The journey of Clive Rosfield and his merry band of allies will bring them across many different areas of Valisthea, with conflict an inevitable outcome. As the battles rage on and the overarching goal becomes clearer, the enemies that will obstruct the hero in Final Fantasy 16 will only get stronger.
On the trip to Oriflamme and the Mothercrystal known as Drake's Head, Clive and his team will encounter the phenomenon known as the aetherflood. While Dominants are immune to their effects, the rest of the populace in the depths are not spared, resulting in dangerous Akashic creatures. And the biggest Akashic threat in Final Fantasy 16 just so happens to be up next; it's time to beat the Akashic Dragon.
How to Beat Akashic Dragon in Final Fantasy 16
The good news is that there is a huge arena for this fight, but it also means that Clive will have to do a lot of running and dodging to avoid the dangerous AoE attacks coming his way.
First Phase
As a tip, it is actually much easier to win this fight up close than at range, and the Akashic Dragon also surprisingly prefers to be within melee range. To that end, let's check out the attacks that players will have to take note of:
- The Akashic Dragon's close-range swipes come in two forms. If it digs into the ground, it will be using its wing, and if it rears the head to one side, it is preparing for a head swipe. Either way, both attacks can be easily dodged into so that Clive can use a combo of his own.
- The enemy can also smash down using its legs, so when it backs up on its hind legs, get ready to move away to avoid damage.
- When the enemy gets into the air and prepares for a Spinning Dive, get ready to dodge when it gets too close. Use magic to counter during this window.
- At range, the Akashic Dragon will utilize its fireball attacks. There are two versions of this as well. If it's on the ground, it simply shoots a fireball that is easily avoidable. If it takes to the air, get ready for multiple fireballs coming Clive's way. Use Phoenix Shift to get close to the opponent to punish it after the threat is gone.
- There is also the laser attack to watch out for, which sees the Akashic Dragon attack the area in front of its head in a straight line, sending explosive columns down the line. Just get out of the highlighted area to be safe.
Despite a long list of attacks that will only get longer, the more challenging part about this boss fight is its length and the hardiness of the foe. Keep pushing and punishing the enemy at close range, and eventually, it will get Staggered and usher in the next stage.
Second Phase
Once a decent chunk of health has been removed from the boss following its first Staggered window, get ready for even more attacks in addition to those mentioned above.
- Up close, the Akashic Dragon takes to the air before using its tail to attack after a somersault. Move to the side to negate any harm.
- It now adds a laser attack from the air, which results in a horizontal line of explosions instead. The solution is the same; just avoid the areas being affected.
- The Akashic Dragon's Cauterize ability sees it fly away and attack the bridge by breathing fire. This will be in a zigzagging pattern, so make sure Clive is in the right area as the fire goes side to side.
- Lastly, the Dragon Dance move will see several attacks being delivered in a row. First, avoid the fireballs, then watch out for both a vertical and horizontal laser attack, and finally, dodge the Spinning Dive. The enemy will be down for a while after performing this, so start wailing on it using Eikonic Abilities to take advantage.
The Eikonic Abilities of Garuda will certainly come in handy when trying to attack the dragon's head, while Phoenix Shift is also an excellent tool to get players close to inflict some pain of their own. In time, the Akashic Dragon will be brought down, and players can claim the rewards of 90 XP, 120 AP, and 3000 Gil. There will also be a bunch of crafting materials to grab too.
Final Fantasy 16 is exclusively available for PlayStation 5.