Triple Triad is a playing card mini-game that debuted in Final Fantasy 8 that sees two opponents face off on a 3x3 grid with five cards each. The aim of the game is to "own" as many of the cards on the grid by the time the game is over, with players being able to flip their opponent's card if their card value is higher (though some games have varying rules that change this).
Fans were delighted when Square Enix added Triple Triad to its MMORPG Final Fantasy 14, with players being able to challenge NPCs as well as other players. Collecting Triple Triad cards has become a hobby for many players, but they're not all easy to obtain. Check out ten of the hardest cards to obtain at the moment just below.
Updated February 1st, 2022 by Russ Boswell: Final Fantasy 14 continues to explode in popularity, bringing in tons of new players while still maintaining a dedicated fanbase. There is so much to see and enjoy in the massively multiplayer online roleplaying game, and the latest expansion gives adventurers even more content to sift through. With many new and unfamiliar faces joining the fray with Endwalker, the Triple Triad scene is sure to see some new challengers. To better help educate new (and returning) players on what the best Triple Triad cards in FF14 are, the following list has been updated to include even more entries.
14 Zenos Galvus
Dedicated players will remember Zenos as the big bad of Final Fantasy XIV's Stormblood expansion. Players meet this imposing villain on the battlefield and have some serious difficulties dealing with his strength and skills.
Those that want to use the antagonist in a match of Triple Triad will first need to snag his card, which is rewarded after unlocking the Triple-decker XI achievement. This particular task requires players to obtain a whopping 344 unique Triple Triad cards, making it an item that only the most dedicated Triple Triad players will have.
13 Cloud Strife
There are some seriously cool Triple Triad cards out there that don't feature in-game Final Fantasy XIV characters but instead pay homage to some of the most iconic characters of franchise past. The Cloud Strife card is perhaps one of the most sought after, with many fans adoring Final Fantasy VII's protagonist.
Unfortunately, getting the card is much easier said than done. The only way to obtain this Legendary Triple Triad card is to amass 1,000,000 MGP. For those unaware, MGP can only be gained at the Manderville Gold Saucer and players won't simply be able to trade Gil away for MGP (as it's capped). Gaining that many MGP can take a ton of grinding.
12 Archaeotania
Some cards can't be won or found as drops, they have to be plucked from "packs" that players can buy at the Gold Saucer. One such Legendary card, the Archaeotania Card, can be a bit of a headache to acquire.
As part of the Dream Triad Card Pack, players will simply need to purchase packs until this particular card drops. Unfortunately, there are 11 cards (including the Archaeotania) that can drop, meaning players only have a 1 in 11 shot to pull the card each time they buy a pack. To make matters worse, each pack costs 3,240 MGP, meaning players will need to grind out MGP just to have a shot. This one is all luck-based, making it an RNG nightmare for some.
11 2B
One of the most interesting aspects of Final Fantasy XIV is that it's been slowly opening its doors to collaboration and crossover events from other franchises. Monster Hunter World saw an interesting addition with the Behemoth and Final Fantasy XIV players even got to experience some dungeons based on Nier Automata.
They even added some Nier Automata-inspired Triple Triad cards, with protagonist 2B being the most sought-after. It's also the most difficult to obtain as it only drops during the Level 80 Raid, The Tower at Paradigm's Breach.
10 Lizbeth
The Lizbeth two-star Triple Triad card can be obtained from the NPC Enie in The Firmament at (x12.0,y14.0) by exchanging 500 Skybuilders' Scrips. Players can earn Skybuilders' Scrips via the Ishgardian Restoration project as a Disciple of the Hand or Land.
Lizbeth is one of the NPCs in the Firmament area of Ishgard that deals with the Ishgardian Restoration. She is the NPC that deals out the Kupo of Fortune cards when players have earned enough stamps, hence the Moogle-like crown atop her head.
9 Ejika Tsunjika
The Ejika Tsunjika two-star Triple Triad card is obtained by defeating the NPC Hetsukaze at a game of Triple Triad. Hetsukaze can be found in Kugane at (7, 13) and uses the Plus and Same rules. Players must have completed the quest "And We Shall Call It Hydatos" for this NPC to play Triple Triad with them.
Ejika Tsunjika is one of the side characters in the Final Fantasy 14 main scenario; he is a survivor from the Isle of Val and also studied alongside Krile.
8 Ruby Weapon
The Ruby Weapon four-star Triple Triad card drops from both Cinder Drift and Cinder Drift (Extreme), level 80 trials that were added as part of the Shadowbringers content. The first trial can be unlocked by completing the prerequisite quest Ruby Doomsday given by the Resistance Officer in The Lochs.
Ruby Weapon was originally one of the super bosses of Final Fantasy 7 before being added into Final Fantasy 14 as a Garlean superweapon. This gave fans a much-loved tribute to one of the earlier Final Fantasy titles.
7 Ardbert
The Ardbert five-star Triple Triad card is the reward for players earning the achievement "Triple Team VII", which requires players to defeat 92 unique NPCs at a game of Triple Triad. Players can receive their card from Jonathas at Apkallu Falls in Old Gridania once they have unlocked the achievement.
Ardbert is known as the Warrior of Darkness and is a recurring character within the main scenario of Final Fantasy 14. Though he served as an antagonist in patch 3.4, he is one of more important side characters in the Shadowbringers content.
6 Batsquatch
The Batsquatch three-star Triple Triad card can be obtained as a reward from beating the NPC Redard in a game of Triple Triad, though it is a rarer drop than the other card this NPC gives. Redard can be found in The Rak'tika Greatwood at (20, 27) and plays with the Reverse and Same rules.
Players must complete the quest "The Stewards of Note" to able to challenge Redard to Triple Triad matches. Batsquatch is one of the bosses in the dungeon The Qitana Ravel, a level 75 duty that was added as part of the Shadowbringers content.
5 Forgiven Obscenity
The Forgiven Obscenity three-star Triple Triad card can be obtained from the Gemstone Trader, Zumutt, in Kholusia. Players must be rank 3 with FATEs in the Kholusia area to get this item and it will also cost them 100 Bicolor Gemstones.
Bicolor Gemstones are a type of currency that was introduced with the Shadowbringers expansion and can be earned from participating in FATEs. Forgiven Obscenity is one of the sin eaters that Lord Vauthry keeps by his side, with this one in particular appearing to be his favorite.
4 Huaca
The Huaca three-star Triple Triad card is available from the Gemstone Trader, Nacille, in The Rak'tika Greatwood. Players need to be rank 2 with FATEs in the area to be able to get this item and it will cost them 100 Bicolor Gemstones.
To increase their rank, players must complete a set amount of FATEs in the area, with players being awarded rank one by completing one FATE, rank 2 for completing 6 FATEs, and rank 3 requires players to complete 60 FATEs. Huaca is the riddle-giver in the Ronkan ruins as part of the "A Sleep Disturbed" main scenario quest.
3 Therion
The Therion five-star Triple Triad card can be purchased from the Gemstone Trader, Goushs Ooan, in The Tempest. Players must be rank 3 with FATEs in the area for this item to be made available to them and it will cost them 250 Bicolor Gemstones.
Therion is the final boss in the level 80 Shadowbringers dungeon, Amaurot. Therion was one of the harbingers that set about the destruction of Amaurot in the Final Days, which players get to witness during this dungeon.
2 Shadowbringers Urianger
The Shadowbringers Urianger four-star Triple Triad card is the reward for the achievement "Triple-decker IX", which requires players to obtain 270 unique Triple Triad cards. As with other achievement rewards, once the player has earned this accolade they can receive their reward from Jonathas at Apkallu Falls in Old Gridania.
That's an awful lot of individual cards that players need to collect, while many can be won from various NPCs, the drop rates can be particularly low and lead to a painful grind. Urianger is one of the members of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn and often appears throughout the main storyline.
1 Varis yae Galvus
The Varis yae Galvus five-star Triple Triad card drops from Memoria Misera (Extreme), a level 80 trial that was added in patch 5.25. This duty requires a minimum item level of 470 for players to be able to join. This duty is a harder version of the solo duty The Bozja Incident, which sees the player fighting a recreation of Cid's memories of an early Varis.
Varis yae Galvus was a high legatus of the Garlean army before becoming the crown emperor of the Garlean Empire and taking the name Varis zos Galvus.