Unveiling the Ultimate Final Fantasy 16: Awakening Guide

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How to Beat Garuda

Benedikta's sudden transformation into Garuda leaves Clive, Cid, and Torgal in a precarious situation as they urgently need to devise a new plan to locate the Dominant of Fire. With her powers spiraling out of control, Garuda poses a significant threat to the surrounding area. As Clive finds himself separated from his companions, he bravely continues his mission alone.

Players of Final Fantasy 16 can anticipate a forthcoming battle with Garuda, as implied by the context. Although the eleventh main scenario quest, titled "Awakening", is relatively brief, it encompasses a substantial amount of action and narrative. As Final Fantasy 16 players venture into the tempest caused by Garuda, they should be aware of the following details as they embark on the quest "Awakening". It is advisable for players to exercise caution as this walkthrough contains spoilers.

Follow the Hooded Man

In "Awakening," players of Final Fantasy 16 are faced with a single choice - to ascend the steps and follow a mysterious man who is believed to be the Dominant of Fire. Despite his disappearance moments later, players are encouraged to continue their ascent. Garuda, a formidable creature, briefly taunts players before taking flight once again. No items can be found in this area, so the focus remains on progressing up the stairs.

Throughout the journey, the enigmatic man will repeatedly appear and vanish, a sequence that is predetermined and cannot be altered by players. The key is to persevere and continue climbing the stairs. Periodically, Garuda will swoop down, creating a sense of impending danger. Finally, at the end of the path, players must climb a ledge to proceed further. By taking a left turn, they will reach the pinnacle of the path, where the Dominant of Fire awaits their arrival. As players draw near to him, a captivating cutscene will unfold, signaling the commencement of a challenging boss battle.

How to Beat Garuda

The confrontation with Garuda commences when Clive is seized by the formidable creature. This provokes a series of Cinematic Strikes, although they inflict minimal damage and serve mainly as an interactive cinematic spectacle. Subsequently, the actual battle against Garuda ensues, during which she unleashes a powerful ground slam attack with her wings. Players can effectively evade most of these assaults by utilizing aerial maneuvers at the opportune moment.

In the early stages of the battle, players of Final Fantasy 16 are provided with a tutorial on takedowns. When a formidable enemy is partially staggered, players have the option to utilize Deadly Embrace to fully stagger them. As Garuda's health depletes to 50%, she will initiate an ability known as Aerial Blast. During the execution of this ability, Garuda will unleash a continuous onslaught of tornadoes and other wind-based attacks. It is crucial for players to focus on evading all of these attacks until Aerial Blast subsides.

Furthermore, it is important to monitor the status of Gardua's Will Gauge, as having the ability to perform a takedown significantly facilitates damaging Garuda while avoiding getting hit. Once Garuda's health diminishes to 10% or lower, the battle can be considered essentially finished. Consequently, a sequence of Cinematic Strikes is triggered, leading to the defeat of Garuda by the players.

Ifrit Vs. Garuda

As Ifrit, players can engage in close combat using the 'Square' button for melee attacks.

'Triangle': Ranged Attack

'R1': Evade

Garuda will attempt to maintain distance, so it is important to evade her attacks while utilizing ranged attacks to counter her. Once her ranged attack has been neutralized, employ the skill of Lunge to swiftly close the gap and deliver a barrage of close-range melee strikes.

Wait until Garuda finishes casting an ability with a specific name before using lunge, as it cannot interrupt it. This will help you avoid unnecessary damage. As you continue damaging Garuda, you will encounter periodic Cinematic Strikes and Cinematic Clashes. Make sure to complete these to inflict additional damage on the boss. Eventually, the rest of the fight will primarily consist of Cinematic Clashes, culminating in Garuda being defeated when Ifrit unleashes Hellfire. Following this, a series of cutscenes will conclude this main scenario quest.

Final Fantasy 16 is available now on PlayStation 5.