Final Fantasy XIV Patch 7.4: Into the Mist brings the final chapter of the Arcadion raid series—Heavyweight—a spectacle-driven tier packed with brutal mechanics, flashy visuals, and the highest item level loot of the expansion. Whether you’re chasing clears or prepping for Savage progression, this guide has you covered.
In this guide, you’ll find:
- How to unlock Arcadion: Heavyweight (Normal and Savage)
- Weekly lockout rules and Item Level requirements
- Arena mechanics and boss overviews for M1 to M4
- Loot tables and token costs for gear and weapons
- Savage drop breakdown and best-in-slot item details
- Week 1 raid prep checklist and gearing strategy
- Glamour preview: Solution 9 aesthetics and rewards
- Where to get boosts for raids, gil, gear, and jobs
How to Unlock Arcadion Heavyweight (FFXIV 7.4 Raid Access)
Accessing the new raid tier requires players to be up to date with the main narrative and the specific Arcadion quest chain.
Quest Requirements: Players must complete the new Main Scenario Quests added in Patch 7.4, starting with “Into the Mist.” Just came back to FFXIV and still stuck below level 100? Our FFXIV Job Boost will get your main job instantly maxed out, unlock your Artifact gear, and be raid-ready before Savage even drops. After completing the 7.4 MSQ, the unlock quest for Arcadion: Heavyweight becomes available from the usual raid quest NPC in Solution 9.
Item Level Requirement: While exact numbers are confirmed upon patch launch, players can likely expect a minimum Item Level (IL) requirement of 770 to enter Normal mode via Duty Finder, consistent with previous even-numbered patches.
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Release Date & Schedule:
- Normal Difficulty: Available immediately with the release date of Patch 7.4 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025).
- Savage Difficulty: Releases three weeks later on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
- Note: The Savage mode delay is intended to give players time to enjoy the holidays and the new trailer content without the pressure of week-one progression.
Weekly Lockouts (Normal): Each floor drops one token per week per player, which can be exchanged for armor immediately. Lockouts typically remain in place until a future catch-up patch (e.g., 7.48). Note that the specific “Blade” token required for weapons typically requires 7 weeks of clearing the fourth floor.
Reset Time: Weekly lockouts reset every Tuesday at 8:00 AM UTC.
What’s New in Arcadion: Heavyweight Arena Mechanics & Environmental Gimmicks
The Heavyweight division leans heavily into the “spectacle” theme established in earlier tiers but introduces stricter environmental mechanics. As the trailer offers a fresh look at the arena, players can see that this tier utilizes the environment—water, lava, and stage transformations—as active combat elements.
Difficulty Context:
Mechanically, players can expect a structure closer to the later tiers of Pandaemonium. Struggling with Pandaemonium’s Savage mechanics? Our FFXIV Pandaemonium Savage Raid Boost will unlock and clear Asphodelos, Abyssos, or Anabaseios for you — parsing logs, achievements, and all. Skip the stress and get raid-ready. The Normal mode mechanics are straightforward but punish poor positioning severely due to environmental layering. Success relies heavily on camera control and spatial awareness; players must constantly monitor the background and arena edges, as hazard indicators may not always appear on the floor immediately. Wipe to mechanics no matter what you try? We’ve been there. Book a FFXIV Coaching Session and learn real strategy from top-tier raiders.
Arcadion Raid Boss Mechanics (M1–M4 Floor Guide)
The Arcadion raid series, alongside the new musical collaborations, creates a unique atmosphere for these fights.
The following encounter details are based on official trailers and Live Letter previews. Exact mechanics may vary slightly on release.
M1: The Brothers (Redhot & Deep Blue)
- The Fight: The opening encounter features a tag-team duo representing Fire and Water elements on a square platform surrounded by water.
- Key Mechanics:
- Surfing: The water-aspected boss utilizes the perimeter to execute “Tidal Wave” style attacks. He physically surfs across the arena background, requiring players to visually identify his starting point to avoid wide cleaves.
- Phasing: Previews from the Producer Live Broadcast suggest a phase where the bosses separate. This implies a split-focus check where the party must manage rapid-fire AoEs.
- Tank Mechanics: Expect tank swaps or vulnerability stacks. Heavy cleaves are present, so positioning is vital to prevent splashing damage onto the party.
M2: Environmental Hazards
- The Fight: Based on showcased upcoming additions in the Live Letter, the second encounter escalates the environmental threat.
- Key Mechanics:
- Lava Transformation: The arena floor appears capable of transforming into lava, restricting safe zones to specific elevated platforms.
- Wave Sweeps: Massive waves have been observed sweeping over the arena. These likely operate on a timer or HP threshold, requiring players to find cover or risk an instant KO.
M3 & M4: The Final Showdowns
Square Enix has not previewed mechanics for these floors to preserve the narrative experience.
- Expectations: Following standard design, M3 often introduces complex debuff puzzles. M4 serves as the cinematic climax and final boss with a unique “Ringmaster’s Momentum” mechanic.
- Music: The new rewards for your ears include a brand new track titled “Everything Burns,” featured in the raid. This song comes from Tom Morello’s new album and features Caleb Shomo, bringing a heavy rock edge to the fight.
Arcadion Loot Table: Token Costs, IL Breakdown & Savage Gear Explained
The loot system follows the standard high-end raid structure for even-numbered patches.
Normal Mode Loot Table
Normal raids drop tokens exchanged at vendors in Solution 9.
| Gear Slot | Token Cost | Weeks to Earn |
| Head / Hands / Feet | 2 Tokens | 2 Weeks |
| Body / Legs | 4 Tokens | 4 Weeks |
| Accessories | 1 Token | 1 Week |
| Weapon | 7 Blade Tokens* | 7 Weeks |
*Note: Weapons require 7 Blade tokens (dropped from M4) plus a Tomestone commodity.
Savage Mode Loot
- Armor Item Level: 790 (Best-in-Slot).
- Weapon Item Level: 795 (Massive power spike).
- Weekly Cap: Each Savage floor drops one gear coffer and one Upgrade Book per week per player. Books can be exchanged for gear if drops are unlucky.
Savage Drop Distribution (Expected):
- Floor 1: Drops Head, Hands, and Feet coffers, plus an Upgrade Book.
- Floor 2: Drops Leg coffers and the Tomestone Coating (Accessory upgrade).
- Floor 3: Drops Body coffers and the Tomestone Twine (Armor upgrade).
- Floor 4: Drops the Weapon Coffer and the Tomestone Weapon Upgrade material.
- Tip: Remember to use the Coatings and Twines to augment your purchased Tomestone gear (IL 780) to Savage Item Level (IL 790).
Arcadion Armor & Weapon Glamour: Solution 9 Gear Preview
The Heavyweight gear sets deviate from high fantasy, fully embracing the cyberpunk, streetwear aesthetic of the Solution 9 hub.
- Glamour Updates: A major quality of life update in this patch is the removal of level and class restrictions for armor glamour purposes. Players can now glamour armor regardless of their previous level or class restrictions, provided they can equip the base item. However, note that job restrictions still apply for weapons to preserve unique character animations.
- Armor Style: The sets feature modern tactical gear, hoodies, and zippers. The chest pieces, particularly the long coats, have strong silhouettes.
- Weapon Aesthetics:
- Paladin: Features a blade with a tactical scope.
- Machinist: Highly stylized, resembling a comic-book prop.
Savage Week 1 Checklist: Gear Goals, Consumables & Raid Tools
With the three-week delay between Normal and Savage, players have ample time to optimize using system updates and new content.
New UI Elements for Raiding
Two major miscellaneous updates will aid in progression:
- Strategy Board: A long-awaited feature and new UI element that allows players to create and share tactical diagrams directly in-game. This UI element, inspired by third-party tools, will be essential for coordinating positioning in Party Finder.
- Command Panel: A new custom hotbar feature that saves screen space. It is highly useful for storing raid consumables, food, markers, or macros that don’t need to be on your primary hotbar.
Expected Gearing Path
Players aiming for Week 1 Savage progression should aim for an expected Item Level of ~780, assuming the new crafted gear follows standard scaling.
- Weapon: Acquire the weapon from the Trial Hell on Rails. You will need to complete the Extreme modes of this encounter to obtain the high-IL weapon (likely IL 785). The drop rate is typically one weapon per 5 totems (clears) if you don’t get a direct drop.
- Armor: A mix of Normal Raid gear (IL 770) and the new Crafted Gear set. Pentameld your crafted pieces for maximum stats. Pentamelding is expensive. Don’t waste hours grinding Gil—buy FFXIV Gil to fully meld and prep your gear for Savage right now.
- Tomestones: Cap the new Allagan Tomestones weekly. Prioritize pieces with optimal substats (Crit > DH for most DPS).
Week 1 Checklist
- Clear MSQ: Finish “Into the Mist” and the new dungeon to unlock the raid content.
- Unlock Raid: Complete the quest chain for Arcadion: Heavyweight.
- Clear Normal: Obtain 1 token from all 4 floors (Accessories first if using Crafted left-side).
- Cap Tomestones: Hit the 450 weekly cap for the new currency.
- Hell on Rails: Farm the Hell on Rails Extreme trial for a weapon.
- Buy Consumables: Stockpile the latest Grade of Tinctures and Food (Crit/DH).
- Unreal Trial: While not part of raid prep, clearing the New Unreal Trial, Tsukuyomi’s Pain, rewards materia and Faux Leaves, and offers a solid warm-up for mechanic-heavy content.
How to Catch Up IL Fast in Patch 7.4: Variant Dungeons & Vendor Options
If you are struggling to reach the IL requirements, you can utilize other content in the patch for fill-in gear or currency:
- Variant Dungeons: The new Variant Dungeon titled The Merchant’s Tale (arriving in 7.45) will offer alternative gearing paths for alt jobs later in the patch cycle.
- Occult Crescent: The added Occult Crescent update introduces phantom jobs like Mystic Knight. While mostly focused on exploration and lore, it’s worth checking vendors for cosmetics or light gearing options.
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Final Thoughts
The Arcadion Heavyweight tier offers a robust conclusion to the Dawntrail raid cycle. By utilizing the Strategy Board, securing your Trial Hell on Rails weapon, and mastering camera awareness, players will be well-positioned to tackle the Savage difficulty when it unlocks in January. Good luck in the ring!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I unlock the Arcadion Heavyweight raid in FFXIV Patch 7.4?
To unlock Arcadion: Heavyweight, players must complete the Patch 7.4 Main Scenario Quest “Into the Mist.” After finishing the MSQ, head to the usual raid quest NPC in Solution 9 to begin the unlock chain.
What item level is required for Arcadion Normal and Savage?
Normal mode is expected to require item level 770 to queue via Duty Finder. For Savage progression, players should aim for IL 780+ using crafted gear, Normal drops, and the new Extreme trial weapon.
When does Arcadion Savage release in Patch 7.4?
Arcadion Savage goes live three weeks after the patch drops—on Tuesday, January 6, 2026—to allow players time for holidays, story content, and gearing.
What are the bosses in Arcadion: Heavyweight (M1–M4)?
The first floor features a Fire/Water duo (Redhot & Deep Blue), M2 focuses on environmental hazards, while M3 and M4 remain unspoiled but are expected to include heavy debuff puzzles and a cinematic final boss.
How many tokens do I need for Arcadion raid gear?
You’ll need 1–4 tokens for armor and accessories, and 7 “Blade Tokens” for the weapon. These tokens drop weekly from each floor and can be exchanged at vendors in Solution 9.
Can I get a high item level weapon before Savage unlocks?
Yes. Farm the “Hell on Rails (Extreme)” trial in Patch 7.4 to get an IL 785 weapon. The drop rate is one per 5 totems, or via RNG if you’re lucky.
What’s the fastest gearing path for Arcadion Savage Week 1?
Combine pentamelded crafted gear, Normal raid loot (IL 770), Hell on Rails weapon (IL 785), and weekly tomestone caps. Prioritize Crit/DH substats.
Are there any unique glamour sets in Arcadion: Heavyweight?
Yes—the gear is fully styled in cyberpunk and modern aesthetics, featuring tactical coats, hoodies, and comic-inspired weapons with scopes and tech designs.
What music track plays in the final Arcadion fight?
“Everything Burns” by Tom Morello and Caleb Shomo plays during the final boss. It’s also lootable as an orchestrion roll.
What are the weekly lockout rules for Arcadion Normal?
Each floor drops one token per player per week. Weekly resets happen Tuesday at 8:00 AM UTC. Lockouts apply only to token eligibility, not loot chests.
What’s the difference between Normal and Savage Arcadion raids?
Normal teaches baseline mechanics, while Savage adds unforgiving damage checks, movement puzzles, and exclusive gear (IL 790+), mounts, and achievements.
How do I prepare for Arcadion Savage as a returning player?
Complete the MSQ, unlock the raid, grab crafted or trial gear, and start weekly clears of Normal mode. Use tomestones and Duty Support for catch-up.
Are there UI or system updates that help with raiding in 7.4?
Yes—Patch 7.4 introduces the Strategy Board (draw tactics) and Command Panel (custom hotbar) to streamline raid coordination and consumable access.
What’s the Strategy Board in FFXIV Patch 7.4?
It’s a new tactical UI that lets you draw, save, and share party positioning plans. Perfect for Party Finder groups and progression teams.
Can I glamour Arcadion gear on any job?
You can now glamour any armor regardless of class or level—except for weapons, which remain job-locked to preserve animations.
What consumables should I prep for Arcadion Savage?
Bring Grade 9 or 10 Tinctures and raid food with Crit or DH substats. These maximize DPS checks and are essential for early clears.
Does Arcadion Heavyweight support Duty Support (Trust system)?
No—raids like Arcadion must be completed with other players. Duty Support is limited to dungeons and story-critical content.
What trial should I farm for pre-Savage weapon gear in 7.4?
Farm the new EX trial, Hell on Rails, for an IL 785 weapon. It’s the best pre-Savage weapon source if you don’t have relics or crafted alternatives.
What’s the significance of Ringmaster’s Momentum in M4?
It’s a mechanic hinted at in previews—likely tied to movement timing or stage control. Expect complex debuffs and cinematic phase shifts.
What other content helps me gear for Arcadion Savage besides raids?
Do the Unreal Trial (Tsukuyomi’s Pain) for materia, check the Variant Dungeon (The Merchant’s Tale), and cap tomestones for vendor gear and crafting mats.
