Final Fantasy 14 is the second MMORPG in the famous JRPG series by Square Enix. From its highly strategic approach to conquering dungeons to overcoming challenging bosses to a main storyline that is considered by many to be top-tier in the series, Final Fantasy 14 is certainly proof of the adage "Success through Perseverance."
One particular element that Final Fantasy 14 brings to the table in spades is its memorable boss fights. Almost all the dungeon bosses in Final Fantasy 14 will challenge your knowledge of the game mechanics. The buildup to the boss fight itself is enhanced with fascinating dungeon lore, and the accompanying music is composed by Nobuo Uematsu in top form. The ones below are the upper echelons of the game in all aspects.
10 Eros
At the tail end of the level 75 Quitana Ravel dungeon in the Shadowbringers expansion is the three-headed chimera, Lightwarden Eros. The dungeon itself is memorable thanks to a catchy soundtrack. The boss is a twisted take on its namesake, Eros. Its design is a grotesque yet weirdly beautiful combination of different beasts.
You will find Eros at the end of the Rak’tika Greatwood area. The lore behind Eros hits all the Lovecraftian tropes on the head.
9 Spectral Berserker
A nice and satisfying dungeon to bookend the Shadowbringers expansion pack, The Heroes Gauntlet is the greatest hit of sorts in regard to its design. You will also be facing some epic bosses here based on classic RPG classes such as a thief and a necromancer, with the last one you will be facing in this dungeon being a berserker.
The Spectral Berserker has a pretty straightforward plan of attack; it's head-on, which is pretty apt for the class he is based on. He hits like a truck but also has the maneuverability of one. Hit-and-run will be a viable strategy here. The entire dungeon is an enjoyable trip down memory lane.
8 Anima
A Final Fantasy 10 alumni who make an appearance in the Tower of Babil dungeon is the menacing Anima. His appearance in Final Fantasy 14 is nearly identical to his original counterpart, except that this version has masculine features rather than the predecessor's more feminine physical traits.
The first phase of this boss battle is a pretty straightforward affair. However, the second phase will add a gauge that, once filled, will wipe out the entire party. Prevent this by throwing everything at the lower half of his body.
7 The Magus Sisters
The Magus Sisters are dungeon bosses that you will encounter at the end of the Tower of Zot. You will be facing all three of the sisters at the same time, making this one of the more chaotic boss battles in Final Fantasy 14, as a lot of AoE attacks will fill up your screen.
This is a difficult yet fun boss battle, and the key to success is not getting overwhelmed by The Magus Sisters’ relentless spells. You will need to focus on Cinduruva first, as she is the healer of the trio. Taking her down as fast as possible will significantly reduce the struggle you will go through compared to when all three are present in the battle.
6 The Big Cheese
With such a cheesy name (pun intended), you might think that The Big Cheese will be more of a pushover compared to the other dungeon bosses you have fought prior. In a way, you are right. However, most of the difficulty you will face with The Big Cheese is with learning the mechanics.
Positioning in the arena will be an integral aspect of the boss fight, and if you just charge at it all willy-nilly, you will quickly find yourself face down on the pavement. This is a fun boss fight in that it challenges your understanding of the mechanics introduced in boss fights and your ability to formulate a strategy on the fly. The only question is, can you and your party adapt in time?
5 Nidhogg
Located deep within the cavernous Aery, which is included with the Heavensward expansion, Nidhogg is the vicious dragon of Final Fantasy 14 with a bone to pick with Ishgardians. Accompanied by the haunting "Dragonsong" theme, this boss fight weighs heavily on the overall lore of the game.
Of course, the melancholic music will switch to a more traditional epic Final Fantasy boss theme titled Freefall, which captures what’s at stake for both sides of the century-long Dragonsong War.
4 Yojimbo
A fan favorite from Final Fantasy 10 makes an appearance at the end of the Kugane Castle dungeon. Yojimbo’s appearance as the third and final boss of this Japanese-inspired dungeon is pretty apt given his appearance and namesake.
Of course, you will also need to contend with his trusty mutt, Daigoro. As a boss fight, Yojimbo has an interesting mechanic wherein the damage he deals is based upon how much money Daigoro accumulates around the arena. As such, being able to pick up as much coin as possible should be a priority for you and your party. Yojimbo also loves to use the Zanmato attack, which scales depending on how much money Daigoro can retrieve during the Payday phase.
3 Hermes
Hermes is the last boss you will need to conquer in the Ktisis Hyperboria dungeon included in the Endwalker expansion. True to his name, Hermes is all about speed, and you will need to match up his incredible mobility with quick thinking if you want to best this boss.
Besides being a speed demon, Hermes can also cast Double and Quadruple, which is bad news if your party is already struggling, as the next spells he cast will hit twice to four times.
2 The Mist Dragon
Found in The Burn raid dungeon from the Stormblood expansion, The Mist Dragon is an interesting dungeon boss. If you dive in unprepared, The Mist Dragon will undoubtedly catch you by surprise with its punishing attacks that hit like a freight train. The sudden spike in difficulty that this dungeon boss brought to the table certainly made it one of the more challenging boss fights in the game.
The dungeon itself is aesthetically distinctive with its white, barren desert that hammers in the feeling of desolation. The Mist Dragon perfectly accentuates the theme of the dungeon and is a nice skill check for those who thought that they could breeze through the game by brute force on higher levels.
1 Therion
One of the best dungeons in the Shadowbringers expansion, fittingly, has one of the most visually stunning boss fights in the game. Therion has a Lovecraftian vibe to it, which is a suitable look considering the battle will take place in outer space.
Therion is a large, generally stationary boss, which might sound good at first, until you find out that the arena is one narrow pathway and behind Therion is enveloped in flames. Also, you can absolutely fall off the sides of the platform, so running around in a panic whenever Therion charges forward is to your detriment.