Get Alpha Fin mount

Alpha Fin is an unusual mount item added to World of Warcraft in patch 8.2 "Rise of Azshara" of the Battle for Azeroth expansion. Technically it isn't a permanent mount but an item that summons a wild snapdragon for 20 seconds: you can ride a short dash on it, after which the creature dismounts and fights beside you as a temporary pet for another minute. By its in-game mechanics it is the fastest ground transport for the Pandemic Pestilence zones — Zandalar, Kul Tiras and Nazjatar.

The key to obtaining the item is two rare snapdragon mobs from the underground district of Nar'anan in Nazjatar. The main source is Toxigore the Alpha, with the secondary source being the summoned Banescale the Packfather. The drop chance is low, but both mobs can be killed every game day, which makes Alpha Fin a steady target for mount collectors.

• Highest ground speed in BfA zones — in Zandalar, Kul Tiras and Nazjatar the item grants a speed dash that outpaces ordinary mounts. It is the perfect tool for flying over Nazjatar rares and gathering resources.
• Unique snapdragon model — the mount looks different from the standard BfA sea mounts and stands out in a collection even among rare specimens.
• Combat companion — after dismounting, the snapdragon keeps fighting beside you for another minute, dealing damage and distracting enemies. Useful when farming rare single targets.
• Achievement contribution — the item counts toward the full set of Nazjatar collectible trophies and helps you progress through the zone's meta-achievements.
• No character binding — once learned, the mount becomes available to all characters on the account.
• Convenient for old collections — patch 8.2 is long outdated, the mobs die in one or two hits at level 80, so farming takes only minutes a day.

If Nazjatar isn't unlocked for you yet, you'll first have to complete a short story line. For the Alliance it starts with Halford Wyrmbane aboard the Wind's Redemption in Boralus, for the Horde with Nathanos Blightcaller aboard the Banshee's Wail in Dazar'alor. The main task is to pick up the "Send the Fleet" quest, teleport to the ship at sea and finish the introductory quests in Nazjatar. After that a portal directly into the zone appears in the capital's portal room.

The zone lies on the sea floor and is inaccessible by ordinary flight. There are two ways to get there:

1. Through the capital portal:
   • Alliance: Boralus, the portal hall in the Sanctum of the Sages — the "Newhome" portal
   • Horde: Dazar'alor, the portal hall — the "Newhome" portal
2. Through the flight master — if you already have flight points in Nazjatar unlocked, use the Flight Master's Whistle from anywhere in BfA

The portal only appears after your first quest trip into Nazjatar, so you can't skip the introduction.

This rare snapdragon roams the southern part of Nar'anan along three small routes. It is not a summoned target — the mob appears on its own with a respawn timer of 2–6 hours on the server. The mob's level matches the zone's maximum level (50 in BfA), but thanks to scaling at level 80 in The War Within it dies within a few seconds.

The mob's abilities are harmless: it applies a poison stack that slows movement and deals damage over time. At current level this mechanic poses no threat.

How to Check Whether the Mob Is Alive

• Install a rare-tracking addon (HandyNotes: BfA Rares, RareScanner)
• Check the group finder world chat (the /4 Premade channel) for groups farming Nazjatar rares
• Use Wowhead comments — players note recent spawns there

The second mob is a summoned one. It appears with a chance right after you kill Siltstalker the Packmother in the same Nar'anan district. Siltstalker the Packmother is also a rare mob, but it spawns more regularly. After her death, wait a few minutes on the spot: if the chance triggers, Banescale the Packfather will come running to take revenge.

The spawn chance of Banescale the Packfather is unstable and, according to player reports, ranges from 20–30% per kill of Siltstalker the Packmother. That is why it is convenient to combine the farm with other Nazjatar rares.

1. Complete the Nazjatar introductory chain if you haven't yet — one short campaign per faction.
2. Travel to Nar'anan via the nearest flight master or through the capital portal.
3. Check the availability of Toxigore the Alpha at the coordinates in the southern part of Nar'anan. If the mob is alive — kill it first.
4. Move to the spawn point of Siltstalker the Packmother and kill her.
5. Stay on the spot for 3–5 minutes. With luck, Banescale the Packfather will appear — kill him too.
6. Check your bag: with a low chance the Alpha Fin will drop.
7. If the mount didn't drop — come back on the next game day or after the rare server timers reset.

Nazjatar Rares Route

It is convenient to farm Alpha Fin as part of a general sweep of Nazjatar rare mobs. In a single loop you check dozens of targets, each of which can give a mount, transmog or resources.

• Start from Newhome (Horde) or Mezzamere (Alliance)
• Fly across all of Nar'anan, checking every snapdragon along the way
• Close the loop at the western caves of Nar'anan

A full sweep takes 15–25 minutes including fights.

Which Class Is Faster

• Monk/Druid — maximum movement speed between points
• Demon Hunter — glides and double jumps speed up sweeping coastal mobs
• Paladin/Rogue — useful for steady damage on rares and the option to vanish when a spot is overcrowded

Alts and the Weekly Cycle

Nazjatar rare mobs have no weekly lockout, but each character gets loot only once per day from a single rare. To increase your chances:

1. Unlock access to Nazjatar on several characters (one introductory chain each)
2. Sweep Nar'anan in turn on all your alts in a single game day
3. Each successful run gives an independent roll on the Alpha Fin

With 3 alts and two rares (Toxigore and Banescale) on each, that gives up to 6 extra attempts a day.

Estimating Time to the Mount

At an approximate chance of 1–3% and two possible targets a day, farming on a single character takes on average 25–50 days. With five alts the period shrinks to 5–10 days. This is an averaged guideline — the real numbers depend on spawn timers and luck.

Alpha Fin works differently from most collection mounts:

• After using it you ride the snapdragon for 20 seconds
• When the time runs out (or on manual dismount) the snapdragon doesn't vanish but keeps fighting beside you for another 60 seconds
• The item can only be used in the Battle for Azeroth zones: Zandalar, Kul Tiras and Nazjatar. Elsewhere it refuses to work
• The cooldown is short, so in a suitable zone the mount is almost always ready for a new dash

The item is handy for quick bursts between farming spots, when you need to cover a short distance and start fighting right away — the summoned snapdragon takes the first hit for you.