By: Sylvene Firebrand
 

Horses were a feature put into the game with the Luclin expansion of EverQuest, and Drogmors (Lizard Mounts) with the Legacy of Ykesha expansion.  To some, they are merely a pricey status symbol, to others; they are a boon to travel. 

Where can you purchase a horse?

You do not purchase a horse.  You actually purchase a bridle, which then can be activated by right-clicking on it, to summon the horse.  Bridles are purchased in one zone only: from the Stable Hands in the Bazaar.

Where can you purchase a Drogmor?

Drogmors are sold in the Gulf of Gunthak in a similar fashion to horses in the Bazaar.  For Dormors, you purchase a drum.  “Beating” on the drum (right-clicking on it) then calls a Drogmor to you.

Can you sell your horse or Drogmor?

Technically, no.  The bridles are no-drop.  However, you can give your bridle or drum to named quest NPCs in exchange for an item, which can then be sold.  Moreover, you will lose about a third of the original purchase price of the horse.  There are four NPCs, each standing in an empty horse stall.  Each one “buys” a different type of bridle.  Similarly, four NPCs in the tower at Gunthak will “buy” a different colored drum from you.

Mount Facts

There are four speeds according to bridle material/drum size and four colors.  The colors are only for show and do not affect the speed of the horse or drogmor.

Bridles/Drums, average cost and speed comparison:

Colors:

Horses come in black, white, tan and brown.  As black and white are more popular colors, the pricing is higher than the tan and brown.  You can view the different horse colors and sizes by going to the stables, in the Bazaar zone.

Drogmors come in white, green, red and black.  The colors can be viewed in the Corral in the Gulf of Gunthak.  Drogmor colors do not affect pricing.

Why own a mount?

Apart from being a status symbol, a mount is a fast way to get from point A to point B.  There are also several advantages and disadvantages to owning a mount.

Advantages to Mount Ownership:

• You meditate when you are mounted on a mount, negating “sit” aggro.  When moving about or fighting, your rate of meditation does not change whether mounted or not.
• You gain an innate Safe Fall skill of roughly 150.
• You move at the speed of the mount, independent of encumbrance.

Disadvantages to Mount Ownership:

• You cannot duck to interrupt a spell if you are mounted.
• You cannot forage while mounted.
• Some illusions, such as specter, will not stack with a mount.
• Targeting can be cumbersome on a mount for both the mount-owner and other PCs.  Pixels take up space and often for melee characters; you can be too far from your target even though they can still continue to pound on you.  The same can happen for trading or even buffs – i.e. you are “too far away.”

Differences between a Horse and Drogmor

• Motion – with a horse, you move up and down when you gallop.  With a drogmor, you sway from side to side.  Some players get motion sickness with a drogmor.
• View – with a horse, you will have the head and ears in front of you.  With a drogmor, as their heads are low to the ground, your view is not blocked
• Sizes – Horses size automatically to the character size.  Drogmor speeds are based on the size of the drogmor, and a large character on a small drogmor is almost dragging it’s feet on the ground, whereas a small character is perched high on a giant drogmor.
• Eye-candy – drogmor’s leap.  Some players buy a drogmor for the sheer novelty of watching the animation of a running drogmor.

Other Tidbits of Mount Ownership

• Mounts may only be summoned in outdoor zones and will not cross into an indoor zone with you.
• You are automatically mounted when you summon a horse or drogmor.
• Your mount is essentially a spell, and when you summon one, an icon will take up one spot on your buff window.
• To dismount, simply left-click on the icon to turn it off.  A manual /dismount command is also available if a player experiences any difficulties.
• Mounts require maintenance and will eat food and water out of your inventory.
• Mounts require a few seconds of acceleration to reach their top speed, and will require a few seconds to come to a standstill.
• Mounts don’t like swimming and will dissolve in water – i.e. you lose your mounts when you are submerged for more than a few seconds.

Mount buying strategy

Raise your charisma to 125 if possible.  The difference in purchase price beyond that seems to be minimal.  In the Gulf of Gunthak, the NPC that sells the drogmor calling drums is right next to the banker, so if you position your character between the two, you will not have to hobble a single step.  In the Bazaar, there is no encumbrance, so do not worry about strength and speed buffs to hobble your character from the bank to the stables!