TeamBRG | FFXVI

FF16 Garuda Trial Guide. Strategy, Location, etc.

Looking for help beating the Garuda trial (Hand of Dione Chronolith)? Hopefully our strategy, tips, tricks, (and potential cheese) help you get throught the Trial by Wind!

This wasn't so "exciting" because Garudas kit and Deadly Embrace are MAINSTAYS of your journey in the game. Either way though, this one isn't bad - but tedious to get an S on.

Garuda Trial Location

Garuda's Trial is unlocked at the Hand of Dione Chronolith. The nearest waypoint is Laetny's Cleft at Dhalmekia. From here, take the first immediate path on your right. Take another right at the next intersection and keep following this path until you're in a "mazelike desert valley". Then go "LEFT RIGHT RIGHT" at each respective intersection.

See: FF16 All Trial / Chronolith Locations

Picture of Garuda Trial Location in FF16, the Hand of Dione Chronolith

Garuda Trial Strategy Stage by Stage tips

Note that while I wrote this for the Final Trial of Wind ("Hard mode"), this advice will definitely apply to the normal Chronolith (Hand of Dione) as well.

Garuda Trial - best general tips

  • Land a four-hit combo after pulling with Deadly Embrace (+8s)
  • Pull a partially staggered enemy to the ground (+8s)

Garuda Trial Stage 1

Skills:

  • Skill: Gouge. Fully hit with a fully extended Gouge (+12s)
  • Skill: Wicked Wheel. Three hit combo an enemy in the air after Wicked Wheel. (+12s)

Stage 1-1

Enemies: Trash mobs

Wicked Wheel in the biggest clump you can find, into a three-hit for the bonus. Go to the healthiest guy and Gouge. Finish them off with as many stomps and pull-combo's as you can. DO NOT DO A SECOND WICKED WHEEL.

Stage 1-2

Enemies: Trash mobs

Same exact strategy as the first. Run up to their spawn and Wicked Wheel into three-hit. Gouge the fattest guy, stomp and pull-combo survivors.

Stage 1-3

Enemies: Minotaur miniboss

This is easy with Garuda. Wicked Wheel whenever you can. Pull at partial stagger into Gouge. Limit break here to make it faster.

Garuda Trial Stage 2

Skills:

  • Skill: Rook's Gambit. Block and counter an attack with Rook's Gambit. (+12s)
  • Skill: Wicked Wheel. Three hit combo an enemy in the air after Wicked Wheel. (+12s)

Stage 2-1

Enemies: Aevis miniboss and trash flyers.

Wicked Wheel the flyers, and pull combo / stomp them to death. Kill them quickly or suffer! The boss itself, once isolted, is a breeze - it's a matter of maximizing the counter to improve time.

Stage 2-2

Enemies: Trash mobs.

Wicked Wheel into three-hit if you can, only one then save your next wheel for next stage. Otherwise, try to get a counter when you can and destroy these guys with pull combo and stomps.

Stage 2-3

Enemies: "Tognavaldr" and 3 flyers

HOPEFULLY you have Wicked Wheel asap. RUN TO THE FLYERS SPAWN AND DO IT ASAP to kill them. Then try to mop up the flyers with pull combo before you focus on the agile guy.

Now, for the miniboss, it's a tossup. If you can get Rook's Gambit counters, great. Otherwise, what do. Limit Break and Wicked Wheel as much as you can.

This may seem like strange advice but KATON (the firebreath) is the easiest to Rook Gambit. Try it, you'll jump right over him!

Garuda Trial Stage 3

Skills:

  • Skill: Rook's Gambit. Block and counter an attack with Rook's Gambit. (+12s)
  • Skill: Aerial Blast. Hit three enemies with Aerial Blast. (+15s)

Aerial Blast sucks. Why? Because you can't see anything. Landing precision Rook's Gambit counters inside it is questionable haha.

Stage 3-1

Enemies: Bighorn miniboss + goblins.

Go near and Aerial Blast straight up. Try your best to beat up the Bighorn while inside. Limit Break if you must, but try to be efficient with it. Off it once Aerial Blast ends if you can save one bar.

Stage 3-2

Enemies: Trash mobs.

Gain time here. Pull combo, and Rook if possible. Do not Aerial Blast here.

Stage 3-3

Enemies: Double miniboss: Wind Elemental + Gigas.

Aerial Blast both of them and go absolutely ham. DESTROY THE WIND ELEMENTAL first, as the Gigas is much easier to handle.

Final Stage - Boss

Skills:

  • Skill: Gouge
  • Skill: Aerial Blast

Boss: Coeurl.

You'll only get a single use of Aerial Blast most of the time. Maximum "a little bit of the second one". You can try to use this during partial stagger. So basically, partial stagger into Aerial Blast into pull into Gouge WILL STAGGER IT. From there open LB and go to town.

Alternatively you can try to Aerial Blast DURING stagger, which will help you get towards the next one. Ultimately, my initial thoughs of "Aerial Blast ASAP" is no good. Save it for partial or full stagger.

Summary and Closing

Garudas trial can be rough for a couple reasons. Rook's Gambit counter isn't in your control, as well as Aerial Blast blocking your view. At least the pull combo is a free 8 seconds. ABUSE IT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN! I didn't find this one particularly fun or easy... But it wasn't a chore.


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