New World Tadpoles: where to catch Tadpoles and why they're so useful
This unassuming little critter is actually a greatly useful resource
How can you catch Tadpoles in New World, and what are they used for? Tadpoles are a deceptively helpful resource in New World. It's hard to imagine a more unassuming creature, but you'll need to catch some Tadpoles to complete some useful early Town Projects. Furthermore, Tadpoles can be salvaged into Life Motes, a crafting resource which goes into some good mid-game recipes.
In this guide we'll cover where and how to catch Tadpoles in New World, as well as going over some of their main uses.
Finding and catching Tadpoles in New World
For New World's purposes, Tadpoles are counted as uncommon small fish. Admittedly, they're not technically fish, and given their real-world size the fact that you need a fishing rod to catch them is slightly bizarre, but this island is literally magic so my advice is to just go with it.
However — and believe it or not, this is the slightly counter-intuitive part — despite their relative rarity, Tadpoles are primarily found in Broad Fishing Hotspots, which are rated as just 1*.
You don't have to have discovered one of these hotspots to have a chance at catching Tadpoles, since they can spawn in just about any freshwater location. Howevever, to increase your likelihood of catching several when you need them, head to one of the locations shown on the map below (courtesy of my current favourite resource, newworld-map.com):
You can catch Tadpoles with any tier fishing pole and without bait, but better poles and bait increase your chances of catching rarer fish, so bringing along some mid-tier equipment ought to speed things up a bit.
Uses for Tadpoles in New World
As we mentioned above, the first time your character develops a need for Tadpoles will likely be as part of a Town Project quest objective to catch several of them. Since completing Town Projects is an essential part of unlocking better upgrades that can prove crucial to your Faction, this is something that most players will probably want to do.
Once you have an inventory full of Tadpoles, you'll be pleased to know that they have other uses as well. Somewhat worryingly they are classed as a Cooking Material like other fish, although we've yet to see any recipes they feature in. (And let's be honest, that's not a particularly appetizing prospect, nor does it sound likely to result in an especially filling meal.)
If you've got your Gathering skills up above level 30 or so, you can salvage Tadpoles in exchange for Life Motes. Again, maybe don't try to picture this too vividly — just enjoy the resulting Motes, which are a material you need to craft some mid-tier alchemical ingredients, weapon upgrades, decorative items for your character's home, and even-higher-end crafting resources.
Now that you know how to fill your pockets with Tadpoles (once more — ew), there's plenty more flora and fauna on Aeternum for you to track down. Take a look at our guides on finding and utilising the resources from turkeys, hemp, briar, and petalcap to find out more. Meanwhile, if you're still planning out your New World journey, why not check out our guide to the best New World character builds for some inspiration?