Blizzard has posted an official preview of Dragonriding basics and traits that you can unlock in the new expansion.
(Source)
Updated August 25: Trait descriptions have been added to the progression track section. Check it out!
A skilled Dragonrider is a force to be reckoned with, capable of catching up to any foe, ambushing enemies from above, and soaring above the Dragon Isles with impressive speed. Becoming a Dragonrider and learning the basics will be simple, but mastering this new skill takes practice. Once you figure out its intricacies, you’ll never see the Dragon Isles the same way again.
Dragonriding Basics
Through your travels on the Dragon Isles, you’ll begin training to become a Dragonrider. Dragonriding can only be used with Dragon Isles Drakes—customizable mounts with unique abilities. Throughout your leveling experience, you’ll earn four different Dragon Isles Drakes. In the hands of a skilled rider, these imposing winged terrors are capable of masterful maneuvers.
Each drake features unlockable appearances that can be selected and adjusted to make your new drake mount uniquely your own. You’ll receive new looks for your drakes through Drakewatcher Manuscripts, obtained from quest rewards, exploration, completing achievements, and various other means. Find the nearest Rostrum of Transformation in any Dragon Isles zone to make changes to your drake’s appearance.
Vigorous Riding
The first thing you’ll notice upon summoning a Dragon Isles Drake is that your primary action bar has been replaced with your Dragonriding skills, as well as a new resource: Vigor. Vigor is spent by using Dragonriding abilities and recharges automatically over time while grounded (mounted or on foot) or in the sky, while Dragonriding at high speeds.
Gaining Speed
Once you’re ready for takeoff, mount up and find a high rise. When you jump from it, your drake will unfurl its wings and begin to glide forward, slowly losing altitude. Point your dragon’s front towards the ground, and it will gain speed rapidly. Point it upwards, and it will slow down and gain altitude.
Managing your hang time depends entirely on your ability to gain speed by descending and maximizing your altitude while ascending without losing too much momentum. Vigor skills like Skyward Ascent will help you gain altitude, while others like Surge Forward will give you a quick speed boost to keep you going. Remember that your drake’s Vigor recharges when you’re speeding up; use that to your advantage as you build momentum.
Dragonriding Progression
Dragonriding features its own progression track, unlocked when you obtain your first Dragon Isles Drake. Through this progression track, you can unlock more abilities, increase your drake’s Vigor, and more. Dragon Glyphs, symbols of power scattered all over the skies of Dragon Isles, can be collected to advance your progress track and gain access to perks. Some Dragon Glyphs will be relatively simple to procure, while others will require a bit of exploration and clever use of your Dragonriding abilities to acquire. We hope you’ll find the journey and the sights along the way as compelling as hunting all the Dragon Glyphs.
Dragonriding Progression Track Tooltips
As you collect Dragon Glyphs, you’ll unlock Traits and progress further down the track. Here are the Traits you can unlock:
Dragonriding Progression Track
Dragonriding Base Abilities
You’ll earn these abilities by completing the questlines that will teach you how to become a Dragonrider.
Dragonriding Basics: Gain access to the Surge Forward and Skyward Ascent abilities.
Vigor: Dragonriding abilities spend Vigor. Spending time on the ground whether mounted or dismounted regenerates 1 Vigor every 30 sec.
Lift Off: When mounted on a Dragonriding mount, double jump to launch upward and start gliding forward.
Thrill of the Skies: While dragonriding at high speeds, you regenerate 1 Vigor every 15 sec.
Winds of the Isles: You can detect and utilize gale winds that redirect your flight and propel you onward, boosting your speed in the direction of the gale.
Whirling Surge: Spiral forward a great distance, increasing speed.
Bronze Timelock: Mark a waypoint on your positional timeline. Use Bronze Rewind to rewind to this location.
Dragonriding Traits
The Traits below are unlocked though the acquisition of Dragon Glyphs.
Row 1
Drake and Rider Training: Your Vigor is increased to 4.
Dynamic Stretching: Your Vigor regeneration rate is accelerated to 1 Vigor every 25 sec while grounded.
Thrill Chaser: Thrill of the Skies genrates 1 Vigor every 10 sec.
Row 2
Ohn’ahra’s Gusts: Surge Forward evades Scalechillers, Scalechargers, and other obstacles encountered in time trials and races.
Row 3
Choice Node:
Dragonrider’s Initiative: When landing at mid-to-high speeds, you create a shockwave, damaging enemies according to your number of stacks split among them, and disorienting them for 3 sec. Landing at low speeds cancels Dragonrider’s Initiative.
Dragonrider’s Compassion: While airborne on a Dragon Isle Drake, you gain stacks of Dragonrider’s Compassion, up to 10. When you dismount, you gain a shield equal to 1% of your health and gain 1% movement speed per stack, lasting 30 sec.
Row 4
Restorative Travels: Your Vigor regeneration rate is accelerated to 1 Vigor every 20 sec while grounded.
Row 5
Airborne Tumbling: Whirling Surge evades Wingshredders and dismounts airborne enemy players.
Row 6
Dragonriding Learner: Your Vigor is increased to 5.
Row 7
Choice Node:
Dragonrider’s Cultivation: Gathering herbs or minerals increases your Vigor recharge rate by 10% for 10 sec.
Dragonrider’s Hunt: Defeating an enemy increases your Vigor recharge rate by 10% for 3 sec. This effect can only occur once every 10 sec.
Row 8
Beyond Infinity: Your Vigor is increased to 6.
Yearning for the Sky: Your Vigor regeneration rate is accelerated to 1 Vigor every 15 sec while grounded.
At Home Aloft: Thrill of the Skies generates 1 Vigor every 5 sec.
Race to the Top
Once you’ve obtained your drakes and mastered their abilities, there’s one more way in which skilled Dragonriders can stand out: Dragonriding Races! All over the Dragon Isles, you will find various Dragonriding race locations that will challenge you to complete a set course within a limited timeframe. Clearing checkpoints extends your allotted time, and once you finish a course, you’ll be rated on your performance. Your personal best times will be recorded, and whenever you repeat a course, your time will be compared against your personal best. Challenge other Dragonriders to the ultimate test of skill and speed—only the fastest rider will prevail.
The Journey is Just Beginning
There’s more coming to Dragonflight as we progress through testing, including future updates to Dragonriding. We hope you’ve enjoyed this early preview and invite you to check https://worldofwarcraft.com/news for all the latest World of Warcraft previews and information. We’ll see you in the Dragon Isles!
