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The Fractal Continuum (Hard) is a level 70 dungeon in Final Fantasy 14: Stormblood. This optional dungeon was originally added in patch 4.2, and will have you re-enter the Fractal Continuum. If you've cleared the original dungeon, you'll face some familiar enemies in this Allagan facility.

Related: Final Fantasy 14: The Temple Of The Fist Dungeon Guide

Strange energy signatures have been reported out of the Fractal Continuum. As you prepare to head back into the Allagan museum of hideous creatures, you'll need to gather a group of allies who are willing to do the same. Let's take a look at each of the bosses you'll face in this dungeon, their attacks and mechanics, and how to beat them.

How To Unlock The Fractal Continuum (Hard)

The Fractal Continuum (Hard) is unlocked through the following side quest.

  • Accept the quest 'An Unwanted Truth'
    • NPC Location: Philiot - Rhalgr's Reach (X:13.2, Y:12.2)

Dungeon Walkthrough

This dungeon's layout is pretty straightforward. Bounce on the jump pads when necessary, and group up the adds you come across. In the first section of this dungeon, before the first boss, you will encounter two enemies that you should watch out for.

  • Servomechanical Minotaur: Uses high damage auto attacks and untelegraphed AoE knock backs.
  • Servomechanical Chimera: Uses Dragon's Voice, dealing damage in a large donut AoE. The safe spot is the area underneath and immediately surrounding the Chimera.

Later in the dungeon, similarly difficult large enemies will appear. Remember to only pull as many trash mobs together as both the Tank and Healer are comfortable with.

Motherbit

The first boss of the Fractal Continuum (Hard) is the Motherbit. Sadly, you won't be able to loot this mother lode of an Allagan Tomestone. The Motherbit's attacks and mechanics are detailed below.

  • Electrochemical Transfer: The Motherbit will reactivate the Magitek Bits lying around the arena. These will then fly into set patterns before firing line AoEs.
  • Allagan Gravity: Targets a random player with a circle AoE that leaves behind a gravity puddle. Avoid walking near the puddle, as it will pull in nearby players and deal damage while inflicting the Heavy debuff, slowing movement speed.
  • Citadel Buster: The Magitek Bits will form a line with the boss in the center and begin to charge Citadel Buster. This attack deals high damage in the direction the Bits are facing. Quickly move to the other side of the arena to avoid. If you take too long getting to the other side, the Bits will knock you back and deal damage when you try to cross the line. Make sure you move as fast as you can to avoid this attack.

The Motherbit will repeat these attacks until it is defeated. The main thing to watch out for is Citadel Buster. This attack can deal lethal damage, even when near full health, and should be avoided as quickly as possible.

The Ultima Warrior

The second boss of the Fractal Continuum (Hard) is the Ultima Warrior, whose attacks and mechanics are detailed below.

  • Aetherplasm: Deals damage in the area around the Tank. The Tank should use defensive cooldowns to mitigate this damage while other players should avoid standing close to the Tank.
  • Citadel Buster: Turns towards a random player and deals damage in a line towards them. Move away from the front of the boss to avoid this attack.
  • Ceruluem Vent: Deals damage to all party members and knocks them back to the edge of the arena. Use AoE heals to recover the party's health after everyone has moved back together.
  • Primordial Aether: The Ultima Warrior will channel power from one of the three Warring Triad statues in the back of the arena. Then, different mechanics will occur depending on which statue was channeled.
    • Zurvan: Inflicts all players with a fire or ice debuff. Then, fire and ice markers will appear around the arena. Move to the matching marker to clear the debuff and avoid taking damage.
    • Sophia: Inflicts two players with black markers and two players with white markers. Move to a party member that has the opposite marker as you to clear them both and avoid taking damage.
    • Sephirot: Targets all players with green AoE circles that will drop onto the arena after a second. Then, they will grow in size, slowly covering the arena. Move away from the AoEs to avoid taking damage.
  • Mass Aetheroplasm: The Ultima Warrior will use this attack after Primordial Aether, targeting a random player with a stack marker. Group up with the affected player to spread out the damage of this attack.

The Ultima Warrior will repeat these attacks until he is defeated. Pay attention when he uses Primordial Aether to determine which attack he will use, and move accordingly.

The Ultima Beast

The final boss of this dungeon is the Ultima Beast. As the prototype for the Ultima Weapon, this boss won't go down easy. Listed below are each of the Ultima Beast's attacks and mechanics.

  • Death Spin: An untelegraphed attack that deals damage in a pointblank AoE around the boss. Before this attack occurs, the boss will raise its arm and the message "The Ultima Beast is gathering aetherial energy" will appear. Use both of these signals to help you avoid this attack by moving out of the range of the boss.
  • Aether Bend: An untelegraphed AoE that deals damage to the entire arena except for the area directly underneath the boss. Similar to Death Spin, the message "The Ultima Beast is gathering aetherial energy" will appear, along with the boss standing up on its back legs, before this attack occurs. Quickly move underneath the boss to avoid.
  • Flare Star: A proximity AoE will appear underneath a random party member. Run away from this AoE to reduce its damage. At the same time, the Ultima Beast will cast Allagan Gravity.
  • Allagan Gravity: Targets all players with an AoE marker. This attack will deal damage equal to half of your current health, and should be quickly recovered with AoE heals. Additionally, spread out to avoid overlapping your AoE with other players'.
  • Light Pillar: A series of circle AoE attacks that begins in the center of the arena. After the first hit of this attack, the AoEs will spread out two more times, dealing damage and moving closer to the edge of the arena. To avoid this attack, either try to stand between the AoEs, or move to the edge of the arena to avoid all of them.
  • Forborn Beast: The Ultima Beast will deal damage to all party members and grant itself a damage up buff. Use AoE heals to recover, while preparing to take more damage from all of the Ultima Beast's attacks.
  • Demi Ultima: Deals damage to all party members. Use AoE healing to restore the party's health.
  • Allagan Flare: Targets the Tank with a Flare marker, which deals higher damage the closer you are to the marker. The Tank should move away from the rest of the party to reduce the damage they take from this attack.

The Ultima Beast will repeat these attacks until it reaches 10 percent health, at which point it will use Demi Ultima again. This time, however, the attack will be slowly cast. If Demi Ultima is allowed to finish being cast, it will instantly kill all party members. Defeat the boss before this happens.

Next: Final Fantasy 14: Stormblood - How To Unlock All The Beast Tribe Quests