During the run-up to Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire’s launch, players were teased about the four mounts being added to the game. But secretly, ArenaNet hid a fifth mount - the Griffon - in the deserts of Elona. Read on to find out how to get it, and what it’s all about. Beware, non-story spoilers ahead!
Unbeknownst to most GW2 fans, ArenaNet packed in a secret Griffon mount with the Path of Fire expansion, including a pretty spiffy way to obtain said ride. Of course, the Internet being the Internet, this sort of thing quickly became shared far and wide. We thought we’d condense the basics down for you here, and share just how you can unlock Path of Fire’s fifth and secret mount.
There’s a ton of loot in Path of Fire, and as you play through the massive new zones (they’re seriously huge), you’ll start to find out of place items like: Strange Pellet of Bones and Fur, Strange Droppings, Strange Feather. These are your first hints that there’s something secret hidden among the hills of Elona.
Now, before you go further it’s worth noting that it’s going to be very difficult (potentially impossible) to obtain the Griffon without the Skimmer mount and the Springer. In fact, you CANNOT INTERACT with the item needed to start the Griffon collection until you’ve beaten the Path of Fire story.
The found items above will direct you to Beastmaster Ghazal in the Garden of Seborhin, to the northeast side of the Domain of Vabbi. Once you talk to him, he’ll direct you to Seeker Kandake, who resides at Spearmashal’s Lament on Yahnur Plateau (the southeastern part of Domain of Vabbi).
To get there, you’ll need that Skimmer mount. The area you have to traverse is riddled with tons of lightning. You’ll make your way south from the Vehtendi Academy Waypoint, and cross a river beyond the Brandstorm. The Springer will help you reach the high plateau. Then, talk to Kandake. Continue jumping up with the Springer towards the Vista that’s guarded by a Djinn. Once up high enough, you can see the ruins of the Griffon Sanctuary to the east.
See the above video for a visual on the Griffon.
Now, since you’ve completed the Path of Fire story, the lightning strikes will subside, and you can rest easy. Once there, you’ll interact with the Remains of the Last Spearmarshal. This unlocks the Open Skies collection. Each collection involves runestones from the events, collecting griffon eggs from across the map, and buying items from Heart Merchants. There are 10 items total that must be purchased, and each one costs 25 gold, so start saving.
It’s worth noting that when you interact with the Remains of the Last Spearmarshal, there’s an option to click “How can I keep track of it all?” - This will add any treasures you’ve collection without having the collection achievement started to the collection for you.
Once you’ve done all of these collections? Congratulations, you’ve effectively unlocked Guild Wars 2’s “Legendary” hidden mount. The griffon can practically fly all over Tyria once you’ve leveled up its mastery, making it the game’s only airborne mode of travel.
