On this page you can find all the details needed to defeat Stigma-4, the final boss in the Level 90 Dungeon, The Stigma Dreamscape in Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker (FFXIV). Details on the mechanics along with how to tank and heal.

Mechanics¶

AI Takeover¶

Stigma-4 will summon one of four adds, that do the following mechanics:

• Omega Frame: An Omega will appear on the south side of the arena and use Proto-Wave Cannon which will cleave the side of the arena that the arrows are pointing. It will then Self-Destruct if you take too long in killing it, dealing damage to everyone nearby.

• Hybrid Dragon: A dragon will appear on either the east or west side of the arena and use Fire Breath. This is a cone-AoE in front of it so get behind/to the side of it to avoid.

• Proto-rocket Punch: A line of rocket punches will appear on either the east or west side, with a gaps in the lines. These will then shoot a line AoE across the arena so look for a spot where a rocket punch is missing and stand there to avoid the blast.

Stigma-4 will combine these AI Takeovers with other mechanics later in the battle.

Transformation¶

When Stigma-4 says “Capabilities exceed expected values. Initializing transformation sequence.”, it will change its shape and use an attack based on it:

• Spiral: Stigma-4 will use a point-blank AoE, dealing damage to everyone in the nearby vicinity.

• Circle: Stigma-4 will use a donut-AoE so players need to rush and stand under it to avoid it.

Stigma-4 will later use these while using Mindhack.

Mindhack¶

All players will receive a Face debuff, indicating which way they will start moving once the debuff expires. At the same time, it will use Transformation, so you need to ensure your forced march takes you into/away from Stigma-4.

Atomic Ray¶

This is a group-wide attack that deals moderate damage to all party members and inflicts the Bleeding debuff. Simply heal up and use Esuna to remove the debuff.

Multi-AI Takeover¶

Stigma-4 will summon Proto-rocket Punches along with either Omega Frame or Hybrid Dragon so you’ll need to perform both mechanics at the same time.

Strategy¶

Stigma-4 is an odd final boss, it can either feel extremely simple, or it can be a confusing mess, there doesn’t seem to be a middle ground. It will help massively if you’re used to dealing with the Forced March mechanics in FFXIV, as failing that is often the determining factor in defeat. To begin with, Stigma-4 will surround the arena in an electrical barrier, causing damage over time for any that cross into it.

It will always begin the battle with AI Takeover, opting to summon an Omega Frame on the south side of the arena. Target the Omega and ensure you’re standing on the opposite side of the arrows to avoid Proto-wave Cannon. If you take too long in defeating it (which shouldn’t be an issue unless you outright ignore it), it will begin preparing to Self-Destruct, causing moderate damage to everyone nearby so don’t ignore this.

Stigma-4 will use AI Takeover again, this time calling down a Hybrid Dragon. Avoid standing where it lands or you’ll take damage, and then rush over to it and stand to the sides/behind it to avoid Fire Breath, which is a large conal-AoE from the front. You’ll have to deal with the final AI Takeover following that, as it is summons the Proto-rocket Punches to one side of the arena. Turn your camera and look for a spot where there’s a gap and stand in line with it to avoid the line-AoEs from the other ones.

Following this, Stigma-4 will enter its Transformation phase, pay attention to the shape it makes here. If it’s a spiral, head away from it to avoid the point-blank AoE around itself. If it’s a circle, stand on top of it as it will use a donut-AoE. It’s important to remember this, as Stigma-4 will then use Mindhack, which will place a Face debuff on all players. Pay attention to your direction and then the shape Stigma-4 makes to determine which way you need to make use of Forced March.

From this point onwards, Stigma-4 will begin using Multi-AI Takeover, this is the same as AI Takeover, with the difference being that it will summon Omega, or the Dragon alongside the Proto-rocket Punches so ensure your positioning is in the right place to deal with both mechanics at once. The rest of the battle will follow this pattern, alternating between Mindhack and Multi-AI Takeover. So long as you understand how to handle the Mindhack mechanic, the rest of the battle shouldn’t cause too many issues.

How to Tank¶

This is a battle that revolves around you completing the mechanics as there are no Tankbusters to deal with, and no positioning mechanics with the boss as it, and its adds, can’t be moved. Ensure you don’t wander out of the arena, or you’ll take a needless debuff and perform the mechanics correctly to avoid Vulnerability stacks and making life harder for the Healer.

How to Heal¶

If everyone knows what they’re doing, this is a surprisingly simple battle to heal outside of when it uses Atomic Ray, you’ll need to be ready with a group heal and use Esuna to remove the Bleeding Debuff off everyone. Outside of that, it’s all about making sure you don’t fail the mechanics as getting hit by 2-3 of them will kill you and most likely cause a wipe.