Blue Mage is a very peculiar job in Final Fantasy XIV, and The Masked Carnivale embodies all its specificities in relatively complex boss fights to clear.
It features 31 stages players will be able to complete for juicy rewards, and it will also help them complete content for the job. The Masked Carnivale is an entertainment feature, with the increasingly difficult boss fights welcoming a live audience.
You simply can’t get around the Masked Carnivale when leveling up your Blue Mage in FFXIV. It might seem to be a hurdle at first glance, but it’s very rewarding because it encompasses all the strategic strengths and tools of the Blue Mage—and unlocking it is the easy part. Here’s how to do it.
Unlocking guide for The Masked Carnivale in FFXIV
To unlock The Masked Carnivale in FFXIV, you need to reach at least Level 50 as Blue Mage and speak to Maudlin Latool Ja in the Steps of Thal from Ul’dah (X: 12.5, Y: 13).
If you have completed the previous job quests of the Blue Mage, the latest being named “Blue Gold,” you’ll be able to unlock the activity by speaking to the NPC. To get into the stages, you’ll have to head to another part of Ul’dah, however.
How to enter The Masked Carnivale in FFXIV
To enter The Masked Carnivale, you’ll have to speak to the Celestium Attendant in Ul’dah, Steps of Thal (X: 11.6, Y: 13.2). He’s located near the Aetheryte of the Miners’ Guild. You’ll notice a Blue Mage icon on the map to know precisely where to go.
The NPC is easily recognizable, with a top hat and an overall look reminiscent of magicians. Speak to him and a menu showing the activity’s different stages will open.
Be careful before entering the stage: you’ll need to adjust your strategy to each boss. To help you, the menu will show the enemy’s vulnerabilities (which all correspond to specific Blue Mage spells), weaknesses, and strengths.
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It’s highly advised to adjust your Spell rotation before commencing a stage. Once you’re ready, you can click on Challenge and enter. You can get as many tries as you want.
Clearing them is key to your progress as Blue Mage. Each stage will purposefully test your strategic skills and require specific key spells to be cleared, as well as a keen sense of timing.
For more challenges, you can check the Weekly Targets, which reward gil, seals, and Allagan Tomestones of Poetics.
Every week, three stages are chosen for weekly targets, which you can spot with stars from different colors as shown above. The color of the star indicates difficulty levels: blue for novice, white for moderate, and gold for advanced.
Once you’ve completed all stages of the Masked Carnivale, we’ll safely assume you’re an accomplished Blue Mage main. With over 30 hours of playtime and a level 70 character, I still fail to clear some of them.
