V Rising Duke Of Balaton: How To Beat & Unlock Toad Form

Are you searching for the best way how to beat the Duke of Balaton in V Rising? No sweat -- we've got you covered. This frog boss is among the strongest Blood Carriers in the game, unlocking an equally powerful Vampire Power called Toad Form. As one of six shape-shifting forms, Frog Form will allow you to ascend cliffs and even hop over certain enemy structures!

However, while unlocking Toad Form will undoubtedly provide a massive advantage, you'll first need to know how to defeat the Duke of Balaton in V Rising. But don't worry because that's where we come in. Here's everything you need to know to take down this enemy, including the Duke of Balaton's location and the rewards you'll get for beating him.

Update on 4 June 2023: We've updated this page to reflect the changes in the V Rising: Secrets of Gloomrot update. Note that this boss seems to be a lot more powerful in this patch, and may require significant effort to take down. Good luck.

Where To Find The Duke of Balaton In V Rising

The Duke of Balaton is a Level 64 Blood Carrier that resides in the northern part of the Cursed Forest in a swampy nest called the Swamp of Greed. You can see the exact location in the image above.

Since this boss is located deep within the Cursed Forest, you'll arguably want to consider defeating The Old Wanderer to unlock the Shroud of the Forest Cloak, allowing you to become immune to the Curse of the Forest debuff.

Once in the Cursed Forest, activate the Vampire Waygate to reach the region more easily if you die to the Duke of Balaton. This boss' in-game description reads:

The patriarch of a family that once held land when these swamps were adequately inhabited. Over time, the cursed land twisted them, leaving this horrible, twisted toad that only remembers its lust for gold and jewels. It jealously guards its horde of forgotten, worthless currency.

How To Beat The Duke Of Balaton In V Rising

Note: You used to be able to "cheese" the Duke of Balaton by standing under one of the large trees around the Swamp of Greed. Positioning yourself properly made you immune to all damage; however, it seems that Stunlock Studios have patched this in the Secrets of Gloomrot update (sadge).

Whether you have a comparable Gear Score or not, defeating The Duke of Balaton in V Rising will not be easy. However, you can improve your chances of victory by using a Reaper build to benefit from having melee and ranged physical damage attacks at your disposal. If you prefer a ranged build, then you might want to consider using Dual Pistols over the Crossbow. You can further boost your chances of beating the Duke of Balaton by augmenting your weapon with Spell Jewels.

In addition, having Creature Blood with a 50%+ Blood Quality is highly recommended. This Blood Type offers buffs to movement speed and reduces incoming damage taken, which is essential for surviving the Duke of Balaton's menacing assault. Having died multiple times to the Duke (despite being +5 levels over him), we found the Abilities Blood Rage and Ball Lightning incredibly powerful.

Blood Rage will boost the healing of yourself and any nearby allies for 40% of your spell power. It also increases your attack speed by 25% and movement speed by 15%, inflicting Leech on nearby enemies. This Ability is particularly useful when the Duke summons Toads in the later phases of the battle. On the other hand, Ball Lightning is an AOE Ability that does 180% magic damage per target over 3s (max 450%), making it a particularly powerful basic spell.

The Duke of Balaton will use several attacks during the fight, including jumping around the area and dealing substantial damage wherever he lands. So you would be wise to reserve your Travel Ability to dodge this. The Duke of Balaton will also perform an AOE swinging attack with his tongue, although you can easily avoid this attack by jumping to the side or backward.

Furthermore, the Duke of Balaton unleashes a barrage of spells from the sky toward the mid-to-late battle stages. You can escape this assault by stepping out of the red circles on the ground. He will also summon smaller frog mobs, which you should eliminate before resuming your fight with The Duke of Balaton because they can quickly stack up.

Finally, beware that this V Boss can eat you, rendering you unable to move or attack. After a few seconds, The Duke of Balaton will spit you back out, stunning you and dealing damage in an AOE around where you land. If you keep moving and kite his spells or attacks, you should beat The Duke of Balaton effortlessly.

How To Use Toad Form In V Rising

Once you have defeated The Duke of Balaton, you will unlock the Toad Form. The in-game description reads: "Turn into a toad able to jump high into the air. Taking damage breaks the effect." Some advantages of Toad Form include jumping over large structures and traversing large map sections.

In particular, Frog Form has three jump charges with a relatively low cooldown, allowing you to climb certain cliffs or mountains. You'll need to position yourself properly to initiate the jump; otherwise, you will not jump up and forward in your intended direction.

In addition, you cannot hop over enemy structures like Stone or Wooden Walls, except garden fences. As a result, you can use Toad Form to breach an enemy's base if there is an opportunity for you to do so. And that concludes our guide on how to beat the Duke of Balaton to unlock Toad Form in V Rising.

Featured image courtesy of Stunlock Studios.

V Rising Duke Of Balaton: How To Beat & Unlock Toad Form FAQ

Where can I find the Duke of Balaton in V Rising?

The Duke of Balaton location is in the Swamp of Greed, in the northern part of the Cursed Forest.

How do I beat the Duke of Balaton in V Rising?

Be aware of his leap attacks and time your high-damage attacks. Dodge his tongue-swinging attack and evade the ground protrusions. Step out of the red circles to avoid his spells. Eliminate the smaller frog mobs and keep moving to defeat him effortlessly.

How do I use the Toad Form in V Rising?

Defeat the Duke of Balaton to unlock the Toad Form. It allows you to jump high into the air with 3 jump charges and a low cooldown. Use it to traverse large map sections and climb cliffs and hop over certain enemy structures.