Dungeons
- See also: Trials, Raids, Deep Dungeon, Field Operations, Variant Dungeons, Criterion Dungeons, Treasure Dungeons
Dungeons are instanced areas teeming with enemies and bosses, fought by a party of 4 players (1 tank, 1 healer, and 2 DPS). Each instance of a dungeon is separate from others and is exclusive to a specific party. Dungeons need to be unlocked through quests (many are unlocked as part of the main story). They also have level requirements (and, starting at level 50, item level requirements). Players below the level requirement cannot enter the dungeon. Players above the level requirement are level synced to the maximum level permitted for the dungeon.
For example: Sastasha's level requirements are 15-18. Level 14 players cannot enter the dungeon; and level 19 and above players are level synced down to level 18 upon entering.
Some dungeons may have two difficulties: regular and hard. "Hard" dungeons are remixes of the original dungeon with new enemies and pathing through the dungeon, but are generally not significantly more difficult than the original, and can be completed using matched parties. Hard difficulty dungeons are available at Lv. 50, 60, and 70.
Layout
Dungeons contain treasure coffers throughout the map and after defeating each boss. Lower level dungeons may have environmental "puzzles" or branching paths with optional treasure coffers, but all dungeons past Lv. 50 (excluding Variant Dungeons) have a streamlined linear layout.
Dungeons are almost always divided into three sections. Each section contains a few packs of monsters (commonly called "trash mobs"). In post-level 50 dungeons, a tank will typically establish aggro on each group of monsters up to the point where no further progress can be made due to a barrier (called a "wall-to-wall pull") and all party members will defeat the trash mobs with their area-of-effect (AoE) attacks. Once the trash mobs are dead, the barrier will disappear and the next group of trash mobs or the boss of that section can be fought. Lv. 81 and higher dungeons are usually limited to a maximum of two packs of trash mobs per wall-to-wall pull. In lower-level dungeons, wall-to-wall pulls are still possible but can be more dangerous due to having limited healing, defensive, and AoE damage actions at those levels.
Rewards
Treasure coffers in dungeons contain gear that can be rolled on by the party.
Dungeons below an expansion's level cap reward gear that is useful for characters that are leveling up. Upon completion of a leveling dungeon, all party members will receive a random gear piece that is usable for their current class or job. Dungeons at the current level cap reward gear that has a lower item level than gear from raids or capped tomestones, or the most recent crafted gear. However, dungeon gear is not subject to weekly loot restrictions and is free to acquire, so it is useful as "catch-up" gear for players. Many dungeons drop rare minions or unique furniture for player housing, some of which can be sold on the Market Board for good prices. Level cap dungeons also reward random combat materia from defeating enemies.[1]
Endgame dungeon armor and accessories have an additional niche use: providing "best-in-slot" gear for previous ultimate raids in the expansion. This is because certain dungeon gear will match the item level sync of the ultimate raid and allow materia melds to be maintained compared to syncing down higher item level gear. Dungeon gear suitable for the ultimate raid is released two patches after the raid itself (e.g. gear from the x.3 dungeon would be used in the x.11 raid, and gear from the x.5 dungeon for the x.31 raid). The gear is 5 item levels higher than the highest-item level armor when the raid was first released, thus providing higher stats. However, depending on the substats of the gear piece, it may be more optimal to still use a lower-level piece from when the raid was new. Once the current endgame item levels are sufficiently high (~2.5 years since release of the ultimate raid), players can freely sync down current endgame gear for ultimate raids instead of needing to farm dungeon gear.
Participation
Dungeons are some of the most common instances to be played using Duty Finder matching with random players. Players can also form pre-made parties in Party Finder or run previous-expansion dungeons with an Unrestricted Party (unsyncing) either solo or in a pre-made party.
Players can use three different systems to complete dungeons with a party of NPCs instead of other players:
- Duty Support: All dungeons that are part of the Main Scenario are compatible with Duty Support.
- Command Missions: Players can enter certain dungeons up to Lv. 60 with their Adventurer Squadrons.
- Trusts: All Main Scenario Quest dungeons from Lv. 71 and onwards are compatible with the Trust system in addition to Duty Support.
Between patch 6.1 and patch 6.5, many main scenario dungeons were overhauled to make them compatible with Duty Support. Starting from patch 7.1, optional dungeons in Duty Roulette: Leveling will also be overhauled and have Duty Support added. These overhauls encompassed reworks of several bosses to remove or rework obscure boss mechanics and introduce common mechanic markers, a visual "language" used for many encounters in the game, at an early level. Lower-level optional dungeons that were not reworked maintain some obscure mechanics that are absent in reworked or higher-level dungeons.
All dungeons may be freely revisited in their completed state with Explorer Mode enabled.
As an anti-RMT measure, players are restricted to a maximum of 100 dungeon entries per day. In practice, this limit is rarely encountered except in cases where players are quickly finishing dungeons using the Unrestricted Parties feature. (Such as when doing the Nexus Zodiac Weapons series[2]) For context, 100 dungeons a day, assuming 8 hours of sleep, would be one dungeon every 9 minutes 36 seconds. This is far less time than it takes to finish any dungeon synced.
A Realm Reborn
Heavensward
Stormblood
Shadowbringers
Dungeon | Level | IL Req | IL Sync | Roulette | Loot IL | Tomestones | Unlock | Duty Support available |
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Holminster Switch | 71 | 370 | - | Leveling | 390 | - | ![]() |
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Dohn Mheg | 73 | 375 | - | Leveling | 400 | - | ![]() |
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The Qitana Ravel | 75 | 380 | - | Leveling | 406 | - | ![]() |
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Malikah's Well | 77 | 385 | - | Leveling | 412 | - | ![]() |
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Mt. Gulg | 79 | 390 | 420 | Leveling | 418 | - | ![]() |
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Amaurot | 80 | 410 | 440 | High-level Dungeons | 430 | ![]() |
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The Twinning | 80 | 410 | 470 | High-level Dungeons | 430 | ![]() |
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Akadaemia Anyder | 80 | 410 | 470 | High-level Dungeons | 430 | ![]() |
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The Grand Cosmos | 80 | 430 | 470 | High-level Dungeons | 445 | ![]() |
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Anamnesis Anyder | 80 | 440 | 500 | High-level Dungeons | 455 | ![]() |
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The Heroes' Gauntlet | 80 | 460 | 500 | High-level Dungeons | 475 | ![]() |
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Matoya's Relict | 80 | 470 | - | High-level Dungeons | 485 | ![]() |
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Paglth'an | 80 | 490 | - | High-level Dungeons | 505 | ![]() |
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Endwalker
Dawntrail
Dungeon | Level | IL Req | IL Sync | Roulette | Loot IL | Tomestones | Unlock | Duty Support available |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ihuykatumu | 91 | 630 | - | Leveling | 650 | - | ![]() |
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Worqor Zormor | 93 | 635 | - | Leveling | 660 | - | ![]() |
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The Skydeep Cenote | 95 | 640 | - | Leveling | 666 | - | ![]() |
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Vanguard | 97 | 645 | - | Leveling | 672 | - | ![]() |
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Origenics | 99 | 650 | 680 | Leveling | 678 | - | ![]() |
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Alexandria | 100 | 670 | 700 | Level Cap Dungeons | 690 | ![]() ![]() |
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Tender Valley | 100 | 670 | 730 | Level Cap Dungeons | 690 | ![]() ![]() |
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The Strayborough Deadwalk | 100 | 670 | 730 | Level Cap Dungeons | 690 | ![]() ![]() |
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Yuweyawata Field Station | 100 | 690 | 730 | Expert | 705 | ![]() ![]() |
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The Underkeep | 100 | 705 | - | Expert | 725 | ![]() ![]() |
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Other Dungeon Types
There are other dungeon types available, although these are not required for main scenario quest progression.
Deep Dungeons
- Main article: Deep Dungeon
Deep Dungeons are procedurally generated, 100-200 floor dungeons with a self-contained progression system and "rogue-like" mechanics. They can be completed solo or with a party of up to four players with no role restrictions.
Variant and Criterion Dungeons
- Main article: Variant and Criterion Dungeons
Variant Dungeons are non-linear dungeons with multiple branching paths that are decided based on player choice. Boss mechanics will differ based on the path taken and random events. The player will accompany an NPC during the dungeon, who will not participate in combat. They can be completed solo or with a party of up to four players with no role restrictions.
Criterion Dungeons are high-difficulty linear dungeons comparable to extreme trials or savage raids and are aesthetically similar to variant dungeons. These require a four-player light party with 1 tank, 1 healer, and 2 DPS. They are available in two difficulties: Normal and Savage.
Achievements
Dungeon completion is associated generally with the following achievements:
Name | Points | Task | Reward | Patch |
---|---|---|---|---|
To the Dungeons I | 5 | Successfully complete 5 unique instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 2.1 |
To the Dungeons II | 10 | Successfully complete 10 unique instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 2.1 |
To the Dungeons III | 20 | Successfully complete 20 unique instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 2.1 |
To the Dungeons IV | 20 | Successfully complete 30 unique instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 3.0 |
To the Dungeons V | 20 | Successfully complete 40 unique instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 3.0 |
To the Dungeons VI | 20 | Successfully complete 50 unique instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 3.0 |
Dungeon Siege I | 5 | Complete 10 instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 2.1 |
Dungeon Siege II | 5 | Complete 30 instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 2.1 |
Dungeon Siege III | 5 | Complete 100 instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 2.1 |
Dungeon Siege IV | 10 | Complete 300 instanced dungeon raids or trials. | ![]() |
2.1 |
Dungeon Master | 20 | Complete 1,000 instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 2.1 |
Lifer I | 20 | Successfully complete 2,000 instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 3.0 |
Lifer II | 20 | Successfully complete 5,000 instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 3.0 |
Lifer III | 20 | Successfully complete 10,000 instanced dungeon raids or trials. | - | 3.0 |