FFRK - March of the Archons (XIV) Event & Strategies

[Kirin]

Been a while for event threats, thats my fault. Now that all the silly wedding stuff is passed I should be able to do these on the regular again.

"Once the people of Eorzea learn that the Scions of the Seventh Dawn have returned, they will surely rally to our cause. We need only sound the clarion call." - Alphinaud

Also known as Archons, the Circle of Knowing are prominent figures throughout the Seventh Umbral Era storyline. The Circle of Knowing hails from the city-state of Sharlayan in the northwestern Dravania region and bears some mysterious relation to the group known as "The Twelve". They are marked by the Tattoo on their neck.

The Twelve's early history and true nature are unknown, as is their possible relationship to the mothercrystal Hydaelyn and her opposite, the deity Zodiark.

The Twelve took up residence in the land which became known as Eorzea with the moogles as their servants. The Twelve ruled over the land until the arrival of the wandering tribes: the Elezen, Miqo'te, Lalafell, Roegadyn and Hyur. Impressed by the tribes' resourcefulness and resilience, the Twelve ceded the land with some becoming patron deities of Eorzea's cities.

Event Start Date: November 21
Event Bonus Battle: November 24
Event End Date: December 1

All information is taken from a mixture of Reddit/Spreadsheets and my own obviously expert analysis.

Much info for the event comes from this thread and its related links: https://www.reddit.com/r/FFRecordKee...os&sh=83628a4b

Though the information provided is used as a guideline and not always taken directly from the thread. When necessary, additional thoughts on Cid Missions and battle strategies are added.

Notable Rewards:

Band of Casting - Accessory 5*: Mag +30

New Characters Acquired:

No Lyse just yet...

Dress Spheres Acquired:

But Thancred continues his identity crisis.

Old Characters Acquired:

Thancred
Potato
Alphinaud
Minfilia

New Memory Crystals:

At least this time, the transition is a good one.

Old Memory Crystals:

Thancred MC1/2
Potato MC1/2
Alphinaud MC1/2
Minfilia MC1/2

New Record Materia:

No New Additions:

• RM1:
• RM2:
• RM3:

New Record Dive

Because the next expansion is going to mess everything up again lore wise.

New Legend Materia:

Spoiler: show

None:

Acolyte Archives

• Beat 'Nero tol Scaeva 凶++' with a party consisting of FF XIV synergy characters.
• Beat 'Ultima Weapon 滅++' with a party consisting of FF XIV synergy characters.

Balance Changes

No changes

Relics

Kind of a win/lose spot with this event swapping places with X. Bad in that people waiting on a healer Brave USB will have a little longer, but good in that we FINALLY get an updated wind chain for mages.

The 2nd downside is that, now being a chain holder, Alphinaud will need some entrust support to make use of his other SB's. That said, Tiamat can still pump out 3 hits of hurt.

Thancred shifts again, this time going the earth ninja route with a Brave USB. Minfilia also fully shifts away from holy knight to support character.

Future Event Banner Comparison:

No later, as there has not been another XIV event in JP to date.

Element Boosts:

Spoiler: show

Banner 1:

• Fire: Potato ASB
• Wind: Alphinaud CSB
• Earth: Thancred USB

Banner 2:

• Ice: Ysayle USB
• Holy: Minfilia USB
• Fire: Yda BSB

Ultra EX/Chase Type Glossary:

Spoiler: show

Rules of thumb:

1. Stat buffs from the EX mode have a unique ID and will stack with everything.
2. Many USB’s come with a built in class damage boost. These are separate from the iteration class boosts and do stack.
3. EX modes last 15 seconds, while buffs provided by the USB entry last 25 seconds. (Terra is an exception, with her EX Mode lasting 25 seconds).

Special Effects:

• General Boost: These can be anything specifically tied to the EX Mode - HP Stock, Crit Fix, Cast Speed, Element Boost, Stat buffs, and even Break Damage Limit. This will stack with every other buff on the user, including other EX Modes.
  
• Rank Boost: This provides a damage boost scaling with the rank of the ability used. The boost starts out at ~5% for R1 increasing to ~30% for R5+.
  
• Class Boost: This provides a flat damage boost for a specific class of abilities (Knight, Black Magic, etc). Generally weaker than the Rank Boost at ~15-20%, but applies to all abilities under that class - including Burst commands.
  
• Chase: Follow up attack(s) triggered by using abilities of a specific element or school while under the EX Mode. The number of these chase attacks can be random, reliant on the rank of the ability used (Rank Chase), status of the user (Status Chase), or increase in number as the trigger ability is used (Echo Chase).
  
• Cycle: Unit receives a quickcast or instacast charge when using abilities tied to a specific element or school – generally meant to be used in repetition for maximum effect.
  
• Build Up: A gradient damage boost toward a specific ability school based on the number of ability uses from the start of the battle to when the EX mode is applied. This buff is not tied to EX mode duration, and will persist whenever the EX mode is active.
  
• Wind Up/Finisher: Generally applying to Summoners, this will provide additional damage based on the sum total of all type (class or element) damage done during EX mode when the mode expires. The unique aspect of this is that a recast of the USB will count toward the exit damage of the previous EX mode.
  
• Phantom Cast: This effect will auto cast an attack every few second at a set rate independent of the character. The number of attacks or potency is not reliant on any outside factors (Haste, Slow, QC) and will generally produce 4 actions per EX Mode.
  
• Cheer: This will grant a party wide effect after using a triggering ability. For example, Marche will triple the cast speed of every front row party member (himself included) for 1 turn after he uses a Knight ability.
  
• Ability Double: This will guarantee that an ability will cast 2 times per use at the cost of 2 hones. The first cast can trigger appropriate W-Cast materia for a total of 3 hits, but the additional hits will not generate SB gauge.

Banner 1:

The Alphinaud banner. Not quite an ascension event - though the long awaited magical wind chain, some new wind magic tech, and some supportive touches finally bring Minfilia into her own as a support unit instead of a half-assed knight.

Potato gains a bog standard ASB, dealing 3x fire magic overflow hits. Luckily, he does bring +fire to a rod. He also gains a a Glint, passing on element infusion for 3 turns of magical CT0.

His USB2 is 10x ST fire/non on entry, with a self Mag/Def boost, en-fire, and 'Sharpcast Fire' chase triggered by fire damage. 'Sharpcast Fire' will deal 4-8x additional fire/non hits with successive uses, like Squall's USB2.

Thancred becomes an earth ninja, after being a fire thief and a poison thief/ninja for a while. No en-element for him, but his Brave does deal the Mag/Def breakdown effect with its entry - along with 10x hits of ST earth/fire damage and a Ninja ability boost. The USB itself is instant, while his Ninja Brave mode can run up to 10 hits and Atk/Def/Res crush.

He also gains a new BSB with instant entry, 8x earth/non ST hits, and imperil earth. Both commands are Ninja school, with C1 dealing 2x ST ranged earth/non hits with a P.Blink and C2 dealing 1x ranged earth/non hits with an Ether effect.

Alphinaud gains the magic wind 2.0 chain. Along with that, his Brave USB deals 10z wind/non summon hits to one target, grants 2x fastcast, and grants the party wind Radiant Shield. Luckily, his Brave mode is triggered by wind hits and not summon, and can reach 12x wind/non summon magic hits to a single target with an ether proc.

His Glint is the magical version of Cloud's, dealing 6x wind/non summon damage to a target with en-wind.

Minfilia gains a new Glint as well, offering CT0 en-holy with a party HP Stock of 2k. Along with that is a new BSB too. Entry is 8x holy/non damage to a single target with Last Stand for the party. Both commands are Knight school, with C1 granting a Knight class boost for 2 turns with 4x ST holy/non hits while C2 is a 2x holy/non dispel.

Returning Items:

Entirely new banner.

Banner 2:

A few good things here, but half of those items are for content thats ~2 months away (Chupon magicite).

Yda is very underrated as far as Monks go. Her USB with 3x CT0 charges essentially makes her cycle cast time free, and it packs in 3 P.Blinks for mitigation.

Estinen is about on par with Freya for wind Dragoons, trading the chase for a quickcast cycle (which is dive does anyways).

Finally, Ysayle's USB comes with a very rare +ice rod and a rank based chase.

Returning Highlights:

Yda USB
Ysayle USB

Legend Materias:

• B1 - Thancred: Small chance to w-cast Ninja abilities.
• B1 - Minfilia: Begin battle with Quickcast 3.
• B1 - Alphinaud: Begin battle with en-wind.
• B1 - Potato: Begin battle with en-fire.

• B2 - Estinen: Begin battle with en-wind.
• B2 - Ysayle: Small chance to minor imperil-ice after using ice element abilities.
• B2 - Yda: Small chance to self Stoneskin (30%) after using a Monk ability.
• B2 - Cid: Deal moderately more damage with Machinist abilities with a gun equipped.

Relic Discussion
https://www.reddit.com/r/FFRecordKee...57&sh=52c5fb64

[Kirin]

Alisiae's complaints go here...

Ultimate + Apocalypse Battles

Nero tol Scaeva++
凶Nero tol Scaeva (w/Death Claw)
HP: Nero: 380,000 - Death Claw: 49,600
Target Score:

• Defeat the Nero tol Scaeva with at least 3 characters not KO'ed.

Weak: None
Absorbs: None
Resists: None
Null: None
Vulnerabilities: None

Notes: There are a few sources of Stun to worry about here if you want to bother. The fight is 100% physical with no elements to worry about.

Death Claw will join the fight when Nero's HP is reduced below 85%. They also carry a stun with a much higher success rate and it is also piercing. Luckily it's HP is low so just AoE it down quick.

Acolyte Archive: There isn't really anything special on the CM here. Without an element to worry about, the additional mobs can be handled without needing a dancer specifically. You will still need some Power Breakdown because the later attack can pierce defense.

Bring your heavy hitters and Yshtola. Shouldn't be a big hassle.

Gaius van Baelsar (Apoc +)
滅Gaius van Baelsar
HP: 530,000
Target Score:

• Defeat Gaius Baltar with 2 or more heroes not KO'ed.

Weak: None
Absorbs: None
Resist: None
Null: None
Vulnerabilities: None

Notes: No status or elements to worry about here either, but that trade-off comes with dealing with both piercing physical and magical hits. You will want to focus fire him quick after 50%, so slow burn the first 50% to get ready.

Ultima Weapon (Apoc ++)
滅Ultima Weapon
HP: 690,000 each
Target Score:

• Defeat Ultima Weapon with 2 or more heroes not KO'ed.

Weak: None
Absorbs: None
Resist: None
Null: None
Vulnerabilities: None

Notes: Ultima Weapon is immune to damage until its 3rd turn. Use the time to buff up.

Very similar to the torment fight, with reduced stats. You've got mixed mitigation to worry about with fire, wind, and earth damage to deal with. Pro/shell is suggested, maybe even wall because only 1 attack can pierce.

At 15% HP remaining, you need to clear the fight before UW can use Ultima - 9999 damage and auto hit KO. You have about 3 turns before the attack is used after breaching the 15% threshold.

Also like the torment, break resist is only 30% effective - in line with 5* magicites. Effective to bring, but if you can't slot everything try to mitigate elsewhere.

Acolyte Archive:

If you have Minfilia gear, her Last Stand or buff suites can be beneficial here for split parties. Gaining a weakness for SB gauge through Cid or Ysayle (her LMR) can help produce some additional damage too, though Cid w/fire imperil may be best because Potato can take advantage of the element with his SB's.

In gauging the damage output in the later phases, I think the largest "need" here is Yshtola tech for heals. Without an element to exploit (or exploiting one you make), you can pick who you want for damage as long as you can keep up with the healing.