In Final Fantasy XVI, your journey through the war-torn realm of Valisthea isn’t limited to the gripping main story. Scattered throughout the world are monstrous threats known as “Notorious Marks,” each a formidable foe waiting to be challenged. Here’s where Hunts come in – a system that tasks you with tracking down and eliminating these ferocious beasts, offering a thrilling diversion from the narrative while rewarding you handsomely. This guide will equip you with all the knowledge you need to conquer these endgame challenges.
Unleashing the Hunt Board: How to Get Started
Hunts aren’t immediately accessible in Final Fantasy XVI. You’ll need to progress through the main story until you reach “The Gathering Storm,” the 22nd quest. During this quest, you’ll visit the Hideaway, a hidden sanctuary. After a cutscene with your companions, Gav and Tarja, the Hunt Board will finally unlock within the Hideaway, allowing you to accept and track your first Hunt.
The Thrill of the Hunt: What to Expect
There are a total of 32 Hunts available in Final Fantasy XVI, each featuring a unique Notorious Mark to vanquish. These bounties range in difficulty, with some appearing earlier in the game and others demanding you to be near max level to stand a chance. The beauty of the Hunt system lies in its open-ended nature. The Hunt Board simply provides a description and a general location for the Notorious Mark. It’s up to you to explore the designated area and sniff out your prey. This exploration aspect adds an exciting layer of discovery to the Hunts, making the hunt itself as rewarding as the final confrontation.
Once you locate your target, prepare for a brutal battle. Notorious Marks are no pushovers. They boast formidable strength, unique attack patterns, and can often unleash devastating special moves. Coming in prepared with the right equipment, abilities, and a well-honed strategy is paramount to emerging victorious.
The Spoils of Victory: Rewards for the Brave
The biggest motivator for tackling Hunts is the treasure trove of rewards that await you upon conquering a Notorious Mark. Here’s a breakdown of the goodies you can expect:
- Experience Points: Hunts are a fantastic way to level up your characters, especially if you’re nearing the endgame and want to max out your stats before tackling the final challenges.
- Gil: Every successful Hunt showers you with a hefty sum of Gil, the primary currency in Final Fantasy XVI. This allows you to purchase powerful equipment, consumables, and other valuable items from vendors.
- Crafting Materials: Hunts often reward you with rare crafting materials that are essential for forging the most potent weapons and armor in the game. These high-tier gear pieces can significantly bolster your party’s combat prowess.
- Unique Accessories: Some particularly challenging Hunts grant you exclusive accessories that boast powerful stat buffs or unique effects, giving your characters an extra edge in battle.
- “Hunter, Hunted” Trophy: For the completionists out there, defeating every single Notorious Mark grants you the coveted “Hunter, Hunted” trophy, a testament to your mastery over the Hunt System.
Conquering the Challenge: Tips and Tricks for Hunt Success
Now that you understand the fundamentals of Hunts, here are some valuable tips to help you dominate these encounters:
- Gear Up Wisely: Notorious Marks often have elemental weaknesses or resistances. Consult the Hunt description or in-game bestiary to identify these vulnerabilities and equip your party with weapons and armour that exploit them.
- Master Your Dominance: As you progress through the story, you’ll unlock powerful “Dominance” abilities for each character. These abilities can turn the tide of battle, so make sure you understand their effects and utilize them strategically against tougher Notorious Marks.
- Party Composition Matters: Tailor your party composition to suit the specific Notorious Mark you’re facing. If the enemy deals primarily fire damage, consider bringing characters with high fire resistance or healing abilities.
- Stock Up on Items: Before embarking on a Hunt, make sure you have a healthy stock of potions, phoenix downs (for reviving fallen comrades), and others (for restoring MP).
- Don’t Be Afraid to Flee: There’s no shame in retreating from a Hunt if you find yourself underprepared. You can always return later when you’re stronger and better equipped.
- Embrace Exploration: While the Hunt Board provides a general location, finding the Notorious Mark often requires exploration. Use landmarks and environmental details mentioned in the description to guide your search, and don’t hesitate to consult online resources or walkthroughs if you get stuck.
FAQs
Q. What are Hunts in FF16?
Hunts are optional side quests in Final Fantasy 16 where you track down and defeat powerful monsters called Notorious Marks. These enemies are tougher than most encounters and offer valuable rewards.
Q. How do I unlock Hunts?
The Hunt Board, where you accept Hunt quests, becomes available during the main story quest “The Gathering Storm”. You’ll encounter your first Notorious Mark, Ahriman, during this quest, but defeating it’s not mandatory to unlock the board.
Q. Where is the Hunt Board?
Once unlocked, you’ll find the Hunt Board at the Hideaway. This location becomes accessible after a cutscene with Gav and Tarja during “The Gathering Storm”.
Q. How many Hunts are there in FF16?
There are a total of 32 Hunts in Final Fantasy 16. Completing all of them will reward you with the “Hunter, Hunted” trophy.
Q. How do I find the Notorious Marks?
The Hunt Board provides vague descriptions of the monster’s location. Consult online guides or explore the designated area to find the Notorious Mark.
Q. Are Hunts difficult?
Hunts are generally challenging encounters. Be prepared to face tough enemies that require strategic use of your character’s abilities.
Hunt Rewards
Q. Why should I do Hunts?
The main reasons to do Hunts are:
- Rewards: Each Notorious Mark drops valuable crafting materials for creating powerful equipment.
- Challenge: Hunts offer a test of your combat skills against formidable opponents.
- Trophy: Completing all Hunts unlocks the “Hunter, Hunted” trophy.
- What are the best Hunt rewards?
Some Hunts offer materials for crafting the best gear in the game. Look for guides that highlight Hunts with these top-tier rewards.
Additional Tips
- Unlock Hunts as soon as possible: This allows you to collect valuable materials throughout the game for crafting powerful equipment.
- Use online resources: Consult online guides or walkthroughs for detailed locations of Notorious Marks and recommended strategies for defeating them.
- Hunts are not always mandatory: Focus on Hunts that interest you or offer rewards you need for crafting.
By conquering these challenging foes, you’ll test your combat prowess and acquire the resources to craft the best equipment in Final Fantasy 16. Good luck on the hunt!
To read more, Click here
