The Cloud Serpent mount is one of the most iconic flying mounts introduced in World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria. These elegant, dragon-like serpents come in multiple vibrant colors and remain a favorite among collectors. While many mounts in WoW are simple drops or vendor purchases, earning a Cloud Serpent requires dedication, reputation grinding, and completing a unique training experience.
If you want to add one of these majestic creatures to your collection, here’s everything you need to know.
The Arboretum: Home of the Cloud Serpent
The journey to your first Cloud Serpent starts in The Arboretum, located on the eastern edge of The Jade Forest in Pandaria. This is the home of the Order of the Cloud Serpent, the faction responsible for raising and training these mounts.
- Faction: Order of the Cloud Serpent
- Starting NPC: Elder Anli
- Recommended Level: 90 with Pandaria flying
It is highly recommended to have Pandaria flying unlocked before starting, as some daily quests take you to small islands that are awkward to reach without it. The Arboretum NPCs are neutral to both Horde and Alliance, so both factions follow the same questline without conflict.
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To begin, pick up the quest “Wild Things” from Elder Anli. Completing the early quests unlocks the daily quests and lets you choose the color of your serpent hatchling—golden, azure, or jade. This choice determines which Cloud Serpent you will raise into a rideable mount.
Daily Quests to Grow Your Cloud Serpent
Raising your Cloud Serpent involves completing daily quests that build reputation with the Order of the Cloud Serpent. Here’s the process:
Daily Quests and Reputation
- Initial Quests: Feed, train, and play with your hatchling to build trust.
- Randomized Dailies: Some quests rotate, and your serpent might “refuse” interaction until another day.
- Reputation Levels: Friendly → Honored → Revered → Exalted.
Once you reach Exalted, your Cloud Serpent is considered fully grown and ready to ride. You can then purchase the final mount from the faction’s Quartermaster, San Redscale, for 3,000 gold.
How to Complete the Sky Races
When you reach Revered, the Sky Race dailies unlock, offering a faster reputation grind:
- Objective: Fly through checkpoints above the Jade Forest coast.
- Rewards:
- 600 reputation points
- Valor Points
- 5 Lesser Charms of Good Fortune
- Winner’s Reward Bag with a bonus item if you complete it quickly
These races are similar to the Netherwing races from The Burning Crusade but are less challenging. Completing the race quickly not only boosts reputation but also grants a Winner’s Reward Bag, which can include bonus prizes.
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Pro Tip: Bring Fish Cakes early to complete “A Feast for the Senses” daily instantly. You’ll need Golden Carp to craft them, which can be farmed while waiting for other dailies to reset.
All Cloud Serpent Mount Variants in WoW
Besides the standard training path, there are multiple Cloud Serpent variants with different acquisition methods:
Reputation Mounts
| Mount | Cost | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Azure, Jade, Golden Cloud Serpent | 3,000g | Exalted with Order of the Cloud Serpent |
| Thundering August Cloud Serpent | 10,000g | Exalted with August Celestials |
| Heavenly Golden Cloud Serpent | 100,000 Timeless Coins | Exalted with Emperor Shaohao |
Achievement Rewards
- Crimson Cloud Serpent: Glory of the Pandaria Hero
- Heavenly Crimson Cloud Serpent: Glory of the Pandaria Raider
- Thundering Jade Cloud Serpent: Guild Glory of the Pandaria Raider (requires Exalted with your guild)
- Heavenly Azure Cloud Serpent: Lord of the Reins achievement
Quest Rewards
- Onyx Cloud Serpent: Reward from “Surprise Attack!” in Townlong Steppes (requires Exalted with the Shado-Pan)
Vendor Mount
- Yu’lei, Daughter of Jade: 5,000 Timewarped Badges from Mistweaver Xia on the Timeless Isle
Raid Drop
- Reins of the Astral Cloud Serpent: Dropped by Elegon in Mogu’shan Vaults. Elegon is located in Mogu’shan Vaults in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, and this mount can drop in 10- or 25-player modes.
Pro Tips for Cloud Serpent Collectors
- Focus on daily quests early to unlock your first Cloud Serpent quickly.
- Prepare crafting materials like Golden Carp in advance to speed up reputation dailies.
- After 6.0.2, Cloud Serpent Riding is no longer required, making all Cloud Serpents usable by any flying-capable character.
- Consider farming rare variants like Astral Cloud Serpent if you enjoy mount collecting challenges.
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Earning a Cloud Serpent mount in Mists of Pandaria is a rewarding experience that combines faction grinding, mount raising, and some light preparation for dailies. Whether you stick to the classic Azure, Jade, or Golden serpents or chase rarer achievements and raid drops, these mounts remain some of the most stylish ways to soar over Azeroth.
