Dragonflight Alpha - Build 44649 - Dragonriding Talents

[chaud]

Greetings Dragonriders!

Welcome to the Dragonflight alpha. In previous expansion launches, movement options were limited mostly to ground movement. We’re hoping for Dragonflight alpha you’ll help us test a new option, unlocked in level-up questing. This option is one of the new features coming in this expansion, Dragonriding, and we wanted to take a moment to prepare you with some details in this early stage of testing.

As you may have seen in our testing plans, the first zone that will be available in the alpha will be the Azure Span which is intended to be a later zone in the final product. The current plan is for characters to earn the Renewed Proto-Drake and Windborne Velocidrake in The Waking Shores and Ohn’ahran Plains – both of which are earlier leveling zones – so characters will see these options on their hotbar and they can be used right away.

Here at the beginning of the alpha test, since characters will be jumping in after any tutorials that lay out the basic controls, we wanted to get everybody caught up:

• Dragonriding is only usable in the Dragon Isles
• While riding a Dragonriding mount and falling from a high location, your Dragon Isle drake extends its wings and propels you both forward.
  
  • Another option is to double jump, which launches you upward at the cost of Vigor (details on this resource are below).
• Pointing yourself downward grants more momentum and you can even out your direction to transfer that momentum forward.
  
  • Pointing yourself upward slows you down – when at your slowest, you will start to fall slowly down and forward toward the ground.
• While Dragonriding, you’ll have access to 2 abilities (with a third ability being earned in the Azure Span) and they each cost 1 Vigor.
  
  • One ability is Surge Forward, which sends you forward.
  • The second ability is Skyward Ascent, which sends you upward.
• Vigor is the Dragonriding resource.
  
  • Dragonriders start with 3 Vigor maximum.
  • While not Dragonriding, you’ll slowly recharge Vigor.
  • While Dragonriding at high speeds, you’ll recharge Vigor while in the sky – you will see a blue glow when this is active.
  • In later builds, account-wide progression will enable you to increase the regeneration speed and maximum Vigor.

Many other aspects of Dragonriding are still in progress, so keep an eye out for updates as the alpha progresses, but here are some quick notes for what is to come:

• You can get an early preview of customization for the Highland Drake. This is earned through story questing and located Northwest of Theron’s Watch.
  
  • Only a select group of options are currently available; there are more to come.
  • If you find a Drakewatcher Manuscript, you can use that to unlock new options.
• If you want to test your Dragonriding skills, you’ll see Bronze Timekeepers throughout the Azure Span that give you time trials.

There are a few known issues that you can expect to experience with the start of the alpha:

• Dragon Isle Drakes don’t currently launch from water.
• Dragon Isle Drakes block non-dragonriding spells and interaction behaviors – dismounting resolves this.
• Time Trials scoreboards don’t show values for the first display.
• Keyboard controls are not complete, with pitch keys not accurately moving the player or their camera.
• Other player’s Dragon Isle Drakes may visually pop while in-flight.

Once you’ve tested Dragonriding, please post your feedback here.

Thanks for your time and we’ll see you in the Dragon Isles!

Dragonriding Talents

• Airborne Tumbling [NYI] (New) Tier 6, Column 2. Spell: Whirling Surge allows you to evade elemental attacks for 1 sec. In addition, you may use Whirling Surge to dismount enemy flying players you come into contact with.
• Airstream Mastery (New) Tier 8, Column 4. Spell: [TEMP] Allows the use of volitile streams in the Dragon Isles.
• Airstream Novice (New) Tier 3, Column 3. Spell: [TEMP] Increases your speed when using airstreams across the Dragon Isles.
• Ancestor's Grace Charm (New) Tier 5, Column 2. Spell: Improves chance of good loot.
• Anchor Spike (New) Tier 2, Column 3. Spell: Summon a handhold for your entire party at nearby location. Functions while on climbing world quests.
• Anomaly Detection Spell Framework (New) Tier 1, Column 3. Spell: This magnificent spell framework allows the detection of objects of interest through physical barriers in the Dragon Isles outdoor world. Grants the ability Anomaly Detection Mark I.
• At Home Aloft (New) Tier 9, Column 3. Spell: Thrill of the Skies expires 5 sec more quickly.
• Auto-Grappler (New) Tier 2, Column 6. Spell: Passive. The first time every minute that you would fall off due to losing Grip, you automatically grapple back to the nearest handhold and restore Grip. Functions while on climbing world quests.
• Beyond Infinity (New) Tier 9, Column 1. Spell: Your Vigor is increased to 6.
• Black Dragonflight Affinity (New) Tier 1, Column 4. Spell: [TEMP] Passive Bonus from the Black Dragonflight.
• Blue Dragonflight Affinity (New) Tier 1, Column 1. Spell: [TEMP] Passive Bonus from the Blue Dragonflight.
• Boost! (New) Tier 1, Column 4. Spell: Unlock the ability to gain a temporary speed boost.
• Bronze Rewind (New) Tier 9, Column 2. Spell: When taking off, you leave an imprint of yourself behind. Your imprint fades 3 sec after you land. Activate to return to your imprint.
• Caravan Boss Unlock (New) Tier 3, Column 1. Spell: PH
• Caravan Objective (New) Tier 1, Column 1. Spell: PH
• Caravan Prevent Death (New) Tier 4, Column 1. Spell: PH
• Cartographer Flag (New) Tier 1, Column 2. Spell: Carry a flag with you to place on the highest peaks.
• Cataloging Gear (New) Tier 3, Column 1. Spell: Add new organizational pockets to keep your camera and film safe. Unlocks bonuses to cataloging world quests.
• Charge Forward (New) Tier 2, Column 1. Spell: While traveling the Otter Banks, the slow effect of the mud pools is decreased by 75%.
• Climbing Gear (New) Tier 2, Column 1. Spell: Reinforce your pack to carry Climbing Gear. Unlocks abilities to make climbing world quests a snap.
• Cloverwood Hollow (New) Tier 2, Column 2. Spell: Completed Hunting Party 06
• Comfortable Offhand Dirk Handle (New) Tier 4, Column 3. Spell: Offhand Dirk usability window is longer.
• Common Spearhead (New) Tier 2, Column 2. Spell: Applies poison normally.
• Contrail Visual Test (New) Tier 2, Column 4. Spell: Toggleable Contrail Visuals
• Crumbling Cliffs (New) Tier 1, Column 1. Spell: Completed Hunting Party 01
• Deadly Poison (New) Tier 1, Column 1. Spell: Deals damage over time.
• Draconic Cultivation [NYI] (New) Tier 7, Column 1. Spell: Acquiring herbs or minerals increases your Vigor recharge rate by 10% for 10 sec.
• Draconic Dive (New) Tier 2, Column 1. Spell: Pointing your drake downward grants more momentum. Evening out can transfer that momentum forward.
• Draconic Hunt [NYI] (New) Tier 7, Column 3. Spell: Defeating an enemy increases your Vigor recharge rate by 10% for 3 sec.
• Dragonrider's Compassion [NYI] (New) Tier 4, Column 3. Spell: Dismounting shields nearby allies and increases their movement speed by 20% for 5 sec.
• Dragonrider's Initiative [NYI] (New) Tier 4, Column 1. Spell: Dismounting damages nearby enemies and slows them by 30% for 5 sec.
• Dragonriding (New) Tier 1, Column 2. Spell: After falling for a second, your dragon isle drake extends its wings to propel you both forward. Pointing your drake toward any given direction propels you both forward.
• Dragonriding Learner (New) Tier 8, Column 2. Spell: Your Vigor is increased to 5.
• Drake and Rider Training (New) Tier 2, Column 1. Spell: Your Vigor is increased to 4.
• Dynamic Stretching (New) Tier 2, Column 2. Spell: Your Vigor regeneration rate is accelerated to 1 Vigor every 25 sec while grounded.
• Escape Artist (New) Tier 1, Column 1. Spell: [TEMP] [Active] Call your drake to come and rescue you from combat.
• Escape Artist (New) Tier 4, Column 3. Spell: [TEMP] [ACTIVE] Calls your drake to come and rescue you from combat.
• Exploration Gear (New) Tier 1, Column 1. Spell: Add a compartment to store gear for exploring. Unlocks new ways to detect treasure in the world.
• Fire from Above (New) Tier 7, Column 3. Spell: [TEMP] [ACTIVE] Your drake swoops down and uses a breath attack against enemies in a cone in front of you.
• Fire From Above (New) Tier 2, Column 1. Spell: [TEMP] [Active] Your drake swoops in and does a cone attack in front of you.
• Free Flight (New) Tier 9, Column 3. Spell: Unlocks unlimited flying in the Dragon Isles.
• Free Flight (New) Tier 3, Column 1. Spell: Allows unlimited flight in Dragon Isles.
• Gathering Mastery (New) Tier 6, Column 2. Spell: [TEMP] Allows you to gather resources while mounted on your drake.
• Gold Dragonflight Affinity (New) Tier 1, Column 5. Spell: [TEMP] Passive Bonus from the Gold Dragonflight.
• Green Dragonflight Affinity (New) Tier 1, Column 2. Spell: [TEMP] Passive Bonus from the Green Dragonflight.
• Hawk's Sight (New) Tier 2, Column 2. Spell: While the Thunder Lizard is obscured in Dark Clouds, you may interact with a nearby Hawk to see it more clearly.
• Heavy Offhand Dirk Handle (New) Tier 4, Column 2. Spell: Offhand Dirk effect is empowered.
• Help from Above [NYI] (New) Tier 1, Column 2. Spell: When outdoors, your spells and abilities have a chance to summon one of your dragon isle drakes, who bombards or heals your current target.
• Highlands Fishing (New) Tier 1, Column 1. Spell: Allows you to spot fishing pools in mountain lakes across Dragon Isles.
• Hornswog Hollow (New) Tier 2, Column 1. Spell: Completed Hunting Party 015
• Ice Fishing (New) Tier 1, Column 3. Spell: Allows you to crack open holes and fish in frozen pools across Dragon Isles.
• Improved Escape Artist (New) Tier 8, Column 2. Spell: [TEMP] Decreases the cooldown of Escape Artist.
• Improved Primal Mastery (New) Tier 5, Column 4. Spell: [TEMP] Allows your drake to harnass the power of primal vents in the [zone 3] of the Dragon Isles.
• Improved Vent Mastery (New) Tier 5, Column 2. Spell: [TEMP] Using a primal vent now refreshes more flight energy.
• Irontree Harpoon Handle (New) Tier 2, Column 1. Spell: Find a good irontree log and bring it to Nunvuq in Iskaara to improve your harpoon handle.
• Jagged Spearhead (New) Tier 2, Column 3. Spell: Poison affects enemy indefinitely, but its effect is weakened.
• Lava Fishing (New) Tier 1, Column 2. Spell: Gives you access to fishing pools in lava across Dragon Isles.
• Lift Off (New) Tier 4, Column 2. Spell: When standing, double jump to launch upward and start gliding forward.
• Light Offhand Dirk Handle (New) Tier 4, Column 1. Spell: Offhand Dirk is usable more often.
• Lucky Rock (New) Tier 3, Column 4. Spell: Add this lucky rock to your pack. According to legend, this rock draws out even the shyest of creatures so you can snap their picture. Functions while on catagloging world quests.
• Mammoth Memories (New) Tier 1, Column 1. Spell: While in the Mammoth Graveyard, you can commune with Mammoth Tusks to summon a Mammoth. The Mammoth shields all behind it for 100% of their health. If you have this trait, you gain +10% increased damage done for 10 sec after the shield expires or breaks.
• Mechanism Bypass (New) Tier 1, Column 4. Spell: The Explorer's League has long used a variety of gadgets to bypass locks, traps, and other mechanisms. With the help of the Reliquary, these gadgets have been magically imbued and can open nearly any locked chest in the Dragon Isles outdoor world. Grants the ability Mechanism Bypass.
• Mighty Flap (New) Tier 1, Column 2. Spell: [TEMP] Increases your drake flight speed temporarily upon taking off.
• Misericorde (New) Tier 5, Column 1. Spell: Your Offhand Dirk has a Chance to instantly finish off a Monster below 20% health.
• Monocle Loup (New) Tier 2, Column 4. Spell: Activate to reveal special gems along the climbing route that you can mine for special resources. Functions while on climbing world quests.
• Mounting Mastery (New) Tier 6, Column 4. Spell: [TEMP] Mitigates being dismounted from your drake by combat.
• Nomad Elite Quest (New) Tier 4, Column 2. Spell: PH
• Nomad Rare Combat (New) Tier 3, Column 2. Spell: PH
• Nomad Treasure Reveal (New) Tier 2, Column 2. Spell: PH
• Northeast Azure Span (New) Tier 2, Column 3. Spell: Completed Hunting Party 07
• Offhand Knuckle (New) Tier 3, Column 2. Spell: Stuns.
• Ohn'ahra's Gusts [NYI] (New) Tier 3, Column 2. Spell: Surge Forward blocks Djaradin projectiles.
• Pictronic Gadget Upgrade (New) Tier 3, Column 3. Spell: Improve your device's performance allowing you to take more pictures per roll of film. Functions while on catagloging world quests.
• Pleasant Hill (New) Tier 2, Column 4. Spell: Completed Hunting Party 08
• Prepare for Landing (New) Tier 2, Column 3. Spell: Pointing your drake's nose upward slows you both. When at your slowest, your drake starts to fall slowly toward the ground, forward and down.
• Primal Mastery (New) Tier 2, Column 4. Spell: [TEMP] Allows your drake to harnass the power of primal vents in the [zone 1 and zone 2] of the Dragon Isles.
• Primalist Tomorrow (New) Tier 3, Column 4. Spell: Completed Hunting Party 12
• Quick Draw Film Holster (New) Tier 3, Column 2. Spell: No more digging around in your pack to find film. Reduces cooldown to reload film. Functions while on catagloging world quests.
• Red Dragonflight Affinity (New) Tier 1, Column 3. Spell: [TEMP] Passive Bonus from the Red Dragonflight.
• Repeatable Reagent Quest Bonus (New) Tier 1, Column 2. Spell: PH
• Restorative Travels (New) Tier 5, Column 2. Spell: Your Vigor regeneration rate is accelerated to 1 Vigor every 20 sec while grounded.
• Rockfang Ravine (New) Tier 1, Column 2. Spell: Completed Hunting Party 02
• Roll (New) Tier 2, Column 2. Spell: [Test] Do a roll. Start-Roll-End Animations
• Roll2 (New) Tier 2, Column 3. Spell: [Test] Do a roll. Roll-End Animations (No Start)
• Seavine Harpoon Rope (New) Tier 2, Column 3. Spell: Find a strong long seavine stalk and bring it to Nunvuq in Iskaara to improve your harpoon rope.
• Sharkbone Harpoon Head (New) Tier 2, Column 2. Spell: Find a nice piece of sharkbone and bring it to Nunvuq in Iskaara to improve your harpoon head.
• Sharpened Spearhead (New) Tier 2, Column 1. Spell: Empowers poison effect, but shortens its duration.
• Shikaar Highlands (New) Tier 3, Column 2. Spell: Completed Hunting Party 10
• Shikaar Lightning Rod (New) Tier 1, Column 2. Spell: $@garrspelldesc
• Skyward Ascent (New) Tier 5, Column 3. Spell: Flap upward, gaining height at the cost of some momentum.
• Southeast Azure Span (New) Tier 3, Column 3. Spell: Completed Hunting Party 11
• Spiked Cleats (New) Tier 2, Column 2. Spell: Activate to ignore the negative effects of any Hazards for next X seconds. Functions while on climbing world quests.
• Steel Offhand Blade (New) Tier 3, Column 1. Spell: Deals melee damage.
• Stronger Wings (New) Tier 5, Column 3. Spell: [TEMP] Increases your drake flying speed.
• Surge Forward (New) Tier 5, Column 1. Spell: Flap forward a short distance, gaining speed.
• Teerai War Banner (New) Tier 2, Column 1. Spell: PH
• The Cascades (New) Tier 1, Column 4. Spell: Completed Hunting Party 04
• Thrill Chaser (New) Tier 2, Column 3. Spell: Thrill of the Skies expires 5 sec more quickly.
• Thrill of the Skies (New) Tier 6, Column 2. Spell: While dragonriding at high speeds, you regenerate Vigor.
• Tireless Grip Chalk (New) Tier 2, Column 5. Spell: Passive. Instead of slowly losing Grip while hanging in place, you slowly restore it. Thanks chalk! Functions while on climbing world quests.
• Vent Mastery (New) Tier 2, Column 2. Spell: [TEMP] Allows you to harnass primal vents in the Dragon Isles that can refresh your drake's flight energy.
• Vigor (New) Tier 3, Column 2. Spell: Dragonriding abilities spend Vigor. Spending time on the ground regenerates 1 Vigor every 30 sec.
• Weakening Poison (New) Tier 1, Column 2. Spell: Reduces damage dealt.
• West Azure Span (New) Tier 1, Column 3. Spell: Completed Hunting Party 03
• Whirling Surge (New) Tier 8, Column 2. Spell: Spiral forward a great distance, increasing speed.
• Wild Feeding Pits (New) Tier 3, Column 1. Spell: Completed Hunting Party 09
• Wind's Guidance: Thunder Lizard (New) Tier 3, Column 1. Spell: Mounted movement speed increased by 10% while in the Ohn'aran Plains.
• Winds Mastery (New) Tier 1, Column 3. Spell: [TEMP] Increases your Dragon Companion flight duration.
• Winds Mastery (New) Tier 2, Column 3. Spell: [TEMP] Increases the amount of time your drake can maintain flight.
• Winds Mastery (New) Tier 8, Column 3. Spell: [TEMP] Increases the amount of time your drake can maintain flight.
• Winds of the Isles (New) Tier 7, Column 2. Spell: You can detect and utilize strong winds throughout the Dragon Isles. These winds redirect your Dragon Isle Drake, propelling you in their direction at high speeds.
• Yearning for the Sky (New) Tier 9, Column 2. Spell: Your Vigor regeneration rate is accelerated to 1 Vigor every 15 sec while grounded.

Cyphers

• Boss Slayer (New) Tier 4, Column 3. Spell:
• Dog Ability A (New) Tier 3, Column 1. Spell:
• Dog Ability B (New) Tier 4, Column 1. Spell:
• Eagle Ability A (New) Tier 3, Column 2. Spell:
• Eagle Ability B (New) Tier 4, Column 2. Spell:
• Empty (New) Tier 2, Column 4. Spell:
• Empty (New) Tier 2, Column 3. Spell:
• Empty (New) Tier 2, Column 2. Spell:
• Empty (New) Tier 2, Column 1. Spell:
• Hunting Dog Unlock (New) Tier 1, Column 1. Spell:
• Hunting Eagle Unlock (New) Tier 1, Column 2. Spell:
• Monster Slayer (New) Tier 3, Column 3. Spell:
• Party Ability (New) Tier 1, Column 4. Spell:
• Party Ability A (New) Tier 3, Column 4. Spell:
• Party Ability B (New) Tier 4, Column 4. Spell:
• Shikaar Hunter (New) Tier 1, Column 3. Spell:

[Alexjimithing]

"you may use Whirling Surge to dismount enemy flying players you come into contact with."

Warmode's going on

[Selah]

Huh, interesting, this almost feels like mounted combat. Be really interesting to see this in action.

[Walkerbo]

I really couldn't care less about dragon riding, hopefully it is not a mandatory thing that is part of progression.
If is treated as a side game that I don't have to interact with that is fine.

[Chickat]

Seems like there're going to.
Be a lot of interesting event's and world Quest this expansion.

[huth]

Seems a bunch of stuff that isn't directly related to dragonriding is also in there. Detecting treasure through walls, climbing stuff...

- - - Updated - - -

I really couldn't care less about dragon riding, hopefully it is not a mandatory thing that is part of progression.
If is treated as a side game that I don't have to interact with that is fine.

Well, you supposedly will get normal airswimming eventually, but early on, you're likely at a severe disadvantage at the very least.

[Alexjimithing]

Seems a bunch of stuff that isn't directly related to dragonriding is also in there. Detecting treasure through walls, climbing stuff...

I see it as our dragonriding dragon is effectively the Pocopoc of the Dragon Isles. Improves our experience in the zone not only through traversal but also through QoL stuff like that.

[loras]

Okay slight hype going on here.

Oh i hope they bring in some bombing options as well, riding the fuckers as he glasses everything below with fire.

[Walkerbo]

That's fine, I haven't subbed or paid for the expansions before flight is fully achievable since WoD.
I see no reason to change my approach for this new expansion either.

[bmjclark]

After seeing some videos of dragonriding, I honestly really hope that it's expanded to the entire world. It looks so fast compared to normal riding and looks somewhat fun to play around with.

[schwarzkopf]

I really couldn't care less about dragon riding, hopefully it is not a mandatory thing that is part of progression.

I'm worried that it might be mandatory because it looks like the sort of thing my disability will exclude me from.

Happy to just fly on my normal mount to get places slower, but it looks like DF might be the first expansion I literally can't play.

[Celement]

Seems a pointless pain in the ass especially with such a thread bare expansion. I really hope no meaningful system wasn't improved over this rubbish.

[Gigantique]

Looks cool af, besting fleeing players by outplaying them on dragonriding then knocking them off their mount sounds insanely cool ngl

[GMZohar1]

Cool, so I assume you unlock more talents as you gain renown, erm I mean as you get "better" at it every week?

[Cyi]

Out of curiosity what would cause you to play with normal flying but not dragon flying? Am I missing something with this new thing?