FFXIV Savage Raiding Tips

FFXIV Savage Raiding Tips by J3Patino

A few months back was my first time to get into Savage Content (for Alex A9-12s). I was late to the party. Now based from what I’ve read there are a LOT of new raiders in this tier – so I just want to offer things I’ve learned so far. Since from normal, going into savage is a big step. So here it goes:

Overview: You will undergo 3 phases in each fight. Learning, Progression and Clear. At each phase your mindset, preparations and priorities in the fight will change as follows:

Learning Fights

1. Watch a video on Youtube. There are plenty of guides from Xeno and MTQcapture. Yes it will be overwhelming. That’s okay. You can do it. Just learn it one phase and mechanic at a time. (Xeno explains stuff better, but longer). But MTQ releases videos earlier.

2a. Go join a learning party. In the fight your primary goal is to not die. Dps comes later. (You can’t dps is you’re dead anyway.)

2b. When you’re not with a Party. Practice your rotations. Go and beat the Stone Sea and Sky dummy a few times. (Read a guide about your job if you haven’t done so already).

On Progression: Moving towards the later boss phases. (Keeping doing the stuff above but remember to… )

1. Rewatch the video guides. For sure there are things that you missed the first time you watched it. This is for the new incoming mechanics. Scroll down for the video comments as well because the community always has some new info to add to the guide.

2a. In earlier phases when you never die already… go and push DPS.

2b. Watching POV (point of view) videos will be helpful here also. Joining fresh learning parties, just to master your rotations is also good.

1. Make sure you can survive the phases without relying on discord call outs. Relying on discord is helpful at the start but it will hold you back if you depend on it every single time.
2. Ask questions if you don’t understand something. It’s OKAY to not know, just keep on learning.
3. If you are just using PF, be patient with other people. If its clear that other people are still at an earlier phase than you, then be patient. Just use the time in to practice and maximize your rotations.

The Clear: Only join if you’re confident of all mechanics and you rarely die. Even better if you’ve seen enrage.

1. Eat good food and come with fully melded gear. This is savage content! Unlike normal content, every bit of HP, MP, and damage matters. (You would hate to see a boss at 1-3% and wipe just because of low dps/ that one death/ etc.).

Yes, food and materia are expensive, but pretty much all end-game stuff are. Want a nice house – you gotta spend for it. Want to be a master crafter, you gotta spend. Same thing goes for end game raiding. Bring your best.

1. Overcoming the “No Bonus” PFs. If you’ve been to enrage, do a good job throughout the fight, but you just have trouble finding 7 other people at your same skill level… then feel free to join “No Bonus” groups – BUT say it right when you join.

Something like – “Hi, I haven’t cleared, but been to 1% – can I get a chance here?”

Some will say yes some will say no. Most will give you a 3-strike rule or something. So do your best :)

(Of course don’t lie about your progress in the fight – because it will just show when you get inside. And that would make you waste other people’s time…. so don’t do that haha).

Final Tip All the fights are harder the first time you see them. So just be patient with yourself and especially with others.

Personally I find end game raiding to be super fun and fulfilling. You’ll hate the fights, then you’ll love it. Then you’ll get bored with it (hopefully by the time the next patch drops).

Hope this helps!