FFXIV Zodiac Weapons Guide (2026): All Steps, Materials & Fastest Grind
Level 50 Zodiac Relic Weapons (ARR)
FFXIV Zodiac Weapons are the original A Realm Reborn relic weapons, requiring a long multi-stage grind from Relic to Zodiac Zeta.
This guide breaks down every step in order, including Atma farming, Animus books, Novus materia, and Nexus light grinding, along with the fastest way to complete each stage.
Looking for the fastest relic to complete? Compare all relic systems in our FFXIV Relic Weapon Guide.
These weapons represent the first major long-term equipment progression system in the game and require completing a lengthy chain of quests involving dungeon runs, FATE farming, crafted items, materia infusion, and rare materials.
While many later relic systems simplified progression, Zodiac weapons remain one of the longest and most complex relic journeys in the game.
Players begin the relic weapon questline by accepting the quest A Relic Reborn, which starts a multi-stage adventure to forge a legendary weapon tied to their job.
In This Guide:
– Full Zodiac weapon steps (Relic → Zeta)
– Fastest way to complete each stage
– All required materials and farming methods
– Total time to finish
Browse Relic Weapon Systems
Compare Zodiac Weapons with other relic systems to find the fastest progression path.
Quick Navigation
- Relic Progression Overview
- Stage 1 — Relic Weapons
- Stage 2 — Zenith Weapons
- Stage 3 — Atma Weapons
- Stage 4 — Animus Weapons
- Stage 5 — Novus Weapons
- Stage 6 — Nexus Weapons
- Stage 7 — Zodiac Weapons
- Final Stage — Zodiac Zeta Weapons
- Farming Tips
Below is the full Zodiac Weapon progression from start to finish.
Zodiac Weapon Progression Overview
| Stage | Weapon Tier | Main Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Relic Weapon | Quest chain, dungeon clears, primal trials |
| Stage 2 | Zenith Weapon | Tomestone material turn-in |
| Stage 3 | Atma Weapon | FATE farming across ARR zones |
| Stage 4 | Animus Weapon | Zodiac book completion |
| Stage 5 | Novus Weapon | Sphere Scroll, Alexandrite, materia infusion |
| Stage 6 | Nexus Weapon | Aetheric light farming |
| Stage 7 | Zodiac Weapon | Quest items, crafted pieces, dungeon drops |
| Final Stage | Zodiac Zeta Weapon | Mahatma light farming |
Each stage requires different tasks and materials obtained through various activities across Eorzea. Compared to later relic systems, Zodiac progression demands more varied content and more total steps.
Stage 1 — Relic Weapons
Quest
A Relic Reborn
This quest chain requires gathering special materials, crafting components, and defeating several bosses before forging the initial relic weapon.
Required Duties
The following duties must be completed, generally unsynced for speed:
- A Relic Reborn: the Chimera
- Amdapor Keep
- A Relic Reborn: the Hydra (weapon equipped)
- The Bowl of Embers (Hard)
- The Howling Eye (Hard)
- The Navel (Hard)
Required Items
- 1 Radz-at-Han Quenching Oil
Cost: 15 Allagan Tomestones of Poetics
Where to Get the Items
Radz-at-Han Quenching Oil can be obtained with Allagan Tomestones of Poetics from Auriana in Mor Dhona (22.7, 6.7).
Once these objectives are completed, the player receives their base relic weapon.
Stage 2 — Zenith Weapons
The Zenith stage upgrades the relic weapon using Thavnairian Mist.
Required Materials
- 3 Thavnairian Mist
Where to Get the Items
Thavnairian Mist can be purchased for Allagan Tomestones of Poetics from vendors in Revenant’s Toll.
Applying these materials upgrades the relic weapon to the Zenith tier.
Stage 3 — Atma Weapons
The Atma stage introduces a heavy FATE farming grind across multiple regions of Eorzea. Players must obtain twelve different Atma stones while equipped with a Zenith weapon.
Tip: The Atma stage is one of the slowest relic grinds. If you’re looking for easier relics, check out the Phantom Weapons Guide.
Fastest Method: Rotate active FATE zones instead of staying in one area. Drop rates are RNG, so speed matters more than persistence.
Required Materials
- Atma of the Lion — Outer La Noscea
- Atma of the Water-bearer — Upper La Noscea
- Atma of the Ram — Middle La Noscea
- Atma of the Crab — Western La Noscea
- Atma of the Fish — Lower La Noscea
- Atma of the Bull — Eastern Thanalan
- Atma of the Scales — Central Thanalan
- Atma of the Twins — Western Thanalan
- Atma of the Scorpion — Southern Thanalan
- Atma of the Archer — North Shroud
- Atma of the Goat — East Shroud
- Atma of the Maiden — Central Shroud
Where to Get the Items
Each Atma drops from FATEs in its listed zone. You must be equipped with a Zenith weapon when farming them. After collecting all 12 Atma, return to Jalzahn in North Shroud (29.6, 19.4) to upgrade the weapon.
Because these drops are random, the Atma stage is often one of the longest portions of the Zodiac relic chain.
Stage 4 — Animus Weapons
To upgrade the relic weapon to Animus, players must complete a series of Zodiac Books.
Quest
Trials of the Braves
You will need to buy 9 Trials of the Braves books from G’jusana in Mor Dhona (22.8, 7.3). Only one can be worked on at a time.
Cost: 100 Allagan Tomestones of Poetics per book.
Book Objectives Include
- Defeating specific enemies
- Completing particular FATEs
- Finishing designated dungeons
- Clearing levequests
Players must complete all required books to fully upgrade the weapon to the Animus stage.
Stage 5 — Novus Weapons
Quest
Celestial Radiance
Required Items
Cost: 75 Allagan Tomestones of Poetics
Where to Get the Items
Superior Enchanted Ink can be obtained with Allagan Tomestones of Poetics from Auriana in Mor Dhona (22.7, 6.7).
You must then exchange the 3 Superior Enchanted Ink with Hubairtin in Central Thanalan (23.6, 13.8) to receive a Sphere Scroll.
Next Step
Quest
Star Light, Star Bright
Required Items
- Sphere Scroll
- 75 Materia total — 11 Grade I, 11 Grade II, 11 Grade III, 11 Grade IV, with transfer failures potentially increasing the total needed
- 75 Alexandrite
Where to Get the Items
Alexandrite can be obtained from:
- FATEs in Eorzea while equipped with an Animus weapon
- Mysterious Maps
- Grand Company vendors for 50 Allied Seals each
Mysterious Map sources include:
- Auriana in Mor Dhona (22.7, 6.7) for 75 Allagan Tomestones of Poetics
- Morbid Motivation from Brangwine in Mor Dhona (22.3, 7.1)
The first time you will also complete:
Once the materia transfer to the Sphere Scroll is complete, bring it back to Jalzahn to upgrade your weapon.
Stage 6 — Nexus Weapons
The Nexus stage requires players to accumulate Aetheric Light.
Quest
Mmmmmm, Soulglazed Relics
You must perform a soulglaze with Jalzahn in the North Shroud (29.6, 19.6), then farm 2000 light by completing dungeons, trials, FATEs, or treasure maps with the weapon equipped.
The dungeon bonus window is the same as the Mahatma window and changes every 2 hours.
Light Points
- Feeble — 8 points
- Gentle — 16 points
- Bright — 32 points
- Brilliant — 48 points
- Blinding — 96 points
- Newborn Star — 128 points
Light Tiers
- No Activity — 0 to 199
- Indistinct Activity — 200 to 399
- Faint Activity — 400 to 599
- Slight Activity — 600 to 799
- Modest Activity — 800 to 999
- Distinct Activity — 1000 to 1199
- Robust Activity — 1200 to 1399
- Vigorous Activity — 1400 to 1599
- Intense Activity — 1600 to 1799
- Extreme Activity — 1800 to 1999
- Bursting Activity — 2000+
One of the fastest dungeons to farm light is The Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak (equipped weapon, unsynced).
Once the weapon is maxed out, return to Jalzahn.
Stage 7 — Zodiac Weapons
Quest
Wherefore Art Thou, Zodiac
Required Items
Where to Get the Main Items
- Book of Skylight — A Ponze of Flesh from Papana in Mor Dhona (22.5, 7.5)
- Zodium — Labor of Love from Guiding Star in Mor Dhona (22.3, 7.1)
- Flawless Alexandrite — A Treasured Mother from Brangwine in Mor Dhona (22.3, 7.1)
- Zodiac Scroll — Method in His Malice from Adkin in Central Thanalan (23.5, 14.1)
The first time you will also complete:
Once the four main items have been obtained, return to Jalzahn.
Repeatable Quest Materials
- 4 Bombard Core — 80,000 Company Seals
- 4 Sacred Spring Water — 800 Allagan Tomestones of Poetics
- 1 Bronze Lake Crystal — 100,000 Gil
- 1 Allagan Resin — 100,000 Gil
- 1 Furite Sand — 100,000 Gil
- 1 Brass Kettle — 100,000 Gil
- 1 Perfect Firewood HQ
- 1 Perfect Pestle HQ
- 1 Perfect Mortar HQ
- 1 Furnace Ring HQ
- 1 Perfect Vellum HQ
- 1 Perfect Cloth HQ
- 1 Perfect Pounce HQ
- 1 Tailor-made Eel Pie HQ
- 1 Horn of the Beast — Dzemael Darkhold
- 1 Gobmachine Bangplate — Brayflox’s Longstop (Hard)
- 1 Narasimha Hide — Halatali (Hard)
- 1 Sickle Fang — Snowcloak
- 1 Vale Bubo — Aurum Vale
- 1 Voidweave — Haukke Manor (Hard)
- 1 Amdapor Vellum — The Lost City of Amdapor
- 1 Indigo Pearl — Sastasha (Hard)
- 1 Tonberry King Blood — The Wanderer’s Palace
- 1 Royal Giant Blood — Copperbell Mines (Hard)
- 1 Kraken Blood — Hullbreaker Isle
- 1 Vicegerent Blood — The Sunken Temple of Qarn (Hard)
- 1 Lost Treasure of Amdapor — Amdapor Keep
- 1 Lost Treasure of Pharos Sirius — Pharos Sirius
- 1 Lost Treasure of the Tam-Tara Deepcroft — The Tam-Tara Deepcroft (Hard)
- 1 Lost Treasure of the Stone Vigil — The Stone Vigil (Hard)
Where to Get the Vendor Items
- Bombard Core — Grand Company seals
- Sacred Spring Water — Auriana in Mor Dhona (22.7, 6.7)
- Bronze Lake Crystal — Junkmonger in Upper La Noscea (26.1, 26.4)
- Allagan Resin — Merchant & Mender in Southern Thanalan (15.9, 29.0)
- Furite Sand — Merchant & Mender in Coerthas Central Highlands (13.2, 15.9)
- Brass Kettle — Tool Supplier & Mender in North Shroud (29.9, 18.9)
Important: For all dungeon turn-ins, run unsynced, on any job, without the weapon equipped unless the quest objective specifically requires it.
Final Stage — Zodiac Zeta Weapons
The final stage upgrades the relic weapon into the Zodiac Zeta Weapon, the completed A Realm Reborn relic.
Zeta weapons feature powerful visual effects and represent the culmination of the original relic weapon system.
The first time you will complete:
You must visit Remon in Western La Noscea (34.3, 31.7) and ask him to attach a Mahatma to your weapon in exchange for 50 Allagan Tomestones of Poetics. This process must be repeated 12 times.
Each Mahatma requires 40 points.
The dungeon bonus window is the same as the light window and changes every 2 hours.
Mahatma Points
- Feeble — 4 points
- Faint — 8 points
- Gentle — 16 points
- Steady — 24 points
- Forceful — 48 points
Mahatma Steps
- No Sense — 0 to 3
- Indistinct Sense — 4 to 7
- Faint Sense — 8 to 11
- Slight Sense — 12 to 15
- Modest Sense — 16 to 19
- Distinct Sense — 20 to 23
- Robust Sense — 24 to 27
- Vigorous Sense — 28 to 31
- Intense Sense — 32 to 35
- Extreme Sense — 36 to 39
- Full Soul Resonance — 40+
One of the fastest dungeons to farm Mahatma is Aurum Vale (equipped weapon, unsynced).
Once all 12 Mahatmas have been completed, return to Jalzahn.
How Long Do Zodiac Weapons Take?
Zodiac Weapons are one of the longest relic grinds in FFXIV. Most players can expect:
- Atma stage: 2–6 hours depending on RNG
- Animus books: 6–10 hours
- Novus + Nexus: 6–12 hours
- Zeta completion: 4–8 hours
Overall, Zodiac Weapons can take 20–40+ hours depending on efficiency.
Zodiac Weapon Farming Tips
- Use unsynced dungeon clears aggressively for the Relic, Zodiac, and Zeta steps to reduce the total time dramatically.
- During the Atma stage, rotate quickly between active FATE maps instead of hard camping dead zones.
- For Animus books, combine book objectives efficiently so dungeon, FATE, and levequest progress overlap wherever possible.
- For Novus, stockpile Alexandrite and materia before starting infusion if possible, since transfer failures can slow the process badly.
- For Nexus and Zeta, farm fast unsynced duties like Toto-Rak and Aurum Vale during bonus windows for maximum efficiency.
