Vanguard Dungeon Guide
Welcome to our guide to Vanguard, the fourth dungeon of Dawntrail. This guide aims to prepare players for the dungeon so they will know what to expect, with simple mechanic instructions and notes on what to watch out for.
Introduction
Zoraal Ja retreats to the dome in Yyasulani, but not before laying siege to his home and slaying his own father. This foul deed cannot go unpunished, and so Wuk Lamat lays plans to pierce the dome and pursue him. To that end, the engineers of Xak Tural Railing refit their ceruleum-powered train christened the Dawnblazer, and after avoiding fire from Zoraal Ja's forces, successfully send it careening into the fortress bridging the dome with the outside world. With the path forward now open, the battle for Tuliyollal begins as you and your companions take your first bold steps into enemy territory.
Unlocking Vanguard
Vanguard can be unlocked at Level 97 during the main scenario quest "All Aboard." It is the fourth dungeon players will encounter in Dawntrail and is located in Shaaloani. Players above Level 98 will be level synced to Level 98 when entering.
Full Dungeon Guide for Vanguard
First Boss Trash Mobs
The Leptocyons pack quite a punch with high damage autoattacks and Levinbite which deals heavy tank damage. If you are undergeared or are uncomfortable with large pulls, we recommend pulling one pack at a time. Proper use of mitigation will ensure that tanks stay healthy even pulling two packs.
Vanguard Commander R8
- Electrowave: Party-wide magic damage.
- Enhanced Mobility: Dashes across the arena in the path indicated, with the wingblade cleaving half of the arena as the boss moves. Stand north in the opposite direction of the dash and then move into it.
- Dispatch: Summons untargetable adds which do mechanics based on what
the Commander orders.
- "Commence firing" will summon adds at the front of the arena which do a line AoE.
- "Aerial bombardment" will summon floating adds which do expanding circle AoEs.
- "Electrope weapon testing" will mark all players with AoEs and do line AoEs from all sides of the arena, leaving behind safe spaces in between.
Second Boss Trash Mobs
These mobs are not particularly threatening. Watch out for the Aerostat's Incendiary Ring, a donut AoE.
Protector
- Electrowave: Party-wide magic damage.
- Search and Destroy: Spawns turrets that do an enormous amount of AoEs, from line AoEs to circle AoEs. Keep dodging.
- Fulminous Fence: Summons walls in the arena.
- Battery Circuit: The boss will spin with a conal AoE, and summon circle AoEs underneath it and in front and back. Rotate along with the boss but move around the walls.
- Rapid Thunder: Magical tank buster.
- Motion Sensor: Inflicts Acceleration Bomb on all players, which requires them to stop moving when the debuff expires. Spawns line AoEs across the arena in sequence.
- Tracking Bolt: A large marked AoE on all players.
This boss does not do much damage, but has plenty of AoEs that players must dodge.
Final Boss Trash Mobs
Note that the Prabhasa mobs deal magic damage with their auto attacks, not physical. The mobs aren't threatening here as well.
Zander the Snakeskinner
- Electrothermia: Party-wide magic damage.
- Soulbane Saber: Faces a direction and does a line AoE. This will explode half the arena after a delay.
- Saber Rush: Physical tank buster.
After Zander is defeated the first time, he will regenerate to full and assume a new form with new abilities.
- Syntheslean: A conal AoE on a random player.
- Syntheslither: Zander moves to the east or west, then marks a path across the arena with swords. He will do a conal cleave where the swords are as he moves. Stand on the opposite side of the first cleave to dodge it.
- Shade Shot: Magical tank buster.
- Slitherbane Rearguard: Soulbane Saber, but Zander also cleaves the arena behind him during the initial line AoE.
- Slitherbane Foreguard: Soulbane Saber, but Zander also cleaves the arena in front of him during the initial line AoE.
- Screech: Party-wide magic damage.
Loot
Vanguard drops item level 672 Vanguard gear. Full loot tables will be updated when available if you wish to target a specific piece!
Changelog
- 29 Jun. 2024: Guide added.
- 28 Jun. 2024: Page added.
More FFXIV Content
This guide has been written by Lyra an accomplished raider in FFXIV and has written raid guides for the game for the past five years. You can follow him on Twitter and he streams raids on Twitch.
- FFXIV - New Guide to The Final Fantasy XIV Tabletop Role-Playing Game!
- FFXIV - Team Kindred Wins Race to World First!
- FFXIV - Comprehensive Futures Rewritten Ultimate Guide for Phase 1!
- FFXIV - Crossroads Patch Notes for 7.11!
- FFXIV - Futures Rewritten Ultimate Weapons!
- FFXIV - Futures Rewritten Ultimate Race to World First!
- FFXIV - Grab Your Dawntrail Collectors Box at a Special Discount!
- FFXIV - Begin a New Adventure through Eorzea on Mobile!