How to Get the Astral Cloud Serpent in WoW MoP Classic
Mount collectors in World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Classic (WoW MoP Classic) often have their eyes on some of the most striking and prestigious mounts ever introduced to the game. Among these, the Astral Cloud Serpent is one of the most visually stunning and highly sought-after rewards. With its glowing starry body and serpentine form, this mount has captivated players since its debut.
Acquiring the Astral Cloud Serpent takes patience, effort, and sometimes a bit of luck, but the journey is well worth it. This guide breaks down everything you need to know, from the different acquisition methods to the requirements needed to ride it.
The Astral Cloud Serpent Overview
The Astral Cloud Serpent is a unique flying mount introduced in the original Mists of Pandaria expansion and reintroduced in WoW MoP Classic. Its body shimmers with a cosmic glow, giving it a celestial look that sets it apart from other Cloud Serpents.
For many collectors, it's more than just a mount, it's a badge of honor showing dedication to farming raids or investing in reputation grinds. Unlike some easily accessible mounts, this one requires persistence and specific steps before you can even think about riding it.
How to Obtain the Reins of the Astral Cloud Serpent
The item you need to unlock the mount is the Reins of the Astral Cloud Serpent. There are currently two main ways to acquire this in WoW MoP Classic:
1. Elegon in Mogu'shan Vaults
The primary source of the Reins is Elegon, the celestial boss inside the Mogu'shan Vaults raid.
Location: Mogu'shan Vaults, located in Kun-Lai Summit.
Drop Chance: The Reins drop directly from Elegon, though the drop rate is fairly low. Players may need to run the raid multiple times to finally secure the mount.
Strategy: Soloing Elegon is easier at higher levels, but teamwork may still speed up farming. Since the drop is based on luck, persistence is key.
For mount collectors, this is the most straightforward way to pursue the Astral Cloud Serpent, farm Elegon weekly until the Reins finally appear.
2. Satchel of Celestial Chance
Another method is through the Satchel of Celestial Chance, a container that also has a chance of holding the Reins.
Where to Buy: The satchel is sold by the August Stone Fragment Vendor in your faction's main hub in Pandaria.
Cost: 10 August Stone Fragments per satchel.
Repeatability: Players can buy multiple satchels to increase their odds, though this often requires farming fragments.
This alternative gives players another layer of hope if Elegon hasn't been kind with loot drops.
Requirements: Riding the Astral Cloud Serpent
Even if you obtain the Reins, you can't immediately ride the mount. You'll first need to unlock Cloud Serpent Riding, a skill tied to the Order of the Cloud Serpent faction.
Steps to Unlock Cloud Serpent Riding:
Faction Reputation: Reach Exalted with the Order of the Cloud Serpent. This requires completing daily quests and raising young serpents until they are fully grown.
Quest Requirement: Complete the quest Riding the Skies. This becomes available once you hit Exalted.
Skill Learned: Completing the quest grants you the Cloud Serpent Riding skill, enabling you to ride any Cloud Serpent mount, including the Astral Cloud Serpent.
This step is often overlooked by new collectors, leading to frustration after finally obtaining the Reins but being unable to mount them.
Farming Tips for the Astral Cloud Serpent
Weekly Elegon Runs: Make sure to clear Mogu'shan Vaults every reset for a chance at the mount. Bringing friends can make runs faster, even if only one player walks away with the loot.
Stockpile Fragments: Collect August Stone Fragments regularly to purchase Satchels of Celestial Chance as backup attempts.
Optimize Travel: Set your hearthstone near Pandaria hubs to minimize travel time between raids and vendors.
Use Alts: Each character gets their own loot chances. Running the raid on multiple alts per week increases the odds significantly. WoW MoP Classic Gold lets you stock up on potions, flasks, and food buffs to speed up raid farming.
Final Thoughts
The Astral Cloud Serpent is one of the most beautiful and rewarding mounts in WoW MoP Classic. While luck plays a large role due to its raid drop source, players have multiple methods to increase their chances, whether farming Elegon weekly or investing in Satchels of Celestial Chance.
Just remember that obtaining the mount is only half the journey, you'll also need to unlock Cloud Serpent Riding by reaching Exalted with the Order of the Cloud Serpent. With patience, persistence, and a bit of strategic use of WoW MoP Classic Gold, the Astral Cloud Serpent can become a shining jewel in your mount collection.
MMOexp WoW MoP Classic Team