just need Gnomish Engineering. You can build a larger version of them to support the bulk of a larger individual.

For rams, you could get by with Humans, Gnomes, or Dwarves. Maybe Night Elves as well. I doubt you could breed a ram big enough for a Draenei to climb on without breaking it.

The same applies to horses. Gnomes and Dwarves can ride a horse. If you want to RP it, go with the LotR route. Have them claim the animal is a Pony, which would be a more appropriate size.

For the Saber mounts, if you are a race other than Night Elf, you shouldn't have these unless you are Exalted. The mount farm put aside. By the time you reach Exalted with the Night Elves, you can always say you earned the right to ride one.

The same goes for most any other mount, at least the way I see things. If your character has put in the RP and OOC time to build their standing among the faction that uses the mount, then you should have the right to use one.

Naturally if you just go out and buy it, that's always up to you. For my characters, I plan to do it the old fashioned way and build my reputation and standing. It doesn't hurt that I'm playing a neutral character that already has the goal of becoming friendly with the variety of factions, to have a larger clientèle.

I say, just use your head. Don't roll up a Draenei, port to the Mount farm, and immediately purchase up a Mistsaber to ride around on. Actually earn the right to ride one, and if anyone gives you hassle about it, tell them as such.