A6S – The Cuff of the Son

Encounter Overview

A6S – The Cuff of the Son is a four-boss gauntlet encounter in Alexander: Midas (Savage). The party must defeat Blaster, Brawler, Swindler, and Vortexer in sequence within a strict time limit. A wipe at any point resets the encounter back to the beginning, making consistency and clean execution across all four bosses critical.

Each boss tests a different skillset: individual awareness (Blaster), group positioning and tank swaps (Brawler), strict assignment execution (Swindler), and full raid coordination under failure conditions (Vortexer). The fight escalates rapidly, with Vortexer acting as a full-system execution check.

Dungeons Trials Raids Relic Weapons

For a full breakdown of raid difficulty across all tiers, see the FFXIV Raid Rankings.

Arena Overview

The same arena is used throughout the encounter, but each boss introduces different positional requirements. There is no downtime between bosses, and the global enrage timer continues throughout the entire gauntlet.

Because players remain in combat between bosses, pre-planning positioning and assignments before the pull is mandatory.

Boss Mechanics

Blaster

Blaster is an execution and awareness check with a focus on interrupts, mine control, and directional reads.

Brute Force: Tankbuster applying Magic Vulnerability Up. No swap required.

Mind Blast: Interruptible raid-wide damage. Missing interrupts adds stacking raid damage and Damage Down.

Ballistic Missile:

• Spawns multiple mines, including one hidden mine
• Off-tank must intentionally detonate the hidden mine safely
• Improper detonation or positioning can chain into multiple mine hits

Mirage (Supercharge):

• Players are marked and clones spawn
• Clones dash in a fixed direction after landing
• Players must spread and identify safe lanes quickly

Mirage (Mind Blast):

• Multiple clones cast staggered raid AoEs
• Kill order: North → East → South → West → Center
• Failure results in stacking raid damage and Damage Down

Mirage (Tethers):

• Tethered clones require directional facing checks
• Arms up → look away
• Arms down → look toward

Key Focus: Interrupt discipline, mine control, and fast directional reads.

Brawler

Brawler is a structured positioning fight based on reading weapon attachments and handling orb waves.

Magicked Mark: Tankbuster requiring swap at 2 stacks.

Attachment System:

• Single Laser → tank soak alone
• Double Laser → group stack
• Single Drill → targeted player moves far
• Double Drill → closest + farthest bait

Steam Chakram: Rotating AoE drones that punish poor positioning with Paralysis.

Phase 2 – Orb Waves

Power Plasma Alpha: Must be killed quickly.

Power Plasma Gamma: Must be soaked by a tank without vulnerability stacks.

Power Plasma Beta:

• Cannot be killed
• Must be staggered using stuns
• Double explosion = wipe

Execution Pattern:

• Alpha = DPS priority
• Gamma = tank soak responsibility
• Beta = controlled timing via stun coordination

Key Focus: Assignment discipline and orb control under pressure.

Swindler

Swindler is a strict assignment fight combining positioning logic with group size checks.

Magicked Mark: Heavy tankbuster requiring strong healing.

Enumeration:

• Circles require exact player counts (2, 3, or 4)
• Incorrect count = instant death or severe penalties

Height (Arithmetic):

• Players assigned high or low debuff
• Must stand on opposite elevation
• Wrong positioning results in lethal damage

Bio-arithmetics: Raid-wide damage following mechanics.

Add Phase

Summon Goblins:

• Large add wave buffs boss if left alive
• Must be AoE’d down quickly
• Interrupt Hardmind/Hardhelm buffs

Auxiliary Power: Buffs nearby adds—boss must be separated from them.

Second Add Set:

• Midan Gunners spawn on cardinals
• Gain stacking damage if left alive
• Off-tank gathers, DPS kills quickly

Key Focus: Clean group splits and precise Enumeration execution.

Vortexer

Vortexer is the final execution check combining all mechanics into a single failure-sensitive system. Any mistake results in immediate wipe conditions.

Brute Force: Tankbuster requiring swap at 2 stacks.

Core System – Compressed Elements

Compressed Lightning:

• Must be passed between players
• Failure to pass = wipe

Compressed Water:

• Stack mechanic (minimum 4 players)
• Spawns Water Spout afterward

Water Spout:

• Must be frozen or destroyed
• Failure results in raid wipe

Environmental Setup

Designated positions are required:

• Center → Earth Missile stack
• West → First Water (Ice Block)
• East → Lightning pass
• North → Subsequent Water stacks

Major Mechanics

Earth Missile + Fire Beam:

• Stack → then spread for line AoEs
• Fire beams destroy Water Spouts
• Incorrect aim can destroy Ice Block (wipe)

Ice Missiles:

• Create ice patches that freeze Water Spout
• Must be placed precisely—not too close

Super Cyclone: Knockback repositioning into assigned areas.

Ultra Flash:

• Line-of-sight wipe mechanic
• Hide behind Ice Block to survive
• Resets debuff cycle

Execution Loop

Elemental Jammer →
Earth Missile + Fire Beam →
Compressed Resolution →
Ice Missiles →
Compressed Resolution →
Super Cyclone →
Compressed Resolution →
Ultra Flash → Repeat

Key Focus: Perfect debuff passing, controlled positioning, and environmental awareness.

Encounter Flow

Blaster → Brawler → Swindler → Vortexer → Enrage

The encounter is not four separate fights—it is a continuous execution test. Failure anywhere resets the entire sequence.

Key Strategy Notes

• Assign roles before pull for every boss
• Maintain interrupt discipline on Blaster
• Handle Brawler orbs with strict assignments
• Pre-split groups for Swindler Enumeration
• Track Compressed debuff rotation on Vortexer
• Never misplace Fire Beams or Ice Blocks
• Consistency matters more than speed