A world envisioned for perfect solace, free from the pain of loss—this was the earnest wish of young Queen Sphene. Centuries later, this desire manifested as Living Memory, a distorted paradise veiled behind the legend of a golden city. To sustain her sanctuary’s inhabitants, recreated from memory, Sphene cast aside her conscience, the very essence of her past self. From this sacrifice, she arose within the Meso Terminal as a terrifying entity, the Queen Eternal, wielding absolute authority. Now, empowered beyond measure, she schemes to initiate interdimensional fusion, seeking to drain the life force from countless souls across different worlds. It falls to the Warriors of Light to stand against her and avert unimaginable catastrophe in the Interphos trial.
Unlocking the Interphos Trial
The Interphos trial unlocks at level 100 during the “Dawntrail” main scenario questline. Serving as the climactic trial of the Dawntrail expansion, it is located within Living Memory. Players entering above level 100 will be level synced down to level 100 for the duration of the encounter.
Queen Eternal Trial Strategy Guide
The battle against the Queen Eternal unfolds on a dynamically shifting platform, changing its configuration based on the mechanics in play. Be mindful of the arena edges, as falling off will result in defeat.
Phase One: Initial Engagement
Phase One Mechanics
Throughout the first phase, the Queen Eternal employs a series of mechanics that will test your awareness and reaction time:
- Legitimate Force: The Queen raises her hands, telegraphing a strike on one half of the arena, followed by another strike. Crucially, the same half of the arena can be targeted twice consecutively. Observe her hand movements to anticipate safe zones.
- Aethertithe: This attack inflicts a magical damage over time debuff. Simultaneously, the arena distorts, forming a large cone-shaped zone. This zone will sweep across the arena in three variations: left side, right side, and center. Players caught within the cone are pulled in and instantly killed. Positioning near the boss facilitates easier dodging.
- Coronation: The Queen summons drones that deploy a series of chasing Area of Effect (AoE) markers, targeting each player in succession. In another variation, two players are marked, indicating the front and back ends of a moving line AoE. Coordinate to avoid overlapping and maximize safe space.
- Prosecution of War: A magical tank buster. Tanks should mitigate and healers should prepare for a significant single-target heal.
- Virtual Shift: A heavy raid-wide damage attack. This mechanic also fundamentally alters the arena, shifting it into either an hourglass shape or splitting it into two separate platforms. This arena change modifies subsequent mechanics.
- Downburst: Exclusive to the hourglass arena. This mechanic features a knockback originating from one edge of the arena, immediately followed by a donut AoE centered on the knockback origin point. Position yourself accordingly to avoid being knocked into the donut.
- Powerful Gust: Also exclusive to the hourglass arena. This is a straightforward knockback from one of the sides of the arena. Prepare to be pushed and adjust your positioning.
- Castellation: This mechanic occurs specifically in the raised platform arena configuration. The Queen summons a wall with several holes, which is then pushed across the arena. Players must identify a hole and position themselves within its path, ensuring they are at the correct elevation (platform level) to avoid being knocked back and potentially off the arena.
- Absolute Authority: The Queen Eternal’s ultimate attack in Phase One. This deals massive raid-wide magical damage, followed by continuous raid-wide damage over time. It also applies two debuffs: healers receive a gaze debuff, requiring them to be looked away from, and all other party members receive Authority’s Hold, which requires players to cease all movement when the debuff expires. Simultaneously, Damage Per Second (DPS) players are targeted with Flare markers, and all players receive the Abandonment stack marker, requiring stacking.
Phase One Strategy
- Aethertithe Dodging: Prioritize evading Aethertithe. Staying close to the Queen Eternal provides maximum reaction time and maneuverability to dodge the cone AoEs.
- Hourglass Arena Knockbacks: During the first Virtual Shift into the hourglass arena, prepare for two consecutive knockback mechanics (Downburst and Powerful Gust). Skills like Surecast or Arm’s Length can negate one knockback each, providing valuable safety. Coordinate usage if necessary.
- Raised Platform Navigation: The second Virtual Shift introduces gravitational fluctuations, causing players to float and descend. Utilize this vertical movement to dodge Castellation. Correct elevation positioning within the wall’s holes is crucial. While floating, movement between platforms is possible and necessary to handle the Legitimate Force cast towards the end of this phase, as safe zones may appear on different platform levels.
- Absolute Authority Execution: When the Queen reaches approximately 50% health, she will overload and initiate Absolute Authority.
- Flare and Abandonment: DPS players with Flare markers must first move to the outer edges of the arena to resolve their AoEs away from the group. Immediately after Flare resolution, return to the center to stack with at least one other player to resolve the triangle Abandonment stack marker.
- AoE Dodging and Acceleration Bomb: Following the stack, focus on dodging the rapidly appearing AoE circles. Simultaneously, be prepared for the Authority’s Hold debuff (Acceleration Bomb). When this debuff expires, stop moving completely. Movement during this debuff resolution will result in significant damage or death. Be aware of the pulsing raid-wide damage throughout this mechanic and ensure healers maintain consistent healing.
- Gaze Debuff: Healers will have a gaze debuff applied during Absolute Authority. All other players must turn their characters away from the healers to avoid inflicting them with additional debuffs or damage. Healers should continue to heal through the raid-wide damage and dodge any remaining AoEs while managing the gaze mechanic.
Phase Two: Intensified Assault
Phase two commences after the first Absolute Authority and lasts until the Queen Eternal is reduced to roughly one-third of her maximum health.
Phase Two Mechanics
Phase two retains all mechanics from phase one and introduces the following new challenges:
- Divide and Conquer: This mechanic begins with line AoEs targeting each player sequentially. After every player has been targeted individually, a second cast occurs, unleashing line AoEs on all players simultaneously. Prepare to dodge individual lines initially and then wider, overlapping lines as a group.
- Aethertithe Enhancement: Aethertithe remains mechanically similar, but now features a donut AoE that erupts immediately as the second cone AoE resolves. Be prepared to adjust your positioning after dodging the cone to avoid the donut.
- Royal Domain: A straightforward raid-wide magical damage attack. Healers should prepare for consistent healing.
Phase Two Strategy
Phase two gameplay largely mirrors phase one, with an increased emphasis on dodging and managing multiple mechanics concurrently. The Queen Eternal will cycle through Divide and Conquer, Aethertithe (enhanced), and Coronation in addition to her existing abilities. Continue to execute phase one strategies while adapting to the new mechanics.
Upon reaching approximately 33.3% health, the Queen will initiate another cast of Absolute Authority. However, this time, she will overload immediately after the Flare mechanic resolves, triggering a lengthy cutscene and transitioning to the final phase.
Phase Three: The Final Stand
The final phase pits you against Sphene directly, now aided by the ally Wuk Lamat.
Phase Three Mechanics
Phase three simplifies the encounter, focusing on a smaller set of mechanics. A crucial element of this phase is Wuk Lamat’s contribution: each time Wuk Lamat uses her personal Limit Break, she reduces the boss’s current health by 50%.
- Dynastic Diadem: A donut AoE originating at the front of the arena, extending outwards. Move towards the boss’s center to safety.
- Royal Banishment: This mechanic combines pulsing raid-wide AoE damage with conal AoEs emanating from the boss. Focus on dodging the cones while healers manage the consistent raid damage.
Phase Three Strategy
The strategy for phase three is straightforward: survive the mechanics while Wuk Lamat executes her Limit Breaks. Focus on maximizing damage uptime when safe to do so and prioritize dodging Dynastic Diadem and Royal Banishment. Wuk Lamat’s Limit Breaks will rapidly deplete Sphene’s remaining health. Execute mechanics cleanly and defeat Sphene to save the world!
Changelog
- June 30, 2024: Guide updated for clarity and expanded strategy details.
- June 28, 2024: Original page created.
