FFXIV Savage is the hard 8-player raid tier; the current one is AAC Heavyweight M9S to M12S. Clear the normal Heavyweight tier, then talk to Gabbro in Solution Nine. You need a level 100 combat job at item level 760 to 770. Rewards are item level 790 gear and 795 weapons. Extreme trials are shorter 8-player boss fights unlocked from the Wandering Minstrel.
What are FFXIV Savage raids and Extreme trials?
Savage is the high-difficulty version of each Arcadion raid floor. Every fight has a strict damage check, a hard enrage and mechanics that punish a single mistake. Extreme trials are single-boss fights at a similar skill level but shorter, and they drop weapons, totems and mounts. As of October 2026 the game is on patch 7.56, the last big Dawntrail patch before the Evercold expansion arrives in January 2027. Check our latest patch notes page for any hotfix changes.
| Fact | AAC Heavyweight Savage | Dawntrail Extreme trials |
|---|---|---|
| Group size | 8 (2 tanks, 2 healers, 4 DPS) | 8 (2 tanks, 2 healers, 4 DPS) |
| Fights | M9S Vamp Fatale, M10S Red Hot and Deep Blue, M11S The Tyrant, M12S Lindwurm | Worqor Lar Dor, Everkeep, Recollection, The Windward Wilds, Hell on Rails, The Unmaking |
| Unlock | Clear the normal Heavyweight tier, then talk to Gabbro in Solution Nine | Wandering Minstrel in Tuliyollal after the matching story quest |
| Minimum item level | 760 (M9S), 765 (M10S), 770 (M11S, M12S) | 760 for Hell on Rails, 770 for The Unmaking |
| Lockout | Weekly entry restriction removed in 7.56; a 12% Echo buff now applies | None; farm as often as you like |
| Main rewards | Item level 790 Grand Champion's gear, 795 weapon, books, M12S mount | Totems, weapons, tomestones, cards |
The Savage fights have a 90-minute instance timer, and M12S has 120 minutes because it is a two-phase fight.
How do you unlock Heavyweight Savage and Extreme trials?
Follow these steps from a fresh level 100 character:
- Finish the Dawntrail story. Most Extreme trials need the matching main scenario quest done. The Unmaking (Extreme) needs How the West Was Sung and A Grave Presentiment from patch 7.5.
- Do the earlier Arcadion tiers. The Heavyweight story follows the Light-heavyweight and Cruiserweight quests.
- Unlock the normal tier. Go to Solution Nine and talk to Yaana (around X 22.2, Y 16.6) for the quest Feral Fandom. You need item level 745 or higher.
- Clear the four normal floors. They are in Duty Finder and teach the basic shape of each fight.
- Talk to Gabbro. He stands nearby in Solution Nine (around X 22.3, Y 17.1) and opens all four Savage floors at once.
- Unlock Extremes. Visit the Wandering Minstrel in Tuliyollal (around X 11.1, Y 14.6) after each patch's story to open that patch's Extreme trial.
- Queue or form a party. Use Party Finder for Savage. Duty Finder exists, but almost everyone uses Party Finder or a static.
What do you need before you start?
- Item level. The floor minimum gets you in, but most groups expect higher. Fill slots with tomestone gear and the latest crafted set.
- Melds and food. Overmeld crafted gear with materia, bring the current raid food and the best tinctures you can afford.
- Role knowledge. Tanks need clean swaps and mitigation plans. Healers need a shield and regen plan for every raidwide. DPS need their opener and burst windows lined up with party buffs.
- Party Finder strats. Read the posted strat before joining. Groups in the Data Center usually agree on one community strategy per fight.
- Allowed tools. The in-game waymarks, timers and cooldown display are fine. Third-party plugins break Square Enix's terms, so do not use them.
If you are new to group content, start with the beginner's guide to Final Fantasy XIV and come back when your job rotation feels automatic.
Fight-by-fight overview: M9S to M12S
This is a short overview only. Every group plays slightly different strats, so follow your Party Finder listing.
M9S: Vamp Fatale
The opening floor and the friendliest entry point. Expect frequent party-wide damage, tankbusters and add phases where spread and stack positions decide the pull. Healers should plan big cooldowns for the raidwides; DPS should hold burst for the two-minute windows.
M10S: Red Hot and Deep Blue
A fight against a duo, so tanks have more to manage and the whole party must track two sources of mechanics. Once you learn the order the attacks come in, it becomes a pattern-reading test.
M11S: The Tyrant
A tough damage check with large attacks that reshape where the party can stand, plus heavy tank hits. Clean uptime matters because the enrage is tight; melee should learn safe spots so they never stop attacking.
M12S: Lindwurm
The floor boss and the tier's final exam, with two phases and a 120-minute timer. Phase one checks basic execution; phase two stacks mechanics and is where most groups spend their week. Bring your best gear here and use the Echo buff if your group is still learning.
Extreme trials at a glance
Hell on Rails (Extreme) from 7.4 and The Unmaking (Extreme) against Enuo from 7.5 are the most farmed right now. They take a few minutes each once learned and are a good warm-up for Savage.
What loot and rewards can you get?
- Savage coffers: M9S drops accessory coffers, M10S head, hands and feet, M11S body and legs, and M12S the item level 795 weapon coffer.
- Books: each floor gives an AAC Illustrated: HW Edition book, traded with Hhihwi in Solution Nine for the gear you did not get as a drop.
- Upgrade items: universal tomestones, solvents, twine and glaze to augment tomestone gear.
- Cosmetics: M12S can drop the Lowrider T1RANT mount key and an orchestrion roll.
- Extreme trials: The Unmaking (Extreme) gives two Totems of Naught per clear; ten buy a weapon. You might also get an item level 785 weapon or a card from the coffer.
Patch 7.56 removed the weekly entry restriction and the reward reduction for repeat clears, and raised the weekly Allagan tomestone of mnemonics cap from 450 to 900. Coffer drops are random, so a single clear might not give the piece you want.
Tips to clear it faster
- Learn one fight at a time; M9S and the Extremes are the best starting points.
- Use Practice parties labeled "learning" so the group expects wipes.
- Record your attempts and rewatch the pull where you died.
- Set a mitigation sheet with your co-tank and co-healer before the first pull.
- Keep 100% uptime on easy phases; most failed clears are lost damage, not deaths.
- Take the 12% Echo when you are progressing; it is there to help.
- Farm the Extremes for weapons early, because the weapon is the single biggest upgrade.
- Join a static if you plan to raid every tier, so you are not relearning strats with strangers.
When you are ready for the hardest content, read our FFXIV Ultimate raids guide, which needs an M12S clear to unlock Dancing Mad.
How can Boosting Games help?
If you want the gear, mount or achievement without weeks of Party Finder, we offer carries and coaching. Prices are starting prices as of October 2026; the exact price shows before checkout. See all options in the FFXIV services collection.
| Service | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight Savage Carry | A carry through the AAC Heavyweight Savage fights, M9S to M12S | From $29 |
| Dawntrail Extreme Trials Carry | A carry through the Dawntrail Extreme trial you pick | From $7 |
| The Unmaking Extreme Carry | A carry through The Unmaking (Extreme) against Enuo | From $13 |
| FFXIV Raid Coaching | Coaching from an experienced raider, you play every pull | From $19 |
How an order runs is explained on how it works, and raid and dungeon carries explained covers the difference between piloted and self-play. Questions? Ask Boost Up AI.
Honest risk note: Square Enix's terms do not allow account sharing, and paid boosting is against the rules of most publishers, including theirs. A piloted carry, where a booster logs in to your character, carries the most risk. Self-play, where you join the party on your own character and keep your login, carries less, and coaching carries none because nobody plays for you. Read account safety before you buy. We never sell accounts, gil, items, cheats or mods.
Get a Savage or Extreme carry
Pick the fights you need, choose self-play or piloted, and see your total before you pay.
See FFXIV servicesAsk Boost Up AIFFXIV Savage and Extreme FAQ
What item level do you need for FFXIV Heavyweight Savage?
The minimum item level is 760 for M9S, 765 for M10S and 770 for both M11S and M12S. Those numbers only let you enter. Most Party Finder groups expect a few levels higher, using tomestone gear, overmelded crafted gear and an upgraded weapon. Your job must also be level 100 and a Disciple of War or Magic.
Is there still a weekly lockout on Savage loot?
No. Patch 7.56, released on September 8, 2026, removed the weekly entry restriction on the AAC Heavyweight Savage tier, so treasure coffers appear on every clear without a reward penalty for players who cleared before. The same patch added a 12% Echo buff and raised the weekly mnemonics tomestone cap to 900. Hotfixes can change this, so check the patch notes.
Where do you unlock Savage in Dawntrail?
Finish the normal AAC Heavyweight tier first, which starts with the quest Feral Fandom from Yaana in Solution Nine. After that, talk to Gabbro, who stands next to her, to open all four Savage floors. You need a level 100 combat job. Earlier Arcadion tiers are unlocked from the same area.
Which Extreme trials are in Dawntrail?
Dawntrail has six Extreme trials as of October 2026: Worqor Lar Dor, Everkeep, Recollection, The Windward Wilds, Hell on Rails and The Unmaking. There are also Minstrel’s Ballad fights for Sphene and Necron. The newest, The Unmaking (Extreme), arrived in patch 7.5 and needs item level 770.
How long does it take to clear Savage?
It depends on your group. An experienced static can clear the early floors in an evening, while M12S can take several nights of progression. Party Finder groups vary a lot in skill. Learning the fights on normal first, watching a guide for your role and practicing with the Echo buff all cut the time down.
Can I get banned for buying a Savage carry?
Square Enix does not allow account sharing, so a piloted carry where someone logs in to your account carries real risk. Self-play, where you join on your own character, carries less, and coaching carries none. No honest service can promise that a carry will never lead to action on your account, so read our account safety page first.
Related reading: what is Final Fantasy XIV and how to win, the FFXIV Ultimate raids guide, every post in our Final Fantasy XIV guides hub, all raid and dungeon guides, and the FFXIV boosting page. Upcoming raid tiers will be listed on our coming soon page once Evercold dates are confirmed.
Sources: Console Games Wiki: AAC Heavyweight Tier (Savage), Nova Crystallis: unlocks in 7.4, Nova Crystallis: unlocks in 7.56, Console Games Wiki: The Unmaking (Extreme), Console Games Wiki: trial list, Gfinity: patch 7.5 overview.