On the finish of The Rising Tide DLC in Remaining Fantasy XVI, you’ll should go toe-to-toe with Remaining Fantasy’s iconic sea serpent: Leviathan. Like its predecessor, Echoes of the Fallen, The Rising Tide is already more difficult than the bottom recreation, and Leviathan kicks the problem up yet one more notch. Not solely is that this a four-phase boss battle, however you even have to make use of Ifrit all through the complete encounter. This implies there are not any particular builds you should use to cheese this one; it’s simply you and your abilities in opposition to the monster.
Fortuitously, this battle is surmountable with a little bit of endurance and technique. There are checkpoints for every section of this encounter, and dying will replenish your stack of Firelights should you want further therapeutic. Additionally, Leviathan will repeat assaults all through every section, so that you don’t should memorize too a lot to make brief work of the fish. Right here’s what you want to do.
NOTE: This information relies on the Remaining Fantasy mode model of the battle. Nevertheless, the mechanics look like an identical to these seen in Story-Targeted and Motion-Targeted mode.
Part 1: By means of the Maelstrom
At first of the encounter, Ifrit will probably be in freefall in opposition to Leviathan. You’ve seen this gimmick in different Eikon fights (specifically Titan), so the identical guidelines apply. Your motion is restricted right here, so use long-range magic assaults when Leviathan is much away and melee assaults as soon as it enters into shut vary. Do not forget that of Ifrit’s two particular strikes, Spitflare is a long-range assault and Brimstone is a charged melee assault. It will turn into crucial in section 3.
You’ll predominantly depend on precision dodges to keep away from harm, so studying Leviathan’s assaults is essential. Leviathan gained’t all the time use the identical assaults so as, however it would nearly all the time telegraph them in the identical method all through this section. Right here’s what to look out for.
One of many first major assaults Leviathan will use is telegraphed by its tail starting to glow. It is going to spin round and attempt to whip you vertically, so you’ll wish to time your dodge as soon as Leviathan is the other way up and about to smack you. See the above image for reference.
Leviathan may even spit a water jet from its mouth, beginning at one finish of the sector earlier than twisting its head (and the beam) to the opposite aspect. To deal with this, anticipate its head to start turning, and dodge roll into the beam. This offers you a beneficiant window to land a precision dodge and keep away from harm.
Fortuitously, Levithan’s different assaults will probably be referred to as out with means names. When Leviathan casts Riptide, rings of water will seem round Ifrit that can harm him on contact. After about two seconds, the rings will shut in on Ifrit. Just like the water jet, anticipate the rings of water to shut in, then dodge in any route to tug off a precision dodge.
Spinning Dive is an analogous story, nevertheless it’s a bit trickier for the reason that assault will go off solely a second after the identify seems on the display screen. Fortuitously, you possibly can predict when it’s coming, since Levithan will swim into the wall of the waterspout earlier than utilizing it. The water will begin to glow, after which you’ll wish to dodge proper when Leviathan’s head seems out of the water. There will probably be a loud splashing sound when Leviathan emerges, so you should use that as a cue for when to dodge.
The opposite two named assaults are long-range, which makes them a bit simpler to deal with. The primary of those is Tidal Roar, by which Leviathan will telegraph an enormous AoE earlier than blasting it at you. Whereas this appears to cowl the complete enviornment at a look, the edges are protected spots so long as you don’t by accident tiptoe into the assault. Use Wildfire to get out of the best way, and use ranged assaults to get some free hits in.
When Leviathan makes use of Grand Fall, a number of water orbs will seem in a spiral. Every orb will flash earlier than zooming at no matter location you have been in on the time they gentle up. There’s actually not a lot to say right here; zip across the enviornment to dodge the orbs, and time your dodges every time any orbs get shut. You may chain precision dodges one after the opposite right here, however you will get unfortunate and have an orb hit you proper when your invulnerability frames put on off, so watch out.
Be aware that these water orbs will probably be a recurring assault all through all phases of this battle. Even in Part 1, Leviathan can shoot teams of water orbs at you with out utilizing Grand Fall. However whatever the scenario, keep in mind that they’ll flash earlier than taking pictures towards you. Time your dodging accordingly.
Assaults will repeat from right here, so simply preserve dodging and inflicting harm in any protected openings you’ll find. As soon as Leviathan reaches about 75% HP, a cutscene will play which can launch you into Part 2. There’s a cinematic dodge to tug off right here, so press R1 on the immediate throughout the scene.
Part 2: Surging tides develop daring
Fortuitously, the remaining phases of the battle will put Ifrit on a correct battle enviornment as a substitute of the extra limiting freefall of Part 1. What’s extra, you’ll begin to see assaults from Part 1 repeat right here. Since you possibly can dodge most of them in a lot the identical method as you probably did earlier than (with one slight exception), I gained’t cowl every transfer intimately. Nevertheless, should you didn’t nail the dodge timing earlier than, you now have a lot extra wiggle room to simply Wildfire out of the best way of any assaults you see coming.
One of many central new assaults to be careful for is Breach. Leviathan will dive into the water earlier than the assault identify will seem, and a large space of impact marker will probably be telegraphed round Ifrit. To dodge Breach, instantly use Wildfire to get out of the circle. The timing on that is tight, so that you’ll have higher odds of dodging should you begin transferring as soon as Leviathan enters the water. I wouldn’t advocate making an attempt to precision dodge this one, but when you are able to do it, knock your self out!
Breach is to not be confused with Riptide, which reappears from Part 1. Nevertheless, the rings of water will seem in a method that appears related to Breach at a look, so be sure you discover the distinction. That stated, you possibly can dodge Riptide in the very same method. Anticipate the rings of water to shut in, and dodge into them to carry out a precision dodge.
As one other visible clue to distinguish between Breach and Riptide, be aware that Leviathan will probably be out of the water for Riptide, not like the dive that precedes Breach.
Salt Spray is technically a brand new assault, however that is related in idea to Grand Fall from Part 1. Orbs will seem in entrance of you, they usually’ll fly at you after they individually flash. Nothing new to cowl right here, you’ve gotten a lot free house to dodge this one you can actually wing it.
So far as I can inform, Leviathan doesn’t have a particular HP checkpoint that triggers the following section (I’ve had its well being bar above and under 50% when the transition happens). Nevertheless, you’ll definitely know when the following section begins, as a result of it’s time for…
Part 3: The DPS Examine (Troubled Waters)
After a brief cinematic performs, Leviathan will forged Troubled Waters, making a protect round it. Like different protect phases from the principle recreation, your objective is to shatter it inside a (largely) invisible time restrict. You’ve gotten roughly two minutes, and also you’ll solely know you’re working out of time while you see the phrases “The ocean rises in…” earlier than a 5 second countdown.
Whilst you do want to fret about assaults from Leviathan right here, there aren’t any advanced mechanics to take care of. To inflict as a lot harm as potential, use the next methods:
1: Use your Spitfire means ASAP. Because it’s a ranged assault, you possibly can whack Leviathan with this proper at the beginning of the section so long as it’s off cooldown. Utilizing Spitfire early means it cools down sooner, letting you probably sneak in an additional forged earlier than you run out of time.
2: From there, spam Wildfire to get into melee vary of Leviathan. You’ll should deal with some primary assaults right here, together with some water spurts and extra water orbs that behave like Salt Spray and Grand Fall earlier. You may skirt round these with out an excessive amount of bother, although you could must precision dodge the water orbs as you shut in. Don’t attempt to brute power this half and eat pointless assaults.
3: When you’re in melee vary, cost up and use the Brimstone talent instantly. If each particular strikes are cooling down, spam Ifrit’s primary combo of Sq.-Sq.-Sq.-Triangle to finish your assaults with a burst end. It will bounce Ifrit into the air, however you possibly can preserve repeating the combo whereas airborne, so don’t hassle ready for Ifrit to land. If Ifrit’s combo string pushes him away from Leviathan, simply Wildfire or dodge again into melee vary and preserve the strain on.
4: Leviathan will proceed to make use of primary water orb and water burst assaults whilst you’re in melee vary. Once more, don’t attempt to brute power and eat these hits, because you’ll wind up inflicting much less harm whilst you recuperate from the knockback. Taking a second to dodge at simply the correct time is worth it, so don’t get too confused concerning the time restrict right here. For those who can pull off a precision dodge, you possibly can chain proper right into a precision counter that can inflict boosted harm (almost on par with a 3 regular melee assaults).
5: After sufficient time in melee vary, Leviathan will glow because the water beneath it ripples. This implies it’s casting a knockback means that can create distance between you and the boss once more. It is a comparatively lengthy forged, so simply preserve dealing as a lot harm earlier than the flexibility goes off. It inflicts no harm, so don’t fear about dodging something right here.
6: To sneak in somewhat further harm, you possibly can cost your magic by holding Triangle whereas the knockback animation performs. It will allow you to sneak in a charged shot as quickly as you regain management.
7: Repeat the above steps, since there are not any new mechanics to study. Use Spitfire no matter vary, shut distance with Wildfire, and preserve comboing Leviathan whereas utilizing your talents as quickly as potential. You’ll see yet another knockback forged earlier than the section ends, so brace your self for that as you pile on the harm.
Make no mistake, it is a tight harm verify, particularly on Remaining Fantasy mode. Nevertheless, it does not require good play, particularly should you comply with the steps above. For those who slip up alongside the best way, simply preserve preventing. You’ll get it will definitely, and you’ll preserve training because of the battle’s beneficiant checkpoints.
When you shatter the protect, Leviathan will probably be staggered. Reap the benefits of this chance, since that is all free harm you possibly can inflict earlier than the following section begins. For those who occur to have talents off-cooldown, make sure that to make use of them now whilst you can stack up harm multipliers!
Part 4: Seething currents whorl
After Leviathan recovers from stagger, it would roar and instantly forged Maelstrom. This capabilities type of like a mixture of Breach and Riptide from Part 1. A big space of impact will spawn round Ifrit, and after a couple of second, the water will flash and start to shut in in direction of the middle. This assault may be very tough to dodge, as Ifrit will probably be pulled towards the middle and can take harm as soon as it begins to shut in.
Probably the most constant technique I discovered right here was to leap away from the middle, use Wildfire in midair, and time a dodge on the water’s edge. If performed proper, you’ll keep away from all harm. Nevertheless, even should you flub it a bit, this transfer offers huge harm should you’re near its heart when it resolves. So, on the very least, it’s best to mitigate some harm by trying to flee. Be sure that to make use of Firelight should you want therapeutic!
The rest of this battle makes use of lots of the mechanics seen in Part 2, albeit way more aggressively. You will note a brand new iteration of Riptide seem right here, by which Leviathan will scatter a number of rings of water across the enviornment. Fortuitously, this transfer seems scarier than it’s. Give attention to the rings that Clive is inside, and dodge into them as soon as they start to shut in. Only one well-timed dodge can resolve this complete assault, however you could must chain into one other dodge relying on the ring placement.
You’ll see a cinematic play because the battle progresses, which is an elaborate telegraph for the transfer Waterspout. It will summon an enormous twister that fills up almost the complete display screen, and it’ll inflict huge harm if it connects. Fortuitously, this assault strikes in a set trajectory that gained’t essentially comply with Ifrit. Spam Wildfire to maneuver both left or proper to get out of the best way of the assault.
After Waterspout, Leviathan will transfer instantly into Indignant Seas. Regardless of the brand new identify, this assault is predominantly a speedy string of its earlier named strikes utilized in speedy succession. The one tough half is that the person strikes gained’t be recognized by their names, since this complete sequence is labeled as “Indignant Seas.”
Fortuitously, this transfer seems to comply with a set sequence of mechanics, so you possibly can predict every part if it helps. Indignant Seas consists of Riptide thrice, Maelstrom, Salt Spray (from behind Ifrit in my testing), Waterjet, Salt Spray (in entrance this time!), and Tidal Roar. That is the primary you’ve seen Tidal Roar since Part 1, however you possibly can dodge it in the identical method you probably did earlier than. Simply be sure you’re outdoors of that broad space of impact marker within the water.
Indignant Seas is a really lengthy assault, so attempt to spam Triangle to maintain taking pictures magic at Leviathan whilst you dodge. Hopefully, you may break Leviathan’s stagger bar once more and interrupt the onslaught.
After Indignant Seas resolves, you’re within the dwelling stretch for this encounter. Preserve piling on harm, and as soon as Leviathan solely has a small little bit of its well being remaining, it would warp away from you and summon an enormous Tsunami. That is the top of the battle, so mash the Sq. button on the immediate throughout the cutscene and benefit from the fairly ending cinematic. Congratulations on clearing the principle story of The Rising Tide!
