Sigmascape V4.0 (Savage)

Overview

The urge to flip switches is almost irresistible...even when you know full well the consequences for doing so. Once more your finger moves as if of its own accord, and activates the second phase of the Savage Initiative. As the gentle arrangement drifts from the terminal, you are transported to a remembered vista of the Sigmascape, each lapping wave of the song swelling the boundary of your memories...

Strategy Notes

• Players will find themselves suspended over an endless drop into interdimensional space atop a circular platform. Should any player fall over the edge for any reason, they will suffer an immediate KO, though they can be raised after a moderate delay. After some playful boasting, Kefka gives his signature laugh from Final Fantasy VI. Once engaged in battle, Kefka will employ deceitful abilities and eventually summon the infamous Statue of the Gods to a glorious rendition of Dancing Mad.
• Just like normal mode, Kefka will employ trickery and deceit to confuse players throughout the encounter. As a rule of thumb - whenever you see question marks within a telegraph or notice question-marked orbs floating around Kefka during upcoming mechanics, all players should do the opposite of what is expected from those mechanics. For example, a straight line AoE with question marks should be stood in (rather than avoided), whereas normal telegraphs should be avoided.
• Below is a list of all mechanics you will encounter during the Sigmascape finale.
• Having displayed most of his basic abilities, the Statue of the Gods will violently erupt in the background and loom over the entire raid. From this point onward, Kefka will occasionally cast Graven Image, which causes the statue to unleash its own mechanics that will typically overlap abilities from Kefka himself. Also, certain Graven Image casts will cause Kefka to become completely impervious to attacks.
• Meanwhile, all players will also periodically drop moderate AoE circles beneath their feet for the duration of the mini-phase which everyone must avoid. After all four damage dealers have been blasted by AoEs, four players will find themselves tethered to the statue itself. All tethered players will eventually be punted a moderate distance away from the statue, thus must make an effort to avoid additional mechanics whilst remaining as close to the statue as possible to avoid being knocked over the edge.
• Thirdly, all four damage dealers will be targeted with a stack-up marker, forcing each tank and each healer to stand with a damage dealer to help soak the damage in pairs. Seeing as the knockback will resolve shortly before the stack-up markers detonate, it is wise to assign positions on the platform so that tethered players can aim themselves towards them, making it easier for everyone to pair up and soak the stack-marker as soon as the knockback has ended.

Boss Encounters

Kefka

• Mana Charge - causes Kefka to make a copy of the next AoE attack for later use, which will later be Released in the same format. Whenever you see Kefka cast Mana Charge, try to remember the next AoE ability he uses. When Released, it'll be cast in the same manner as it was copied.
• Flagrant Fire - involves one of two variations that players must react to. One involves a large stack-up marker, forcing players to group up and absorb damage, whilst the other involves multiple players being targeted with small circular markers that require everyone to spread apart. As mentioned before, players will also need to be mindful of any trickery (question marks) and do the opposite of what is expected should any be visible. For example, if you notice a large stack-up marker (with question marks rotating around Kefka), then players should spread apart instead.
• Hyper Drive - a devastating magical tankbuster against Kefka's primary target, causing the demonic clown to drop numerous heavyweights in comedic fashion onto the targets head, which should be mitigated with defensive cooldowns whenever possible. Keep in mind that Hyper Drive will also deal damage in a small AoE radius, so make sure you are not standing near the primary target whenever it is being cast.
• Mana Release - causes Kefka to utilize the previously 'copied' ability (see Mana Charge). As mentioned before, Released abilities will be executed in the same manner as they were when copied. Also, the first Mana Release will be cast at the same time as Thrumming Thunder (see below).
• Thrumming Thunder - creates large straight-line columns across the arena with visibly noticeable purple effects. Thrumming Thunder is one of the various abilities that will be used to trick players, thus everyone must watch out for question marks whenever it is being cast. If there are no question marks, players must avoid standing within a telegraph at all costs. However, if there ARE question marks, players must instead stand within an area where two of these telegraphs intersect across each other. Failing either version will result in players being ionized by vicious blasts of lightning for massive damage.
• Ultima Upsurge - an unavoidable blast of AoE from Kefka, damaging the entire raid.
• Graven Image #1 - creates a large blue orb near the left hand of the statue that will eventually blast two damage dealers with unavoidable straight-line AoEs before targeting the remaining two damage dealers with the same attack.
• Light of Judgement - bombards the entire arena with a devastating blast of light, inflicting severe and unavoidable damage to the entire raid that should be mitigated however possible.
• Mana Charge - causes Kefka to make a copy of the next AoE attacks for later use. Remember the abilities that come next and how you avoided them, as Mana Release (later in the encounter) will duplicate the attack in the same manner as it was previously used and can be avoided the same way.
• Thrumming Thunder - creates large straight-line columns across the arena once again (which may or may not involve trickery - question marks). Be sure to avoid the telegraphs if the attack is normal, or stand in an intersection if you notice any question marks.
• Blizzard Blitz - a point-blank AoE from Kefka's current location. Bear in mind that Blizzard Blitz is also subject to 'trickery', so if you notice question marks, make sure to do the opposite of what you would normally do. In either case, icicles will impale anyone out of position for heavy damage.
• Graven Image #2 - causes the statue to visibly shift sideways whilst holding an orb. After a delay, the statue will either drop the orb near its current location (west side of the arena) or cause it to fly to the eastern edge instead. In either case, all players will eventually be knocked back from the orb after a delay. Make sure you are as close to the orb as possible beforehand to avoid being knocked out of the arena.
• Graven Image #3 - causes the statue to tether all players simultaneously. Unlike before, players will need to respond based on what part of the statue they are tethered to. To start with, all damage dealers will be tethered to a particular section, whereas tanks and healers will be tethered to another.
• Graven Image #4 - causes the statue to once again spawn a large orb either to the left or right side of the arena, indicating which side is about to be blasted with a vicious attack. All players will need to move to the non-orb side to avoid being annihilated.
• Graven Image #5 - causes all players to drop AoE circles beneath their feet which must be avoided. Once resolved, players will notice an eye icon appear at the top of the tower - either a purple (normal) eye or a yellow (trick) eye with a question mark. If the eye is purple, players will need to look away from the statue to avoid Indolent Will. If the eye is yellow, players need to look towards the statue to avoid Ave Maria.
• Graven Image #6 - forces the entire raid to deal with yet another gaze attack in the form of a purple eye (look away) or yellow eye (look toward), followed by Mana Release, unleashing the same Thrumming Thunder and Blizzard Blitz combo from earlier (simultaneously, rather than one after the other). Shortly after, Kefka will blast the primary target with another Hyperdrive tank buster, followed by three consecutive Ultima Upsurge attacks, dealing tremendous raid damage over time.
• Heartless Angel - causes all players to have their HP set to 1 (similar to Charybdis, used by Alte Roite encounter in Deltascape V1.0). Predictably, Heartless Angel is typically followed by AoE-centric mechanics, pressuring healers to immediately top up the raid to prevent mass deaths.
• Ultima - an unavoidable raidwide AoE blast for heavy damage. The very first Heartless Angel will be followed by Ultima, so be wary.
• Hyperdrive - the same heavy-hitting magical tankbuster used during the previous phase, except this time, anyone hit by Hyperdrive will also suffer a vicious Bleed debuff, forcing healers to stay on their toes even if the primary target survives the initial burst damage. Just like before, make sure you are not standing close to the primary target, as there is still a minor AoE component. If you decide to incorporate a tank-swap during Hyperdrive, ensure that both tanks are standing a safe distance apart whilst taunting.
• Celestriad - executes a cocktail of all previously encountered AoE mechanics at the exact same time - namely Thrumming Thunder, Flagrant Fire, and Blizzard Blitz. Players will need to dodge these mechanics similar to how they were dodged in the previous phase, keeping in mind that Blizzard Blitz will typically involve a point-blank AoE (immediately followed by a donut AoE), and Flagrant Fire may require players to either spread apart (AoE circles) or group up (stack marker). In general, one healer will be given a stack marker, whilst all damage dealers are marked with AoE circles, forcing tanks and the second healer to group together whilst all damage dealers spread apart. Meanwhile, Thrumming Thunder will create straight-line AoEs through the center of the arena in the shape of a plus sign (+). Should you survive this onslaught of AoE and strict positioning, Kefka will follow up with another Ultima.

Duty Information

• Duty Finder: Savage Raids (Stormblood)
• Time Limit: 120 minutes
• Tomestones: 15 Poetics

Achievements

• I Am the Savage Sigma, I Am the Savage Omega I
• I Am the Savage Sigma, I Am the Savage Omega II
• I Am the Savage Sigma, I Am the Savage Omega III
• Mightier than the Sigma

Music

• Phase 1 Part 1: Dancing Mad - Movement I
• Phase 1 Part 2: Dancing Mad - Movement II
• Phase 1 Part 3: Dancing Mad - Movement III
• Phase 2: Dancing Mad - Movement IV