Square Enix have announced the launch of the Moonfire Faire 2021 event in Final Fantasy XIV; and we’re going to help you with our guide.
Inspired by real life Japanese summer festivals, The Moonfire Faire usually challenges players with beating the heat; all too literally as they fend off fiery Bombards from ruining the fun. In exchange, players can nab themselves items. Past years’ gear is only available via the Mogstation, so you can understand the mad dash to clear the time-limited challenge; ending August 26th.
So we’re here to help! Here’s a lightning-fast guide to a rather easy-breezy Summer quest.
First off, players will need to be level 30. Any lower, and you can’t turn the quest in when you complete it. It’s also a good idea you know where Costa Del Sol is- it’s in Eastern La Noscea. Your quest will start in Limsa Lominsa, where you should speak to the green-haired Lalafell at the center of the celebrations in the Aftcastle. Just look for the Bombard lanterns in the middle.
He’ll explain local gillionaire and owner of Costa Del Sol Gegeruju is calling upon culinarians to make the best dessert to keep cool. Head over to Costa Del Sol, and swim out to the island just off the cost to the north. This is known as the Island of Eternal Summer.
After chatting to the NPCs in order, you’ll learn that the chef managed to get their special ice, but not before their ship was utterly wrecked by a giant icy Bombard. You’ll be called upon to fell the beast in a FATE. Don’t worry if NPCs turn up like you’re supposed to know them, they’re from past events. This may even be the first time you’ll see a Viera NPC!
FATEs are basically overworld quests that spawn for a limited time. Thankfully, this one will spawn rather quickly- every five minutes or so. While waiting, check out the other players and maybe do some dancing. You’ll know when the FATE is about to begin as NPCs will mention being chilly before running for their lives. The icy Bombards swarm the beaches, but you’re going to be focused on the biggest one!
The battle doesn’t truly start until the beast can be targeted, but once you do it’s a rather simple affair. The AOEs have plenty of time to dodge, just don’t get greedy with your attacks. At one point it’ll become invincible, so you’ll need to attack the Ice Sprites that surround it. Whack them enough, and it’ll break out of its invulnerability.
Once beaten, players just need to chat to the NPC, accept the next quest nearby, chat to some more NPCs, and they’re done! Their reward for all this is a Polar Beat mount. On top of being rather sweet and cuddly, it has a special action to summon a giant magic snowflake above its head, and make ice rain down from above. It won’t do anything in a fight, but it looks nice.
You can also spend the Moonfire Vouchers you got from the FATE. The top items are a Moonfire Mask Stall for outside your housing, and two delicious kinds of food for inside.
Keep in mind I just said “inside.” Yes, even though they’re food, they can only be eaten once you place them on a table in a house (unlike your normal foodstuffs). They grant stat bonuses for 30 mins; Vitality, gear durability, EXP, and Skill Speed or Critical Hit Bonus depending on what you pick. While they can only be used 10 times, keep in mind they won’t stack in inventory.
If inventory space is tight, also consider the seasonal fireworks you can buy can’t be stored in the Armoire. There’s also a short cooldown between using them. Maybe celebrate after a successful dungeon, or gather with the others on Costa Del Sol.
You can nab one copy of everything with just 15 vouchers, but you won’t get any experience or gil for repeating the FATE. So kick back and enjoy the firework display when the game rolls around to night time in Costa Del Sol. They’ll also be fireworks in Limsa Lominsa, Gridania, and Ul’Dah!
But hark, what’s this? You don’t have a swimming costume! Well it’s not exactly part of the event, but if you want to get into the Summer spirit, we can help a little more.
You can buy swimsuits from past Moonfire Faire events at a premium, along with past items. In fact, along with a sale until August 27th on those items, there is also the new Summer’s Flame Attire, the Flame Dance emote, an Authentic Water Bomb Stand for your housing or… A Cruise Chaser mount that can transform between a robot and a jet. Well, even if it’s not exactly summer, up to two players can ride it.
If you’re a little tight on cash, those who have gotten further into the game aren’t entirely out of luck. If you have access to Revenant’s Toll in Mor Dhona and a few achievements under your belt, you might be able to grab some last second swimming costumes. Talk to Jonathas in Gridania; you can find him in the old Gridania half, by Apkallu Falls.
While he will be discontinued in a future major patch, for now Jonathas will give you Achievement Certificates depending on how many achievements you’ve completed. ConsoleGamesWiki note that for just over every 50 points an achievement you can gain one certificate. While all these items will be tied to their own achievements, you want the Cascadier Uniform Voucher for two certificates.
(As an aside; for those not interested in the swimming costume, you can pick up some mounts, some costume pieces, music for your orchestration roll, chocobo barding, and minions. The minons are of note for all having different skills in the Golden Saucer’s Lord of Verminion game. If you want something good, nab the Wind-up Odin and Wind-up Minion of Light. Check out this guide for easy wins.)
You can turn in the Cascadier Uniform Voucher at Revenant’s Toll to Aelina; she’s one of the three girls under the big tent. Ask her about Uncanny Knickknacks, and you can get the Blacksummer chest and legs armor. Keep in mind you’ll need two vouchers for top and bottom, but guys can probably get away with just bottoms.
All you have to do now is nab some Glamour Prisms to have them cast over your gear. Or if you don’t care about fighting, just wear ’em. Though I wouldn’t recommend fighting a level 30 Bombard, or anything else, while in them.
There’s Lalafell merchant to the left of the big tent (Tataroga, purveyor of prisms) who not only sells Glamour Dispellers for when you’re done, but the Emperor’s set of gear so you can glamour over certain armor slots to be truly empty. Remember; if you apply a Glamour Plate, any unfilled slots will not be changed.
You can just cast the glamour on each piece of armor you’re wearing directly. Though its hard to argue why you wouldn’t set up the plate for next year.
And there you have it! You got a new cuddly friend, some tasty treats, probably saw some bunnygirls and catgirls in bikinis, got rid of your blue balls, and may have gotten some new duds in the process. Enjoy the fireworks, and the rest of your time in Final Fantasy XIV.
Final Fantasy XIV is available to Windows PC, (via the SE Store, and Steam), PlayStation 4, and coming soon to PlayStation 5, and Xbox One (though the latter was announced two years ago). A free trial is available, including the base game and the first expansion with some limitations. In case you missed it, you can find our Shadowbringers expansion review here (we can’t recommend it enough!)
The next expansion; Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, launches November 23rd.
Image: Twitter
