FFXIV P5 boss guide - Proto Carbuncle moves and strategy

Finally ready to work your way up to some new raid gear? You'll need to know how to beat the fifth circle of Pandaemonium - the first of the Abyssos leg. This FFXIV P5 Proto Carbuncle boss guide will do just that by walking you through each move and phase, with a handy skill list at the top for a quick reference. Commit them to memory and you should know exactly how to react.

Being the first boss you’ll come across in FFXIV 6.2’s new raid tier, Proto Carbuncle - seemingly the original version of the Arcanist’s own glow buddy - isn’t too taxing a battle. It’s a good test of your ability (and your current gear level) but the general idea is that if you can conk this one out, you can theoretically beat them all. So listen up.

Need more FFXIV 6.2 guides? We've got your back. Our FFXIV Island Sanctuary guide is primed for a big update that'll walk you all the way to rank ten. After that, we'll show you how to get the FFXIV Mandragora mount and walk you through the Fell Court of Troia boss roster as well.

FFXIV P5 boss guide - Proto Carbuncle moves

• Searing Ray
  • Cleaves the arena from a corner.
  • Is reflected by Ruby Glow.
• Ruby Glow
  • Deals party-wide damage and sets up mirrors across the arena
• Topaz Stones
  • Drops four arcane shards that explode for small area damage.
  • Is reflected by Ruby Glow.
  • Become 'Toxic' in phase 2, changing the area of effect into a growing poison pool that is not reflected by Ruby Glow.
• Sonic Howl
  • Deals party-wide damage.
• Acidic Slave
  • Deals party-wide damage.
  • Transitions to phase two.
• Crunch
  • Tank buster.
• Toxic Crunch
  • Tank buster with incurable poison.
  • Phase two only.
• Venom Squall
  • Drops four puddles across the party.
  • Targets all party members with individual markers.
  • The puddles explode as the markers resolve.

FFXIV P5 boss guide - phase 1

Right out of the gate, Proto-Carbuncle takes to a corner with Black Mage staves circling its body. This is your cue to rush behind it to avoid a large cleave. After that, Ruby Glow blasts the whole team, finishing off any that were already too slow to adjust.

It’s at that point that Proto-Carbuncle introduces its main maddening mechanic, which splits the arena in two with an arcane shroud of sorts. You can pass through this at will, but the idea is that it’s a mirror that reflects the monster’s magic-based attacks - the sort to come when it has those stave icons orbiting its grotesque body.

Your first example of this is that same Searing Ray attack which, this time, covers the diagonal stretch of the area the boss takes to due to the reflection, meaning you simply want to get on the other side of the mirror as if you’re about to eat it. Right after, Crunch comes as a targeted tank buster, so heal and mitigate as required.

Once the first mirror is over, you’re introduced to Topaz Stones - a collection of magic-infused rocks that simply detonate for small-range area damage shortly after they land. Prep for another Ruby Glow hit, and you’ll see why you were shown this beforehand.

With the arena now split into quadrants, more Topaz Stones will land to ride up against the walls. Just get into a square without one.

Any with a stone in them will reflect the typically small blast, covering the entire square. Get behind Proto-Carbuncle as it prepares an unhindered Searing Ray and Crunch combo from the corner, then shield up for Sonic Howl: its party-wide attack that doesn’t split up the arena for a change.

If anyone stays low from the for more than a few seconds, Acidic Slaver - a move that renders the whole team unable to move while ol’ Carby gets mad and smashes the arena.

FFXIV P5 boss guide - phase 2

Having gobbled up a lonely slime on the battlefield, Proto-Carbuncle’s physical attacks now have a poison element to them. Goodie. Heal up for another Ruby Glow and reflected Topaz Stones combo, then prep the tank to take the new and improved Toxic Crunch, which applies a damage tick Esuna won’t touch.

Up next is something new. After a Sonic Howl, newly poisoned Topaz Stones arrive, rapidly growing their area of effect as they ooze. Deal with another tank buster during that, and you’ll face another new trick.

Hinted at only by some flavour text stating that Proto-Carbuncle is back on the hunt for grub, you want to watch the order that mount icon floating somewhere around the arena moves to: it’s the order Carby will slam down for some wide area damage. Anyone caught out gets flung into the middle and ran over with a final dash.

After a final reflected use of Topaz Stones - which now drop in sequence, creating the need to make note and sprint from the last landing zone to the first as they resolve, you’ll have seen everything this eventual friend can pull from its slobbered sleeve.

Next, you'll need to compete with Venom Squall, which marks the area under four players and puts drop markers on everyone on top. You'll need to split up here, but with the first four markers primed to explode and the potential for toxic Topaz Stones to still be up, space will be at a premium. Healers beware.

The phase repeats until its dead, albeit it mixing Ruby Glow, Topaz Stones (the growing kind), and a reflected Searing Ray in for good measure. For that, just avoid the puddle while staying on the side facing the boss, whole cleave itself due to the mirror.

With that, you'll have your clear. Keep running and rolling for the chest piece if you want to get the cool new armour in one week. Otherwise, get those accessories if you just like to climb ilvls faster. Finally, check out our guide on how to get the FFXIV Pupu minion if you're after that FFVIII reference.