Set in the vast world of FFXIV, extreme trials are harder versions of existing trials, and all require you to complete the normal version of a trial before they can be unlocked. Completing Extreme Trials requires a team willing to communicate locations and patterns, and completing them can earn your advanced gear and other rewards, such as mounts, weapons, and totems.

From A Realm Reborn to the latest expansion, Dawntrail, each expansion has brought new Extreme Trials for players to take on. This guide will detail how to unlock these exciting challenges step by step, as well as the unique rewards they offer.

A Realm Reborn

Most Trials are unlocked by talking to Urianger in Waking Sands (located in Western Thanalan), but ARR has some tricky unlocking methods, and he will give you a quest chain starting with Primal Nature, and you must unlock them in order.

Luckily, for players above level 70, these fights can be completed quickly in an asynchronous setting. If not, feel free to form a party finder group and some veteran players will come to help you, as they will be rewarded with Poetics and Wondrous Tails retries. For new players who want to feel a sense of accomplishment in the game, it is possible to complete the quest quickly by obtaining some FFXIV Gill to upgrade your equipment.

The rewards for Extreme Trials of A Realm Reborn are mainly horses. After collecting all six mounts (excluding Nightmare), you can unlock Kirin mount through the quest A Legend for a Legend.

Heavensward

Unlike ARR quests, Heavensward quests can be completed in any order, and different quests correspond to different bosses. For example, Diabolical Bismarck quest unlocks Bismarck’s Limitless Blue (Extreme), while Thok Around Clock quest unlocks Ravana’s Thok ast Thok (Extreme).

There are two more quests that unlock Heavensward Extreme Challenges from Alys in Mor Dhona, Thordan’s Reign and Nidhogg’s Rage. Finally, you can find Bertana in Idyllshire or Rowena’s Representative in Ishgard to get looted.

Mounts in Heavensward are called lanners, which are brightly colored, glowing birds. Firebird is unlocked by completing Fiery Wings, Fiery Hearts quest after obtaining seven lanners.

Stormblood

Most of Stormblood Extreme Trials fights are unlocked by completing Songs in Key of Kugane quest by talking to Wandering Minstrel in Kugane and telling him about the different feats you beat in the normal trials.

You can trade your totems with Eschina in Rhalgr’s Reach or Rowena’s Representative in Kugane to get loot.

In Stormblood Extreme Trials, mounts are foxes called kamuy. After collecting all seven kamuy mounts, you can obtain Kamuy of Nine Tails mount by completing the quest A Lone Wolf no more.

Shadowbringers

You unlock most of Shadowbringers Extreme Trials at Minstrelling Wanderer in Crystarium, and like their SB counterparts, you need to talk to him about your feats to unlock the fight.

You can trade Shadowbringers totems for loot with Fathard in Eulmore or Mowen’s Merchant in Crystarium.

Mounts in Shadowbringers are dragons called gwibers. After collecting all seven gwibers, you can unlock a giant mechanical dragon, Landerwaffe, by completing the quest Dragon Made.

Endwalker

Getting into Extreme Trials is pretty straightforward, as they’re all unlocked in the same place. Talk to Wandering Minstrel in Old Sharlayan and pick up the quest I Wandered Sharlayan as a Minstrel. There are no steps to complete this quest, just talk to NPC to start and complete it.

You can trade Endwalker totems for a gear with Nesvaaz in Radz-at-Han or Agora Merchant in Old Sharlayan.

Endwalker mounts are large kittens, also known as lynxes. Once you have all seven lynxes, you can unlock Apocryphal Bahamut mount through Wings of Hope quest.

Dawntrail

In order to access the new Extreme Trials introduced in Dawntrail, players must complete the new main story, culminating in the level 100 quest Dawntrail. After completing this quest, a new NPC will appear in Tuliyollal. Wandering Bard is back. Talk to him. Your victories will unlock Worqor Lar Dor (Extreme) and Everkeep (Extreme).

Worqor Lar Dor (Extreme) will drop weapons, and Everkeep (Extreme) will drop accessories. For players who are unable to win the random draw for loot rewards after defeating the boss, each victory will earn players the corresponding totem, which can be exchanged with Uah’shepya in Solution Nine for rewards from the boss loot table. In addition, each victory has a certain chance to drop an exclusive Wings of Ruin or Wings of Resolve mounts. But this will not be revealed until the end of the 7.0 patch cycle.

Overall, Final Fantasy XIV's Extreme Trials are a very interesting and challenging content in the game. Whether you are a veteran player or a new adventurer, this guide will help you prepare for the upcoming extreme battles.

FFXIV seems to have a way of making certain creatures very popular with players. Take Shoebill, or beloved Axolotl, which is based on Mexican axolotl and is even a reward for Pandaemonium raid’s Savage mode.

Fat Cat is another example. Although it doesn’t appear often throughout the game’s story, it has inspired players to obtain some minions from the game with no additional FFXIV Gil. What’s more, you can even get it if you are using Final Fantasy 14’s Free Trial, it just takes a bit of luck.

How To Get A Fat Cat Minion?

There are actually several ways to get a Fat Cat Minion, some of which cost a little FFXIV Gil, and some of which take some time.

Preparation

The first method first requires you to obtain a retainer - this is an NPC you can hire, who can store Gil and Final Fantasy XIV Items, and you can also assign them tasks. They will start at level 1 and can gain experience through these adventures.

However, retainers are limited in how high they can level up, and cannot be higher than the player’s level in a particular Job. For example, if the Warrior of Light is a level 10 magician, then the retainer as a magician cannot exceed level 10, and only after you surpass this level can he reach a higher level.

If you plan on continuing to play the rest of Final Fantasy 14 while you level up your retainers, the best adventure option is the 2-hour version. This way you can keep checking on them and send them back every few hours as they complete their tasks. However, if you’re just trying to reach a fishing level and plan on not playing the game for a long time, the 18-hour option is a better choice.

First Way

To get Fat Cat, you need to send retainers on Waterside Exploration ventures. The rewards you get are based on the level of the retainer you send out on the fishing job, so you need to raise the fishing job level to at least level 50 so that they can gain a certain amount of experience and level up.

To begin your fishing adventure, head to Limsa Lominsa and visit the Fisherman’s Guild in the main square. Here you can answer the question, “Do you want to be a fisherman?” This is a prerequisite task, after which you will be presented with the Fisherman’s Guild class task, giving you direct access to the Fisherman class. You should be able to store your tools in your space.

For the Waterside Exploration ventures mentioned above, it requires a minimum level of 50 and a gathering rating of 200. This minion can also be found in Waterside Exploration XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XXIV, and XXV, which are your earliest chances to get it, as other ventures may require higher levels and gatherings.

Once the retainer is sent out, you will need to wait 18 hours in the real world. It is worth mentioning that even then, there is no guarantee that the Fat Cat Minion will be among the rewards brought back, which means you may have to try multiple times.

Second Way

The second method requires you to get Fat Cat Minion from Material Container 3.0, which requires you to talk to Quartermasters of various Grand Companies to get 20,000 Company Seals. You must be at least Captain level of a Grand Company to exchange for Material Container 3.0. Here are Quartermasters you need to talk to:

• Flame Quartermaster can be found at Ul’dah - Steps of Nald
• Serpent Quartermaster can be found in New Gridania
• The Storm Quartermaster can be found on the upper deck of Limsa Lominsa

Again, this does not guarantee you will get Fat Cat Minion immediately. In Material Container 3.0, you can get a variety of rewards, including two mounts and dozens of minions, but it is not necessarily a one-shot deal. So you also need to try multiple times.

Read More: What Quality Of Life Updates To Expect In FFXIV Dawntrail?

Easier Way

For those who don’t want to go through all the hassle but still want to get Fat Cat Minion, there is an easier way.

The first is to get it directly from Itinerant Moogle in exchange for irregular tombstones during Moogle Treasure Trove event. However, since Moogle Treasure Trove event is a limited-time event with no fixed time, you can’t predict when it will happen again. So you have to wait, and this waiting time is also very random.

The second way, and the easiest way, is to use the market board, which means you will need to spend some FFXIV Gil. For new players, the price of these minions may be a little high, but as you progress in the game, its price will get lower and lower.

For Fat Cat Minion in this guide, a new player may need 20,000 Gil, while some advanced players only need 6,000 Gil. It also depends on the difference between the data center and the server. Anyway, after you get this minion, you can put it in your inventory!

After reading this guide, do you want to possess Fat Cat Minion more? Then enter the game and find it! I wish you have a happy game in Dawntrail!