Quick Reference: Ifrit Extreme

The Bowl of Embers Extreme is a fast paced fight which requires the healers to be constantly quick on their feet and very situationally aware, DPS to have enough awareness to know when to show restraint, and tanks need to know the order which numbers come on any typical clock face.

Overview

  • Tanks need to be rotating at FOUR stacks of the debuff placed on them by Ifrit's incinerate. Lesser geared tanks can swap at two or three, but three is tricky due to timing. They also need to be aware of Infernal Fetters during Nail phases, but not as much as DPS do. More on this later. Tanks also need to be aware of where they are tanking him. Start at about 1 o'clock, after plumes take him to 2 o'clock, after next plumes take him to 3 o'clock. Offtank: Be aware of OT targeted eruptions and step out of them. No need for extra damage, the healers have enough to deal with. You should be standing around Ifrit's right side, far enough away from both the dps stack and the MT to avoid erupting them.
  • DPS need to pile up behind Ifrit's left leg, ideally. DPS Ifrit, and run straight back to avoid eruptions when they spawn under the party. You need to be constantly aware of them because they happen often and if you get hit by a bunch of them you will die. During nail phases, work your way clockwise around the arena but keep an eye on health bars and give healers a chance to keep up if the party is taking too much damage. You have a bit of leeway here. If you get chained to the OT during nails, get near them, wherever they are. It is best for you to instead work on DPSing the nails nearest Ifrit during this phase as the fetters hurt less the closer you are to the OT. Do not be hit by plumes or dashes. They hurt.
  • Healers, you poor, poor healers. If anything, Ifrit EX is a test of the healers ability to micromanage everything. Healers must juggle the Searing Wind debuff for the entire fight while keeping the party topped up; a seemingly impossible combination during the later nail phases (but I believe in you.) If you really dislike your party, Searing Wind gives you the power to wipe them over and over again, it doesn't matter how good they are.

Mechanics

  • Searing Wind - Searing Wind is a periodic Area of Effect attack which bursts from whichever person has the debuff at the time, unless you have two dead healers, it will always be a healer. It is arguably the most imperative mechanic of the entire fight. The cast will go out, at random, on one of the healers at the beginning of the fight, and will go out on the other healer almost immediately after falling off of the first healer. Healers will want to have one another focus targeted and be hyper-aware of the debuff at all times. The Searing Wind target MUST be away from the party. To manage this, the SW target will go all the way to the left, away from the party. The last blast of SW will happen about 4-6 seconds before the debuff falls off, and then they can run back in and stack with the party while the other healer runs out in preparation for their debuff. The SW target runs to the left because during nail phase the party will be starting from the right and working their way clockwise around the arena. During the nail phases, if the SW debuff switches targets, the healer receiving the debuff should run to the RIGHT instead of the LEFT as the DPS will be working their way into the left side of the nails at that point. Long story short: SW Debuffed Healer MUST be away from the party!
  • Incinerate - This is the cool looking fire breath attack that Ifrit has used since normal mode. In Extreme, however, it is also how he adds stacks to the tank. The Incinerate stacks will reduce the tank's max HP which gets detrimental around the 4 or 5 stack mark depending on your gear. Tanks should be switching around 4 stacks, typically.
  • Eruption - It is exactly what you expect from eruption at this point, except that it will only come out in two forms: DPS targeted or OT targeted. DPS targeted will be multiple eruptions spawning one after the other, chasing the party as they run, akin to Ifrit Hard or Minstrel's Ballad: Ultima. OT targeted will be a single eruption directed at the OT, they can run out and back in and be fine. Eruption can not be stunned this time around.
  • Clones/Dashes - This is similar to Ifrit Hard except there will be more clones this time and the dash aoes are enormously wide. The entire party will run around the outside, being careful not to run too close to the next clone that will dash as I can not stress how stupidly wide the AoE is. If you are a healer with Searing Wind on you in this phase, you're in an unlucky position, often your best course of action is to top yourself up, eat one of the aoes and then hold your ground. You do NOT want to searing wind your party into an Ifrit dash.
  • Plumes - In Ifrit Hard you experienced a plume pattern which covered the entire arena EXCEPT for the area closest to Ifrit. These plumes will always work like that, except that they are in fixed locations which rotate slightly each time it's used. He will use it three times, once after each Hellfire cast: 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, and 3 o'clock. Each time he uses it there will be a mirrored safe spot on the exact opposite end of the arena from those locations, the healer with SW or about to receive SW, will want to head to that location rather than chilling with Ifrit. If you are going to get hit by a plume, try to only eat one, they can be tricky to dodge.
  • Nails - There are three nail phases and they are relatively simple, if a little hectic. As DPS, start on your right, and work your way clockwise around the arena. Every time a nail explodes it will do party-wide damage so do not keep killing them if your party is not topped up, let your healers have a chance. Each nail phase has more and more nails, the final nail phase has an enormous nail in the middle. Save that for last and have a melee DPS limit break ready to use on it ASAP when the last small nail goes down. During this phase you will also run into:
  • Fetters - Only tanks/DPS need to worry about this mechanic. In the second and third nail phases, chains will bind a DPS to the current OT. The bound tank and dps need to stick together as it minimizes the effects of the debuff which include: A DoT effect, increased damage taken, and reduced damage output. The OT typically needs to stay close to Ifrit unless a swap has JUST taken place, but this will mostly be up to the DPS. If a DPS becomes fettered they should move next to the OT; melee dps should then begin working on nails closer to Ifrit (with the help of the OT) until the fetters disappears, ranged should be able to maintain the correct clockwise order while next to the OT. This is only a scary mechanic if you do not stay together with your chain gang pal.

^^If you are comfortable with all of these mechanics, then Ifrit should be a cakewalk compared to Titan EX, if not a lot more forgiving. The stressful role here is healer, but it's not so bad once you get the hang of it. All of the phases are essentially the same with the same mechanics, it's just a matter of practice and precision as you move forward in the fight.