Having been around since A Realm Reborn, Kirin is one of the oldest mounts you can unlock in Final Fantasy XIV. Getting the mount is pretty simple – complete a side quest called “A Legend for a Legend”. However, it’s gaining access to this quest that can take some time. In this post, you’ll learn how to get the Kirin mount in FFXIV, and a few tips on how to do it efficiently.
While plenty of other cool and creative mounts have been added to FFXIV since Kirin was introduced, it is still one of the most majestic looking steeds you can fly around in to this day. And on top of that, it plays the FFXIV Prelude music while riding it!
Prerequisites for Getting the Kirin Mount
To start “A Legend for a Legend”, you’ll need to collect mounts from six of the Extreme (EX) versions of the primal fights in A Realm Reborn. These are optional trials, so they’re not necessary to progress your Main Scenario.
Vorsaile Heuloix in New Gridania
Here’s a quick look at which mounts you need to obtain and the required quests to obtain them:
| Mount | Trial | Quest | Start NPC | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xanthos | The Howling Eye (Extreme) | Gale-force Warning | Vorsaile Heuloix | New Gridania (X:9.7, Y:11.1) |
| Gullfaxi | The Navel (Extreme) | Quake Me Up Before you O’Ghomoro | Urianger | The Waking Sands (X:6.0, Y:4.9) |
| Aithon | The Bowl of Embers (Extreme) | Ifrit Ain’t Broke | Urianger | The Waking Sands (X:6.0, Y:4.9) |
| Enbarr | The Whorleater (Extreme) | Whorl of a Time | Urianger | The Waking Sands (X:6.0, Y:4.9) |
| Markab | The Striking Tree (Extreme) | Judgment Bolts and Lightning | Scarlet | New Gridania (X:9.9, Y:11.4) |
| Boreas | Akh Afah Amphitheatre (Extreme) | Drop Dead Shiva | Urianger | The Waking Sands (X:6.0, Y:4.9) |
You can start unlocking these trials through a quest line called “Primal Quests”. To kick off this series of quests, speak to Urianger inside the Waking Sands after clearing The Navel (Hard).
You may notice that there are two more trials from the Primal Quests that aren’t on the list above – Thornmarch (Extreme) and Urth’s Fount. These trials don’t drop any mounts, so they aren’t necessary for unlocking the Kirin mount quest.
Tips for Farming EX Trials in FFXIV
As you may have guessed by now, the mounts from these trials aren’t guaranteed drops. There’s no need to worry though, since the drop rates for them are around about 20%, which isn’t too bad.
Though these fights are designed to be extremely challenging for level 50 players, they can be cleared solo by any decently geared job at level 80 and above. Melee DPS jobs are good for getting faster clears, but Red Mage and Paladin are worth a try if you’re struggling with survivability since they both have healing spells in their kits.
Bowl of Embers Extreme
Also take note that you can fall off of the arena in The Navel (Extreme) and The Whorleater (Extreme). As a matter of fact, some of the mechanics in these encounters will actively try to have you fall out. If this happens while you’re farming mounts by yourself, it will count as a wipe and you’ll need to restart the fight from the beginning, so pay attention! Proper positioning and anti-knockback abilities such as Arm’s Length will help keep you from falling over the edge.
You might also pick up a Nightmare mount during your farming sessions. While Nightmare is another cool looking mount, it won’t count towards the prerequisite for Kirin.
A Legend for a Legend Walkthrough
Once you have all six of the required mounts from the Extreme trials, speak with the Wandering Minstrel at Mor Dhona (X:21.7, Y:8.7). You can find him inside the Seventh Heaven, which is right next to the Revenant’s Toll aetheryte if you’re having trouble locating him. It’s very likely that he’ll have more than one quest to offer, so you’ll be prompted to choose from a list of quests that the Wandering Minstrel has available. Simply select “A Legend for a Legend” to accept the quest.
Wandering Minstrel in Mor Dhona
After a quick cutscene, you’ll be instructed to go to Rathefrost. Rathefrost is an area in Mor Dhona to the south of Revenant’s Toll. The specific location you’ll need to get to is at (X:19.0, Y:17.7). Once you get there, simply click on the destination and another quick but really cool cutscene will play. When the cutscene ends, the Kirin Fife will appear in your inventory. Use it and the Kirin mount will be yours!
If you want to see the Kirin mount in action, check out this video by Kurgan Nazzir:
