How to unlock The Minstrel’s Ballad: Sphene’s Burden in Final Fantasy XIV

It’s a pretty basic expectation for trials in Final Fantasy XIV to each have an Extreme variant, designed with a significantly higher level of difficulty and intended to test players once they’ve got the normal version perfected. As part of patch 7.1, The Interphos has finally got an extreme equivalent. 

The Minstrel’s Ballad: Sphene’s Burden is the boosted-difficulty version of the Dawntrail MSQ “The Interphos” Trial. As the name suggests, this Extreme Trial will see players pitted against Sphene all over again, except this time she’s not holding back and has a whole new moveset to throw at you. 

All of the Extreme trials from Dawntrail offer the chance to get the first ever actually functional wing mounts, and completing The Minstrel’s Ballad: Sphene’s Burden will allow you to collect the third set of wings, which are just as stunning as the previous Wings of Resolve and Ruin. 

You’ve likely been waiting at least four months to be able to test your mettle against Sphene all over again, or just to get another pair of wings, so here’s how to unlock The Minstrel’s Ballad: Sphene’s Burden. 

How to unlock The Minstrel’s Ballad: Sphene’s Burden in Final Fantasy XIV

Before you can unlock The Minstrel’s Ballad: Sphene’s Burden, you’ll need to complete most of the MSQ up to and including the level 100 quest that shares the name of the expansion, “Dawntrail”. 

Unlocking The Minstrel’s Ballad: Sphene’s Burden is done in the same way as unlocking any other extreme trial in FFXIV, by talking to the Wandering Minstrel. He’s in a few different places (or he’s perfected the art of cloning), so for The Minstrel’s Ballad: Sphene’s Burden, you’ll need to head to Tuliyollal to find him near the For’ard Cabins Inn (X:11.2, Y:14.7).

After talking to him, you’ll have the option to “Queen Eternal”, which will trigger a cutscene of the Wandering Minstrel discussing her. After this, you’ll unlock The Minstrel’s Ballad: Sphene’s Burden and will be able to queue for it via the Duty Finder. 

If you’re heading to do this a few months down the line, when The Minstrel’s Ballad: Sphene’s Burden isn’t freshly introduced, you’ll also have the options to “Talk about Valigarmanda” and “Talk about Zoraal Ja”. These options will unlock Worqor Lar Dor (Extreme) and Everkeep (Extreme) respectively.