Crucible of the Unbroken

2026-09-26T12:31:25Z

Ssquiffy: correcting values of the "Infinity and Beyond" bonuses

[[File:Beastmaster promo3.jpg|right|300px]]
{{lead icon|beastmaster content icon.png|frame=none}} The '''Crucible of the Unbroken''' is a series of solo roguelite-inspired combat challenges available for {{BST}} [[beastmaster]]s, themed after a tabletop game. Initially unlocked at level 30, the Crucible is the primary gameplay focus for beastmasters aside from [[Master's Bestiary|capturing beasts]].

In addition to being required for the beastmaster job quests past level 30, rewards include various [[Kornago Merchant|cosmetic items]], [[Beastmaster Gear#Level Cap Gear (Lv 50)|gear upgrades]], [[Beast Gallery|beast glamour]]s, and [[Kornago Gourd]]s. This content can also be used for leveling both beastmaster and their pets.

There are both story-mode and optional high-end boards available to challenge. In addition, players will gain access to [[#Difficulties|three difficulty multipliers]] and [[#Competitive Rankings|region-wide leaderboards]] once they have completed the final board.

To enter the Crucible once it has been unlocked in {{i|Into the Crucible}}, players must speak to [[Lauda]] in [[Central Shroud]] {{coords|21.9, 22.8}}, nearby the [[Bentbranch Meadows]] aetheryte.

==General Mechanics==
[[File:Crucible team selection.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Selecting a team of familiars]]
Players may prepare a roster of 10-15 [[Master's Bestiary|familiars]] prior to entering the duty, but only three can be taken into a given battle, and only one can be summoned at once. The maximum roster size varies depending on the board. The in-game UI provides an overview of all enemies encountered, their weaknesses, stats, and some attacks, helping players compose their team. However, players can also choose an automatically selected team recommended by the game (which may not be optimal).

===Combat===
Each combat encounter within the Crucible is a short battle against one or more enemies in an enclosed arena separate from the main map. Players will need to utilize the specific actions granted by their familiars to handle certain enemy attacks, along with dealing with standard encounter mechanics found elsewhere, such as avoiding AoEs based on an enemy's cast or animation.

Elemental weaknesses, physical damage types, and status effect resistances are relevant in the Crucible. Each familiar differs in these characteristics.

Before commencing a battle, players will be given a prompt to select three familiars to assign to battlehorns. These settings are not saved, so ''players must manually assign their familiars every battle''.

====Familiar attributes====
{{main|Crucible of the Unbroken Attributes}}
Each familiar has its own level (rank) and attributes in the Crucible. Unlike in the overworld or other duties, familiars also have HP and can take damage. Leveling up familiars will increase their attributes (e.g. maximum HP, physical attack/defense, magical attack/defense). The maximum rank of each familiar is 25.

====HP and regeneration====
Automatic HP regeneration is disabled within the Crucible for both the player and their familiars. HP can be restored from using certain [[ephemeral items]] (obtained within the duty), from recovering at a campsite space, or using certain familiar actions.

In addition, players are disallowed from using any consumable item within the Crucible except for ephemeral items and [[meals]]. Using meals, especially on higher difficulties, is recommended to boost the player's HP and offense. (Meals should be used outside of the Crucible, as the player's HP won't be restored to their new max HP if they eat food inside.)

Familiars who are KO'd cannot be summoned again unless if they are revived with a {{i|Blessed Horn}}. If the player is KO'd, they will fail the duty and need to restart from the beginning of the board, unless if the effects of a {{i|G1 Beastmaster Reraiser}}, {{i|G2 Beastmaster Reraiser}}, {{i|Ring of Sacrifice}}, or {{i|Temporal Sand}} are triggered.

====Duty actions====
The player has access to two duty actions that determine whether they or their current familiar has enmity on enemies, which can be used to divert enemy attacks:

{| {{STDT|dps-role}}
{{combat action table header|hide-job-quest=true|hide-mp=true}}
{{combat action table row|Challenge}}
{{combat action table row|Snarl}}
|}

====Avoidable and unavoidable AoEs====
There are two types of AoE attacks from Crucible enemies: avoidable and unavoidable.

'''Avoidable AoEs''' are defined as enemy AoE attacks where the player is supposed to avoid them. These may be indicated with standard orange ground telegraphs, late-telegraphed, or untelegraphed.

Being hit by avoidable AoEs will usually inflict a stack of {{status effect|debuff|vulnerability up}} vulnerability up or {{status effect|debuff|damage down}} damage down. If the player's familiar has enmity, avoidable AoEs will instead damage and debuff the familiar if the player is hit.

Regardless of who has enmity, the familiar will not take damage from being in avoidable AoEs, so players do not need to be concerned about moving their familiars away from AoE telegraphs.

'''Unavoidable AoEs''' are cleaving attacks such as spread markers, stack markers, AoE auto-attacks, or AoE tankbusters. In this case, both the player and their familiar can take damage from these. For example, if the player uses Snarl, causing their familiar to be targeted for a cleave, and the player is also hit by the cleave, the familiar will take double damage.

===Board layout===
The goal of each crucible board is to traverse the map from the starting space until reaching the boss at the other end. A board consists of a series of spaces (also known as '''moves''') with branching paths. Each space may have a battle, a rest area to restore HP, a shop to purchase [[#Ephemeral Items|ephemeral items]], a treasure chest containing ephemeral items, or a random event. There are 45 unique battle encounters across the five boards.

Once the player chooses a branch in a path, all spaces in the other branch become inaccessible. Players may also not revisit previous spaces.

Each board has a fixed layout, so the locations of all space types and the battles in specific spaces are same each run. Some boards have random event spaces, but even then, the pool of possible encounters is limited.

{| {{STDT|pve}}
! Space !! Icon !! Description
|-
| '''Enemy''' || [[File:Crucible enemy icon.png|50px]] || A battle against one or more enemies. Completing a combat encounter will reward ephemeral items and [[Territory Token|territory token]]s.

Players may use a {{i|Beastly Smokebomb}} to flee a normal enemy space, skipping the battle entirely, but not rewarding loot. Carrying a {{i|Coward's Knife}} will provide a 35% chance to flee.
|-
| '''Elite Enemy''' || [[File:Crucible elite enemy icon.png|50px]] || A battle against stronger enemies that provide better rewards. Players cannot flee from these encounters.
|-
| '''Boss''' || [[File:Crucible boss icon.png|50px]] || The final space of the map containing the boss. Defeating it will complete the duty. Players cannot flee from these encounters.
|-
| '''Campsite''' || [[File:Crucible campsite icon.png|50px]] || A space that allows players and their familiars to restore their HP. Incapacitated familiars cannot be restored. Although the player's HP will always be restored, each campsite only allows a certain number of familiars of the player's choosing to rest.

Resting fewer familiars will restore more HP. The amount of HP restored (as a proportion of max HP) is evenly divided between the player and each selected familiar, but a familiar that has consumed a {{i|Lassi Simular}} will restore all HP at a campsite.

Familiars that rest will lose all effects of [[Beast Feed]] unless if they have consumed a {{i|Lily Simular}}.

Carrying a {{i|Chemist's Satchel}} will reward a random [[Crucible Items|beast potion]] when resting at a campsite.
|-
| '''Shop''' || [[File:Crucible shop icon.png|50px]] || A space where the player can buy and sell ephemeral items for [[territory token]]s. Each shop has its own semi-random inventory, and some items may randomly be discounted by 50%.

All shops sell 8 feed, 4 crucible items, and 4 beast gear. No duplicate items are sold, and players may not purchase the same item more than once from a single shop.
|-
| '''Treasure''' || [[File:Crucible treasure icon.png|50px]] || A space where the player can select one ephemeral item from a semi-random pool of items, depending on the space. If the player possesses a {{i|Thief's Knife}}, they can select two. No duplicate items are offered.
|-
| '''Random''' || [[File:Crucible unknown icon.png|50px]] || A space that randomly contains any of the other space types except for a boss. The specific spaces that can appear for a given random space are detailed in the in-game board layout.
|}

==Boards==
There are five boards currently available. The first three boards are required for the [[Beastmaster Quests|beastmaster job quests]]. The last two boards are optional.

{|{{STDT|pve}}
|-
! Board !! Level !! Min IL (Sync) !! Rec. Beast Rank (Sync) || Max Roster !! Map !! Unlock
|-
| {{i|First Board of the Unbroken}} || 30 || 25 || 1 (5) || 10 || [[File:First Board of the Unbroken map labeled.jpg|150px]] || {{i|Into the Crucible}}
|-
| {{i|Second Board of the Unbroken}} || 40 || 35 || 6 (10) || 12 || [[File:Second Board of the Unbroken map labeled.jpg|150px]] || {{i|Gobsmacked}}
|-
| {{i|Third Board of the Unbroken}} || 50 || 82 (100) || 11 (15) || 14 || [[File:Third Board of the Unbroken map labeled.jpg|150px]] || {{i|A Beastmaster's Path}}
|-
| {{i|First Master's Board}} || 50 || 82 (120) || 16 (20) || 12 || [[File:First Master's Board map labeled.jpg|150px]] || {{i|Free for All}}
|-
| {{i|Second Master's Board}} || 50 || 82 (135) || 21 (25) || 15 || [[File:Second Master's Board map labeled.jpg|150px]] || {{i|Mastery Rematch}}
|}

==Difficulties==
Once the player clears the {{i|Second Master's Board}} and completes {{i|Blazing Trails}}, they will unlock additional difficulty options per board: First Degree, Second Degree, and Third Degree, in increasing difficulty. Playing on a higher difficulty will increase the HP and damage done by enemies, but will provide large [[Crucible of the Unbroken#Bonuses and Rank|score bonuses]] and are needed for certain [[Beastmaster#Achievements|achievements]]. The Third Degree is needed to qualify for [[#Competitive Rankings|seasonal leaderboards]].

Enemy HP is increased by an additive percentage per degree, which varies depending on the enemy. For example, the first encounter in {{i|First Board of the Unbroken}} receives a 42% HP boost on First Degree, 84% on Second Degree, and 126% on Third Degree. The final boss of {{i|Second Master's Board}} instead receives 70% per degree (70, 140, 210%). It is unknown how enemy damage scales. 

== Ephemeral Items ==
[[File:Crucible UI.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The crucible pop-up, showing ephemeral item inventory]]
Players may obtain several types of items in the Crucible as drops from encounters, treasure spaces, or purchased with {{territory token}} [[Territory Token|territory token]]s at a shop space. These items do not stack and will be lost after a run. Players can sell unwanted items (except for feed) at a shop space for territory tokens.

=== Crucible Items ===
{{main|Crucible Items}}
These items are consumable and have various effects. Most of the items can be used either on the player or their current summoned familiar and give supportive effects such as restoring HP/TP or buffs. Other items are offensive items that can be used on enemies during combat.

Unlike beast gear, duplicate crucible items can be held, but each item will take up one space in the inventory. Players may hold up to 10 consumables total. These can be used from the inventory popup or assigned to hotbars.

Depending on the item, some may only be used on the Crucible board map or within a battleground.

A {{i|G3 Beast Potion}} is provided at the start of a board.

Crucible items can be sold at shop spaces for 45% the territory tokens it costs to buy them.

Some crucible items have specific synergies with certain beast gear.

=== Beast Gear ===
{{main|Beast Gear}}
These items give permanent passive bonuses during the run, when they are in the inventory. Players may hold up to 10 beast gear total, but duplicate gear items are not allowed.

A {{i|Ring of Sacrifice}} is provided at the start of a board.

Beast gear can be sold at shop spaces for 20% the territory tokens it costs to buy them.

Some beast gear have specific synergies with certain crucible items.

=== Feed ===
{{main|Beast Feed}}
Players may use these items to give their familiars passive bonuses. Each familiar has a different capacity (satiety) for how much feed can be used on them. In addition, duplicate feed items cannot be used on the same familiar. Some feed items can also only be used on certain familiar classes. Satiety is reset and feed bonuses are lost if the familiar is restored at a campsite space, unless if they have been fed a {{i|Lily Simular}}.

Feed can only be obtained by purchasing from shops and must be fed to a familiar to complete the purchase. Feed cannot be resold for territory tokens and cannot be fed to KO'd familiars.

==Gear Bonuses==
[[File:Crucible Effect.png|right|300px|thumb|Crucible bonuses]]
Equipping level 50 [[Beastmaster Gear#Level Cap Gear (Lv 50)|beastmaster job gear]] gives [[strength]] and [[vitality]] bonuses within the Crucible. Stronger gear provides greater bonuses.

These bonuses have their full effect regardless of level or item level sync, making them particularly potent in lower level boards.

==Suspending and resuming progress==
Players may leave the Crucible before completing a board via either "Forfeit" or "Suspend Progress" in the duty popup window. Forfeiting will erase the run, and players will need to restart from the beginning of they re-enter the board. "Suspend Progress" is only available on a cleared space on the board. If players select this option, their current progress will be saved.

Players may resume their current progress by speaking to Lauda and selecting "Resume progress". Upon doing so, they will continue at the same point. If players challenge the same or a different map from the beginning, their save file will be deleted. Players may only have one save file.

== Bonuses and Rank ==
Conclusion of a board (either through success or failure) will be accompanied by a "rank," which is influenced by how many moves (spaces) were complete, how many enemies, elite enemies, and bosses were killed, how much HP is remaining, and a variety of bonuses (similar to [[The Masked Carnivale#Bonus List|bonuses awarded in the Masked Carnivale]] for Blue Mage). Each enemy space completed gives 250 points; each elite enemy space completed gives 625 points; defeating the boss gives 1000 points. A maximum of 5000 points will be awarded based based on how many spaces the player completed (this will be 100% unless if they fail the duty).

The list of bonuses are as follows:
{|{{STDT|sortable pve}}
!Name !! Description || Points || Notes
|-
| Willing Sacrifice I || Clear the board with 3 incapacitated familiars. || 250 ||
|-
|Willing Sacrifice II || Clear the board with 2 incapacitated familiars. || 500 ||
|-
|Willing Sacrifice III || Clear the board with 1 incapacitated familiar. || 750 ||
|-
|No Beast Left Behind || Clear the board with no incapacitated familiars. || 1000 ||
|-
|Beast Squad I || Clear the board with a team of 6 or 7 familiars. || 1250 ||
|-
|Beast Squad II || Clear the board with a team of 4 or 5 familiars. || 2500 ||
|-
|Beast Squad III || Clear the board with a team of 1 to 3 familiars. || 4250 ||
|-
|Self-preservation ||Clear the board with beastmaster HP at 100%. ||250 ||
|-
|Selfless ||Clear the board with all familiar HP at 100%. || 1000 ||
|-
|Infinity and Beyond I || Perform Universality at least 5 times. || 150 || Only available in {{i|Second Master's Board}}
|-
|Infinity and Beyond II || Perform Universality at least 10 times. || 300 || Only available in {{i|Second Master's Board}}
|-
|Infinity and Beyond III || Perform Universality at least 15 times. || 450 || Only available in {{i|Second Master's Board}}
|-
|Unbeastable ||Clear the board without being afflicted by {{status effect|damage down}} [[Damage Down]] or {{status effect|vulnerability up}} [[Vulnerability Up]] || 1250 ||
|-
|Nameday Attire || Clear the board without acquiring any beast gear. || 750 ||
|-
|Walking Armory || Clear the board in possession of 10 pieces of beast gear. || 500 || Not available in {{i|First Board of the Unbroken}}
|-
|Economic Ethos ||Clear the board without using crucible items. ||750 ||
|-
|Habitual Horder || Clear the board in possession of 10 crucible items. || 1000 || Not available in {{i|First Board of the Unbroken}}
|-
|Starve the Fever ||Clear the board without feeding any familiars. ||750 ||
|-
|Feed the Bold || Clear the board having fed your familiars at least 20 times. || 1500 || Only available in {{i|Third Board of the Unbroken}} and {{i|Second Master's Board}}
|-
|Coin Clutcher ||Clear the board without spending territory tokens.||500 ||
|-
|Rolling in Riches ||Clear the board in possession of at least 2,000 territory tokens.|| 500 || Not available in {{i|First Board of the Unbroken}}
|-
|Sleepless Survival||Clear the board without resting at a campsite.||375 ||
|-
|Beastkin Gambit||Clear the board with a team of only [[beastkin]].||750 ||
|-
|Vilekin Gambit||Clear the board with a team of only [[vilekin]].||750 ||
|-
|Cloudkin Gambit||Clear the board with a team of only [[cloudkin]].||750 ||
|-
|Seedkin Gambit||Clear the board with a team of only [[seedkin]].||750 ||
|-
|Wavekin Gambit ||Clear the board with a team of only [[wavekin]]. ||750 ||
|-
|Scalekin Gambit||Clear the board with a team of only [[scalekin]].||750 ||
|-
|Soulkin Gambit||Clear the board with a team of only [[soulkin]]. ||750 ||
|-
|Ashkin Gambit||Clear the board with a team of only [[ashkin]].||750 ||
|-
|First Degree||Clear the board under the first degree.||4000 ||
|-
|Second Degree||Clear the board under the second degree.||6250 ||
|-
|Third Degree||Clear the board under the third degree.||9000 ||
|}

Clearing the board with sufficiently high score will grant one of nine ranks; in order from lowest-to-highest required scores, these are:

# Apprentice
# Novice
# Journeyman
# Adept
# Exemplary
# Renowned
# Elite
# Apex
# Legendary

Score thresholds for each rank vary by board, so it is difficult to summarize exactly what's required for each. However, for the three Unbroken boards, a score of 17875 or higher will certainly result in a Legendary rank. For the Master's boards, a score of 18766 or higher will certainly result in a Legendary rank. Score thresholds are currently being compiled [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P7fXvsWMlCavs_4QbdjiU4Y7m2Ejeb0PhDaD0pun3GU/edit?gid=0#gid=0 here].

== Competitive Rankings ==
The highest difficulty (Third Degree) contains a seasonal leaderboard where the top 300 players per region (North America, Japan, etc.) will obtain the exclusive {{i|Tourmaline Golem}} mount. The first ranking period was originally planned to begin two weeks after the release of [[patch 7.56]] and last until the release of [[patch 7.58]]. However, it was delayed until further notice due to balancing issues with beastmaster and certain gameplay mechanics. <ref>https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/3bd99d2fb8b65a68f76f8721dc662e55c5c9fd09</ref> The mount is also obtainable from subsequent ranking periods after the first.<ref name=famitsu>https://www.famitsu.com/article/202609/86452</ref>

Ranking scores are compiled from the last three attempts of each board within the Crucible.

Competitive ranking achievements include:
*{{i|Crucible Contender}} (top 300) - {{i|Tourmaline Golem Horn}}
*{{i|Running Feral}} (top 100) - Knight of the Crucible title
*{{i|Beast of the Best}} (first place) - King of the Crucible / Queen of the Crucible title

==Rewards==
Upon the conclusion of a board, players will earn beastmaster EXP, familiar EXP, and various rewards based on their score. More information on how familiar EXP is determined can be found [[Crucible of the Unbroken Attributes#Experience and Rank|here]].

The primary reward type are items that can be exchanged with the [[Kornago Merchant]] in [[Central Shroud]] {{coords|21.9, 22.6}} for other rewards.
*{{i|Faded Remnant of Resilience}} is rewarded from level 30 and 40 boards.
*{{i|Bright Remnant of Resilience}} is rewarded from level 50 boards.
A higher score will yield more remnants. Faded remnants may also be exchanged at the Kornago Merchant for bright remnants, or vice versa, at a ratio of 2 faded per 1 bright.

Each board has a rare chance of dropping {{i|Modern Aesthetics - Loosened Locks}} for achieving an apex or legendary rank.

Players may complete weekly [[Challenge Log#Beastmaster|Challenge Log]] objectives by clearing each board, earning large amounts of remnants.

Finally, beastmaster's strongest weapons can only be obtained by completing certain Crucible-related achievements:

{|class="wikitable"
! Gear !! Achievement
|-
| {{i|Beastliege's Hand Axe}} and {{i|Beastliege's Hoplon}} || {{i|Friend to the Fierce V}}
|-
| {{i|Guttler Unleashed}} and {{i|Augmented Kornago Hoplon}} || {{i|Crucible Master}}
|}

==Achievements==
This content is associated with the following achievements:
{{Achievement list|collapsed=y|conditions=Has game description::~*Board of the Unbroken*{{!!}}~*Master's Board*{{!!}}~*Crucible Ranking*{{!!}}~*rank*the Crucib*{{!!}}~*Clear the Crucible*}}

==Music==
{{music table header}}
{{music table row|Map|Swiftest Wing}}
{{music table row|Battle|Starkest Scale}}
{{music table row|Boss|Fiercest Fang}}
|}

==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px>
Beastmaster promo5.jpg
</gallery>

==See also==
*This content is essentially Beastmaster's version of [[The Masked Carnivale]] for {{i|Blue Mage}}, although it is structured differently.

==Trivia==
*Many of the combat encounters within the Crucible are remixed versions of old dungeon bosses with more difficult mechanics.
*Ephemeral items are largely inspired by similar items from Final Fantasy XI.<ref name=famitsu></ref>

==References==
<references></references>

{{Beastmaster nav}}
{{Duties nav|t}}

Final Fantasy XIV Online Wiki - User contributions [en]

Crucible of the Unbroken