Mounts were added to Guild Wars 2 with the release of the game's second expansion: Path of Fire. They have allowed players to traverse dangerous terrain without a thought and travel incredible distances!

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However, two mounts stand out as the most beloved, since they can fly: the griffon and the skyscale. Both of them are difficult to acquire but worth the effort in the long run. This guide will describe in detail how to get the first ever flying mount, the griffon, from start to finish. All you need is a little determination!

Prerequisites And How To Start

To get a griffon mount, you must own the Path of Fire expansion.

Unlocking the griffon mount requires you to complete a series of achievements. You'll need to activate the first achievement by completing the Path of Fire expansion story and journeying to the Sunspear Sanctuary. When you get there, interact with the Remains of the Last Spearmarshall. The remains will talk to you and ultimately ask you to help the Sunspears by collecting ancient artifacts. Respond that you'll "see what [you] can do," and you'll unlock the achievements you need to unlock the griffon: the Open Skies collections.

You'll receive the Sunspear's Plea, a special Gizmo item that allows you to teleport back to this location and it a requirement for several of these achievements.

Open Skies: Crystal Oasis

For the Crystal Oasis achievement, you need to collect nine items in total (eight other than the Spearmarshal's plea); we've described in detail how to find them below.

Gundayo, The Rune Of Honesty

To get the very first collectible item in the Crystal Oasis, you need to complete a legendary bounty: the Corrupted Facet. The item will drop once it's been defeated, but only if the Open Skies achievement has been unlocked.

Icon Of The Goddess

The Icon of the Goddess is an item you get from Priest Hakim, the Renown Heart quest-giver for 'Aid the Temple of Kormir.' You can purchase the Icon of the Goddess from him for 25 gold once you've completed the Renown Heart.

Sunspear Tithe

Like the Icon of the Goddess, you need to purchase the Sunspear Tithe for 25 gold. It's sold by Priestess Karima, the Renown Heart quest-giver for 'Give aid to the refugees at Marifa Camp.' She doesn't become a vendor until that Renown Heart is complete.

Warmed Coastal Griffon Egg

The Warmed Coastal Griffon Egg needs to be taken from a griffon's roost. It's found in Elona's Reach, northwest of the Temple of Kormir. You'll need to climb the ramps and use your springer to reach it.

Ridged Coastal Griffon Egg

You can find the Ridged Coastal Griffon Egg quite near to where you found the Warmed one. It's a bit tricky to reach, since it's tucked into an alcove in the rock, but if you can get above it and glide down, you'll be all set.

Browned Coastal Griffon Egg

Again, this Browned Coastal Griffon Egg needs to be taken directly from a roost. It's up on a ledge in the Hatari Tablelands that you'll use your mounts to reach; if you want to make it easy, use the borrowed griffon mount you get when you collect the Warmed Coastal Griffon Egg egg.

Lustrous Coastal Griffon Egg

This is another egg you need to take from a griffon nest. Follow the path up to the Hero Challenge in the Maculate Fringe, then jump behind the Branded Chest and go up, using your Springer to scale the pyramid until you find it.

Dusty Coastal Griffon Egg

This egg is found in a griffon roost on top of a pillar inside the Sanctum of Nabkha. The easiest way to reach it is to borrow the griffon mount from the Warmed Coastal Griffon Egg (which we found above), then fly to the large, circular platform and jump up.

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Open Skies: Desert Highlands

There are another eight lost artifacts to find for the Sunspears in the Desert Highlands. Below are details on how to find each item and complete the achievement.

Zaklem, The Rune Of Loyalty

To get this item, you need to participate in a series of events beginning in Diviner's Reach. You need to participate in all three in order to get the item at the end of the third event, once Champion Hierarch Lili has been killed:

1. Defend Second Spear Nayrim from the Awakened (80)
2. Escort Second Spear Nayrim to potential shelter (80)
3. Defend Second Spear Nayrim against Mordant Crescent and Awakened attacks (80)

Survival Supplies

Survival Supplies are purchased from Tendaji for 25 gold. He becomes a vendor once you complete the Renown Heart in Diviner's Reach: 'Help the Makali community.'

Enormous Supply Of Bird Feed

Head to the Auburn Hills and complete the Renown Heart quest 'Pitch in around Lommuld Kraal.' Once it's done, Groffmok will become a vendor and can sell you the Enormous Supply of Bird Feed for 25 gold.

Warmed Mountain Griffon Egg

The first Griffon Egg isn't very hard to acquire; it's just north of Nimbose Butte in the far west of the Salt Flats. Interact with the griffon's roost there and you'll get your Warmed Mountain Griffon Egg!

Crusty Mountain Griffon Egg

The Crusty Mountain Griffon Egg is found at the Godfall Tower; you can't miss this feature, don't worry. To get the egg, you need to reach the top of one of the pillars.

Rough Mountain Griffon Egg

Again, this isn't a challenging egg to find. The Rough Mountain Griffon Egg is atop an abandoned tower in the Windshear Scarps near a Crystal Desert Mastery Insight. There are some enemies nearby, but you shouldn't have too much trouble with them.

Vibrant Mountain Griffon Egg

The Vibrant Mountain Griffon Egg is at the highest point of a cliff in the Stampede Uplands. You can reach it by using your springer to hop up the cliffs, or by entering a nearby Sand Portal with your jackal.

Damp Mountain Griffon Egg

The Damp Mountain Griffon Egg is in a precarious location, all the way in the far south of Winter's Teeth. To get to it, you need to carefully traverse ledges between these warm and freezing areas, then glide down to the alcove.

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Open Skies: Elon Riverlands

There are eight more artifacts that can be found across the Elon Riverlands. Look below for details about the individual items you need to collect.

Limwe, The Rune Of Justice

Limwe, The Rune Of Justice must be retrieved by defeating Waden Jabari inside the Deadhouse. There's a long event chain that leads to this fight, but it begins with the event 'Help Erran storm the Deadhouse to save his wife, Emara,' located at Palawa's Grace.

Goslah, The Rune Of Honor

Goslah, the Rune of Honor is a reward for completing another Path of Fire achievement: 'Equipment Tracker.' To start 'Equipment Tracker,' find Master Sergeant Shadi in Deadlock Sweep and agree to help her find her lost gear. The gear is scattered across the Elon Riverlands, and you'll get the Rune once you've found it all.

Giwebo, The Rune Of Humility

You need to participate in the event 'Defeat the Champion unbound djinn' in the Shallows of Despair to acquire Giwebo, the Rune of Humility. The event is preceded by another event, called 'Gather memory fragments for the confused spirit,' and completing it causes the djinn to spawn.

Relic Preservation Materials

You need to purchase the Relic Preservation Materials for 25 gold from Follower Xunn in Skyward Reach. However, you'll need to complete the Renown Heart quest 'Help Follower Xunn collect Forgotten Glyphs for decoding' first before Follower Xunn will sell it to you.

Maps To The Outpost

Maps to the Outpost are purchased from Ebele, the Renown Heart NPC for the quest 'Help Ebele prepare the way north for defectors.' Complete that Renown Heart, then buy the Maps from Ebele for 25 gold.

Azure Riparian Griffon Egg

The Azure Riparian Griffon Egg is just below the vista in the Arid Gladefields, southeast of the Waypoint. You shouldn't have any problem reaching it with a springer.

Warmed Riparian Griffon Egg

You'll find the Warmed Riparian Griffon Egg in a nest that you can reach with a couple of well-placed springer jumps. It's almost directly west from the Olishar's Oasis Camp Waypoint.

Rocky Riparian Griffon Egg

The Rocky Riparian Griffon Egg is on the stone column right beside the Hero Point in the south of the Vulture Drifts. You can use a Springer to get up to the top for your egg.

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Open Skies: The Desolation

Getting sick of collecting eight items yet? There are eight more in The Desolation and, of course, more details are below.

Ashhe, The Rune Of Valor

Ashhe, the Rune of Valor, is obtained after you complete an event in the Ruination called 'Patrol the area near the Mouth of Torment with Redeemer Kossan.'

Mottled Canyon Griffon Egg

The Mottled Canyon Griffon Egg can be found in the eastern part of the Ruination, up on a ledge. It's not terribly difficult to reach from The Darklands Waypoint with a springer, but you could also grab a griffon from a roost to make it easier on yourself.

Virzak, The Rune Of Compassion

This rune, unlike most others, is found out in the world. Virzak, the Rune of Compassion, is quite near one of the Mastery Insights in The Darklands, atop a small rocky ledge.

Ancient Sunspear Flags

Ancient Sunspear Flags must be purchased from Dunkoro, a ghost in the Lair of the Forgotten, for 25 gold. He's the NPC for the 'Help Dunkoro assist local ghosts' Renown Heart, so you'll need to finish that before he allows you to purchase items.

Prayer Lights

Prayer lights can be bought for 25 gold from Kisha Odili, who is found in the Bonestrand. You'll need to complete the Renown Heart 'Help Kisha Odili keep the village running' first.

Warmed Canyon Griffon Egg

The Warmed Canyon Griffon Egg is found in a griffon roost almost directly south of The Sourgeway Waypoint. You'll need to do some hopping around in your springer to reach the top; going along the cliffs next to the nearby Mastery Insight and going up towards the egg is a reliable route.

Dark Canyon Griffon Egg

You'll find the Dark Canyon Griffon Egg really close to the last egg. It's atop a circular stone construction; the easiest way to reach it is to take a griffon after finding the previous egg and flying over to this one.

Pale Canyon Griffon Egg

As with the previous egg, the easiest way to reach the Pale Canyon Griffon Egg is to go to a griffon roost and fly up to it, northwest of The Scourgeway Waypoint. It's pretty hard to reach with a springer thanks to the weird placement.

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Open Skies: Domain of Vabbi

You're almost done with these! The last eight items to collect are in the Domain of Vabbi. There are more details below about each relic.

Yasfahr, The Rune Of Sacrifice

To get Yasfahr, the Rune of Sacrifice, you'll need to complete an event called 'Help First Spear Kitur recover his equipment and escape imprisonment.' To prompt the event to start, find First Spear Kitur in his cell in the Vehtendi Academy and talk to him.

Guard Bribe

Buy the Guard Bribe with 25 gold (ironically) from the Distinguished Professor Nazimi at the Vehtendi Academy. You'll need to help him with his Renown Heart first, though, called 'Help the students of Vehtendi Academy.'

Stone-Carving Tools

The Stone-Carving Tools are bought from a Renown Heart NPC, Awakened Servant Tooraj, after completing 'Aid the Awakened in the Vehjin Mines.' It costs 25 gold.

Warmed Vabbian Griffon Egg

To get the Warmed Vabbian Griffon Egg, use your springer to hop up the columns of rock onto the high pillar where there's a griffon roost. The easiest way to get nearby is to use the Spearmarshal's Plea to teleport to Yahnur Plateau and go from there.

Cracked Vabbian Griffon Egg

The Cracked Vabbian Griffon Egg is on a high perch with a nest on it, north of where you found the previous egg. You can reach it with a springer by climbing along the eastern wall, or you could take a griffon from where you got the Warmed Vabbian Griffon Egg.

Ruddy Vabbian Griffon Egg

The Ruddy Vabbian Griffon Egg is in a spot with a great view, in the Resplendent Trace. The easiest way to reach it is to teleport to the Sunspear Sanctuary with the Spearmarshal's Plea, then go south to the griffon roost and fly to where the egg is found.

Charged Vabbian Griffon Egg

This Charged Vabbian Griffon Egg is found above the water near the Yahnur Plateau. Use the same method as the last egg to reach it: go to the Sunspear Sanctuary, grab a griffon, then fly over.

Polished Vabbian Griffon Egg

Your Polished Vabbian Griffon Egg is above the Hanging Gardens Vista in the Zagonur Cliffs. There's a griffon roost nearby that you can use if you want, but this one is totally reachable with your springer.

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Open Skies: Sunspear Wisdom

Once you've collected all the items from all of the Path of Fire maps, teleport back to the Sunspear Sanctuary and the Remains of the Last Spearmarshal with the Spearmarshal's Plea. There are places here where you need to put down all the eggs and runes, so go around and interact with them all. You'll complete the overarching achievement, acquire the Divine Passage, and receive the Sunspear Wisdom collection achievement.

Go from there to the Tomb of the Primeval Kings in the Desert Highlands. There, you'll find a tear in reality and can interact with it to return to Kormir's library.

Kormir's library contains ten Writings of the Last Spearmarshal, and each one is inside a Cache of Sunspear Wisdom. You need to collect all these writings, but the Caches are locked. The keys are held by enemies inside the library; you can figure out which enemies will give you a key because they will have the 'Key Hoarder' effect on them. Once you have keys, refer to the maps of the library to find all the Caches.

If you need to leave the instance or log off, your progress is saved.

Open Skies: On Wings And A Prayer

After acquiring all the Writings of the Last Spearmarshal, return to the Sunspear Sanctuary once more. Approach the statue of Kormir and interact with the plinths in front of it. It will ask you if you are prepared to continue and, when you agree, you will be transported into the Spearmarshal's Lament instance.

This is a boss fight that must be completed alone. It's a challenge, to be sure, but completely doable. Keep an eye out for when the champion receives the 'Tar Shield' effect and becomes temporarily invincible, as you'll need to mount a griffon and use its ability to destroy the shields.

Afterwards, the Last Spearmarshal will thank you for your help and reward you with a griffon of your very own!

NEXT: Guild Wars 2: How To Earn The Skyscale Mount