The moment any Final Fantasy XIV player from around the A Realm Reborn days has been dreading: Garuda and Ifrit are back. Thankfully, their Eden versions are radically different to the countless 2.0 rehashes. That means knowledge of the prior fights won’t really translate to a rapid understanding of these two, making this FFXIV E6 Normal guide all the more important. Let’s get to it.
Phase 1 – Garuda
Garuda starts the show with a couple of auto-attacks before prepping Ferostorm and Superstorm: The former being a conal strike emanating from the spikes (above) she places beside her, and the latter being unavoidable raid-wide damage that will finish off anyone who took Ferostorm to the face.
A lot of Garuda’s attacks aren’t cast. They just turn up. So keep a close eye on changes to the battlefield throughout this fight.
Soon after, she’ll delegate two targets with rings complete with a set number of orbs floating around their heads. You want to match the number of people in the circle to the number of orbs, so expect to split the group up to deal with these a few times over the fight. Once it resolves, leave the area to avoid the massive spike about burst from the two areas. If done incorrectly, players will be stunned and forced to take the hit.
This will happen again very soon, but not before a large circle in the center of the area pays a visit to knock you toward the instadeath wall of the arena. Get in close.
Now, Garuda is ready for a few more slice-style attacks. After a melee swing around her (get out) two DPS will become tethered to her. Once these tethers resolve, conal strikes slam them hard, so these players should position them away from the group to excess damage. Don’t stack them.
She’ll then split the arena in two with a slice and cast Occluded Front, which summons a bunch of orbs around the arena. These will be pushed toward the center before they explode, so trace their steps and find an empty space.
Phase 2 – Ifrit
Pissed that Garuda hasn’t finished the job already, Ifrit takes her place. He makes an explosive entrance, so avoid being too close to Garuda’s final position when she takes off. Hands of Flame is presumably his tank buster, but it’s Hands of Hell right after you’ll want to look out for.
Hands of Hell gives any one person (who isn’t a tank) three tethers. Other players can intercept these to take one for themselves. However you split them, just take tethers away from the team. Ifrit then targets a tank with the Incineration stack marker before dropping Eruptions on the ground for the team to avoid. It’s the usual stack and spread.
Now Ifrit introduced its own bombs — Strike Spark. Rather than having wind push them in, he’ll Phase Teleport to one along the edge and use Hot Foot to kick it in, rendering that spawn spot safe.
Just hug him at the wall to avoid. Infernal Howl is then cast for raid-wide damage before Ifrit admits defeat as well.
Phase 2.5 – Garuda & Ifrit
Garuda taps back in here, with the two then using a bunch of their moves together. Just avoid some obvious area attacks and get ready to dodge Garuda’s bombs. Ifrit will Hot Foot one of these across the arena, while the wind will nudge the rest just as before.
Just take note of Ifrit’s position on the edge and work out a safe spot. A few more bangs and Hands of Hell comes out again followed by Garuda’s Ferostorm. At this point, the two will join to begin the next phase.
Phase 3 – Raktapaksa
Now merged, the two become Raktapaksa. Massive eruptions cover all but tiny slivers of the arena edge, with Ferostorm set to resolve right after. Sprint to a safe spot and then back in to avoid both.
Now things get hectic. Everywhere but the center strip is engulfed by fire, duo stack markers target the healers, Hands of Hell tethers go for the DPS, and eruptions pop up underfoot. Safe DPS should split with the healers, while tanks take two tethers. Then, just split up for the eruptions and get underneath Raktapaska to avoid the onslaught of the incoming clones. There’s a method in the madness here.
After a center knockback, Raktapaksa gains a sword and begins a lengthy Conflag Strike cast. This isn’t the enrage it looks like. Pop sprint to dodge the influx of eruptions and get behind the boss to avoid the incoming attack. It’s just showing off.
Duo stack markers come back with a Ferostorm, so healers will need to position for both. Melee will want to move out for Storm of Fury, everyone avoids eruptions, and Inferno Howl comes out for raid-wide damage. Expect a few.
At this point, things start to repeat seemingly forever. Almost everything Raktapaksa does requires significant movement. You’re rarely safe in one spot for too long. Whether you’re having to deal with stack marker divides, eruptions, or tethers, there’s always something to do. Just dart back to the boss’s starting position when Hands of Hell goes out to avoid the clones roasting you and the rest should be fairly forgiving.
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