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The Swallow's Compass is a level 70 dungeon in Final Fantasy 14: Stormblood. This optional dungeon was added in patch 4.3, and continues the Four Lords side story. This time, you are tasked with entering the Swallow's Compass, a palace where disciples of geomancy would journey to learn from the great Qitian Dasheng. Your goal is to retreive the tamate-bako, an ancient relic that is said to have the power to manipulate time.
This dungeon is filled with powerful enemies and new mechanics that you'll want to be prepared for. Let's go over each boss you'll encounter in the Swallow's Compass, their attacks and mechanics, and how to beat them.
How To Unlock The Swallow's Compass
The Swallow's Compass is unlocked through the following side quest.
- Accept the quest 'Tortoise in Time'
- NPC Location: Bunchin - The Ruby Sea (X:27.9, Y:16.4)
This quest will only appear after completing the pre-requisite quest 'An Auspicious Encounter', which involves completing the dungeon Hells' Lid and the Trial The Jade Stoa.
Dungeon Walkthrough
In the first section of this dungeon, you will be blocked by three elemental doors. Travel through each room and defeat the enemies there to unlock the door, allowing you to progress further. Each of these rooms has powerful enemies that will use various AoE attacks, so tread carefully. Eventually, you will end up back at the start of the dungeon, where you will be able to unlock the Dragon's Seal and face the first boss.
In the section immediately following the first boss, you will enter a long underwater area with barriers positioned along its length. Periodically, waves will come crashing down the path, dealing damage and knocking you back. To avoid this, hide behind the barriers. Try to pull the enemies behind each barrier as you avoid the crashing waves.
Otengu
The first boss of the Swallow's Compass is Otengu, whose attacks and mechanics are detailed below.
- Clout of the Tengu: Deals damage to all party members. Use AoE heals to recover.
- Yama-kagura: Otengu targets a random player and begins casting a line AoE in their direction. Move out of the AoE indicator to avoid.
- Tengu Ember: Flame orbs will appear and begin slowly rotating around the arena. Walking into one of the Embers will deal damage and inflict the Suppuration debuff, increasing damage taken and reducing maximum health. Avoid walking into the Tengu Embers as you dodge the boss's other attacks.
- Eventually, the Tengu Embers will stop moving and explode, dealing damage in the area. When the Embers stop moving, quickly get away from them to avoid taking damage.
- Wile of the Tengu: A gaze attack that inflicts Hysteria, forcing you to run around the arena. When the glowing red eye appears on the boss, look away from the boss to avoid getting hit.
- Might of the Tengu: Deals high damage to the Tank. Use defensive cooldowns as necessary to mitigate this damage.
Otengu will repeat these attacks until he is defeated. Be mindful of the position of the Tengu Embers as you avoid the boss's other attacks.
Daidarabotchi
The second boss of the Swallow's Compass is Daidarabotchi. This stationary boss will use the following attacks and mechanics.
- Greater Palm: Daidarabotchi will raise its left or right arm before slamming it onto the arena, dealing damage to the that side. Watch the boss's arms and move accordingly to avoid.
- Mountain Falls: Targets players with an AoE circle attack. Spread out to avoid overlapping these with other players.
- Tributary: Several overlapping triangle AoEs will shoot out from the front of the boss. This will occur at the same time as Mountain Falls. Avoid moving near the middle of the arena.
- Mirage: Players will be targeted by a series of AoEs that will follow the player for a short time. Spread out and avoid running on top of other party members to reduce the chances of overlapping this attack.
- Mythmaker: The boss will slam the center of the arena, creating a persistent shimmering lake there. Walking inside the lake will decrease movement speed and cause you to gradually sink, killing you if you stay in too long. This lake will grow over time, reducing the moveable area of the arena. Be careful not to move inside the lake as you avoid Daidarabotchi's other attacks.
After the lake from Mythmaker disappears, Daidarabotchi will repeat these attacks with increased overlap. Watch the position of the boss's arms and be sure to stay away from the lake, and you'll be able to make it through this fight.
Qitian Dasheng
The final boss of the Swallow's Compass is Qitian Dasheng. Shortly after the fight begins, the edge of the arena will be covered in an AoE that deals damage, and inflicts Bleed and vulnerability up. Avoid standing in the edge of the arena as you avoid the boss's other mechanics.
- The Short End: Deals high damage to the Tank. Use defensive cooldowns to mitigate.
- Both Ends: Qitian Dasheng will perform an AoE attack depending on the size of his staff.
- Short staff: A point-blank AoE centered on the boss. Move away to avoid.
- Long, glowing staff: A large donut shaped AoE that also knocks back. Move close to the boss to avoid.
- Mount Huaguo: Deals damage to all party members. Use AoE heals to recover.
- Monkey Magicks: Qitian Dasheng will move to the center of the arena and become untargetable. Then, he will begin charging the Monkey Magicks Duty Gauge while several Servant of the Sage adds spawn. The Monkey Magicks Gauge will continue to increase until it is full or the Servant of the Sage adds are defeated, at which point the boss will cast Second Heaven.
- Second Heaven: Deals damage to all party members according to how high the Monkey Magicks Gauge is. If the Gauge is full, this attack will instantly kill all players. To avoid this, the Tank should group up the Servant of the Sage adds while the rest of the party bursts them down.
- Splitting Hairs: The boss will split itself in two, creating an identical clone. From this point on, the boss will repeat the attacks above, except for Monkey Magicks, but this time the clone will also perform these attacks simultaneously. Additionally, the following two mechanics will be added to Qitian Dasheng's arsenal.
- Long End: Each clone will tether to a random player and target them with a line AoE. Spread out to avoid overlapping these.
- Five-Fingered Punishment: During Both Ends, this attack will place a stack marker on a random player. All party members will need to group up on the affected player while avoiding the AoEs of Both Ends.
- After destroying a clone, the surviving one will cast Splitting Hairs again, creating yet another clone. Try to defeat both clones at the same time so that more aren't created.
After Splitting Hairs, this fight will get much more difficult. The Tank will have to deal with The Short End dealing damage twice, while Mount Huaguo will additionally deal damage to all players twice. As you take down both clones, be careful not to enter the edge of the arena. After defeating Qitian Dasheng and his clones, the Swallow's Compass will be complete.
