While this is supposed to be fun and not very serious, behind every goof is a grain of truth! Final Fantasy XIV players know a good dungeon when they see one. We’re more than happy to rerun a bunch of these as we reminisce about our first time, or shake our heads in disappointment when queuing into others. It’s all love, though!

FFXIV dungeons have fallen into a specific gameplay formula — pull mobs, AoE them down, fight a boss, and do that three times. It’s still enjoyable, but most of the surprise and excitement comes down to a dungeon’s boss fight mechanics or its role in storytelling. I believe the latter is the biggest factor in making a great dungeon, which is why I’m quite biased toward the dungeons in Shadowbringers and Endwalker. However, I appreciate that A Realm Reborn was willing to venture beyond the now-established formula, even if most of its dungeons feel detached from the story compared to the ones in subsequent expansions. Plus, a lot of them take place in caves — cool caves, but still caves.

Nowadays, when I run an expert roulette and get The Dead Ends, I remain compelled by the evocative, pulse-pounding theme. I also get hyped to revisit Doma Castle and Ala Mhigo and remember what it was like to fight back against colonizers. And I don’t mind ushering a few sprouts through Haukke Manor. This leads into the question of how I’ve determined which dungeons belong in which tier: feelings. I went with my gut, and that’s that! Really, though, I took into account boss mechanics, visual presentation, narrative purpose, theme song, and just overall vibe.

As head of The Linkshell, I bear the responsibility of making the definitive FFXIV dungeon tier list, effectively ranking every FFXIV dungeon (all 84 of them) just because I can. But I’m also giving myself permission to update these rankings at any time — especially after Patch 6.1 reworks a few of the older ones. Who knows what the Duty Roulette will put me in? Maybe I’ll see a side of a dungeon I didn’t realize existed before! Anyway, here are the FFXIV dungeons ranked, divided into S, A, B, C, and D tiers (in reverse order).

D Tier FFXIV Dungeons

The Aurum Vale (Lv. 47) — Please don’t roulette me into this one, I’m brain-poisoned enough as it is.
The Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak (Lv. 24) — I’ll consider moving it up to C- tier after the 6.1 rework.

C Tier FFXIV Dungeons

C- Tier

Sastasha (Lv. 15) — Nothing spectacular, but a good introduction to dungeons for sprouts.
The Tam-Tara Deepcroft (Lv. 16) — Another easygoing dungeon for beginners. That’s all.

C Tier

The Praetorium / Castrum Meridianum (as roulettes) (Lv. 50) — At least the cutscenes give you time to clean around the house or share nefarious links in party chat.
Brayflox Longstop (Lv. 32) — I’ve been burned too many times as a Healer.
Cutter’s Cry (Lv. 38) — Sand everywhere. So much sand.
Halatali (Lv. 20) — Please pull the levers.
Dzemael Darkhold (Lv. 44) — I appreciate the attempt at new mechanics, but a little annoying to deal with.
The Tam-Tara Deepcroft (Hard) (Lv. 50) — Turning the dungeon red shows you mean business.

C+ Tier

Copperbell Mines (Lv. 17) — Some neat lil gimmicks for a beginner dungeon. Divide the slimes!
Halatali (Hard) (Lv. 50) — The one time a (Hard) version isn’t red.
The Sunken Temple of Qarn (Lv. 35) — Killing faces on floor buttons is still kinda neat.
The Sunken Temple of Qarn (Hard) (Lv. 50) — Cactuars and mummies!
Pharos Sirius (Hard) (Lv. 60) — Not as cool as the original, but still good. Leave the kobolds alone.
Sohm Al (Hard) (Lv. 60) — It’s okay, I can fight in caves again in Heavensward…
Hell’s Lid (Lv. 70) — More like Hell’s lit!
Castrum Abania (Lv. 69) — Heavy aesthetic emphasis on Magitek and machinery, it’s fine.
Snowcloak (Lv. 50) — Lots of snow. Like, a lot.
The Dusk Vigil (Lv. 51) — We heard you like snow.
The Lost City of Amdapor (Lv. 50) — The dream-like aesthetic is cool. Not a fan of poison, though.
The Stone Vigil (Hard) (Lv. 50) — Not gonna lie, I still don’t really get the cannon stuff in the second boss.
Malikah’s Well (Lv. 77) — Cool boss fight at the end, but definitely the weakest of the Shadowbringers bunch.

B Tier FFXIV Dungeons

B-Tier

Sastasha (Hard) (Lv. 50) — I just think it’s neat to see a different side of Sastasha.
Hullbreaker Isle (Hard) (Lv. 60) — Slafyrsyn’s wild for this one.
Saint Mocianne’s Arboretum (Lv. 60) — Plants are good. I appreciate an excuse to go explore the Dravanian Hinterlands.
Saint Mocianne’s Arboretum (Hard) (Lv. 70) — Tokkepchi is cute!
Copperbell Mines (Hard) (Lv. 50) — The friggin’ spriggans! Creative mechanics throughout, though.
The Stone Vigil (Lv. 41) — Very cold place, until dragons. Someone please use the cannons.
The Fractal Continuum (Hard) (Lv. 70) — Not quite as striking as the original, but that’s okay.
Neverreap (Lv. 60) — I just think tornadoes are annoying.
Haukke Manor (Lv. 28) — Still one of my favorites from A Realm Reborn, even after the 50th time!
The Wanderer’s Palace (Lv. 50) — You get to see a widdo Tonbewwy! I hate ‘em.
The Wanderer’s Palace (Hard) (Lv. 50) — Green.
The Sirensong Sea (Lv. 61) — Ooooh, scary ghosts lurk at sea!
Shisui of the Violet Tides (Lv. 63) — Who knew you could breathe underneath The Ruby Sea?
The Great Gubal Library (Hard) (Lv. 60) — Not quite as whimsical as the normal one. Still lots of books.

B Tier

The Lost City of Amdapor (Hard) (Lv. 60) — A rainy, more interesting version of Amdapor. Hold up… those bosses… I’ve seen them somewhere… hmm…
Amdapor Keep (Lv. 50) — Kinda spooky!
Amdapor Keep (Hard) (Lv. 50) — Even spookier!
Pharos Sirius (Lv. 50) — Always a cool feeling to plunge into a lore-heavy dungeon.
Haukke Manor (Hard) (Lv. 50) — The mansion is burning because that 1.0 dungeon theme is fire!
Sohm Al (Lv. 53) — I like Sohm, but not Al. Tioman can get it.
The Antitower (Lv. 60) — Them dolls ain’t it.
Xelphatol (Lv. 60) — I like dungeons that launch you into the sky.
Hullbreaker Isle (Lv. 50) — Neat tropical dungeon you’ll never roulette into.
Kugane Castle (Lv. 70) — Yojimbo better have my money.
Anamnesis Anyder (Lv.80) — When the baby beluga takes you into the deep blue sea.
Akadaemia Anyder (Lv. 80) — It’s wild running this one after Endwalker. Neat Final Fantasy VIII reference, too.

B+ Tier

Castrum Meridianum (the very first time) (Lv. 50) — Remember the first time you ran this super cool eight-player dungeon with full cutscenes? That was dope.
The Praetorium (the very first time) (Lv. 50) — Remember the first time you experienced such devastation to face Ultima Weapon? That was dope, too.
The Grand Cosmos (Lv. 80) — Lovely dungeon. Cool lore. It’s chill. Whimsical remix of the Lakeland theme!
Keeper of the Lake (Lv. 50) — Hell of a way to cap off A Realm Reborn. I still enjoy that Midgardsormr fight.
The Fractal Continuum (Lv. 60) — Allagan tech never looked so good.
The Great Gubal Library (Lv. 59) — Chill jazz and evil books, it’s a good time.
Sohr Khai (Lv. 60) — Love a good Heavensward dungeon in the sky.
Paglth’an (Lv. 80) — Open up this fucking pit!
The Burn (Lv. 70) — There’s something really chilling about going to an aetheric wasteland.
Matoya’s Relict (Lv. 80) — Mad whimsical. Could go for some slow-roasted porxie.

A Tier FFXIV Dungeons

A- Tier

The Swallow’s Compass (Lv. 70) — Awesome dungeon you rarely get to see nowadays.
Baelsar’s Wall (Lv. 60) — Magnificent transition from Heavensward to Stormblood. Don’t get sloppeh. I still haven’t recovered from the cutscene afterward.
Bardam’s Mettle (Lv. 65) — Nothing quite like that second boss! Miss my Steppe folks.
The Aetherochemical Research Facility (Lv. 60) — That sweet Allagan lore and aesthetic.
Dohn Mheg (Lv. 73) — One of the more visually inventive dungeons. Musical frogman is cool, too.
The Tower of Zot (Lv. 81) — Don’t sleep on Final Fantasy IV! Also has a really cool interpretation of the Magus Sisters.
The Tower of Babil (Lv. 83) — You have to turn into a frog and go sicko mode toward the end. Sick remix of the Garlean theme, too.
Vanaspati (Lv. 85) — By the Twelve, what a sad dungeon to run.
The Aitiascope (Lv. 89) — A bit standard mechanically, but an amazing lead-up for one of FFXIV’s best moments.

A Tier

The Qitana Ravel (Lv. 75) — Arguably one of the best dungeon theme songs. Chill La-hee beats to study to.
Smileton (Lv. 90) — The Loporrits built a 3D printer gone rogue! Sick jazz tune with Endwalker leitmotifs.
The Stigma Dreamscape (Lv. 90) — Always welcome a good Omega callback. Fun boss mechanics, too!
The Aery (Lv. 55) — Love to see Estinien’s Nidhogg in a fight.
Doma Castle (Lv. 67) — I’m a big fan of decolonization.
Ala Mhigo (Lv. 70) — I’m a really big fan of decolonization.

A+ Tier

Mt. Gulg (Lv. 79) — A visually arresting dungeon that intensifies the leadup to Shadowbringers’ conclusion. It uses “Torn from the Heavens” during boss fights, too!
The Vault (Lv. 57) — You get to fight alongside Aymeric! Then… oh god… oh no…
The Ghimlyt Dark (Lv. 70) — A spectacular way to end Stormblood and capture the scale of the war against the Garlean Empire. Everyone is here! Yugiri hits LB3!

S Tier FFXIV Dungeons

Holminster Switch (Lv. 71) — An unforgettable introduction to Shadowbringers. Incredible theme song to match the urgency and stakes for the GOAT expansion.
The Twinning (Lv. 80) — The lore. The connections. The music. The Crystal Tower. Just iconic.
The Heroes’ Gauntlet (Lv. 80) — Absolutely incredible way to close out the Shadowbringers story arc. And that medley/remix of all the expansion’s zone themes…
Ktisis Hyperborea (Lv. 87) — A visually stunning dungeon I can run with my parents and cool uncle to stop my sad uncle from doing bad stuff. God, the Elpis melody gets me every time.
The Dead Ends (Lv. 90) — Hey, look, it’s our own world (twice) if we don’t fucking do something about it!
Amaurot (Lv. 80) — I cry every time.

Fallen Neurolink Painting

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