Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail players warn side-questers: don't solve these riddles for an NPC that blabs a big spoiler right before it happens

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(Image credit: Square Enix)

Alisaie, a headstrong ally in Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail, looks skeptically while standing in the middle of a beautiful blue forest.

Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail’sstory is a bit of a mixed bag—I’m overall positive on it myself, ranking it just a half-step above Stormblood, and for all my critiques about the overall quality of its dialogue and its cutscene direction, I’m having a good time. Particularly with the sidequests, which have broken up a sometimes-plodding Main Scenario Quest (MSQ) nicely.

That makes it all the funnier, then, that I narrowly dodged a flat-out spoiler from the hands of Square Enix itself, entirely because I was too tired to solve some riddles.

First, the spoiler-free explanation for those of you still trucking. At around level 95, you’ll get access to the “Once a Riddler, Now a Ruler” sidequest in Tuliyollal, the game’s capital city. You should not do it right away.

This is one of those sidequests that forewarns you it won’t put icons on your map. Instead, it’ll make you seek out specific locations via riddles. In a vacuum, it’s a cute little jaunt that rewards the player’s investment in the story, a nice break from the “visit this town and talk to three people” routine that Dawntrail’s MSQ is flush with.

What I wasn’t aware of, however, is that this quest fully spoils a plot twist literally right before it happens. Despite being someone who knocks out all the sidequests in any given zone before progressing, I held off here because—as luck might have it—it was about 12:30 am and I felt more like watching cutscenes than I did solving riddles. After reading a player warning on thegame’s subreddit, I finally got around to it and, hoo boy, they’re not kidding.

I will now be getting intospoiler territory for the level 95 Main Scenario Quest of Dawntrail.Turn back, weary wanderer, if ye wish to remain unsullied.

Just what gets spoiled?

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Wuk Lamat, one in line to become Dawnservant, grins widely as she rides a parade float through one of FF14: Dawntrail’s earlier zones.

So—in case you’re unfamiliar with the game’s story and just here out of curiosity, here’s the low-down. This quest comes moments before Wuk Lamat is about to be named Dawnservant. Until this point in the story, we’ve been following her through the Rite of Succession for the throne. She’s been competing with a few others, including her older brother, a studious chap named Koana who has been studying abroad and got really excited about a bunch of nerdy stuff.

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So, naturally, the NPC for the sidequest Once a Riddler goes ahead and spoils the whole thing if you complete it before the ceremony, seeming to have knowledge of the future, and speaking as if Wuk Lamat and Koana are already sharing the throne.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Three spoiler-filled text boxes that blab a plot twist a mere quest before it happens.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Three spoiler-filled text boxes that blab a plot twist a mere quest before it happens.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Three spoiler-filled text boxes that blab a plot twist a mere quest before it happens.

This is a big oopsie and a straight-up spoiler besides, to the point where I’m pretty sure it’s just a bug that’ll be addressed in future patches. Still, considering how bad server problems have been in the past,Dawntrail’s had a pretty stable launch so far—a couple of funny, minor glitches is a best-case scenario. Just be careful where you side-quest, there be spoilers in these woods.

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Just what gets spoiled?#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

Just what gets spoiled?

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals