Tallstrider



A tallstrider, or simply strider, is an ostrich-like beast native to Kalimdor.

Tallstriders are large, flightless birds of prey that look to kill anything they can outrun or overpower. They have a pair of muscular legs, and their vestigial wings flutter as they walk. Their thick hairless necks swing about a head ending in a heavy, sharp beak as they hunts for prey. Renowned for their speed, tallstriders are difficult to shake for those trying to flee them. They resemble 6-foot tall ostriches with strong, thick necks and heavy, sharp beaks. Tallstriders are common in Mulgore, Darkshore, the Barrens, and Durotar. Young heroes in these regions hunt these beasts in tests of honor and valor. Tales tell of heroes who attempt to tame tallstriders as mounts or beasts of burden, but these tales are typically humorous ones. If it is possible to domesticate the flightless birds, no one has claimed success at the task.

Tallstriders are tenacious pack hunters. A tallstrider’s main mode of attack is with its beak and talons. It will smash its beak down upon a victim with ruthless efficiency. Tallstriders hunt instinctively in packs. Tallstriders attempt to isolate single members of a pack of prey and run them down. When facing stronger prey, they harry a single victim if possible until, after hours of running, the quarry is most likely exhausted and weak. Tallstriders will attack prey - which includes anything larger than a field mouse - on sight, always fighting to the death. They leap at their opponents while slashing with their claws and stabbing with their beak. If hungry, tallstriders will attack until they or their prey are dead.


 * The gnomes modeled their Mechanostrider mounts after striders.
 * The blood elf mount is called a Hawkstrider, and looks similar to other striders. The main difference is color and the face. Its running and special animation are also unique, but otherwise it animates very much like an ordinary strider.

In the 2.1 patch, a new breed of tallstrider named Lost Torranche became available on an island south of Terokkar Forest called Sorrow Wing Point. They are level 70 with a purple and green coloration, and are tamable as hunter pets, making the first tallstrider pet available above level 20.

The inspiration for the tallstrider was the ostrich, as it's often compared to them.

Traits

 * Tallstriders are skinnable.
 * Tallstriders are tamable and become the generic "tallstrider" after taming.
 * Most tallstriders are neutral, but Ornery Striders and Mazzranache are hostile, as are the Timberstriders of Azuremyst Isle.
 * Most tallstriders are dull colored, with three exceptions: Mazzranache (pink), the Lost Torranche (purple) and Strider Clutchmother (teal).

Notable Talltriders

 * Afrazi Forest Strider
 * Goodie
 * Mazzranache
 * Strider Clutchmother

Types of Tallstriders

 * Bludgeonbeak
 * Geru Strider
 * Adult Plainstrider
 * Elder Plainstrider
 * Fleeting Plainstrider
 * Ornery Plainstrider
 * Plainstrider - found in the Barrens and Mulgore
 * Foreststrider - found in Darkshore
 * Timberstrider - found on Azuremyst Isle
 * Swampstrider - found in Swamp of Sorrows
 * Lost Torranche - found in Terokkar Forest
 * In Manual of Monsters Appendix Three there are two other subspecies of tallstrider: Axe Beak and Clubnek, however the validity of the source is disputed.

As A Hunter Pet

 * Rarely seen as a Hunter pet due to their scarcity. Mazzranache, due to his comical flamingo-like appearance, is the most popular of them all.
 * Tauren hunters will start with a Tallstrider pet.