For a long time, level 200 of the Palace of the Dead in Final Fantasy XIV was considered unreachable for solo players. Now, the first player has managed to do it.
After over a year since the release of levels 51-200, player Usagi Mimi from the Carbuncle server is the first player to reach the deepest level of the Deep Dungeon alone!
The Rules of the Palace
The Palace of the Dead is a special dungeon in Final Fantasy XIV. The reason it is so difficult to master lies in the strict special rules that only apply within the palace:
- The maps of the individual levels and the enemies that appear on them are randomly generated with each entry.
- Your own equipment cannot be brought along. Instead, you receive Padjal weapons and armor that are upgraded within the dungeon.
- A checkpoint only exists every 10 levels. If you wipe before level 30 or fail to reach it within the allotted time, you must start again at level 20.
- The palace-exclusive enchanted clay vessels contain various buffs and bonuses (e.g., +30% attack) that make the descent easier.
- If you wipe on levels 101 and above, all progress is reset back to level 51.
Producer Yoshida said about the palace that it is intended as a challenge for the players. According to him, only the best of the best can reach the lowest level alone.
However, there is no special reward for it – apart from a title and a crafting item.
The hardcore players of the Free Company “Elysium” managed to reach level 200 as a group on the release day, while the solo ranking was silent for a long time.
The Hardest Content in Final Fantasy XIV
The combination of strict rules and randomly generated levels required players to adopt an extremely careful and balanced playstyle.
That’s why Usagi Mimi chose the Red Mage as her job for the descent.
Before the release of the job in the Stormblood expansion, there was a general belief in the community that it was impossible to reach level 200.
The existing jobs simply lacked the perfect balance between damage output and survivability to navigate through the multitude of enemies and traps in the palace.
But even as a Red Mage, success is by no means guaranteed, as you also need some luck. What matters is which clay vessels you collect along the way and which enemies you encounter on your descent.
However, determination and skillful handling of the job have led Usagi Mimi to victory. Hats off to this unique achievement!
