Best Served with Cold Steel
Best Served with Cold Steel
- Quest giver
- Raubahn
- Location
- The Fringes (X:9.3, Y:11.3)
- Quest line
- Stormblood Main Scenario Quests
- Level
- 60
- Experience
100,000- Gil
1,883- Previous quest
Signed, Sealed, to Be Delivered- Next quest
- Let Fill Your Hearts with Pride
- Patch
- 4.0
“Raubahn knows exactly what he would like you to do.
— In-game description
Rewards
- Choose one of the following options:
- 1
High Steel Katzbalger 
- 1
High Steel Headsman's Axe - 1
High Steel Guillotine - 1
High Steel Tachi - 3
Quicktongue Materia V
Walkthrough
Solo Duty
You'll first face a Laquearius and Signifier in the open world, a marauder and thaumaturge respectively. Take out the thaumaturge first before beating on the tank, then meet Raubahn for the real fight. You'll be aided by Raubahn, Alisaie, a Flame Pugilist, and a Serpent Conjurer. Throughout the fight Raubahn will be fighting Grynewaht (Uses Augmented Suffering and Firebomb for AoE damage centered on himself and a random target respectively, and Augmented Uprising for conal damage), the pugilist will fight the Hastatus (A gladiator), the Conjurer will be fighting the Princeps (A thaumaturge), and Alisaie will be fighting the Prototype. Of these, only the prototype needs to be defeated, the three others have a prohibitive quantity of HP and defeating them yields little benefit. Both the Conjurer and Alisaie will support the party with healing.
Focus on the Prototype while dealing with the adds, which usually go down easily enough to AoE. At first there will just be two slasher adds, but more will be summoned as the fight progresses. In this first phase it will use Cermet Pile, a line AoE, at whatever it's targeting. Once taken below 90% four more slashers will appear and the Prototype will begin using Open Fire, which hits several large random circles on the battlefield. At about 75% it will summon two Hoplomachuses and two Signifiers.
Finally, at 65% it will begin using Mine Layer. This summons a Magitek Turret that will tether to you, and slowly fly to you until it self destructs. Simply lead it away from your comrades until it explodes. At 55% it will summon about 7 more Magitek Slashers, and Raubahn will ready Immortal Flame. Just survive until it goes off and they will be defeated. At 40% a cutscene will play and the final phase will begin.
In the final phase you'll be joined by three Resistance Fighters (A gladiator, lancer, and archer), M'naago of the Crooked Fletch (archer), and Conrad Farsight (thaumaturge). You'll need the extra DPS as the prototype will begin channeling Self-destruct, and if it goes off you wipe. Just focus all the damage you can, you have 1 minute to take it from 40% to dead.
Steps
- Lie in wait for imperial soldiers.
- Rendezvous with Raubahn.
- Defeat the imperial forces!
- Speak with M'naago.
Journal
- Having resolved to carry out Vice Marshal Tarupin's plan to destroy prototype magitek weapons, General Aldynn is eager to begin at once. He bids you lie in wait for an imperial patrol near Castrum Oriens and slaughter the soldiers in order to goad the Garleans into a response.
- The trap has been baited with dead imperials. Raubahn and the others are already in position, waiting for you and the prototype weapons to arrive.
- The imperial officer charged with overseeing the field testing of the prototype magitek weapons is none other than Grynewaht, the brutish Roegadyn whom you faced on the Carteneau Flats. Needless to say, he is surprised to see you in Gyr Abania, but eager to seize the opportunity for revenge.
- Though Grynewaht sends wave after wave of imperial soldiers and magitek against you and your comrades, it is not enough. As the smoldering wreck of his beloved weapon belches smoke into the sky, the imperial officer flees, leaving the combined force of Alliance regulars and Resistance fighters to celebrate a momentous victory.
- The operation is a resounding success. Not only were the imperials humiliated and their magitek destroyed, but your allies suffered no casualties in the process. Thoroughly satisfied with this outcome, Commander Kemp and General Aldynn exchange a few words before withdrawing to their respective headquarters.
Trivia
The initial launch of Stormblood suffered from technical issues. As this quest happens very early in the Stormblood leveling campaign, the sheer number of players trying to get in at once resulted in the instance servers becoming overloaded, resulting in a roadblock where people were unable to get into the solo duty required to complete this quest, and thus progress in the campaign, for several days. The situation came to be known as "Raubahn EX" or "Raubahn (Savage)" among the player community.
The developers have since learned from this mistake and have avoided putting instanced solo duties very early in the main story campaigns of future expansions since then for this reason.
Dialogue
Optional
Alisaie: Prototype magitek armor, eh? This may prove a challenge.
Pipin: Fate has a way of leading one into the most unexpected alliances, does it not?
Accepting the Quest
Raubahn: We've been careful to avoid needless shows of force this side of the Wall. But that's all about to change─and when it does, you may be sure they'll send their new toys out to entertain us. Raubahn: I would ask you to participate in this operation...but from that look I see it is a foregone conclusion. My thanks. Raubahn: Per Pipin's plan, we need to turn East End into an imperial graveyard. You're a dab hand at this, and I'd be a fool not to use you. Raubahn: Head to this spot on your map─right here, aye. A patrol should be along shortly. Deal with them, then rendezvous with the rest of us at this location. Go well, [Forename].
Optional
Pipin: We will have Flames and Adders with us for this operation. The Malestrom and the Temple Knights will wait in reserve at the castrum.
Raubahn: You know what to do. Be messy, be loud, and rejoin us when you've finished.
Rendezvousing with Raubahn
(Optional) Alisaie: My information was inaccurate, it would seem. The patrol never came...
Raubahn: All went to plan, then? Good. Raubahn: Our scouts report that a unit escorting the prototype weapons has left Castellum Velodyna. The Resistance is already in position, so we have but to wait for our guests to arrive.
Cutscene
Grynewaht: Things looked grim for us after Carteneau, didn't they? Oh, how they doubted us... Yet here we are, right as rain, with fancy new toys to put through their paces... Grynewaht: Bwahahahaha! It's like all my namedays have come at once! Grynewaht: Well, well, well! If it isn't Garlond's little troublemaker! Heh heh heh! I can't wait to see the look on Zenos's face when I bring him your head! Grynewaht: That is, if my secret weapons here don't grind it into mush! ATTAAACK!
Solo Duty
Raubahn: Adders, Flames, deal with the escort! Leave the armor to [Forename]!
Grynewaht: Bugger me! Is that General Aldynn!? Bwahahaha! A chance to get my revenge on [Forename], and test our new weapons, and kill an Alliance commander! Ohhh, it doesn't get much better than this!
Alisaie: One would almost think he harbored a grudge against you, [Forename]. Whatever did you do to him?
Grynewaht: Hurry up and KILL THE BASTARDS! We've got 'em outnumbered! Grynewaht: What are you idiots doing? Give them everything we've got!
Alisaie: There's no end to them... I'm here if you need healing, [Forename]!
Raubahn: Looks like there's only the one prototype. Whatever else we do this day, I want it destroyed! Raubahn: Keep it up, lads! That thing won't take much more!
Grynewaht: Enough! We have secret weapons of great power, don't we? Let's bloody well use 'em!
Alisaie: On your guard, [Forename]! He's up to something!
Grynewaht: Damn it all! Haven't we got anything else!? More armor or weapons or something!?
Raubahn: More of them!? I'm going to have to have a word with our scouts...
Grynewaht: This can't be happening! Not again!
Cutscene
Grynewaht: >> He who fights and runs─ What the─? Who in the hells are you lot!? <<
M'naago: >> For Ala Mhigo! Let none escape! <<
Solo Duty
Raubahn: We have them now! Forward! Forward!
Grynewaht: You think you've won, eh? Heh heh heh... THEN WE GO TOGETHER!
Magitek Vanguard I Prototype: Self-destruct sequence initiated... Sixty... Fifty-nine... Fifty-eight...
Raubahn: Seven hells! There's no time to get to safety! We must disable it before it blows!
Magitek Vanguard I Prototype: Thirty... Twenty-nine... Twenty-eight...
Grynewaht: No... No, no, NO! My secret weapon!
Cutscene
Grynewaht: Gaaah! Damn it all! Miracles of magitek design, my arse! I've passed harder stools than these piles of scrap! Grynewaht: You'll pay for this! Mark my words, the next time we meet will be the last!
Raubahn: Aye! Run and tell your viceroy! The day belongs to Ala Mhigo!
Cutscene
Raubahn: Well done, all of you. I'd call this operation a resounding success.
Conrad: Can't say I'm surprised. The “Bull of Ala Mhigo” had an impressive military record before he went west, as I recall.
Raubahn: Credit where it's due, Master Kemp. 'Twas Marshal Tarupin who made this plan, and all of you, Resistance and Alliance alike, who carried it out to perfection.
Conrad: Aye, that they did. Not a single casualty, for which I'm grateful beyond words. I've no doubt our comrades back at the Reach will feel the same.
Raubahn: As will ours.
Conrad: It's been a pleasure, General. Until the next battle. M'naago─I leave the Scions in your care.
Raubahn: We shall return to the castrum, then. [Forename], Mistress Leveilleur─once more you have my thanks. As Master Kemp said, until the next battle.
(Optional) Alisaie: That brute of an imperial officer was a force to be reckoned with, wasn't he? A fool, mayhap, but he held his own against the Flame General...
Speaking with M'naago
M'naago: I'd heard the stories, but to actually see you in action... I almost found myself pitying the imperials. Seriously, though─it was inspirational. M'naago: Ah, but you must be tired of hearing that, eh? I'll keep it simple, then─thanks for the help out there!
Optional, post-completion dialog
Pipin: We couldn't have done it without you. Thank you, [Forename]. Thank you.
Raubahn: Not bad at all for our first joint operation. It will make for a solid foundation upon which we may build a lasting alliance.