A Chance Encounter Main Quest Walkthrough: Chapter 1

Follow our guide for Final Fantasy XVI's 'A Chance Encounter' main quest. Learn how to navigate the devastated lands and prepare for the boss fights ahead.

Alright, so after waking up, the first thing you'll want to do is check out those new Eikonic Abilities. Head into your menu, go to the “Abilities” tab, and look for the Phoenix Tree. You've got three abilities to master and two to unlock, but honestly, the AP cost for those unlocks is pretty steep right now. Don't worry about it too much; progressing the main quest will sort that out. Also, keep an eye out for the Scarlet Cyclone ability – you can use it with [Circle/B] + [Square/X]. It's not the best for single enemies, but it's fantastic for clearing out groups!

Now, about that DLC – if you've got any preorder bonuses, you can snag them by going to the “System” tab in your menu, then “Redeemable Items.” There are some sweet new weapons and accessories in there that can give you a nice boost to EXP and gil, so it's definitely worth checking out. If you need more details, there's a separate page explaining how to redeem them.

You'll also notice a table listing items you might find in this area:

Okay, time to move on. You'll need to make your way through the lands that were absolutely wrecked by Shiva and Titan. Just keep an eye out for those tonics we mentioned; they can be handy.

You'll follow a pretty straightforward path here. Just climb a ledge, duck under some debris, and grab a Stoneskin Tonic. Keep going, and you'll slide through a narrow gap in some rocks. From here, you'll get a good look at the destruction left behind by Titan and Shiva's fight. Continue along the path, picking up a Strength Tonic and another Stoneskin Tonic as you navigate the broken landscape. You'll have to drop off a ledge at one point, but grab one last Strength Tonic before you do. That's all the items for this section. Just hop over a gap to catch up with your companions, and a scene will trigger.

Once that scene's over, you'll leap into action against Shiva's Dominant and her crew. This is where things get serious, and the fights are covered in detail on the Shiva's Dominant Boss Guide page. Just like the previous quest, 'Lost in a Fog,' this main quest wraps up with two back-to-back boss battles. After you deal with Shiva's Dominant, you'll immediately face another boss, which is detailed in the Tiamat Boss Guide. Once both of those tough fights are done, the main quest will pick up again with 'Hide, Hideaway.'