Holy strider The nomadic tauren gave the world the first holy strider . Constantly on the move , the tauren had to have reliable scout s able to go far ahead and return swiftly . If they ran into trouble , they had to take care of themselves , either talking their way out of things , fighting their way out , or simply running and hiding . The holy strider tapped into the world ' s readily available energy and began harnessing that magic to aid their travels . Now , although the tauren have their own well - fortified homeland and capital , the holy striders still find themselves in high demand as messengers , diplomats , spies and explorers . Lanky and tall , nearly all holy striders carry minimal equipment , relying on nature , their own resourcefulness , and the kindness of strangers to aid them . Along with shamanistic traditions , the tauren brought the secrets of the holy strider to the Horde , and its followers have spread . Once dominated by the tauren , the holy striders are now represented by troll s and , to a lesser extent , orc s and a handful of Forsaken . Now that they have been trained in diplomatic endeavors , the holy strider has become a vital resource to any court in the Horde . It is quite useful to get a message - as well as a persuasive messenger - to its destination quickly . If the message is not well received , the holy strider has ways to remove himself from the situation quickly . Sometimes called spies , the holy striders claim that they are only gathering information for their employers . Holy striders are well - respected among the Horde . Although they are not spellcasters , their mastery of the environment is said to be inspired by nothing less than the divine . Thrall himself employs four : two orcs , one troll , and one tauren . Rumor has it that he is looking for a neutral holy strider to make Horde negotiations with other races go more smoothly , but there are no holy striders outside the Horde at present . Cairne Bloodhoof employs only tauren , out of respect for the long heritage of the holy strider . Although his demeanor does not suggest a covert mind , Cairne does not disclose how many holy striders he employs , only that they are all tauren . The orcs have followed the tauren lead and record the farthest each holy strider has traveled . The Horde has created its own maps of Kalimdor based on its holy striders ' reports , and it rewards them well . It is not difficult for a holy strider to receive work , whether it be from a noble lord or a goblin merchant . She has only to bear a letter confirming her longest run , and most employers will be satisfied . Holy striders commonly work alone , as few can keep up with them , but they serve as exemplary party leaders with their natural charm and diplomatic skills . Their genial manners allow them to talk a party out of tense situations , and they are certainly useful for checking out a dangerous area quickly . There is no centralized training center on Kalimdor for holy striders , but most major cities have apprenticeship programs . Often a holy strider who has been injured or is past her prime will train some new recruits . Apprentices approach the mentors with great honor and reverence , as they hope to someday be as great as those who have seen the different corners of the world . The kind of person who takes up the mantle of the holy strider has a never - ceasing curiosity - someone who will never be satisfied with stopping before the next hill . She must always see what comes next . Her eclectic skills turn her into a well - rounded character . The holy strider can cover vast distances by meditating while running . Her meditation moves her mind into the ground beneath her feet , where she coaxes it to fold upon itself while she is running . This effect only works for the holy strider herself ; no party members can benefit from these abilities . The meditation cannot be used during combat . After settling into a comfortable , meditative run ( 1 - 1 / 2 times her walk speed ) , the holy strider can begin manipulating the terrain under her . This causes her to run at twice her maximum run speed while still managing to keep the easy run . She can keep this up for a number of hours before she becomes fatigued and must stop the creasing run . To the observer , she seems to move in unnaturally long strides or jumps . The holy strider cannot attack and maintain the run . While creasing the mountain , the holy strider can run at her normal run speed up or down any grade of 90 degrees or less as if it were 45 degrees . If she fails , her meditation ends and she must make a Climb check to find something to grab onto , else she falls . Once she has mastered solid land , the holy strider can reach beneath the waters of the seas and crease them , creating a solid foothold . After achieving the necessary meditative state , she run across water , though she moves only at her normal run speed . If she stops her meditation , she falls into the body of water . If she takes damage while creasing the sea , she must make a Concentration check or her meditation ends and she falls into the water . When the holy strider wishes to enter a room with flair , she can easily get the attention of anyone she likes with the force of her personal charm . She is a powerful negotiator and no one can rival her persuasive skills . The holy strider ' s job is part scout , part diplomat , part spy . Her job is to reach her destination as quickly as possible and then meet with — or spy on — her target . She is highly trained , but sometimes things don ' t go as well as hoped . In these cases , the holy strider must rely on her skills to get out of the situation as quickly , efficiently and safely as possible . A holy strider can use shadow meld as a spell - like ability .