Today Square Enix broadcasted the Final Fantasy LXI Letter from the Producer Live, focusing on the next major update, numbered 5.4, alongside its follow-ups 5.41 and 5.45.
Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida and Global Community Producer Toshio Murouchi provided a lot of information about the upcoming update, which will release on December 8 for PS4 and PC.
First of all we get a recap of the content for the patch revealed in the previous broadcast, learning that the new trial is named Casto Marinum. Of course, it’ll come with an Extreme version.
The new raid of the Eden chain is named Eden’s Promise and will have its own Savage version.
We then get a look at the update for the Blue Mage which will get its level cap increased to 70, new gear, and new spells.
This will grant blue mages access to level 70 raids, and we can check out the updated content finder. This will come with update 5.45 alongside the next chapter of the Save the Queen questline.
Crafters and Gatherers will also receive their own update with a special focus on fishing. You can check out an overall recap in the gallery below.
Ocean fishing will get two new routes on top of smaller tweaks to make it more enjoyable, while participants will receive solo mission.
The new chapter of the Ishgardian Restoration will come in update 5.41, while the new evolution for Skysteel Tools will appear in update 5.45. Interestingly, Yoshida-san teased that the tools will have a shiny effect.
Below you can find additional miscellaneous updates, including the already revealed Explorer Mode. The new tomestones will be named Allagan Tomestones of Revelation.
Bards will get violins for their Performance mode and we will be able to link quests in chat.
Yoshida-san showcased new equipment, which looks rather dark. This is what you can get with the Allagan Tomestones of Revelation.
Next is the first look at the Eden’s Promise raid with the “Cloud of Darkness” boss.
The raid will include a completely new final boss designed by Tetsura Nomura, Its look wasn’t revealed so that players can be surprised.
Speaking of job adjustments, no one got any nerfs this time around, but scholars, dragoons, red mages, and bards will receive a small adjudgment upward.
Regarding monks, the team changed the job so that it’s not as laborious due to Greased Lightning, which will become a trait. It won’t increase damage dealt anymore, but in exchange, the potency of actions and effects has been increased. You can find some examples in the slide below and a video showing how it’ll all work.
Next up, Yoshida-san showcased the update to Triple Triad. Players will have an easier time finding cards that aren’t in their collection.
Deck restrictions have been eased. There won’t be any restrictions on cards under three starts and four-star cards will be limited to 1 regardless of how many you have registered.
New rules for tournaments have been added including Open Tournaments and Invitational Tournaments. You can find a breakdown in the slides below.
Yoshida-san then introduced the new Unreal trial, which I’m sure will bring back nightmares for some who have been around for a long time like me. It’s Titan!
It’s basically just a more powerful Titan, but the difficulty of the original content means that it’s still a lot harder than Shiva unreal. It’ll come with new rewards and the ability to limit Party Finder searches to players that have already cleared unreal trials.
Next in line is the first look at Castrum Marinum, which is the fight against the Emerald Weapon. The battle has two phases with increasing difficulty.
We also get to take a look at the new Treasure Hunting dungeon, The Shifting Oubliette of Lyhe Ghiah.
There will be changes to Collectables, and players are encouraged to deliver current ones before the patch. You can read the details in the slides below.
Next up is the Ishgardian Restoration, which will finally complete the district. Players will get to build a monument displaying the tools of the class with the highest overall score. Each server will have its own monument depending on its specific results.
We also get a few more snippets of information on the Explorer Mode, which will let you enter dungeons that you have cleared. At the beginning it’ll be limited to dungeons from Shadowbringers onward.
There won’t be enemies or mechanics, and mounts and minions will be allowed.
Below you can see how it’ll work alongside new fashion accessories, mounts, and minions.
After that, Yoshida-san introduced the new update to the Save the Queen questline.
It’ll include a new large-scale dungeon titled “Delubrium Reginae.” The normal mode will host 24 players, while the Savage mode will require 48. Players will need to complete the normal mode to continue the story.
This time around, it’ll be impossible to change jobs during the duty and a Lost Finds cache will be available at the entrance. Lost actions and gear will be usable. Expect to need them in Savage because it’s really challenging.
Interestingly, we learn that the feature will get an additional update in patch 5.5, but it will be set in the field and not in a dungeon.
Of course, this will bring an update to Resistance Weapons after completing the questlines in 5.45. There will be two additional upgrade steps and the second will be longer, allowing players to freely customize the weapon’s secondary attributes.
Below you can see new housing items including cabinets that you can fill with your items.
Yoshida-san then showcased new emotes that will be added to the game.
Another video shows off the new Bulk Advanced Materia Melding mechanic. Players will be able to use stacks of Materia to keep doing it until it works out. The feature will use only the selected stack of Materia.
Moving on to announcements, we’ll be able to watch an “Announcement Showcase” on February 5 at 5:30 pm PST/February 6 at 1:30 am GMT.
The event will be broadcasted from Japan, and my speculation is that it’ll include the reveal of the new expansion (and possibly a PS5 version). Again, this is just my speculation so take it with the traditional grain of salt, but I’m fairly confident about it, and I’m sure you are as well.
This will be part of a massive 14-hour broadcast that will be only in Japanese, but the Announcement showcase will include English interpretation.
In Japan, the convenience store Lawson will carry Final Fantasy XIV chocolates starting on December 15. Each package will include special stickers.
A linked campaign will let players earn a Chocorpokkur mount. There’s no indication about when or how western players will be able to get it, for now, but Yoshida-san already said that it’ll be available at some point with a dedicated campaign. Remember the Black Fat Chocobo? It’s a similar deal.
A Mahjong torunament will be broadcasted on December 29.
If you’d like to read more about the update you can read our article recapping the previous Letter from the Producer Live and the one about the Explorer Mode.
Final Fantasy XIV is currently available for PlayStation 4 and PC and Square Enix recently announced that it has passed 20 million players.
If you’re interested in the game in general, you can read our latest interview with producer and director Naoki Yoshida, another with composer Masayoshi Soken, and our review of Shadowbringers.
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