Letter from the Producer LIVE Part LXXXVI (03/25/2025)

[Voltenyne]

We are pleased to present the full digest of the Letter from the Producer LIVE Part LXXXVI! If you missed the live stream, or if you just want to watch it again (and again), check it out below!



* Don't forget to select the 1080p option to watch the video in HD!

Patch 7.2 Preview Part 2

Patch 7.2 Trailer


The trailer for Patch 7.2 – Seekers of Eternity was revealed at the beginning of the broadcast. Our production staff went through multiple iterations for this trailer and were making tweaks until the very last minute.

Patch 7.2 will be released on Tuesday, March 25. Due to the sizable amount of content in the patch, there will be a 24-hour maintenance and the patch data will be larger than usual. We recommend freeing up storage space beforehand, if necessary.

Reviewing What's to Come in Patch 7.2



(00:36:10)

Here's a rundown of the content announced for Patch 7.2x so far.

• Main Scenario
  Keep an eye out for Sphene's shifting facial expressions, as well as hints about where the story will lead in future updates!
  
  
• The Underkeep
  Where could this new dungeon be located? We hope you'll look forward to how we arrive there!
  
  
• Recollection (Normal / Extreme)
  Our Battle Designers have been working hard to innovate new ideas, so we hope you'll be eager to see what they have in store for this and future encounters.
  
  The Normal trial won't be too complicated; the Extreme version will award one token per clear, which we felt would be appropriate for its difficulty and completion time.
  Fans of the FINAL FANTASY series may want to keep an eye out for how references from previous titles has been incorporated into the battle!
  
  
• The Arcadion: Cruiserweight Tier (Normal / Savage)
  The new raids will be released one week after Patch 7.2.
  
  The Cruiserweight Tier is our second of three tiers in the Arcadion, bringing more wrestling references and zany characters into the ring. We hope our challengers are in tip-top shape to prove their mettle in this round of thrilling brawls!
  
  
• Frontline
  The Borderland Ruins (Secure) has been revamped and will return in Patch 7.2. In our playtests, our team members were eager to keep the matches going, so we're hoping the new Secure will be just as popular with our players!
  
  
• Hells' Kier (Unreal)
  Following her debut in Stormblood, Suzaku returns as a level 100 encounter. The encounter features a number of memorable mechanics; for example, some of our veteran players may have haunting memories of using Limit Break at the wrong time and getting pulled into the "donut hole." We hope you enjoy this re-tuned version of Suzaku!
  
  
• New Cornservant Side Quest
  This eccentric side quest will be short but enjoyable, so be sure to check it out when you have a moment away from other content!

• PvE/PvP Job Adjustments
  Beginning with Patch 7.2, our battle content will have more unique twists than ever before. Since we're expecting that maintaining uptime will be difficult for some of these encounters, we decided to increase the damage output of melee DPS jobs.
  
  As for pictomancer, although we had tried to avoid lowering its current performance, we ended up having to make some nerfs to bring it in line with other jobs.
  
  Magical ranged DPS have also received minor tweaks in view of situations where they will struggle with long cast times. We also made meals, potions, and Sprint easier to weave between global cooldowns.
  
  
• New role actions exclusive to large-scale PvP
  Each role will have several PvP actions to choose from based on the situation.
  
  
• New DoW and DoM crafted gear
  The new crafted gear will be implemented with the release of Patch 7.2, ahead of the Savage raids. This timing seems to benefit our players overall; including crafters, gatherers, and those who focus on battle content. As such, we plan on implementing crafted gear at a similar timing in future patches as well.
  
  
• Duty Support: The Sunken Temple of Qarn
  We are continuing to gradually add support for non-main scenario dungeons. The Sunken Temple of Qarn has always been known for its many unique mechanics, and we hope you'll revisit them sometime!
  
  
• Allagan tomestones of mathematics
  As we announced in the previous Letter LIVE, the new Allagan tomestones will be named after mathematics. We haven't decided the names of future tomestones yet, but there probably won't be a better time for "mathematics" than Patch 7.2.

• Cosmic Exploration
  This large-scale content will be aimed at crafters and gatherers. We went over Cosmic Exploration in more detail later in the broadcast.
  
  
• Occult Crescent
  Occult Crescent, our latest installment of large-scale field operations, will be released in Patch 7.25. Challenge the ferocious fiends of the wild and discover new playstyles with the phantom job system as you explore the isle's unmapped terrain!
  
  Since Cosmic Exploration and Occult Crescent both require a substantial amount of time to play through, they will be released about a month apart from each other.
  
  
• New Allied Society Quests – Mamool Ja
  There isn't a lot we can reveal without spoilers, but the story came together quite nicely and we hope you'll look forward to it.
  
  
• Inconceivably Further Hildibrand Adventures
  Hildibrand's absence seems to have been on everyone's minds; Yoshi-P even had an interview where he was asked, "Is Hildy going to be missing for all of Dawntrail?" As much as we were humored by everyone questioning Hildibrand's whereabouts, it seems he's finally back—in black!
  
  Apparently there was a particular scene with "an unnecessary level of detail" that caught Yoshi-P off guard, so be sure to check out the quest and see for yourself!

The Arcadion: Cruiserweight Tier (Normal / Savage)



(00:51:07)

In our preview of the first raid and its entry cutscene, we saw the boss rhythmically cleave from side-to-side, and a multi-colored disco floor surrounded by podiums and spotlights. You can look forward to a number of brand new mechanics, including one that awards a bonus effect when successfully resolved by all party members.

PvP Updates




(01:01:08)

Role actions will be added for large-scale PvP duties; namely Frontline and Rival Wings. As long as you're in the spawn area, you can switch role actions mid-match according to the battle situation.

There's more role actions in addition to the ones we've shown here, so be sure to check them all out!

On another note, actions that could only be used on party members, such as black mage's Aetherial Manipulation, will be usable on alliance members starting in Patch 7.2.

The Borderland Ruins (Secure) Improvements





(01:04:14)

The Borderland Ruins (Secure) has been revamped with a few new twists.

A significant damage buff will be granted to all players in a key location, which could help a relatively small group of players seize a point from a larger group.

Teleporters are another new addition to the map. Prior to the revamp, players were discouraged from heading to the center of the map if they were too far to make it in time. These teleporters will make the move much faster and may be a viable option in certain situations.

(01:09:07)

We went in-game to preview Secure's new terrain and the selection menu for PvP role actions.
We hope you'll let us know what you think of the new Secure after trying it out!

As a side note, starting with Patch 7.2, mounts can be summoned while moving, which will be the case in non-PvP content as well.

(01:16:43)

We also got a brief look at the gear that will obtainable with the new Allagan tomestones of mathematics.

[Voltenyne]

Cosmic Exploration (7.21)



(01:19:57)

Cosmic Exploration will be accessible to crafters and gatherers from level 10, as long as they've completed the main scenario quest "Endwalker". It'll be a great place to level those classes if you're looking to get into crafting and gathering!

The mission difficulty and rewards will be synced to your level. Low level items had very low contribution in Ishgardian Restoration, but this has been changed in Cosmic Restoration so low level crafters and gatherers will be able to compete!

(01:23:18)

We got a glimpse of how the instanced area for Cosmic Exploration will look after some progress has been made; in actuality, however, our intrepid space pioneers will be starting from scratch in an empty landscape.

It's also worth noting that in Cosmic Exploration, players will have access to a special variant of Sprint with a persistent effect.

• Stellar Missions
  
  (01:25:56)
  
  When you're in the Cosmic Exploration instance, stellar missions can be initiated from a special UI with a tablet-like design. Completed missions can be turned in on the spot, so you won't need to report back to the base every time. There won't be a time limit for these, so you can do them at your own pace.
  
  
• Critical Missions
  
  (01:29:41)
  
  "Critical missions" will emerge when the star undergoes extreme weather conditions. A gauge will be filled as players on your Home World complete the critical mission, and additional rewards will be earned if the gauge is completely filled within the time limit.
  
  
• Mech Operations
  
  (01:32:56)
  
  You'll be undertaking mech operations as one of two roles: pilot or ground support. When a mech operation occurs, players will be notified of the pilot application.
  
  An operation can have up to five pilots; applicants will be randomly selected when there are more than five.
  
  A special ticket obtained with lunar credits will be required when applying to be a pilot. If you aren't selected, that information will be retained and will gradually improve your odds in subsequent lotteries, and the ticket used for your application will be refunded.
  
  Both pilots and ground support will be using unique actions in mech operations, which you can see in the video.
  
  
• Stellar Return
  
  (01:38:45)
  
  You'll be able to use a special variant of Return with no recast time, allowing you to quickly move to the base at any time.
  
  
• Cosmic Fortunes
  
  (01:39:05)
  
  Various missions in Cosmic Exploration will award lunar credits, which can be used to purchase cosmic fortunes. Cosmic fortune rewards include a new dye that will be introduced in Patch 7.2.
  
  Furthermore, a lottery with even more extravagant rewards can be accessed with a special ticket!

(01:45:15)

Here are the slides detailing what will be added in Cosmic Exploration, including what we've described above.

This update will be the first phase of Cosmic Exploration. We will be exploring other stars in future updates; for example, the next update will take place on a planet that will be quite different from the moon in the first phase.




(01:49:02)

We explained the Star Contributor system.

In light of the feedback we received from Ishgardian Restoration, contribution levels will be tallied every other day. Contributions will be totaled across all of the classes you contributed with, so you can contribute on multiple classes, if you so wish.

(01:56:19)

We took a peek at the visual effects that will be awarded to Star Contributors, as well as the hologram that will be displayed at the base camp after a certain level of exploration progress has been made. The visual effect can be turned off by manually removing the buff but will be reapplied upon moving to another area.

Players are more than welcome to further the stars' development at their own leisure, without worrying about the competition. But for those eager to prove their mettle, we wish you the best of luck in your endeavors!

Whether or not you feel like competing to be Star Contributor, we invite everyone to enjoy exploring the stars in their own way!




(01:59:57)

Cosmic tools are the latest iteration of tool enhancement quests for crafters and gatherers. Be sure to pick them up before you get into Cosmic Exploration, as these special tools can be enhanced by participating in missions, even when they aren't equipped!

The development of a star will progress separately by World, so you can compete to see which World finishes first.

We'll be keeping an eye out for any Cosmic Exploration-related feedback you may have as it's updated through the 7.x patches.

[Voltenyne]

Occult Crescent



(02:21:27)

Occult Crescent is our third installment of field operations content. Players will be aiming to increase their "knowledge level," a separate leveling system for Occult Crescent, as they undergo various quests and battles to uncover the mysteries of the isle.



Occult Crescent is reminiscent of how classic MMORPGs rewarded careful and persistent progression.

For instance, if you are incapacitated and return to the base camp without being revived by another player, you will lose experience points. With that said, you can always reach out to other players via Shout chat and ask them to come revive you.

(02:26:42)

We took an in-game look at Occult Crescent's entry cutscene and starting point. When you start off, a series of informative quests will lead you through the basics and early objectives.

• Phantom Jobs
  You'll start off as a Freelancer, but as you progress through quests and explore the island, you can eventually unlock up to 12 other phantom jobs.
  
  In the world of FFXIV, phantom jobs are ancient jobs that have been long-forgotten; even the ones with familiar names may be quite different from their modern versions. Many of these jobs and their skills are appearing in FFXIV for the first time, and you'll find that they have some interesting potential. You'll be able to equip up to three skills from your phantom job at a time, allowing you to customize a playstyle that suits your particular combination of main and phantom jobs!
  
  
• Map
  In previous field operations, you could only explore certain parts of the map until certain quests or objectives were completed. In Occult Crescent, however, you'll be free to attune to aetherytes in various sections of the map from the start, if you're feeling brave enough!
  
  You can also return to base camp with a content-specific version of Return, which can be used in conjunction with aetherytes to quickly traverse from battle to battle.
  
  
• Base Camp
  After a certain point of progression, a peculiar object will be added to the base camp. If you have a phantom job skill that applies to all party members, you can activate the skill while standing near the object for an increased range of effect.
  
  
• Occult Record
  These records are packed with lore about the Occult Crescent and its relevant key figures. They can be unlocked as you explore the isle, so be sure to explore every ilm!

(02:44:44)

As you defeat enemies, you'll earn experience points towards your knowledge level and equipped phantom job. Enemies with a higher level than will be challenging to beat but are also worth more experience points. The enemies roaming the field are a decent match 1-on-1, so if you see someone getting outnumbered, you may want to lend them a hand!



(02:48:43)

Consecutive battles generate chain bonuses, which will boost the rewards earned from defeating enemies. Forming parties with other players and leveraging your phantom job skills will help you swiftly defeat enemies and keep these chain bonuses going.

There will also be a knowledge level sync feature to balance out your party's knowledge level when you have a level difference between party members.



(02:38:18)

Some of these encounters will feature difficult mechanics, so we encourage you to group up and help each other out! Check out the video to see an in-game example of a critical encounter!



(02:56:55)

Forked Tower is an enormous high-end dungeon that can be challenged by a large group of players. It'll be quite the undertaking, with hidden rooms and other tricky mechanics.

The dungeon can even be undertaken before finishing the Occult Crescent storyline if certain requirements are met. Entrants will be randomly selected if there are more than 48 players standing at the entry location, but players who use a cipher will have a higher chance to be selected.

Forked Tower is designed to be a community-wide endeavor, similar Baldesion Arsenal. We encourage everyone to collaborate and share their strategies to overcome its challenges as a community.

We'll be looking forward to hearing your tales on how you cleared the tower!



(03:03:36)

As you explore the isle, you may come across treasure chests and magic pots.

Treasure chests are individual rewards that won't affect other players, so feel free to open any that you find!

On the other hand, magic pots will offer hints when certain requirements are met. These directions will lead you to treasure, but be warned, as they may lead to unexpected destinations...



(03:04:56)

Occult Crescent also involves weapon enhancement quests for Phantom weapons.

The currency used to enhance Phantom weapons are obtained from Occult Crescent activities but can also be collected through other content. Each type of currency can be exchanged for a different lineup of rewards.

As a side note, the first stage of these weapons will have a unique sound effect when drawn.

On the topic of enhancing weapons, we can look forward to seeing a certain familiar face and how they get pulled into the storyline this time around.



(03:08:40)

Here is a roadmap for Occult Crescent updates. Patch 7.3 is when the new Deep Dungeon will be added, so Occult Crescent-related updates will begin from Patch 7.4x onward.

(03:12:05)

You can check out the video to see some of the rewards that can be obtained, such as fashionable attire and gear that will grant powerful buffs in Occult Crescent. We also showcased some mounts and minions that will be implemented soon!

(03:24:44)

In Patch 7.2, we'll be adding a new buff called "Jog," which will automatically be applied when Sprint's effect expires. Jog will provide about the same movement speed as Peloton and will remain in effect as long as you aren't in combat.

Patch 7.2x Schedule



(03:26:45)

Here is an overview of our schedule for Patch 7.2x. There's plenty of content on the way, but we hope you'll enjoy them at your own pace.