The Whorleater (Hard) is a level 50 Trial in Final Fantasy XIV where players face off against the Water Primal, Leviathan. With an elite team deployed in the ocean, the Scions and the Maelstrom aim to stop Leviathan from summoning a tidal wave that could engulf Limsa Lominsa.
This Trial requires a full party of eight, composed of two Tanks, two Healers, and four DPS. Below, we’ll cover crucial information for tackling this fight, including Leviathan’s abilities and the strategies for each phase.
Unlocking the Whorleater (Hard)
To unlock the Whorleater (Hard), advance through the Main Scenario quests until you reach Patch 2.2. Accept the quest titled ‘Lord of the Whorl’ from Eynzahr Slafyrsyn located in Lower La Noscea (X:24.5, Y:33.1).
Leviathan Battle Guide
The battle consists of three phases, with Leviathan utilizing various attacks and mechanics in each one. Here’s what to expect throughout the encounter.
Phase 1
The fight starts with Leviathan positioned at the top of the arena, only its head visible. During this initial phase, Leviathan will perform basic attacks on its primary target until it reaches around 90% health. At this point, Leviathan will dive underwater and then re-emerge from a geyser of water.
When it surfaces, Leviathan will execute a Body Slam, dealing damage to players directly beneath it and knocking the entire party toward the back of the arena. To avoid this attack, step away from the geyser and prepare for the next phase.
Phase 2
As phase two begins, both Leviathan’s Head and Tail become targetable. The Head will gain a buff called Veil of the Whorl, allowing it to reflect ranged damage, while the Tail will obtain the Mantle of the Whorl buff, which reflects magic damage. Healers and casters should focus their attacks on the Head, while physical ranged jobs should target the Tail.
Leviathan shares a health pool between its Head and Tail, meaning damage dealt to either will reduce Leviathan’s overall health.
During this phase, Leviathan will employ the following attacks:
Attack Name |
Type |
Details |
---|---|---|
Dread Tide |
Tankbuster |
Causes significant untelegraphed damage to Leviathan’s primary target. Use defensive cooldowns throughout the fight to mitigate this damage. |
Aqua Breath |
Point-blank AoE |
Deals untelegraphed damage in the area around Leviathan’s Head. This attack has no cast time or AoE indicator, so heal up if you’re hit. |
Water Spout |
AoE |
Deals untelegraphed damage to a random player within an AoE. Like Aqua Breath, it’s unpredictable, so be ready to heal after taking damage. |
Tidal Roar |
Roomwide AoE |
Causes damage to all party members. Make sure to use AoE healing to recover. |
Body Slam |
Knockback |
This is the same attack used when transitioning from phase one to phase two. |
Throughout this phase, Wavespine Sahagin will periodically spawn. These foes primarily use basic attacks, but if they remain alive for too long, they will cast Hydroshot, dealing AoE damage and leaving a puddle that inflicts Dropsy. Make it a priority to eliminate these Sahagin as they appear.
Additionally, Gyre Spumes will also spawn, gradually depleting the Elemental Conversion meter, which powers the shield used during the elemental converter shield later in the fight. Destroying a Gyre Spume will trigger it to cast Splash, damaging the entire party. It’s best to take them out one at a time to avoid overwhelming damage.
Eventually, you’ll see the message: ‘The elemental converter is now operable!’, after which Leviathan will dive underwater. One player will need to turn on the elemental converter to create a shield that protects the party from Leviathan’s upcoming attack, Tidal Wave.
Failing to activate the elemental converter, or letting the Gyre Spumes absorb too much energy, will result in Tidal Wave wiping the party.
After Tidal Wave, the fight transitions to phase three.
Phase 3
The final phase resembles phase two but includes additional mechanics. Now, Wavetooth Sahagin will start to appear, mainly using Ruin, which inflicts minimal damage on their main target. If allowed to stay longer, they’ll cast Dreadstorm, which deals damage in a large AoE around a single player while also inflicting Hysteria, making the player run around uncontrollably.
Leviathan will also occasionally cast Grand Fall, which damages in a large circular AoE, applying Heavy, slowing movement. This attack is indicated by a swirling pool of water that appears on the ground; move out of its way to avoid the impact.
Leviathan will repeat these mechanics until it is defeated. Remember, Casters should focus on the Head while Ranged DPS target the Tail, and ensure you activate the elemental converter as soon as possible to mitigate the effects of Tidal Wave.