Arcadion M4S Guide - AAC Light-Heavyweight M4 Savage (Wicked Thunder) UPDATED - FFXIV

Introduction

This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide to the mechanics and strategies for the Wicked Thunder encounter in the Arcadian light-heavyweight Savage raid series in Final Fantasy XIV. Whether you're a new player or an experienced raider, this step-by-step guide will help you understand the key mechanics and successfully navigate through the fight.

Chapter 1: Bewitching and Electrifying Witch Hunt

• Initial Setup

  • The encounter begins with Wrath of Zeus, a raid-wide damage attack.
  • The boss then casts Bewitching Flight, spawning gun battery cubes on the left side of the arena.

• Mechanics Overview

  • Wing Lasers: After firing, they leave blue lines on the floor that explode after a short time. Avoid these by positioning yourself either in the middle or at the sides.
  • Gun Batteries: These will shoot line AoE attacks. Make sure to move to safe spots.
  • Forked Lightning Debuff: Four players will be targeted. Players must spread out to avoid inflicting damage on each other.

• Positioning

  • Organize light parties into two vertical lines:
    • North and South: Ranged and healers
    • East and West: Melee and tanks

• Clones and Markers

  • The boss will telegraph which players are affected by Witch Hunt, requiring coordination to swap positions if needed.

Chapter 2: Widening and Narrowing Witch Hunt

• Attack Patterns

  • The boss alternates between Widening Witch Hunt (circle AoE) and Narrowing Witch Hunt (donut AoE).
  • Each player must fulfill the dodging requirements based on proximity to the boss.

• Recommended Strategy

  • Use the Classic Solution Protein Positions:
    • Tanks and melee on cardinal positions.
    • Ranged and healers on intercardinal positions.
  • Check the cast to determine the order of attacks and position accordingly.

• Baiting Mechanic

  • Tanks take the first close bait and healers the first far bait. Ranged and melee follow up based on the sequence.

Chapter 3: Electro Edge

• Electro Edge Mechanics

  • After another Wrath of Zeus, the boss will cast Electro Edge, spawning electro mines in each corner.
  • Avoid laser beams from the mines, as hitting them will create death zones.

• Safe Zone Identification

  • Pay attention to which quadrants are safe based on the boss's subsequent attack patterns.
  • Sidewise Spark: Determine whether to spread or stack based on the orb sizes shown during the cast.

• Tank Buster

  • Follow up with Wicked Jolt, a tank buster requiring swaps after two hits.

Chapter 4: Lightning Cage

• Preparation

  • Spread into pre-assigned positions similar to previous mechanics.

• Buffs and Damage

  • Players will receive electrical condenser buffs with varying timers.
  • Track how many times you will be hit by the beams to manage debuff resolutions effectively.

• Safe Spot Orientation

  • Identify the safe square on the grid and position accordingly based on hit counts.

Chapter 5: Ion Cluster

• Avoiding Damage

  • Move to the designated safe row as the boss teleports and prepares to cast Electron Stream.

• Debuff Management

  • Players will receive stacks of negatron or positron debuffs. Ensure to cleanse these during the next mechanical onslaught.

• Resolving Mechanics

  • Follow the color coding and dodge accordingly to avoid damage while cleansing debuffs.

Chapter 6: Transition to Phase 2

• Initial Transitions

  • The boss will use Cross Tail Switch requiring tank LB3 for mitigation.

• Phase 2 Mechanics

  • Prepare for Exaflares and Wicked Special mechanics by positioning correctly.

Chapter 7: Mustard Bomb and Aetherial Conversion

• Handling Tethers

  • Tanks must grab tethers and run to corners to avoid damage.
  • Spread in a zigzag formation to facilitate debuff exchanges.

• Ethereal Conversion Mechanics

  • Identify the impact points for fire and water and avoid them accordingly.

Chapter 8: Twilight and Midnight Sabbath

• Clone Mechanics

  • Stack in the middle as clones spawn and resolve telegraphed attacks.

• Safe Quadrants and Pairing

  • Split into pairs to handle subsequent mechanics efficiently.

Chapter 9: Raining Swords

• Safe Spot Awareness

  • Memorize the order of safe spots based on which swords are linked by chain lightning.

• Final Mechanics

  • Prepare for the final Wicked Thunder raid-wide damage and ensure mitigation is in place.

Conclusion

In this guide, we have covered the essential mechanics and strategies for the Wicked Thunder encounter. By understanding each phase and the corresponding mechanics, you will be better prepared to tackle this challenging raid. Keep practicing, communicate with your team, and adapt your strategies as needed. Happy raiding!