Weakness Targeting

Contents

Abyssea Weakness Trigger ConditionsEdit Abyssea Weakness Trigger Conditions sectionEdit

Upon claiming/popping any NM within Abyssea, 3 types of weaknesses (Red/Blue/Yellow - see below) will be set. They will shift to a new random weakness with each battle, including if the NM goes unclaimed and de-aggros.

When a monster's weakness is struck, a pair of exclamation marks(Weakness.png) appears over its name. The effects of triggering a weakness can vary widely and are explained below. According to NPC dialog, exploiting the weakness once will grant larger treasure rewards, potentially even ones normally unavailable, but hitting the same weakness repeatedly can decrease the terror/silence/amnesia effect and remove the treasure bonus. However, exploiting each of the three types of weakness once incurs no penalties to drop rates and is theorized to boost all potential rewards.

Yellow and possibly Red weaknesses are related to the element of the previous/current/next day the NM is claimed/popped. More information is needed on the patterns Red weaknesses followInformation Needed. Regarding Blue weakness follows the current time of the day that the NM is claimed and the type of damage dealt by Physical WS (Piercing/Slashing/Blunt).

Weaknesses cannot be triggered if the weapon skill misses or if the spell is resisted ("resists the effect of the spell" or "fails to take effect"), but may still process if the weapon skill or spell hits for 0 damage, or even if it heals the enemy. Additionally weaknesses cannot be triggered while the enemy is preparing or using a TP move or casting a spell. Finally, weaknesses cannot be triggered while the enemy is already staggering (e.g., cannot trigger blue weakness while the enemy is under Red Stagger), or while the enemy is stunned. For this reason, it is generally recommended to Stun only TP moves and spells (during which enemies cannot be staggered anyway).

Certain enemies, such as those of the Iron Giant family, possess standard attacks that are considered TP moves, even if there is no indication of it in the chat log. Likewise, weaknesses cannot be triggered while these enemies are attacking. Finally, certain NMs face further restrictions as to when their weaknesses may be targeted; for example, enemies such as Chloris and Usurper cannot be staggered during the effect of their 2 Hour abilities.

Yellow weaknesses can be triggered even if the enemy absorbs the damage from the spell.

Do note that if the player who triggered the stagger (of any kind) is out of the party or zone by the time the monster is defeated, the stagger will not take effect. In addition, for red (atma/abyssite) staggers, the person who pulled/spawned the monster must also be in the party or alliance fighting the monster at the time of its death, or else the key item will not be distributed to the party/alliance.


Red Weakness Red.png WeaknessEdit Red Weakness sectionEdit

  • Weakness Red.png - gained by using a specific elemental Weapon Skill on the enemy.
    • Ensures that Atma, Abyssite, and key items will drop to the puller and/or his/her party. (Not 100%)
    • Does not ensure Demilune Abyssite upgrade on VNMs.
    • Inflicts Terror on the enemy. The message displayed in the log will read:

"Your attack staggers the fiend!
The fiend is frozen in its tracks."

  • The table below represents the weapon skills which have been repeatedly verified as potential triggers. The exact weapon skill is random, but it will always be at least one of those listed below. At this time there are no indicators that spawn or claim time are linked to the trigger element.
Red Weakness Red.png Weakness Triggers By Weapon
Weapon Type Weapon Skills
ClubSeraph StrikeTrans Light.gif
DaggerCycloneTrans Wind.gif, Energy DrainTrans Dark.gif
Great KatanaTachi: JinpuTrans Wind.gif, Tachi: KokiTrans Light.gif
Great SwordFreezebiteTrans Ice.gif
KatanaBlade: EiTrans Dark.gif
PolearmRaiden ThrustTrans Lightning.gif
ScytheShadow of DeathTrans Dark.gif
StaffSunburstTrans Light.gif, Earth CrusherTrans Earth.gif
SwordRed Lotus BladeTrans Fire.gif, Seraph BladeTrans Light.gif
Red Weakness Red.png Weakness Triggers By Element
Element Weapon Skills
LightTachi: KokiTrans Light.gif, Seraph StrikeTrans Light.gif, SunburstTrans Light.gif, Seraph BladeTrans Light.gif
DarknessEnergy DrainTrans Dark.gif, Blade: EiTrans Dark.gif, Shadow of DeathTrans Dark.gif
FireRed Lotus BladeTrans Fire.gif
EarthEarth CrusherTrans Earth.gif
WaterNone
WindCycloneTrans Wind.gif, Tachi: JinpuTrans Wind.gif
IceFreezebiteTrans Ice.gif
ThunderRaiden ThrustTrans Lightning.gif


  • If the puller or spawner of the NM is not in the party at the time of the monster's death if red stagger was triggered, the atma/abyssite drops will not be distributed to the party/alliance fighting the NM.

Yellow Weakness Yellow.png WeaknessEdit Yellow Weakness sectionEdit

  • Weakness Yellow.png - gained by casting a specific magic spell on the monster. The spell's element coincides with the element of the current day, the previous day, or the next day of the Vana'diel week. The "current day" is determined when the monster was made active (by aggro, claiming, or popping).
    • Greatly enhances drop rate for synthesis items and EA (Empyrean Armor) items (allows for additional drops of seals/cards/stones/jewels).
    • Also called "Grellow" due to the fact that the color is between yellow and green
    • Inflicts Silence on the monster. The message displayed in the log will read:

"Your attack staggers the fiend!
The fiend is unable to cast magic."

  • The table below lists verified and potential spells triggering Weakness Yellow.png, with columns sorted by the Vana'diel day of the week.

Example: if you claim or pop an NM during Waterday, look at columns Earth, Water, and Wind (Before/Current/Next days) to determine which spells to try.

Yellow Weakness Yellow.png Weakness Triggers
Spell Types Spells by element
FireEarthWaterWindIceLightningLightDark
Tier 3Fire IIIStone IIIWater IIIAero IIIBlizzard IIIThunder III--
Tier 4Fire IVStone IVWater IVAero IVBlizzard IVThunder IV--
Tier 3 -gaFiraga IIIStonega IIIWaterga IIIAeroga IIIBlizzaga IIIThundaga III--
Tier 1 Ancient MagicsFlareQuakeFloodTornadoFreezeBurst--
Divine Magic------Banish II, Banish III, Banishga II, Holy, Flash-
Dark Magic-------Aspir, Drain, Bio II
Enfeebling Magics -------Dispel
Blue MagicHeat BreathMagnetite CloudMaelstromMysterious LightIce BreakMind BlastRadiant BreathEyes On Me
NinjutsuKaton: Ni Doton: Ni Suiton: Ni Huton: Ni Hyoton: Ni Raiton: Ni -Kurayami: Ni
SongsIce ThrenodyLightning ThrenodyFire ThrenodyEarth ThrenodyWind ThrenodyWater ThrenodyDark ThrenodyLight Threnody


Blue Weakness Blue.png WeaknessEdit Blue Weakness sectionEdit

  • Weakness Blue.png - gained by using a specific physical Weapon Skill on the enemy. The required Weapon Skill will be one of a set of 45 Weapon Skills of the Slashing, Piercing, or Blunt varieties (15 each). Which type of Weapon Skill is required is based on what game time it is when the NM is claimed.
    • Greatly enhances drop rate for equipment and weapon(s).
    • Inflicts Amnesia on the mob. The message displayed in the log will read:

"Your attack staggers the fiend!
The fiend is unable to use special attacks."

  • The table below lists all reported Physical Weapon Skills triggering Weakness Blue.png, depending on the Vana'diel time of claim/force pop:
6:00-14:00 - Piercing
Weapon Type Weapon Skills
ArcherySidewinder Blast Arrow Arching Arrow Empyreal Arrow-
MarksmanshipSlug Shot Blast Shot Heavy Shot Detonator-
Dagger Shadowstitch Dancing Edge Shark Bite Evisceration-
PolearmSkewer Wheeling Thrust Impulse Drive--
14:00-22:00 - Slashing
Weapon Type Weapon Skills
SwordVorpal Blade Swift Blade Savage Blade --
KatanaBlade: Ten Blade: Ku---
AxeMistral Axe Decimation---
ScythesCross Reaper Spiral Hell---
Great AxeFull Break Steel Cyclone---
Great KatanaTachi: Gekko Tachi: Kasha---
Great SwordSpinning Slash Ground Strike---
22:00-6:00 - Blunt
Weapon Type Weapon Skills
ClubSkullbreaker True Strike Judgment Hexa Strike Black Halo
Hand-to-HandRaging Fists Spinning Attack Howling Fist Dragon Kick Asuran Fists
StaffHeavy Swing Shell Crusher Full Swing Spirit Taker Retribution

Abyssea NM Weaknesses
See the discussion page for more information about specific mobs and potential triggers.

Dynamis Weakness Trigger ConditionsEdit Dynamis Weakness Trigger Conditions sectionEdit

Enemy job: RNG THF MNK BST NIN - JOB ABILITY / Any enemy-targetable ability or physical Blood Pact: Rage, except pet commands and possibly Ventriloquy. Pet TP moves (via "Ready" command) will work.

Enemy job: PLD WAR SAM DRG DRK - Any WEAPON SKILL and some Puppetmaster Maneuvers, possibly based on current Automaton frame's deciding maneuvers for Weapon Skills

Enemy job: WHM BLM SMN BRD RDM - MAGIC / Any magical Blood Pact: Rage or enemy-targeted spell with the possible exception of cures and Odin.

You are able to proc during an enemy's 2 hour ability, it seems you can also proc during spell casting

The number of Time Extensions obtained affect your proc rate:

  • 0-2 ~> None
  • 3 ~> Low proc rate / Blue - Potentially transient Amnesia, or nothing.
  • 4 ~> Medium proc rate / Yellow - Terror/Stops 2-Hour/Able to Re-use 2-Hour
  • 5 ~> High proc rate / Red - Terror/Stops 2-Hour/Unable to Re-use 2-Hour