Final Fantasy 14 players rejoice – nearly three years after the launch of Endwalker, the critically acclaimed MMO is finally getting its next expansion. Dawntrail is out on July 2nd for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC, and presents a brave new journey in an unknown land with tons of new content. Here are 15 things you should know before setting sail.
New Continent
After the culmination of an almost eight-year-long saga, what’s next for the Warrior of Light and the Scions? For starters, a new continent called Tural, which they depart for a rite of succession ceremony. Divided into two landmasses – Xak Tural and Yok Tural – it has plenty of new characters to meet and stories to experience. Though the stakes aren’t quite as high as the previous expansion, there’s plenty of intrigue in Dawntrail, especially when it comes to the mysterious Shades Triangle (inspired by the Bermuda Triangle).
Tuliyollal and Solution Nine
Of course, it wouldn’t be a new continent without some new cities. Tuliyollal is the first, extending from the harbor up a mountain and where people from all over the continent congregate. As such, it’s a melting pot of cultures. On the other hand, there’s Solution Nine, a futuristic-looking city that hasn’t received much information (other than being built by a different civilization). What ultimately leads the player here is unknown, but it’s a huge paradigm shift from Tuliyollal.
New Areas
Beyond the cities, fans will explore Urqopacha with its vast mountains and vibrant greenery; Kozama’uka, with its expansive forests and plentiful waterfalls; Yak T’el, where you’ll find cenotes, wild animals and extensive woodlands; Shaaloani, which are dry plains but also where a railroad is being constructed, giving it some Wild West vibes; and Heritage Found, a neon-lit area full of thunderclouds. Almost all are home to different beings and cultures, not to mention unique enemies.
New Enemies (and Potential Bosses)
Speaking of new enemies, there’s the mysterious mechanical Eliminator with a massive blade (and gun barrel) on its right arm and a huge hand on its left, perhaps for firing lasers. It also has a strange drone near it, perhaps to assist. Another new threat is the Barreltender, which looks like a super-buff Cactuar. However, the most challenging foe may be Valigarmanda, described as Tural’s “mightiest” beast and nicknamed the “Skyruin.” Potential story or Trial boss? We’ll have to wait and see.
New and Returning Characters
Though Thancred and Urianger of the Scions accompany you to the New World, the cast will have plenty of newcomers. There’s Wuk Lamat, competing to win the throne of Tuliyollal for the ruling family; Erenville, Wuk’s childhood friend who guides the player; Koana, who believes technology is the best path forward for the nation; Zoraal Ja, commander of the Landsguard; and, well, the Enigmatic Maiden. No one knows who the latter is but she appears now and again with a mysterious look. Going by the title’s history, this surely won’t lead to anything bigger. Not at all.
New People and Cultures
As noted before, each area you explore has different people and cultures to experience, with some lending a hand. Take the Pelupelu, who are small but skilled in crafting and trade. There are Moblins, who specialize in metalwork and hang around Kozama’uka, searching for materials. The giant Yok Huy inhabit more mountainous areas, though they’re far less in number than others, while the Hanuhanu are bird people with bright feathers found in watery locations.
Viper, Pictomancer and Beastmaster Jobs
It wouldn’t be a new expansion without some new Jobs, and thankfully, there are two new additions to play around with – Viper and Pictomancer. The former specializes in melee combat, striking fast with dual blades, which can combine into a two-handed blade staff. They’re not exactly team players, favoring self-buffs to maximize damage. On the other hand, there’s the Pictomancer, wielding a brush to deploy different magical spells of varying elements and unique abilities. A limited Job, Beastmaster, is also coming, though it won’t be available at launch.
Increased Level Cap
Previous expansions have raised the level cap, and, for better or worse, Dawntrail is sticking to the trend. It’s raising the max level cap from 90 to 100, affecting all Jobs in the game. New Skills will also be added to keep things fresh while the Astrologian and Dragoon are getting some reworks.
Echoes of Vana’diel Alliance Raid Series
New Alliance Raids are inbound, allowing 24 players to get together and tackle some challenging end-game content. The latest series is Echoes of Vana’diel, and if that sounds familiar, it’s because Final Fantasy 14 will be crossing over with its predecessor, Final Fantasy 11. Not much is known, aside from the tease of venturing to Vanda’diel, but it’s exciting all the same.
The Arcadion Raid Series
For eight-player raiding groups, there’s The Arcadion. Judging by the official website’s description, it appears to be a competition, with top-tier fighters pitting “fist against fist and magick against magick” in front of a live crowd. It’s an intriguing concept for the MMO, and like previous raid series, it will have regular and Savage difficulties (the latter arriving later in July).
New Dungeons
Of course, four-player groups can expect new dungeons, one of them, Ihuykatumu, requiring level 91 and starting as a jungle river cruise before venturing to some underground areas. The others have yet to be detailed, but at least one is in Heritage Found, which means players will get up close and personal with those lightning storms.
Cosmic Exploration
If you were a fan of the Island Sanctuary’s lifestyle gameplay, Cosmic Exploration looks to go even bigger. You explore different planets and help the Loporrits to develop them. The moon appears to be one such location, and it seems multiplayer will have a heavier focus in the new activity. Dawntrail will only be the start, with additional planets to be added in subsequent patches.
First Major Graphical Update
For as long as Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn has been available, it’s surprising that Dawntrail will mark the arrival of its first big graphical update. It brings sweeping improvements to material qualities, shadow resolution, textures and environments. You can expect features like skin tones, facial hair, eyes, and more to look better, revamped environmental lighting and shinier-looking armor. Of course, the system requirements are increasing as a result, with listing an Intel Core i7-9700, 16 GB RAM, GeForce RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT and an SSD with 140 GB space as recommended.
New Trials, Ultimate Raid, Female Hrothgar and More
Of course, there’s much more for players to look forward to, from new Variant Dungeons and Trials to Gold Saucer and Blue Mage updates. You can also look forward to – yes, somehow – more Inconceivably Further Hildibrand Adventures, new Unreal Trials and a new Deep Dungeon. Futures Rewritten is also getting an Ultimate difficulty for a greater challenge to experienced raiders, and everyone can finally play as a Female Hrothgar.
Early Access
Like many games these days, you can get early access to Dawntrail, which allows for starting on June 28th instead of July 2nd. However, this bonus isn’t exclusive to the more expensive edition. Whether you pre-purchase the Standard or Collector’s Edition, you can get in four days early.