On May 27, 2025, the long-awaited MMO content, the Occult Crescent: South Horn, will finally go live in Final Fantasy XIV. Here you can read what we know so far about the content and mechanics.
What is the Occult Crescent? The Occult Crescent is the latest field operation in Final Fantasy XIV for all players with a combat job at level 100. The launch of its South Horn area is on May 27 with patch 7.25, which is expected to go live around 11 AM German time.
The Dawntrail version of the field operations takes place in the Occult Crescent, a group of islands inspired by the real life Bermuda Triangle. Unlike previous field operations, this time there are features like new jobs that are only valid there. You can read all about it in this guide.
What are field operations?
Field operations are MMO content where up to 72 players explore Bozja and up to 144 players explore Eureka together on a large map. This map is divided into zones with increasingly difficult enemies and FATEs. Over the course of an instance, additional content such as boss fights and 48-man dungeons can be unlocked together.
Access Requirements, Knowledge Level, and Phantom Jobs
What are the unlock conditions? Here are the prerequisites to enter the Occult Crescent at release:
- A warrior or mage job at level 100
- The main scenario of Dawntrail (7.0) must be completed
The content will be unlocked by starting the questline One Last Hurrah, which can be started in Tuliyollal at X 17.1 and Y 11.8. Talk to the Expedition Messenger to get going.
What are the new features of the Occult Crescent? The highlights of the Occult Crescent are the knowledge level
and the phantom jobs.
The knowledge level is a separate leveling system within the content and is collected during the exploration of the area. It makes it easier to fight monsters by influencing the players damage dealt and received. However, if you die and are not revived by another player, you lose knowledge points from level 5 up.
The phantom jobs are specializations inspired by Final Fantasy V that change the gameplay of your class within the occult crescent. Some of them are ancient forms of already playable jobs in Final Fantasy XIV. Here are their main features:
- Up to two phantom jobs can be selected at the same time
- The jobs can be switched at any time
- The jobs are not leveled together but separately
Each player starts as a freelancer and gradually unlocks phantom jobs. So far, the following jobs are known:
- Knight
- bard
- Monk
- Geomancer
- Ranger
- Berserker
- Time Mage
- Chemist
- Gunner
Knight, bard, and monk are expected to be available early, while the other jobs will be unlocked later through exploration.
Skirmishes, Critical Combat, and the Forked Tower
While exploring the Occult Crescent, there will be encounters where players will fight freely roaming enemies such as monster groups. FATEs will spawn on the map, and there will be skirmishes, critical combats, and a 48-player dungeon. Here are the details:
- Skirmishes
- … already existed in Bozja. These are dynamic events that take place continuously. They can be completed in a group or solo.
- Critical Combat
- These are challenging battles that offer good rewards.
- Forked Tower
- The new 48-player dungeon will unlock several skirmishes upon completion. There will also be special rewards here.
Rewards and Relic Weapons
The main reward in the Occult Crescent will be the phantom weapons. These are the relic weapons of Dawntrail.
Relic weapons, in turn, exist in every expansion of Final Fantasy XIV. They are known for their spectacular designs and can be continuously upgraded throughout the expansion. So those who farm in the Occult Crescent can unlock high-quality weapons with a high item level.
To start the quests to get the phantom weapons, you need to finish the quest Unfamiliar Territory, which is part of the storyline to unlock the Occult Crescent. When you have done so, speak to Lydirceil within the Phantom Village at X 6.6 and Y 7.2. The quest is called Arcane Artistry
.
In addition, a lockbox system is also expected. These will be rewards obtained during explorations. An NPC in the base camp can open them, and players will receive items from them. These can be potions, prisms, and hairstyles, or even clothing, companions, and mounts.
As soon as there is new information about the Occult Crescent, we will update this post here. The preliminary patch notes are expected to go live on Friday, May 23, while the final ones will probably come on patch day. MeinMMO will keep you updated. While the PC and console versions of Final Fantasy XIV bring new and complex content like the Occult Crescent, the mobile version improves old raids and introduces a new button.
