For anyone unaware I highly encourage you to check out the Unarmored Mounts Megathread on this issue. A change .org petition has recently started up on this issue and is at the top of the forum over there at the time of writing this there are currently 111 signatures.
Whatever form implementing the unarmored mounts in Classic takes I support, whether that be temporarily or permanent.
Obtaining 1 or more of these mounts in Classic was the first prestigious moment I wanted to experience, without them I have no incentive to begin playing at launch.
These mounts were originally in Vanillas history for about 5.5 months. The decision to not include these mounts is a slippery slope. What will happen to events that were in the game for shorter time spans with this mentality (AQ opening, AQ black bug mount, Scourge Invasion, etc)?
I feel the argument for it affecting players play-styles is not strong either. The honor ranking system is much more intensive of players to attain, and speed levelers will exist regardless. Speed levelers race to level cap for various reasons but one of them is to capitalize on gathering nodes and the economy, which I feel could be more impactful to players than including these mounts are. There is no way to stop speed leveling or tell players the play-styles they should and should not find fun.
Many argue this is how it was in 1.12 and while true the mounts did not exist in game at that time, we are also not receiving 1.12 at launch. Blizzard is time gating content, items, vendor tables, etc to recreate a progressive Vanilla experience. Why are these mounts the only thing being excluded from a progressive vendor table?
I think these mounts should be viewed as an exclusive event in Vanilla’s history much like the AQ opening event, and Scourge Invasion event and be offered in game for the players of that time to experience once again.
Make sure to spread awareness of this issue, many players do not know these mounts are being excluded from the game because the old riding system is being implemented. They should be informed before it is too late so they have an opportunity to voice their opinion.
I understand that there were a very few people that obtained those mounts before they were removed riding those mounts.
And guess what? Many, if not all, of those mounts will still be seen in Classic, even if they cannot be purchased by players.
What you refuse to acknowledge is that those mounts were no longer sold by vendors in 1.12, which is the version Blizzard has chosen for the game’s foundation.
There is no denying it, in patch 1.12 the unarmored mounts were no longer available. And yes I do realize this is the patch Blizzard is basing their final content off of. But the important question to ask is, why are they basing their final content off of it? Well simply put it is because it is the point in Vanilla where most content was balanced because of multiple patches. They don’t want their player-base to experience all of the same bugs, exploits, etc between the beginning and end. Hence 1.12 talents, final versions of raids, BG’s, and so on.
With all that being said though, Blizzard has stated they want to give us as authentic of a Vanilla experience as they can from start to finish. Which is why they are time gating events, raids/dungeons, BG’s, items, vendor tables, etc. If they gave us access to full 1.12 at launch the content would be cleared and completed in probably 6 months time.
So the biggest flaws with claiming this is how it was in 1.12 are:
We are not receiving 1.12 at launch in any way other than fixed/patched game mechanics that were broken in their previous 1.12 state (ex. talents, exploits, etc). (One could even further argue there are mechanics being added from content beyond 1.12 that also set the game in a state that will never be 1.12)
All items and vendor tables will be following a progressive schedule with the phase cycle. The only exception to this rule thus far has been these unarmored mounts.
The goal of Classic is not to provide the ultimate 1.12 simulator it is to recreate an authentic Vanilla experience from start to finish. These mounts were there at the start and people still had them at the finish.
Since these mounts never caused exploits or bugs, we are already receiving progressive items and vendor tables to mimic a patch schedule, and Blizzard claims they want to give us as authentic of a Vanilla experience as possible why are these mounts being excluded above all else?
There goes my dreams of getting a black nightsaber on a human warrior or a ancient frostsaber on a human paladin. I guess that is one less thing to do in classic.
Just like they were so worried a 6+ month daily long grind to rank 14 for less than a dozen people will interfere with pve gear gating for the other hundreds of thousands of players.
Blizzard likes all of their subjects to be centralized in one post. They deleted the megathread that served as the centralized hub on this issue. Therefore another needed to be created to fill the void.