Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is the fifth expansion pack to Final Fantasy XIV, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed and published by Square Enix. It was released on July 2, 2024, over two years after the game's previous expansion, Endwalker, for Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, then later on Nintendo Switch 2. Like its predecessors, Naoki Yoshida served as director and producer and Masayoshi Soken composed the soundtrack. The expansion pack was released as a standalone product for current players; for new players, the "Complete Edition" that originally launched with Heavensward was updated to include all expansions including Dawntrail.
In Dawntrail, players travel to Tural, a continent across the sea, to participate in a rite of succession to determine the next leader of Tuliyollal. They serve as champion for Wuk Lamat, one of the current leader's children, and are joined by allies from Eorzea who support different candidates. After the climactic events of Endwalker, Dawntrail was designed as a "summer vacation" for the player's character, the Warrior of Light. In addition to adding new areas, the expansion pack increased the level cap, debuted two character classes and a new playable race, and initiated the game's first major graphical overhaul since its relaunch in 2013.
At launch, Dawntrail received generally positive reviews, though it was not as well received as its widely acclaimed previous expansions, Shadowbringers and Endwalker.
Gameplay
The gameplay of Dawntrail largely matches that of the base game. Players interact with each other in a persistent world. The two new jobs in Dawntrail are Viper, a dexterous dual-wielding swordsmaster, and Pictomancer, a paint-based mage. Vipers can combine their two swords into a stronger two-handed weapon for certain attacks, similar to Zidane from Final Fantasy IX. Based on Relm Arrowny's magic in Final Fantasy VI, Pictomancers render their imaginings as painted images, casting both damaging and supportive spells for the party. Krile, a recurring member of the Scions, changes her class to Pictomancer in this expansion. Director Naoki Yoshida stated that the more recently designed classes, including Viper and Pictomancer, feel "more complete" compared to ones introduced in earlier expansions.
A new Field Operations activity called "Cosmic Exploration" was added in patch 7.21. Working similarly to Ishgardian Restoration in Shadowbringers, Cosmic Exploration is an instanced gameplay mode that allows players to develop a base of operations on the moon and faraway planets beyond, leveling up their crafting and gathering skills and obtaining unique rewards along the way. The first new location, Phaenna, was made available in patch 7.31, while the second, Oizys, was made available in patch 7.41, and the final location, Auxesia, was released in patch 7.51.
Another Field Operations activity for combat classes called "Occult Crescent" was also introduced in patch 7.25, with the South Horn instance being initially available, followed by the North Horn in patch 7.55. Like Eureka and Save the Queen (Bozja) before it in Stormblood and Shadowbringers, respectively, it features what has been described as "old-school" MMORPG gameplay and allows the use of unique actions and spells from "phantom jobs" based on those from Final Fantasy V. Players work together to increase their Knowledge levels, unlock more phantom jobs, and eventually take on high-tier raids called the Forked Towers, which permits up to 48 players to attempt to overcome them.
Beastmaster was added as a "Limited" job in patch 7.56, with the same restrictions on player matchmaking as Blue Mage. The job is armed with a one-handed axe and a shield as weapons, while players strengthen themselves by taming creatures in the game's world by forging pacts with them and summoning them in battle. When the job is unlocked, players are given a bestiary that records captured creatures and contains descriptions of their in-game locations, traits, and skills in battle. Forging a pact with a creature requires players to be at the same or higher level than their targets and to use the "Capture" skill, with their success rate increasing the lower their target's hit points are at the time the Capture skill was used, as well as how much higher the player's level is relative to their target. Most captures are not strictly limited to a specific instance of a given creature, and as such players may find alternate sources in order to tame them at higher or lower levels.
Beastmasters also have access to unique battle content with roguelike elements called "Crucible of the Unbroken". Themed after a tabletop game, players must choose a "board" to challenge. Once chosen, they must also prepare a roster of ten to fifteen familiars before entering the instance, with their maximum roster sizes depending on the board chosen. Unlike overworld encounters, players may only bring up to three familiars into a given combat encounter, as well as having hit points and being able to take damage. Combat encounters on the board consists of battles against one or more enemies in enclosed areas separate from the map instance. Clearing encounters and the boards in their entirety allows players to gain experience points for the job and their familiars to make them stronger, as well as a special currency unique to the instance called "territory tokens" which they can spend on items and equipment to strengthen themselves and their familiars and to use in battle. Territory tokens can also be gained at shops by selling unwanted items. Once players complete the Beastmaster job storyline, they have access to difficulty multipliers as well as a ranked competitive leaderboard. Each season runs every two weeks, and the top 300 players from each region are eligible to receive exclusive rewards.
Plot
Setting and characters
Dawntrail takes place on Tural, a continent across the sea far to the west. The culture and geography of Tural are inspired by Latin America and Southeast Asia. Yok Tural, the southern half of the continent, includes the capital of Tuliyollal, a coastal metropolis drawing inspiration from Tenochtitlan—the historic center of modern Mexico City. Another region, Urqopacha, is mountainous and reminiscent of the Andes, featuring Peruvian and Incan architecture. Kozama'uka is an Amazon rainforest-like region, homeland of the birdlike Hanuhanu. Yak T'el is a cenote-covered jungle resembling the Yucatán Peninsula, the southern portion of which is a meteor-bombarded forest featuring the Mamool Ja homeland of Mamook. Xak Tural in the north contains Shaaloani, which is similar to the American Wild West. A new Field Operations area called Shades' Triangle derives from the Bermuda Triangle.
The nation of Tuliyollal is a multi-ethnic federated monarchy led by Gulool Ja Ja, a two-headed Mamool Ja who united the continent under one banner during a journey eighty years ago. Two-headed members of his species possess fearsome strength and potent magical abilities. He and his legendary companions traveled across Tural while forging alliances, quelling conflict between warring peoples, and even sealing away the flying calamity known as Valigarmanda. As Dawnservant, his reign is characterized by an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity.
Shortly before the events of Dawntrail, Gulool Ja Ja announced a contest to determine the next ruler of the nation. Three of the candidates are his children: Zoraal Ja, his one-headed biological son known as the 'miracle' due to the belief that two-headed Mamool Ja are sterile; Koana, his adopted son who studied abroad in Old Sharlayan to bring their technologies back to Tural; and Wuk Lamat, his adopted daughter who is earnest and headstrong but sheltered. Whereas both Koana and Wuk Lamat hope to maintain the peace that Gulool Ja Ja established, Zoraal Ja has ambitions to conquer and colonize the rest of the world, motivated by his inferiority complex with respect to his father's accomplishments. The last candidate is Bakool Ja Ja, another two-headed Mamool Ja from Mamook who aims to institute Mamool Ja supremacy in Tuliyollal.
Wuk Lamat journeys to Old Sharlayan to recruit the player's character, a hero known as the Warrior of Light, to aid in her succession bid. They are joined by some of the player's allies from the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, including the twins Alphinaud and Alisaie; Krile, who is pursuing the truth about her grandfather Galuf's travels to Tural; and Wuk Lamat's childhood friend Erenville. Koana, meanwhile, enlists the aid of the Scions Thancred and Urianger.
Story The Warrior of Light's sea voyage to Tural is rocked by a devastating thunderstorm, which damages structures throughout the continent. Upon arrival, Wuk Lamat introduces her entourage to the city of Tuliyollal, and Gulool Ja Ja assembles the candidates to explain the rules of the contest. The winner is the candidate who first discovers the fabled 'city of gold' after completing all seven Feats in the Tuliyollal Saga, which retells the story of the nation's founding. Wuk Lamat and her companions travel across the land to find the electors of each clan, who are in charge of administering the Feats and awarding keystones. Following in her father's footsteps, Wuk Lamat tames an alpaca in Urqopacha and revives the failing reed crop in Kozama'uka. The candidates help the Moblins restore their economy following the devastation of the storm, completing another Feat. During a brief respite, Gulool Ja Ja confides in the player that he believes none of the candidates possess the character to become Dawnservant, and that the contest was designed to develop them.
Bakool Ja Ja, who was absent during the previous Feat, abducts Wuk Lamat and steals her keystone. Her companions cooperate with Koana's entourage to rescue her. In the highlands of Urqopacha, they seek the elector of the Yok Huy, an ancient race of giants, who waits at the mountain's peak. While the other candidates climb, Bakool Ja Ja sabotages the ice prison encasing Valigarmanda, freeing the calamity to terrorize the region. Zoraal Ja, Koana, Wuk Lamat, and their allies work together to vanquish the fiend, earning them keystones.
In Yak T'el, the candidates cook a traditional roast pork pibil. After the trial, Wuk Lamat bests Bakool Ja Ja in single combat and reclaims her stolen keystone. They proceed to Mamook, where the final challenge is to defeat an apparition of Gulool Ja Ja in his prime. Zoraal Ja fails and is disqualified when he attacks the elector. Bakool Ja Ja fails when the elector, his father, banishes him for lacking keystones from the previous Feats. Before attempting the Feat herself, Wuk Lamat seeks to understand the Mamool Ja people as she did with each of the prior clans. Bakool Ja Ja's mother reveals that the secret of producing two-headed Mamool Ja is a selective breeding program with a 99% mortality rate. With Bakool Ja Ja's support, the Mamool Ja reject the brutal practice. Koana relinquishes his candidacy to help Wuk Lamat defeat Gulool Ja Ja's apparition, completing the last Feat.
Beneath the Mamool Ja cenotaph, they find the entrance to the city of gold, a portal locked by a technologically advanced seal. Gulool Ja Ja announces that Wuk Lamat is the winner of the contest. She nominates Koana to become co-Dawnservant with her, mirroring Gulool Ja Ja's two heads representing Reason and Resolve. During the coronation ceremony, Zoraal Ja uses a key stolen from Gulool Ja Ja's vault to lift the seal of the portal. The portal leads Zoraal Ja to Alexandria, a civilization in an alternate dimension. He allies with the queen of Alexandria, Sphene, and becomes their king.