Keybound Brawler (Duty)

Main article: Keybound Brawler

Keybound Brawler

Level

1

Difficulty

Normal

Party size

Flexible • 1-4

Unsyncing

Allowed

Phoenix Down

Available

Patch

7.57

Keybound Brawler is a level 1 duty introduced in patch 7.57. It is accessible in Keybound Square during the Keybound Brawler event.

Introduction

Keybound Brawler is a dynamic typing challenge dreamed up by the Manderville Gold Saucer, designed for up to four players.

※This duty requires a keyboard. Please ensure that one is connected before registering for a game.

Enemies will spawn in three major waves and march from the far edge of the battlefield towards your base. Each wave must be defeated before your base's barrier is broken. You may attack enemies by correctly inputting the words that display above them. The wave is cleared when all enemies are defeated.

Your score will build as you input the correct terms and clear each wave. The higher your score, the higher your reward. Aim high and type swiftly to keep your barrier intact!

— In-game Help

How to Participate

• Players can register to participate by speaking with Keybound Registrar in the Keybound Square (X:5.9, Y:6.0).
  • Players can access the Keybound Square by speaking with W'zazanh in the Gold Saucer (X:6.1, Y:7.3).
• All classes and jobs, including limited, may participate in Keybound Brawler.
• Players may register solo or with a party. Players will be matched via duty finder.
  • If four participants are not found within a set amount of time they will instead enter as an undersized party. Enemy health will be adjusted based on the number of players participating.
• While playing, Players will be unable to use the following:
  • Chat
  • Auto-translate
  • Keyboard shortcuts

Registering as a Party

• If registering as a party, all members must have unlocked Keybound Brawler to participate.
• Players may register with a party up to four players.

Gameplay

Enemies

Each enemy has a health bar and words that appear above their head in blue boxes (2). Deal damage to approaching enemies by typing their words correctly into the text window (1). An enemy will only be defeated when its entire HP bar is depleted, with the number of successful word inputs required varying by enemy type and the number of players participating.

Duplicate words will not appear on the screen at once. Players will automatically target the enemy when successfully entering a phrase associated with it.

Scoring

Each instance consists of several waves. The requirements for completing each wave is displayed on the right-hand side of the screen (3). The score represents the Player's typing skill for that instance, with attacks effected by the bonus gauge below it (4). Correctly entering words earns points and increases the bonus gauge with the higher the multiplier the greater points earned with each attack.

HP Bar

The player barrier's health is represented by a HP bar at the top of the screen (5). If an enemy is in range of the barrier they will attack it, dealing damage. If the HP bar reaches zero the barrier is broken, and the duty is failed for all players in the party.

Enemy Special Attacks

Interrupt-able Spells

Similar to actual combat, some enemies can cast interrupt-able spells, indicated by the flashing cast bar. To interrupt the spell, land the number of attacks indicated by the number under the cast bar.

Letterlock

Some enemies cast Letterlock, indicated by an icon of typing with a red cross circle. When the progress bar fills completely, refrain from pressing any keys for a period of time until the enemy attack glows brightly. Failure to do so will render the Player temporarily immobile for a period of time as a penalty.

Cryptic Communications

Under the status effect Cryptic Communications words are concealed by static, with brief glimpses at what is underneath. Though hidden the words can still be entered, prompting the Player to watch closely and memorize what is hidden while revealed.

Barrier Busters

Certain attacks must be blocked by the player barrier by charging it. When the enemy's cast bar appears, enter the words displayed over the barrier to power the barrier. Once the barrier's is fully charged the barrier will nullify all attacks for a short period of time.

Input Rules

• Capitalization: Words and phrases can be entered entirely in uppercase or lowercase letters, or any combination thereof. Only the spelling will determine a successful attack.
• Punctuation Marks: When typing words and phrases with punctuation marks, the following symbols must be included for the attack to be successful:
  • Periods .
  • Commas ,
  • Spaces
• Question marks ?, exclamation marks !, hyphens -, and apostrophes ' are optional.

Example: Word is Hi-potion
1 hi-potion
1 Hipotion
0 hi potion

• Accented characters: Three potential words, Doppelgänger, Brísingamen, and Járngreipr, contain accented characters. Doppelganger and Brisingamen are not accepted, but Jarngreipr is. Doppelgaenger is a valid input for Doppelgänger.

Tips & Tricks

• Maintain a consistent stream of accurate typing.
  • Keeping the bonus gauge as filled as possible will further the amount of points you earn. Failing to earn points will cause the bonus gauge to slowly decrease.
• Minimize Damage
  • The barrier's remaining HP impacts the points awarded upon completing a wave, so minimize as much damage as possible to the barrier.
• Prioritize Magic Pots
  • Defeating a magic pot grants the Impassioned Inputs status, boosting bonus points earned by 10x while the status is active
• Brísingamen
  • The ALT code for í is 0237, or 161 on the numeric keypad. On a Mac, press option and e, release both keys, then press i. Alternatively, using an international keyboard setting is a useful way to type í (see video guide), by pressing ' then i.
  • For the other two words with accented characters, simply use the non-accented alternatives suggested above.
• Correcting Mistakes
  • Ctrl+A will select all text and allow you to quickly replace your typing if needed.

Phrase list

Main article: Keybound Brawler (Duty)/Phrase List

Controls

Attack: type the word displayed above an enemy's head and press Enter

• The attack will fail if the word does not match any of the enemy words on screen.

Bring up chat history: Press the ↑ arrow key while in the text window

Clear the text window: Press the Esc key while there is text in the text window

Abandon game: Press the Esc key while the text window is empty

• Abandoning the game will forfeit any rewards and potentially incur a Duty Finder penalty
• If no inputs are detected for a prolonged period of time, Player will treated as abandoning the game and incur the same penalties while being removed from the duty

Text input will use your platform's standard input system, the same as that used for the chat function. Direct chat mode will be enabled while playing Keybound Brawler, regardless of your current Character Configuration settings.

— In-game Help

Rewards

At the end of each wave, bonus points are awarded equal to 10,000 × the percentage of remaining barrier HP.

At the end of the game, your score, as well as the score of first place, are shown; other players' scores are kept hidden. Overall rewards are determined by your score, as well as if you cleared. Placement does not appear to affect rewards. The maximum reward possible is  2,800 and  350, awarded for scoring 60,000 points or more. Scores below 60,000 will scale the rewards down to roughly the percentage of 60,000 points that was achieved - for example, a score of 33,817 is ~56% of 60,000, and awards  1,555 and  196, each ~56% of the maximum possible.

Additionally, a Keybound Coffer is awarded with every clear.

Achievements

Name	Points	Task	Reward	Patch
Masterstroke I	5	Clear Keybound Brawler for the first time.	-	7.56
Masterstroke II	5	Clear Keybound Brawler 10 times.	-	7.56
Masterstroke III	5	Clear Keybound Brawler 50 times.	-	7.56
Masterstroke IV	10	Clear Keybound Brawler 100 times.	Magitype Magister	7.56

Music

Section	Theme
Waves 1-2	Let the Battles Begin!
Wave 3	Fight On!