Constant freeze on certain graphics/mechanics on Mac

[Aisa_]

Frequency: Always
Monster Name:
Always locks up:
- Aglaia, Rhalgr's Emissary, Ability: Lightning Bolt
- Alzadaal's Legacy, Ambujam, Ability: Toxic Fountain
- Anima, Tower of Babil, Ability: Boundless Pain
Sometimes locks up:
- PvP: Sometimes in Frontline.
- Another Sil'dihn Subterrane, Silkie, Ability: Bracing Suds
- About a 1-2 out of 10 attempts this locks up.

Since patch 6.2, my system always locks up on the first two bosses listed, and sometimes on the new Criterion dungeon's first boss, Silkie. As soon as the abilities start, the screen completely freezes and locks up. If I ALT+TAB, I can recover sometimes, but 1 out 4 times, it will complete freeze the screen and I have to force quit FFXIV.

Previously, I was using Catalina (10.15) when it started on patch 6.2, then upgraded to Monterey (12) but the problem persisted.

It seems like the freeze takes place on movement and/or ability start. And it feels like it's spherical effects that is causing the freeze, ie Lighting Bolt forms two orbs, as soon as they appear, my screen freezes. I have been able to cancel the freeze if I zoom in and point my camera down at the ground, sometimes. Otherwise, it will always freeze my screen.

Settings:
Full Screen (Also tried Windowed and Borderless)
1920x1080
All graphic settings set to low.
Shadows off.
Texture filtering: Bilinear, x4 (Also happens in Trilinear, x4)
Movement Physics: Self (Simple), All others (Off)
AO, Glare, Water: Off

Setup:
iMac, 8-Core Intel Core i9 3.6 GHz, 16 GB memory
Radeon Pro Vega 48

[Aisa_]

Also Battle Effects settings: Own (Show Limited), Party (Show Limited), Others (Show None), PVP (None).

[Yarxideyn]

Greetings Adventurer!

We would be happy to assist with your concern. However, there are a number of situations that can cause the error you are describing. Please try the following troubleshooting methods in order to resolve the issue:

- Update/reinstall your graphics card drivers (preferably a clean install)
- Update your Mac OSX software/firmware
- Disable all programs/overlays running in the background
- Make sure your anti-virus software has the appropriate exceptions for Final Fantasy XIV
- If you are using a freesync or G-sync monitor, please turn this feature off and make sure to set you frame limit to 30 or 60 FPS within the game. You may also want to limit the refresh rate on your monitor to 60 HZ should you have a high refresh monitor.
- Perform a clean boot.

Should the issue still persist after attempting all the listed troubleshooting, we advise that you uninstall/reinstall the game. If you do not see an improvement, please feel free to respond to this thread for further troubleshooting.

Thank you for visiting the FINAL FANTASY XIV Technical Support Forums!

[Aisa_]

Mac's don't "update graphics card drivers", it's built into the system.
Mac OS is/was/has been updated. (also be careful with that automated response, since you guys don't support the latest Mac OS Ventura, https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...a-%28Nov.-1%29)
No overlays/background apps running.
It's an iMac with built-in monitor. Game was/has been set at 60 fps.
Re-installed the game.
Fiddled with firewall.

Crashing/screen freezes still occurring, since 6.2, and only with specific fights/abilities. It can be avoided if you zoom in as tight as possible and pointing the camera at the ground, so it's something on your guys' end with these fights and something changed in 6.2.

[Aisa_]

Added Tower of Babil, Anima's ability Boundless Pain completely freezes the screen as soon as it's cast. Always locks up at the exact same start of the ability. Can avoid the lock up by zooming in almost to first person view and pointing the camera at the floor. If the workaround isn't done, it will hard lock/freeze the screen, forcing a Force Quit to the FFXIV client.