The Minstrel's Ballad: Zodiark's Fall
The Minstrel’s Ballad: Zodiark’s Fall is the Extreme version of The Dark Inside trial, unlocked by speaking to the Wandering Minstrel in Old Sharlayan (X:12.7, Y:14.2) after completing the Endwalker main scenario. This fight features four phases with increasingly complex mechanic combinations and a 60-minute time limit.
Zodiark
Phase 1 - Opening
| Mechanic | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Kokytos | Raidwide | Unavoidable raidwide that leaves all party members at 1 HP. Healers must immediately restore health. |
| Paradeigma (Bird) | AoE | Bird tokens create donut AoEs with only 2 safe spots: melee range and far away from the token. |
| Paradeigma (Behemoth) | AoE | Behemoth tokens create point-blank circle AoEs. Move away from them. |
| Paradeigma (Snake) | AoE | Snake tokens create line AoEs covering one row or column of the arena. |
| Styx | Stack | Group stack attack hitting multiple times. Starts with 6 hits and increases by one hit each subsequent cast. Heavy mitigation required. |
| Ania | Tankbuster | Heavy magic damage tankbuster inflicting Umbral Rays debuff, forcing a tank swap. Small circle AoE—tanks must not clip others. |
Phase 2 - Exoterikos
| Mechanic | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Exoterikos (Red/Rectangle) | AoE | Arcane Sigil with rectangle shape covers the entire half of the arena on that side. |
| Exoterikos (Blue/Triangle) | Cleave | Arcane Sigil with triangle shape fires a large cone AoE across the arena. |
| Exoterikos (Green/Diamond) | AoE | Arcane Sigil with diamond shape creates a large line AoE covering roughly one-third of the arena. |
| Astral Flow | AoE | Arena rotates 90 degrees. Adjust your mental orientation for subsequent mechanics. |
Phase 3 - Combinations
| Mechanic | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Algedon | Cleave | Zodiark moves to a front corner and uses a large line AoE that knocks players off. Safe spots are the two adjacent corners and the opposite corner. |
| Triple Esoteric Ray | AoE | Sequential line AoEs. Dodge into the first one that fires as it becomes safe. |
| Adikia | AoE | Two large semi-circular AoEs in succession. Move in or out relative to Zodiark to dodge. |
| Phlegethon | Spread | Ground AoEs placed under all players. Spread out and reposition quickly. |
Phase 4 - Full Combinations
All previous mechanics combine with arena rotations and overlapping patterns. Be prepared for:
- Paradeigma + Exoterikos combinations
- Astral Flow + immediate follow-up mechanics
- Styx with increasing hit counts (up to 9+ hits)
Notes:
- Assign clock positions for spread mechanics.
- Tanks must swap after Ania due to the Umbral Rays debuff.
- Styx damage increases significantly as the fight progresses—save mitigation for later casts.
- No Phoenix Down is available in this trial.