Permanent Gold Seal Hire War Mounts

[Annex]

So, every so often, someone suggests adding Mounts to DDO. Obviously, introducing traditional game style Mounts would require a ton of animation work, severely tax the game engine, and generally look silly. This is not that suggestion.

Instead, I propose adding Permanent Gold Seal Hire War Mounts. Characters do not actually ride them. They fight at your side in quests just like the Alabaster Lioness and Owlbear. However, all War Mounts include Mount Up! as one of their active skills. Mount Up! essentially triggers a no fail Teleport or Greater Teleport, taking the character to the selected location. If you want to get a little more intricate, each War Mount can offer a different list of travel destinations. When traveling, the character simply appears at the target location without the War Mount, which is dismissed. This would work exactly like teleporting out of a Quest or Wilderness with an active Hire. The Hire simply drops from the group.

I know this is a sub-optimal solution but it would give us the main advantage of Mounts--fast travel--without doing anything crazy that would break a bunch of stuff. It offers a logical reason to have creatures like Hippogriffs, Griffons, and Unicorns fighting at our sides in quests. It even opens up a way for Halflings to have Dinosaur mounts.

Anyway, you get the idea. Think about it.

Thank you for your consideration, as always.

[HungarianRhapsody]

I'd rather have a permanent level 9 or 10 Cleric gold seal hireling.

The level 3 permanent gold seal Cleric hireling is tremendously useful and I'd love to have an opportunity to pay cash for a level 9 or 10 version. (Yes, this is entirely for Raise Dead)

[Yokido]

I don't like the idea of mounts because it would add another thing we can spend money on that won't actually help us play the game, or enjoy the game for that matter.

People have plenty of things to arbitrarily brag about in DDO, we shouldn't add to that list IMO. The idea isn't a bad idea, it just doesn't suit DDO.

I wouldn't mind a quest that involves riding a specific quest-given mount, that might be a really neat ability to implement.

Further on this idea, I wouldn't mind quests that run on completely different mechanics, such as being in third person and you're controlling some forces through something. As long as the quest had incentive to run, and the mechanics were still enjoyable and mesh with our game.

[Memnir]

I think it's a fairly neat idea that will never happen for a great many reasons.

[systemshaker1941]

We already have astral shard teleport NPCs in most wilderness areas that can take you to quest entrances. I doubt anyone USES these, but a simple solution would be to make these guys cost plat, or change them to a 1-time DDO Point fee. I don't think anyone in the world is interested in shelling out 15 astral shards for a 1-time 1-way teleport.

[Drunkendex]

I'd rather have a permanent level 9 or 10 Cleric gold seal hireling.

The level 3 permanent gold seal Cleric hireling is tremendously useful and I'd love to have an opportunity to pay cash for a level 9 or 10 version. (Yes, this is entirely for Raise Dead)

This!

I'd buy it instantly if it were added to game.

All my toons already proposed to Elieri on several occasions, that's how awesome she is.

[LightBear]

I think it's a fairly neat idea that will never happen for a great many reasons.

Have you seen the new Bloodhound pet? It suggests mounts are closer then we might think they are seeing that it comes with a saddle!

Well, at least I think it looks like a saddle.

[Aelonwy]

Cool idea.

[salmag]

I could see mounts implemented in a giant wilderness/explorer area (Talenta Plains, maybe) that is a PUBLIC instance, with spawning monsters (Dinosaurs, maybe). Have the normal wilderness expectations, (explorer points, kill counts, static and rare encounters, etc.) The area could have quests spaced out far enough that mounts are warranted and needed. Of course, once you've found the quest, a local guide can teleport you close to the entrance.

Mounts can vary but I would keep them grounded.

jm2cp

[systemshaker1941]

The existing wilderness areas already have quests spaced out for enough to warrant mounts. Or, better yet, teleport NPCs that are free or cost plat. That'd be preferable :P

[Sir_Noob]

I like the thought of something like a war dog in the future say at level 10 or slightly lower.
It would be cool and a cheaty way for Rangers to get a companion animal lol.