If we could all talk about traumatic experiences or levels in videogames, a few would make the cut: a blue shell coming at you in Mario Kart, the sound of the Xenomorph in Alien: Isolation, and… a particular dungeon in Square Enix’s legendary MMO. I’m talking about none other than Aurum Vale in FFXIV, which, for me and many more, is the worst dungeon in the game. While it isn’t necessary for the story, it’s a dungeon that one must complete before reaching level 50 and moving on to Heavensward. Truly a right of passage for any new Warriors of Light.
Aurum Vale is The Worst Dungeon of FFXIV: A Realm Reborn
Right now, the MMO’s history isn’t new to people. We all know about the downfall of its 1.0 version and how it shined again once A Realm Reborn launched. While it overhauled almost everything and made the game one of the best online experiences ever, there’s one thing the devs left there to make us scream in horror each time we see it.
You see, Aurum Vale in FFXIV is the worst dungeon for many reasons. In the 47 to 50 leveling bracket, this one is the only good instances to grind to reach the base game’s max level, so no one can escape it even if they want to. While you can head to the Palace of the Dead, facing the horrors of Aurum Vale is a bit faster but incredibly traumatic.
Why Does The Community Hate Aurum Vale?
Hate might be a strong word, but I don’t know how else to describe it. As a new player, allow me to recount my first time in the dank and dingy dungeon. I was leveling up three jobs simultaneously during my journey in A Realm Reborn: a white mage, a ninja, and a paladin. I went with my white mage for this dungeon because I had taken a liking to healing. My love for that role went out the window when I stepped into this dungeon, however.
While it doesn’t have the most mind-blowing mechanics, most groups tend to die before the first boss. If you don’t “hug the wall” while pulling enemies, you’ll face crippling DoT, powerful mobs that hit like a truck, and poison vents ready to ruin your day. That’s exactly what happened to me. A bunch of “sprouts” looking for another standard dungeon delve entered, and we exited as the most traumatized adventurers in Eorzea. Do you know how people claim FFXIV players are never toxic? Yeah, place a bunch of new players in this dungeon, and we’ll talk later.
Still, after finishing it, I sort of know why the developers left this dungeon for the base game’s final hours. Completing it feels like breaking the ceiling and lets you feel as if you’ve mastered your job. Whether you’re a healer, tank, or DPS, this challenging dungeon makes you put everything you learned in your 30 or so hours to practice. So, if you’re one of the new Warriors of Light preparing for Dawntrail, godspeed. May this dungeon never break you because, after this, things get much brighter in the MMO. Well… that’s until you reach the Savage content.
