The Armored War-Bred Tauralus is a formidable, battle-hardened beast whose reinforced armour and ruthless nature embody the unyielding military might of Maldraxxus. Its imposing frame, bone-plated hide, and the cold, disciplined gaze it carries make it a favourite among collectors who appreciate mounts with a grim, militaristic aesthetic. The flavour text speaks to its brutal conditioning: "The tauralus that serve the armies of Maldraxxus have had all traits of compassion bred out of them, and are only adorned in armor when they show that no sword or spell can stop them from carrying their rider to victory." For collectors who value prestige and the satisfaction of completing a Covenant campaign, this mount is a true trophy — a symbol of your role in the final assault on Kel'Thuzad and the liberation of the House of Rituals.
Introduced in patch 9.0.1 as part of the Shadowlands expansion, the Armored War-Bred Tauralus is the ultimate reward for Necrolord Covenant members who have followed their campaign to its epic conclusion. Unlike many mounts that require endless grinding or rare drops, this one is a guaranteed quest reward — the final prize for completing the Necrolord storyline. The journey is linear and narrative-driven, taking you through nine chapters of Covenant content before culminating in a solo scenario where you face Kel'Thuzad himself. For players who enjoy story-driven progression with a clear, cinematic payoff, the Armored War-Bred Tauralus offers one of the most satisfying and memorable mount acquisitions in the Shadowlands.
The Armored War-Bred Tauralus is granted as a guaranteed reward for completing the quest The Third Fall of Kel'Thuzad, the final episode of the Necrolord Covenant campaign. This quest concludes the chapter "Assault on the House of Rituals" and becomes available only after reaching Renown 22 with the Necrolords.
At first, the mount could only be summoned by a Necrolord character. However, after the release of Dragonflight and the introduction of the Warband system, access was unlocked account-wide upon reaching Renown 80 with the Necrolords.
If you are not already a member of the Necrolord Covenant, you must first join them. This becomes available after you complete the main Shadowlands campaign and finish the quest Choosing Your Purpose in Oribos, where you pledge your allegiance to a covenant. The Necrolord Covenant is essential for this mount, as it is exclusively available to its members.
You must complete the quest Welcome To Our House and the basic tasks that unlock the sanctum Seat of the Primus.
The path to the mount is strictly linear: you must belong to the Necrolord covenant, raise your Renown to level 22, and reach the finale of the story campaign. You cannot skip steps or buy the mount from a vendor.
| Chapter | Storylines | Renown |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loyalty to the Primus | 0 |
| 2 | Torghast | 0 |
| 3 | The House of Eyes | 5 |
| 4 | Hijacking the Necropolis | 8 |
| 5 | Never Forget | 11 |
| 6 | The Golden Dawn | 13 |
| 7 | Penance for Sins | 17 |
| 8 | The House of Rituals | 20 |
| 9 | Assault on the House of Rituals | 22 |
The final chapter, Assault on the House of Rituals, is a story arc of three quests, all given by Baroness Draka in the Seat of the Primus. The climax is set in a solo scenario where, shoulder to shoulder with the covenant leaders, you storm the lich's lair.
The three quests are:
The scenario is fully solo-completable on any class and specialization. Once you complete the final quest, the Armored War-Bred Tauralus is yours.
If you find yourself short on Renown while progressing through the campaign, here are the most efficient ways to earn it:
If you've reached maximum (80) Renown with any covenant on any character on your account, you can purchase a Broker Mark of Distinction to quickly boost your current covenant's Renown.
Important: You can check if you've reached 80 Renown before by searching for the Renowned achievement in your achievements tab. If you have this achievement, you can use the Broker Mark of Distinction on any character to skip the early Renown grind.
Since the Armored War-Bred Tauralus is earned by completing the Necrolord campaign on a single character, the most useful addons are those that help you track your Renown progress, navigate quest objectives, and stay on top of your Covenant activities.
Pro tip: Use TomTom to set a waypoint to Baroness Draka before each chapter, and keep an eye on your Renown bar via the default UI or a Covenant tracker addon. Since you only need one character to complete the campaign, focus on efficiency rather than managing multiple alts.
