Shinryu Studies
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DISCLAIMER - The information below is not a list of meta characters or must pulls. Characters listed are "keys" to solving the puzzle of the Shinryu stage, and you should review our Roles page for alternatives if you lack them! Review the boss notes & character notes to understand the puzzle. You still need a balanced roster of damage dealers & supports work with your FR and key characters to complete the stage. We have done our best to give you information to make your transition to Shinryu difficulty more smooth, but this research is not necessarily holistic and is intended to be easily understood and actionable.
Quick FAQ
What's changed?
Shinryu stages are Lv300+! In addition to more HP than Lufenia+, they introduce consistent HP DMG taken down, BRV Retain down, BRV gains and Retain limits and mechanics are now based on the enemy FR gauge!
What do you get for beating a stage?
We get 1 High Powerstone (used to MLB Force weapons) in addition to the Force Stone Fragments (used for Force Enhancement). Check out our explanation of Force Enhancement and Sinewave's breakdown on budgeting on our Enhancement Points page!
I just started, can I do Shinryu?
Take your time and don't sweat it, there's endless content for you to do, this content can be punishingly difficult. If you can get to it, try out the limited time Event Shinryus but understand you will need an understanding on how to optimize damage to make the most of a good Force Time! Permanent ones can be done later but still need the knowledge of how to interact with bosses and do big damage without dying.
"Beginner's Guide to Shinryu" video by ScottOng
(Click to go to the video)
"Preparation For Shinryu Difficulty" by Destroth
(Click for infographic)
For older Lufenias or Lufenia+ fights see:
Table of Contents for your convenience, or just click the first link to jump right to them!
If you see anything you feel is in error or confusing, reach out to us so we can fix it for everyone!Bahamut Spiritus
Six Warrior Area 4
FOCUS THE DRAGON! It is the actual lose condition of this fight. Raijin LDCA, Cater LDCA or Setzer LDCA all heavily mitigate the Knight's danger, however nothing can take away the Dragon's immortality in Force Time if the Knight is already gone. Aggressive teams can utilize a FR Gauge charger like Penelo or Hope and Cancel FR time on the Knight. Defensive/off-turn teams are already handling the Knight so no worries there.
Act 3 Interlude (Neon Debut)
Warrior of Light IW
Seven FR Heretics
Bahamut Raid (Garnet FR Debut)
Kuja IW
Strago Heretics
Ramuh Spiritus
Sice Lost Chapter
Jessie Event
Fusoya Event
Machina IW
Fell Angel - GL Exclusive
🔎ScottOng's Fight Cheatsheet
Act 3 Finale Pt 2 - CoD 6 Warrior (Iroha BT/OK FR debuts)
Rydia Mission Dungeon
🔎ScottOng's Fight Cheatsheet
Beatrix IW
🔎ScottOng's Fight Cheatsheet
Act 3 Finale Pt 1 (JACK GARLAND debut)
🔎ScottOng's Fight Cheatsheet
Yuna Heretics
🔎ScottOng's Fight Cheatsheet
Maria IW
Don't get confused, maybe bring a tank. That's it.
Lilisette FR Raid
🔎ScottOng's Fight Cheatsheet
Enna Kros Lost Chapter
Pandemonium Spiritus
🔎ScottOng's Fight Cheatsheet
Dorgann Event
🔢 Xcaliblur's and Destroth's Fight Infographic with Team suggestions
(Note: Rampage Machine can still warp while in Red Aura which will result in a wipe)
Aranea Intersecting Wills
6 Warrior Quest Area 3
🔢 Xcaliblur's and Destroth's Fight Infographic with Team suggestions
(Note: Rampage Machine can still warp while in Red Aura which will result in a wipe)
Act 3 Ch 10 Pt 2 (Hope FR)
Vaan Intersecting Wills
Act 3 Ch 10 Pt 1 (Minwu Debut)
Balthier Heretics
Aerith Intersecting Wills
Welcome to the Lockout Era!
Fight Forecast Infographic showing which fights will have heavy resistances in the next few months in ways we haven't dealt with much before.
Elemental Lockouts Explanation by Black Nero/Black Cloud
Faris FR Raid
Crystal Armor
(2x 85M HP, 170M HP Total)Thunder, Water or Wind damage ONLY! Other elements will be reduced to 1s
Force Thresholds
Above 40%: Warps after player's party turns
100%: Force Ability, 50% BRV Retain, BRV Gain (50% mBRV after turns)
Bring Traps, Saps, Poisons or counters to handle their BRV to prevent them from killing you.
HP Thresholds
Below 50% HP: Warp and take 2 instant turns. Bring Traps, saps, poisons or counters to handle their BRV to prevent them from killing you
Quick tl;dr before the prettier guides come out
Cor can solo with FR and no friend, Garnet and Faris are great here for their utility/support & Damage
Tifa dumb and has BRV gains in her kit, go nuts but support her still
Don't bring elements besides those whitelisted unless you bring big BRV gains or Rainbows
For a quick rundown on elemental whitelist mechanics, see this section on our homepage or Glossary!
Llyud Lost Chapter
Brothers Spiritus
Cor Shinryu Event
Community Guides
Vayne Intersecting Wills
Golbez
(90M HP)
Ardyn
(90M HP)Force Gauge Thresholds
20%: BRV gain (110% iBRV after turn)
40%: Turn Rate +50%
Force Time (100%): Above effects & Cannot Die.
Can still be damaged
Force Attack (Ardyn): Remove debuffs. Recover from BREAK. unBREAK out party AoE Melee BRVs + Split HP attack.
Force Weakness: Melee Force Ability + Force Time
HP Thresholds (Golbez)
100% & below 80%: BRV gain (60% mBRV) and grants himself Black Wave
Black Wave: Party Dark Enchant +20%, Our Party Dark Resist Down. Break Golbez to Dispel.
Below 60% & 20% Randomly Targets someone with Binding Cold: BRV Ice Attack. Inflicts Paralyze 1T
HP Thresholds (Ardyn)
100% Uses Aura of Darkness: 3 AoE Melee BRV + Split HP attack. Grants himself Shadowstep 8T & Aura of Darkness
Shadowstep: Gains instant turn after breaking someone.
Aura of Darkness: Gains instant turn (warps) after one of our party members acts (outside of Summon/BT phase). Break Ardyn to Dispel.
Notes
Ardyn is the dangerous one. He's the one who Force Attacks, he likes using Aura of Darkness (ALL attacks) and can take instant turns/warps if left alone.
Counter tanks are great here to deal with Ardyn's shenanigans and keeping his BRV in check so he can't kill party (easily).
Golbez's Paralyze from Binding Cold can be debuff evaded/prevented.
Don't sleep on Golbez's BRV gains or attacks either! He can mess you up out of seemingly nowhere.
Spooky Stuff
Twin Meteor (Golbez): 8 Dark BRV + HP.
Aura of Darkness (Ardyn): 3 AoE Melee BRV + Split HP. Grants himself Shadowstep 8T & Aura of Darkness
Warp-Strike (Ardyn): 2 Melee BRV + HP.
Additional Attack (Ardyn): While Aura of Darkness is active, Ardyn follows up on his ST attacks with a 2 Melee BRV + HP.
6 Warrior Quest Area 2 (Yuri BT/FR debut)
Dimensional Whale Zombie
(90M HP)Immune to Paralyze & Launch
Dimensional Dullahan
(90M HP, yes, he's back)Immune to Paralyze & LaunchForce Gauge Thresholds
20%: Player Party -30% ATK, SPD & DEF
40%: Player Party -50% ATK, SPD & DEF
Force Time (100%): Above effects & Ice Enchant +50%
Force Attack (Dullahan): Recover from BREAK, AoE Ice BRVs + Split HP attack. Inflicts Ice Resist Down.
Applies a frozen field effect until it's next turn. (Your units cannot counter, cover, follow-up, etc)
Force Weakness: Use a Holy + Magic Force Attack with Force Time to Pause FR Effects
HP Thresholds (Whale)
The Whale has an Anti-Healing "mode": Any heals will HP Poison the party.
Below 80 - 60%: Anti-Healing Mode
Below 40 - 20%: Anti-Healing Mode
Avoid HP Healing Abilities around this time and be wary of HP Regens.
Spooky Stuff to Look Out For
Their Thresholds
Emnity (Dullahan): 3 BRV attack. Inflicts mBRV Down, iBRV Down & Poison to target.
Ultrasonics (Whale): Recover from BREAK, BRV Gain + 3 Magic BRV + HP.
Venom Breath (Whale) : 5 AoE Magic BRVs. Inflicts Poison.
They will shift modes during BT/Summon Phases so be wary of HP Regens as Whale's HP dwindles.
HP Thresholds (Dullahan)
Dullahan has 2 "modes": Poison Mode & Counter Mode (our terms)
Poison Mode: Field HP Poison and Nullifies BRV Gains.
Counter Mode: Counters with an AoE Magic BRV + HP attack that lowers Player Party's buff durations -1T, Inflicts Ruin. Doesn't counter in Summon or BT Phase. Can miss.
From 100% - below 80%: Poison Mode
Below 80% - below 60%: Counter Mode
Below 60% - below 40%: Poison Mode
Below 40% - below 20%: Counter Mode
Below 20% - 0%: Poison Mode
WILL NOT COUNTER IF STUNNED! (Note it is still immune to regular paralyze)
Upon switching to Counter Mode, he will try to apply AoE Paralyze 1T & Ruin 3T on party.
Ruin : Self-Delay 1T after acting.
You can Dodge the attack (which avoids the buff duration lowering), but not Ruin. That said, you can prevent it's application with Reno or Raijin's LDCA.
🔢 Understanding the fight w/ Xcaliblur's Infographic
🔎 Prepare Party with Destroth's Strategy Infographic
Sabin Story (Act 3 Chapter 9 Part 2)
Immune to mBRV Down
Force Weakness
Use an Wind & Magic Force Attack with Force Time to cancel FR time.
Force Gauge Thresholds
40% - BRV DMG & HP DMG +100%
60% - Turn Rate +50%
Force Time (100%) - Griever deletes target's next turn on attacking
Force Attack - Recover from BREAK, AoE BRVs + Split HP attack. Guarnateed Hit.
HP Thresholds & Mechanics (Junction Griever - 80M* HP, Irvine Manakin - 70M HP)
HP Thresholds
Below 80%: Warps turn to active turn, gains 2 instant turns (total 3 turns in a row.)
Also gains 999% HP DMG Resist. Removed by delaying all enemies at least 1T!
Below 30%: ITS MORBIN' TIME! Removes all debuffs on Self and heals to full HP.
2nd Life, Below 30%: Warps turn to active turn, gains 2 instant turns (total 3 turns in a row.)
Also gains 999% HP DMG Resist. Removed by delaying all enemies at least 1T! (You already did this before, you got this!)
Notes:
If you are able to push Griever's HP from above 80% to below 30%, you will not have to deal with that first 999% HP DMG Resist aura which can save you a delay source and she will not warp which can save you mitigation tools.
If Irvine is defeated, a single target delay on Griever is enough to remove the aura.
Spooky Stuff
Holy : Reduce target's BRV to 0, BRV + HP attack
Meteor : Recovers from BREAK. AoE Magic BRVs + Split HP.
Irvine likes using HP attacks so be careful
Alternative Shot : Instant Turn Rate, grants himself The Path I Choose
Dark Shot : AoE Ranged BRVs + Split HP attack 3x
Hyper Shot : Ranged BRVs + HP attack 3x + 50% splash each HP attack
🔢 Understanding the fight w/ Xcaliblur's Infographic
🔎 Prepare Party with Destroth's Strategy Infographic
Iroha Intersecting Wills
🔢 Understanding the fight w/ Xcaliblur's Infographic
🔎 Prepare Party with Destroth's Strategy Infographic
