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 one kill, while Volume 2 requires ten.

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	200	20 ~ 100

Ambuscade Primer Volume Two

Regular Ambuscade

Difficulty	Hallmarks Earned	Gallantry Earned 2~6 members
Very Difficult	300	30 ~ 150
Difficult	250	25 ~ 125
Normal	200	20 ~ 100
Easy	150	15 ~ 75
Very Easy	100	10 ~ 50

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. Both Hallmarks and Gallantry are reset to 0 upon each monthly update.

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 capes 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

November 2021

Volume 1: Arcana

Face off against Blazenought and Frostnought, twin Iron Giants that must be damaged down together lest they become immune to damage and regenerate their health.

Encountered Foes

Blazenought - Red Giant
Frostnought - Blue Giant
Blazenought's Head
Frostnought's Head

Heads only spawn under certain conditions upon defeat of one of the giants. The fight ends when all enemies are defeated.

Difficulty Settings

The Difficulty Setting determines the potency of the damage resistances of each foe. ^[1]

Normal to Very Difficult:

Blazenought takes 50% reduced physical damage.
Frostnought takes 50% reduced magic damage.

Easy:

Blazenought takes 25% reduced physical damage.
Frostnought takes 25% reduced magic damage.

Very Easy:

Neither giant gains additional resistances.

Battle Mechanics

Passive Traits

Each giant has approximately 900,000 HP on Very Difficult. ^[2]
Debuffing Geomancy effectiveness at 50% against both giants.
Iron Giants have special properties to their regular auto-attacks.
- Foot stomp - Additional effect: Amnesia.
- Horizontal weapon swing - Additional effect: Knockback.
- Vertical weapon swing - Additional effect: Stun.
If the HP total of one giant is brought to 15% or lower than its partner, it will stop moving, stop taking any damage and regenerate its health. This furthermore puts the other giant into a sort of 'raged' state where it will grow in power and change its attacks.
- The 'rage' state is announced with a log message "Blazing/Frigid energies begin to coalesce" and followed by more messages indicating the buildup to a devastating attack from the active Giant.^[3]
- When a raged giant is brought down to the same HP as its partner, it stops moving, and the partner activates in 'raged' state. The fight will continue like this until both giants are defeated.

Blazenought

1344 Evasion on Very Difficult. Takes significantly reduced damage from all elemental magic types except water.
Takes extremely reduced damage from AOE attacks and Blood Pacts. 90% resistance to Mewling Lullaby.
Has Double Attack and enhanced movement speed.

Frostnought

Takes 50% additional physical damage from all types.
Very resistant to all elemental magic damage types except fire.
Reduced movement speed during Manafont.^[4]

Abilities Used
Both Giants

Turbine Cyclone: AOE Physical damage + multiple dispel + Knockback. Dispel effect blocked by multiple shadows. The knockback cannot be avoided. This is the only special move the giants will use if neither of them is ever immobilized.
Animate Head: If either giant is immobilized during the fight, both giants will die at the same time when one of their HP is reduced to zero regardless of remaining HP. The giant that had HP remaining will then animate its head with its remaining HP.^[5]

Blazenought

Mighty Strikes: Used once.

All of these abilities unlock when Frostnought is immobilized, and pierce shadows.

Grand Seismic Impact: AOE Earth Elemental damage on target, Powerful Slow, Terror, Accuracy Down.
Eradicator: AOE Magic Damage + Weakness.
Fire Arm Cannon: AOE Fire Elemental damage on target, Knockback, HP/MP Max Down, Plague

Frostnought

Manafont: Used once.

All of these abilities unlock when Blazenought is immobilized, and pierce or wipe shadows.

Ice Incinerator: Front AOE Ice Elemental damage + Burn
Scapula Beam: AOE Thunder elemental damage + All stats down
Ballistic Double Kick: Severe front AOE damage + Knockback + Encumbrance. Resets enmity.

Giant Heads

Augur Smash: Single target damage. Wipes shadows.
Area Bombardment. AOE Damage + Stun. Resets enmity.
Cauterizing Field. AOE Elemental Magic damage, Elemental Magic damage over time, and an enspell effect on the user.
Area Bombardment: Front AOE damage + multiple dispel. Pierces shadows. Resets enmity.

Spells Cast:
Blazenought

Flare: Very potent cast, only uses if Frostnought is immobilized. A zone-wide log message "Blazing energies begin to reach their climax!" precedes this cast.^[6]

Frostnought

Blizzaja: Very potent cast. Spams this during Manafont.
If Blazenought is immobilized, will cast a sequence of Blizzaga spells in increasing power, ending with Blizzaja. A zone-wide log message "Frigid energies begin to reach their climax!" precedes this sequence.

Where to get your Primer:

Ru'Aun Gardens - Dolls and Magic Pots everywhere.
Upper Delkfutt's Tower - Dolls and Magic Pots near Home Point #1.
Fei'Yin - High level Magic Pots a short walk from Home Point #1, and a small handful of Evil Weapons near Home Point #2.

Volume 2: Lizards

Face off against the Swarming Lizards and Swarming Efts. This month's gimmick seems to be a power-up move used by half the team whenever one from the other team's numbers shrink. With everything susceptible to sleep this is not a challenging month.

Encountered Foes

Swarming Lizard. 3 on the battlefield from the start.
Swarming Eft. 3 on the battlefield from the start

The fight ends when all enemies are defeated.

Difficulty Settings

The Difficulty Setting determines the stats and HP of your foes.

Battle Mechanics

Passive Traits
None observed in particular.

Abilities Used
All foes will use standard abilities of their family types. Come prepared to remove the variety of debuffs they inflict including silence, poison, petrification and Evasion Down.

Lizards

Formation Fracture: Used whenever there are more Lizards than Efts. Unclear what it does. Accompanied by an SP ability dust cloud animation.

Efts

Band Together: Used whenever there are more Efts than Lizards. Unclear what it does. Accompanied by an SP ability dust cloud animation.

Spells Cast:

None

Where to get your Primer:

Morimar Basalt Fields - Lizards everywhere. The Home Point warp puts you near some matamatas and peistes.
Pashhow Marshlands (S): Peistes near the Recall-Pashh gate crystal.