M1S Black Cat Raid Guide – Arcadion Light-Heavyweight (FFXIV)

Expansion: Dawntrail
Raid Series: Arcadion
Raid Tier: Light-Heavyweight
Boss: Black Cat
Encounter: M1S
Players: 8 (2 Tanks / 2 Healers / 4 DPS)
Duty Finder Type: Savage Raid

Unlock Requirement: Arcadion Light-Heavyweight (Normal) Completion
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Encounter Overview

Black Cat (Savage) expands heavily on the mechanics introduced in Normal mode, adding strict positioning requirements, clone mechanics, and complex tile destruction patterns.

The fight centers around:

• baited cone mechanics
• tile destruction patterns
• clone memory mechanics
• role-based stack mechanics
• knockback positioning

The arena consists of a 4×4 grid of tiles, many of which can break during the fight. Players standing on broken tiles will fall off the arena and die.

Avoidable AoEs inflict Damage Down or Sustained Damage, significantly lowering raid DPS and often leading to wipes.

Arena Overview

The battlefield is a 4×4 tile grid.

Several mechanics will:

• damage tiles
• destroy tiles
• knock players across tiles

Destroyed tiles create permanent holes until the arena regenerates later in the encounter.

Falling from the arena results in instant death.

Strategy Setup

Most groups assign clock positions:

Players also organize into:

• Light parties (Tank + Healer + 2 DPS)
• Pairs (1 Support + 1 DPS)

These assignments are required for several mechanics.

Mechanic Archive

Quadruple Crossing

Black Cat targets the four closest players with cone AoEs that deal heavy damage and apply Slashing Resistance Down.

The attack repeats targeting the other four players.

Afterward, both sets of baited cones explode again in the same locations.

Common strategy

1. DPS bait first cones in intercardinals inside hitbox

2. Supports stand outside hitbox on cardinals

3. Roles swap for the second set

4. Dodge follow-up cones by moving to cardinals

Biscuit Maker

Heavy tankbuster that applies Slashing Resistance Down.

The attack repeats.

Response

• tank swap during cast
or
• use invulnerability cooldowns

Nine Lives

Black Cat stores its next mechanic.

The stored mechanic will later be executed by a clone.

One-two Paw

Two sequential half-arena cleaves.

• first claw side
• opposite side

Players must remember the safe direction, as this pattern will be stored for later.

Soulshade (Clone Mechanic)

Two clones spawn and inherit the One-two Paw pattern.

Each clone faces a different direction.

Players must:

1. stand left or right of both clones

2. dodge first cleave

3. cross center to dodge second cleave

Double Swipe / Quadruple Swipe

Occurs during clone cleaves.

Double Swipe

Stack damage on both healers.

Resolve with light parties.

Quadruple Swipe

Stack damage on either:

• all DPS
or
• all supports

Resolve with designated pairs.

The boss stores whichever swipe mechanic was used.

Leaping Quadruple Crossing

The boss slides to the east or west before performing Quadruple Crossing.

Resolve the cones similarly to the initial version.

During the second cone sequence, the stored swipe mechanic resolves.

Bloody Scratch

Heavy physical raidwide damage.

Mitigation required.

Mouser Phase 1

Mouser

The boss targets 10 sequential tile attacks.

Tiles behave as follows:

After the sequence, four alternating damaged tiles remain, creating a 2×4 or 4×2 safe configuration.

Copycat Clone

A clone spawns and targets players with Elevate and Eviscerate.

Clone Uppercut

Launches the player forward one tile.

Clone Smash

Deals damage but does not move the player.

Players should aim their landing on safe tiles.

The clone also emits a plus-shaped AoE from the targeted tile.

Players in the horizontal or vertical line are knocked off the arena.

Four players of the same role are targeted.

The clone always performs:

• two smashes
• two uppercuts

Shockwave

Large knockback from the boss.

Knockback immunity does not work.

Players must aim themselves toward safe regenerated corner tiles.

Immediately afterward:

Grimalkin Gale

All players receive spread markers.

Players must spread after landing.

Leaping Nine Lives Phase

Leaping One-two Paw

The boss slides to a new location before performing One-two Paw.

Players must remember:

• slide direction
• cleave order

This pattern is stored for a clone.

Soulshade Clones

Two sleeping clones appear.

One stores:

• Leaping One-two Paw

The other stores:

• Leaping Quadruple Crossing

The boss tethers one clone to activate first.

If Leaping One-two Paw activates

The boss casts Tempestuous Tear.

Two line stack AoEs target healers.

Resolve with light parties while dodging clone cleaves.

If Leaping Quadruple Crossing activates

The boss casts Nailchipper.

One role receives circle AoEs.

Then the other role receives them.

Players spread on cardinals while the opposite role baits cone attacks.

Once one clone resolves, the second clone activates.

Bloody Scratch

Raidwide damage.

Mitigate and heal.

Mouser Phase 2

Mouser

Same tile destruction mechanic as earlier.

This time the opposite role group is targeted by the clone.

Overshadow

Split damage line stack AoE.

Seven players stack to share damage.

Splintering Nails

Three cone attacks target:

• a tank
• a healer
• a DPS

Players spread by role to avoid overlap.

The boss always uses:

• two Overshadows
• two Splintering Nails

in random order.

Biscuit Maker

Tankbuster repeats.

Shockwave + Grimalkin Gale

Knockback into spread markers again.

Players must carefully aim knockback to avoid falling.

Final Mechanics

Raining Cats

Two players receive tethered cone attacks.

At the same time:

• closest player stack AoE
• farthest player stack AoE

Players must rotate tether targets to avoid lethal repeat damage.

Common strategy:

1. melee DPS take first tethers

2. tanks take second set

3. tanks use invulnerability on later hits

Copycat + Predaceous Pounce

A clone performs Predaceous Pounce AoE patterns.

Meanwhile the boss uses One-two Paw.

Players must resolve both mechanics simultaneously.

Enrage

Mouser (Enrage)

Tiles eventually all break.

Players fall from the arena and wipe.

The boss must be defeated before the entire floor collapses.

Difficulty Profile

Black Cat Savage is heavily execution-based and punishes mistakes with Damage Down debuffs and tile deaths, making clean mechanics critical.

Related Encounters

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