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PvP is a crucial part of Final Fantasy 14, especially after Patch 6.1 overhauled every job's systems and mechanics and added in an exhilarating new mode, Crystalline Conflict. While the job changes were almost certainly prioritized for the new mode, they carried over to every other PvP mode, shaking strategies and playstyles up significantly.

RELATED: Final Fantasy 14: Adventurer Plate Guide

With Frontline being part of the Daily Roulette system in Final Fantasy 14, many players will be diving into it every day to obtain Tomestones and EXP, making it an excellent mode to play if you're new or opposed to PvP. While PvP of any sort can seem daunting, learning the basics of Frontline can better prepare you for more competitive gametypes such as Crystalline Conflict if you ever wanted to dip your toes in after catching the PvP bug.

Overview

Even with Frontline being part of the Daily Roulette, there are still a few prerequisites and crucial information you should be made aware of before diving headfirst into the mode. While Frontlines will assign you to a random Grand Company during the match, you will still earn Grand Company Seals for your actual Grand Company upon completion.

Every day at 7:00 am (PDT)/2:00 pm (GDT), Frontline resets, changing to a different map for the remainder of the day until the next reset. Participating in Frontline can reward you with Tomestones, EXP, and Wolf Marks every day, making it an excellent way to reach your weekly Astronomy Tomestone cap.

How To Unlock

Before you can partake in the Frontline Daily Roulette, you will first have to complete a Level 30 quest for your respective Grand Company titled "Like Civilized Men and Women." This quest becomes available after completing "A Pup No Longer," which is its prerequisite quest and also part of your Grand Company's questline.

Grand Company Quest Quest Giver Location
Immortal Flames
Prerequisites
Like Civilized Men and Women (Level 30)
A Pup No Longer (Level 30)
Mimio Mio
Swift
Ul'dah - Steps of Nald (X:8.6, Y:9.4)
Ul'dah - Steps of Nald (X:8, Y:8)
Maelstrom
Prerequisites
Like Civilized Men and Women (Level 30)
A Pup No Longer (Level 30)
Trachraet
R'ashaht Rhiki
Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks (X:12.7, Y:12.8)
Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks (X:13, Y:12)
Twin Adder
Prerequisites
Like Civilized Men and Women (Level 30)
A Pup No Longer (Level 30)
Scarlet
Vorsaile Heuloix
New Gridania (X:9, Y:11)
New Gridania (X:9, Y:11)

Maps

Frontline consists of four maps with distinctive objectives and win conditions. These maps also bring 72 players into the battlefield, randomly splitting them up into each Grand Company for fierce 24v24v24 action. We will cover each map/mode in separate sections below but will now go over each of their rewards/requirements.

Map Character Level Tomestones Rewards
The Borderland Ruins (Secure) Level 30
  • x50 Allegan Tomestone of Poetics
  • x50 Allegan Tomestone of Aphorism
  • x20 Allegan Tomestone of Astronomy

Rank 1

  • Job EXP: Scales According To Level
  • PvP EXP: 1,000
  • Wolf Marks: 600

Rank 2

  • Job EXP: Scales According To Level
  • PvP EXP: 750
  • Wolf Marks: 450

Rank 3

  • Job EXP: Scales According To Level
  • PvP EXP: 500
  • Wolf Marks: 300
Seal Rock (Seize) Level 60
  • x50 Allegan Tomestone of Poetics
  • x50 Allegan Tomestone of Aphorism
  • x20 Allegan Tomestone of Astronomy

Rank 1

  • Job EXP: Scales According To Level
  • PvP EXP: 600
  • Wolf Marks: 1,000

Rank 2

  • Job EXP: Scales According To Level
  • PvP EXP: 450
  • Wolf Marks: 750

Rank 3

  • Job EXP: Scales According To Level
  • PvP EXP: 300
  • Wolf Marks: 500
The Fields of Glory (Shatter) Level 60
  • x50 Allegan Tomestone of Poetics
  • x50 Allegan Tomestone of Aphorism
  • x20 Allegan Tomestone of Astronomy

Rank 1

  • Job EXP: Scales According To Level
  • PvP EXP: 600
  • Wolf Marks: 1,000

Rank 2

  • Job EXP: Scales According To Level
  • PvP EXP: 450
  • Wolf Marks: 750

Rank 3

  • Job EXP: Scales According To Level
  • PvP EXP: 300
  • Wolf Marks: 500
Onsal Hakair (Danshig Naadam) Level 30
  • x50 Allegan Tomestone of Poetics
  • x50 Allegan Tomestone of Aphorism
  • x20 Allegan Tomestone of Astronomy

Rank 1

  • Job EXP: Scales According To Level
  • PvP EXP: 1,000
  • Wolf Marks: 1,000

Rank 2

  • Job EXP: Scales According To Level
  • PvP EXP: 750
  • Wolf Marks: 750

Rank 3

  • Job EXP: Scales According To Level
  • PvP EXP: 500
  • Wolf Marks: 500

Allegan Tomestone of Aphorism and Allegan Tomestone of Astronomy cannot be rewarded for jobs under Level 90. If your class is below max level, you will only receive Allegan Tomestone of Poetics, EXP, and Wolf Marks! Additionally, your EXP and Wolf Mark payout will be higher or lower depending on your team's performance.

General Information

Before we get into each of the four maps available in Frontline, we will go over the general rules, systems, and mechanics present across all four modes and maps. While each map/mode will have different goals and objectives, these principles will remain the same and are crucial to your success.

Rules

Every Frontline mode has three Alliances comprised of 24 players, divided into three Full Parties of eight players. Additionally, every map/mode has a time limit of 20 minutes but can end early if one of the Alliances meets the objective goal.

Respawning

Every Frontline map/mode allows you to spawn back in after getting knocked out by an enemy. You will get teleported back to the starting landing platform after a five-second countdown when knocked out and receive a temporary Invulnerable buff upon leaving the landing platform that negates all damage and ailments. The buff goes away after a short time or whenever you travel a certain distance from the landing platform.

Mounts

Mounts are available for all 72 players in Frontline and are used to reach objectives faster or retreat from hostile territories. But, using a Mount can be detrimental to you if you aren't careful. If you're on a Mount and take a certain amount of damage from an enemy, you will receive the Limp debuff, which significantly hinders your movement speed. - However, if you see an enemy on their Mount, the same rules apply, and you can apply the Limp debuff to them and capitalize on the situation.

We highly suggest not riding your Mount when enemies are nearby to avoid a fatal mistake.

Knockouts, Defeats, and Assists

As you focus on playing the objectives in Frontline, you will encounter many enemies and will have to fight them alongside your teammates. Throughout the match, you will get Knockouts, Defeated, and scoop up Assists during these encounters, which play an essential role in the match's outcome and the Battle High system.

Obtaining a Knockout will net you Ten Points towards your Battle High Gauge, with an Assist contributing Five Points. However, falling in battle will give you a Defeat, making you lose half of your Battle High Gauge as a result.

Battle High Gauge

Accumulating Knockouts and Assists will build your Battle High Gauge up, gaining new stacks of Battle High for every 20 Points obtained. Battle High substantially increases the damage dealt to enemies and the healing potency of actions.

Tier/Stack Gauge Count Buff Effects
Battle High I 20 > 39 10 percent increase in Attack Damage and Healing Potency.
Battle High II 40 > 59 20 percent increase in Attack Damage and Healing Potency.
Battle High III 60 > 79 30 percent increase in Attack Damage and Healing Potency.
Battle High IV 80 > 99 40 percent increase in Attack Damage and Healing Potency.
Battle High V 100 50 percent increase in Attack Damage and Healing Potency.

The Borderland Ruins (Secure)

The Borderland Ruins pit three teams of 24 players against one another, having them battle over Control Points spread around the map and race to defeat Nodes and Drones that appear in highly populated areas. Obtaining Knockouts, holding onto points, and defeating NPCs is the key to victory. To achieve victory, you will have to reach a Tactical Rating of 1,600 or have the highest score if the 20-minute match timer expires.

Control Points

Spread throughout the map are six Control Points you will be constantly fighting for and contesting during the course of the match. To capture a Control Point, you have to stand within a designated circumference until a meter fills up, confirming the point for your team. If enemies are present, whichever team has more players on the Control Point will have the priority and will begin capturing the objective. Additionally, the more players on the point, the faster the point gets captured, encouraging teamwork and communication. The Control Points in The Borderland Ruins are:

  • Northwest: Allagan Manors
  • Northeast: Allagan Markets
  • South: Allagan Sun Temple
  • Southeast: Immortal Flames Outpost
  • Southwest: Maelstrom Outpost
  • North: Twin Adder Outpost

Capturing and holding onto Control Points will be your primary source of raising your Tactical Rating. Every three seconds, will distribute points to your Tactical Rating, corresponding directly with how many Control Points you have under your possession.

Captured Control Points Tactical Rating Payout
One Control Point held. One point every three seconds.
Two Control Points held. Two points every three seconds.
Three Control Points held. Four points every three seconds.
Four Control Points held. Eight points every three seconds.
Five Control Points held. Sixteen points every three seconds.
Six Control Points held. Thirty-two points every three seconds.

When playing as Ninja, it's crucial to note that you cannot capture, contest, or clear Control Points when under the effects of Hidden.

Other Objectives

While capturing and holding onto Control Points is your primary supply of Tactical Rating points, you will also increase your Rating by completing various other tasks. Knocking opponents out, defeating Drones and Nodes, and even neutralizing points will help bump your team's score up and achieve victory.

A towering promontory in the center of the arena (Heliodrome) houses the Nodes and Drones. Roughly a minute into the match (60 seconds), six Interceptor Drones will appear here and will keep respawning throughout the course of the game every four minutes from when they first get destroyed. You can keep tabs on when they will come back by watching the in-game clock and making a mental note of four minutes or wait to see the message "The Heliodrome's matter displacer has been activated!" appear in your chatlog.

Furthermore, within the first three minutes and thirty seconds of the match, an Interceptor Node will appear in the Heliodrome. Taking the Interceptor Node out should be the top priority for your Alliance. Its arrival is also displayed in your chatlog in a similar way as the Interceptor Drones. Additionally, you will likely only encounter one Interceptor Node a match unless no one hits the score limit and you're milking the full 20-minutes allotted.

Objective Tactical Rating Payout
Destroying an Interceptor Node 200 Tactical Rating Points
Destroying Interceptor Drones 20 Tactical Rating Points
Securing a Control Point 10 Tactical Rating Points
Turning a Control Point Neutral 10 Tactical Rating Points
Knocking an Enemy Out 5 Tactical Rating Points

Seal Rock (Seize)

Seal Rock sees three Alliances square off in the Seize mode. Seize centers around randomly appearing Allagan Tomeliths that teams must fight over to accrue 800 Points of Data to win the match. There are three tiers of Allagan Tomeliths, ranging from B to A to S, with S-Tier Allagan Tomeliths rewarding the most Data Points. Failing to obtain 800 Points of Data within the 20 minutes allotted will reward the team with the highest points the win.

Objectives

There are roughly 16 Allagan Tomeliths scattered across Seal Rock, many of which are disabled when the match first begins. However, as time carries on, more and more Allagan Tomeliths will awaken, allowing Alliances to activate them for Data. To start earning points, a player from an Alliance must manually interact with the Allagan Tomelith, which will spawn their Grand Company's flag above it. For every three seconds your team controls a Tomelith, you will gain Data Points equivalent to the tier rating of the objective captured. In the early going of Seize, the majority of the Allagan Tomeliths will be A or B-Tier, but will later start unlocking S-Tier Tomeliths more frequently as the match drags on.

Furthermore, if another Alliance obtains an Allagan Tomelith before you, you can interact with it and disable it, then interact with it once more to capture it for your team. Be prepared, though, as this process takes several seconds, and there will likely be enemies in the area waiting to swat away intruders. This is crucial to Seal Rock as getting KO'd will deduct points from your team, making every encounter count. While getting eliminations is vital, getting eliminated yourself is detrimental to your team, so proceed with caution at all costs.

Objective Data Point Payout
Securing S-Tier Allagan Tomelith Four Data Points every three seconds. (Up to 160 Points)
Securing A-Tier Allagan Tomelith Three Data Points every three seconds. (Up to 120 Points)
Securing B-Tier Allagan Tomelith Two Data Points every three seconds. (Up to 80 Points)
Knocking an Enemy Out Five Data Points
Getting Knocked Out By The Opponent Minus Five Data Points

The Fields Of Glory (Shatter)

The Fields of Glory's Shatter mode is very similar to the Seize gametype found in Seal Rock but has an exciting twist. In Shatter, you will still find A through S-Tier Allagan Tomeliths scattered around the map, but you will also encounter small and large Icebound Tomeliths in addition to them.

Icebound Tomeliths will awaken randomly throughout the course of the match, just like the Allagan Tomeliths, except rather than capturing them, your team must destroy them before another team does, creating more chaotic encounters. Furthermore, the score limit is doubled from 800, making 1,600 Data Points the winning number.

Objectives

Like Seal Rock, Knockouts are a crucial part of The Fields of Glory. The introduction of Icebound Tomeliths amplifies the urgency of pushing objectives, leading to many more forced encounters and, in turn, eliminations. First and foremost, your primary focus in this mode should be going after Icebound Tomeliths whenever they spawn in, as the points accrued from them are equal to the damage your Party dealt to it.

Furthermore, points will not get distributed until the Icebound Tomelith is completely shattered, meaning it is essential to destroy all of them, especially if your squad dealt the most damage. Additionally, if your Party gets wiped, you will lose your accumulated Data Points on any active Icebound Tomelith. So, if you see your Party start dropping like flies, try and get to safety until they respawn and then regroup and try again.

Objective Data Point Payout
Breaking Large Icebound Tomelith Data Point Payout equals how much damage your Party dealt to the Large Icebound Tomelith.
Breaking Small Icebound Tomelith Data Point Payout equals how much damage your Party dealt to the Small Icebound Tomelith.
Securing S-Tier Allagan Tomelith Four Data Points every three seconds. (Up to 160 Points)
Securing A-Tier Allagan Tomelith Three Data Points every three seconds. (Up to 120 Points)
Securing B-Tier Allagan Tomelith Two Data Points every three seconds. (Up to 80 Points)
Knocking an Enemy Out Five Data Points
Getting Knocked Out By The Opponent Minus Five Data Points

Onsal Hakair (Danshig Naadam)

Onsal Hakair is another map/mode similar to what's found in Seal Rock. Still, it has several key differences that set it apart in significant ways, making it play wildly different. In Danshig Naadam, several Ovoos will appear across the arena, having Parties fight over securing them. These Ovoos spawn at random and in no specific order, like the Allagan Tomeliths. However, the one crucial difference here is that once an Ovoo is captured, it's yours. An enemy team cannot steal the Ovoo or neutralize it.

The enemy not being able to steal your Ovoo is quite significant because it means you are constantly on the offensive and don't have to worry about defending previously captured objectives. You are consistently moving to new Ovoos as they spawn in, making this mode easily one of the more fast-paced gametypes found in Frontline. Furthermore, there are tiers of Ovoos that range from B to S, with S being worth the most points if captured. Reaching the Tactical Rating of 1,600 will secure your team the win, or having the time expire will name the team with the most points the victor.

Objectives

Across the battlefield, you will constantly see Ovoos begin to activate via a large colored shape in the sky slowly filling up, indicating its progress. Once the shape is completed, the objective will become available to capture. The color and shape of the Ovoo will determine how many points it's worth. B-Tiered Ovoos will naturally be the least contested, while the S-Tier Ovoos will always be overflowing with players.

  • Blue Triangle: B-Tier Ovoo
  • Red Diamond: A-Tier Ovoo
  • Yellow Pentagon: S-Tier Ovoo

The objective here is to capture the most Ovoos, particularly A or S-Tier ones, while avoiding getting eliminated. Like other Frontline modes, knocking an enemy out will reward your team with points, but that also means getting killed will also take points away from your team, making it essential to go into every situation with a plan. Reaching the Tactical Rating of 1,600 is your top priority and focusing on getting kills, avoiding unnecessary encounters, and pushing rare Ovoos with your team is the key to getting there.

Objective Tactical Rating Payout
Securing S-Tier Ovoo 200 Tactical Rating Points
Securing A-Tier Ovoo 100 Tactical Rating Points
Securing B-Tier Ovoo 50 Tactical Rating Points
Knocking an Enemy Out 10 Tactical Rating Points
Getting Knocked Out By The Opponent -10 Ten Tactical Rating Points

NEXT: Final Fantasy 14: Complete Guide