Anointed Protostag Mount Guide

The Anointed Protostag is a magnificent, ethereal stag whose shimmering form and ornate regalia embody the wisdom and serenity of the Enlightened. Its glowing antlers, luminous hide, and the quiet dignity it exudes make it a favourite among collectors who appreciate mounts with a mystical, otherworldly aesthetic. The flavour text speaks to its prestigious nature: "Only those most esteemed by the Enlightened are trusted with the reins of this rare cervid." For collectors who value prestige and the satisfaction of a long-term reputation grind, this mount is a true trophy — a symbol of your dedication to the Enlightened and the mysteries of Zereth Mortis.

Introduced in patch 9.2.0 "Eternity's End", the Anointed Protostag is a vendor-purchased mount that requires reaching Revered reputation with The Enlightened in Zereth Mortis. This mount isn't simply bought with gold — it's earned through consistent engagement with the zone's content, from world quests and rares to weekly quests and the campaign itself. The journey requires patience and persistence, but the reward is one of the most stunning mounts from the Shadowlands. For players who enjoy structured progression with a clear endpoint and a touch of cosmic mystery, the Anointed Protostag offers a rewarding and attainable goal.

• Added in patch: Shadowlands 9.2.0 "Eternity's End"
• Mount type: Ground
• Source: Reputation vendor
• Time to complete: 2-3 weeks of consistent reputation farming

How to Get Anointed Protostag

The Anointed Protostag is purchased from Vilo at Haven in Zereth Mortis for 5,000 Reservoir Anima, but only after reaching Revered reputation with The Enlightened. This is a 100% guaranteed acquisition — there is no RNG involved, no rare spawns to camp, and no low drop rates to overcome. Simply reach Revered, gather enough Anima, and buy the mount.

The vendor is located in Haven, the main hub of Zereth Mortis:

• /way 34.8 64.2 – Vilo

Unlocking Zereth Mortis

Before you can begin earning reputation with The Enlightened, you must first gain access to Zereth Mortis. To get to Zereth Mortis, you must have completed chapter 2 in the 9.1 (Korthia) campaign. The last quest required is Charge of the Covenants. After it is completed, you should get a popup to start the Zereth Mortis (9.2) campaign. You get a portal to Zereth Mortis on the top floor of Oribos after completing the This Old Waystone which is part of the campaign.

If you leave Zereth Mortis before completing that quest, you can speak to Tal-Inara in Oribos to return.

Earning Revered Reputation with The Enlightened

Reaching Revered with The Enlightened is the primary challenge for this mount. Below are the most reliable sources of reputation, ranked by efficiency.

How to earn reputation with The Enlightened:

• Completing the 7 chapters of the 9.2 campaign — awards a total of 4,050 reputation.
• Side quests — A Return to Grace and Technical Difficulties reward 100 reputation each. WANTED: Custos awards 200 rep, You Supply the Effort awards 75 rep, and The Necessity of Equipment awards 50 rep.
• World Quests in Zereth Mortis — 125 reputation each.
• Rares in Zereth Mortis — between 10-15 reputation each.
• Weekly quest Patterns Within Patterns — 1,250 reputation.
• World Boss Antros — 500 reputation (via their World Quest).
• Contract: The Enlightened — can be purchased from the Auction House to gain rep with this faction every time you complete a World Quest in the Shadowlands.

Many of the activities listed above will also give you Anima, so you should have enough by the time you hit Revered. If you'd like more ideas on how to stock up on Anima, focus on completing Covenant Callings, looting every treasure you see, killing all available world bosses, and completing weekly quests.

Reputation Gains — Buffs and Bonuses

As there are limited ways to earn reputation each day, it is essential to take advantage of reputation buffs whenever possible. Below are the most effective bonuses:

• Darkmoon Faire: The Darkmoon Faire is in town starting on the first Sunday of every month. You can ride the rollercoaster or carousel to gain the WHEE! buff, which increases reputation gains by 10% for 60 minutes. You can also buy a Darkmoon Top Hat for 10 Darkmoon Prize Tickets to apply this buff without travelling to the Faire.
• Human Racial Trait: Human characters have the Diplomacy racial, which increases all reputation gains by 10%.
• Timewalking Events — Sign of the Shadowlands: While the Shadowlands Timewalking Event is active, you will gain the Sign of the Shadowlands buff, granting 50% bonus reputation from quests and creature kills. This is the most powerful reputation buff available and can dramatically shorten your grind. Plan your reputation farming around these events when possible.

Pro tip: Stack multiple buffs when possible. For example, a Human character during Shadowlands Timewalking with the Darkmoon Faire buff active will earn reputation at an accelerated rate, saving you days of grinding. Save your World Quest completions and turn-ins for these windows.

Extra Tips and Common Mistakes

• Complete the campaign first: The 9.2 campaign awards 4,050 reputation — a significant chunk of the journey to Revered. Prioritise finishing it before focusing on daily world quests.
• Use a contract from day one: The Contract: The Enlightened provides passive reputation for every World Quest completed in the Shadowlands. It adds up significantly over time.
• Don't skip the weekly quest: Patterns Within Patterns rewards 1,250 reputation — it's invaluable for reaching Revered.
• Kill rares daily: Each rare gives 10-15 reputation, and with multiple rares spawning across Zereth Mortis, this adds up over time.
• Save world quests for buffs: If a reputation buff event is coming (Darkmoon Faire, Timewalking), save your world quest completions for that window to maximise gains.
• Don't worry about Anima: By the time you reach Revered, you will have more than 5,000 Anima from natural gameplay. Focus your efforts on reputation, not currency.

Useful Addons for Reputation Farming

Farming reputation to Revered requires consistency and efficiency. The right addons can help you track your progress, locate rares and treasures, and never miss a daily quest.

• HandyNotes – Zereth Mortis (plugin): Displays rare spawn locations, treasure locations, and other points of interest on your map. Essential for efficiently collecting reputation from rares and treasures.
• RareScanner: Alerts you when rare mobs spawn nearby. Helps you never miss a rare for that extra 10-15 reputation.
• TomTom / Paste: Quickly set waypoints to rare locations, world quests, and Vilo the vendor.
• World Quest Tracker: Shows all available world quests on a single panel, helping you quickly identify which Zereth Mortis world quests are up.
• SavedInstances: Tracks which characters have completed weekly quests, World Boss kills, and other activities. Useful if you're farming on multiple alts.
• Leatrix Plus: Quality-of-life improvements like auto-repair, auto-sell junk, and faster interactions — small time savers that add up over a long reputation grind.

Pro tip: Use HandyNotes with the Zereth Mortis plugin to see all rare and treasure locations on your map. This will save you hours of searching and ensure you don't miss any valuable sources of reputation.