Goldplate Bufonid Mount Guide
The Goldplate Bufonid is a charmingly armored toad whose gilded plating and endearing, stubby-legged hops make it one of the most distinct mounts from Zereth Mortis. Its flavour text speaks to its martial spirit with a touch of humor: "This armored bufonid is always ready to leap into battle... as long as that battle is really, really close. In a pinch, it can leap multiple times and eventually reach the battle." For collectors who appreciate the quirky side of the First Ones' creations and enjoy the structured progression of the Protoform Synthesis system, the Goldplate Bufonid is a delightful and rewarding craft.
Introduced in patch 9.2.0 "Eternity's End", the Goldplate Bufonid is created at the Protoform Repository. Unlike mounts that drop from a single boss or can be bought outright, this one requires you to unlock the crafting system, hunt down a rare schematic from specific mobs, and gather a handful of materials scattered across the zone. The journey is straightforward but demands a bit of patience—especially for the schematic—making the final craft feel like a genuine accomplishment. For players who enjoy a mix of open-world farming and structured progression, this golden toad is an excellent target.
- Added in patch: 9.2.0 "Eternity's End"
- Mount type: Ground
- Source: Crafted via Protoform Synthesis
- Requirements: Protoform Repository unlocked
- Time to complete: 1–2 weeks (depending on Cypher research and schematic drop luck)
How to Get Goldplate Bufonid
The Goldplate Bufonid is crafted at the Protoform Repository in Zereth Mortis. To craft it, you will need the following materials:
Before you can craft the mount, you must unlock the Protoform Synthesis system and acquire the schematic. This is a 100% guaranteed acquisition once you have all the materials—the only real hurdle is the low drop rate of the schematic itself.
Step 1: Unlock Zereth Mortis
Access to Zereth Mortis requires you to have completed Chapter 2 of the 9.1 (Korthia) campaign, ending with the quest Charge of the Covenants. Once done, you will receive a popup to begin the Zereth Mortis campaign. A portal to the zone appears on the top floor of Oribos after completing This Old Waystone. If you need to return before finishing that quest, speak to Tal-Inara in Oribos.
Step 2: Unlock Protoform Synthesis
To unlock the crafting system, you must progress through the 9.2 campaign up to the end of Chapter 3. This grants you the quest Cyphers of the First Ones, which introduces the Cypher Console. This console is powered by Cyphers of the First Ones, a currency you will need to research the necessary nodes.
Earning Cyphers of the First Ones:
- 10-15 daily from World Quests in Zereth Mortis.
- 62-70 weekly from Tribute of the Enlightened Elders (from the weekly Patterns Within Patterns).
- 80 weekly from the World Boss Antros.
- 2-4 per rare killed or treasure looted.
To reach the Protoform Repository, you must advance through the Cypher Console research tree. Note the lengthy research timers:
- Spend 200 Cyphers to unlock Dealic Understanding (Research: 3 days 18 hours).
- Spend 220 Cyphers to unlock Sopranian Understanding (Research: 5 days 18 hours).
- Once research is complete, finish the questline starting with Finding Tahli to unlock the Protoform Repository.
The Protoform Repository is located at:
- /way 68.5 30.1 – Protoform Repository
Protoform Repository
Protoform Repository
Step 3: Obtain the Schematic
The Schematic: Goldplate Bufonid has a low drop chance from a specific mob: the Accelerated Bufonid. These creatures are found in two main areas:
- The island housing the Sepulcher of the First Ones raid entrance.
- The Dimensional Falls area, near where Hirukon spawns.
Use the following waypoints to find them:
- /way #1970 51.8 75.8 — Sepulcher island
- /way #1970 77.2 52.8 — Dimensional Falls
Clear these mobs until the schematic drops. It is Bind-on-Pickup, so you must farm it on the character you intend to craft the mount with.
Step 4: Gather the Crafting Materials
Bauble of Pure Innovation
This item spawns on a fixed timer inside the Exile's Hollow cave, where Firim and the Cypher Console are located. Head to the section left of Firim, look for a small bed next to a Murloc plushie, and you will find the Bauble of Pure Innovation resting there. It has roughly a one-hour respawn timer, so if it is not present, try a different shard or enable War Mode.
- /way #1970 34.5 49.7 — Bauble location (Qie's bed)
Bufonid Lattice
You need 1 Bufonid Lattice. These can be purchased on the Auction House or farmed from various Bufonid mobs in Zereth Mortis. The Accelerated Bufonids you killed for the schematic also have a chance to drop it.
Genesis Motes
You need 400 Genesis Motes. These are Bind-on-Pickup and drop from almost every mob in Zereth Mortis. A highly efficient farming spot is the blue portal area where Devourers spawn continuously, aided by nearby automa NPCs.
- /way #1970 42.66 75.22 — Genesis Mote farming spot
Step 5: Craft the Mount
With the schematic learned and all materials gathered, return to the Protoform Repository at /way 68.5 30.1. Interact with the Servitor Interface, select the Goldplate Bufonid, and complete the craft.
Congratulations—you are now the proud owner of a very shiny, very battle-ready toad.
Extra Tips and Common Mistakes
- Start Cypher research immediately: The 9-day total research time is the main gate. Begin as soon as you unlock the console.
- Farm the schematic efficiently: The Accelerated Bufonids near the Sepulcher raid entrance are densely packed and respawn quickly. Bring a character with good AoE to speed up the grind.
- Check the Auction House: Bufonid Lattice is often cheap. Save yourself the extra farm if you have the gold.
- Bauble camping: If the Bauble is missing, do not waste time waiting. Hop shards, toggle War Mode, or come back later. The one-hour timer is not worth standing around for.
- This mount is account-wide: Once crafted, the Goldplate Bufonid is available to all characters on your account.
Useful Addons for Goldplate Bufonid Farming
The Goldplate Bufonid farm is split between open-world mob grinding and treasure hunting. These addons will help you navigate and track your progress.
- HandyNotes: Shadowlands: Displays rare mobs, treasures, and points of interest on your map, helping you locate the Accelerated Bufonids and the Bauble spawn point.
- RareScanner: Alerts you when rare mobs are nearby. While the Accelerated Bufonid is not a rare, this is still useful for tracking other valuable mobs while you farm.
- TomTom / Paste: Quickly set waypoints to the Accelerated Bufonid spawns, the Bauble location, and the Protoform Repository.
- World Quest Tracker: Shows all available World Quests on a single panel, helping you quickly identify Cypher and reputation opportunities to fund your research.
- Leatrix Plus: Quality-of-life improvements like auto-repair and auto-sell junk, which save time during long farming sessions.
Pro tip: Use TomTom to map out a route between the two Accelerated Bufonid spawn locations. If one area is crowded or dry, you can quickly hop to the other without losing momentum.
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