Each time Ifrit is defeated by Leviathan, the battle can be retried from the current phase. In theory, it wouldn't be such a time-stopping Eikon battle if it weren't for the Tsunami phase – a race to stop the attack before it immediately floods everything in Mysidium. Here's how to break Leviathan's shield in Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide.
How to break Leviathan's shield in Final Fantasy 16 The Rising Tide – Leviathan Phase 3 Eikon battle
Leviathan phase 3 doesn't discriminate, its difficulty up there, no matter what mode you play the game in. The key is to never have a moment when Ifrit is not on the offensive.
Spitfire every time it charges
Spitfire is Ifrit's laser ability (R2 + Triangle). Every time it charges, no matter when you are, use it.
sulfur when you are near
Brimstone is a charged explosive shield skill that can only hurt monsters at close range. When you are right next to Leviathan, Hold R2 + Square until the gauge is in the red zone and release. Much like Spitfire, the goal is to use it whenever it is charged for another use.
Melee as much as possible
When you are out of special moves, the next attack(s) that will damage Leviathan the most are your melee moves. Wildfire (Rondo) races towards it to get closer.
Always aim for Backdraft Finish
When doing your Melee combo, always aim for a Backdraft End. On a PS controller, this is:
- Square + Square + Square + Square (4 claw hits from Ifrit)
- Triangle (for Fireball Burst combo)
- Triangle (and another for Backdraft End)
A backdraft finish deals about four to six times more damage than a claw attack.
Related: All Dominants in Final Fantasy 16, Ranked
Charged shot when you are too far away
When Leviathan is too far out of your claw's reach, unleash Charged Shots when you can. Hold Triangle and release it when you hear a little “ping!” The latter is a sign that it is at maximum power. It is more effective than lobbing regular fire.
Avoid everything
Finally, be extra confident that you won't be hit by Leviathan's attacks! No matter the damage it does to your HP, getting hit will lose you precious seconds that you could be using to stop the Tsunami.
Leviathan is a pretty forgiving Eikon… sort of. At least, it's more forgiving than the Timekeeper, which we defeated with just an armful of potions. Once you beat the tsunami phase, you will have reached your last checkpoint. Whenever you are defeated in the next phases, the battle will always return here.
For more Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide guides, check out All Aquamarine Locations (Map) in FF16 The Rising Tide here on Pro Game Guides.
