Soaring Through the Afterlife: How Long Does it Take to Unlock Flying in Shadowlands?
The quest for flight in World of Warcraft’s Shadowlands expansion was a significant undertaking, but well worth the effort. While the exact time varies depending on your playstyle and focus, unlocking flying generally took players between 10-20 hours of dedicated gameplay after reaching the Shadowlands content at level 50. This involved a combination of Renown grinding, Covenant Campaign progression, and completing a key chapter in the Chains of Domination campaign. Now that Dragonflight is released, unlocking flying in Shadowlands has become even easier, as players can level through the content much quicker than before.
Understanding the Prerequisites
Unlocking flying in Shadowlands wasn’t as simple as just reaching a certain level. You needed to fulfill specific requirements tied to your chosen Covenant and the overarching narrative of the expansion. Here’s a breakdown of the core tasks:
- Joining a Covenant: You must choose a Covenant among the four available: Kyrian, Necrolord, Night Fae, or Venthyr. This decision has a significant impact on your character’s abilities and the storyline you’ll experience.
- Earning Renown: You needed to achieve a Renown level of 44 with your chosen Covenant. Renown is earned through various activities, including completing quests, world quests, defeating world bosses, and completing weekly tasks like rescuing souls from The Maw.
- Completing the Covenant Campaign: Progressing through and finishing all 9 chapters of your Covenant’s unique campaign was mandatory. This campaign is not just about unlocking flying; it’s deeply interwoven with the lore of your Covenant and the overall Shadowlands narrative.
- Chains of Domination Campaign: You also needed to complete the first three chapters of the patch 9.1 “Chains of Domination” campaign, culminating in “The Primus Returns”.
The “Memories of Sunless Skies” Key
The ultimate reward for completing these prerequisites was the item “Memories of Sunless Skies.” Using this item unlocked account-wide flying for all characters level 50 and above in the four main Shadowlands zones: Ardenweald, Bastion, Maldraxxus, and Revendreth.
Minimizing the Grind: Tips for Faster Flying
While 10-20 hours is a reasonable estimate, you can significantly reduce this time by focusing on the most efficient methods for gaining Renown and progressing through the required campaigns:
- Prioritize Renown Quests: Focus on quests and activities that offer the most Renown per time invested. Weekly quests, world quests that reward Renown, and completing Covenant callings should be your priority.
- Streamline the Campaign: Focus solely on the required campaign quests to avoid unnecessary distractions.
- Utilize Experience Buffs: Look out for events or items that grant experience buffs, as this will speed up the leveling process for your character.
- Consider Grouping: Some content might be easier and faster to complete in a group. Team up with friends or other players to tackle challenging quests or world bosses.
Flying in Zereth Mortis
It’s also worth noting that Patch 9.2 introduced flying in Zereth Mortis. This zone, separate from the initial four, has its own unlock requirements: a new meta-achievement.
Buying a Boost
For players who lack the time or inclination to grind for flying, purchasing a Shadowlands Flying Boosting Service was an option. These services typically handled all the necessary requirements, unlocking flying account-wide in a fraction of the time.
Leveling Alts: A Breeze in Dragonflight
With the release of Dragonflight, leveling alts and unlocking flying in previous expansions has become significantly easier. The increased experience gains and various leveling methods make the process much faster and more enjoyable. Consider checking out resources provided by the Games Learning Society, available at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/, for more information. The GamesLearningSociety.org website provides interesting insights regarding gaming.
Shadowlands Flying: A Valuable Investment
While the process of unlocking flying in Shadowlands required effort, the freedom and efficiency it provided were invaluable. Whether you chose to grind it out yourself or opt for a boosting service, flying greatly enhanced the Shadowlands experience, making exploration, questing, and gathering much more convenient.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What level can alts fly in Shadowlands?
Alts can fly in Shadowlands once you’ve unlocked flying account-wide using Memories of Sunless Skies, provided they are level 50 or higher.
2. Do I need to finish the Shadowlands campaign to unlock flying?
You don’t need to finish the entire Shadowlands campaign, but you must complete all 9 chapters of your chosen Covenant’s campaign and the first three chapters of the Chains of Domination campaign.
3. What are the 4 covenants in Shadowlands?
The four Covenants in Shadowlands are: Kyrian, Necrolord, Night Fae, and Venthyr.
4. Is unlocking flying in the Shadowlands account-wide?
Yes, unlocking flying in Shadowlands via Memories of Sunless Skies is account-wide. All characters level 50 and above on your account can fly in the four main Shadowlands zones.
5. Why can’t I fly in Bastion (or any other Shadowlands zone)?
You can’t fly in Bastion (or the other three main Shadowlands zones) until you have:
- Joined a Covenant.
- Reached Renown level 44 with your Covenant.
- Completed all 9 chapters of your Covenant Campaign.
- Completed the first three chapters of the Chains of Domination campaign.
6. How do you fly in Shadowlands at level 60?
At level 60 (or any level above 50), you can fly in Shadowlands once you’ve completed the necessary requirements and obtained Memories of Sunless Skies.
7. Can you buy Shadowlands flying?
Yes, you could buy a Shadowlands Flying Boosting Service. These services would complete the necessary requirements on your behalf.
8. Is it easier to level alts in Dragonflight for unlocking Shadowlands flying?
Yes, leveling alts in Dragonflight is significantly easier due to increased experience gains and various leveling methods. This makes unlocking Shadowlands flying on alts faster than it was before Dragonflight’s release.
9. How much does master riding cost in WoW?
Master Riding can be trained for 5,000 gold, but the cost can be discounted based on your reputation with the riding trainer’s faction.
10. What is the easiest class in Shadowlands?
Determining the “easiest” class is subjective, but classes often mentioned as relatively easy to play effectively include Retribution Paladin, Frost Death Knight, Demon Hunter, Beast Mastery Hunter, and Fury Warrior.
11. What is Renown, and how do I earn it?
Renown is a measure of your standing with your chosen Covenant. You earn it by completing quests, world quests, defeating world bosses, completing Covenant callings, and participating in other activities in the Shadowlands.
12. How long does it take to get flying in BFA (Battle for Azeroth)?
Unlocking flying in Battle for Azeroth required completing the BFA Pathfinder achievements. The boost typically took 3-4 weeks, with the final part taking around 10 days. This is not related to flying in Shadowlands.
13. Will Shadowlands Have a Pathfinder?
No. Shadowlands did not follow the Pathfinder achievement system used in previous expansions like Battle for Azeroth. Flying was unlocked through the Covenant Campaign, Renown, and the Chains of Domination campaign.
14. Can you fly in Dragon Isles?
Yes, you can fly in the Dragon Isles, but it uses a system called Dragonriding, which is different from traditional flying. You unlock Dragonriding early in the Dragonflight campaign.
15. What happens if I change my Covenant?
If you change your Covenant, you will need to earn Renown with your new Covenant to catch up and meet the Renown requirement for flying. However, completing the Chains of Domination campaign is account-wide, so you won’t have to repeat those steps.