We’ve covered several aspects of Dragonsong’s Reprise, the latest Ultimate raid introduced in Final Fantasy XIV via Patch 6.11. But seeing Team Neverland become the world’s first team to clear this incredibly challenging and extensive fight was one of the most hype FFXIV raiding moments in recent memory. From watching raid teams decipher strategies for never-before-seen mechanics to seeing the story of an alternate Heavensward timeline play out, Dragonsong Ultimate captured a lot of what makes FFXIV special. And now, you can watch the final pull that sealed the world first and see this Ultimate in all its glory.
Some members of Neverland have posted VODs of the attempt that led to their victory. At the time of publishing, you can watch the clear from the perspective of Mugi Wugi, the team’s Red Mage, and Snap Ringer, the team’s Monk. Note that both videos start at the beginning of phase two, which is against King Thordan’s first form. There is a checkpoint after phase one, so if the party wipes at any point afterward, they will be kicked back to the beginning of phase two — this is why you see the VODs start there, which gives you a streamlined video.
After the first phase, a clean run of Dragonsong Ultimate with no party wipes takes around 19 minutes, which is long for a single raid instance. Considering the complexity and punishing nature of the battle’s design, it’s truly demanding to keep up and stay on top of things even for the most skilled FFXIV players. Below is the gameplay footage from the Mugi Wugi’s perspective, which features Neverland’s voice communication, including their well-earned celebration at the end.
https://youtu.be/3-C7aPOlSkg
One thing to note is that in a later phase, it seems players have the option to spare King Thordan. We’re not sure how this affects the fight, but in their world-first clear, Neverland stopped attacking him in the phase. Thordan says, “I yield… Have mercy, I beg you…” then, “Hmph, your compassion will be the end of you…” before the battle transitions to a fight against both Nidhogg and Hraesvelgr.
Another plot point in Dragonsong Ultimate is the opportunity to save Haurchefant from the aetheric spear that killed him in the main story — it appears this can be done with a well-timed Tank LB3, heals, and a DPS check. Eventually, King Thordan fuses with both an enraged Nidhogg and Hraesvelgr to become Dragon-king Thordan in the final phase. Keep in mind that whatever happens in Ultimates is all told through the imagination of the Wandering Minstrel, who retells stories with “what if” scenarios of FFXIV‘s greatest battles. It’s always fun to daydream of what could’ve been, huh?
For an alternate perspective, you can watch Snap Ringer’s gameplay footage below.
Even from an outside perspective, Dragonsong Ultimate looks like a very well-designed fight. And now that more players are starting to clear it, others can give an attempt with some help if they want it. Still, with tips, guides, and footage, it takes an incredible amount of skill and dedication to finish the fight. It’s one thing to know what to do — it’s a whole ‘nother thing to execute that knowledge properly, especially with all the rapid-fire mechanics and player-specific responsibilities that need to be managed for a 20-minute-long fight.
If you’re looking to do the fight yourself, you can check out our Dragonsong Ultimate unlock guide — just make sure you’ve cleared Asphodelos: The Fourth Circle (Savage) prior to even thinking about it. If you need a more material reason to give it a try, check out the Ultimate Weapons of the Heavens, which are your rewards for clearing Dragonsong Ultimate. Or just enjoy the cutscenes and transitions in the videos above to see what an alternate FFXIV timeline could look like if things went a bit differently in the Heavensward days.
