Speed added a critically important, but at the same time subtle, mechanic to the game that cannot be overstated.  It allowed developers to spread out landmarks such as keep, towers, and bridges geographically but at the same time keep travel times low. 

Because you lost speed when attacked, or attacking, it had the effect of changing the scale of the map.  If you got hit away from a defenseable position odds were that it was to far away to fall back too... you had to stay and fight.  The map that was relativly small when you had speed suddenly got a lot bigger as soon as you were in combat.   Its difficult to properly atriculate why in a forum post,  but this had a very healthy effect on fights.

I hope they do have speed classes. There clearly is a need for faster movement speed out of combat to allow the maps to be large. We see in GW 2 how cumbersome it is to RvR without a permanent speed buff.

Mounts are fine as an additional source of speed for classes and groups that don't have a speed chant. Plus they could then put epic mobs in difficult to reach parts of the maps that when killed gave you unique mounts and/or sell special mounts in the cash shop.

But having classes with permanent speed chants is the best way to handle it. That way you don't have to wait while everybody summons his mount or stop and wait for somebody to resummon when he inadvertently gets knocked off.

Of course there is the problem that every group will want/need to have this class in it. My thought is give the primary healing class in each realm the best group speed chant. That way it won't require an additional group slot to cover both of these necessary functions.

Originally posted by OgreRaper
I definitely want speed classes. I really have no interest in mounts at all.

This.

No mounts. They break immersion (a horse appears from nowhere and then disappears). Casting the mount every time you need to move is annoying as hell. 

Yes to speed classes.  It's been a while since I've seen a class with perma speed.

Mounts only add more lag in big fights.

I say yes but got to have balance amongst them as well.

Also a small thing, but one thing I'd love is if there's a speed class/buff, please have an apporaite animatin for it so that it looks good/fits, and isn't either simply an "ice skating" look to it or just a simple sped-up normal-run animation that looks wonky. It'd be nice if they had unique animations that look fitting and what you'd expect.

No mounts.

Primary speed for bard/mins type assist classes, secondary speed for certain types of casters. 

For the primary speed classes, give them another burst speed mechanism when they are uber high RR

This at least gives 8-mans a chance to get away from zergs if they get into trouble.

Also, please allow the speed to be cast via flute, drum, or small guitar.

Unless a mount is used for hauling and can be stolen or killed I don't really have much use for them.

How about expanding your poll to actually include the no part.

Personally I do not like speed classes, mounts are fine and I also like when classes have access to short sprint useage.