To provide a good alternative to grinding the dungeons for level range 61 to 70, Patch 4.35 of Final Fantasy XIV introduces a new instance. “Heavensward” is the name of the new “Deep Dungeon” that will take players to new heights.
The striking “Jenga Tower” can be admired in the Ruby Sea area since the release of the Stormblood expansion. It has been clear from the beginning that the tower would eventually become a new dungeon.
However, until now, it was unknown what type of dungeon it would be: It is an Endless Dungeon. This is what the procedurally generated dungeons in Final Fantasy XIV are called. The individual levels are not fixed here, but vary slightly with each run.
The mechanics of the instance will strongly remind veterans of FFXIV of the Palace of the Dead. The Heavensward will be unlocked through a new quest line and will include not only familiar mechanics but also new features and changes.
Here is everything we know from the Producer’s Letter about the new Deep Dungeon “Heavensward”.
What features are the same?
You will be able to enter the dungeon both solo and in a fixed group, with progress being saved as usual every 10 levels.
The instance will be split into two parts:
- 1 – 30 for leveling jobs
- 31 – 100 as a challenge
The upper levels will present challenging content for hardcore players.
To enter floor 31, you must:
- Have mastered the previous 30 as a group.
- The group must not have wiped even once.
The layout of the floors:
The individual levels of the dungeon will be randomly generated and will include many different types of enemies.
- There will be traps again
- The different floors will have random positive and negative effects
- Clay pots are once again a key component of the dungeon
- The inventory system from the Palace of the Dead will return
The reward system:
The treasure chests and hidden treasures will also be found in the rooms of the Heavensward:
- Large amounts of EXP every 10 floors
- New mounts, companions, and other special items will be available from found treasures
- After full enhancement, you will be able to take the weapons from the instance outside.
The item level of the weapons from the new Deep Dungeon is not yet known, but they seem to share their design with the High-Allagan weapons.
What features are new?
Friendly NPCs:
On some floors, friendly NPCs will appear in the Heavensward, providing the group with various positive effects:
- Komainu: increases the group’s attack power
- Inugami: reduces the damage taken by the group
- Senri: grants players near him a Regen effect.
Great Summoning:
Similarly to the clay pots, players will occasionally receive special magicite crystals from the silver treasure chests. These will allow them to summon one of the three Primals that will annihilate all enemies on the floor.
The summons will include:
- Garuda
- Ifrit
- Titan
You will only be able to have one of these crystals at a time in your inventory. This measure is intended to prevent players from leaving the silver chests behind once their gear has reached maximum strength within the dungeon.
New Clay Pots:
Some of the clay pots from the Palace of the Dead, such as the Manticore, will be removed and replaced with new ones.
- Pomander of Incapacity: grants the effect “Disability in Battle” for all enemies on the floor
- Pomander of Concealment: makes players invisible to enemies and immune to traps. The effect disappears once a player takes damage.
- Pomander of Petrification: petrifies all enemies on the floor.
New floor-wide effects:
As with the clay pots, some effects from the Palace of the Dead will be replaced with new ones.
- Sprinting: the whole group receives a permanent sprint effect
- Summonings forbidden: the use of summoning crystals will not be possible on the floor
The upgrade of the new specific weapons from the new Deep Dungeon has been adjusted:
Players will still be able to upgrade their equipment within the Heavensward dungeon using the silver treasure chests.
Every 10 levels, you will have the option to exchange these levels for a token. For a fully finished weapon that can be used outside of the dungeon, you will need a certain amount of such tokens.
This system will also be adopted for the Palace of the Dead starting with Patch 4.3.
Additionally, the layout of the individual floors in the Heavensward will differ slightly from the Palace of the Dead.
In addition to many small rooms, there will also be large open halls.
A small preview of the dungeon can be found in the new trailer for Patch 4.3
For more information about Patch 4.3, read our summary:
Final Fantasy XIV: All information about Patch 4.3 from the Producer’s Letter
