The Dark Inside Full Trial Guide

Zodiark's shackles have finally been broken, bringing his millennia-long imprisonment to an end. This premature awakening is the work of Fandaniel, who has cast aside his duty as an Ascian to turn the god of Darkness against the very star He was created to protect. With Zodiark's unfathomable power at his disposal, Fandaniel has selected his first victim─the Warrior of Light, who has ever been a thorn in the Ascian's side.

The Dark Inside can be unlocked at level 83 during the main scenario quest "The Marytr." It is the first trial players will encounter in Endwalker and is located in Mare Lamentorum. Players above level 84 will be level synced to level 84 when entering.

Phase one has you do battle with Zodiark.

Zodiark has no positional ring and auto-attacks the main tank infrequently.

• Kokytos will reduce all party members' HP to 1.
• Ania is a tank buster on the current main tank.
• Phlegethon places ground AoEs under players.
• Styx is a stack marker that hits multiple times for heavy damage.
• Exoterikos has Zodiark tether to an Arcane Sigil at the edge of the arena.
  • An Arcane Sigil with a triangle will cast Esoteric Sect, a conal AoE towards the center of the arena.
  • An Arcane Sigil with a square will cast Esoteric Dyad, a square AoE that covers that half of the arena.
• Paradeigma summons untargetable concepts on the arena that do an AoE after a short while. Behemoths will cast a circular AoE and pythons will cast a line AoE.

• Heal the party up after their HP is brought down to critical levels.
• Dodge the triangle conal AoE by going close to the wall in which the Arcane Sigil appears.
• Dodge the square AoEs by moving away from the wall in which the Arcane Sigil appears.
• Dodge the AoEs that are created by the behemoth and python concepts.
• Zodiark will then begin doing Exoterikos and Paradeigma mechanics in tandem, so dodge both sets of mechanics at the same time.
• Zodiark will cast Complete Control afterwards and transition to phase two.

In phase two, Zodiark will begin utilizing different combinations of mechanics seen in the first phase.

Many previous mechanics will appear. A few new mechanics are introduced.

• Astral Flow will fetter players, rendering them unable to move. Zodiark will then rotate the arena (but not the players), and any Paradeigma concepts currently on the arena.
• Adikia casts two large semi-circular AoEs in succession. Head close or far from Zodiark to dodge.
• Triple Esoteric Ray creates line AoEs that go off sequentially from Zodiark. Dodge into the ones that go off first.
• Algedon has Zodiark move to a corner of the arena, where he will then do a charge line AoE down the middle. Head to the opposite corner to dodge this.

• The first Astral Flow will fetters players and play a small cutscene of the arena rotating, showing players how the mechanic works.
• The concept AoEs will rotate along with the arena, so players need to stand in a spot that is safe from the AoE after the arena rotates.
• For Triple Esoteric Ray, stand in the rays set to go off second and move into the ones that go off first.
• Players can continue attacking the boss for all subsequent Astral Flow casts, but cannot use movement abilities.
• Zodiark will cast Astral Eclipse afterwards and transition to phase two.

In phase three, Zodiark starts off with an intermission that rains stars down onto the arena. Otherwise, he will use a combination of all mechanics from the first and second phases.

All previous mechanics will appear. A few new mechanics are introduced.

• Trimorphos Exoterikos will cast Exoterikos on the three sides opposite of Zodiark in succession.

• During the transition, Zodiark will fly away and summon stars that fall onto the arena. The pattern of the stars shows where the stars will fall and explode.
• Dodge three sets of stars as Zodiark returns. The order which he flew around the arena is the order they will fall.
• Adikia is combined with Esoteric Dyad, so move to the north or south of the arena on the safe side when this occurs.
• Perform the three Exoterikos mechanics. There can be a safe spot for all three mechanics, but players may have to move if there are three triangle AoEs.
• Triple Esoteric Ray is combined with an Esoterikos, so dodge both.
• The fight repeats previously seen mechanics until the boss is dead.