Quick Links
Tender Valley is an optional level 100 Dungeon inFinal Fantasy 14: Dawntrail. At the behest of the Sharlayan archeologist, Zeycihan, you are tasked with exploring a valley in Shaaloani, which supposedly holds remnants of ancient Yok Huy structures.
The only catch is that this valley is filled with Sabotenders, thus earning itself the name Tender Valley. To find these ancient ruins, you’ll need to brave the thousands of needles you’re sure to encounter. Below, we’ll take a look at how to beat every boss in this Dungeon, including all of their attacks and mechanics.
How To Unlock Tender Valley
To unlock Tender Valley, you’ll first need to complete thelevel 100 Main Scenario Quest ‘Dawntrail’. Once you’ve done that, you can accept the following quest.
Zeycihan is located justsouth of the main Aetheryte in Tuliyollal. Talk to him to accept this quest, then follow him to Shaaloani to unlock Tender Valley.
Barreltender
The first boss of Tender Valley is the Barreltender. Its attacks and mechanics are detailed below.
Heavyweight Needles
AoE
The Barreltender will leap to the center of the arena before attacking in aseries of conal AoEs from itself. However, at the last moment,these AoEs will slightly change in size, further reducing the safe area. When positioning yourself to avoid these AoEs, keep in mind thatthey will become larger than they initially appear.
Tender Drop
The Barreltender willfling cacti around the arena, somewith flowersand somewithout. After a short delay, these will grow in size beforeexploding in a circular AoE. Thecacti with flowers will have a much bigger AoEthan the ones without flowers.
Barrel Breaker
Knockback
Just before the cacti fromTender Dropexplode, the Barreltender will perform aknockback from the center of the arena. Position yourself so that you arepushed near one of the cacti without flowers, as this is where the safe areas will be.
Succulent Stomp
Stack Marker
Targets a random player with aStack Marker. Group up to spread out the damage of this attack.
Prickly Left/Right
The Barreltender will begin charging up this attack, which will then indicate theleft or right side of the arenaas an AoE. However, at the last moment, similar toHeavyweight Needles, the AoE willincrease in size again, now covering the majority of the arena with asafe spot in a sliver on the opposite side. Move to theexact opposite side of the boss’s attackto avoid taking damage.
Tender Drop/Heavyweight Needles
The Barreltender willcombine the effects of Tender Drop with Heavyweight Needles, with Heavyweight Needles happening asplit second before the cacti explode. To avoid this combo, you’ll need tofind the safe spot from the conal AoEs, then quicklyget into position to avoid the cacti explosions.
The Barreltender will repeat these mechanics until it is defeated.TenderDropis the attack that is most likely to catch you off guard because it can be difficult to spot the “safe” cacti in time. If you’re finding this mechanic difficult to avoid, when the Barreltender flings its cacti, stop what you’re doing and observe the arena.
Paying closer attention to each mechanic will help you get a better understanding of how they work, leading to a more successful encounter.
Anthracite
The second boss of Tender Valley is Anthracite. This boss will use various attacks that interact with the arena. Specifically,pay close attention to the blue and red chutes that line the floor of the arenaand thepipes that each leads to.
Anthrabomb - Black
Anthracite will target the arena withblack arrows; it will thentoss bombs to these locationsthat will soonexplode in a point-blank AoE.
Anthrabomb - Yellow
Anthracite will use ayellow arrowtothrow a bomb into one of the four holesaround the arena. Then, this bomb will explode, with theexplosion carrying through the chutes that the hole is connected to, creating line AoEs from the walls on one side of the arena.
Carniflagration
AoE/AoE Markers
A combination ofblack and yellow-arrow Anthrabombs three times in a row. On thethird set of Anthrobombs, all players will be targeted withAoE Markers. Spread out to avoid overlapping these while avoiding the final set of explosions.
Burning Coals
Immediately after theAoE MarkersofCarniflagrationresolve, one random player will be targeted with aStack Marker. Group up to spread out the damage of this attack.
Dealshigh damage to the Tank.
The Greatest Serpent Of Tural
The final boss of Tender Valley is the Greatest Serpent of Tural. Here are each of its mechanics.
Dubious Tulidisaster
Roomwide AoE
Deals damage toall party memberswhile covering the edge of the arena inspikes that will inflict Bleeding.
Bouncy Council
Summon/AoE
Summons four untargetable Serpents that will then start rocking back and forth,indicating the direction of their following line AoE. Look at the direction of each Serpent, specifically theblue arrows projecting from them, and move accordingly to avoid all four line AoEs.
Thesecond useof Bouncy Council will summonthree Serpentsthat will instead usepoint-blank AoEs, indicated by the blue lines that rotate around them. Move to the corner of the arena that doesn’t have a Serpent to avoid.
From thethird useof Bouncy Council,these two types of AoEs will be combined.
Screes of Fury
AoE Tankbuster
Dealshigh damage in an area surrounding the Tank. Move away from the rest of the party while using defensive cooldowns to mitigate this damage.
Greatest Labyrinth
Special
The Greatest Serpent willcover the arena in arrow tilesthat willmove you in the indicated directionwhen stepped on. Three of the four corners of the arena will be marked withpurple “X” tilesthat will inflictPoison, while the fourth corner will be ablue “O” tile. Additionally, all players will be inflicted withGreatest Cursethat lasts for15 seconds. When this debuff expires, you will beinstantly killed. To avoid this, you’ll need to move along the arrow tiles toreach the blue “O” tile that will cleanse the Greatest Curse.
Moist Summoning
Summon/Stack Marker
Summons an untargetableGreat Serpent of Turalthat will thentarget one player with three Stack markers back-to-back. These will also leave behind apuddle of goop, which will inflict theSludge debuff, dealing damage over time, if you remain in the puddle for too long. All players shouldgroup together and move around the arenato resolve each Stack marker without standing in the puddles.
Greatest Flood
Knocks back all players from one corner of the arenawhile clearing away the goop puddles. Position yourself so that youaren’t knocked into one of the puddlesbefore it disappears, while also making sure youaren’t knocked into the edge of the arenawhere the Bleed AoE still lingers.
Great Torrent
The Greatest Serpent will createsequential circle AoE Markersstarting in one corner of the arena andspiraling into the center. Stay near the center of the arena then move into the safe area created when the first AoE explodes. Immediately after these circle AoEs resolve, all players will be targeted withAoE Makers; spread out to avoid overlapping these.
The most dangerous mechanic here isGreatest Labyrinth, as failing to cleanse the debuff will result ininstant death. However, once you get the hang of tracking the path to the correct tile, this mechanic becomes much easier.
Additionally,Bouncy Councilwill only get more difficult as the fight progresses, with its final version summoningfive Serpentsthat will eitherperform point-blank or line AoEs. Watch these carefully to find the safest spot to move.
