FFXIV Heavensward: The Fractal Continuum Dungeon Guide

This is the final level 60 dungeon that launched with the initial 3.0 Heavensward expansion. This dungeon can only be unlocked after completing the 3.0 storyline. Upon completing the quest for Fractal Continuum, you’ll receive a new minion. In this guide I’ll cover everything you need to know for a quick and easy run of the dungeon.

Phantom Ray:

This boss hits really hard. Healer needs to be on point with heals, tank with mitigation, and DPS with positioning. Overall the fight itself is easy, if you can handle Phantom Ray’s damage output.

Attacks:

• Rapid Sever: A four-hit attack doing quite a bit of damage, especially later in the fight. You should make sure you’re capped to full health or have a strong mitigation skill to deal with this.
• Atmospheric Displacement: Room wide AoE dealing minor damage.
• Double Sever: A double Conal AoE that casts twice. The second cast is always perpendicular to the first. Every even-numbered pairing also contains a multi-circle ground AoE Laser attack.
• Damage Up Buff: Just before every second Double Sever pair (the laser set) Phantom Ray receives a stacking damage up buff. This makes the fight a DPS race, as eventually Rapid Sever becomes too much, especially when he starts double casting it.

Minotaur:

I’d like to consider this an homage to the Brothers GF in Final Fantasy 8, but there is really no concrete evidence supporting that. This boss actually uses similar attack patterns to the big Gigas FATE in Central Coerthas. Be sure to keep an eye on the Swipes. Step through Minotaur for 11-Tonze (Tank only), run away for 111-Tonze, and activate a tube for 1111-Tonze.

Attacks:

• 11-Tonze Swipe: A massive hitting frontal cleave. This did approximately half my health in the recording. Also knocks back. To avoid this one, walk through Minotaur. Running away doesn’t seem to help.
• 111-Tonze Swipe: A circular AoE around the boss, doesn’t quite deal as much damage as 11-Tonze, but it could decimate melee DPS. Also knocks back.
• Disorienting Groan: A room wide AoE that deals a miniscule amount of damage. Also knocks players back.
• Zoom In: Follows Disorienting Groan. Dashes at players randomly dealing damage and knocking them back.
• 10-Tonze Slash: A frontal AoE that stretches the full length of the room. Can’t tell if this is a line AoE or a conal AoE. From the front it looks like a line, from the back it appears to be a conal AoE.
• 1111-Tonze Swipe: A room wide AoE, likely a 1-shot mechanic, but haven’t tested it. To stop the cast, interact with one of the four test tubes around the room. 

The Curator:

This fight kind of reminds me of Tetris, you’ll understand when you get there. It’s more about placement and mitigation than anything else. Just keep on your toes for this fight. Avoid mines, kill adds, and move out of lit squares, and you’ll be fine.

Attacks:

• Sanctification: A frontal cleave dealing moderate damage.
• Unholy: Minor damage AoE.
• Clockwork Alarum: These adds walk across the room. As they do so, the squares below them light up. Later The Curator will detonate these squares. Kill them quickly to give you more mobility during detonation. More spawn the further into the fight you get.
• Aetherochemical Explosive: I’m not sure what this actually does. It places an Aetherochemical Bomb debuff on the target, but what the debuff actually does I do not know.
• The Educator: The Curator lights up several squares. Upon lighting these squares, all lit squares will detonate. This also clears any mines on the field.
• Mines: Mines are placed throughout the fight. Avoid the squares they land on. They deal damage, have a mild knockback, and apply a stacking Vulnerability Up debuff.
• Ground Circle AoEs: I’m not sure the name of this attack, but after 50% The Curator starts targeting players with these AoEs.

That wraps up everything you need to know for The Fractal Continuum. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns please leave them down below. For other 3.0 content, be sure to check out my Heavensward guide list.