How to unlock The Arcadion: AAC Light-heavyweight Tier in FFXIV Dawntrail

Ready to get into showbiz?

Title card for Black Cat, the first boss in the Arcadion Raids for Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail patch 7.01
Screenshot by Dot Esports

The tournament arc we’ve all been waiting for is finally here—after saving the Source once again and helping guide the future of a nation, the Warrior of Light is making their grand debut as the next star of the Arcadion in Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

Recommended Videos

As teased in the post-credits scene of the Dawntrail MSQ, the new raid series takes place in Solution Nine’s entertainment district as the premier fighting ring reopens for business after the war. Players are invited to join in on the bloody merrymaking and work their way up the Light-heavyweight Tier as the latest underdog on the scene. 

Where to unlock The Arcadion: AAC Light-heavyweight Tier in FFXIV Dawntrail

The unlock process for FFXIV’s newest raid series is fairly simple—Patch 7.01 places the unlock quest, A New Challenger Appears, right in Solution Nine’s Recreation Zone. In order to accept the quest, however, you need to have reached level 100 in at least one combat job and finished the final 7.0 MSQ quest, Dawntrail. 

Map for Arcadion raid unlock quest in Solution Nine of Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail
You can find the quest in the middle of the main thoroughfare at True Vue. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Speaking to the Stylish Stranger has him scouting you for the Arcadion right off the street, after which you can follow him inside the Arcadion tower itself to hear some more details. Once you’ve met the first three champions you’ll be facing (and heard the incredibly convenient but well-conceived lore justification for why you’ll have seven other players with you), you can grab the first quest in the raid series: The Claw in the Dark. Upon accepting, you’re free to queue into the very first raid of the first tier, AAC Light-heavyweight M1. 

The required item level is 685, which leaves a little wiggle room for one or two leftover Origenics accessories paired with the easily-accessible Artifact Gear and Epochal or Neo Kingdom accessories. Grab some HQ food and Gemdraughts, and go in prepared for a good bit of legwork and quick thinking—these new raids come with fast-paced and colorful new mechanics that are sure to be even more of a terror in the Savage versions. 

Author
Image of Corin MJ Bae
Corin MJ Bae
Corin is a lifelong RPG enthusiast and has been writing guides, news, and reviews for games since 2019. Their favourite games to write about include Final Fantasy, Persona, Pokemon, and for some reason, Minecraft. While they love to dig into any new major RPG release, you'll most likely find them grinding tomestones in FFXIV or reinstalling Skyrim for the millionth time.