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The Great Gubal Library (Hard) is a level 60 dungeon in Final Fantasy 14: Heavensward. Originally added in patch 3.4, this Hard version of the Great Gubal Library will have you once again returning to Eorzea's largest library in search of a forbidden tome.

Related: Final Fantasy 14: Xelphatol Dungeon Guide

In the Hard version of the Great Gubal Library, you'll face some new and familiar foes alike. If you're prepared to delve once again into this dangerous library, grab your closest friends and your library card and let's take a look at each of the bosses you'll find, their attacks and mechanics, and how to beat them.

How To Unlock The Great Gubal Library (Hard)

The Great Gubal Library (Hard) is unlocked through the following side quest.

  • Accept the quest 'Let Me Gubal That for You'
    • NPC Location: Midnight Dew - Idyllshire (X:5.5, Y:6.6)

This quest will appear after completing the Main Scenario Quest 'Heavensward'.

Dungeon Walkthrough

This dungeon is pretty straightforward, but there are some opportunities for large pulls between each boss. Remember to only pull as much as the Tank and Healer are comfortable with, as the enemies in this dungeon have some powerful attacks that you'll want to watch out for.

In the section of this dungeon just before the final boss, you will face the mini-boss Apanda. This enemy will use the following two attacks.

  • Magic Hammer: Targets a random player with a large circle AoE that deals high damage and drains half their remaining MP. Casting classes should especially be careful to avoid this AoE by moving outside the indicator.
  • Bone Shaker: Deals damage to all party members and inflicts vulnerability up, increasing the amount of damage you take. The Healer should be mindful of the party's health as you fight this mini-boss.

Demon Of The Tome

The first boss of the Great Gubal Library (Hard) is the Demon of the Tome, who will emerge from its book and use the following attacks.

  • Triclip: The Demon of the Tome will strike the Tank three times in quick succession, dealing high damage. Use defensive cooldowns to mitigate this damage.
  • Folio: The boss will summon a series of rectangular AoEs around the arena. Each time the boss casts Folio, different books will fall and move around the arena, dealing damage and inflicting vulnerability up. Watch carefully and move to avoid the AoEs as they appear.
  • Frightful Roar: A small circle AoE surrounding the boss. Move outside the AoE indicator to avoid taking damage.

The Demon of the Tome will repeat these attacks until it is defeated. Move carefully during each Folio to avoid the various AoEs that appear.

Liquid Flame

The second boss of the Great Gubal Library (Hard) is Liquid Flame. This boss's attacks and mechanics are detailed below.

  • Searing Wind: Liquid Flame will deal damage in a short cone to its front. The Tank should face the boss away from the rest of the party to avoid hitting them with this attack.
  • Bibliocide: Deals damage to all party members. The Healer should be prepared to recover the party's health.
  • Sea of Flames: Targets random players with a series of fire AoEs. Spread out from other players to avoid hitting them with this attack, and continue to move through the duration to avoid being hit yourself.
  • Slosh: Liquid Flame will tether itself to a random player before charging in their direction. The targeted player should run as far away as possible to reduce the damage of the charge while avoiding hitting other players.
  • Transform: Eventually, the boss will transform into Hand-mode or Tornado-mode, granting it access to a new mechanic.
    • Hand-mode: In this transformation, Liquid Flame will cast Seal of Night and Day. This attack will place sun and moon markers around the arena, and each player will be granted a sun or moon token. Move to the same marker as your token to avoid taking high damage.
    • Tornado-mode: In this transformation, Liquid Flame will first cast Bibliocide, covering the center and outer edges of the arena in a fire puddle. Then, the boss will use Ferrofluid. Liquid Flame will move to the center of the arena before marking all players and itself with a plus or minus symbol. If you have the same symbol as the boss, you will be pushed away, while if you have opposite symbols, you will be pulled towards the boss. Move close to or away from the boss according to your symbol to avoid being pushed or pulled into the fire puddles in the edges or center of the arena.

Liquid Flame will repeat these attacks until it is defeated. Watch carefully when the boss transforms, as the attack it does in each can be deadly if not dealt with correctly.

Strix

The final boss of the Great Gubal Library (Hard) is Strix. There is a lot to keep track of for this fight, so let's take a detailed look at each of Strix's attacks and mechanics.

  • Check Out: This is the boss's main mechanic that they will use throughout the fight. Check out summons books around the arena, which will form into one of three AoE puddles that will be used for various attacks. The types of puddles are detailed below.
    • Blue: Grants the Levitate buff, rising you into the air slightly.
    • Green: Turns you into an Imp, reducing Lightning Resistance.
    • Black: Inflicts the Leaden debuff, slowing movement speed.
  • After Check Out, Strix will cast one of the following attacks. To avoid most of these, you will need to enter one of the AoE puddles.
    • On The Properties of Quakes: Deals high earth damage to all party members. To avoid this attack, move to the Blue puddle to gain Levitate.
    • On the Properties of Tornados: Deals damage to all players, knocking them into the air and inflicting vulnerability up. To avoid this attack, move to the Black puddle to gain Leaden and avoid being knocked into the air.
    • On the Properties of Darkness II: Deals damage to all party members. This attack is unavoidable, so instead focus on healing with AoE heals.
    • On the Properties of Imps: Turns all party members into Imps, reducing Lightning Resistance. To turn back into normal, move into the Green puddle.
    • On the Properties of Thunder III: This attack is used immediately after Properties of Imps, and targets all players with a lightning AoE marker. If you are still an Imp when Properties of Thunder III is cast, you will take increased damage and be stunned for a few seconds. To avoid this, turn yourself back into normal after becoming an Imp by moving into the Green puddle.
    • Behemoth: Strix will move to the back of the arena before summoning a large book in the center. Behemoth will emerge from the book and begin casting Ecliptic Meteor. At the same time, rock AoEs will begin falling around the arena. Ecliptic Meteor does extremely high damage, but can be avoided by hiding behind one of the rocks that spawns around the arena.

Strix will repeat these attacks until it is defeated. After each book has been Checked Out at least once, all three colors of puddles will appear at the same time. Do your best to remember what each puddle does and move accordingly to avoid each mechanic. After Strix is down, the Great Gubal Library (Hard) will be complete.

Next: Final Fantasy 14: Hullbreaker Isle (Hard) Dungeon Guide