FFXIV: The Aurum Vale Dungeon Guide

Welcome to your ultimate guide for conquering The Aurum Vale in Final Fantasy XIV! This challenging mid-level dungeon is notorious for its treacherous terrain and formidable bosses, but fear not - we're here to help you navigate every perilous nook and cranny. In this comprehensive guide, we cover everything you need to emerge victorious, from defeating the toxic Lockjaw, outsmarting Coincounter's deadly moves, to overcoming the dreaded Miser's Mistress. Plus, discover the tantalizing drops that await and learn the best party setup for a balanced and effective run. Ready to turn The Aurum Vale into a treasure trove of victory? Let's dive in!

Lockjaw

Welcome to the jungle that is Aurum Vale, where things can get pretty intense. One of the main reasons you'll want to keep your wits about you is Lockjaw, the dungeon's first boss. Let's dive into what makes this oversized crocodile tick and how you can walk away victorious.

Getting To Know Lockjaw

Lockjaw is a giant crocodile commander waiting to make your merry little adventure miserable. He’s no pushover, which means you’ll need solid teamwork and sharp awareness to beat him.

Attack Patterns

Lockjaw has a few attacks up his scaly sleeve. Here’s what you need to be on the lookout for:

• Frontal Cleave: Lockjaw likes to take big bites. These bites result in a cleave attack that hits everyone in front of him. Tanks should position him facing away from the party to minimize collateral damage.

• Poison Spit: Our giant croc friend will periodically spit poison puddles on the ground. Stepping into these toxic messes will damage you over time. Avoid them like the plague!

• Swamp Breath: Lockjaw's breath stinks-literally. This cone-shaped attack will poison anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast. Dodge it by moving out of the designated area.

Handling the Adds

During the fight, Lockjaw will summon additional crocodile minions called "Lockjaw Spawn." These pesky creatures can quickly overwhelm the party if not dealt with swiftly.

• DPS Priority: DPS should focus on taking these minions down as soon as they spawn. Leaving them around for too long can be a game-ender.

• Tanks and Positioning: Tanks should gather these adds and bring them close to Lockjaw so that AoE (Area of Effect) attacks can hit both Lockjaw and the spawns simultaneously. This makes it easier for DPS to contribute to both objectives.

Healing Tips

Healers, you’ve got your work cut out for you. Here are some tips to keep everyone standing:

• Consistency is Key: Keep an eye on your party members' health, because those poison attacks can bring people down fast.

• Remove Poison: If your class can remove poison debuffs, prioritize doing so to counteract the poison spit and swamp breath effects. This can make a significant difference in the fight's outcome.

Survival Strategy

Here’s a quick recap to keep in mind:

1. Positioning: Tanks should face Lockjaw away from the party and manage adds efficiently.
2. Dodge: Avoid poison spit and swamp breath attacks by moving out of the affected areas.
3. AOE Damage: Use Area of Effect skills to handle Lockjaw and his minions.
4. Heal and Cleanse: Keep an eye on health bars and debuffs to ensure your party stays in fighting shape.

Victory Lap

Once Lockjaw is down for the count, take a moment to catch your breath and collect your loot. Congratulations, you've taken a significant step forward in mastering the Aurum Vale dungeon. Keep these tips in mind as you progress through the rest of the dungeon, and you’ll be well on your way to conquering even tougher challenges in Final Fantasy XIV.

TL;DR

• Tank: Position Lockjaw away from the group, manage adds.
• DPS: Focus on killing Lockjaw spawns quickly.
• Healer: Keep poison debuffs cleared and health bars up.
• Everyone: Avoid poison spit and swamp breath attacks.

By learning these strategies and working together, your party can make quick work of Lockjaw and move on to greater things. Happy hunting!

Coincounter

So, you’ve made it to Coincounter in the Aurum Vale dungeon. Congrats! This boss is one of the trickier ones in FFXIV, but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s the lowdown on how to tackle this coin-hungry brute and come out with your party intact.

Overview

Coincounter is a big, armored Voidsent with a knack for dishing out punishing physical attacks. While he looks intimidating, if you understand his moves and work together, he’s totally manageable. This fight is more about reacting to his attacks properly and less about dealing a ton of damage really fast.

Key Abilities

1. 100-tonze Swipe: This attack is a wide, conal AoE in front of Coincounter. If you’re standing in front of him when he starts casting this, you need to move immediately. It can knock you out or do serious damage.

2. 10-tonze Swipe: A smaller, frontal cone AoE. It’s a quicker cast than the 100-tonze Swipe but does less damage. Still hurts, though, so avoid staying directly in front.

3. 100-tonze Swing: This is a 360-degree AoE attack. When Coincounter starts casting this, players need to move away from him quickly. The farther you are, the better.

4. Eye of the Beholder: Coincounter will start charging this move by facing a random player and giving them a bit of an evil glare. Not as dramatic as it sounds, but if you see it coming at you, get ready to dodge to the side.

Strategy

Here’s the game plan to handle Coincounter:

1. Positioning: The tank should position Coincounter facing away from the rest of the party to avoid unnecessary AoE damage to everyone else. DPS and healers stay behind or to the sides of Coincounter to minimize getting hit by his Swipes and Swings.

2. Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge: Much like the famous dodgeball advice, you’ll need to be on your toes. Watch out for those AoE markers and move accordingly. When you see the 100-tonze Swipe or 10-tonze Swipe casting, sidestep out of the cone. When 100-tonze Swing starts, hightail it out of melee range.

3. Heal through the Hurt: Healers, keep an eye on the tank and be ready with burst heals. Coincounter’s attacks are heavy and can bring a tank’s health down fast if dodges aren’t immaculate. Having HoTs (Heal over Times) running on the tank will be beneficial.

4. Save Big CDs for Eye of the Beholder: This attack can be particularly nasty if not dodged. Make sure everyone’s ready to move out of the way. If someone does get hit, healers might need to use heavy cooldowns to keep that player alive.

Final Tips

• Tank Switch: Sometimes it might help to have two tanks swapping aggro if the main tank is taking too many hits, though this isn’t always necessary.
• Keep Composure: Don’t panic. Coincounter’s mechanics are easy to handle once you know what to expect.
• Learn and Adapt: First runs might be tough, but learning the dodge patterns will make subsequent encounters much smoother.

That’s all you need to take down Coincounter in Aurum Vale! With these strategies, you’ll be able to break his bank and move on to conquer the rest of the dungeon. Good luck, and may your dodges be swift!

Miser's Mistress

Miser's Mistress is the final boss you'll face in The Aurum Vale dungeon in Final Fantasy XIV. This encounter can be tricky, but with the right strategy, you’ll be able to beat her and claim your rewards.

Preparing for the Fight

Before jumping into the fight, make sure everyone in your party is prepared. Here's what you need:

• Potions: Have some antidotes ready. Miser's Mistress likes to poison players.
• Communication: Make sure everyone knows their role. Tanks will take the damage, healers will keep everyone alive, and DPS will focus on the boss.

Understanding the Mechanics

Miser's Mistress has several moves you'll need to look out for to survive the fight. Here are the main ones:

1. Bile Vomit: A frontal cone attack. The tank should keep the boss facing away from the party to avoid hitting anyone but themselves.
2. Gold Lung: This is a poison attack. It will place a debuff called "Gold Lung" on players that deals damage over time. Use antidotes or rely on the healer to remove it.
3. Mini Vomit: Targets multiple players with a ground AoE (area-of-effect) attack. Players need to keep an eye out and move out of the marked areas.
4. Hundred-Lash Tongue: An AoE attack that targets random players. Spread out to minimize the damage.

Fighting Miser's Mistress

Once you understand her mechanics, it's time to engage. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the fight:

1. Tank & Positioning:

   • The tank should pull Miser's Mistress to a corner of the room.
   • Face her away from the group to avoid hitting others with Bile Vomit.

2. Dodging AoEs:

   • Watch for the telegraphed mini vomit areas on the ground and dodge them.
   • Spread out to survive Hundred-Lash Tongue. Don't clump together.

3. Managing Poison:

   • When hit by Gold Lung, use an antidote quickly or call for the healer to cleanse it.
   • DPS and healers should avoid unnecessary hits to keep the poison minimal.

4. DPS Focus:

   • DPS should focus on dealing continuous damage. Avoid sacrificing a ton of damage just to dodge every single AoE, but stay safe.
   • The faster the DPS, the less time you spend dealing with mechanics.

5. Healer Role:

   • Constantly watch the debuff bar for the Gold Lung poison and cleanse it off your teammates.
   • Keep a close eye on tank health since they will take heavy hits from Bile Vomit.

Final Tips

• Keep Calm: Don’t panic if things go south; stay focused and coordinated.
• Balance Offense and Defense: While it's critical to deal damage quickly, don't neglect dodging mechanics.
• Use Cooldowns Wisely: Tanks and healers especially should use their defensive cooldowns and healing bursts to manage high-damage phases.

Recap

By paying attention to these mechanics and working as a team, you’ll find Miser’s Mistress to be manageable. Remember to face her away, dodge AoEs, watch for poison, and keep up the damage. Good luck, and may your loot be plentiful!

Drops

The Aurum Vale is packed with all sorts of treasures, but knowing what you can get your hands on makes it all the more exciting. Here's what you can look forward to grabbing as you battle your way through this toxic-filled dungeon.

Gear Drops

Aurum Vale features a set of gear perfect for players around Level 47. Keep in mind that these drops can vary slightly depending on your class. Here's a rundown of some key items you might find:

• Vale Breeze: A nifty white staff ideal for healers, boosting your magic potency.
• Sable Death Mask: Great for tanks, this helmet increases your defense against both physical and magical attacks.
• Wyrm Scepter: For those wielding magic, this scepter grants additional spell speed, letting you cast faster in clutch moments.

Consumables

Certain consumables drop in Aurum Vale and can help you out in tricky spots:

• Antidotes: Super handy, as this dungeon is filled with poison. Pop one to cure yourself during battles.
• Hi-Potions and X-Potions: These will come in handy to keep your health topped off, especially if your healer needs a break or is taking a bit too long.

Materials

You might also come across a few handy crafting materials:

• Darksteel Ore: Essential for higher-level crafting recipes, perfect for those working on Blacksmith or Armorer jobs.
• Effervescent Water: A crafting material useful for alchemists, especially if you enjoy brewing up some engaging potions and elixirs.

Treasure Coffers

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for treasure coffers as you navigate the dungeon. Here’s what you can typically find:

1. First Boss Area - The Portable Spout: After you bring down the first boss, you might find a coffer containing gear or crafting materials.
2. Second Boss Area - Coincounter: This drop usually includes more high-level equipment or valuable crafting mats.
3. Final Boss Area - Miser’s Mistress: This is where you'll find some of the best loot, including rare gear and high-tier crafting supplies.

Random Drop Rates

Keep in mind that the drops are randomized each run, so it might take a few trips to get your ideal gear setup. No worries, though-repeated runs will make you a pro at this dungeon in no time, plus you'll be raking in extra gil and experience points.

Tips for Managing Drops

• Clear Communicate: Always communicate with your party to prevent loot disputes. If someone else needs an item more than you do, let them have it. There will always be more opportunities.
• Greed or Need: Use the "Need" button if the item is crucial for your current class. Otherwise, go for "Greed" to give others a fair shot.
• Inventory Space: Make sure you have enough inventory space before you head in. There's nothing worse than running out of space when a rare item drops!

Gear, materials, and consumables from the Aurum Vale can make a big difference in your adventures. Keep your eyes peeled, communicate well, and may your drops be ever in your favor!

Best Party Setup

When tackling The Aurum Vale dungeon in FFXIV, having the right party setup can make a world of difference. This tricky dungeon can be a challenge with its poison mechanics and tough bosses, so having a well-balanced team is key. Here's the best party setup for a smooth run:

Party Composition

1. Tank (1):

   • Role: The tank's job is to keep the enemies focused on them, absorbing the hits so the rest of the party can do their jobs safely.
   • Best Choices: Paladin or Warrior.
     • Paladin: Great for their defensive cooldowns and healing abilities.
     • Warrior: Offers strong self-healing and burst damage.

2. Healer (1):

   • Role: The healer keeps everyone alive by managing health and clearing poison effects.
   • Best Choices: White Mage or Scholar.
     • White Mage: Excellent AoE (area of effect) healing and cleanse spells.
     • Scholar: Provides shields and fairy abilities that can heal and cleanse.

3. DPS (2):

   • Role: DPS members focus on dealing damage to clear enemies quickly. A mix of melee and ranged DPS is ideal.
   • Best Choices:
     • Melee DPS: Dragoon or Samurai.
       • Dragoon: High burst damage and decent mobility.
       • Samurai: Powerful single-target damage.
     • Ranged DPS: Bard or Black Mage.
       • Bard: Provides utility and support through songs that buff the party.
       • Black Mage: Strong ranged magical damage, good for taking down enemies from a distance.

Why This Setup Works

• Balance: This balanced party setup ensures there is always someone to cover important roles like taking damage, healing, and dealing damage.
• Efficiency: By having a mix of melee and ranged DPS, the group can handle threats from any distance, making fights smoother and faster.
• Survivability: Tanks like Paladins and Warriors can take a beating, while healers ensure no one is down for long. Having a heal-over-time ability from a White Mage or shields from a Scholar can make dealing with poison effects much easier.

Pro Tips

• Communication: Communicate with your team to manage cooldowns and special abilities. This is especially important during boss fights and when dealing with heavy poison areas.
• Positioning: Tanks should position enemies away from the rest of the party. DPS should spread out to avoid overlapping poison pools. Healers should stay in a spot where they can reach everyone easily.
• Awareness: Keep an eye on the poison stacks. The healer should cleanse these promptly to prevent damage from stacking up.

Final Thoughts

The Aurum Vale is no joke, but with the right party setup and good coordination, you'll slice through it like a pro. Stick to this suggested composition and follow the pro tips to ensure your party survives the dungeon's many hazards. Happy adventuring!