Final Fantasy 14 threw wide the gates on its next raid tier this week, allowing players to challenge the four new floors of Pandaemonium: Abyssos (Savage). Less than two days later, one Final Fantasy 14 raid group has already claimed victory over the challenging bosses.
The normal mode for Pandaemonium: Abyssos opened a week earlier, with the release of Final Fantasy 14 Patch 6.2, Buried Memory. One week later, Final Fantasy 14 opened access to the Savage mode of the raid, giving players a week of time to complete the story and get ready for the World First race.
Proof of the Pandaemonium: Abyssos (Savage) clear was posted at noon on Wednesday, just over a day after its release early Tuesday. An unnamed Japanese Final Fantasy 14 raid group led by World First titleholder Eis Renard was first to clear the raid. The final boss was felled 31 hours after the fight was made open to the public. However, the third floor of Abyssos (Savage) was cleared a mere four hours and 40 minutes after the raid opened, meaning the final boss took over 26 hours alone to defeat.
This World First race had a similar length to many other Final Fantasy 14 Savage raids. Many of the second and third tier raids from each expansion tend to last between 30 and 40 hours, save a few exceptions, while many of the first tiers take less than a day. Heavensward and A Realm Reborn raids took much longer. One Alexander (Savage) raid took over a month to clear, and the first Binding Coil of Bahamut raid took a whopping 65 days to clear.
As a part of the World First race, several Final Fantasy 14 fans came together for a charity fundraiser. Organized by Final Fantasy 14 streamer and talk show MogTalk, the fundraiser is raising money for Direct Relief, a non-profit humanitarian organization which has most recently lent medical supplies and financial assistance to Ukrainian citizens affected by the war with Russia. At press time, the charity drive has raised almost $12,000 of its $15,000 goal. Fans seeking to donate can do so through Tiltify.
Final Fantasy 14 fans always enjoy seeing how World First races pan out. Watching skilled players tackle unknown challenges is an exciting endeavor, and discovering the secret boss phases, abilities, and strategies as the various groups compete for the first clear is a thrill for everyone. The next Savage World First race will occur in about eight months when the third and final tier of Pandaemonium is unlocked, though it is possible players may see a new Ultimate challenge in Final Fantasy 14 Patch 6.3 later this year or early in 2023.
Final Fantasy 14 is available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.