PLEASE HELP ME CLEAR SUZAKU EX! Tips for color phase needed

[Marjoram101]

Hello FFXIV friends!

For the life of me, I cannot understand the color phase of this fight. I have very slow reaction time, and naturally panic. Does anyone have any no brainer tips for me? I keep wiping and letting my group down.

Any advice is appreciated, please help me clear!

[Sabora_Makingai]

I had trouble with that phase too until someone pointed out how to tell what was GOING to happen. When the tiles pop up on the floor, the boss spawns the phoenix on the outside of the arena that attaches to him with a glowing red/orange tether. The bird will fly to the right every time and will fly through the colors. When he does that, the corresponding floor color will explode. Watch to see where the bird spawns and look at the colors immediately to the right if it to see which floor tiles are going to explode. Adjust accordingly. Let me know if this doesn't help. Thanks!

[Nora_of_Mira]

Its a lot easier when you realize theres essentially only 2 patterns to the "madness" of the tiles blowing up. You are either going to:

-Merry-go-round: start on one color and run around the boss in one direction, 2 times, without stopping
or
-the other one: locate the 1st safe spot and the 2nd spot, move to the first one and wait for the 2nd one to blow up. then move to the 2nd safe spot.

The colors (orbs) always come out in "2" patterns: ABCD ABCD or ABCD DBCA. Respectfully, those patterns correspond to the movements i described above.

Now I'm not a guide writer. These are just the tips I learned myself to help clear MY OWN confusion in this fight. This is my normal thought process during those phases:

okay, first color, stand next to it but not on it.
okay, the pattern is X (first or second one i listed)
okay, I merry-go-round (weeeee)
or
okay, stand next to first tile but not on it
Oh shit, whats the 4th color? that blows up twice and is the 2nd safe spot
wait for first tile to blow up, stand on it, wait for 4th and 5th tile (same tile) to blow up and stand there.

[SeeDirector]

The easiest way is to go back and forth between two tiles. Maintaining up time and minimizing movement. You should move onto the tile as it explodes since the latency seems to be very obvious with that phase. I think we're on the same data center and I'll be getting a clear party for my alt Sunday evening if you were interested in joining ♡

[whiskeybravo]

The bird will spawn south or north and rotate clockwise always

There are only 2 "patterns" for colors - 12341234 or 12344321

For first pattern stand on 4 and move to 1 after it explodes, anticipate the explosion of 4 and move onto it before 1 explodes, then move back to one. Alternatively you can run in a circle behind the explosions until they resolve.

For the second pattern stand on 4 until 1 explodes, move to 1, wait for 4 to explode twice then move back on it until they resolve.

That sounds a bit confusing but you'll start to notice the repetitiveness after a while. It's usually always Black > Yellow for 12341234 and Purple/black or Purple/blue for 12344321 pattern. It's highly repetitive.

For the forced march mechanic you will always run from 3rd or 4th color to 1st or 2nd depending on direction. If waymarks are placed properly on the corners of the square floor pattern from first phase you can use those as a guide for where you need to start from to avoid running off the edge (and allow for safe tile to explode before you get there.)

There's really not much variation to the fight once you break it down.

[Erakir]

Edit: Wow, lots of posts while I typed this up. Oh well, leaving it here!~

Hiya there - I assume you're not tanking from your profile showing summoner? In that case, there are multiple ways to get through this and optimize and the like, but here's what I saw done a lot:

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If you're having issues with the fight, I assume you've looked into videos/details to know that the pattern is either going to be a full circle twice or a...I don't know what to call the second, I guess you can think of it as 'writing an X, then writing it in reverse of what you just did.'

Because of this, once you know which way the bird is traveling, the 4th and 5th colors it's going to hit are very important. First, look at color 4. You're starting on that color, so you can begin moving in that direction when you want.

Next, look at color 5, right next to 4. If they're the same you know it's going to be the X/reverse-X pattern. In fact, that's the only way two colors can appear next to each other if I recall, so if you look and see two next to each other - you know that's coming. If they're not the same color, you know it's the circle.

Last, look at color 1. The color you are on will be adjacent to this color, and that adjacent bit is where you want to ultimately start off.

Think back to whether it's the circle pattern or not. If it's the circle, you can handle it two ways, and both should be fine. One, you just wait for the first explosion and follow along in a circle for the whole process. Two, you're starting on color 4 - you move into color 1 after the explosion, then wait for color 4's explosion and slide back into color 4. You will have to move back into color 1 after its second explosion too. If you're having issues and panicking a lot, it's might be best to simply circle around.

If you got the X pattern, it's not so bad. You're still in the right starting spot (on color 4, next to color 1). After the first explosion, into 1 you go. Then after 4 explodes *twice,* you simply go back to 4 and you're done.

So, to summarize:
Look for the pattern (if two colors in the middle are the same, it's X. Otherwise, circle). Look at 4 to know where to start, look at 1 to know where to go. If circle, circle behind or play the strafing game between explosions. If X, dance into 1 after it explodes, wait for 2 explosions in a row right where you were before and dance back there.

If you happen to be with a group in discord, they can easily help callout. When I was doing it we'd say things like "teal into black, circle." If not, can still ask if someone doesn't mind being marked as a good starting point, and follow that marker to know where to begin.

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The part where you're tethered to an orb is a bit more personal responsibility. Your #1 priority is not falling off, so find the arrow quickly so you know which way you'll be running and get on the opposite side of the arena. Finding out where to actually be to not get hit by any of the colors is harder and there's really not an easy way to quickly find that out - it involves looking at the colors and seeing if you need position to be force marched into a color after it explodes. It's been awhile so I don't remember the exact combinations, but you can live through an explosion if you're topped off beforehand. Because of this and knowing you might be panicking, I offer an alternative that WILL get you hit but should at least leave you living.

Try this:

Whatever direction you're being sent in, get on the opposite near the edge and align yourself with the inside circle, so you would run straight past it. You're going to get hit with a color explosion this way, but you won't get hit twice. I do encourage you to try to get more familiar with the mechanic so you can do it without eating a vulnerability stack, but this may not be a bad way for you to start.

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When colors go out in sets of 4 later on in the fight during other mechanic, just have to try and keep looking to see what the first color coming up is, and be ready to step into it afterwards. Since there's only 4, once the first one goes off you're safe to step in and stay in that color.

Hope this helps - and I haven't done it in awhile so if I screwed something up someone please correct me~

[Bourne_Endeavor]

What I did to combat the horrible latency issues this fight can have is dodge into an incoming explosion before it actually happens. For example sake, let's assume you get a pattern of Yellow -> Blue -> Purple -> Black. Stand on Purple and wait for Yellow to explode first then immediately slide towards blue. Don't move too fast or you'll get caught but you want to time it so your character looks like they're standing in the explosion. The game doesn't register this and thinks you dodged. Move back to Purple and repeat.

This will take a little practice but you'll eventually get a feeling for the exact timing and won't have to think about it too much.

[Marjoram101]

Thank you everyone for the tips. So the best strat would be to go to the last color, wait till the first explodes, then run back and wait?

Also, when finding groups in the pf, they get really mean, they say I suck etc when I am in a learning party to begin with. Ugh I ask for help and get nowhere lol. I feel bad because I feel like its my fault when the party gets to enrage Hopefully it works out soon

[SeeDirector]

Sorry to hear about your bad pf luck. Again, I'm gonna host a clear party tomorrow evening and would be happy to have you join. No salty people will be tolerated. They can most certainly leave if they have a problem.

[Aomine1992]

If you don’t have bad ping just switch between two tiles I find this easiest way...if your ping is bad do the merry-go-round and or go to the one that blows twice.