Red fittings make the Swift Red Wind Rider feel at home above Orgrimmar's roofs. It has the familiar winged wyvern outline that defined early Horde flying, with enough armor to look prepared for more than a sightseeing trip.

The best part for a returning collector is how little preparation the purchase needs. There is no rare drop to chase and no need to rebuild an old Outland reputation.

Quick Answer

The Swift Red Wind Rider is sold for 100 gold before discounts by Drakma on Orgrimmar's elevated Skyway. Purchase item 25477 and use it to learn the mount. It remains available on Retail for eligible Horde characters. You can buy it directly without collecting another wind rider or reaching Exalted reputation.

Mount Overview

This armored wind rider was introduced with The Burning Crusade's flying-mount lineup. Its equipment gives it a different look from the ordinary Tawny, Blue, and Green Wind Riders, but it belongs to the same recognizable wyvern family.

It is a flying-capable mount that also supports ground travel. Its actual movement depends on your character's riding eligibility and the area's rules. The historical “Swift” label is not a separate modern speed purchase.

The Acquisition Process

Bring a Horde character with at least 100 gold to cover the base cost. Find Drakma, open his merchant window, and choose Swift Red Wind Rider. Confirm the name before buying: this is the armored red version, not an ordinary wind rider and not a red dragonhawk.

Purchase the item and use it from your bags. The mount should then be collected in the Mount Journal. That completes the acquisition; there is no follow-up quest, mount-training race, or faction certificate to obtain.

The relevant identifiers are item 25477 and mount spell 32246. These are useful when similarly named recolors appear together in a collection tool. A different color is another collectible, not a substitute for this entry.

You do not need to own the basic wind rider colors first. The merchant sells finished mount unlocks, not armor upgrades that consume an existing mount. Buy only this one if the red version is all you want.

Location: Reach the Upper Skyway

Drakma is in Orgrimmar around 48.2, 59.0, on the elevated Skyway near the city's flight area. If you have reached the map marker but cannot find him, check your elevation before circling the lower streets.

Use a route or lift to the upper level, or fly up if your character can. Look for the Wind Rider Keeper title. Nearby flightmaster services sell taxi journeys; Drakma's merchant inventory sells the permanent mount item.

The wolf merchants elsewhere in Orgrimmar do not stock this flying-mount selection. The visual theme is Horde, but the correct merchant is the wind rider specialist on the upper level.

Alternate Purchase Locations

Existing Outland or Northrend characters can also check the legacy wind rider merchants: Bana Wildmane at Thrallmar in Hellfire Peninsula, Dama Wildmane at Shadowmoon Village in Outland's Shadowmoon Valley, or Tohfo Skyhoof at Warsong Hold in Borean Tundra.

These are alternatives for convenience, not stages in a quest chain. You only need to buy and learn one copy. For most characters already in a faction capital, Drakma is the clearest starting point.

Requirements and Price

The mount is Horde restricted, with normal riding eligibility required for use. It is not exclusive to orcs, and no Exalted reputation gate applies to the purchase. Eligible Horde races can use the learned mount through the account collection.

The base price is 100 gold. Merchant reputation discounts can lower the amount, but a discount is optional. Do not spend days on reputation solely because an old guide describes a cheaper price as if it were the only way to buy the mount.

Likewise, original level-70 and Artisan Riding costs are historical context, not additional modern unlocks specific to Swift Red Wind Rider. Follow the current character riding system instead.

Efficient Collection Advice

Inspect the collected tooltip before paying. An old character may have learned this mount years ago, and another character's inability to summon it can be a faction or riding restriction rather than missing ownership.

If you are finishing the swift wind rider set, the four armored colors have a combined 400-gold base cost. Subtract the entries already owned and any applicable discounts. Ordinary Blue, Green, and Tawny colors are separate purchases.

There is no farming lockout or drop chance to improve here. The efficient route is simply to put the gold on the buyer, visit the correct upper-level merchant, and learn the item. General gold-making detours are unnecessary for such a small fixed-price purchase.

Is It Still Obtainable?

Yes. The vendor source remains part of Retail's legacy mount selection. It is not tied to a current PvP season, a holiday calendar, or a temporary promotion.

After learning, the Horde restriction still applies. Alliance characters do not gain access to the wind rider merely because the account owns it.

Who Should Prioritize This Mount

Collectors building a classic Horde flight lineup should put this near the top of their cheap vendor checklist. Its appeal is the older armored wyvern design and the red equipment palette, rather than rarity or a difficult achievement.

Similar Mounts

• Swift Green Wind Rider keeps the armor with a different color treatment.
• Swift Yellow Wind Rider provides another contrast for earth-toned outfits.
• Blue Wind Rider removes the heavier swift-version fittings.
• Tawny Wind Rider is the natural-looking basic alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the simplest vendor to use?

Drakma on Orgrimmar's elevated Skyway is the straightforward capital-city source.

Is the cost 100 gold or a reputation currency?

It is a 100-gold base purchase, with applicable discounts possible.

Must I be an orc?

No. Eligible Horde races can purchase and use it.

Does it require an ordinary wind rider first?

No prerequisite mount purchase is needed.

Why can I not find Drakma at the map marker?

The marker is on the upper Skyway, so check the vertical level.

Does it fly faster than my other mounts?

Its name does not override normal riding and flight rules.

Is it a red dragonhawk?

No. Wind riders and dragonhawks are different mount families.

Can Alliance use it after learning on a Horde alt?

The mount remains restricted to eligible Horde characters.

Final Thoughts

The red armored wind rider is a dependable gold purchase. Reach the Skyway, select the correct item, and learn it; the remaining choice is whether its classic Horde look belongs in your favorites.