Ambuscade is a instanced dungeon battlefield in which players team up against the monster-of-the-month.

Getting Started

First, activate the Records of Eminence quest Stepping into an Ambuscade, then talk to Gorpa-Masorpa at Mhaura (G-9). To enter any Ambuscade battlefield all players in the party will need a Key Item. Ambuscade Primer Volume One grants entry to Intense Ambuscade, a more challenging encounter. Ambuscade Primer Volume Two grants entry to Normal Ambuscade, a step down in technical difficulty. "Intense" and "Normal" not only describe the relative challenge of the two battlefields, but alter the final rewards on completion.

Obtaining Key Items

You obtain the Key Items with Records of Eminence quests. There are two different quests per Key Item to activate: a non-repeatable daily quest, and a repeatable quest. The Daily objectives for both Volume 1 and Volume 2 require one experience-yielding monster be killed of the specified type. The repeatable objective for Volume 1 requires five kills, while Volume 2 requires 10.

Monsters in Dynamis and Abyssea zones are not counted for any Ambuscade objectives.

The Ambuscade Tome

Once everyone in the party has the Primer key items, the party leader then registers the party at the Ambuscade Tome right next to Gorpa-Masorpa. At registration you choose the difficulty level of the selected Ambuscade type and inscribe your name into the tome, assigning you a number. Inscribing your name in the Ambuscade Tome gives you a page number. Page numbers are called in a zone-wide system message "Page ### of the tome flares up!" and the party leader can interact again with the Tome to enter the battlefield. The Tome also has an option to auto-transport your party to the battlefields as soon as your number is announced.

Your Key Item is lost upon completion of a successful battle.

Rewards

Successful completion of an Ambuscade battlefield rewards two forms of currency: Hallmarks and Gallantry. Hallmarks earned vary with the Key Item used to enter the battlefield and the selected difficulty level. Gallantry earned is based on the Key Item, Difficulty and the total number of party members, excluding Trusts. Solo players do not earn Gallantry. Using an Abdhaljs Seal will triple the currency rewards for a single win.

Hallmarks, Total Hallmarks, and Gallantry are reset to zero every monthly content update.

Ambuscade Primer Volume One

Intense Ambuscade

Difficulty	Hallmarks Earned	Gallantry Earned 2~6 members
Very Difficult	3600	300 ~ 1500
Difficult	2400	240 ~ 1200
Normal	1200	180 ~ 900
Easy	600	80 ~ 400
Very Easy	600	20 ~ 100

Ambuscade Primer Volume Two

Regular Ambuscade

Difficulty	Hallmarks Earned	Gallantry Earned 2~6 members
Very Difficult	300	30 ~ 150
Difficult	200	20 ~ 100
Normal	100	10 ~ 50
Easy	75	5 ~ 25
Very Easy	50	1 ~ 5

Redeeming Hallmarks and Gallantry

Spend your accumulated Hallmarks and Gallantry with Gorpa-Masorpa, who offers a limited stock of rewards that is reset at every monthly content update, usually around the first or second Thursday of each month.

Ambuscade rewards are organized into materials used to reforge REMA weaponry, Skirmish Stones, JSE Capes and materials used to augment them, and Vouchers and Tokens redeemable for Ambuscade Armor and the materials required to upgrade it.

REMA Reforging Materials

The full list of REMA Materials purchasable with Hallmarks is always available.

REMA Materials purchased with Gallantry are available on a rotating schedule.

Empyrean weapon materials are available January, April, July, and October.
Relic weapon materials are available February, May, August, and November.
Mythic/Ergon weapon materials are available March, June, September, and December.

Skirmish Stones

+2 Skirmish Stones are available every month, purchasable only with Hallmarks. Each stone costs 200 Hallmarks, up to a limit of 10 of each type.

JSE Capes

You can buy up to one cape per job for 500 Hallmarks each.

The materials for augmenting these capse can be bought with either Hallmarks or Gallantry, with different prices and stock limits.

Ambuscade Armor

Hallmarks can be used to purchase coupons good for 1 NQ piece of equipment, rotating between Tokens and Vouchers every month. Gallantry can be used to purchase coupons good for 1 HQ piece of equipment, rotating between Tokens and Vouchers every month. The special materials Abdhaljs Metal and Abdhaljs Fiber are used to upgrade NQ armor to HQ, and HQ armor to HQ+2 armor. These materials are available either for Hallmarks or Gallantry.

Total Hallmarks

This special tally of total accumulated Hallmarks is used to obtain items and equipment from a special menu. Once an item is redeemed, it disappears. Total Hallmarks are not consumed, but represent an ever filling pool that grants access to more expensive rewards from this list:

Total Hallmarks are the only currency accepted for Ambuscade Ring coupons. The coupons also alternate between Vouchers and Tokens every content update.
100: Abdhaljs Seal
130: Monthly NQ Feet Voucher/Token
170: Super Reraiser
220: Monthly NQ Hands Voucher/Token
280: Remedy x 12
370: Monthly NQ Head Voucher/Token
480: Caliber Ring
620: Monthly NQ Legs Voucher/Token
800: Facility Ring
1,050: Monthly NQ Body Voucher/Token
1,350: Monthly Ring Voucher/Token
1,800: Monthly HQ Feet Voucher/Token
2,300: Abdhaljs Metal
2,300: Abdhaljs Fiber
3,000: Monthly HQ Hands Voucher/Token
3,900: Abdhaljs Metal
3,900: Abdhaljs Fiber
5,000: Monthly HQ Head Voucher/Token
6,500: Abdhaljs Metal
6,500: Abdhaljs Fiber
8,500: Monthly HQ Legs Voucher/Token
11,000: Abdhaljs Metal
11,000: Abdhaljs Fiber
14,500: Monthly HQ Body Voucher/Token
20,000: Abdhaljs Metal
20,000: Abdhaljs Fiber
25,000: SP Gobbie Key

February 2020

Volume 1: Demons

Face off against the Master Manipulator and between 3 and 8 Bozzetto Imps, depending on the difficulty setting. The Manipulator is capable of greatly enhancing its offensive and defensive capabilities while crippling nearby party members. For this reason, pet/ranged strategies are recommended.

Encountered Foes

Master Manipulator - A powerful soulflayer with access to Blue Mage spells and abilities.
Bozzetto Imp - relatively weak but great in number depending on the difficulty.

Difficulty Settings

The main impact of the difficulty setting is the power of the Bio applied by Tribulation and the total count of Imps present at the start of the fight.

Very Easy: Bio ticks for HP every 3 seconds, 3 Imps present.
Easy: Bio ticks for HP every 3 seconds, 4 Imps present.
Normal: Bio ticks for HP every 3 seconds, Imps present.
Difficult: Bio ticks for HP every 3 seconds, Imps present.
Very Difficult: Bio ticks for 1000 HP every 3 seconds, 8 Imps present.

Battle Mechanics

Passive Traits
Master Manipulator:

Approximately 700k HP on VD
1344 evasion on VD.^[1]
Immune to damage until all Imps are defeated.
Powerful Fast Cast trait.
Susceptible to Bind. ^[2]
Resistant to Silence and Gravity.
Takes 25% less magic damage. Particularly resistant to light, water, and dark elemental magic.

Bozetto Imps:

240k HP, 1319 evasion on VD.
Immune to Sleep
Resistant to Light and Dark elemental magic.
Susceptible to Bind

Abilities Used
Manipulator:

Immortal Mind: Magic Attack Boost.
Immortal Shield: A damage shield that can be powered up if left up too long. On first application, it becomes damage immune to non-critical physical damage. A second application will provide 100% damage immunity to a type of physical damage (slashing, piercing, blunt) and can only be broken by either dealing enough of a different type of physical damage, or by using magical Blood Pacts.^[3]
Immortal Anathema: Curse
Tribulation: Extremely potent AOE Bio (500~1000/tick) and Blind. Have tanks carry Panaceas for this.
Reprobation: 20' AOE Full Dispel, including food. Can be resisted with sufficient Magic Evasion.^[4]
Mind Purge: Single-target Full Dispel, including food.

Imps:

Grating Tantara: (AOE Damage + Amnesia)
Stifling Tantara: (AOE Damage + Silence
Dark Recital: (AOE Damage, Full Dispel + Paralysis)
Bugle Call:

Spells Cast
Imps:

High level AOE elemental magic like Firaja

Manipulator:

Mighty Guard: Increases Physical and Magical Defense. Grants haste and Regen. Master Manipulator's casts do not require Unbridled Learning are AoE without the use of Diffusion.
Paralyzing Triad: Paralysis
Benthic Typhoon: Physical Defense Down, Magical Defense Down.
Subduction: AOE Gravity
Rail Cannon: Light-based Damage
Blistering Roar: AOE Terror
Dream Flower: AOE Sleep
Nectarous Deluge: AOE Poison
Uproot: Full debuff removal from Caster. Grants Dia aura and Regen.
Mind Blast: Paralysis
Embalming Earth: Slow
Crashing Thunder: Thunder damage.
Polar Roar: Bind
Droning Whirlwind: AOE Multi-Dispel

Where to get your Primer:

Castle Zvahl Keep (S), Home Point #1
Xarcabard (S), Home Point #1.

Volume 2: Beasts

Face off against the Coeurl pair Ixchel (Lynx type) and Itzamna (Coeurl type). Each is imbued with a unique ability that can disable your party temporarily. According to the updated Digest, defeating one may power up the remaining foe.^[5]

Encountered Foes

Ixchel - The red one.
Itzamna - The gold one.

The fight ends when all enemies are defeated.

Difficulty Settings

The Difficulty Settings determines only the stats of the coeurls in the battlefield.

Battle Mechanics

Passive Traits
Both coeurls have enhanced movement speed.
Ixchel is susceptible to stun.

Abilities Used
Ixchel:

Petrifactive Breath: Breath attack that petrifies and resets enmity. Tends to open the fight with this ability.
Pounce: Single target damage.
Frenzied Rage: Attack Boost. Only used after Itzamna is defeated. Dispellable.
Chaotic Eye: Single target silence.

Itzamna:

Preternatural Gleam: Front AOE Damage + Defense Down + Magic Defense Down.
Blink of Peril: Deals 90% of target's maximum HP (RELIABLY does less damage when target is able to distance themselves from Itzamna, also seems to be a gaze attack as turning one's back to the cat eliminates all damage and hate reset; Also, if it did 90% of MAX HP, one would die while solo quite often unless always topped off; I believe it simply drops the target to low HP (possibly based on distance from Itzamna), and resets Enmity. Only used after Ixchel is defeated.
Blaster: Single target Paralysis.
Charged Whisker: AOE damage + applies Shock Spikes to Itzamna. The spikes are dispellable.

Spells Cast

None.

Where to get your Primer:

Cape Teriggan: Quick ride to Manticores from Home Point #1, or rabbits near the Survival Guide warp.
Ceizak Battlegrounds: Some sheep near bivouac #2 and Home Point #1.