Patch 4.2: Rise of a New Sun is finally out!
And boy, are there a lot of pumped-up players eager to clear content early. So early in fact, that this, including the new Savage raid, has been cleared already on Day 1! The hype is real.
Anyway, I managed to put together a guide for our next Extreme fight: Byakko of the Four Lords. Right now it’s just the explanation of mechanics and our first clear video to base the text on- I may add a video guide soon if time and inspiration permits. Right now, please help yourselves with what’s below.
Good luck clearing and farming the fight! -Asteria Edelfelt, Tonberry
You might also want to check out my other guides for this patch:
- Shinryu (Extreme) / The Minstrel’s Ballad: Shinryu’s Domain
- Sigmascape O5S | O6S | O7S | O8S Kefka | O8S God Kefka (under construction)
- Tsukuyomi (Extreme) / The Minstrel’s Ballad: Tsukuyomi’s Pain
- Rathalos (Extreme) / The Great Hunt
- Suzaku (Extreme) / Hell’s Kier
- Alphascape O9S | O10S | O11S | O12S
- Seiryu (Extreme) / The Wreath of Snakes
Byakko (Extreme) First Clear Main Tank PLD POV:
Mechanics & Rotation
FIRST PHASE
Storm Pulse – Raid-wide AOE (0:58 of video)
Heavenly Strike – Tank-buster (1:03 of video)
State of Shock – Byakko will grab and stun whoever is highest on aggro (main tank) (1:14 of video)
Highest Stakes – AoE marker will appear randomly in the arena and that will be where Byakko will slam the pacified tank. Three other players must go to said marker and share damage with the tank. They will all be given a short physical defense debuff. Can be 2 healers and 1 DPS with the pacified tank (1:19 of video)
State of Shock 2 – Byakko will grab whoever is the next highest on aggro (off-tank) after the main tank. Main tank must Provoke back Byakko as his aggro is reset. Has no cast bar but Byakko will say “You’re mine!” (1:29 of video)
Highest Stakes 2 – AoE marker will appear randomly in the arena and that will be where Byakko will slam the pacified tank. Three other players must go to said marker and share damage with the tank. They will all be given a short physical defense debuff. Can be 3 DPS with the pacified tank (1:30 of video)
Unrelenting Anguish – Slow moving red orbs will emanate from Byakko. Touching these will damage you and give you a vulnerability debuff so avoid at all costs. 3 players will be covered in a red circle and must not collide with one another (1:45 of video)
Hakutei – Tiger add that must be tanked by off-tank away from the group. Gives tank busters and frontal cleaves. 2 players will also be marked with multiple puddles (3 each) and must bait them away to the middle edge of the arena (allot space to run for Fire and Lightning) (2:14 of video)
Note: As Hakutei will deal AoE damage later based on his HP, you can start DPSing him at this point, but be ready to go back to Byakko before Distant Clap starts casting
Storm Pulse
Heavenly Strike
Distant Clap – Huge AoE around Byakko so everyone must go inside his hit box. The tank who is tanking Hakutei will be marked with an AoE so he must move to the opposite edge away from both the party and Byakko’s AoE (2:47 of video)
Fire and Lightning – Huge straight AoE line coming from Hakutei right after Distant Clap. Run to the sides (2:53 of video)
Storm Pulse
The Roar of Thunder – Multiple white Aratama orbs will appear on the edges of the arena and everyone must pop them before they reach Hakutei in the middle. As they don’t damage much, the 2 healers can be the ones to pop them. DPS as much as you can before he casts this skill because damage will be based on his remaining HP (3:07 of video)
FREEFALL PHASE
Avoid Byakko’s orbs from below and avoid going to the edge of the arena. Avoid the various AoEs he will be throwing at you (3:55 of video)
The pattern is as follows:
1st Set of Orbs – Random
Leg Sweep – Go inside Byakko’s hitbox
Hakutei Rush – Avoid his straight-line AoE
2nd Set of Orbs – Inner to outer
Hakutei Rush
3rd Set of Orbs – Inner to outer
4th Set of Orbs – Random
Leg Sweep
Hakutei Rush
Fell Swoop – His ultimate attack. Shield and heal as necessary (5:06 of video)
LAST PHASE
Heavenly Strike
Lightning Sear – Two sets of AoEs from the middle going to the edges. Technique here is to first position yourself on the 2nd set of arrows, then go to the first set after it goes off the the third time right before the 2nd set starts going off so you will be safe (5:36 of video)
State of Shock
Highest Stakes
State of Shock 2
Highest Stakes 2
Sweep the Leg – Very wide AoE. Go directly to his back to dodge the attack (6:02 of video)
Unrelenting Anguish
Storm Pulse
Tempest Surge – 3 players (1 tank, 1 healer, 1 DPS) will be marked and must spread and bait these expanding AoEs in a way that they won’t collide, and where everyone will still have a safe spot when he casts Fire and Lightning next. Usually A is on the north for tanks, B on the southeast for healers and C on the southwest for DPS (6:30 of video)
Fire and Lightning
Hakutei (+ Multiple Puddle AoEs to 2 players)
Distant Clap (+ Tank AoE)
Fire and Lightning
Distant Clap (No Tank AoE)
Fire and Lightning
Heavenly Strike
The Roar of Thunder
Note: Another strategy is instead of DPSing down Hakutei to lower his AoE damage, everyone ignores Hakutei and the orbs and just focus on killing Byakko while a tank uses Limit Break 3 just before The Roar of Thunder pops
Storm Pulse x2
Fire and Lightning
Storm Pulse
Tempest Surge + Lightning Sear
State of Shock
Highest Stakes
State of Shock 2
Highest Stakes 2
Sweep the Leg
Heavenly Strike
Storm Pulse x2
Distant Clap (No Tank AoE)
Heavenly Strike
Unrelenting Anguish
Storm Pulse
Tempest Surge
Fire and Lightning x2
Storm Pulse x2
Lightning Sear
State of Shock
Highest Stakes
State of Shock 2
Highest Stakes 2
Sweep the Leg
Storm Pulse ENRAGE
