Palworld Best Mounts and Flying Pals — Ground, Aquatic, and Sky Travel Tier List
Best Mounts by Category — Quick Reference
| Mount | Type | Speed | Best At |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direhowl | Ground | Fast | Early game speed |
| Eikthyrdeer | Ground | Fast | Mid-game stagger jumping |
| Anubis | Ground combat | Medium | Boss combat + mount hybrid |
| Rushoar | Ground starter | Slow | Day 1 starter mount |
| Vanwyrm | Flying | Fast | Early flying access |
| Beakon | Flying combat | Fast | Electric attacks while flying |
| Frostallion | Flying endgame | Very Fast | Ice element + flight |
| Jetragon | Flying ultimate | Fastest in game | Endgame Lv50+ legendary |
| Suzaku | Flying + Swimming | Fast | Aquatic + aerial hybrid |
| Penking | Swimming | Fast in water | Best swim mount |
Ground Mounts — Direhowl, Eikthyrdeer, Anubis
Direhowl: unlocks at the Pal Tower from the boss fight (or wild Direhowls in mid-game zones). Catch with high-tier Pal Spheres. The Direhowl saddle requires Level 14. Direhowl is the early-game speed king for ground travel — significantly faster than walking. Use it for the post-Day-1 to pre-mid-game gap before unlocking flying mounts.
Eikthyrdeer: unlocks at Level 22. The Eikthyrdeer saddle gives it a ground mount with stagger-jumping ability (it can leap over small obstacles, climb steep slopes). Eikthyrdeer also has 'jumping' attacks while ridden — useful for breaking weak rock walls in resource gathering.
Anubis: a desert biome boss. Anubis is one of the strongest combat Pals you can mount. The mount saddle unlocks at Level 35. Anubis attacks while ridden — sword swings and area-of-effect ground-pounds. Use Anubis as a 'combat horse' for exploring dangerous zones while mounted.
Why ground mounts matter even with flying: in zones with no fly-time or where you want to combat-engage, ground mounts give you melee combat + speed. They're also energy-efficient (less hunger drain than flying).
Flying Mounts — Vanwyrm to Jetragon Progression
Vanwyrm: unlocks at Level 23 (the first practical flying mount). Catch wild Vanwyrm or unlock via Pal Tower. The saddle is reasonably accessible. Vanwyrm flies fast for an early-game flier, can attack monsters with its claws, and is the standard 'I just hit Level 23' mount upgrade.
Beakon: unlocks via Pal Tower (Beakon boss). Electric-type Pal that attacks during flight. Better than Vanwyrm at combat but slightly slower in pure speed.
Frostallion: from the Frostallion boss (Pal Tower). Ice-type Pal with elemental advantage and good flight speed. Unlocks at Level 30+. Frostallion can blow icy gusts during flight that damage enemies in your path.
Jetragon: the ultimate endgame mount. Captured from the Jetragon boss (Pal Tower, Level 50). Jetragon is the fastest mount in the game — at full sprint, it covers map distances 2x faster than any other flyer. It also has a fire breath attack from the air. Required for efficient endgame Mount Pal traversal of the full map.
Swimming Mounts — When You Need Water Access
Penking: unlocked at the early-game Pal Tower. Swimming mount with good water combat. Best for early-to-mid game when you need to cross rivers or explore coastal areas. Pengullet (smaller variant) is also a viable swim mount.
Suzaku: late-game hybrid that can both swim and fly. Unlocks at Level 35+ via boss capture. Suzaku is the best 'I want both' option — covers water and air without needing two different mounts. The Suzaku saddle is the most versatile mid-to-late game mount setup.
When you need swimming: certain islands and coastal Pal spawns are gated behind water crossings. A swim mount lets you reach them efficiently. Combine with flying mounts for full map coverage.
Flying Mount Speed Comparison
| Mount | Top Speed (relative) | Stamina Drain | Combat Ability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanwyrm | 80% | Medium | Light claws |
| Beakon | 75% | Medium | Electric attacks |
| Frostallion | 90% | Medium-Low | Ice gust |
| Jetragon | 100% (max) | Medium | Fire breath |
| Suzaku | 85% | Low | Fire + flight + swim |
| Quivern | 70% | High | Powerful attacks but slow |
Verdict: Jetragon is the unambiguous speed king. Frostallion and Suzaku are best mid-game alternatives if you don't have Jetragon. Vanwyrm/Beakon are early-game starter fliers. Skip Quivern unless you have specific elemental matchup needs.
Mount Saddle Recipes and Unlocking
Each mount saddle requires a specific Level to craft (from the Technology Tree). Once you have the saddle, you craft it at the Workbench using leather + Pal Metal + other materials.
Saddle recipe progression: Rushoar (Lv8) → Direhowl (Lv14) → Vanwyrm (Lv23) → Eikthyrdeer (Lv22) → Beakon (Lv27) → Frostallion (Lv30) → Anubis (Lv35) → Suzaku (Lv35) → Jetragon (Lv50). Plan your tech tree to unlock these in order.
Crafting Pal Metal Ingots requires a Smelter (Lv7 Tech) and Pal Metal Ore (rare, found at higher altitudes). Stockpile 10-20 Pal Metal Ingots for saddle crafting needs across your progression.
Mount Tips and Tricks
- Always feed your mount before long trips — hunger drain on long flights cancels the mount.
- Press space to descend faster on flying mounts.
- Flying through caves can be hard — use ground mounts in indoor sections.
- Save your Jetragon for cross-map travel; use Vanwyrm for short hops to save fuel/stamina.
- Anubis is the only Pal that can mount + active-attack with you — use it as 'combat horse' in dangerous biomes.
- Penking is a great early-game catch — easy to catch and useful for water exploration.
- Frostallion's Ice element makes it great in fire-zone biomes (counters fire attacks while flying).
- Jetragon's saddle requires Mooncast bones (rare mob drop from Lv50+ enemies). Stockpile early.
- Suzaku covers most of the same ground as separate Jetragon + Penking — great consolidation pick.
- Mount stats matter — IV (passive skills like Run Speed +) on your captured mount affect performance.
Mount Progression by Level Tier
| Slot | Recommended pick | Why / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lv 1-15 (Early) | Rushoar → Direhowl | Basic ground speed for early exploration. Rushoar from Day 1; Direhowl by Lv14. |
| Lv 15-30 (Mid) | Vanwyrm (flying) + Eikthyrdeer (ground) + Penking (swim) | First flier + ground mount + water access. Three Pals for three biomes. |
| Lv 30-45 (Mid-Late) | Frostallion (flying) + Anubis (combat ground) + Suzaku (swim+fly) | Upgrades to faster fliers + combat-capable ground mount + hybrid water-air. |
| Lv 50+ (Endgame) | Jetragon (flying ultimate) + Anubis (ground) + Suzaku (swim+fly backup) | Jetragon dominates traversal. Anubis for combat zones. Suzaku as fallback. |
Frequently asked questions
What's the best first flying mount?
Vanwyrm (unlocks at Level 23) — first practical flier. Catch a wild Vanwyrm in the mid-game zones; the saddle recipe unlocks via tech tree. Vanwyrm is fast enough for most exploration and combat-capable. Upgrade to Frostallion/Beakon around Level 30; final upgrade to Jetragon at Level 50.
How do I unlock Jetragon?
Jetragon is the Lv50 Pal Tower boss. To defeat: assemble a strong party (Lv45+ Pals), prepare healing items, and approach the Jetragon Tower at coordinates 0,-700 (eastern map area). The fight is challenging — Jetragon flies and uses fire breath. After defeat, capture with a high-tier Pal Sphere. Jetragon then becomes available as your mount.
Is Jetragon faster than Frostallion?
Yes — Jetragon is the fastest mount in the game by a meaningful margin. Frostallion (90% of Jetragon's speed) is the second-fastest. The speed difference matters most for cross-map traversal; in short hops, both are functionally similar.
Can I attack while mounted?
Some mounts allow ride-attacks: Anubis (sword swings), Beakon (electric attacks), Jetragon (fire breath), Frostallion (ice gusts). Most other mounts don't support active combat — you must dismount to fight. Anubis is unique in being a true 'combat horse' that fights while ridden.
What about Quivern as a mount?
Quivern (the Tier 1 boss) can be mounted but is significantly slower than other endgame fliers. Quivern has powerful attacks but high stamina drain. Skip it for travel-focused builds; useful only for niche elemental matchups.
Do mount IVs/passives matter?
Yes — passive skills like Run Speed +, Wing Speed +, Stamina + dramatically affect mount performance. Capture multiple of each mount Pal and check their IVs. Breeding can also stack passives via Frostallion x Vanwyrm pairings (the children inherit best stats from both parents). For Jetragon specifically, IV optimization is the difference between 'fastest in game' and 'much faster than the rest'.
Where can I find Direhowl?
Wild Direhowls spawn in the mid-game grasslands east of the starting area. Use the Map to locate them. The Direhowl is also the Tower 4 boss — defeat the tower fight to unlock it as a mount. The saddle is craftable at Level 14.
Is the Eikthyrdeer worth catching?
Yes — Eikthyrdeer is excellent at navigating uneven terrain (it can jump-leap over small obstacles). Combined with its solid speed, it's the best ground mount for forest/hill biomes. Capture early and ride it through mid-game. Skip if you have a Jetragon and only need flying.
Sources & verification
Continue this guide path
- ›How to Get Jetragon in Palworld — Location, Weaknesses & Catch TipsJetragon is Palworld's fastest flying mount and one of the rarest Pals in the game. This guide covers exactly where Jetragon spawns, what level you should be before attempting the fight, Jetragon's attack patterns and weaknesses, and the most effective capture strategies.
- ›Best Combat Pals in Palworld — Top Picks for Fighting & RaidsSome Pals are built for destruction. From the early-game Relaxaurus to the late-game Jetragon and Frostallion, this guide ranks the best combat Pals and explains how to maximize their damage with passive skills.
- ›Palworld Technology Tree Guide — Best Unlocks & Research PriorityThe Technology Tree determines what you can build and craft at every stage of Palworld. Knowing which unlocks to prioritize saves time and accelerates your progression from early survival to late-game automation.
- ›Palworld Endgame Pal Team Builds — Meta 5-Pal Loadouts for Towers & RaidsBy the time you reach the Sakurajima endgame, your party of 5 Pals should be optimized around boss tower DPS, mob clearing, mount mobility, and tank survival. This guide presents three meta team builds — pure DPS, balanced, and speedrun — with role assignments per slot.
- ›Palworld Beginner's Guide — Everything You Need to Know to StartPalworld drops you on a wild island with nothing but a Pal Sphere and your wits. This beginner's guide covers your first hours: surviving, catching Pals, building a base, and managing food.