A7N – Quickthinx Allthoughts

Encounter Overview

A7N – Quickthinx Allthoughts is the third encounter of Alexander: Midas and centers around alternating control mechanics, player isolation phases, and add management. While the boss itself has relatively simple attacks, the encounter becomes dangerous through overlapping mechanics—particularly cage phases, add spawns, and arena hazards.

The fight tests awareness and role responsibility. Players must handle targeted mechanics cleanly, execute cage mechanics correctly when isolated, and maintain control of adds and environmental threats throughout the encounter.

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

Arena Overview

The arena is surrounded by spikes that inflict Bleeding and Vulnerability Up while standing in them. These effects persist only while inside the spikes, so players should avoid being knocked or stepping into them.

During parts of the fight, the spikes retract, allowing additional mechanics such as roaming hazards and add spawns to occur.

Boss Mechanics

Core Boss Mechanics

Sizzlebeam:

• Targets a player with a purple marker
• Boss fires a linear beam toward them
• Inflicts Electrocution DoT

Strategy: Targeted player moves away from the group and aligns safely to avoid cleaving others.

Ground AoE (No Cast):

• Large AoE telegraphs appear without cast bar
• Inflicts heavy MP drain and stacking Bleeding

Strategy: Move immediately—getting clipped repeatedly will quickly overwhelm healers.

Uplander Doom:

• Multi-hit tankbuster
• Applies stacking Physical Vulnerability Up

Strategy: Heal through early hits; tank swap if stacks become dangerous.

Cage Mechanics

At intervals, a player is targeted and sent to one of four cages. Each cage has a unique mechanic that must be resolved before returning.

General Rule: Stay away from the marked player—both the grab and stun can hit multiple players.

Red Cage (Pyretic)

• Inflicts Pyretic (damage on movement/actions)
• Padlock add must be destroyed from outside

Strategy: Do not move or act. Stay completely still until freed.

Purple Cage (Throttle)

• Doom-style debuff (Throttle)
• Must kill Alarum add before timer expires

Strategy: Immediately kill the add. Delay = death.

White Cage (Gobwalker)

• Applies Frostbite DoT
• Gobwalker attempts to knock player into walls
• Walls inflict Deep Freeze

Strategy: Keep the add positioned between you and the wall to avoid knockback into freeze.

Green Cage (Gas Vent)

• Standing in gas gives personal Poison DoT
• Not standing in gas poisons entire raid

Strategy: Stand on the vent and take the damage to protect the group.

Add Pressure During Cage Phase

While players are inside cages, adds spawn in the main arena:

Panzer-Doll & Sturm-Doll:

• Will self-destruct if not killed quickly
• Sturm-Doll uses Kugelblitz (raid damage, interruptible)

Strategy: Kill immediately and interrupt Kugelblitz to reduce raid damage.

True Heart Phase

After spikes retract, additional mechanics begin overlapping.

Shanoa + True Heart:

• Shanoa spawns True Heart adds
• True Heart moves toward the boss
• If it reaches boss → massive heal + damage buff

Strategy: DPS must prioritize killing True Heart immediately while tanks keep boss positioned away from it.

Weight of the World

• Large rolling ball moves around arena
• Deals massive damage (9999) and knockback on contact

Strategy: Maintain awareness and avoid its path—this is a positioning awareness check layered on top of other mechanics.

Bomb Mechanic (Low DPS Check)

• Bomb tethers to a player
• Explodes in AoE if not handled properly

Strategy: Tethered player moves bomb to edge or corner to minimize raid damage.

Encounter Flow

Boss Mechanics → Cage Phase → Add Cleanup →
True Heart Phase (Spikes Down) → Hazard Overlap →
Repeat Cycle → Boss Defeat

The fight alternates between controlled isolation mechanics (cages) and chaotic overlapping mechanics (heart phase), requiring players to adapt between individual and group responsibility.

Timeline (Simplified)

Sizzlebeam + AoEs →
Cage Phase (4 variations) →
Add Spawns →
Spikes Down → True Heart + Ball →
Repeat

Key Strategy Notes

• Spread properly for Sizzlebeam to avoid cleaving the group
• Resolve cage mechanics correctly—each one has a unique failure condition
• Kill Panzer and Sturm Dolls immediately during cage phases
• Prioritize True Heart adds to prevent boss healing
• Maintain awareness of Weight of the World movement
• Control bomb positioning if DPS is low
• Balance personal responsibility (cages) with group execution (adds)