Within the Sea of Clouds floats an ancient behemoth. The Void Ark is a haunted ghost ship that sails without a living crew. What spoils await inside for those brave enough to venture forth?
The Warrior of Light joins Leofard and his Redbills, sky pirates of great renown looking for even greater riches. With the help of the magical familiar Cait Sith, your group has a chance to plunder this relic of the Sixth Umbral Calamity. Unfortunately, your actions may awaken a sleeping evil that the world would do better to avoid.
Be warned that raid guides contain spoilers. If you prefer to preserve the surprise of trials for yourself, give them a try first before referring to a guide. Then, come back here for some help if you have trouble!
How To Unlock The Void Ark
The Void Ark kicks off the Alliance Raid series for Final Fantasy XIV Heavensward, requiring a total of 24 players to complete. It’s the first of three wings for the raid and the beginning of the Shadow of Mhach plotline.
The first unlock quest is “To Rule the Skies” from Utata in The Sea of Clouds (X: 25, Y: 5). The quest will only be available once you’ve completed the final Heavensward main scenario quest, “Heavensward”, and unlocked flying in the region. Once you’ve completed those conditions, you can pick up “Sky Pirates” from the Unquiet Trader in Ishgard’s The Pillars (X: 14.1, Y: 10.7), which will lead into the unlock quest.
First Mob Pulls
There are some mobs in-between you and the first boss. The first pull the raid will encounter is three Ark Anzu, followed by three Cloudlarker. Then you’ll run up on a pair of Hybodus who will summon a mass of Hydrosprites. None of these pulls are particularly difficult, especially with 24 players, so no strategies are needed. Just burn them down.
First Boss: Cetus
You’ll fight Cetus, a flying voidsent manta ray in a circular arena. You don’t have to worry about any danger zones on the edge of the arena.
- Electric Swipe: This is a conal AoE at the bosses rear. It’ll deal lightning damage and debuff anyone hit with Paralysis, so try to avoid it.
- Body Slam: The boss will mark a random party member with a larger circular AoE. At the end of the cast, the boss will slam the marked area.
- Immersion: During this cast, the boss will mark a few raid members with glowing blue bubbles. Simply move out from underneath them. Once the cast finishes, everyone will be hit with minimal raid-wide water damage. As the wave passes through the bubble markers, they’ll fall on the arena as persistent circular AoEs. Anyone who walks through these marked areas will be debuffed with Dropsy.
- Symbiosis: Once the boss is at 80% health following the first Immersion cast, it’ll use this ability, which summons a number of Hybodus Pups at the edge of the arena. These will attack the raid with long line AoEs called Bite and Run. On the second cast (at 65% health), the boss will begin to fly away from the arena and summon three (3) Hybodus. Each tank should pick these up. You have to burn them down in order for the boss to return. The longer you take to damage the boss, the more Symbiosis casts you’ll see.
- Dive Bombs: During the Symbiosis phase, Cetus will occasionally give a player at green marker. After a short time, Cetus will hit that player with a water bomb. If you’re marked, move away from the rest of the raid party, preferably to an edge.
- Electric Whorl: This is a massive donut AoE, with the only safe space being directly underneath the boss.
- Hydrocore: At 30% health, the boss will instant cast this ability, which splits the raid party. Those inside the water barrier need to kill the Hydrocore, while those outside of the barrier have to kill the four Hydrospheres before they reach the center. Those in the center will be debuffed with Throttle, which will kill anyone who has it when it hits zero.
- Expulsion: The opposite of Electric Whorl; an AoE centered on the boss that also hits you with Knockback, Windburn, and Stun.
This is a pretty straightforward fight. Most of the attacks above will be used in the order listed. The real trick here is Symbiosis, which will be used more times the longer it takes you to kill the boss. Most modern raids will only see two casts, but in the olden days, four was the norm.
Second Mob Pulls
There is actually some strategy to this section. The raid party will come to a room that has three platforms on it. Three packs of Teredo Moths and Teredo Worms will spawn, and each should be taken by an Alliance to one of the platforms. These don’t need to be split, but you can for the subsequent mechanic.
While you’re doing this, a Pagan’s Knot will spawn on each walkway between the platforms. These need to be killed as well, because they will cover the room in a debuff called the Void’s Taint. If the Void’s Taint reaches the maximum, the raid will die. You can clear the taint by having raid members stand on each of the big buttons on the inside edge of the platforms. The best strategy is to just leave your healers on the buttons.
Eventually, three Ark Morbols will spawn as well, take care of them the same way you tackled the Teredo packs to finish this section.
Second Boss – Irminsul & Sawtooth
This is another fight in a large, circular arena, with no edge danger zones to worry about. There are a pair of bosses this time around. Irminsul is the larger stalk in the middle of the room, while Sawtooth is the more mobile creature tethered to it. One tank needs to take Sawtooth, while another takes Irminsul. The raid’s third tank can off-tank either target, or simply deal damage while waiting for the adds that will appear later.
Sawtooth’s Attacks
- Mean Thrash: Sawtooth attacks with a larger conal AoE behind itself. This will also cause knockback.
- Mucus Bomb: Sawtooth will aim this circle AoE at a random target. If multiple players are hit, they’ll be tethered together and unable to move or act. Unaffected players have to run through these tethers to break them.
- Music Spray: A close-range version of Mucus Bomb. It sprays in a small donut AoE around Sawtooth and should be handled in the same manner as the previous attack.
- Feeding Time: This is one of Sawtooth’s two major mechanics. The boss will stick its head underground, causing regions of darker soil to appear around the arena. Any raid members who stay within these regions when the cast ends will be Devoured, giving Irminsul damage stacks. With too many damage stacks, the raid will wipe, so avoid having anyone get Devoured.
- Shockwave Stomp: When Sawtooth begins to cast this, the entire raid should hide behind Irminsul. Anyone not hidden will be instantly killed when the action ends.
Irminsul’s Attacks
- Pulse of the Void: This is a raid-wide AoE that Irminsul will occasionally use. Heal through it, but realize that Feeding Time will make this much stronger.
- Rootstorm: This will come directly after Feeding Time. Any players Devoured will be split out with the Unwilling Host debuff, causing them to transform into a Mandrake and randomly attack the rest of the raid party to spread the debuff.
The one tank on Irminsul is simply there to take the low-level auto attacks it does. The tank on Sawtooth is considered the main tank for this fight and should tank the boss at the edge of the arena to give the rest of the raid space to move. The big thing here is to avoid getting anyone consumed by Feeding Time, as the knock-on effects will wipe the raid party.
Sawtooth and Irminsul will each gain a 10-minute buff that protects against either ranged or magic damage. This buff will be listed under each boss and corresponding ranged or magic DPS should switch to targeting the other boss accordingly.
Watch out for random spawns of three (3) Ark Ked adds. The third tank should pick these up and the raid needs to burn them down, as they can be consumed during Feeding Time, adding damage stacks to Irminsul.
Third Mob Pulls
This section has some straightforward trash mobs. A Blackguard will summon three (3) mobs, then a few Sepulture Gargoyles that attack with long line AoEs. There’s some meaty AoEs damage here, but nothing the raid can’t handle.
Third Boss – Cuchulainn
You’ll fight Cuchulainn in another circular arena, but this time, there will be four raised platforms around the arena. Keep these in mind as they’re key for certain fight mechanics.
- Bleeding: As soon as you begin the fight, the boss will debuff the entire raid with this. It’ll deal persistent minor bleed damage during the fight, but it will stack later on.
- Corrosive Bile: A short-range cone AoE in front of the boss. The twist here is it deals multiple hits if you stand in it, so move out of the way when you see it.
- Flailing Tentacles: The boss will raise all four of its tentacles in the air during the cast of this attack. Do not stand underneath them. As when the cast ends, all four tentacles will slam down.
- Poison Puddle: The boss will target random raid members with larger circle AoEs. These will leave poison pools wherever they’re dropped on the arena. As a tip, don’t stand on the raised platforms prior to a specific mechanic, as this could have the poison pools on what’s supposed to be a safe spot.
- Idol of Impurity: The boss will summon four Gyrtowers around the arena. Each tower that stays up will increase the Bleeding by one stack. As such, you need to kill them as soon as possible to lower incoming raid damage.
- Bile Below: This is what the raised sections are for! The boss will cover the entire arena in poison, with the exception of the platforms. If you are standing in the poison when this cast finishes, you’ll take a ton of damage, likely dying.
- Void Pact: The boss will summon four portals, one on each of the raised platforms, and makes the boss temporarily invincible. These will spit out Foobar adds that should be killed. Eventually the boss will cast Beckon, bringing the adds closer to him. If a Foobar add gets close enough, Cuchulainn will Devour it, increasing his damage for the rest of the encounter.
- Pestilence: This is a raid-wide AoE that will be cast once eight Foobar adds are killed, ending this phase. Depending on how many you let the boss devour, this could be a wipe.
- Black Lung: This attack comes in the final phase. When cast, the boss will increase the Bleeding by one stack and summon eight orbs around the room. These orbs are proximity mines that deal damage when someone gets too close. The two off tanks should go around the room and set these off. Healers don’t forget about them!
Final Boss – Echidna
This is the last fight of the Void Ark. Once again, you’ll be facing the boss in a larger circular arena with no edge hazards to worry about. You might also want to assign each Alliance to a section of the platform, split into west, center, and east. The reasons for this will be clear later.
- Sickle Strike: This is the boss’ tankbuster. Tanks, use your cooldowns for this.
- Sickle Slash: Huge line AoEs on each side of the boss that deal heavy damage. The only safe spot is a straight line through the boss.
- Abyssal Reaper: The boss will cast a small circle AoE around itself. This does damage, but more importantly gives anyone hit a Vulnerability Up stack.
- Demonic Descent: Echidna leaps into the air and marks a random target. It’s a stack marker, so stack together to share and minimize damage.
- Petrifaction: Look away from the boss when it begins to cast this. Anyone looking in Echidna’s direction will be petrified for a few seconds and get one stack of Vulnerability Up.
- Split Up: Echidna splits into three targets: Echidna, Dexter, and Sinister. This happens at 70% and 40% health. Each Alliance should take one of the targets and spread them apart. Echidna will usually be focused on Alliance A, so B and C should get the snakes. If the snakes are too close, a tether will appear and they’ll gain stacks of Vulnerability Down, decreasing the damage they take. As the phase continues, all three targets will gain Damage Up stacks.
- Flame Wreath: Echidna will cast a persistent fire AoE on the ground. Move away from this.
- Serpentine Strike: Dexter and Sinister can cast this point-blank AoE that will also deal Magic Vulnerability Up.
- Gehenna: This marks the end of the Split Up phase. Echidna will merge with the snakes and cast a raid-wide AoE. The more stacks of Damage Up, the harder this hits.
- Bloody Harvest: Similar to Demonic Descent, Echidna leaps into the air. With this attack however, it’ll mark several circle AoEs on the ground. Avoid these.
This is a remarkably straightforward fight if you manage to avoid the many chances to get Vulnerability Up stacks. The boss will also occasionally summon Bloodguard adds that need to be picked up by off-tanks and killed. If you can keep your head on straight, the Void Ark will be done! Enjoy a cutscene of Diabolos making a return from the Lost City of Amdapor dungeon, and prepare to head into the Weeping City of Mhach!
With that said, are you sure you’re the best tank or healer that you can be? The Linkshell, our FFXIV vertical, is full of helpful articles and guides for all your FFXIV needs!
If you’re looking for other dungeon or trial guides, you’ll find the links to those below:
- FFXIV Endwalker Dungeon Guide: Tower of Zot
- FFXIV Endwalker Dungeon Guide: Tower of Babil
- FFXIV Endwalker Trial Guide: The Dark Inside
- FFXIV Endwalker Dungeon Guide: Vanaspati
- FFXIV Endwalker Dungeon Guide: Ktisis Hyperborea
- FFXIV Endwalker Dungeon Guide: The Aitiascope
- FFXIV Endwalker Trial Guide: The Mothercrystal
- FFXIV Endwalker Dungeon Guide: The Dead Ends
- FFXIV Endwalker Trial Guide: The Final Day
- FFXIV Raid Guide – Pandaemonium Asphodelos: The First Circle
- FFXIV Raid Guide – Pandaemonium Asphodelos: The Second Circle
- FFXIV Raid Guide – Pandaemonium Asphodelos: The Third Circle
- FFXIV Raid Guide – Pandaemonium Asphodelos: The Fourth Circle
- FFXIV Raid Guide – Pandaemonium Asphodelos: The First Circle (Savage)
- FFXIV Raid Guide – Pandaemonium Asphodelos: The Second Circle (Savage)
- FFXIV Raid Guide – Pandaemonium Asphodelos: The Third Circle (Savage)
