Chocobos are an iconic part of Final Fantasy and those in Final Fantasy XVI are no exception. They’re the famous yellow-feathered icons for the series (even before the Eikons themselves) and, while they see a bit more bloodshed than most FF Chocobos will, the birds in Valisthea are a welcome sight all the same. You can even welcome the company of your own Chocobo friend, one who will help ferry you across the whole of Valisthea should you will it. Unlocking your own Chocobo Mount in FF16 can take a good deal of time, though, and you may end up missing it because it’s unlocked via a sidequest.
Here’s how to unlock your Chocobo Mount as soon as possible in Final Fantasy 16.
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Prerequisites for the Chocobo Quest
Before you can unlock your Chocobo companion, there are a few things that need doing, first.
Most importantly, you need to reach a certain point in the story. That point comes after a significant story segment involving the infiltration of Oriflamme, the Sanbreque Holy Capital. We’ll go into more detail in a moment but for now, just know that this moment is a massive one for the game and is a pivotal moment in the story. As such, you need to complete the quest The Crystals’ Curse before proceeding.
In fact, you need to go a bit further than that. After beating The Crystals’ Curse, you then need to follow the main story up until you beat the quest The Gathering Storm. This quest takes you back to Martha’s Rest in Rosaria, a location you visited previously. Complete this quest and you’ll be good to go to get your Chocobo in Final Fantasy XVI.
One final notice: if you’re early enough in the game, complete the What a Bird Wants sidequest. While this doesn’t seem to affect anything regarding getting your Chocobo, it does give you some additional dialogue should you do it. It’s a super quick quest you can pick up on your way from the Three Reeds to Martha’s Rest.
A War of the Eikons
How to Unlock the Chocobo Mount in Final Fantasy 16
Once you’ve completed The Gathering Storm and have dealt with the present situation in Martha’s Rest, you’ll be asked to return to Hideaway. Instead, stay in Martha’s Rest and check the map: you should spy a sidequest nearby, next to the Fallen Gate. The name of this sidequest is called The White-Winged Wonder.
This sidequest is very important. You should notice that it looks slightly different to most other sidequests. While it does share the same green outline and indicator, the symbol inside is different: instead of an exclamation mark (!) it is a plus sign (+), instead. These quests are important sidequests that will add to your kit and capabilities, making them a big priority for completion in Final Fantasy XVI.
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- Chocobo Mount Quest Location
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- The White-Winged Wonder
The White-Winged Wonder quest tasks you with aiding the head of a local Chocobo flock called Whiteheart. She has taken to defending the people of Rosaria in recent years, stopping bandits and monsters alike. Now, though, she and her pack have gotten into some trouble with a group of ne’er-do-wells who seek to kill Whiteheart once and for all. Your task in all this is pretty simple: find Whiteheart, kill the bandits and give Rosaria their crime-fighting bird squad back.
Things get a bit more interesting when you find Whiteheart. After tracking her down, you’ll learn that Whiteheart is aptly named as she is a beautiful White Chocobo, something Clive will comment on as being especially unusual. Beat those harassing her and you’ll get a personal introduction to Whiteheart. Here Clive learns that she’s quite familiar, indeed. This is Ambrosia, Clive’s beloved Chocobo from all the way back in the prologue who escaped the tragedy at Phoenix Gate.
After this, Ambrosia is kitted out in a custom harness by the man who gave you the quest. This will complete The White-Winged Wonder and unlock your Chocobo Mount in FF16. A few additional things back at the Hideaway will unlock, too, including a missive from Jill and a new item to put on the Wall of Memories called Ambrosia’s Tack.
A Lovely Reunion
Chocobo Mount Controls in FF16
In Final Fantasy XVI, you can summon Ambrosia whenever you’re in an open area. She isn’t permitted in towns, settlements or the Hideaway, though, so you’ll still have to hoof it through those situations. To summon your Chocobo, simply hold down R3 (the right thumbstick) and she’ll come right to you. Then, hop on and you can ride your Chocobo all over the place.
While riding your Chocobo, hold R2 to Gallop, increasing Ambrosia’s speed significantly. She can also attack using Square, where she’ll jump up and attack anything in her way with her talons: while this isn’t a massive damage dealer, it’s good for stagger-locking opponents and keeping away smaller foes who may try and get in your way.
Clive and Ambrosia
That was how to unlock the Chocobo Mount in Final Fantasy XVI.
