Accept Papalymo’s “In for Garuda Awakening” quest in The Waking Sands to unlock The Howling Eye (Hard) trial, popularly known as Garuda HM (X:6.1, Y:5.0).
You must first complete a series of prerequisite tasks before you can accept this mission, so we’ll go over the process in detail.
Quick Step-by-Step Unlock Guide
- Complete the Main Scenario Quest (MSQ) “The Ultimate Weapon” at Raubahn in Northern Thanalan (X:15.0, Y:16.0)
- Minfilia’s “A Recurring Problem” quest in The Waking Sands can be completed (X:6.9, Y:6.1)
- To finish Thancred’s quest “Ifrit Bleeds, We Can Kill It,” in The Waking Sands, you must first complete it (X:6.1, Y:5.1)
- Embrace Papalymo’s “In for Garuda Awakening” in The Waking Sands (X:6.1, Y:5.0)
- At New Gridania, speak with Serpent Commander Vorsaile Heuloix at the Adder’s Nest (X:9.7, Y:11.1)
- Visit the Natalan Aetheryte in the Central Highlands of Coerthas to sharpen your skills (X:34.3, Y:24.9)
Detailed Unlock Guide
In order to access the Howling Eye (Hard) trial, you must complete a number of prerequisite tasks, the first of which is Raubahn’s Main Scenario Quest (MSQ) titled “The Ultimate Weapon” (X:15.0, Y:16.0).
To access the trial, you must complete all of the Main Scenario Quests up to and including “The Ultimate Weapon,” the final MSQ in the chain.
To begin the Primal Questline from Minfilia in The Waking Sands (X: 6.9, Y: 6.1), you must complete “The Ultimate Weapon” MSQ.
The primals you defeated in the Main Scenario Questline (Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda) will return in this quest, as the name implies. Starting with Ifrit, you’ll confront the trio’s Hard Mode counterparts in this second encounter.
Go to Thancred (X:6.1, Y:5.1) after completing the task from Minfilia and take the “Ifrit Bleeds, We Can Kill It” quest. The Bowl of Embers (Hard) trial can be unlocked by completing this task.
Thancred’s objective requires you to defeat the Lord of Inferno in Hard Mode in his lair.
In the Waking Sands (X:6.1, Y:5.0), proceed to Papalymo and accept the “In for Garuda Awakening” task in order to begin unlocking the trial.
If the Ixals’ attempt to conjure a more powerful version of the wind primeval Garuda was successful, Papalymo will let you know about it. A ship can’t make it to her lair this time, he says; the primeval reincarnated has beefed up the fortifications of her dominion.
Go to Vorsaile Heuloix (X:9.7, Y:11.1) in New Gridania (X:9.7, Y:11.1) to meet with Garuda again.
Using the beast-man Aetheryte found by the Twin Adders, you can return to Garuda’s dominion with the help of the Serpent Commander.
The Natalan Aetheryte can be found in the Coerthas Central Highlands (X:34.3, Y:24.9), as told by Vorsaile.
Garuda’s Hard Mode variant will be unlocked after you reach the Aetheryte and complete the Howling Eye (Hard) trial.
You must have a Disciple of War or Magic job level of 50 and an average item level of 52 to be eligible for the trial.
Trial Boss: Garuda (Hard)
In Patch 2.0, Garuda HM’s trial was published, making it incredibly easy to solo the trial with a level 90 or above character. Once Garuda is defeated, use your strongest skills and disregard the game’s mechanics to your advantage.
This is how the trial works if you want to participate while synchronized.
Four rock pillars stand in the center of the trial when you first enter it. In order to get through some of the game elements, keep these pillars in mind.
- There is no way to avoid a frontal cleave strike such as the Downburst. To minimize damage, have the primary target face Garuda away from the rest of the party.
- Wrath of Garuda — An immediate AoE attack that deals damage to nearby players and stone pillars. Keep Garuda away from the stone pillars in the middle of the room to avoid damaging them.
- Frontal column assault that stuns the target. When Garuda is casting an attack, the primary target can evade it by moving out of the way of Garuda’s path.
- Without warning, Garuda will leap across the arena and unleash a powerful conal assault. You and Garuda should be separated by a stone pillar.
- An AoE attack will be cast from the middle of the arena by Garuda, who will teleport there. The harm can be mitigated and healed, but you must do both.
- This page was last modified on 8 December 2012 at 12:38. This page was last modified on 8 December 2012 at 12:38. This page was last modified on 8 December 2012 at 12:38.
- All of the arena’s stone pillars will be destroyed by Reckoning, a room-wide AoE assault. The more stone pillars there are, the less damage “Reckoning” will inflict.
- Aerial Blast” is the second phase of the fight to commence once Garuda casts it.
In the center of the arena, four whirlwinds will appear, slicing through the middle and dividing it into three sections. If you touch these whirlwinds, you’ll be knocked backward. Avoid the whirlwinds by moving Garuda to a safe area.
- There will be two underlings that can cast some of the skills of Garuda, such as “Slipstream” and “Downburst,” and they are named Chirada and Suparna. Both Chirada and Suparna will be bound to Garuda by one of two tethers. The red link increases Garuda’s damage, while the green tether heals it. Attack Garuda again after destroying the green-tethered mob and the red-tethered mob.
- Plume mob with “Razor Plumes” in the second phase, Satin Plume. Avoid a trial wipe by destroying the Satin Plume.
- Eye of the Storm – Garuda will unleash a whirlwind around the arena that will force players to the center. To avoid causing harm, stay away from the edges of the safe zone. During this period, Chirada and Suparna will also return.
Trial Rewards
| Name | Type | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Garuda’s Abandon | Firearms | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Beak | Polearm | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Blood | Katana | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Embrace | Book | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Gaze | Sword | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Honor | Rapier | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Lift | Star Globe | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Pain | Greatsword | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Plumes | Daggers | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Scream | Greataxe | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Spine | Bow | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Tail | Cane | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Talons | Fist Weapon | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Van | Staff | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda’s Will | Book | Blue (Primal Gear) |
| Garuda Card | Triple Triad Card | Basic |
| Garuda Feather | Crafting Material | Basic |
| Vortex Weapon Coffer | Other | Basic |
