Is Druid Flying Free in World of Warcraft? An In-Depth Guide for New Players

The short answer is no—Druid flying is not completely free in WoW. However, Druids have significant advantages for unlocking flight earlier and more cheaply than other classes. This detailed guide will explain everything a new player needs to know about obtaining flight form, increasing speed, and earning your wings as swiftly as possible on a Druid character.

As a new WoW player starting a Druid as my first character, I was eager to take to the skies and soar over the beautiful landscapes. I quickly learned that mastering flight requires some investment of time and gold. But the effort is well worth the thrill and convenience of transforming into a bird!

Based on my experience, here is an in-depth look at how to unlock flying as quickly and affordably as possible on a Druid.

How Druids Obtain Flight in WoW

While other classes must purchase flying mounts and training, Druids gain access to flight through their class ability Flight Form. At level 70, Druids can visit a class trainer and learn Flight Form for only 8 gold 60 silver. This allows shapeshifting into a Storm Crow to fly in Outland and other areas where flying is enabled.

The main benefits of Flight Form include:

• No need to buy a separate flying mount
• Free Expert Riding skill automatically granted
• Ability to carry one passenger with Glyph of the Derp Owl

However, there are limitations:

• Must still purchase riding skill upgrades to increase flight speed
• Epic Flight Form requires buying Artisan Riding skill
• Cold Weather Flying training needed to fly in Northrend

So while the base Flight Form is nearly free, Druids still need to invest gold into riding skill upgrades. Let‘s look at these costs in more detail…

Riding Skill Upgrade Costs for Druids

Here are the standard WoW riding skills and what they cost for Druids:

• Apprentice and Journeyman riding are purchased at the regular prices.
• Upon training Flight Form, Expert Riding is automatically granted at no cost.
• But Artisan Riding must be bought to unlock Epic Flight Form at 280% speed.
• Master Riding has the standard cost but requires Cold Weather Flying first.

The main goal for fast flying is to save up and buy Artisan Riding training as soon as possible. Let‘s look at some ways to minimize the cost as a Druid.

Optimizing Druid Flying Costs in Burning Crusade Classic

Here are some tips I learned for reducing the total gold needed to buy riding skill upgrades and flight form:

• At 70, only train basic Flight Form first for 150% speed. You gain Expert Riding free this way.
• Gather gold and mats for Epic Flight Form while at 150% speed.
• If possible, wait until level 71 or higher to train Artisan Riding. This avoids the 10% penalty for training costs when below the required level.
• Ask a Warlock friend to summon you to Shattrath City rather than flying there manually to save time and effort.
• Check the Auction House for Elixirs of Flying Speed to temporarily fly at 280% speed before you can afford Artisan Riding.
• Complete daily quests in Outland that reward extra gold. The Netherwing dailies in Shadowmoon Valley are great for this.

Using these strategies, I was able to unlock my Epic Flight Form as soon as possible, which was so satisfying!

The Epic Flight Form Quest Chain

In order to obtain your Epic Flight Form, you need to complete a quest chain starting from any Druid trainer at level 70. Here are the steps involved:

1. Morthis Whisperwing in Moonglade offers the introductory quest "The Ward of Wakening."
2. Gather 3 Idols of the Raven dropped by arakkoa in Terokkar Forest.
3. Return to Morthis for "The Wisdom of the Raven." Go inspect Lakota‘mani in Blade‘s Edge Mountains.
4. Retrieve Lakota‘mani‘s tusk for "Seek Wisdom at Lakota‘mani."
5. Next, go examine Aviana‘s Shrine in Hyjal and return to Morthis for your Epic Flight Form!

Completing this quick 5 quest series rewards you with 280% flight form. It‘s a rite of passage for Druids aspiring to swift flight.

The Importance of Flying in WoW

Why go through all this effort just for a flying mount? What makes flight so important in World of Warcraft gameplay?

As a new player, I learned firsthand the massive quality-of-life boost that flying provides:

• Exploration – Flying allows you to reach previously inaccessible areas and see the world from breathtaking new heights. It completely changes your relationship with the environment.

• Efficiency – You can travel faster for questing, gathering, dungeons, raids, and more. Flying drastically speeds up world navigation and cuts down on travel time.

• Convenience – No longer do you need to pay for flight paths or go on long roundabout routes. With flying, you have freedom and convenience exploring the world.

• Fun – Simply put, transforming into a bird and soaring through the skies feels amazing! The joy of flight is a special perk for Druids.

Unlocking flying offers huge advantages for both fun and efficiency in WoW. That‘s why prioritizing riding skill upgrades is so key for Druid players.

How Does Druid Flight Compare to Other Classes?

Druids have clear advantages when it comes to accessing flight:

• They don‘t need to purchase flying mounts which can cost hundreds or thousands of gold.
• Expert Riding is automatically granted for free upon learning Flight Form.
• Shapeshifting to fly feels more natural for Druids, thematically.

However, a few downsides compared to other classes include:

• Longcoats or robes can look awkward in flight form. No majestic dragon mount!
• Must still pay for riding skill upgrades past basic Flight Form.
• No access to class-unique mounts like Death Knight dragons.
• Can‘t fly until Outland at level 70. Some mounts allow flying in Azeroth at level 60.

Overall, Druid flight offers outstanding mobility and convenience benefits compared to other classes. Druids unlock flying earlier and gain Expert Riding entirely free.

Prioritizing Flight as a New Druid

As a newcomer to WoW, I asked seasoned Druid experts for advice on prioritizing flight. Here is what I learned:

• Focus first on leveling to 70 to start Flight Form training ASAP.
• Gather materials for Epic Flight Form ahead of time.
• Save gold from early professions to buy Artisan Riding.
• Plan out the Epic Flight Form quest chain in advance.
• Use multiple characters to farm gold if needed.
• Check Auction House for riding skill discounts.
• Don‘t buy fancy mounts or gear over riding skills.

The key is diligently preparing for all riding costs while leveling your Druid. With some dedication, you‘ll be soaring over Outland soon!

Druid Riding Skills Cost Table

To summarize all the costs, here is a quick table showing cumulative gold needed to unlock each riding skill tier as a Druid:

As you can see, Artisan and Master Riding are by far the most prohibitive costs. But preparing early helps ease the burden.

Unlocking Cold Weather Flying at Level 77

Once Wrath of the Lich King Classic releases, you‘ll need to obtain Cold Weather Flying to access flight in Northrend. The requirements are:

• Reach level 77
• Have Expert Riding or Flight Form trained
• Pay 1,000 gold training cost

I recommend saving gold on your main Druid as early as possible. Additionally, farming gold on a secondary character can help offset this high cost at level 77.

Final Tips for New Druids Seeking Flight

Based on my firsthand experience unlocking Druid flying, here are my top tips:

• Quest and level efficiently to start Flight Form ASAP.
• Research how to gather gold early on.
• Plan out the full quest chains and costs in advance.
• Ask experienced Druids for gold-saving advice.
• Be diligent and patient – flight is absolutely worth the effort!

Mastering flight offers huge dividends for enjoying everything WoW has to offer. Druids can take wing faster than other classes with proper diligence. I hope this guide helps you earn your wings quickly and cheaply! Clear skies and happy flying!