How to complete the Dead Ends dungeon in FFXIV Endwalker: All encounters, bosses, & how to start

❘ Published: 2021-12-23T10:17:06

FFXIV screenshot showing the Dead Ends dungeon.

Square Enix

Here’s all you need to start and beat The Dead Ends dungeon in Final Fantasy XIV’s latest Endwalker expansion.

Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker tells the latest tale about the Warrior of Light, and their adventures through an apocalyptic event they must stop at all costs – the Final Days.

As you reach the climax of this adventure, you will find yourself traversing the last dungeon on the Ultima Thule region, a place in outer space known as “The Dead Ends”. We’re here to help guide you through this dangerous place.

How to unlock The Dead Ends
The Dead Ends Objectives
The Dead Ends guide:

Square EnixDead Ends? We’ll see about that.

FFXIV Endwalker: How to unlock the Dead Ends Dungeon

To unlock this dungeon, you must complete the following Main Scenario Quest:

Endwalker

Quest Giver: Alphinaud
Location: Ultima Thule (21.5, 21.5)
Level: 90

FFXIV Endwalker: The Dead Ends dungeon objectives

Meet the Sixth End
Leave the Sixth End behind
Meet the Eighth End
Leave the Eighth End behind
Meet the Seventeenth End
Leave the Seventeenth End behind

The Dead Ends presents three areas called “Sixth End”, “Eighth End”, and “Seventeenth End”. These will feature several minor enemies that you will have to kill on your way through them, and at the end of each zone, a boss battle will happen.

Read more: Is Final Fantasy XIV free to play?

Keep in mind that failing any mechanic will result in whoever failed them receiving a two-minute stacking Vulnerability Up debuff.

The Dead Ends guide

The Dead Ends Fight #1 – Caustic Grebuloff

The Dead Ends is certainly colorful.

As you arrive at the end of the Sixth End, Caustic Grebuloff will be waiting for you in its fighting arena. Keep in mind that stepping inside a puddle on the ground in the Pestilent Sands or the Greuloff Pillars will debuff you with a damage over time debuff called Toxicosis, which inflicts heavy damage per second. The movements it will use in this fight are the following:

Miasmata: Caustic Grebuloff will spawn a room-wide AoE and also AoE circles around the arena. These will move through the arena in the direction of the wind, so keep close attention to that and position yourself to successfully avoid. If you fail you will get a Necrosis debuff, which will kill you if you don’t get it removed by a healer.
Cough Up: Drops 3 sets of AoEs on each player, spread apart to avoid overlapping. After the AoE circles, players will receive a red arrow above their head. Stack together to resolve the mechanic.
Wave of Nausea: This is a donut AoE that will spawn around Caustic Grebuloff. Move inside its hitbox to successfully avoid.
Pox Flail: This is a Tankbuster attack, which means it’ll target the Tank of the party and they must take it alone, as any other Role Class near will likely die.
Blighted Water: One of the party members will receive a stack marker and you must group together to mitigate damage when it drops.
Befoulment: Caustic Grebuloff will cast targeted AoE circles, and you must spread to avoid overlapping.

The Dead Ends Fight #2 – Peacekeeper

As you arrive at the end of the Eighth End, Peacekeeper will be waiting for you in its fighting arena. The movements it will use in this fight are the following:

Decimation: Raid-wide AoE that also covers the borders of the arena with fire.
Electromagnetic Repellant: Peacekeeper spawns an electromagnetic field on its position that can debuff you with Electrocution and inflicts continuous damage until you move out.
Order To Fire: Peacekeeper spawns turrets around itself that will shoot line AoEs outward. Move into any of the safe zones between the lines and the border of the arena to successfully avoid, but keep in mind any other extra mechanic and try to not overlap with the rest of your party.
No Future: Peacekeeper spawns targeting circles that will hit every area of the arena at some point, so move accordingly to areas that don’t have targeting circles yet, or wherever a circle already exploded. Ra-la will summon two sets of circles on the first cast and three sets from the second cast onwards.
Peacefire: Peacekeeper spawns rotating AoEs around itself, always accompanying Electromagnetic Repellant or other techniques like Order To Fire. To successfully avoid, rotate following these AoEs.
Eclipsing Exhaust: Peacekeeper spawns AoE circles around the borders of the arena, then triggers a knockback attack from the center. Position yourself in any gap between the circles to successfully avoid.
Elimination: This is a Tankbuster attack, which means it’ll target the Tank of the party and they must take it alone, as any other Role Class near will likely die.

The Dead Ends Boss Battle – The Last Mercy: Ra-Ia

Ra-La is beautiful, but deadly.

As you arrive at the end of the Seventeenth End, Ra-la will be waiting for you in its fighting arena. The movements it will use in this fight are the following:

Warm Glow: A Raid-wide AoE, you can mitigate and heal through it.
Pity: This is a Tankbuster attack, which means it’ll target the Tank of the party and they must take it alone, as any other Role Class near will likely die.
Prance: Ra-la will jump four times, spawning golden circles that will grow in size and explode after a while, in the order that they spawned. Move into the later circles and go back to the first ones after they explode to successfully avoid damage.
Lifesbreath: Ra-la will jump outside the arena and then shoot an AoE line through its middle. After that, a line of butterflies will pop up in the same location, each one facing different sides. After a bit, they will shoot forward in the direction they’re facing, so you must keep close attention and position yourself behind a butterfly to successfully avoid it. If you fail, you will get a Doom debuff, which will kill you unless you get back to full HP.
Benevolence: One of the party members will receive a stack marker and you must group together to mitigate damage when it drops.
Loving Embrace: Ra-la will raise one of its wings, summoning an AoE that will hit the corresponding side of the arena. Move to the opposite side to successfully avoid.
Still Embrace: Targeted AoE circles, spread to avoid overlapping.