With the launch of the Echoes of Doom patch (3.0.2), certain items in World of Warcraft now bind to an account (account-bound) rather than to an individual character (soulbound). These account-bound items can be transferred between characters as long as they are on the same realm, in the same faction, and on the same account. This FAQ will address some of the more common questions asked about this new form of item binding.
Q: Which items are currently bind-to-account?
A: The following items are currently account-bound:
Blue Murloc Egg
Murloc Costume
Tyrael’s Hilt
Big Blizzard Bear
Netherwhelp’s Collar
Diablo Stone
Zergling Leash
Panda Collar
Q: How do I transfer an account-bound item to another character?
A: You can use the in-game mail system to send account-bound items to eligible characters. Look for mailboxes outside of inns, banks, and other locations throughout the game.
Q: Can I mail account-bound items to characters on different factions? What about characters on different realms?
A: No. Currently, account-bound items can only be mailed between characters on the same realm, in the same faction, and on the same account.
Q: Can I destroy account-bound pets or mounts after all the characters I play have learned them?
A: Yes, but if you do so, new characters you create on that account later will not be able to learn to summon the pet or mount. The exception to this is items that teach you to summon Collector’s Edition pets (as of The Burning Crusade, these include the Netherwhelp’s Collar, Diablo Stone, Zergling Leash, and Panda Collar), which are automatically mailed to each new character you create.
Q: Are pets and mounts obtained from World of Warcraft Trading Card Game Loot cards bind-to-account?
A: None of these items are currently bind-to-account.
Q: If I transfer a character holding an account-bound item to a new realm, will I be able to distribute the item to characters on the new realm?
A: Yes. However, please keep in mind that all of the normal transfer and bind-to-account item restrictions apply. For more information, please review our Paid Character Transfer FAQ here:
http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?articleId=20558 . Also note that account-bound items will move with a character that is transferred to a different account; all normal rules and restrictions regarding cross-account transfers apply.
Q: Will other items be made bind-to-account?
A: Yes, we plan to add more bind-to-account items in the future, including the Wrath of the Lich King Collector’s Edition pet and the heirloom items being introduced in Wrath of the Lich King.
Q: I have a Blue Murloc Egg (Murky pet) on an Alliance character on a PvE realm. Can I transfer the character to a PvP realm where I have Horde characters to teach characters there to summon Murky?
A: This is not currently possible. Account-bound items cannot be transferred between factions, and Alliance characters cannot be transferred to a PvP realm where you already play a Horde character.
Q: OK, so I can’t get Murky to Horde characters on that PvP realm. Can I transfer an Alliance character on a PvE realm to a PvP realm on which I play other Alliance characters?
A: Yes. As always, all normal transfer restrictions apply, but as long as you meet the eligibility requirements to transfer the character and mail the account-bound item, you should be good to go.
Q: Does this mean it’s now possible to get all three original World of Warcraft Collector’s Edition pets (Mini Diablo, Zergling, and Panda) on every character I play?
A: Yes! If you don’t already have one of each pet on existing characters you play, you could create three new characters, complete the Collector’s Edition pet quest on each one, and select a different Collector’s Edition pet for each new character. You could then mail those pets to every character on the same realm, in the same faction, and on the same account so they can learn to summon all three.
Q: I plan to create a death knight in Wrath of the Lich King, and I want to give the character one of the account-bound pets or mounts from a Blizzard Entertainment event. Will this be possible?
A: Yes. As long as the new death knight is on the same realm, faction, and account as the character that holds the account-bound item you wish to transfer, you should be able to mail the item to the death knight you create in Wrath of the Lich King.
Q: Why are Collector’s Edition pets bind-to-account when I can just make a new character and get them that way?
A: Now that Collector’s Edition pets are account-bound, players can restore pets to characters on an eligible account that may have lost the pets previously. It’s also now possible for one character to be able to summon all three Collector’s Edition pets.
Q: Is the Zhevra mount from the Recruit-A-Friend promotion bind-to-account?
A: The Recruit-A-Friend promotional mounts are not currently bind-to-account.
