How to Beat The Minstrel’s Ballad: Thordan’s Reign
“The Minstrel’s Ballad: Thordan’s Reign” is a challenging trial in Final Fantasy XIV that requires both skill and coordination to overcome. This guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to defeating Thordan and his Knights Twelve. By following these strategies and tips, you’ll be better equipped to triumph over this formidable foe and claim victory in this epic encounter.
Understanding the Encounter
Before delving into the fight, it’s essential to understand the mechanics and key aspects of the encounter. “The Minstrel’s Ballad: Thordan’s Reign” is a multi-phase battle consisting of different mechanics that become progressively more challenging. Familiarizing yourself with the encounter will help you anticipate and react to the encounter’s mechanics more effectively.
The fight is divided into four phases. In the first phase, Thordan is fought alone. While in the second phase, Thordan is joined by the rest of the Knights Twelve, a group of powerful knights who have been turned into Primals. In the third phase, Thordan transforms into the ascendant angel and gains new abilities. In the fourth and final phase, Thordan will give it his all and wipe you out with his ultimate attack.
Party Composition and Roles
Assembling a well-balanced party is crucial for success in this trial. Make sure your group consists of the following roles:
- Tanks. You’ll need two tanks to handle Thordan and the Knights. Coordinate tank swaps to manage threat and handle specific mechanics.
- Healers. Two healers are recommended to ensure adequate support throughout the encounter. Communication between healers is vital to handle healing responsibilities during high-damage phases.
- DPS. Four DPS players should focus on dealing damage to Thordan and the Knights. Melee DPS should pay special attention to positioning and avoid frontal attacks.
The Minstrel’s Ballad: Thordan’s Reign Phase 1 – King Thordan Alone
The encounter begins with Thordan alone. For the most part, the battle remains the same as with any of Final Fantasy XIV’s epic boss battles. Just put your tanks in front, the DPS characters on their backs, and the healers constantly pumping out healing spells.
Later on, Thordan will use Royal Authority, his primary tank-buster attack. Rotate the tanks that soak up the damage every time he uses this attack. Simply put, coordinate tank swaps to share the brunt of the damage.
Further into this phase, Thordan will use the Holy Chains. It is a mechanic that targets random players with chains, binding them to one another. Players affected by the chains must quickly move apart to avoid damage to themselves and any nearby allies.
Moreover, take note that each Knight he summons has unique abilities. This includes Judgement Nisi and Shining Blade. These mechanics require players to stay alert and react accordingly. Assign roles for handling specific Knights and their mechanics. Soon enough, the encounter will kick off phase 2.
The Minstrel’s Ballad: Thordan’s Reign Phase 2 – The Knights of the Round
During this phase, additional mechanics are introduced, and more Knights join the fight. This makes it more chaotic than the first phase and is arguably twice as hard to manage. Nevertheless, as long as you prepare beforehand, you should be good to go.
In phase 2, Thordan will use his Divine Spear attack. He will summon spears that appear all across the battle arena. Make sure to avoid these spears as much as possible. They all hit like a truck and they knock back, making you susceptible to being hit by yet another spear.
And if that isn’t enough yet, Thordan will also spawn more Knights into the fight. Take note that this is on top of the powerful mechanics he is already using during the first phase. Furthermore, the Knights he will spawn in this round also have the same attacks as with the first two. Assign DPS to handle them swiftly while ensuring focus on Thordan.
Just do your best to remain coordinated and adapt to the increasing complexities of the fight. Mind you, it is only going to be tougher.
The Minstrel’s Ballad: Thordan’s Reign Phase 3 – The Ascendant Angel
In this phase, Thordan transforms into an Ascendant Angel, introducing yet another set of new mechanics and challenges. This includes the Heavenly Heel, which is a frontal attack with a wide area of effect. This attack can easily sweep off your DPS and healer characters so make sure to position the Tanks appropriately in front of Thordan all the time during this phase.
On top of that, he also has the Stellar Burst and Blade Dance attacks. The first one targets players with large circular AoE markers. Avoid it by spreading out and minimizing damage to the party. The other is a charge attack by Thordan himself. As soon as he uses Blade Dance, he will dash to a random player and everyone caught up with it will receive significant damage. Do your best to avoid the charge path and position accordingly.
Last is the Judgement Crystals. In this attack, Thordan will target players with markers that explode and deal massive damage. We recommend that you assign players to specific markers and move away from the group to minimize party damage.
The Minstrel’s Ballad: Thordan’s Reign Phase 3 – Finishing the Fight
Just a few more and the trial should be over. In the fourth and final phase, Thordan will go crazy and give it his all to try and wipe you out of existence. Here, Thordan will combine all the mechanics from the previous phases while also introducing new challenges. This includes his ultimate attack, aptly called Final Heaven.
Thordan’s ultimate attack, Final Heaven, is effectively unblockable due to the sheer destruction it causes. There is only one way to mitigate its damage, and that is to use the pillars in the battle arena itself. Players must position themselves behind pillars to block incoming damage. Failure to do so can easily result in the player going down and restarting the whole Final Fantasy XIV encounter once again.
Additionally, expect increased damage during this phase. Tanks should utilize defensive cooldowns effectively, and healers must prioritize healing to keep the party alive. Pay close attention to mechanics and execute them flawlessly. We cannot stress this enough, but mistakes can be punishing, potentially leading to a wipe.
Conclusion
With thorough preparation, an understanding of mechanics, and effective coordination, you can triumph over “The Minstrel’s Ballad: Thordan’s Reign” in Final Fantasy XIV. Communication and practice are key to success in this challenging encounter. Good luck, and may your party emerge victorious in this epic battle concocted by the mad geniuses at Square Enix!
