Complete guide to FFXIV’s rarest mounts with acquisition strategies and time-saving tips
Introduction to FFXIV Mount Collection
Final Fantasy XIV offers an extensive collection system for dedicated players seeking to showcase their accomplishments through rare and prestigious mounts. These coveted rewards represent significant investments of time, skill, and sometimes substantial in-game wealth.
Mounts serve dual purposes in Eorzea – they provide practical transportation benefits while simultaneously displaying player dedication and achievement. For completionists and hunters of prestigious rewards, obtaining these rare mounts becomes a primary endgame objective.
With the MMORPG celebrating over a decade of content, the mount collection has expanded dramatically, creating numerous challenging acquisition paths. Understanding these requirements and optimizing your approach can save hundreds of hours in pursuit of these prestigious rewards.
This comprehensive guide breaks down the acquisition methods for FFXIV’s most elusive mounts, providing strategic insights to maximize efficiency while avoiding common pitfalls that can derail your collection progress.
1. Victor – Endwalker Hunt Mastery
Victor represents the pinnacle of hunt achievement in the latest expansion, requiring completion of the “Endgame Hunter” achievement. This Garlean-inspired canine mount demands 2,000 A-rank Hunt Marks and 1,000 S-rank Hunt Marks specifically within Endwalker zones.
Strategic hunting involves monitoring hunt trackers and joining hunt trains organized through community Discords. A-rank hunts respawn every 2-4 hours while S-ranks have longer spawn cycles and often require specific weather conditions or completion of prerequisite FATEs.
Optimization tip: Focus on zones with higher hunt density during peak player hours. Garlemald and Thavnair typically see more frequent hunt activity due to their layout and proximity to teleport points. Joining a dedicated hunt linkshell can triple your efficiency.
Common mistake: Attempting this grind solo without community support. The spawn windows and locations make coordinated efforts essential. Expect this achievement to take 3-6 months of consistent hunting even with optimal play.
2. Triceratops – Shadowbringers Hunt Specialist
The Triceratops mount rewards dedication to Shadowbringers hunt marks through the “Nuts for Nutsy” achievement. This requires eliminating 2,000 A-rank and 1,000 S-rank hunt marks exclusively within Shadowbringers regions.
Unlike Victor, this achievement benefits from having more established hunting communities and predictable spawn patterns. The Rak’tika Greatwood and Amh Araeng typically offer the most efficient hunting due to their straightforward navigation and concentrated hunt locations.
Advanced strategy: Utilize hunt relocation macros that automatically teleport you between aetherytes when hunt marks are reported. This can reduce travel time by 60% compared to manual navigation.
Pitfall to avoid: Don’t neglect S-rank prerequisites. Many Shadowbringers S-ranks require specific weather conditions or FATE completions – research these requirements beforehand to avoid missing spawn opportunities.
3. Pteranodon – Crafting and Gathering Supreme
Pteranodon represents the ultimate test for Disciples of the Hand and Land, requiring 500,000 Skyward Score points for each of the eight crafting and gathering classes through Ishgardian Restoration content.
This translates to four million total points across all relevant jobs. Efficient point accumulation involves crafting collectibles during optimal windows and gathering materials during diadem expeditions with proper gear and food bonuses.
Optimization approach: Rotate between classes to avoid burnout and utilize macro-optimized crafting rotations. Focus on expert recipes during favorable conditions for maximum point yield. Gathering classes typically complete faster than crafters.
Time management: Realistically expect 80-120 hours of focused effort per class. The mount truly separates dedicated crafters from casual participants and remains one of the most prestigious profession-related achievements.
4. Astrope – Mentor Commitment
The Astrope golden unicorn stands as one of the game’s original prestige mounts, obtained through 2,000 completions of the Duty Roulette: Mentor. This represents an immense time investment beyond the already substantial mentor qualification requirements.
Before even beginning the mount grind, players must complete the entire MSQ, finish 1,000 instanced duties, and accumulate 1,500 player commendations. These prerequisites alone can take months for new players.
Strategic execution: Queue during peak hours for faster pops and focus on providing genuine help to earn commendations. The roulette can assign anything from simple guildhests to extreme trials, so comprehensive game knowledge is essential.
Common frustration: Extreme trial assignments with inexperienced groups can significantly延长 completion times. Having prepared guides and macros for these encounters can drastically reduce failed attempts.
5. Wivre – FATE Completion Excellence
The Wivre mount presents one of the most grueling FATE-based challenges, requiring maximum Shared Fate reputation across all Endwalker zones plus acquisition of 500 Bicolour Gemstone Vouchers.
Each zone demands completion of 60 FATEs at maximum level to achieve Shared Fate III, after which you must continue farming FATEs to convert 100 Bicolour Gemstones into single vouchers. The 500 voucher requirement translates to approximately 360 additional FATEs.
Efficiency method: Rotate between zones based on FATE spawn frequency and completion speed. Labyrinthos and Thavnair typically offer faster completions than larger zones like Garlemald. Party synchronization dramatically improves clear times.
Alternative approach: Purchasing vouchers from other players bypasses the grind but carries substantial cost due to the time investment required. Market prices typically reflect 50,000-80,000 gil per voucher.
6. Centurio Tiger – Cross-Expansion Hunting
The Centurio Tiger mount rewards comprehensive hunting prowess across multiple expansions through the “You Got Game” achievement. This requires defeating 3,000 A-rank and 2,000 S-rank hunt marks without expansion restrictions.
The flexibility of hunting across all available content makes this achievement more accessible than expansion-specific hunt mounts. Players can focus on zones with the most active hunting communities and efficient spawn cycles.
Optimal progression: Combine this grind with other hunt-related achievements. The shared progress makes the overall time investment more efficient. Heavensward zones often provide the fastest completions due to their straightforward layouts.
Tracking recommendation: Use external hunt tracking websites or dedicated Discord servers to monitor spawns across multiple expansions simultaneously, maximizing your hunting efficiency.
7. Magitek Avenger G1 – Wealth Display
The Magitek Avenger G1 serves as another testament to economic prowess, available exclusively from Edelina in Mor Dhona for 50 million gil. This golden mechanized gorilla represents pure wealth accumulation achievement.
Efficient gil accumulation strategies include high-end crafting, market board speculation, treasure map parties, and Eureka or Bozja content. Consistent raid selling remains the most reliable method for substantial wealth generation.
Market alternative: Unlike time-gated mounts, this achievement can be bypassed through dedicated economic activity. However, the 50 million price tag represents hundreds of hours of optimized money-making efforts.
Common misconception: New players often underestimate the time investment required for gil farming versus achievement-based mounts. Economic-focused players may find this mount more accessible than grind-heavy alternatives.
8. Pinky – Treasure Hunting Specialist
Pinky the magitek predator emerges from treasure hunting endeavors, requiring three Exciting Tonics obtained exclusively from treasure map portals. These rare consumables represent some of the most valuable drops from map content.
Treasure map mechanics involve obtaining daily maps from gathering nodes, then assembling parties to explore dungeon-like portals. The Exciting Tonic has approximately a 5% drop rate from gold-trimmed coffers within these portals.
Economic consideration: Each Exciting Tonic typically sells for 2-4 million gil on the market board, creating a dilemma between mounting Pinky or profiting from the sale. Many players opt to sell early tonics to fund further map purchases.
Efficiency tip: Form static map parties with dedicated roles to maximize clear speed and loot distribution. Timeworn Kumbhiraskin maps from Endwalker zones offer the best value for time investment.
9. Apocryphal Bahamut – Trial Mastery
Apocryphal Bahamut represents the ultimate Endwalker trial achievement, available only after collecting all extreme trial mounts from the expansion. This combines Zodiark, Hydaelyn, Endsinger, and the Four Lords mounts into one magnificent reward.
Each extreme trial mount requires approximately 50 clears on average due to the RNG-based drop system. The combined effort represents one of the most substantial trial grinds in the game.
Party finder strategy: Create farm parties with clear loot rules and competency requirements. The later Endwalker trials benefit from established strategies but still demand precise execution for efficient farming.
Accessibility note: As the most recent combined trial mount, Apocryphal Bahamut currently enjoys high popularity in party finder. This mount will likely become more accessible as more players complete the prerequisite collections.
10. Gilded Mikoshi – Economic Achievement
The Gilded Mikoshi stands as the ultimate gil flex, available for 50 million from a Mor Dhona vendor. This Namazu-themed palanquin screams economic achievement louder than any other mount.
Vendor location: The mount is sold by the NPC in Mor Dhona (X:22.7, Y:6.7) alongside other high-value cosmetic items. The purchase requires no prerequisites beyond the substantial financial commitment.
Wealth comparison: While 50 million seems astronomical to new players, veteran crafters and market enthusiasts often accumulate this amount naturally. The mount serves as an excellent gil sink for players with excess currency.
Strategic acquisition: Consider purchasing this mount after obtaining other rare mounts, as the financial investment could alternatively fund market board purchases of other difficult-to-obtain items.
Advanced Acquisition Strategies
Successfully obtaining multiple rare mounts requires strategic planning and resource management. Prioritize mounts that complement your natural playstyle while considering time investment versus prestige.
Time allocation: Focus on 2-3 mount grinds simultaneously to avoid burnout. Hunt-based mounts pair well with FATE grinding, while crafting mounts complement market board activities.
Community resources: Utilize Discord servers, hunt trackers, and community websites to enhance efficiency. The FFXIV community provides extensive tools for tracking progress and coordinating activities.
Common optimization mistake: Neglecting to use food buffs, company actions, and proper gear for grind-intensive activities. These small optimizations compound significantly over hundreds of hours.
Long-term planning: Schedule grinding sessions during content lulls between patches. The release of new expansions typically reduces focus on older content, creating ideal farming conditions.
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