Unlocking the Phantom Relic Weapon in FFXIV: Dawntrail

Embark on an epic journey within Final Fantasy XIV's latest expansion, Dawntrail, as we unravel the secrets to forging the formidable Phantom relic weapon. This comprehensive guide will illuminate the intricate steps, from initial acquisition to advanced enhancements, ensuring you're well-equipped for the challenges ahead.

Master the Craft: Your Ultimate Path to Dawntrail's Legendary Armament

Understanding Relic Armaments: A Comprehensive Overview

Relic weapons represent the pinnacle of combat equipment in the Dawntrail expansion, offering unparalleled power through a series of dedicated upgrade quests. While the full potential of these legendary items will unfold with future game updates, commencing your pursuit now positions you at the forefront of the grind. Be prepared for a substantial commitment, whether you tackle it incrementally with each patch or undertake the entire process at once, as the game's ongoing evolution allows for flexible progression paths. This endeavor is deeply intertwined with the Occult Crescent, Dawntrail's premier field operation, though alternative completion methods are available for those preferring different gameplay avenues.

Initiating Your Quest: Securing the Phantom Penumbrae Weapon

Introduced with patch 7.25, the Phantom Penumbrae weapon boasts an item level of 745, each design distinctly unique. To begin your acquisition:

1. Complete the main scenario quest for \"Dawntrail\".
2. Gain access to the Occult Crescent hub by finishing the questline starting with \"One Last Hurrah\" in Tulliyolal, continuing until \"Unfamiliar Territory\".
3. Locate Lydirceil in the Phantom Village to initiate the quest \"Arcane Artistry\".
4. Gather three units of each of the six distinct demiatma types, obtainable through completing FATEs and critical encounters in the Occult Crescent or other Dawntrail zones.
5. Deliver all 18 demiatma to Gerolt.
6. Accept \"Forging the Phantasmal\" as your chosen job.
7. Purchase three Arcanite from Ermina in the Phantom Village using 1,500 Allagan Tomestones of Heliometry.
8. Submit the Arcanite to Dodokkuli.

The drop rate for demiatma from critical encounters is notoriously low, indicating a significant time investment. Subsequent weapons require only the purchase and submission of Arcanite to Dodokkuli, bypassing the demiatma grind. Specific demiatma types are found in particular regions of the Occult Crescent and corresponding Dawntrail zones, detailed in the table below:

Elevating Your Weapon: The Phantom Umbrae Upgrade Process

Patch 7.31 introduced the ability to transform your Phantom weapon into the radiant Phantom Umbrae version, elevating its item level to 760 and granting it a luminous effect. To undertake this enhancement:

1. Ensure completion of all preceding steps.
2. Engage Lydirceil in the Phantom Village to commence \"Keeping the Old Ways Alive.\"
3. Present the following five items to Gerolt (note: these can be acquired via the marketboard if crafting/gathering skills are insufficient):
   1. Rroneek glue, purchased from Goplu in Tuliyollal.
   2. Ut'ohmu siderite, available from Rral Wuruq in Yak T'el for bicolor gemstones.
   3. Synthetic dark matter alpha, craftable by blacksmiths, armorers, or goldsmiths.
   4. Synthetic dark matter beta, craftable by carpenters, leatherworkers, or weavers.
   5. Synthetic dark matter gamma, craftable by alchemists or culinarians.
4. After completing the quest, speak with Lydirceil again to start \"Aether, Aether, Everywhere.\"
5. Energize the four aetherwells within the Aetherwell Array by participating in duty roulettes (high-level dungeons, trials, alliance raids, and normal raids), each requiring 10,000 aether. Daily roulette bonuses provide a significant boost to aether accumulation.

This final stage, particularly the aetherwell charging, constitutes a substantial grind. While daily roulettes offer a steady progression over approximately two weeks, continuous play can expedite the process. Given the anticipated time until further relic steps are released, players have ample opportunity to complete this phase at their own pace.