FFXIV Heavensward Trail Strategy: Alexander- The Fist of the Father

Following the legacy of Bahamut from FFXIV 2.0, Alexander emerges as Heavensward’s premier 8-player raid challenge. Alexander: Gordias serves as the inaugural segment of this mechanical colossus, demanding participants maintain a minimum item level threshold of 170 for entry eligibility. This raid tier provides substantial gear upgrades for players progressing through Heavensward’s endgame content. Below, Mmogah delivers comprehensive tactical guidance for conquering Floor 1 – The Fist of the Father.

Before venturing into Alexander’s mechanical depths, players must first complete the unlocking procedure. This involves finishing the level 60 quest “Disarmed” by interacting with Slowfix located in Idyllshire at coordinates (x7, y6). Additionally, clearing the complete Heavensward Main Scenario Quest chain remains mandatory for access.

Alexander: Gordias comprises four distinct floors with progressive unlocking mechanics. Each subsequent floor becomes accessible only after completing the preceding one and advancing through the associated quest narrative. This structural approach mirrors the turn-based progression system established in the Coils of Bahamut raids.

Alexander – The Fist of the Father (commonly abbreviated as A1) represents the initial combat engagement within Alexander: Gordias. Entry prerequisites include maintaining an average item level of 170 or superior. The encounter unfolds across two distinct phases with the following strategic considerations.

During the initial phase, all damage dealers must concentrate their offensive capabilities exclusively on Faust while completely ignoring the spawning additional enemies. The off-tank role carries the critical responsibility of gathering all emerging adds while maintaining significant distance from the main raid group, as these enemies possess cleaving attacks that can devastate clustered party members.

Proper positioning during Faust’s phase significantly impacts subsequent mechanics. Designate the southern sector of the arena as the primary tanking location for Oppressor to accommodate upcoming positional requirements. The encounter deliberately separates into two combat phases with distinct mechanical challenges.

The Oppressor confrontation introduces multiple mechanical patterns requiring coordinated response. Gunnery Pod delivers unavoidable area-of-effect damage that healing personnel must sustain through consistent regeneration. Photon Spaser projects substantial linear area damage that demands immediate evasion through lateral movement.

Hydrothermal Missile marks a random party member with Prey status before launching sequential missile barrages. Healing specialists must prioritize these targeted individuals with sustained healing throughput to prevent casualties. Resin Bomb generates circular area effects beneath four separate raid members simultaneously, necessitating rapid positional adjustment.

Advanced tactical considerations include prepositioning for Resin Bomb patterns and establishing healing priorities for missile targets. The southern tank positioning enables cleaner handling of later phase mechanics, particularly when managing multiple simultaneous area denial effects.

Optimizing your Alexander performance requires awareness of frequent errors and their prevention methods. The most common failure point involves DPS splitting attention between Faust and adds, drastically extending the phase duration and increasing healing strain. Maintain strict target discipline until Faust is eliminated.

Tank coordination represents another critical success factor. The main tank must establish Oppressor in the southern quadrant immediately after phase transition, while the off-tank continues add management throughout the encounter. Failure to maintain add separation results in preventable raid-wide damage.

Healing teams should establish communication protocols for Hydrothermal Missile targets, ensuring coordinated response to this high-damage mechanic. Anticipate Resin Bomb placements by monitoring boss animation cues, allowing preemptive movement before area indicators appear.

For gear optimization, prioritize reaching approximately iLvl 175 for comfortable progression, though skilled groups can complete at minimum requirements. Consider reviewing our comprehensive Class Guide for role-specific optimization strategies that translate across gaming platforms.

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