In The Gilded Araya, the newest Trial added to Final Fantasy XIV in Patch 6.55, the Warrior of Light faces the divine Asura as they follow the adventures of Hildibrand. As you learn the truth about the other alien's location and who is behind the attacks against the Warrior of Light, you must face Asura to put an end to this investigation. This guide covers some tips and tricks to survive the fight.
Before you can jump into The Gilded Araya and face off with Asura, you need to complete the quest "Gentleman at Heart," which starts with the prerequisite quest "Of Duplicity and Duplication" given by Delion in Radz-at-Han (X: 11.4, Y: 11.6). This is part of the "Somehow Further Hildibrand Adventures" series of sidequests, meaning players will need to complete every prior Hildibrand quest to unlock it. The Gilded Araya's minimum item level is 625, so it'd be best to ensure you're appropriately geared before entering.
The Gilded Araya Tips and Tricks in FFXIV
Facing Asura in The Gilded Araya is relatively easy compared to other Trials, although it still offers some challenges to the party. In this fight, many AoE attacks cover large sections of the Trial's arena. Because of this, understanding the primary skills Asura uses is crucial to survive the battle.
When it comes to what every player in the party should know, here are the main abilities Asura uses during the fight:
- Ephemerality: Asura will slice through the party, hitting everyone while leaving shadows around the arena. You must avoid the shadows since they mark where AoE attacks will unfold.
- Iconography skills: Asura's main mechanic is her use of "Iconography" skills. These will start once a giant copy of her appears outside the arena. Whenever she uses one of the three Iconography skills, the giant Asura will copy her action. Pay attention to which skill she is casting to know where the safe spot is during the bigger version of the attack. If she casts "Pedestal Purge," you should run to the opposite side of the arena from where the giant Asura is. When she uses the "Wheel of Deincarnation," try to stay closer to the giant Asura. "Bladewise" is a frontal attack, so you should go to one of the sides of the arena to avoid getting hit.
- Six-Bladed Khadga: When Asura uses this attack, she will perform a sequence of six 180-degree attacks in a particular order. They are easy to avoid, but you must pay attention to the sequence she shows on the ground before she casts the skill.
- The Face of Wrath and The Face of Delight: This is a relatively easy attack to escape from, but it can catch you off guard if you're not careful. Asura splits the arena into two sides, one blue and one red. At the same time, a blue or red face is displayed on the screen, marking which side will explode. To prevent taking damage from the attack, stay on the side of the opposite color of the face shown to the party.
The two healers in the party can prepare to mitigate damage or use AoE healing abilities whenever Asura casts "Lower Realm" and "Ephemerality." For tanks, you'll want to prepare a defensive cooldown for when Asura uses her tank buster, "Cutting Jewel."
These are all the more complicated aspects of the fight against Asura during The Gilded Araya Trial. After you've seen each of these attacks, she will repeat them with minor variations until the duty is completed.
