The Cloud of Darkness (Chaotic) Alliance raid, introduced in Final Fantasy XIV with Patch 7.15, challenges 24 players against an empowered foe. This high-end duty offers exclusive rewards like Clouddark Armor, Demimateria, and rare items, including a mount and unique hairstyles. Conquering this chaotic battle requires careful coordination and understanding of its intricate mechanics. Below is a detailed guide to help your alliance emerge victorious.
Blade of Darkness
Upon engagement, Cloud of Darkness immediately casts Blade of Darkness. Observe her arms: if both are forward, brace for a large point-blank AoE. If one arm is raised, the safe spot is a donut area near the arm that is closer to the ground. Tanks should maintain initial aggro, and all players must react swiftly to her visual cues for safe positioning.
Phase 1 Starts
After two Blade of Darkness attacks, the boss transitions to Phase 1 with Deluge of Darkness, a raid-wide AoE with a bleeding debuff. Apply mitigation to lessen its impact. Cloud of Darkness then targets the top aggro in each alliance with auto-attacks, inflicting lightning resistance down. Tanks within each alliance should frequently swap to manage this incoming damage effectively.
Grim Embrace
Cloud of Darkness casts Grim Embrace twice, tethering 12 players and applying a deadly “Embrace” debuff. When it expires, a hand emerges, attempting to apply damage down and a five-second Doom. The hand’s direction (front or back) depends on her animation: pulling a crystal means the hand appears in front, pushing it means behind. Players must step forward or backward to dodge the ensuing AoE.
Cloudlets & Death/Aero/Flare
While Grim Embrace debuffs resolve, Cloud of Darkness summons cloudlets for four sets of line AoEs across the back of the room. Simultaneously, she casts either Death (pulls to center, then donut safe), Aero (center AoE, knocks back), or Flare (individual alliance spread markers requiring heavy mitigation). Proper dodging and immediate reaction to the specific spell are essential for survival.
Cloud of Enaero/Endeath
Cloud of Darkness will cast either Enaero or Endeath, modifying her next Blade of Darkness. This means an immediate Aero or Death spell will follow the Blade of Darkness. A text box in chat (e.g., “Wind abide in my breast” for Enaero) provides a crucial reminder. Players must mentally prepare for the combined mechanic and adjust their positioning accordingly.
Break
If multiple Grim Embrace debuffs expire sequentially, Cloud of Darkness casts Break. Two eyes appear on the arena edges. Looking at the boss or any eye when the cast finishes will petrify players. Therefore, it’s critical to look away from all three sources (boss and two eyes) as the cast bar completes to avoid this incapacitating debuff.
Rapid Sequence Particle Beam
If only one set of Grim Embrace debuffs resolves, Cloud of Darkness uses Rapid Sequence Particle Beam. This targets each alliance with an eight-player split damage line AoE, hitting four times. It’s a “wild charge,” dealing significantly more damage to the first two targets. Alliance A goes left, B middle, C right, with tanks front-loading the damage using mitigation.
En-Blade of Darkness
Regardless of the preceding pattern (Break or Rapid Sequence), the phase concludes with a modified Blade of Darkness. This attack is always followed by the Death or Aero spell designated by the earlier Enaero/Endeath cast. Players must adapt quickly to the combination: stepping into the donut for Death or moving away from the center for Aero to avoid fatal damage.
Phase 2 Starts
Phase 2 begins with another Deluge of Darkness, changing the arena and inflicting bleed. All tanks should secure aggro, as Cloud of Darkness targets four central tanks. The new arena features outer platforms and central “PvP tiles” that support only one player at a time and break after 43 seconds. Outer platform players target Stygians, contributing damage to the boss indirectly.
Atomos
Outer platform players periodically manage four Atomos spawning intercardinally. These tether to players, inflicting heavy DoT, and heal the boss if not dealt with. Ranged DPS should prioritize them. Atomos also leave puddles that, when stepped in, teleport players to that spot after six seconds—useful for inner players returning to the center after death.
Dark Dominion
Cloud of Darkness then casts Dark Dominion, dealing substantial raid-wide damage and transforming the outer ring of the arena into a hazardous zone. Stepping into this area inflicts a potent bleeding debuff. Players must ensure they are at full health after the phase change and position carefully to avoid the dangerous outer perimeter.
Third Art of Darkness
Both Stygians perform Third Art of Darkness, featuring two half-platform AoEs. These are indicated by a tentacle lighting up. Additionally, it might be a line AoE spread (body lights up) or proximity-baited pair partners (both tentacles light up). For pair partners, three closest players bait AoEs; non-baiters must distance themselves to avoid overlapping damage.
Particle Concentration
Immediately after Third Art of Darkness, Particle Concentration summons towers that require players to stand inside them. Outer platforms need three players per tower. Inner tile players form a small triangle with two at cardinals and one in the middle. Missing a tower hits the entire raid with damage and stacking vulnerability, potentially necessitating a tank Limit Break 3 for survival.
Ghastly Gloom
Cloud of Darkness casts Ghastly Gloom, presenting either a donut AoE or a cross AoE. For the donut, inner tile players move into her hitbox, while outer platform players hug the central edge. For the cross AoE, inner players use three safe spaces per corner, prioritizing quick movement to clear corners. Outer players run to Atomos circles along the now-safe outer ring.
Curse of Darkness
Atomos respawn, and Stygians cast Curse of Darkness, applying timed debuffs to outer platform players. Upon expiry, these players fire a conal AoE in the direction they are facing, damaging and applying a DoT. Players must track their debuff timers and aim their conals toward the outer ring to avoid hitting allies.
Evil Seed
Evil Seed places eight markers on players: two on each outer platform and four on inner tiles (no more than two per corner). Inner players must carefully position seeds, allowing east/westmost players to reach further positions first, then others follow. Once AoEs appear, players sprint back to their platforms. Ghastly Gloom immediately follows, then another set of curses resolves, requiring outward aiming.
Thorny Vine
When Stygians cast Thorny Vine, eight designated players must stand close to the vine AoEs to become tether targets. Once tethered, these players (outer platform players are often assigned) sprint away along the outer ring to break the tether. Inner tile players also receive two sets of paired tethers, requiring them to start close and then run across tiles until broken.
Magical Energies
Cloud of Darkness gathers magical energies, glowing either purple or red without a cast bar. Purple indicates two sets of 12 spread AoEs, requiring wide spacing. Red indicates six split damage line AoEs (“wild charges”) targeting six players. For beams, six tanks should be closest to the boss, soaking the initial heavy hits with mitigation, while others stack behind them.
Phasers + Active Pivot Particle Beam
Following Magical Energies, Cloud of Darkness casts Active Pivot Particle Beam: a rotating line AoE. Outer players simultaneously dodge Stygian’s Core Lateral (front then side safe) or Lateral Core (side then center safe) Phasers before navigating the laser. Final Curse of Darkness timers resolve and Atomos respawn, requiring immediate attention. Inner players reset tile timers strategically.
Looming Chaos
Looming Chaos deals raid-wide damage and swaps player positions: three farthest outer players swap with three inner tile players, while remaining players swap with others on their same platform type. Aggro is reset, so tanks must immediately provoke Cloud of Darkness. This transition initiates a new sequence of mechanics, including fresh Cursive Darkness debuffs with spread-out timers.
Feint Particle Beam
Inner tile players contend with Feint Particle Beam. One player in each inside corner receives a marked AoE that rapidly chases them. The targeted player must immediately begin rotating clockwise around the arena, completing a full lap. Unmarked players quickly move into cubbies to create clear paths, preventing collisions with the chasing AoEs.
Remaining Fight
Atomos respawn, and a Curse of Darkness expires—check timers. A cross or donut Ghastly Gloom follows, requiring appropriate positioning. Another Lateral Core/Core Lateral Phaser precedes Magical Energies; Cloud of Darkness performs whichever spread/beam attack she didn’t do previously. Finally, both Stygians must be interrupted to prevent Flood of Darkness, signifying the phase’s end. One last curse resolves before Cloud of Darkness resets the arena, deducting Stygian health from her own, and repeating Phase 1 mechanics with the opposite pattern.
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