After months of what some within the community have called a “content drought”, Final Fantasy XIV has successfully reignited passion in players with Live Letter from the Producers 85, providing insight into content coming in patch 7.2.
Patch 7.2, titled “Seekers of Eternity”, will be releasing at some point during late March, and is filled to the brim with new things to unlock and explore. Not only are we getting new MSQ quests and Arcadion Raids to dive into, but also some much anticipated side content is finally set to drop.
As always, translations used to write this round up were supplied by Miuna and Iluna Minori over on the FFXIV Discord server.
Cosmic Exploration screenshots aplenty
After teasing viewers with a very clear image of Cosmic Exploration on the desk in front of them while they discussed possible future FanFest locations and the cuisine in Saudi Arabia, Yoshida and Foxclon finally went into detail about what we can expect from Cosmic Exploration, the new content designed for Crafters and Gatherers.
According to Yoshida, a new planet will be added with every major patch of the 7.x series (7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5), each of which will need to be restored and rejuvenated by the community of players.
We were shown many before and after screenshots, displaying how the setting of the first planet will change over time once goals are met. There will be zip lines to transport players around the surface of the planet, and an ever evolving base of operations.
It was stated that whereas the previous content of this type, Shadowbringers’ Firmament, could only be seen changing and evolving by players who were there at the time, players who dive into Cosmic Exploration later on will still be able to see how it has changed over time.
After being told that more details will be coming during the next Live Letter, we were shown sneak peaks of two things that scream Star Trek more than FFXIV. The uniform shown (above left) will be available for players to earn in some way through Cosmic Exploration, while the teleporters (above right) were shown without too much explanation.
Occult Crescent details revealed
Deep within Shade’s Triangle, the mysterious and unmapped region of Occult Crescent makes up the setting for the third Large Scale Battle Content, spiritual successor to both Eureka and Bozja.
Like the previous two, Occult’s Crescent will pit players against a myriad of formidable foes, including large scale bosses, and a 48 player raid that will be available to complete from the very beginning.
Throughout the screenshots, one shared feature are the strange bubbles in the sky. Yoshida mentioned these multiple times, but refused to comment on what they could actually be. It’s likely not the only mysterious thing we’ll come up against when the content goes live.
Occult Crescent will also include a new mechanic, which will likely work in a similar way to Lost Actions in Bozja, but is altogether more cute — Phantom Jobs.
Players will be able to equip these Phantom Jobs alongside their main job while inside Occult Crescent, and each job will grant the player buffs or additional actions. Many of the Phantom Jobs are known from previous Final Fantasy titles, and Yoshida commented that while it may be hard to implement them as full Jobs within the MMO, he wanted to include them here and have some fun with their respective skills.
Relic Weapons are going back to the beginning
In a move that will either be welcomed or enrage you, the obtainment of Relic Weapons appears to be getting something of an overhaul. With many players commenting that Endwalker’s Relic Weapons were far too easy to obtain, developers have decided that it might be best to return to the beginning and reinstate previously used methods.
It wasn’t stated clearly whether this will include a similar mechanic to the books of Zodiak Weapon fame (on a personal note, I might cry if this turns out to be the case), but it was revealed that there will be two different ways to obtain Relic Weapons in Dawntrail.
Players will be able to obtain a Relic Weapon through completing objectives within Occult Crescent, or they will be able to take part in previously existing duties and activities. This sounds very similar to the ways in which players can now obtain Shadowbringers weapons, which require you to either complete objectives within Bozja, or to complete duties outside of it.
New MSQ content
As always with a major patch, new MSQ quests will be added in patch 7.2. Although no details of the plot were provided, Yoshida made comments about characters’ facial expressions, urging players to pay close attention to them. He also noted that Sphene reminds him a little of Asahi, and as Yoshida never says anything without a deeper meaning, this is definitely something to look into before the patch drops.
We were also shown some sneak peaks of the next MSQ dungeon, revealed to be named “The Underkeep”. While showing off a boss arena of this dungeon, Yoshida mentioned that players might be expected to dance in the dance hall, although didn’t detail exactly what he meant by this.
Arcadion: Bruiserweight Tier
As expected, the next tier of the Arcadion Raids will be coming in patch 7.2. The Cruiserweight tier will feature four new fights of both normal and savage difficulty, although savage will come the usual week after the normal fights are introduced.
We were given a few screenshots of the upcoming raid storyline, as well as one from one of the fights itself. Not many details were given, but Yoshida did allude to the arena itself and hint that it might be there as more than simply a backdrop. Dancing seems to be a recurring theme in the upcoming patch, with the arena looking very much like a disco, and mechanics described as “high tempo”.
Trials and tribulations
The next trial to be introduced was revealed to be named “Recollection”, and both a normal and extreme version will be available to take on when patch 7.2 drops. We were only shown two screenshots from this trial, but Yoshida admitted that while testing the normal difficulty fight, it proved too difficult to complete. As such, mechanics are currently being removed to make it a less challenging experience.
As always, the a new Unreal Trial will be coming as part of patch 7.2. This time, Suzaku and her DDR mechanics are getting an Unreal makeover, pitting players off against the firebird all over again at a much higher difficulty.
Hildibrand returns
Although the adventures of Hildibrand may not be a universal favorite, it’s still beloved content in FFXIV. 7.2 will see more quests added to Inconceivably Further Hildibrand Adventures story line. With introductions (and memory fixing) having taken place, we can now get into the crime noir plot in a more meaningful way.
Yoshida noted that the story line is “a bit over the top”, but by this point players would expect nothing less from Hildibrand and Nashu.
Dawntrail’s second Allied Society makes its debut
With the Pelupelu already featuring as an Allied Society for Combat Jobs, players have been waiting to see who would come next, and what Jobs they would focus on.
Well, it was revealed during the Live Letter that the next Allied Society will be the Mamool Ja, who will focus on Gathering. If you’ve not yet leveled Botanist, Miner, or Fisher, then this will be the perfect opportunity to do so.
Frontline (Secure) is making a comeback
Frontline (Secure) has been missing from rotation since patch 6.4, but it’s undergone a pretty impressive redesign and will be making its return as part of patch 7.2. These updates have changed the appearance of the map significantly, and that’s not all that’s changing in PvP.
Series 8 will also begin when patch 7.2 drops, and job actions will be tweaked, with additional actions being added to select classes. Which Jobs will be getting additional actions wasn’t specified, but we can expect more details during the next Live Letter.
The Cornservant makes a brief return
One of my personal highlights of Dawntrail so far has been the Cornservant and its heartwarming quests to feed the many peoples of Tural. Because of how popular this little guy proved to be with both players and the dev team alike, it will be making a brief comeback with an additional quest for players to complete.
Other updates coming in patch 7.2
As with all major patches, there are a whole host of smaller updates that need mentioning. As you might expect, a new Allagan Tomestone of Mathematics will be added into the mix, likely replacing Heliometry, while Allagan Tomestones of Aesthetics will be phased out.
The Sunken Temple of Qarn is also set to benefit from Duty Support, which will be interesting, considering the number of mechanics at play within the dungeon.
Published: Feb 7, 2025 08:34 am