How to Get the Toe Biter Buggy in Grounded 2

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Written by Soloboom

Posted on September 5, 2026

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Grounded 2

You get the Toe Biter Buggy in Grounded 2 by defeating Papa Toe Biter in Gnarly Bark for its egg, then incubating that egg at your base Hatchery.

The team at MetaForge fought through this encounter ourselves on the current patch to confirm every step below still holds up after Obsidian’s balance changes to the fight.

What You Need Before You Start

Gearing up properly before you head into Gnarly Bark saves you several trips back to base. Papa Toe Biter hits hard and drags the fight out if you show up under-equipped.

Shield: A shield is close to mandatory here, since Papa Toe Biter has long reach and blockable attacks make up most of its moveset.
Spicy weapon: Toe Biters are weak to Spicy damage, so a Spicy-coated stabbing or smashing weapon cuts the fight down significantly.
Bandages: Bring a full stack to patch up between exchanges, especially before you commit to looting after the fight.
Scorpidote smoothie: Cures and reduces venom buildup, which matters if Papa Toe Biter’s bites start stacking the debuff.
Blazin’ Brew smoothie: Reduces chill and warms you back up if the fight’s cold-adjacent effects start piling on.

Drink a couple of smoothies before the fight starts rather than mid-combat. It’s easier to top off health, stamina, and attack damage while you’re not dodging an attack animation.

Example scenario: You’ve got a Spicy weapon but no shield yet, and you’re only carrying bandages. That loadout can still win the fight, but expect to burn through most of your bandages dodging attacks you’d otherwise just block, so it’s worth farming a shield first if you can spare the extra trip.

How to Reach Papa Toe Biter

Papa Toe Biter is tucked behind a hidden passage in Gnarly Bark, not out in the open. Here’s the route that gets you there without much backtracking.

Start at the memorial in Gnarly Bark, standing directly in front of the framed picture.
Head to the right side of the picture and clear out the Toe Biter Nymph waiting there.
Climb up and behind the picture frame to reveal the hidden path into the boss area.
Continue up the branch and drop down the hole at the end of it to land in Papa Toe Biter’s chamber.

If you’re having trouble pinpointing the memorial itself, the Grounded 2 Interactive Map marks its location in Gnarly Bark (treat pinned points as a close estimate rather than a guarantee, since exact spawns can shift slightly between updates). You’ll see rotten eggs scattered on the floor near the entrance once you’re inside; ignore them, since the only egg worth grabbing is the one Papa Toe Biter drops on death.

How to Defeat Papa Toe Biter

Papa Toe Biter is large, hits from a distance, and punishes greedy combos, but the fight is manageable once you know its patterns. This is a block-and-chip encounter more than a race to burst it down.

Block most of its attacks: Papa Toe Biter’s normal swings are blockable and its shield damage is forgiving if you’re holding one.
Never block the spin attack: This move can’t be blocked, and getting caught in it knocks you onto your back, so dodge away the moment you see it start.
Kill nymphs immediately: Papa Toe Biter periodically spawns a Toe Biter Nymph mid-fight, and leaving it alive means fighting two threats at once.
Cure venom before healing: If the venom debuff is active, drink a Scorpidote smoothie first, since healing does little while venom is still ticking.
Watch your stamina, not just your health: Blocking drains stamina fast against a boss this size, so pace your blocks rather than holding the button the whole fight.

What You Get From Papa Toe Biter

Once Papa Toe Biter is down, clear out any nymphs still wandering the area before you start looting. Its loot includes the Toe Biter Egg alongside standard Toe Biter drop materials, which feed into Toe Biter armor and weapon recipes like the Coat, Boots, and Scythe.

Additional reading: Browse the Grounded 2 Database for the full list of Toe Biter drops and what they craft into.

Heal up before grabbing the egg specifically, since you’ll want full health for the trip back rather than getting caught out mid-transport.

How to Get the Egg Back to Base

The Toe Biter Egg is too bulky to carry on foot without slowing you down, but Gnarly Bark has a shortcut for this. Head to the hole to the right of where you originally dropped in and follow it all the way down to ground level.

From there, call in a Black Soldier Ant Buggy, since it can carry the egg for you on the trip back to base. Load the egg onto it and head straight for your Hatchery once you’re home.

Toe Biter Buggy Hatchery Requirements

Once you’re back at base, take the egg to your Hatchery to start incubation. The table below breaks down exactly what the incubation recipe costs.

Material	Quantity
Toe Biter Egg	1
Horsetail Stem	2
Koi Fish Scale	1
Sunken Bone	3
Pond Moss	4

Incubation takes several in-game hours to complete, so start it before you head off to handle other base chores, then check back once it’s ready to hatch.

What the Toe Biter Buggy Does Once Hatched

According to Obsidian’s own Into the Abyss update notes, the Toe Biter can be “tamed and transformed into your newest Buggy,” and its “amphibious nature lets you seamlessly travel between land and water.” In practice, that means it hops across lily pads, dives underwater, and moves across the pond surface far faster than swimming alone.

It also fights back while you’re riding it, with a bite attack that applies chill to enemies on land and in the water. On top of combat use, it can haul harvested materials like Eelgrass Strands and Pond Moss while you’re out gathering.

Worth noting if you’re playing on the current build: Patch 0.5.0.5, released September 2, 2026, toned down the related Toe Biter boss encounter by removing its Woozy Attack, reducing how often it spawns nymphs, and lowering its overall health and damage.

Ready to Make the Most of Skunk Pond

Hop on the Toe Biter Buggy and head straight for Skunk Pond to put it to work. Use it to push into the pond’s underwater bases, haul back what you gather along the way, and keep exploring further into the areas the Into the Abyss update opened up.

For more on taming and buggy management in Grounded 2, visit MetaForge’s game hub.

Does the Toe Biter Buggy work in areas outside Skunk Pond?

Yes, the Toe Biter Buggy works on dry land as well as in water, since its amphibious design lets it move between the two without swapping mounts. It’s built for pond travel, so its speed and handling stand out most once you’re in a water-heavy area like Skunk Pond.

Can I ride the Toe Biter Buggy underwater without needing to breathe?

Yes, riding the Toe Biter Buggy doesn’t require managing your own oxygen the way free swimming does, since you’re relying on its mobility rather than your character’s stamina underwater. It doesn’t grant unlimited air if you dismount mid-dive, so surface or return to shore before hopping off in deep water.

Do I need the Into the Abyss update installed to get the Toe Biter Buggy?

Yes, the Toe Biter Buggy was added in the Into the Abyss update, so Papa Toe Biter, its egg, and the Hatchery recipe for this buggy only exist once that update is installed. On an earlier version of Grounded 2, update the game first, since these steps aren’t available otherwise.

Can I lose the Toe Biter Egg if I die while carrying it back to base?

Yes, dying while carrying the Toe Biter Egg causes you to drop it at your death location, the same as any other haulable item in Grounded 2. If combat interrupts your trip back, retreat to safety and return for the egg rather than fighting while you’re still holding it.

What happens if I get interrupted during egg incubation at the Hatchery?

The egg stays in the Hatchery and keeps incubating normally even if you log out or leave the area, since incubation timers run independently of whether you’re nearby. Just avoid dismantling or recycling the Hatchery mid-incubation, since doing so can affect or destroy the egg still inside it.