FFXIV Pool of Tribute (Extreme): How To Unlock + Trial Guide

Susano EX Trial (The Pool of Tribute Extreme) in FFXIV

You can unlock the Level 70 trial The Pool of Tribute (Extreme), also known as Susano EX, by selecting the option “Talk about Susano” when speaking with the Wandering Minstrel in Kugane (X:11.5, Y:12.5).

However, this option requires a few prerequisites. These include completing the Level 70 MSQ “Stormblood” from Pipin in The Lochs (X:32.6, Y:22.9) and completing The Pool of Tribute’s normal mode.

Step-by-Step Unlock Guide

Isle of Zekki, home of the Kojin of the Red / Final Fantasy XIV
Isle of Zekki, home of the Kojin of the Red
  1. Accept the Level 63 MSQ “The Lord of the Revel” from Alisaie in The Ruby Sea (X:5.5, Y:24.4).
  2. Unlock the Vault Door in The Ruby Sea (X:4.6, Y:22.2).
  3. Defeat Susano in the Level 63 trial, “The Pool of Tribute (Normal)
  4. Complete the MSQ “Stormblood” from Pipin in The Lochs (X:32.6, Y:22.9).
  5. Select the option “Talk about Susano” while speaking with the Wandering Minstrel in Kugane (X:11.5, Y:12.5).

Detailed Unlocking Guide

Alisaie’s map location for “The Lord of the Revel” / FFXIV
Alisaie’s map location for “The Lord of the Revel”

Start unlocking the trial by accepting the Level 63 Main Scenario Quest (MSQ) “The Lord of the Revel” from Alisaie in The Ruby Sea (X:5.5, Y:24.4).

This MSQ is part of the patch 4.0 Main Scenario Questline for the Stormblood expansion.

You’ll need to clear every MSQ leading up to this quest, including all the MSQs from the A Realm Reborn and Heavensward expansions.

In this quest, you’ll need to head into the Kojin of the Red’s base in the Isle of Zekki to confront the primal Susano.

After talking to Alisaie, unlock the Vault Door nearby (X:4.6, Y:22.2). Doing so will unlock the Level 63 trial “The Pool of Tribute,” Susano’s normal mode.

This trial only requires a Level 63 or above Disciple of War or Magic job to enter and has no average item level requirement. Defeat Susano in the trial to continue.

The Wandering Minstrel in Kugane / Final Fantasy XIV
The Wandering Minstrel in Kugane

Once you clear Susano’s normal mode, continue completing your MSQs until you finish the story for patch 4.0, ending with the Level 70 MSQ “Stormblood” from Pipin in The Lochs (X:32.6, Y:22.9).

This quest ties up all the loose ends in the story so far, and completing it allows you to unlock all the expert-level dungeons and trials in the expansion, including The Pool of Tribute (Extreme).

Finally, after finishing all the required MSQs, head to Kugane (X:11.5, Y: 12.5) and select “Talk about Susano” while talking to The Wandering Minstrel.

After a brief cutscene where the minstrel praises you for your incredible feat, The Pool of Tribute (Extreme) will be unlocked. This trial requires a Level 70 or above Disciple of War or Magic job and an average item level of 300 to enter.

This trial has some tricky combinations you’ll need to deal with, as teased in the trial’s normal mode.

Let’s go through each mechanic below to make the fight easier for you and your friends.

Trial Boss: Susano (Extreme)

The Lord of the Revel Susano / FFXIV
The Lord of the Revel Susano

While this trial was released way back in patch 4.0, it’s impossible to solo, even if you have the most updated gear equipped. The trial’s Active Time Maneuver in Phase 2 makes this trial impossible to complete without at least a second player in your party.

However, it’s easily clearable with at least a 2-person party while unsynced.

If you plan on clearing the fight as a duo, you’re free to use a DPS job. Just make sure you have a healer or tank with you to soak and heal up damage. Bring more friends to the fight, and you’ll easily skip most of the mechanics.

As always, if you’re up for a challenge and want to do the fight while synced, here are the mechanics you’ll need to learn:

Phase 1: Brightstorm + Thunderhead

Rotation:

Assail > Churning > Yata-no-Kagami + Brightstorm > Assail > Churning + Rasen Kaikyo > Thunderhead + Yata-no-Kagami > Assail.

Some mechanics in Phase 1 can be skipped if the boss is brought down under 75% HP before the entire rotation finishes.

  • Assail: A frontal cone tankbuster on the primary target with no telegraphs. Mitigate and heal through the attack. Always face the boss away from the party to avoid unnecessary cleaves.
  • Churning: When the boss says “Rise, rise to the occasion!,” a “Churning” debuff will be placed on four random players that will last for 10 seconds. This debuff acts as a ticking bomb, dealing moderate damage and applying a stacking “Lightning Resistance Down” debuff once it ticks down. Don’t move or cast any skills when the debuff wears off.
  • Yata-no-Kagami: When the boss says “The seas part for we alone!,” a random player will be marked with an orange marker for a knockback attack. Immediately after, room-wide AoEs will appear on either side of the player that was pushed, leaving only a straight line toward the boss as a safe zone. The AoEs on either side will knock players up in the air and inflict stacking “Lightning Resistance Down” debuffs.

    To handle this mechanic, have everyone apart from the main tank stand behind the boss. Whichever player gets knocked back should run through the narrow safe zone back to the rest of the group.

  • Brightstorm: A stack-up marker that usually follows “Yata-no-Kagami.” Whoever was knocked back must run toward the boss and stack with the rest of the party to mitigate incoming damage.
  • Rasen Kaikyo: Four players will be marked with large AoE circles. Getting hit by these AoEs will result in stacking “Lightning Resistance Down” debuffs. To reduce the area covered by the AoEs, stack together until the AoE circles form, then move out.
  • Thunderhead: Thunderhead clouds may form outside the arena and target the player marked with “Yata-no-Kagami” with a line attack. This attack inflicts a 20-second “Paralysis” debuff upon hit.

    This mechanic can get tricky if the cloud spawns directly in front or behind the boss, as the line attack will completely cover the narrow safe zone. To handle such situations, the main tank should turn the boss at a 90-degree angle away from the thunderhead cloud. Rotating the boss ensures that the narrow safe zone intersects the incoming line attack when it appears, making the “Thunderhead” line attack avoidable.

Phase 2: Blade’s Shadow

Susano using “Blade’s Shadow” / Final Fantasy XIV
Susano using “Blade’s Shadow”

Rotation:

Blade’s Shadow’s x2 > Ame-no-Murakumo

  • Blade’s Shadow: This mechanic is an Active Time Maneuver that needs to be handled by one of the tanks. Spam-click the duty button or press random buttons on your keyboard/controller to continuously fill up the gauge.

    Tanks should alternate between each “Blade’s Shadow” due to the 30-second “Slashing Resistance Down II” debuff and constant “Flesh Wound” DoT it inflicts. The rest of the group will also need to destroy the blade that spawns.

  • Sheer (Blade’s Shadow): Room-wide AoE attacks resulting from the boss’ blade grinding against the tank in the Active Time Maneuver. Mitigate and heal through the damage.
  • Dark Levin Orbs: The tank not handling “Blade’s Shadow” will need to pop the orbs that spawn around the room. These orbs explode into point-blank AoEs and must be popped away from the group.
  • Ame-no-Murakumo: The boss’ ultimate attack. Stay away from the center of the arena, or you will die.

Phase 3: Levinbolt (Multiple) + Hidden Gate

Stormsplitter > Levinbolt (Multiple) > Ukehi x2 > Yata-no-Kagami + Brightstorm + Thunderhead > Stormsplitter > Levinbolt (Multiple) > Thunderhead > Ukehi x3 > Hidden Gate > Rasen Kaikyo > Stormsplitter > Sealed Gate.

You’ll notice a huge crevice in the middle of the arena starting from Phase 3 as a result of “Ame-no-Murakamo.”

Anyone standing in the crevice will get a “Sinking” debuff that lasts five seconds. Don’t stay longer than five seconds inside the crevice, or you will die.

  • Stormsplitter: A tankbuster attack on the primary target that also inflicts a “Slashing Resistance Down II” debuff (similar to “Blade’s Shadow”). Perform a tank swap with every “Stormsplitter.” Mitigate and heal through the attack.
  • Levinbolt (Multiple): When the boss says “Hark you to the tumultuous heavens!,” four random players will be marked with blue “Levinbolt” markers. These markers will deal AoE damage to whichever side of the crevice it’s dropped. In this variation of “Levinbolt,” marked players should move to the other side of the crevice and drop their markers there.
  • Ukehi: A room-wide AoE attack that can happen twice or thrice in a row. Mitigate and heal through the AoE damage.
  • Hidden Gate: When the boss says “Earth and stone at our beck and call!,” a random player will be trapped in an “Ama-no-iwato” stone prison. Three other stone prisons will also appear alongside the original to act as decoys. Then, the boss will shuffle the stone prisons twice and cast “Sealed Gate” on all of the stone prisons. The rest of the party must identify which “Ama-no-iwato” the affected player is in and destroy it as soon as possible.
  • Sealed Gate: An instant-KO attack if the affected player isn’t freed in time. Destroy the correct stone prison before this attack goes off.

Phase 4: Levinbolt (Stun)

Rotation:

Levinbolt (Stun) > Ukehi x3 > Churning + Yata-no-Kagami + Brightstorm > Rasen Kaikyo > Stormsplitter > Levinbolt (Stun) > Ukehi x3 > Churning + Rasen Kaikyo > Rasen Kaikyo > Stormsplitter.

Levinbolt (Stun): When the boss says “Now cometh our part! Make way!,” one player will be marked and stunned in place. In this variation of “Levinbolt,” the rest of the party must move to the other side of the crevice until the AoEs stop. The healers should also top off the marked player HP during this time.

At this point, you’ve seen all of the mechanics in the fight. Starting from Phase 4, we’ll go through each mechanic in the order they appear:

  1. Move to the other side of the crevice until the “Levinbolt” AoEs stop.
  2. Heal through three “Ukehi” AoEs.
  3. Stop moving when the “Churning” timer ticks down to 0 before stacking for “Brightstorm” after “Yata-no-Kagami.”
  4. Stack in one area to bait the “Rasen Kaikyo” AoEs, then move out.
  5. Mitigate and heal through “Stormsplitter.” Perform a tank swap after the attack.
  6. Move to the other side again for “Levinbolt” while healing the stunned player.
  7. Heal through three more “Ukehi” AoEs.
  8. Stack again to bait “Rasen Kaikyo AoEs” and move out once the “Churning” debuffs disappear.
  9. Stack and dodge another “Rasen Kaikyo” immediately after.
  10. Mitigate and heal through another “Stormsplitter” and perform another tank swap.
 

Phase 5: More Levinbolts

Rotation:

Levinbolt (Multiple) > Thunderhead + Rasen Kaikyo > Rasen Kaikyo > Yata-no-Kagami + Brightstorm + Thunderhead > Ukehi x3 > Hidden Gate > Stormsplitter > Levinbolt (Multiple) + Thunderhead > Sealed Gate.

Here’s what you need to do in Phase 5:

  1. Have four consecutive players drop their “Levinbolt” AoE markers on the other side of the crevice.
  2. Bait the “Thunderhead” AoE away from the party while dodging “Rasen Kaikyo.”
  3. Stack in one area, then move out for another “Rasen Kaikyo.”
  4. Stack for another “Yata-no-Kagami” + “Brightstorm” combo while keeping an eye out for the “Thunderhead” cloud. Remember to rotate the boss if the cloud is directly in front or behind the boss.
  5. Mitigate and heal through three “Ukehi” AoEs.
  6. Identify and destroy the correct stone prison for “Hidden Gate.”
  7. Heal and perform another tank swap during “Stormsplitter.”
  8. Drop the “Levinbolt” markers on the other side of the crevice once more while dodging the “Thunderhead” line attack.

Phase 6: Enrage

Rotation:

Yata-no-Kagami > Rasen Kaikyo > Yata-no-Kagami + Brightstorm + Thunderhead > Rasen Kaikyo > Ukehi x3 > Hidden Gate > Rasen Kaikyo > Stormsplitter > Sealed Gate > Levinbolt (Stun) > Ukehi x3 > Ukhei Enrage.

Here’s what you need to do for the final phase:

  1. Stay within the narrow safe zone for “Yata-no-Kagami.” No stack-up is needed for this one.
  2. Bait another “Rasen Kaikyo” into one area, then move out.
  3. Stack for the final “Yata-no-Kagami” + “Brightstorm” combo while keeping an eye out for the “Thunderhead” cloud. Remember to rotate the boss if the cloud is directly in front or behind the boss.
  4. Heal through three “Ukehi” AoEs.
  5. Identify and destroy the correct stone prison for “Hidden Gate.”
  6. Bait and dodge another “Rasen Kaikyo.”
  7. Mitigate and heal through another “Stormsplitter.” Perform a final tank swap afterward.
  8. Move to the other side of the crevice to dodge the “Levinbolt” AoEs. Remember to heal the stunned player as well.
  9. Heal through the final three “Ukehi” AoEs.

After step 9, the boss will continuously use “Ukhei,” a room-wide AoE attack signaling the boss’ hard enrage. The boss will continue to use this attack until he or the party dies.

Rewards

Susano EX loot / FFXIV
Susano EX loot

Revel Totems can be traded for weapon loot (10 fragments) or the Reveling Kamuy Fife (99 fragments) with Eschina in Rhalgr’s Reach (X:13.8 Y:11.8).

  • 15 Allagan Tomestones of Poetics
  • Susano Triple Triad Card (not guaranteed)
  • Revel Totem (1 per clear)
Name Type Quality
Susano’s Grimoire Book Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Codex Book Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Greatbow Bow Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Cane Cane Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Kunai Daggers Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Revolver Firearms Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Knuckles Fist Weapon Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s War Axe Greataxe Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Greatsword Greatsword Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Tachi Katana Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Paladin Arms (IL 320) Other Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Pike Polearm Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Rapier Rapier Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Rod Staff Blue (Primal Gear)
Susano’s Ephemeris Star Globe Blue (Primal Gear)
Blade of Revelry Crafting material Basic
Faded Copy of Revelation Orchestrion Roll Basic
Susano Weapon Coffer Other Basic
Reveling Kamuy Fife Other Basic

Marc Vista

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Marc is a casual FFXIV Summoner veteran, retired TF2 Soldier main, and professional communicator. He's also a huge fan of anime, Hololive, and the Golden State Warriors.

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