Final Fantasy 14: Zodiac Weapon Guide (2024)

Quick Links

  • Upgrade Zenith To Atma

  • Upgrade Atma To Animus

  • Upgrade Animus To Novus

  • Upgrade Novus To Nexus

  • Upgrade From Nexus To Zodiac

  • Upgrade Zodiac To Zeta

At the end of every major expansion in Critically-Acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy 14, there are a collection of weapons known as Relic weapons that require quite a bit of time investment to grind and create. The Zodiac Weapons are the Relic weapons available at the end of A Realm Reborn only to jobs that were available during the same expansion. Those being: Paladin, Warrior, White Mage, Scholar, Dragoon, Monk, Bard, Black Mage, and Summoner.

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Each one finishes with a unique visual effect to the weapon, making them stand out and fun to show off to your friends! So, follow this guide to help you on your journey to creating these eye-catching pieces of gear.

The Base Weapon & Upgrading To Zenith

Final Fantasy 14: Zodiac Weapon Guide (1)

To start the A Relic Reborn quests, you must first complete A Realm Reborn and then speak to Gerolt in the Northern Shroud at X:30, Y:20 with a level 50 or higher job. Before beginning your journey into creating your Relic Weapon, make sure you are currently registered as the job that you want to acquire the weapon for.

  • Creating the first base step of your Zodiac weapon is rather easy, as the in-game Journal will mostly guide you through it. To start with, you will be tasked to locate a Timeworn version of the Zodiac weapon (Each has a different name). You can handily use the Journal to locate (The location will vary based on the job, but flight will make getting any of them extremely easy). Once you have the Timeworn Weapon, you will return it to the Blacksmith, Gerolt.
  • After this, you will be tasked with bringing Gerolt a materia-enhanced weapon. The weapons themselves can usually be crafted or even purchased from the market board. the Materia's will also be available on the market board at a low price since they're not very useful anymore. Once you've obtained the weapon, return it to Gerolt.

The requested Materia type will vary depending on the job you have chosen, so check your Journal's description of the quest to make sure you're getting the right type.

  • From there, you will be sent to a location at X:32, Y:7 of the Coerthas Central Highlands map, where you will then have to complete the A Realm Reborn: The Chimera Trial as your selected job to obtain Alumina Salts. Luckily, this trial can be completed in an Unrestricted Party, so if your selected job is a high enough level, or you have a friend who doesn't mind helping you can complete this in seconds. You will then return to Gerolt once again.
  • After that, you will speak to Rowena in Mor Dhona at X:21, Y:5, who will task you with completing the Amdapor Keep dungeon as your selected job. Like before, this dungeon can be done in an Unrestricted Party to save a lot of time. After this, speak to Rowena again, and then return to Gerolt.

Next, you will be tasked to defeat several different beast tribe enemies (the type will be different for each job) with the unfinished relic weapon equipped, but just like the dungeons, this will be extremely easy if you or a helping friend are of a higher level. Enemies that you need to kill will be marked with an icon above their head, and while the area shown on the map is helpful, they can sometimes be found slightly outside of it.

  • Once you have defeated the enemies you will, again, return to Gerolt.

The next step is to defeat the trial A Relic Reborn: The Hydra with the unfinished weapon equipped. The Hydra fight can be found in Eastern Thanalan at X:14, Y:30 (The same place as the Halatali dungeon), and it can be done via Unrestricted Party just like those before, although the unfinished weapon may reduce your damage a bit. Once this is done, return to Gerolt.

Next, you will have to complete the following trials as your selected job:

  • The Bowl of Embers (Hard)
  • The Howling Eye (Hard)
  • The Navel (Hard)

Once you've acquired the requisite materials as trials rewards, return them to Gerolt.

The Final step of this stage is to simply travel to Mor Dhona and purchase 1 Radz-at-Han Quenching Oil from Auriana at X:22, Y:6 for a mere 15 Allagan Tomestones of Poetics. While you're here, you should also purchase 3 Thavnarian Mist (The items can be found in her Special Arms section) and return it to Gerolt to finally receive the first stage of your Relic Weapon!

Once you have obtained this weapon, walk over to the furnace just beside Gerolt and use the 3 Thavnairian Mist to upgrade your weapon to Zenith.

Upgrade Zenith To Atma

Final Fantasy 14: Zodiac Weapon Guide (2)

The next stage of the Relic Weapon grind has a lot of RNG. It may take a long time or go by fairly quickly. You will start by speaking to Gerolt with your Zenith weapon equipped, who will then direct you to Jalzahn across from him, who will ask you to collect and bring him 12 crystaline items which you can get from doing FATEs with a Zenith weapon equipped.

You can participate in this quest with any Zenith weapon equipped regardless of the job you started the quest as. Furthermore, you only need to unlock this quest once per character, after which you can begin your Atma grind without needing to start the quest.

The crystals can be obtained from the FATEs in the following locations:

  • Atma of the Lion: Outer La Noscea
  • Atma of the Water-bearer: Upper La Noscea
  • Atma of the Ram: Middle La Noscea
  • Atma of the Crab: Western La Noscea
  • Atma of the Fish: Lower La Noscea
  • Atma of the Bull: Eastern Thanalan
  • Atma of the Scales: Central Thanalan
  • Atma of the Scorpion: Southern Thanalan
  • Atma of the Archer: North Shroud
  • Atma of the Goat: East Shroud
  • Atma of the Maiden: Central Shroud

The drop rate for Atmas is the same regardless of what FATEs you do, and you're ranking in the FATE as long as it is completed. If people are willing to help, more people are recommended along with the use of your Chocobo to make this go by much more quickly. Once you have all the Atmas, return them to Jalzahn with your Zenith weapon unequipped, and he will reward you with the Atma weapon.

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Upgrade Atma To Animus

Final Fantasy 14: Zodiac Weapon Guide (3)

After receiving your Atma weapon, speak with Jalzahn again with the Atma weapon equipped, and he will send you to Rowena in Mor Dhona, who will then send you to G'jusana, who is also in Mor Dhona at X:22, Y:7. The quest will end here, but the grind continues.

To complete the Animus stage, you must complete 9 Trials of the Braves, which she will sell to you one at a time for 100 Allagan Tomestones of Poetics. Each book contains a list of challenges for you to complete. Specifically, they will consist of:

  • 10 Monsters
  • 3 Dungeons
  • 3 FATEs
  • 3 Levequests

Of course, all the dungeons can be done in an Unrestricted Party, and the monsters and Levequests will go by much more quickly if you have a higher level. However, you must be equipped with the Atma weapon you wish to upgrade when purchasing a book and must complete the challenges with it equipped too (Although for dungeons, you only need to equip it for the last boss). Once you have completed all 9 of the books, you can return to Jalzahn with your Atma weapon unequipped, and he will reward you with the Animus weapon.

Just like with the Atma quest, the quest to begin your Animus phase only occurs once per character, and you can go straight to G'jusana to begin buying books on your 2nd Relic weapon.

Upgrade Animus To Novus

Final Fantasy 14: Zodiac Weapon Guide (4)

With the Animus weapon equipped, speak to Jalzahn, who will send you to Mutamix Bubblypots in Central Thanalan at X:23, Y:13. Afterward, speak to Hubairtin, and then travel to Mor Dhona. Speak to Rowena, and then to Auriana to purchase 3 bottles of Superior Enchanted Ink, which you will return to Hubairtin for him to use in creating a Sphere Scroll for your Animus weapon.

From here, you must speak with Hubairtin and meld 75 pieces of Materia to your Animus weapon using Alexandrite to increase its strength. Once this is completed, the weapon will become a Novus weapon.

Being level 50 equipment, Zodiac weapons aren't used for their stats anymore, so you can do this phase with whatever Materia is easier (or cheaper) for you to get. You must start with Tier 1 Materia, and the weapon will require higher Tiers as you meld more of that Materia.

How To Gather Alexandrite

  • Completing FATEs with your Animus weapon equipped.
  • Purchased from the Hunt Billmaster in Limsa Lominsa, Gridania or Ul'dah for 50 Allied Seals.
  • Treasure chests using Mysterious Maps, which can be obtained from the daily Morbid Motivation quest in Mor Dhona or purchased from Aurianna in Mor Dhona for 75 Tomestones of Poetics. These chests will reward you with 5 Alexandrite.

Alexandrite will randomly drop from FATEs if you earn at least a gold rank for it. You do not need to equip your Animus weapon for Mysterious Maps, and if you do them as a party, only the Map owner will obtain the Alexandrite.

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Upgrade Novus To Nexus

Final Fantasy 14: Zodiac Weapon Guide (5)

To begin the grind for your Nexus weapon, players must complete the quest "Mmmmmm, Soulglazed Relics," which simply has them talk to Jalzahn and Gerolt a few times. After which, speak to Jalzahn with your Novus weapon equipped and select your Novus weapon for soulglazing. Players must participate in Dungeons, Trials, FATEs, Treasure Hunts, Alexandrite Maps and PvP.

Most of these activities can be done pretty quickly through Unrestricted Parties, and all have a value that will contribute to the weapon's advancement.

Only content that was available during A Realm Reborn will reward you light; any content from later expansions will not.

The levels of light offered from content will be displayed in the chat log as the following:

Light Levels

Light Points

Feeble

8

Gentle

16

Bright

32

Brilliant

48

Blinding

96

Newborn Star

128

By viewing their Novus weapon using the Zodiac Glass from the "Mmmmmm, Soulglazed Relics" quest, players can view the light activity of their weapon, which will roughly display how many points it has.

Light Activity

Light Points

No Activity

0-199

Indistinct Activity

200-399

Faint Activity

400-599

Slight Activity

600-799

Modest Activity

800-999

Distinct Activity

1000-1199

Robust Activity

1200-1399

Vigorous Activity

1400-1599

Intense Activity

1600-1799

Extreme Activity

1800-1999

Bursting Activity

2000+

All the A Realm Reborn pieces of content each have a base amount of points and then a bonus amount of points. However, the bonuses will switch out every 2 hours, so it can be difficult to go for these specifically. If you're running an Unrestricted Party, farming The Aurum Vale dungeon will be the quickest way to farm light.

Content

Base Light

Bonus Light

Bowl of Embers (Normal)

Feeble

?

FATEs

Feeble

None

Treasure Hunts

Feeble

None

Alexandrite Maps

Gentle

None

Hard Trials

Gentle

Bright

The Minstrels Ballad: Ultima's Bane

Gentle

Bright

The Binding Coil of Bahamut - Turn 4

Gentle

Bright

Extreme Trials

Bright

Brilliant

The Binding Coil of Bahamut - Turns 1, 2, 5

Bright

Brilliant

The Second Coil of Bahamut (Including Savage)

Bright

Brilliant

The Final Coil of Bahamut

Bright

Brilliant

Sastasha

Brilliant

Blinding

The Tam-Tara Deepcroft

Brilliant

Blinding

Copperbell Mines

Brilliant

Blinding

Halatali

Brilliant

Blinding

The Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak

Brilliant

Blinding

Haukke Manor

Brilliant

Blinding

Brayflox's Longstop

Brilliant

Blinding

The Sunken Temple of Qarn

Brilliant

Blinding

Cutter's Cry

Brilliant

Blinding

The Stone Vigil

Brilliant

Blinding

Dzemael Darkhold

Brilliant

Blinding

The Aurum Vale

Brilliant

Blinding

The Wanderer's Palace

Bright

Brilliant

Castrum Meridianum

Brilliant

Blinding

The Praetorium

Brilliant

Blinding

Amdapor Keep

Bright

Brilliant

Pharos Sirius

Bright

Brilliant

Copperbell Mines (Hard)

Bright

Brilliant

Halatali (Hard)

Bright

Brilliant

Brayflox's Longstop (Hard)

Bright

Brilliant

Hullbreaker Isle

Brilliant

Blinding

The Tam-Tara Deepcroft (Hard)

Brilliant

Blinding

The Stone Vigil (Hard)

Brilliant

Blinding

Snowcloak

Brilliant

Blinding

Sastasha (Hard)

Brilliant

Blinding

The Keeper of the Lake

Brilliant

Blinding

The Borderland Ruins (Secure)

Brilliant

Blinding

The Labyrinth of the Ancients

Brilliant

Blinding

Syrcus Tower

Blinding

Newborn Star

The World of Darkness

Blinding

Newborn Star

After reaching 2000 Light and the Bursting Activity Tier, Return to Jalzahn and select the "Relic Weapon Novus Enhancement" option.

Upgrade From Nexus To Zodiac

Final Fantasy 14: Zodiac Weapon Guide (6)

To begin working on advancing to the Zodiac stage of your weapon, players have a few quests that they must complete, the first being "Wherefore Art Thou, Zodiac." This is a quest that simply has you talk to Jalzahn and Gerolt a few times, after which you must complete the following quests:

  • A Ponze of Flesh from Papana in Mor Dhona at X:22, Y:7
  • Labor of Love from Guiding Star in Mor Dhona at X:21, Y:6
  • A Treasured Mother from Brangwine in Mor Dhona at X:22, Y:6
  • Method in His Malice from Adkin in Central Thanalan at X:23, Y:13

Each of these quests requires you to collect a variety of items from crafting, buying, and dungeon drops, some of which will not be available until the quest has been accepted.

Purchased Items

Item

Cost

Location

4 Bombard Core

20,000 Company seals per item 80,000 total

Any Grand Company Quartermaster (Requires Second Lieutenant rank)

4 Sacred Spring Water

200 Allagan Tomestones of Poetics per Item 800 total

Aurianna in Mor Dhona

1 Bronze Lake Crystal

100,000 Gil

Junkmonger in Upper La Noscea X:26, Y:26

1 Allagan Resin

100,000 Gil

Merchant & Mender in Southern Thanalan X:15, Y:29

1 Furite Sand

100,000 Gil

Merchant & Mender in Coerthas Central Highlands X:13, Y:16

1 Brass Kettle

100,000 Gil

Tool Supplier & Mender in North Shroud X:29, Y:19

Crafted Items

Item

Job

Material

Perfect Firewood (High Quality)

Carpenter

Aged Spear Shaft Desynthed from Aged Spear

Perfect Pestle (High Quality)

Blacksmith

Aged Pestle Pieces Desynthed from Aged Pestle

Perfect Mortar (High Quality)

Armorer

Aged Mortar Pieces Desynthed from Aged Mortar

Furnace Ring (High Quality)

Goldsmith

Aged Eye of Fire Desynnthed from Aged Ring

Perfect Vellum (High Quality)

Leatherworker

Aged Vellum Desynnthed from Aged Grimoire

Perfect Cloth (High Quality)

Weaver

Stained Cloth Desynnthed from Aged Robe

Perfect Pounce (High Quality)

Alchemist

Dried Ether Desynnthed from Aged Phial

Tailor-Made Eel Pie (High Quality)

Culinarian

Vintage Cooking Sherry Desynnthed from Aged Decanter

You will need the Tier 1 Master Recipe book to unlock these items for crafting. These items can be traded from players or even purchased from the Marketboard if it's easier. The source items for desynthing can be purchased from the Merchant & Mender in Western Thanalan at X:15, Y:29. Each one costs 3,000 gil.

Dungeon Items

Item

Dungeon

Horn of the Beast

Dzemael Darkhold

Gobmachine Bangplate

Brayflox's Longstop (Hard)

Narasimha Hide

Halatali (Hard)

Sickle Fang

Snowcloak

Vale Bubo

The Aurum Vale

Voidweave

Haukke Manor (Hard)

Amdapor Vellum

The Lost City of Amdapor

Indigo Pearl

Sastasha (Hard)

Tonberry King Blood

The Wanderer's Palace

Royal Gigant Blood

Copperbell Mines (Hard)

Kraken Blood

Hullbreaker Isle

Vicegerent Blood

The Sunken Temple of Qarn (Hard)

Lost Treasure of Amdapor

Amdapor Keep

Lost Treasure of Pharos Sirius

Pharos Sirius

Lost Treasure of the Tam-Tara Deepcroft

The Tam-Tara Deepcroft (Hard)

Lost Treasure of the Stone Vigil

The Stone Vigil (Hard)

These items can only be acquired once the quests are activated and the items become a quest objective. They will be rewarded once the player finishes and leave the dungeon. You can complete the dungeons in an Unrestricted Party with any job and any weapon, and you will still be rewarded with the item.

Once all of these quests have been completed, you will have to complete the "His Dark Materia" quest from Gerolt that simply has you talk to Gerolt and Mutamix Bubblypots. Afterward, Speak to Jalzahn and select the "Zodiac Weapon Recreation" option. The dialogue will tell you there's only a 1.4% chance it'll work and that the relic will be lost if it fails. In truth, it is a 100% guaranteed success.

Upgrade Zodiac To Zeta

Final Fantasy 14: Zodiac Weapon Guide (7)

To begin the final stage of upgrading your weapon, players must complete the "Vital Title" quest, which will have them speak to Gerolt and Jalzahn to begin the "Rise and Shine" quest, which will send them to Remon in Western La Noscea at X:34, Y:31. Once they have completed the quest, players can speak with Remon to purchase a Mahatma for 50 Allagan Tomestones of Poetics each.

This stage is a repeat of the Novus stage, requiring players to farm light from FATEs, Trials, and Dungeons to awaken the Mahatmas within their Zodiac weapon. They must do this for all 12 Mahatma and can only possess one at a time.

However, This stage is much faster as most dungeons will fully awaken a Mahatma within 2 runs (Excluding Pharos Sirius, Copperbell Mines (Hard), and Brayflox's Longstop (Hard))

Once this is done players can return to Jalzahn and select the "Zodiac Weapon of Awakening" option to fully awaken their weapon.

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Final Fantasy 14: Zodiac Weapon Guide (2024)
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