The Underkeep is a level 100 dungeon that was added in Patch 7.2 of Final Fantasy 14. As the party searches for information regarding Calyx and the Endless Queen Sphene, they venture into the depths of the Everkeep, which houses the ancient Alexandria castle.
Unsurprisingly, Calyx and Sphene have activated the castle’s defenses. Players will need to battle through machines and hostile creatures that now inhabit the remnants of the castle. Here, we’ll explore how to unlock this dungeon and successfully defeat its three bosses.
Unlocking The Underkeep
To access the Everkeep, players must complete the Main Scenario Quest "Descent to the Foundation," which can be started by speaking to Shale in The Backroom of Solution Nine (X:6.0, Y:6.3). This quest is the sixth one introduced in Patch 7.2.
Note: A minimum item level of 705 is necessary to enter this dungeon.
Boss Fight: Gargant
The Underkeep’s first boss is Gargant. The battle area features four tube-like pathways that are separated by cascading waterfalls of sand. Keep these pathways in mind, as they will play a significant role during the fight.
Here’s a breakdown of Gargant’s attacks:
| Attack Name | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Chilling Chirp | Roomwide AoE | Affects the entire party. Be ready with AoE healing. |
| Almighty Racket | Line AoE | Gargant faces the arena’s center and deals damage in a large line AoE directly in front. This attack appears briefly before executing, so players should move quickly. |
| Aerial Ambush | Line AoE | Gargant crawls along a tube and hides behind sandfalls before jumping through, dealing damage in a line AoE. Observe its movement to predict its next position. |
| Earth Spikes | Circle AoE | Inflicts damage via large circle AoEs that occur shortly after Chilling Chirp and alongside Almighty Racket. Players should dodge both sets of the spikes. |
| Sedimentary Debris | AoE Marker | Targets players with AoE markers. Spread out to prevent overlapping, which happens simultaneously with the second wave of Earth Spikes. |
| Earthsong | Circle AoEs | Summons two sets of Sand Spheres that explode in small circular AoEs. Move to a safe spot to avoid their first and second attacks. The first occurrence will pair with Aerial Ambush, requiring careful tracking of the boss. |
| Trap Jaws | Tankbuster | Delivers high damage to the tank; defensive cooldowns are advised here. |
Gargant’s mechanics may seem simple individually, but they can become complicated when combined later in the fight. Pay close attention to Aerial Ambush; failing to track Gargant properly can lead to significant damage.
Boss Fight: Soldier S0
The second boss in the Underkeep is Soldier S0. Here’s a summary of its abilities:
| Attack Name | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Field of Scorn | Roomwide AoE | Deals damage to all party members. |
| Thunderous Slash | Tankbuster | Inflicts high damage to the tank. |
| Sector Bisector | Half-circle AoE | Generates afterimages with blue half-circles indicating attack zones. Only the last afterimage will attack, so players should move to the opposite side of it. |
| Ordered Fire | Line AoEs | Cannons in the arena deal line damage from two corners, intersecting and leaving the opposite corner safe. This will occur simultaneously with Static Force. |
| Static Force | Conal AoEs | Attacks each party member with moving conal AoEs. Players need to spread out to avoid overlapping, while ensuring they’re within the safe corner from Ordered Fire. |
| Electric Excess | AoE Markers | Marks each player with circular AoE markers. Spread out to prevent overlaps. |
While Sector Bisector may appear challenging, the solution is to simply find the last afterimage and move accordingly, ignoring the other images.
Boss Fight: Valia Pira
The final encounter in the Underkeep is with Valia Pira, the Indefatigable Defense:
| Attack Name | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Entropic Sphere | Roomwide AoE | Causes moderate damage to the party; be sure to use AoE heals. |
| Coordinate March | Cross AoEs | Two blue lines form paths with energy orbs that explode in a cross AoE upon contact. Watch the paths and move accordingly. |
| Turret Fire | Line AoEs | Two turrets will fire line AoEs across the room; players should position between the two active turrets to avoid damage. |
| Electric Field | Conal AoEs | Conal AoEs emerge from the boss; players need to move strategically to avoid overlap while accounting for the slight expansion of the AoEs. |
| Neutralize Front Lines/Hypercharged Light | Line AoE/AoE Markers | The boss targets a direction with a line AoE, while also marking players with circular AoEs. Move behind the boss and spread out to avoid overlaps. |
| Deterrent Pulse | Line Stack Marker | Targets a player with a line stack marker, prompting the group to gather and mitigate damage from the attack. |
Valia Pira will continue to employ these moves until defeated. Be prepared for attacks to blend as the fight progresses—especially Coordinate March, Turret Fire, and Neutralize Front Lines. Take each attack in sequence to manage the damage effectively.
Upon taking down Valia Pira, you’ll have successfully completed the Underkeep.
