Final Fantasy XIV has been skyrocketing in active players now that the base game and first expansion are free to play. Square Enix even went as far to streamline A Realm Reborn and add in flying to its zones. There is also plenty of features for paying players, with brand new zones, story-linked dungeons, and intense boss trials introduced in patch 5.3 which released last month. This means that there is a lot to focus on regardless of how far each person is in the epic and evolving storyline of Eorzea.
Patch 5.35 is a smaller side update that introduces the Bozjan Southern Front. This location serves as a squeal to the Return to Ivalice storyline and is in ways a retelling of Vagrant Story, but with some Final Fantasy XII characters added in. Along with the new zone is also the next step in the Relic weapon series. This time, players can forge a powerful Bozjan Recollection Weapon by participating in the new content or even going back to old areas. While the weapon is slightly weaker than those found within Eden’s Verse Refulgence, it is still a great alternative for those disinterested in difficult raiding.
Unlocking the Bozjan Southern Front in Final Fantasy XIV
The Relic quests within Shadowbringers acts as a sequel to the Zodiac Braves side quest within Stormblood. This means that players will not only need to complete the level 80 main story scenario Shadowbringers but also the level 70 raid series quest The City of Lost Angels from The Prima Vista stationed in Kugane. The latter is part of completing three 24-man raids at least once: The Royal City of Rabanastre, The Ridorana Lighthouse, and The Obronne Monastery. All characters will need to be at least item level 365 to complete the final encounter. The dungeons themselves will drop item level 390 armor, among the strongest available in Stormblood.
Once completing these raids and being introduced to the Ivalice plotline, one will need to head back to Kugane and speak to Keiten at X: 12, Y: 12.5 for the level 80 quest Hail to the Queen. This will lead into a set of four additional quests across Rhalgr’s Reach and Gangos. The final one, Resistance is (Not Futile) will require players to buy four Thavairian Scalepowders from Auriana in Revenant’s Toll for a total of 1000 Poetic Tomestones. Delivering these to Ziatan will grant the item level 485 Resistance Relic for one’s current job. Players can even quickly acquire other job base weapons by trading in more Thavairian Scalepowders; an overall total of 17,000 Poetic Tomestones.
Taking the war to Garlemald
Now that the Bozjan Resistance is supplied, players will need to advance past the level 80 main story quest Vows of Virtue, Deeds of Cruelty, the end of patch 5.1’s content. This will unlock a new quest from Marsak in Gangos dubbed Where Eagles Nest. This will open the Bozjan Southern Front combat area and another quest, A Sober Proposal from the Stressed Soldier.
Improving the Resistance Weapon in Final Fantasy XIV
The Bozjan Southern Front is a standalone combat area with its own form of experience: mettle. In fact, players can enter at just real level 71 and gain experience points and other rewards for lower jobs. However, dying in Bozjan Southern Front will deplete mettle and make the process take longer. Players should consider forming 8-man parties to make the tasks easier.
Augmentation Items
Enemies inside the Bozjan Southern Front drop items that can be turned into Gerolt to improve Resistance Relics to item level 500 Augmented Resistance Weapons. These include Tortured Memory of the Dying, Sorrowful Memory of the Dying, and Harrowing Memory of the Dying. In total 20 of each will be needed for any Relic that needs upgrading. Outside of randomly grinding monsters, these items may drop from Skirmishes and Critical Engagements that appear randomly around the map. Fights in this matter will become easier with more collected mettle and increased Resistance Ranks.
However, those that have completed A Sober Proposal can also find the same augmentations from FATEs in certain Heavensward zones. This can be great for those who want the weapons without progressing in the Bozjan Southern Front or wisht to level a job below level 71. The locations include:
- Tortured Memory of the Dying: Coerthas Western Highlands, Sea of Clouds
- Sorrowful Memory of the Dying: Dravanian Forelands, Churning Mists
- Harrowing Memory of the Dying: Dravanian Hinterlands, Azys Ila
These drops are guaranteed, making it as simple as completing 60 FATEs to gain the next Relic weapon step. In many cases, going through Heavensward fights may be faster than just the Bozjan Southern Front. Others may want to combine the two, getting whatever amount they can within Bozjan and then filling the rest from lower end Ishgardian combat.
Recollection Weapon Upgrades
The current final step of Bozjan Relics is the Recollection Weapon phase. The required unlock quest is The Will to Resist from Ziatan in Gongos. This involves collecting six Bitter Memories of the Dying. As with the previous items, these can also be random drops from Skirmishes, Critical Engagements, and other fights within the Bozjan Southern Front. A single Bitter Memory of the Dying is a reward from Duty Roulette: Leveling, allowing players to gain a single free one each day, and complete a Recollection weapon within one week of playtime.
Additionally, players can also gain items from the following dungeons:
- Heavensward Main Story: The Aetherochemical Research Facility, The Antitower, Sohr Khai, Xelphatol, Baelsar’s Wall
- Heavensward Side Quests: Neverreap, The Fractal Continuum, Saint Mocianne’s Arboretum, The Great Gubal Library (Hard), Som Al (Hard)
- A Realm Reborn concluding in Heavensward: Pharos Sirius (Hard), The Lost City of Amdapor (Hard), Hullbreaker Isle (Hard)
Note that the party must complete the dungeon under default rules. No prizes will be awarded for using undersize parties to enter with increased job levels and equipment. Additionally, items can be rewarded if the dungeon is chosen from Duty Roulette: 50/60/70, but the likelihood of them being selected only has about 33% odds.
Once all six Bitter Memories of the Dying are obtained, one can return to Gerolt to be handed their own glimmering Bozjan Recollection Weapon. The process can be further repeated for all other jobs and corresponding weapons.
Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn, Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers are available now on PC, Mac, and PlayStation 4.