Final Fantasy 14 Introduces a Brutally Challenging 24-Player Raid

Back in the days of Realm Reborn and the Crystal Tower Alliance, The Cloud of Darkness was a name that sent chills down players’ spines in Final Fantasy 14. Fast forward to today, and things have changed—quite a bit. These days, when Crystal Tower pops up in your daily roulettes, it’s more likely to provoke a groan than a gasp. Sure, you get level capped, but the old alliance raids just don’t scale quite right in terms of gear. In this new Dawntrail age, they’re more a routine chore than a thrill. But that’s all about to change. The latest chaotic alliance raid in Final Fantasy 14 has arrived, introducing a fresh 24-player challenge that really puts The Cloud of Darkness back in the spotlight. Forget Diablo 4. Pass on Last Epoch. Put Path of Exile 2 on hold. This is the challenge every player needs to conquer.

When Final Fantasy 14 version 7.1 was introduced, director Naoki Yoshida—affectionately known as ‘Yoshi-P’—shared that this chaotic alliance raid turned out to be more difficult than what the game’s creators initially planned for. “We were aiming for something with an extreme vibe,” Yoshi-P admitted, “but somehow, as Mr. Ozma put it, it ended up being more akin to a savage-level trial rather than just extreme.” And just like that, The Cloud of Darkness is here for a rematch. If you’re not fully embracing FF14’s new 24-player format, this raid is bound to catch you off guard.

This raid diverges from the usual path of an alliance raid by focusing on a single battle format, requiring a classic eight-person team setup: two tanks, two healers, and four DPS, forming three separate groups. Tanks are going to have their hands full, juggling enemy separation and switching aggro on the fly. If you’re up for a real challenge, bring a premade alliance group and try tackling it with as few as 12 players—but maybe save that challenge for when you’ve got the full-sized raid under your belt.

In terms of rewards, there are some exciting goodies up for grabs. Two mounts await, including one that lets you transform into The Cloud of Darkness. Add to that level 730 gear, cute minions, and, if luck is on your side, some tradeable reward tokens. Plus, you get a bonus for every player experiencing the chaotic alliance raid for the first time, so expect a whopping 24 bonuses on your initial victory lap. Embark on this thrilling raid today—it goes live on Tuesday, December 24.

With a surge in players bound to happen, stay updated on the FF14 server status. Take the opportunity to uncover all the Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail Aether Current locations too.

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