FFRK - Nightmare Ultima Event & Boss Strats

[Aerin]

Making this post now just in case. Let me know if something's wrong or I missed something.



Event Info


==== Story ====

While Dr. Mog was investigating the lost legendary records, he stumbled upon a Grimoire of "Amidst the Abyss" within an underground ruin.

Within the Grimoire, 12 legendary powers are sealed; it seems like their "Memories", not unlike the "Memories" of the Dr. Mog's Paintings are also lost.

Dr. Mog said that if they can recover the Memories of the 12 Legendary Powers, it might lead to a clue of why their Paintings' Memories are disappearing.

==== Nightmare Event Details ====

This will be the first of twelve Nightmare (Abyss in Japan) events. The idea is that one will be released about every month.

• If you don't complete one event before it's over you don't have to worry. The next time the dungeon is unlocked you'll be able to go back and complete any previous ones you may have missed.
• The format will be 4 dungeons ranging in difficulty (100-130) each with a different FF# synergy. They are able to be completed in any order. Once all 4 have been beaten you will unlock the 5th and final dungeon of the event.
• Each Nightmare event has a corresponding school (ability type) associated with it. Nightmare Ultima will be Black Magic.
• Characters able to use 5* abilities in the respective school will get a special synergy when in the final dungeon (more on this later).
• By clearing the final boss you'll be awarded a memory crystal, but it will be for a 6* ability, not a character. This crystal is one of the main items needed to craft a special 6* ability.
• Characters that have 5* ability capabilities in the respective ability type will be able to equip the 6* ability upon completion of the event. As an example, Ultima is a 6* Black Magic ability gained from the first event Nightmare Ultima. Characters that are able to use 5* Black Magic will gain the ability to use 6* Black Magic once Nightmare Ultima has been defeated.
• With each event a new 6* ability will become available. However, the orbs required to craft these abilities are few and far between and not farmable.
• 6* orbs are only awarded from events. Dailies don't drop them and you can't use orb conversion to create them.
• 6* Accessories will also be given out, 1 per event. So far, they reduce a certain elemental type damage by a "Large" amount.

==== Characters with 5* Black Magic ====

The theme for this event is Black Magic. The characters below (and all equipment they use regardless of which FF it's from) will get record synergy in the final dungeon.

• Maria (II)
• Rydia (IV)
• Tellah (IV)
• FuSoYa (IV)
  
• Golbez (IV)
• Exdeath (V)
• Krile (V)
• Terra (VI)
  
• Kefka (VI)
• Reno (VII)
• Rinoa (VIII)
• Vivi (IX)
  
• Lulu (X)
• Ashe (XII)
• Hope (XIII)
• Tyro (Core)

==== Nightmare Ultima Dungeon List ====


Phantom Train (VI)

Boss: Phantom Train (~150000 HP)
Difficulty: 100

• Defeat Phantom Train without being KO’d.
• Exploit Phantom Train’s weakness to fire attacks.
• Exploit Phantom Train’s weakness to lightning attacks.
  
  Biggest thing to be aware of here is: Diabolic Whistle - Poison, Confuse, Slow, Blind, and Doom all targets. Consider bringing Esuna and/or Y'shtola's Medica II RW.
  

Weak: Fire, Lightning, Holy
Absorb: Bio
Resist/Null: None

Vulnerabilities: None


Recommended abilities: Elemental weakness abilities, Esuna
Recommended RW: Medica II, SG/SS2



Spherimorph (X)

Boss: Spherimorph (~149300 HP)
Difficulty: 110

• Defeat Spherimorph without being KO’d.
• Exploit Spherimorph’s weakness to lightning attacks.
• Exploit Spherimorph’s weakness to ice attacks.
  
  After you attack it with whatever element it's currently weak to, it will randomly shift to another element. It will counter attacks with the opposite element of it's current weakness:
  
  Fire Weak -> Blizzard Counter
  Ice Weak -> Fire Counter
  Water Weak -> Lightning Counter
  Lightning Weak -> Water Counter
  
  Use non-elemental attacks to determine what its weakness currently is. You will also want to bring significant heals due to an attack that hits all allies and cannot be mitigated: Press: Deal heavy damage to all targets, proportional to their HP.
  

Weak: Fire, Ice, Water, Lightning (It changes weakness immediately after you attack its weakness. It only has 1 weakness at a time.)
Absorb: Whatever it's not currently weak to.
Resist/Null: None

Vulnerabilities: None


Recommended abilities: Magic Breakdown, Full Break, Shellga
Recommended RW: SG/SS2, Boon


Dreadnought (XIII)

Boss: Dreadnought (~236200 HP)
Difficulty: 120

• Defeat Dreadnought without being KO’d.
• Afflict Dreadnought with Blind.
• Afflict Dreadnought with Slow.
  
  Dreadnought occasionally checks itself for debuffs. If it detects any debuffs it will enter "Steam Clean" form where it will remove any debuffs on it. This form doesn't deal as much damage and it will take a few turns to complete.
  

Weak/Absorb/Resist/Null: None

Vulnerabilities: Silence / Blind / Slow


Recommended abilities: Blindaga, Slowga/Dual Delay, Breakdowns.
Recommended RW: SG/SS2


Liquid Flame (V)

Boss: Liquid Flame (~199500 HP)
Difficulty: 130

• Defeat Liquid Flame without being KO’d.
• Exploit Liquid Flame’s (Human Form) weakness to ice attacks.
• Exploit Liquid Flame’s (Tornado Form) weakness to ice attacks.
  
  He has 3 forms (Human, Hand, Tornado) that he periodically switches to. Hand and Human form counter physical attacks. Human Form counters with Blaze with does proportional HP damage to all targets. It's best to use magic attacks or retaliate.
  

Human/Tornado Form
Weak: Ice
Absorb: Fire, Wind
Resist: None
Null: Water, Poison

Hand Form
Weak: None
Absorb: Fire, Wind
Resist: None
Null: Everything else

Vulnerabilities: None


Recommended abilities: Draw Fire + Retaliate, Magic Breakdown, Shellga
Recommended RW: SG/SS2, Boon


Ultima Buster【Nightmare】

Boss: Ultima Buster (~190000 HP)
Difficulty: ???

• Hit Mana Sphere with fire attacks.
• Hit Mana Sphere with water attacks.
• Hit Mana Sphere with non-elemental attacks.
  
  
  • Ultima Buster will initially appear by himself. After ~35,000 damage Mana Sphere will appear and Phase 2 will begin.
  • Ultima Buster gains reflect in Phase 2. I don't think this can be dispelled?
  • Mana Sphere reacts differently to attacks depending on the element.
    
    • Fire/Lightning: Deal damage to Ultima Buster equal to 10x the amount of damage Mana Sphere received. (Does not exceed 9999 damage cap)
    • Holy/Dark/NE: Mana Sphere takes heavy damage, deal reduced damage to Ultima Buster.
    • Earth/Wind/Poison: Nothing.
    • Water/Ice: Heal your party
  • Every few turns Mana Sphere will grant Ultima Buster a charge of energy. Phase 2 ends when either Mana Sphere is killed, or Ultima Buster has 4 charges. You most likely will not survive his cast of Nightmare Ultima with 4 charges. It deals massive non-elemental damage to all targets and ignores RES.
  • You will most likely want to kill Ultima Buster in Phase 2. If you get to Phase 3, all his attacks ignore RES and buffs so he will most likely be one-shoting everyone.
  • He's immune to all breaks, so don't bother.
  
  

Break Resistance: NULL

Weak/Absorb/Resist/Null: None

Vulnerabilities: None

Recommended abilities: Shellga, as many fire/lightning attacks.
Recommended RW: Anything that has Hastega, SG/SS2, Aerith’s SSB

[kuronosan]

Has anyone even crafted a 6* yet?

[Aerin]

Some have crafted Ultima and said it was lackluster I believe. Haven't been paying too close attention lately so not sure about the rest.

[Alkar]

Has anyone even crafted a 6* yet?

Ultima and Crush have been created in Japan. Ultima is nothing special (Bahamut has a higher multiplier and is easy to hone) but it's the best AoE Black Magic for obvious reasons (higher multiplier than Meteor+2 hits). Crush is 2 hits AoE with a 99% chance of Death with each hit. The biggest issue? Both are completely useless because you can't even hone them.

[Alkar]

Ok the dungeon is out and they've added an extra Black Crystal to Liquid Flame. I'm guessing Ultima has 2 Non Ele as well to make up for the one with skipped from Adel.

[Kirin]

When do the Lucky Draws for abyss start?

[Alkar]

White Magic Abyss.

[Karbuncle]

Like seriously, the Spherimorph is a cunt, i mean, aside from being my least favorite enemy ever. I got him down to doing like 90 damage an attack but I widdled his ass down and he never once switched to Blizzard Weakness. Lost Master because if never switched to Ice (Around 20% I only attacked him to hit his weakness and force barrier shift).

dont wanna waste Stamina on this RNG crap , he was easy but man... so BS

[Mertron]

just took a nightmare ultima to the face, seeing everyone take 9999 damage is pretty funny.

I'll win next go, minor change in strat needed.

[Mertron]

Spoiler: show

if you're going for the speed kill, have 5 blms who can do full damage (not 9999, just the ability to cast thunder and fire). I had fusoya curaja first try and didn't kill fast enough. you shouldn't need cures really

[Deathbringer]

Spoiler: show

RW: Hymn

Hey, made nin moves useful(you WILL need carby if you plan on using them because its gonna force death counters)

[kuronosan]

Easy peasy with my godly mage team. Mastered first try.

Bring on the rest of the crystals.

[arus2001]

Is it just a zerg or what?

[Kirin]

Worth it vs the exp and orb drops right now to use the stamina and finish this, or just get both done next month?

[Karbuncle]

Was able to clear it relatively easy using the Fire/Thunder zerg method. More or less, just equip every character with 1 6/8 Charge Fire/Thunder Ability, and then use the second slots for whatever (Water / NE for medals... more Thunder/Fire... etc). I had to splash in ifrit on one of my BLMs but it did 1100 so still 9999'd Ultima. Bring Carbuncle, always a good idea, he mostly uses single target spells (Though can use Flare-Ga which only did about 1k damage to my people with Boon up)

I'd recommend Mighty Guard (VIII) or Divine Guardian (IX) as your RW, the magic of Haste and Shell/Resist+ is baller for this fight, Boon is just fine though too... Either way, this fight took one retry to swap to a managble zerg method and I ended up Mastering it on my second attempt, losing 1 medal to damage cause of some BS :D but no one died or ever came close to dying. It Should be noted he was at 90% charge when I won... but I mean, I won, woo!

For what its worth my setup was

Lulu - 52 --- Firaga8/Blizzaja4 (Tigerclaw, Witch's Hat, Circlet) (Her Firaga was only doing 6600, so I won with hers not doing 9999)
Terra - 61 --- Thundaja8 / Memento of Prayer (Guard's Stick, Ebon Armor, Hope's Scarf)
Exdeath - 50 --- Comet10 / Firaja6 (Storm Staff, Precious Watch, Mage's Bangle (X))
Rinoa - 76 --- Ifrit5 / Waterja8 (6* Rising Sun, 6* Keepsake Ribbon, Silver Pinion)
Eiko - 65 -- Maduin3 / Carbuncle2 (Golem's Flute, Seifer's Coat, Yuna's Obi)

Didn't need Momento of Prayer but I didn't have any other Thunder/Fire spells and I wanted some minor Regen just in case (Didn't want to have to waste time on a Water spell if he got AoE happy)... If I had gotten a RW Mighty Guard or Divine Guardian I'd of probably replaced it with ... anything, nothing really comes to mind.

something to consider if you don't think your team is up to snuff... I thought i was going to get Rekt and i won... but I did have all of my mages using 5*/6* gear, no 4+ or 3+.....

[kuronosan]

Worth it vs the exp and orb drops right now to use the stamina and finish this, or just get both done next month?

If you have a party that can clear, do it. It's worth at least doing one for the MC2.

[Kainos]

Nightmare will suck if u don't have a decent mage meta. Haste is definitely a must if you are zerging it, I got him down when he was at 90% charge and my mage gear is pretty good.

If you don't have native wall or haste I imagine this fight will be tough. With SG and shell I didn't need any healing at all. Fun fight but gimmicky

[Akiyama]

I barely beat the Phantom Train, but my team's not great and my stuff isn't honed well. Still, I have no wall/aoe heal or haste so it's like..ugh

[Classikmage]

I mastered 3/4 1st try, had a bitch of a time with Spheroid though, he counters on everything, even when you hit the right element and if no synergy even the weak counters add up over time. Tried the ultimate one and got Bustered at 60% lol.

[Ratatapa]

Worth it vs the exp and orb drops right now to use the stamina and finish this, or just get both done next month?

Nightmare closes april 9 like 5 days after Orb fest finishes

But you can do the XIII part if you want them MC2 then back to orbs