Patch 10.2 brings ordinary flying mounts to the Dragon Isles with a new Pathfinder achievement — now with no reputation requirements!

After over a year of only being able to Dragonride in Dragonflight, we’re finally getting the option to ride regular flying mounts in the Dragon Isles. One of the expansion’s biggest and most popular features is Dragonriding, the ability to soar at exceptional speeds throughout the Dragon Isles — and occasionally in the old world as well. It’s fun and we’re all waiting for its promised extension to other continents.

Want to know more about patch 10.2? Check out our guide to all of the major features in WoW patch 10.2: Guardians of the Dream.

That said, there are some flaws with Dragonriding that the speed can’t overcome; for one thing, our traditional flying mounts had pinpoint accuracy for taking off and landing. In addition, they could hover in the air in case one needed to go afk or didn’t want to get attacked by grounded mobs while waiting. Some players got motion sick or had trouble controlling their dragons — and some of us just plain miss our gryphons and wyverns. Fortunately patch 10.2 will give us the option of using our normal mounts to fly in the Dragon Isles, although not at Dragonriding speed of course.

How to get Dragon Isles flying

Dragon Isles flying will be granted by the Dragon Isles Pathfinder achievement, which will be available after patch 10.2 launches. Just like previous versions this achievement will require a variety of quest and exploration achievements to get, but you can start working on parts of the achievement right now. Before patch 10.2 arrives you can complete the following achievements to start earning Dragon Isles Pathfinder:

• Waking Hope, Ohn’a’Roll, Azure Spanner, and Just Don’t Ask Me to Spell It: These are the four Dragon Isles zone questing achievements that were required to unlock World Quests in patch 10.0. If you’ve been playing since the release of the expansion you should already have gotten these a long time ago.
• Embers of Neltharion: This achievement is rewarded upon completing the campaign quest chain that was added in patch 10.1 and the Zaralek Cavern.
• Explore Zaralek Cavern: This exploration achievement can be accomplished by flying around the Zaralek Cavern. The only tricky spot is in Zaqali Caldera, where you can be shot down if you linger too long.

The most difficult of the Pathfinder requirements will be the meta-achievement Freshscales Fifteen. To receive this, you need to reach Renown 15 with each of the six major factions of the Dragon Isles: Valdrakken Accord, Dragonscale Expedition, Maruuk Centaur, Iskaara Tuskarr, Loamm Niffen, and the 10.2 faction Dream Wardens. Thankfully this level of Renown isn’t that difficult to reach with regular play, and if you’ve been subbed during the majority of Dragonflight you should already be at Renown 15 with all but the Dream Wardens. This requirement has been removed!

So if you’re caught up with 10.0 and 10.1 content, that just leaves Explore the Emerald Dream which is expected to be a quick jaunt around the new patch 10.2 zone. Complete that and you’ll be able to fly (slowly but precisely) on the mount or Druid flight form of your choice in the Dragon Isles.

Patch 10.2 is releasing the week of November 7 and the Pathfinder achievement itself is a work in progress, so these requirements are still in flux and could change before release. For now, though, it appears that the Dragon Isles Pathfinder achievement to unlock Dragon Isles flying on regular mounts is a lot easier than previous expansions’ versions — and you can always get around on your Dragonriding mount while waiting for the opportunity to fly on some old favorites.

Originally publish September 13, 2023. Updated November 7, 2023.