The long-awaited Arcadion Raid series is accessible to all players who have completed the Main Scenario Quest ‘Dawntrail’ in FFXIV’s latest expansion (7.0). The Arcadion is home to some of the best boss fights we have seen so far and a source for some great gear and glam down the line.
How to Unlock Arcadion in FFXIV?
After completing the Main Scenario Quest, ‘Dawntrail,’ players can head to the NPC ‘Stylish Stranger' in Solution Nine (X:19.1, Y:18.8) and accept the level 100 quest 'A New Challenger Appears'. This will eventually unlock the first raid - 'AAC Light-heavyweight M1' (minimum item level requirement: 685.)
FFXIV Raid Guide for AAC Light-Heavyweight M1 (Normal)
Match 1 in the Light-Heavyweight division introduces your first opponent - Black Cat. Being the first boss in the raid series, the difficulty level of this fight is significantly lower than the others, but it introduces the player to the kind of attack timing one can expect from bosses in this raid series on Normal difficulty.
Black Cat uses a series of well-telegraphed attacks. Here is a list of how to avoid them:
Bloody Scratch
Raid-wide AoE - make sure to have damage debuffs (Feint / Addle / Reprise) available to take some load off the healers.
Biscuit Maker
Standard single-target tank-buster (red marker). Having two mitigation skills handy is optimal.
One-Two Paw
Set of two alternating half-room AoE cleaves. Stand near the relative middle of the platform and adjust accordingly—plenty of time between cleaves.
Black Cat Crossing
A two-part AoE with alternating sets of 4 cone-shaped attacks - keep an eye on the order in which the indicators appear—plenty of time between the two attacks to adjust as needed.
Clawful
Standard single-target stack attack (yellow marker) - gather up in one spot.
Mouser
The platform is made up of 16 tiles in a 4x4 pattern. Some tiles will flash red. Tiles that flashed once will get hit and crack. Tiles that flashed twice will get destroyed. Avoid tiles that flashed twice.
Elevate and Eviscerate
Four random players are targeted individually with an attack that would throw them onto one of the tiles. When you are targeted, make sure the visible trajectory has you land on an undamaged tile, indicated by the tile turning green.
Shockwave
Knockback AoE following Elevate and Eviscerate. Position yourself near her so you don’t fall off the partially destroyed platform, or execute Arm’s Length to avoid the knockback. A timed dash back towards the boss also works.
Predaceous Pounce
Black Cat will create multiple large circular AoE telegraphs (a large circle with a claw mark inside), with line AoE telegraphs (a trail of paw prints) in between. Wait near the first circular attack and move into it after. Remember not to panic.
Leaping One-Two Paw
It's the same logic as One-Two Paw, except keep an eye out for a ‘leap marker’ tethered to Black Cat. She will move to the marker before executing the first half-room AoE, so position yourself accordingly.
Leaping Black Cat Crossing
It has the same logic as Black Cat Crossing but uses the leap marker. Position yourself accordingly.
Copycat
Black Cat summons a copy of herself you can't target, allowing her to execute multiple skills simultaneously.
Copycat Combo
Black Cat will execute Mouser. While the copy targets random players with Elevate and Eviscerate, Black Cat casts Overshadow - a line-stack AoE (yellow marker). Stand in the same line as the target relative to the stack marker.
Boss Name | Armour Tokens | Random Rewards (Additional) | Guaranteed Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
Black Cat | 2* Holohelm
1* Hologauntlets
1* Holoarmor
1* Hologreaves
1* Holochausses
2* Holoearring | 1* Black Cat Triple Triad Card
1* It’s Show Time! Orchestrion Roll | 20* Allagan Tomestones of Aesthetics |
FFXIV Raid Guide for AAC Light-Heavyweight M2 (Normal)
Your second boss-opponent in the Light-Heavyweight division for Match 2 is Honey B. Lovely. Don't be fooled by her sweet smile, as she will put your dodging skills to the test.
Her attacks deal heavy damage, so don't risk being stationary too long. Here's the list and tips to avoid these hits:
Call Me Honey
Raid-wide AoE- Keep your mitigations and heals active to avoid excessive damage.
Honeyed Breeze
Dual tank-buster (red marker) with conal attacks- If you're a tank, combine Rampart with another mitigation skill and stand away from the rest of the party.
Tempting Twist
Donut-Shaped AoE- Stand close to Honey B. Lovely as her attack spreads around her.
Honey Beeline
Straight Line AoE- Keep distance from her front and back areas to avoid projectile damage.
Honey B. Live
AoE Raid damage + three empty Heart Meter- Keep mitigations on, and avoid gaining more than two DoT Hearts on the Meter as three hearts temporarily stun you with Fatal Attraction. The Heart Meter resets to zero after her charm wears off.
Love Me Tender 1
Spread AoE + Heart Meter + Four Heart Towers- Individual pink circular AoE markers appear to grant one Heart to everyone. When Heart Towers appear, make Tanks and Melee DPS stand under each. They also gain one Heart on the Meter. Tower(s) with no player underneath leads to a party wipe.
Loveseeker
Point-blank AoE+Heart Missiles- Honey B launches an AoE attack and spreads pink Hearts all over the platform. Avoid these moving Hearts, as they fill the Heart Meter, which stuns with DoT and kills you. It's a chaotic attack, so keep calm.
Love Me Tender 2
Random AoE Markers- While Loveseeker is active, Honey B casts multiple pink AoE markers on the arena floor. Dodge these markers at all costs.
Blow Kiss
Conal AoE on a random player- Honey B targets a party member with Blow Kiss. If you're not the target, stay away from that party member and behind the boss.
Love Me Tender with Blow Kiss
Clockwise Circular AoEs- Move to the first AoE marker after it explodes. After that, stay behind her when she targets a player with Blowkiss.
Honey B. Finale
Basic AoE + Heart Meter Removal: Keep your mitigations active to avoid excessive damage and make healing a stress-free task.
Tempting Twist + Honey Beeline+ Venom
Splash/Drop Venom+AoE attacks- Stand close to Honey B to avoid Tempting Twist and move farther from her sides to avoid Honey Beeline. While activating either attack, Honey B combos it with one of two venom attacks.
Splash Venom is Spread AoE, so stay away from your teammates. Drop Venom is a Stack Marker (yellow marker) for everyone to gather.
Alarm Pheromones
Pie-Shape Groupbees Line AoE—A group of bees outside the arena activates line AoEs, directing at the center. They fire these one by one in clockwise/anti-clockwise order.
Follow the AoEs as they blast towards the center. After this, Honey B. Lovely executes Alarm Pheromones once again.
Honey B. Live 2+ Loveseeker 2+Love Me Tender 3
Two yellow Stack Markers appear- one on a DPS and the other on a Tank/Healer. Have four DPS and four Support gather under each marker.
When Heart Towers appear, have at least one player stand under each. Honey B. then triggers Loveseeker. Avoid them at all costs.
Alarm Pheromones 2
Random Line AoEs- These Groupbees AoEs fire randomly in different directions. Be on your toes and avoid these attacks as much as possible.
Boss Name | Armour Tokens | Random Rewards (Additional) | Guaranteed Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
Honey B Lovely | 1* Holohelm
1* Hologauntlets
1* Holoarmor
2* Hologreaves
1* Holochausses
2* Holoearring | 1* Bee My Honey Orchestrion Roll | 20* Allagan Tomestones of Aesthetics |
These are the guides for M1 and M2 raids in FFXIV Arcadion's Light-Heavyweight division. Your prowess, experience, and readiness will prove handy when encountering such powerhouses. So gear up and go forth, Warriors of Light!