{{Path of Fire content}}
{{otheruses|the mount|the creature type|Griffon}}
[[File:Griffon (art).png|right|330px]]
{{quotation|In-game description|Glorious and noble beasts, the art of taming griffons for flight has only been recently recovered.}}
The [[Griffon (mount)|Griffon]] is a hidden [[mount]] found in the [[Crystal Desert]] in [[Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire|Path of Fire]] that can be unlocked after completing the [[Path of Fire story]]line.

The griffon's special movement ability is flight. While it cannot gain altitude above its starting point, apart from a substantial hop at the start, it can flap its wings periodically to regain some of the altitude lost in gliding, allowing near-level flight. By hopping on to structures or elevated terrain, it can quickly gain height. This makes it in many respects a more effective version of the [[glider]] introduced in [[Heart of Thorns]].

== Unlocking ==
After completing the Path of Fire storyline, players will begin to find strange items such as [[Strange Pellet of Bones and Fur]], [[Strange Droppings]] and [[Strange Feather]], which direct them to [[Beastmaster Ghazal]] in the [[The Menagerie]] within [[Garden of Seborhin]], in the northern [[Domain of Vabbi]]. He'll point players to his assistant, [[Seeker Kandake]], at [[Spearmarshal's Lament]] on [[Yahnur Plateau]] in the southeastern part of the [[Domain of Vabbi]].

To get there, players must brave the [[Fury of the Brand]] that calls down lightning on everyone who is grounded and not under cover. One way to reach Yahnur Plateau is to move south from [[Vehtendi Academy Waypoint]] and then follow the path east through the Brandstorm. Use the [[skimmer]] to avoid taking damage from the lightning in the area. Once the river is crossed, use a [[springer]] to ascend to the plateau (having the [[High Vault]] mastery is recommended). Alternately, [[:Media:Path to Seeker Kandake.jpg|follow the path]] just north of [[Vehtendi Vineyard]] towards the east, then up onto the land that projects out into the river; there is a [[jackal]] portal here that will take you directly to the camp (there will be two [[chest]]s along the way as well).
After talking to Kandake, continue jumping up with the springer towards the vista shielded by another [[djinn]]. From there, the [[Sunspear Sanctuary]] is visible to the east. If the Path of Fire story is completed, this area can be reached without further lightning strikes.

Interacting with the [[Remains of the Last Spearmarshal]] in the ruins of the sanctuary and answering "I'll see what I can do." unlocks the "Open Skies" collections which, if completed, unlock the griffon mount. You will also be given a [[Spearmarshal's Plea]], which will teleport you back to the Last Spearmarshal in the [[Spearmarshal's Lament]], and you will be able to borrow a griffon for as long as you stay mounted, each time you go back. Each collection consists of collecting runestones from events, finding and collecting griffon eggs scattered across the map, and buying items from Heart Merchants. There are 10 items in total that must be purchased. Each item costs {{coin|250000}}, for a total of {{coin|2500000}} to unlock the mount.

If the Griffon Sanctuary is accessed prior to completing the story, e.g. by using a [[Teleport to Friend]], nothing there can be interacted with. Players who arrive there after completing the story can interact with the Remains of the Last Spearmarshal to unlock the "Open Skies" collections, whether or not they have followed the "strange items" that lead them there.

=== Unlock achievements ===
{{achievement|name=Open Skies: Crystal Oasis}}
{{achievement|name=Open Skies: Desert Highlands}}
{{achievement|name=Open Skies: Elon Riverlands}}
{{achievement|name=Open Skies: The Desolation}}
{{achievement|name=Open Skies: Domain of Vabbi}}
{{achievement|name=Open Skies: Sunspear Sanctuary}}
{{achievement|name=Open Skies: Sunspear Wisdom}}
{{achievement|name=Open Skies: On Wings and a Prayer}}

== Related masteries ==
{{mastery table|Griffon Mount}}

== Skills ==
{| {{STDT|pve}}
{{Environmental skill table header}}
{{Environmental skill table row|Griffon (skill)}}
{{Environmental skill table row|Swoop (griffon)|chain=y}}
{{Environmental skill table row|Dismount|chain=y}}
|}

== Movement/Controls ==
[[File:Griffon in flight.png|thumb|A Griffon in flight, ridden by a player character.]]
After learning the three masteries, general movement is controlled by the following default controls:
:'''Directional movement (horizontal)''' - {{key|Mouse}}
:'''Dive''' - {{key|V}}
:'''Flap''' - {{key|Spacebar}}
:'''Rise''' - {{key|C}}

Once the griffon is fully unlocked, the player will have additional control options available as [[keybind]]s. In your [[Options#Control Options|Control Options]] menu, under '''Mounts''', you will find '''Mount Ability 1''' and '''Mount Ability 2'''. For the griffon, these keybinds translate to '''Dive''' and '''Rise''' respectively. By default, your character can Dive using the {{key|V}}, and Rise using {{key|C}}. If the "Disable Conditional Mount Movement Ability Input" option is selected (under General Options), the '''Move Backward''' keybind (default {{key|S}}) may also be used to '''Rise''', overriding in certain situations its usual functionality to slow the griffon down.

;Diving
Diving downwards does not consume your endurance bar and generates a small bit of speed. Flapping while diving will give you a significant speed boost and consume your endurance. You can dive manually when your endurance is at 66% and automatically at 100%, similarly to flapping. Simply let go of your Mount Ability 1 key to stop diving and level off. A longer dive results in more speed. Flapping just once during a dive instantly puts you at the maximum speed.<br />
Pressing and holding '''Flap''' {{key|spacebar}} shortly after pressing and holding '''Dive''' {{key|V}} (when initial dive animation is still in progress) will shorten endurance regeneration further to about 1 second.

;Rising
Rising may only be accomplished after successfully diving. Simply hit your '''Mount Ability 2''' key to rise. Instead of endurance, Rising takes your momentum and speed in exchange for height. You will regain roughly the same amount of height as you dived if you Rise fully. You can usually only hit this once or twice before you've lost too much momentum to continue rising.

;Tips to sustain speed and height
* You can flap while diving or while gliding at 66%. Holding down the spacebar will flap at 100% intervals.
* While participating in adventures, flying through a circle replenishes your endurance bar fully.
* Quickly pressing Dive>Flap>Rise will generate a small burst of speed without generating height, allowing you to fly quickly, though not as fast as a full dive.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Griffon Concept Art 1.jpg|Concept art
File:Griffon Concept Art 2.jpg|Concept art
File:Griffon 1.jpg|Idle animation
</gallery>

== Notes ==
[[File:Griffon (riderless).jpg|thumb|Riderless Griffon mount.]]
* While idle, the griffon will perform several animations:
** The griffon and its rider will look either left or right for a few seconds.
** The griffon will stretch out in a very feline manner, first stretching its fore- and hindlegs, before arching its back up high, lifting the rider while they also stretch.
** The griffon will turn to preen some of the feathers on its right wing.
* Applying a dye on the griffon will change the color of its feathers, primarily those along its wings, along with its ears, back, top of its neck, tips of the feathers on its forelegs, and tail.
* The griffon's endurance regenerates in approximately 4 seconds; however, it regenerates faster if it is diving or grounded and is further shortened to about 1 second when performing ''dodge jump'' dive.
* A fully-upgraded griffon is the fastest mount available in the game, able to cover significant ground in flight following a boosted dive.
* Once the collection has been unlocked, players can get a temporary griffon from one of 5 [[Griffon Roost]]s.
* You can hold spacebar to continually command the griffon to flap its wings to stay into the air, which it will do each time your endurance is full. However, you can manually command the griffon to flap as soon as your endurance bar is filled at 3/4, which will not reduce the altitude gained compared to a full-endurance flap.
* Unlike [[Gliding|Glider]], griffon cannot use [[Updraft Use|updrafts]] to gain altitude.
* The third Mastery introduces the ability to use wing flap while rising after a dive. The height gained from this varies depending on how fast you are currently going.
* The griffon's theme is known as "Legendary Ascent" in the Path of Fire [[soundtrack]].

== Trivia ==
* There is a [[Mini Griffon Mount|miniature]] of this mount.
* Unlike griffons in [[Tyria|Central Tyria]], the griffon mount possesses more avian features, including avian-style hindfeet and feathers along the base of its tail, along with a much thicker tail in general. Additionally, it is the only species of griffon to have predominately webbed wings, along with two digits on each wing.
* Lore-wise, the mountable griffons in [[Elona]] are counted as universally rare, thus leaving the average Elonian without access to it. Even the wealthiest Elonian noble would find it nigh impossible to obtain a griffon by simply purchasing one. However, it is also possible that the more common and accessible [[Griffon|griffons]] have the potential to become mounts through training.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/74qjlh/path_of_fire_devs_here_ask_us_anything/do0frix/?context=3 Comment by Scott McGough], Reddit.com</ref>
* Unlike the other four mounts released with Path of Fire, the griffon's existence was not confirmed by ArenaNet until after the release of the expansion. As such, information about it was only made available once players found it in game. Some official material from before the launch of Path of Fire has retroactively had information about the griffon added.
* The walking animation of the Griffon uses a pacing gait which is uncommon in nature.

== See also ==
*[[Gallery of Griffon skins]]

== External links ==
* [https://youtu.be/Eyb70zfQLww Guild Chat Episode 55 - The Griffon]

== References ==
<references />

{{mounts nav}}

[[Category:Mounts]]
[[de:Greif (Reittier)]]