The popular MMO Guild Wars 2 may not have the most numerous mounts compared to other games, but it certainly has the best. These creatures don’t just improve movement speed, they fundamentally change the way you approach each area. In other MMOs, you’d have just two kinds of mounts; aerial and terrestrial.
Guild Wars 2 offers several different creatures that feel very distinct from one another. Both the Raptor and Roller Beetle are technically terrestrial mounts, yet they couldn’t be more different from one another. Several of these majestic creatures have been added throughout the years, and while some are better than others, they are all incredible.
10 Griffon
Hidden in the endgame of Path of Fire, and considered by many the first Legendary tier mount, was the Griffon. On land, this big bird offers a decent wing propelled jump, making it one of the better terrestrial mounts. Its true strength however lies in its hover ability, and the power to recover height when used correctly. It created the illusion of flight, and it was the master of the skies for a time.
It ranks this low because the release of the Skyscale soon after made the Griffon nearly irrelevant. The Griffon can’t fly as effectively as his draconic competition, and compared to how hard the bird is to get, nowadays it's just not worth it.
9 Jackal
The Jackal (or Sand Jackal, since it is made out of it) is the first purely magical mount of Guild Wars 2, being more of a construct than an animal. This creature can blink a short distance forward, dodge enemy attacks and use sand portals dotted around the desert to find all kinds of secrets.
While it certainly has its uses, the Jackal ends up feeling relegated exclusively to Path of Fire content. Without an actual jump or any sense of verticality, it has a hard time reaching areas that even the Raptor can. And its unique mechanic, the sand portals, haven’t been used in maps after the Path of Fire era.
8 Skiff
Even if it's not technically a mount, the Skiff does follow the same principles as one. It has its own mastery line, you can ride it, and it is summoned out of thin air. This quaint little boat has a few uses, and it can even carry a party of five players. Since it becomes a solid object for every party member, it can even be ridden while performing other actions. Or everyone can just take their own seat, working together to make the Skiff reach huge speeds.
It is obviously used only for travel over water, and while it can never be better than the Skimmer, it is an alternative for owners of End of Dragons that don’t have the previous expansion.
7 Warclaw
It’s hard to rank the Warclaw since it exists as the only mount for its content. If you never play World vs World, there’s little reason to unlock it other than completing your collection. If you do play it, well, it’s your only choice, so that makes it the best by default. It does, however, have some unique skills, making it a must-have for guilds looking to make their name on the mists.
The base movement speed alone is worth it on World vs World, yet this war machine can also finish your enemies with its pounce, and even help break gates during a siege. When on its element, nothing beats the Warclaw.
6 Raptor
The first mount ever to arrive to the game, the Raptor ended up being so successful that it is now given to players at level ten. While it might not seem like a huge deal when compared to the other creatures, it excels at accessibility and reliability. There’s little effort to be done for unlocking this mount, and for people without the time to get anything else, the Raptor makes it feel like you don’t need them.
Its jump ability is easy to regulate for long and short distances, and its attack animation comes out rather fast; it simply fulfills its purpose of being the introductory mount, and for many the main one.
5 Springer
Much like the Raptor, the Springer saw a lot of popularity during its introduction, making it unlockable later on in End of Dragons. While this hopping fellow will hardly be anyone’s main mount (it is slower than most of them), the verticality that it gives is its true power.
Long before we had flying dragons, everyone was jumping around with the Springer trying to break maps and cheat their way into normally inaccessible areas. And movement is not the only thing this mount brings to the table, since its combat skill is one of the most useful ones out of all the mounts, knocking down any opponents that get crushed under this bunny’s belly.
4 Roller Beetle
If the Griffon was considered a Legendary mount, the Roller Beetle would be something of an Ascended mount; not as time and gold consuming as the higher tier, but not as simple to get as a double click. Yet even if it was just as complicated to get or more, the Beetle would be worth it.
This bug is hardly useful, and it won’t get you to places that other mounts can’t, but saying that it is fast is an understatement. New physics had to be introduced to the engine to make this thing work, and there are exclusive races that require it. You will feel like riding a motorcycle that breaks the speed limit, drifting around every corner. If we only ranked by fun factor, this would be number one.
3 Skimmer
The undisputed master of the sea, the Skimmer is your go-to option for crossing bodies of water. While it was also meant to deal with quicksand and other dangerous terrain, the real strength of this mantaray is crossing rivers that back in the day were a pain to swim through. It won’t go as fast on land, but even on shallow water like swamps the speed ramps up.
Yet the Skimmer didn’t become the master of the sea until a rare update came to its mastery line. Complete it, and this creature can now take you underwater. While Guild Wars 2 underwater gameplay is certainly unique, the ability to dash through it is incredibly welcome.
2 Siege Turtle
Being the only new mount added in End of Dragons, the Siege Turtle needed to do a lot to be worth it. And it certainly was worth it. It can reach decent speeds and even go underwater, plus it comes with a booster jump to avoid most terrain. While not better in those areas than its counterparts, being able to do it all makes it an excellent main mount.
However, the big selling point is it being a two player mount. A lot of Guild Wars 2 players go at it solo, but those that do not have an incredible powerhouse in the Turtle. The second player can fire the cannons, and they do a lot of damage. Since you won’t get dismounted while in combat, clearing enemy camps with the Turtle is a new level of fun.
1 Skyscale
Created by a complicated magical process, the Skyscale is the ultimate mount of Guild Wars 2. It all comes down to the fact that it basically flies. It’s not flight like something in World of Warcraft, but considering how the maps are laid out in Guild Wars 2 it is as close to flying as you can get.
There’s really no place you can’t get to with the Skyscale, and no other mount that can get to places it alone can, making it the most coveted mount. During Path of Fire, it was certainly of legendary difficulty to get, but in Secrets of the Obscure, it is not only made easier to acquire, but also comes with additional power. It's hard to imagine a future where any new creature dethrones this flying dragon.