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Can You Fly in Cataclysm? A Deep Dive into Azeroth’s Skies

Absolutely! In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, flying in the original continents of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms became a reality. However, it wasn’t simply handed to you. There were specific level requirements, training costs, and expansion ownership prerequisites to consider before soaring above the revamped landscapes. This article will explore everything you need to know about flying in Cataclysm, from the initial requirements to common roadblocks players encountered, and will answer common player questions.

The Dawn of Azerothian Flight: Requirements and Costs

Gaining the Ability to Fly

Before Cataclysm, flying was restricted to Outland (introduced in The Burning Crusade) and Northrend (Wrath of the Lich King). Cataclysm dramatically changed the game by allowing players to fly in the revamped original zones. To unlock this ability, several conditions had to be met:

Level Requirement: You needed to reach level 60 to train flying.
Expansion Ownership: You had to own the Cataclysm expansion. Without the expansion, even if you reached level 60, you would be unable to fly in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms.
Training Cost: The initial cost for learning to fly in the original continents was 250 gold. This allowed you to purchase the “Flight” skill from a flight trainer.

Speed Upgrades: Expert and Artisan Riding

Once you had the basic “Flight” skill, you could further enhance your flying experience with speed upgrades:

Expert Riding: This skill increased your flying speed to 150%. It was trainable at level 60 and also cost 250 gold.
Artisan Riding: This was the fastest flying speed available at the time, clocking in at 280%. It required a higher level and a significantly larger gold investment.

Alts and Account-Wide Benefits

A notable feature introduced during this era was the concept of bind-on-account (BoA) items. Once a character learned the ability to fly, they could purchase a BoA tome to send to their lower-level alts. This allowed alts to learn flying immediately upon reaching the required level, eliminating the need to grind through the zones on ground mounts again. This was a significant quality-of-life improvement for players with multiple characters.

Common Issues and Solutions

Even with the straightforward requirements, players sometimes encountered issues:

Not owning Cataclysm: As mentioned before, this was the most common reason players couldn’t fly.
Not being level 60: You couldn’t train flying before reaching the level requirement.
Incorrect Trainer: Ensure you were visiting the correct flight trainer in a major city.

Cataclysm’s Impact on the Game

The introduction of flying in the original continents dramatically reshaped the World of Warcraft experience. It changed how players traversed the world, completed quests, and explored the newly revamped zones. Flying made the game more accessible and efficient and added a new dimension to the visual experience. It allowed players to appreciate the scale and detail of the redesigned landscapes in ways that weren’t possible before. This also lead to changes in professions like archaeology by allowing players to reach previously inaccessible digsites. Find out more about how games impact society on the GamesLearningSociety.org website.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Flying in Cataclysm

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the intricacies of flying in Cataclysm:

What level could you fly in Cataclysm? You could learn to fly at level 60 in Cataclysm.
How much did flying cost in Cataclysm? The initial cost for learning the “Flight” skill was 250 gold.
Did you need to own the Cataclysm expansion to fly in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms? Yes, owning the Cataclysm expansion was a strict requirement.
Could you fly in Silvermoon and the Exodar after Cataclysm’s release? No. Silvermoon and the Exodar remained inaccessible to flying until later updates. This is because these areas were considered part of The Burning Crusade content.
What was the maximum level in Cataclysm? The maximum level cap was raised to 85.
What was the point of buying a tome for alts in Cataclysm? The bind-on-account tome allowed your alts to learn flying immediately upon reaching level 60, saving them the time and effort of traveling on ground mounts.
Could you fly in the new Cataclysm zones without learning the Azeroth flying skill? No. The “Flight” skill purchased for 250 gold was required to fly in all Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms zones, including the new level 80-85 zones.
What happened if you reached level 60 but didn’t have Cataclysm? You would not be able to train flying in the original continents, even if you had a flying mount.
Did reputation discounts affect the cost of learning to fly in Cataclysm? Yes. Like other skills, your reputation with your faction (e.g., Orgrimmar for Horde, Stormwind for Alliance) could reduce the training cost.
Could you fly in dungeons or raids in Cataclysm? No, flying was generally restricted to outdoor zones.
What was the fastest flying speed available in Cataclysm, and how much did it cost? The fastest was Artisan Riding (280%), but its exact cost varied depending on the specific patch version. Epic flying was a precursor to 310%.
Was flying available in the old world before Cataclysm? No. Flying in the original continents was introduced in Cataclysm.
Did Cataclysm change the riding skill levels needed for flying mounts from previous expansions? Yes, the riding skill system was streamlined, and new skills were added to accommodate the new flying capabilities.
Why couldn’t I fly immediately after purchasing Cataclysm? You still needed to reach level 60 and train the “Flight” skill at a flight trainer.
If I unlocked flying in Cataclysm, did that unlock flying for all future expansions? No. Flying unlock requirements are specific to each expansion and often involve completing achievements or quests.

Flying in Cataclysm was a pivotal moment in World of Warcraft history, forever changing how players interacted with the game world.

Can you fly in Cataclysm?