Unfortunately all the current guides for the verminion challenges did not successfully get me through them. Therefore I have written this in attempts to help others looking for a more accurate strategy guide. All feedback welcome.
Important things to remember:- Apart from normal battles there are also boss fights amoung the challenge stages. Boss fights have no enemy arcana stones, instead to win the fight you must take out the boss which is usually a large minion.
- In all stages including boss fights you should ignore how much damage the enemy is doing to your arcana stones. Many fights are won with only one of your arcana stones remaining.
Minions required for this strategy guide:- Wind-up Gentleman: Only available through Hildibrand Quests - minion is reward from patch 2.5 the last ARR quest. quest line starts Ul'dah - Steps of Nald (x9,y8)
- Kidragora: available on MB
- Mammet: available on MB or for 2400 Gil from Minion Trader at The Gold Saucer (8, 7)
Standard stategy (to be used in most stages)Move your starting minions to attack one enemy arcana stone with no other minions nearby.
Summon more minions and send them to the same enemy arcana stone as they spawn.
Once the arcana stone your minions are standing near breaks move all your minions to the next closest enemy arcana stone.
Stage 1: TutorialRecommened minions: None
Strategy: Follow instructions.
Stage 2: Hatching a PlanRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy
2.5 mins easy
Stage 3: The First MoveRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy
2.5 mins easy
Stage 4: Little Big Beast (Boss)Recommened minions: Wind-up Gentleman
Strategy: Move your minions to the boss as they spawn. Stand behind the boss as much as possible as they have a push back attack.
1.5 mins easy
Stage 5: Turning TribesRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy
2.5 mins easy
Stage 6: Off the Deepcroft (Boss)Recommened minions: Wind-up Gentleman
Strategy: Move your minions to the boss as they spawn. As soon as imps spawn send two minions to each imp to take them out. The boss will take no damage while the imps are alive. Ignore all other minions that attack you arcana stones. Make sure to respawn any minions that you lose.
2.5 mins medium
Stage 7: Rivals Recommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy
2.5 mins easy
Stage 8: Always DarkestRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy
2.5 mins easy
Stage 9: Mine Your Minions (Boss)Recommened minions: Wind-up Gentleman
Strategy: There is a detonator mechanic similar to copperbell mine's slime fight in this stage. Move your starting minions to the detonator (in betweeen arcana stone B and C) then run to boss. Click on the minion with a flame circling them. Click the red execute action button (flashes yellow) to drop the bomb with the then wait 10 seconds to set off the bomb with the blue trigger button. Repeat again onced running to the detonator and setting off the bomb. While blowing up the boss with the detonator spawn as many minions as possible at gate B and leave them there. After the second bomb detonation run all your minions to boss. You may need to split your minions as the remaining boss mininons may split up and try to run away.
2.5 mins hard
Stage 10: Children of MandragoraRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Start by moving your minions to any arcana stone with no enemies nearby. Make sure when moving your minions to send them evenly to each arcana stone. This stage in particular can not be won by forming a big group of minions and moving them from one arcana stone to the next.
2.5 mins medium
Stage 11: The Queen and IRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy
2.5 mins easy
Stage 12: Breakout (Boss)Recommened minions: Wind-up Gentleman
Strategy: Move your minions to the boss as they spawn. The boss moves forward slowly until it destroys your a gate then sprints to an arcana stone before moving forward again. Just follow the boss around and stand behind them as much as possible as they have a push back attack. Make sure you are moving your group of minions every few seconds to stay on top of the boss and ignore all other minions.
3 mins medium
Stage 13: My Name Is CidRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy.
2.5 mins easy
Stage 14: Like a NutRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy. Make sure to respawn any minions that you lose.
3 mins easy
Stage 15: Urth's Spout (Boss)Recommened minions: Wind-up Gentleman
Strategy: Move your minions to the boss as they spawn. Follow the boss around and respawn more minions as needed. At 25% health the boss makes a speech and will begin casting a spell that will wipe out all your arcana stones in one hit. Select all your minions and execute their special power by pressing the red button (flashing yellow) to wipe out the boss's health before he finishes casting.
2.5 mins medium
Stage 16: ExodusRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy.
2.5 mins easy
Stage 17: Over the WallRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy.
2.5 mins easy
Stage 18: The HuntRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy.
2.5 mins easy
Stage 19: Battle on the Bitty Bridge (Boss)Recommened minions: Wind-up Gentleman
Strategy: Move your minions to the boss as they spawn. At about 75% health the boss ducks down, move your minion group away from the boss and wait until they slam into the ground. The boss's defense has increased but move your minion group back to the boss. Soon the boss will say something and sprint to the right (towards arcana stone C). Ignore the boss and move all your minions towards arcana stone A and stand just behind it, ignoring any other minions. The boss will spawn there, if you stand between the boss and the arcana stones the boss shouldn't move.Estimate when the boss is at 20% health select all your minions and execute the special power by pressing the red button to wipe out the boss's health before the other minions destroy your arcana stones. The precise timing and luck of the boss not moving around too much makes this fight hard, but I tried many other suggested strategies for this fight and this is the one that worked for me.
3.5 mins hard
Stage 20: Guiding LightRecommened minions: Mammet
Strategy: Start by moving your minions to any arcana stone with no enemies nearby. Make sure when moving your minions to send them evenly to each arcana stone. This stage in particular can not be won by forming a big group of minions and moving them from one arcana stone to the next.
2.5 mins medium
Stage 21: Wise WordsRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy.
2.5 mins easy
Stage 22: World of Poor LightingRecommened minions: Kidragora
Strategy: Standard stategy.
2.5 mins easy
Stage 23: The Binding Coil (Boss)Recommened minions: Wind-up Gentleman
Strategy: Move your minions to the boss as they spawn. Estimate when the boss is at 20% health select all your minions and execute the special power by pressing the red button to wipe out the boss's health before the other minions destroy your arcana stones.
2 mins easy
Stage 24: The Final Coil (Boss)Recommened minions: Wind-up Gentleman
Strategy: Move your minions to the boss as they spawn. The boss casts two different AOEs. The first AOE is just a red circle on the ground. Move all your minions out of the AOE circle but stay close to the boss, then move back to to the boss. The second AOE is a red circle with a pillar. Move one minion with highest health to stand inside and take the hit. If no minions are in this AOE all your minions die but if multiple minions are in the AOE they all take damage unneccessarily. Be prepared to spawn more minions to join the fight as the AOEs will cause huge damage. This fight is actually pretty simple and easy to beat once you are aware of the mechanics.
3.5 mins medium
Congratulations on completing all the challenges and remember to pick up your Clockwork Twintania minion from the Jonathas (Achievement Rewards) in Old Gridania.
