Final Fantasy is a series that's had a lot of ups and downs. Nobody can really agree on which are the best and worst games in the franchise. What's undeniable to critics and fans alike, however, is that Final Fantasy 14 triumphed over its own cataclysmic launch to become one of the most respected MMORPGs on the scene today. It also represents a high-water mark for storytelling in recent Final Fantasy entries.
Obsessive exploration is a defining feature of any FF experience, and mounts are essential in helping you do so, as they are in most MMOs. The FF brand is known to feature some of the most recognizable mounts in gaming, such as Chocobos and Behemoths. Final Fantasy 14 takes the series' renowned mount stable and balloons it up into a veritable mount pantheon. Which of these mounts are most highly sought-after and how can you get one? Scroll on to find out...
Updated on December 19, 2021, by Jeff Drake: Mounts are a great way to personalize a character in Final Fantasy 14. Fortunately, there are enough of them that the same mount isn't seen over and over while playing. Mounts are also a great way of getting around the game-world in style. Why plod along on the ground when the option of flying through the sky atop a dragon or Magitek armor is available? The selection is so broad that we had to revisit this list with a few more choice picks.
20 Gilded Mikoshi
Since their introduction in the Stormblood expansion, the Namazu (see: anthropomorphized catfish gnomes) have been among the most highly favored beast tribes in any FF14 expansion. So devoted to the Warrior of Light are these amphibious friends that they'll even cart you about in your own mikoshi.
Is a standard mikoshi mount too pedestrian of a palanquin for a hero of your stature? Then patch 5.5 has what you need. If 50 million gil is burning a hole in your pocket, bring it to Edelina in Rowena's House of Splendors and exchange it for the new gilded mikoshi. A ride fit for Goldmember himself, this mount represents one of the hardest flexes among Eorzea's monied elite.
19 Hybodus
This is a particularly fierce-looking mount that, when compared to some of the mounts on this list, isn't that difficult to obtain. The Hybodus is a large shark capable of flying and underwater travel. Nearly all mounts in Final Fantasy 14 move at the same speed and have no secondary effects, making them purely for affectation. So why not ride on a large flying shark instead of a chocobo?
To obtain Hybodus basically requires getting lucky while fishing. Players must get the Achievement: No More Fish In The Sea II; which is done by accumulating at least 10,000 points during a single voyage.
18 Aithon
For players that have stuck with the game since its relaunch, the allure of A Realm Reborn's (Extreme) trial mounts has largely worn off. With that said, there's a special place in the community's collective hearts for Aithon, Ifrit's crimson war steed.
Once a symbol of having triumphed over the game's toughest primal, nowadays Aithon's has lost its luster, as ever-increasing level caps make it easier and easier (even for solo players) to farm "Bowl Of Embers (Extreme)" in undersized/unsynced parties. Still, there's something exciting about a sprout clearing extreme Ifrit, Garuda, or Titan for the first time and claiming one of their respective horses.
17 Dark Lanner
The Daughter of Hraesvelgr, and legendary dragon in her own right, Vidofnir offers a warning to those who attempt to tame a Dark Lanner: Nidhogg and his horde won't tolerate your position "on that sacred mount." Taken literally, "mount" means Nidhogg and his minions won't allow you to break one of their own. "Mount" can also mean mountain, which is to say that besting Nidhogg himself and riding one of his pets will still not earn you the respect of his brood, who roost atop The Aery.
The Dark Lanner has a chance to drop after clearing "The Minstrel's Ballad: Nidhogg's Rage." Much like Aithon, this mount no longer carries the prestige that it once held, but those who fought through Heavensward at the time remember the thrill of capturing each lanner, particularly this one. If Vidofnir's words are taken seriously then, canonically speaking, to pilot this rage-fuelled raptor is to dance on the grave of one of your greatest enemies.
16 Dodo
Ah, the noble Dodo. No... seriously. It may not look particularly fearsome but this prehistoric ostrich-kin signifies an undying commitment to one of FF14's more tedious challenges: deep dungeons.
A random drop from platinum coffers (the most valuable treasure chest) found at the end of Heaven On High, winning this mount takes perseverance and a great deal of patience as you progress through randomly generated dungeon chambers. At present, fewer than nine percent of players have claimed this prize.
15 Fatter Cat
The Fatter Cat mount is available for purchase with real money from the MogStation shop, the same site where standard (non-free-trial) account players renew their subscriptions. Generally, real money mounts are looked down upon by the community, but an exception is made for the Fatter Cat... because look at it. Bonus points if you already have the Fat Cat minion to match.
14 Flying Chair
It looks silly at first, but there's no better way of announcing your arrival as one of Eorzea's most accomplished crafters than with a Flying Chair. It's the sort of grand thing that you can not only travel on, but also find comfort in while you reflect on the nature of consciousness, the universe, or the blockchain... whatever the heck that may be.
The Flying Chair is the perfect ride for an experienced alchemist, which is what you'll need to be if you want to make one. If that doesn't interest you, perhaps you can track one down on the market board or trade a veteran crafter for it.
13 Legacy Chocobo
Even though Final Fantasy 14 is a game unlike many of the others in the Final Fantasy universe, it's still brimming with references to the other games. It's also populated by players who are there because of their love for the other installments in the franchise.
With chocobos being an iconic animal from the Final Fantasy games, it's only natural that this signature beast is front and center in the majority of FF14 promo art, and is also the first mount that new players can earn. There is one extremely rare and prized variant of the common chocobo, however — a chocobo that's completely inaccessible to the majority of the playerbase. The Legacy Chocobo, identified by its unique armor, can be owned only by those who played the failed version 1.0 of Final Fantasy 14.
12 Aquamarine Carbuncle
The Aquamarine Carbuncle is another mount purchased from the Mogstation. The good news about this mount, which isn't necessarily true of every other real-money mount, is that it needs to be purchased only once per service account. Some other mounts must be purchased for each character on your account, but this Carbuncle applies to all of your alt avatars simultaneously.
It also carries with it a certain amount of nostalgia for scholars and summoners who might miss their emerald carbuncle pet from their early arcanist days.
11 Starlight Bear
As a limited event mount, The Starlight Bear is no longer obtainable in-game through the same questline that originally awarded it during Christmas of 2017. It can still be purchased through MogStation, however, if you absolutely must be present to film some sort of machinima-inspired Coca-Cola advertisement.
Many Starlight Celebrations (i.e. Christmas seasons) have come and gone since the release of the Starlight Bear, but few other event rewards have captured the hearts of Eorzeans the way Santa's helper did a few years ago.
10 Cerberus
As the name suggests, this mount is the three-headed canine of Greek legend. It is a rather large and imposing mount, as one would expect, but that only increases its cool factor. Besides causing envy in your friends, this mount is capable of carrying four riders - something that's pretty rare among the mounts in Final Fantasy 14.
Obtaining this mount is no simple task. First players need to unlock the Bozjan Southern Front and travel there. Then players are required to complete the Delubrum Reginae (Savage) raid; which is not easy.
9 Magicked Card
The Magicked Card, or the jelly toast, as it is affectionately known by the community, is another controversial mount. Whether you're a fan or not, however, it's hard to deny the amount of effort that goes into collecting one of these. Available only to players who are both experienced raiders and Triple Triad mavens, winning this mount requires collecting all 312 (for now) Triple Triad cards in the game, some of which are rare boss drops.
What's unfortunate is that a mount that should command such a great deal of respect is kind of... lacking pizzazz. Still, those who know will know. Hop on this one to impress any nearby gambling hall legends.
8 SDS Fenrir
The SDS Fenrir is hardly a rare mount; it can be acquired relatively easily by all players. This mount is a very sleek, futuristic-looking motorcycle that resembles a black version of Kaneda's bike in Akira (a little). It is the motorcycle that Cloud Strife rides in the anime movie Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children.
There's really only one reason this mount made this list, and why it's ranked so highly - the SDS Fenrir is the (potentially) fastest mount in the game. This one-seater mount is capable of flight and traveling underwater. It was part of a promotion, but can still be purchased in the online store.
7 Astrope
The Astrope mount is in a league of its own, not because it requires exceptional mechanical skill to acquire, but because it is bestowed upon those with otherworldly levels of patience, compassion, and leadership skills.
The Astrope is won only by those who guide others to victory by completing 2000 mentor roulette dungeons. First, you'll have to unlock mentor roulette, which is done by finishing all of the Shadowbringers tank, healer, and DPS role quests. You'll also need to have completed 1000 dungeons and/or trials, and have earned 1500 commendations, although these will probably happen by the time you reach level 80 on your chosen tank, healer, and DPS. Technically speaking, mentor roulettes are easy. It's the emotional stress that comes from queuing for a roulette that's designed to match experienced players with new and struggling players that takes a toll.
6 Cloud Mallow
The Cloud Mallow is purchased from Mogmul Mogbelly in the Churning Mists for a reasonable price of 200,000 gil. In order to get Mogmul to sell one to you, however, you'll first need to reach a "sworn" loyalty rank with the Moogle beast tribe.
5 Regalia Type-G
Nearly every mount in Final Fantasy 14 is a single-seater; meaning they only have room for one rider. There are some mounts, like the Amber Draught Chocobo, that can carry two. If players wish to bring along more than one passenger, there are only a few choices - the Skyslipper, Cerberus, and the Regalia Type-G. These mounts can carry four riders.
The Regalia Type-G is a low-profile roadster convertible that was first featured in Final Fantasy 15. This mount was available via the Gold Saucer but is sadly no longer obtainable. It has been made available on more than one occasion though, so players should not be too upset about missing out as it might be obtainable in the future.
4 Rathalos
There are several dragon mounts for players to obtain in Final Fantasy 14, but the coolest has to be the Rathalos. This dragon (wyvern) is easily recognizable while flying due to its large wingspan and the large spiked ball at the end of its tail. The level of detail for the in-game Rathalos model is quite impressive - this is arguably one of the best-looking mounts in the game. This mount was part of a Monster Hunter crossover event.
Rathalos can be obtained in two ways. The first is to complete The Great Hunt (Extreme). This isn't a sure thing, as completing The Great Hunt only gives a chance of obtaining Rathalos. The secondary method is to pay the smithy in Kugane 50 Rathalos Scale+ for the summoning whistle.
3 Landerwaffe
The Landerwaffe is the latest in a series of mounts that are awarded when players collect all of the extreme trial mounts within a given expansion. To grab the Landerwaffe for yourself, you'll need to possess each of the Gwibers randomly dropped from the Titania, Innocence, Emet Selch, Ruby Weapon, Emerald Weapon, Diamond Weapon, and Elidibus extreme trials, then you'll be able to complete "The Dragon Made" quest.
Each of these trials belongs to the current Shadowbringers expansion, which means they can't be unsynced (i.e. completed with an over-levelled party). You'll need to take on some of the hardest bosses in the game with seven other players of equal skill and knowledge to earn this mount.
2 Kirin
By the end of the A Realm Reborn expansion there was no mount that commanded the attention of onlookers quite like Kirin. Obtained by collecting each of the six Nightmare mounts (including Aithon) from the Ifrit, Titan, Garuda, Ramuh, Leviathan, and Shiva extreme trials, this seventh sacred steed signified having cleared all of the game's hardest boss content outside of The Binding Coil of Bahamut.
Much like all of the other Nightmares, Kirin is relatively easy to pick up today, simply because the available armor and level cap has increased well beyond what existed at the time. Kirin has also since been overshadowed by the Firebird, Landerwaffe, and the last mount on this list, all of whom are earned by beating every extreme trial in each expansion, but the original mount king will always possess a certain unimitable cool factor.
1 Kamuy Of The Nine Tails
As with the two preceding mounts, the Kamuy Of The Nine Tails is unlocked by collecting each of the available extreme trial mounts available during its respective expansion — in this case, Kamuy mounts during the Stormblood era.
Although Stormblood is widely thought of as inferior to the exceptional expansions that came before and after it (Heavensward and Shadowbringers), it did introduce some snazzy new mounts, and the Kamuy series was welcomed, especially by Okami fans. Although this Kamuy sovereign isn't the first of its kind (that honor goes to Kirin), nor is it the hardest to achieve (that would be Landerwaffe), it's adored for its similarity to the Nine-Tailed Fox, or Kyuubi, known from Japanese mythology and countless anime series.