I’ve always had trouble ranking things that I like (and also things that I dislike). Usually I’m so easy to please that anything that gets a positive reaction out of me gets slotted into my brain as “super favorite”. I’m a simple man in that way.
But I also feel like it would be fun to try and rank my favorite dungeons in Final Fantasy XIV. And it was, even if I, predictably, had some difficulty doing so. It was a good exercise for me, in that I could deep analyze why I enjoy these specific mechanics, instances, and bosses, but also, it made me think about what I want out of the game overall.
Note: There will be spoilers for dungeons, and the bosses and lore within, up to and including Endwalker’s. Take care!
Without further ado,
5. Haukke Manor
A Realm Reborn, Level 28 (Synced at 31)
Before anyone starts groaning over the fact I’m including a low level dungeon, hear me out. It has really nice aesthetics. It’s also one of the earlier ones that still retains some exploration mechanics that don’t feel so tedious. It’s also really easy to get lost in, but that’s only if you have a group of four people who have never done it before (and really, is it so bad to explore?).
Haukke Manor is one of the first dungeons that I actually enjoyed when I started playing, and I still enjoy it. Because you sync at 31, there’s the potential for you to have your job unlocked, which opens up more buttons while still being relatively easy. I also really love stunning and interjecting and both of those mechanics shine in this dungeon.
The boss mechanics are simple but successfully completing them makes you feel like you accomplished something. I never got that feeling in the previous dungeons, which all felt like chores to me.
4. The Aetherfront
Endwalker, 6.4, Level 90
The most recent dungeon as of the time of writing. Not only is this dungeon beautiful, especially the first 2/3 of it, it also has some pretty fun bosses and mechanics. While the first boss has pretty standard and simple things to do, I actually love the final boss. The second boss can feel tedious but is still really fun.
The snowy and grassy areas remind me of Xenoblade Chronicles in appearance and aesthetic. There’s even some ice ramps to slide down! The pulls here feel challenging but still not too bad, and the only thing I dislike about them is the huge AOEs that every enemy seems to have.
The first boss, the Lyngbakr, is so funny looking. Truly only a face a mother would love. But I also love it a lot, and I hope we get a mount or minion of it in the future (this is a pipe dream). In mythology, specifically the Greenland Saga, the Lyngbakr is a huge whale that would lure sailors onto its back to drown them. The Kraken, which the Octomammoth is based on, is also part of Nordic legends, but I’m sure this one is much more well known. The second boss, Arkas, is most likely based on Arkas of Greek myths, born to Kallisto, who had assumed the form of a bear (and would later become a star in Ursa Major), and Zeus, well known for his lightning abilities.
3. Akadaemia Anyder
Shadowbringers, 5.0, Level 80 (Synced at 80)
I don’t think too many people know that my absolute favorite character in this game is Lahabrea. I’ve been a fan of him since Toto-Rak, where he makes his first appearance to the Warrior of Light properly. And in Akadaemia Anyder, you go through his office (no matter how on fire it is at the moment). And it’s the best thing ever. He really is a horse girl.
Before you get there, however, you go through two other areas of Amaurot, which are, for the most part (slowly turning otherwise as you continue through), intact as if it were a normal Tuesday through the Akadaemia. This is one of those dungeons that has lore pamphlets to read–you know the ones. The ones that no one stops to let you read and you have to backtrack to do so once they’re all gone. Besides Lahabrea, there’s spaces dedicated to Mitron and Halmarut, both of which are not mentioned often (if at all, in the case of the latter). It’s a nice delve into what the Ancients were like, even if it does get Final Days-y at the end.
The last piece of lore to read in this dungeon, the one that can be found in the Words of Lahabrea, mentions some important things. Namely, it reintroduces the idea that, during the Final Days, the Ancients’ creation magic ran amok, creating large beasts; at this point in time (when the report was written), the Ancients aren’t aware of this fact, so they’re researching. One such beast is the Archaeotania, which resembles Twintania found in Final Fantasy V, is actually a FATE boss in the Tempest. Another important thing that is noted is that, before Zodiark was conceived, the Ancients had begun to make “guardians” to fight back the beasts–the final boss, Quetzalcoatl, is one such guardian. Lahabrea was also the first to suggest that the beasts aren’t random, so it’s safe to say he, with his phantomology prowess, spearheaded this effort.
And it’s all set to really great jazz music.
2. Ktisis Hyperboreia
Endwalker, 6.0, Level 87 (Synced at 88)
I feel like this is too much of an easy answer. Like this is low-hanging fruit to me, right? This is a favorite for everyone, yeah?
Ktisis Hyperboreia takes place in Elpis, which is, you know, back in time and also unsundered. The actual location that is the Ktisis Hyperboreia is where concepts that have been tested in Elpis come to be super tested, and if they pass, they become part of the world at large. There’s plenty of simulated environments within the walls, and it seems to be larger on the inside than the outside suggests.
I must admit, this is one of my favorites almost solely because of the lore. The boss mechanics are just alright, sometimes infuriating (like when the first boss, Lyssa, goes back underground…with just 2% HP remaining); even Hermes, gameplay-wise, isn’t really something to write home about (though he does have a move that you can interrupt, and as established, I love hitting Interject). The trash pulls are just trash pulls, and the ones in the final leg of the dungeon can get tedious. The pull “walls” are also in odd places, but it’s certainly reminiscent of early day dungeons, where a tank really had to know their own and the healer’s limits, which I like, rather than pulling hard wall to hard wall.
But, really. You can enter this dungeon with the Elpis Trio–Emet-Selch, Hythlodaeus, and Venat. My own qualms with the time travel plot in Endwalker aside, this is like a dream come true to fans of theirs (of which I am, for all three!). It solidifies my previous thought that Emet-Selch would have been a Dark Knight/Black Mage mix of a job, and I love the implications that come with Venat being able to do every role as well as Hythlodaeus only being a Bard–I mean, “Soulseer”.
Similar to Akadaemia Anyder, there’s little lore pamphlets you can pick up (or not, if you’re running with others; gotta go fast). Not only do these give us insight to Elpis and Amaurot as wholes, but also of further details relating to how concept creation as a process occurs. If you’re running with the Story NPCs, they also give their own thoughts (as all NPCs during Duty Support do), which adds to the lore. Since we really had only known about Amaurot from hearsay prior to Elpis, this is really a nice way to give hints about how mundane things happened back then without outright telling us. It also contrasts with Akadaemia Anyder nicely, in my opinion.
Honorable Mention: Palace of the Dead
Heavensward, 3.35, Deep Dungeon
Before we get to my number one, let’s talk about my real number one. Since it’s technically still a dungeon, I’ll include it on this list rather than a more general one later on. This place is addicting. Though I have yet to solo all the way to 200, I have gone to Floor 100 by myself. Just have to find the time to sit down again…
In my experience, you either love POTD or you find it the most boring thing in the world. As a person of the former disposition, I really can’t stay out of it. I level all of my new classes and jobs to 60 on it, most of the time (with a few Roulettes here and there). Because the leveling system is independent, I don’t have to worry about gearing every few levels (especially with how wonky ARR’s iLevel and gear can be), and it also lets me get used to the feel for the job slowly (since I’ll usually begin from Floor 1 when starting a new job). I’ll put some external music or an audiobook on and just go to town.
More than how fun it is, the most interesting thing about POTD is the tragic story it finishes. It’s pretty subtle and easy to miss if you’ve forgotten about one Edda Pureheart, an adventurer girl you met during a Level 15 main story quest. To get the full impact of Edda Blackheart, her iteration in POTD, you have to play the Tam-Tara Deepcroft (Hard), which is a fun and unique dungeon in its own right (if a little spooky). Discovering this story for the first time was really fun, especially since I ended up doing it out of order (I had completed POTD F50 before Tam-Tara Hard).
1. The Heroes’ Gauntlet
Shadowbringers, 5.3, Level 80 (Synced at 80)
And here it is, my ultimate favorite dungeon ever (so far). This dungeon has some of the most fun mechanics overall (not just the bosses’!), but it also ties into the story really well. Set right before The Seat of Sacrifice trial, the stakes are clearly raised, but never fear–the friends you’ve made on the First are here to help the Warrior of Darkness!
The trash pulls here are fun, in my opinion. They do things other than just melt to your super high DPS. There’s mechanics to be resolved, and it all seems a bit overwhelming until you receive help, courtesy of your friends. Aenc Thon, a Fuath that was previously a boss from Dohn Mheg, is there to transform everyone into frogs and chickens. Every role quest NPC, from Granson to Giott, arrives to help out during Lakeland. The Talos use all their energy to deliver some huge blows. Heck, even Hildibrand is there–though, err… not as a friend, this time.
The bosses are fun, too. Their mechanics are somewhat difficult to gauge what they’ll do on the first pass; you’ll either have to make a mistake (which is okay!) or rely on others to figure them out. It’s always somewhat harrowing getting into that crater for the final boss–but even more harrowing when someone leaves their rock and tries to stack with you!
I just really, really love the Power of Friendship trope. I cried like hell during all those moments in Endwalker where everyone came together to help you no matter what, especially the scene on the Sharlayan docks (and, of course, all throughout Ultima Thule). Heroes’ Gauntlet exemplifies this trope well, while also making it really feel like it’s necessary your friends have to help you. The Spectral enemies all have different weaknesses and strengths, such as the Spectral Paladins being super tanky and the Spectral Dragoons having targeting AOEs. As mentioned, it can be a little overwhelming, what with the music and the atmosphere and the story leading up to it. Heroes’ Gauntlet is a really, really good example of how to integrate gameplay into story (another good example is, all the way back when you’re retrieving the corpses at the Waking Sands, their interaction cast bar have varying lengths depending on the corpse’s weight…). You need your friends to come take out these enemies or distract those enemies; after all, you’re just one person!
I promise I will get an actual lore deep dive written up soon, as was my original intention when making this blog. But this kind of felt like bite sized to me, so I hope you’ll enjoy it.
Also, I want to know everyone’s top favorite dungeon in the game, and why! Please comment here or on the Mastodon post!
With love, Byleth
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