The update will be split into two parts, one coming on the 13th of April, matching with the game’s open beta on PlayStation 5, and the second part being set for the end of May, after the digital FFXIV Fan Fest event which happens on May 15 and 16. Patch 5.5 update is called ‘Death Unto Dawn’ and it will pave the way for the storyline in Endwalker, which we can expect a lot more information in the Fan Fest, such as the second new job and a full trailer. Part one features the third chapter of YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse, a Nier-inspired 24-party alliance raid that started in patch 5.1. Usually, the third part is the final content of the alliance raid, but in this case, Yoshi-P teased that Nier series creator Yoko Taro might have surprises in store. They showed an image that resembles a lot the Seed of Destruction from the Drakengard series, one of several events tied to the end of the world. And if you weren’t aware, Drakengard and Nier series are from the same universe, the former happening in a distant past. Can the Warrior of Light and 2B finally put a stop to 2P’s agenda? If you’ve never defeated the weapons in Final Fantasy VII, you have your chance to tackle them in FFXIV. The Sorrow of Werlyt questline continues in the conclusion of the Warrior of Light and Gaius’ quest to thwart the Empire’s warmachina development project and save the orphans from their demise - so far, not successfully. They already gave us Ruby, Emerald, and Sapphire (on an amazing Gundam-like battle). The final boss, ironically, is the easiest of FFVII, the Diamond Weapon. It will come in both normal and extreme versions and the Trial will be called The Cloud Deck. The new dungeon is called Palgth’an and according to the game’s lore is an arid region on the southeastern side of the continent of Aldenard, lying east of Thanalan. It is the homeland of the Amalj’aa beast tribe. Recently the storyline shifted into a cure for the primal’s tempering, so that would explain our adventurer visit to the Almalj’aa, the beast tribe that worships Ifrit when suddenly destruction breaks loose. They confirmed you can run this dungeon with the Trust system, so expect your Scions friends to be involved in the storyline. More features to be added include:
New Main Scenario Quests – A two-part story paving the way for Endwalker. “Save the Queen” Questline Update – Alongside the addition of a new field area, “Zadnor,” players can further upgrade their Resistance Weapons to their final and most powerful stage. There will also be updates for Castrum Lacus Litore, a 48-player engagement in the Bozjan Southern Front. They noticed it has been difficult to find players to join this duty, so they are incentivizing with new rewards. New Unreal Trial – The next powered-up version of an existing primal will be unleashed upon level 80 heroes, providing players with a new challenge and a chance to collect unique prizes. Unreal Trials so far brought Shiva and Titan in their extreme versions. Crafter and Gatherer Updates - More challenging expert recipes for crafters and now the gathering log will indicate areas where gathering points appear. A listing of fish to be released at fishing holes will also be added. Ishgard Restoration Update - The Firmament will periodically celebrate its competition and can be the direct connection for the Ishgard housing we’ve been waiting for. (I know I have.) “Explorer Mode” Update – The Explorer Mode feature will be expanded to all Level 70 dungeons. Explorer Mode allows players to explore dungeons free from danger to capture striking and fun screenshots while enabling the use of mounts and minions. Players will also now be able to use performance actions while in dungeons, such as playing musical instruments. Performance Action Updates – Players will now be able to change instruments at any time while performing, and a new instrument will be added. Just be mindful of the rigid copyright system they have on performing 3rd party songs. (Even the game’s main theme “Answers” is prohibited!) Triple Triad - They will adjust the use of 4-star cards in decks since we could use only one 4-star or 5-star and it’s a no-brainer which you pick, the acquisition rates will be adjusted, and there will be a reward for obtaining all Triple Triad cards. There should be a real trophy! It’s an insane amount of card grinding. Reward for All Extreme Mounts - If you obtain all the dragon mounts loot from the all the Trials extreme version, you will get a mecha-dragon.
Dragonsong War Ultimate - The Ultimate-level duties are high-end raid duties that host a gauntlet of bosses, in this case, from the Heavensward storyline. The war will be reimagined with a “What if…” scenario. It was originally planned to release in Patch 5.55, but production was delayed due to COVID-19 and it’s scheduled to release in Patch 6.1. Job Adjustments for PvE and PvP Actions, New Custom Deliveries, Ocean Fishing Update, New Mounts, and more.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is scheduled to release in Autumn 2021, featuring the finale of the Hydaelyn and Zodiark story that began in A Realm Reborn. In patch 6.1, they promised to introduce us to a new storyline that will dictate the future of Final Fantasy XIV.
