The Nine of Knives Hunt in FF16

Find and defeat The Nine of Knives, an A-Rank Notorious Mark in Final Fantasy XVI. Learn its location, attacks, and recommended abilities for this challenging hunt.

Alright, so you've made it to the point in Final Fantasy XVI where you can start taking on some of the tougher Notorious Marks. The Nine of Knives is one of the first A-Rank hunts you'll likely encounter, and it's located in the Dhalmekian Republic. Don't let the name fool you; this ninja-type enemy can pack a punch if you're not careful!

Where to Find The Nine of Knives:

First things first, you'll need to have progressed the main story up to the 'Out of the Shadow' quest. Once that's done, make your way back to The Hideaway and check the Hunt Board. You should see The Nine of Knives listed among the new Marks. The bounty details tell you he's located at The Jaw in the Dhalmekian Republic, and he's level 38. The reward for taking him down is 10,500 Gil and 30 Renown. Honestly, this one's pretty straightforward to find. Just fast travel to The Jaw Obelisk, then head north along the main path. You'll run right into him on the road – he's hard to miss!

The Nine of Knives' Attacks and How to Counter Them:

This guy's got a few tricks up his sleeve, so let's break down his moves:

• Smokescreen: He'll toss a smoke bomb that can actually hurt you, creating cover for his next move. The trick here is to just walk away from the initial cloud before the bigger one goes off. It's more of a visual distraction than anything else, but that initial puff can sting.
• Somersault Spin: He does a flashy spinning somersault with his blades out. This one is pretty simple to dodge out of the way. Just keep an eye on him and roll when he leaps.
• Poison Mist: The Nine of Knives spits a cloud of poison mist at you. If it hits, it'll knock you down. It's not too hard to dodge, but be careful not to get greedy and keep attacking after you see the prompt. Give yourself some space!
• Spinning Slash: He'll spin in the air and then try to slash you. This one's a bit deceptive because of its range. Dodge away from it, and try not to stay too close when you see him winding up.
• Ninja Combo: This is a series of sword slashes, followed by a kick into the air, and then a divekick. It's a multi-hit combo, so you'll want to dodge away from him and avoid staying near him during the whole sequence.
• Undermine: He disappears into the ground and then pops back up with an attack after a few seconds. Just stay away from his general area until he resurfaces. It's like a mini-boss version of that move!

Recommended Abilities:

To make this fight smoother, here’s a good ability setup:

• Phoenix/Ifrit - Rising Flames: Good for damage and stagger.
• Phoenix/Ifrit - Flames of Rebirth: More damage and stagger.
• Garuda - Gouge: Excellent for dealing stagger damage.
• Garuda - Wicked Wheel: Also great for stagger.
• Titan - Lightning Rod: If you can get him to hit this, he'll take extra damage.
• Titan - Raging Fists: Fantastic for parries and counter-attacks, plus good stagger damage.

You probably won't need Heatwave since he doesn't throw projectiles. Abilities like Gouge and Wicked Wheel are almost always solid choices for building stagger. If you can bait him into hitting Lightning Rod, that's a bonus. Raging Fists is your go-to for parrying and getting some good hits in.

Recommended Gear and Items:

While you can use your strongest gear, here's what we found effective:

• Weapon: Enhancer
• Belt: Drakeslayer’s Belt
• Vambraces: Drakeslayer’s Bracelets

If you haven't got these, just equip whatever offers the best stats. If you've completed the 'Blacksmith’s Blues II' side quest, you might even have access to the Excalibur, which is a great option.

• Accessory 1: Berserker Ring
• Accessory 2: Badge of Mettle +1
• Accessory 3: Cleric’s Medallion +1

These accessories are solid, but feel free to experiment. If you're struggling with the action, consider using the Timely accessories to help with dodging or commanding Torgal.

• Shortcut 1: Potion
• Shortcut 2: High Potion
• Shortcut 3: Stoneskin Tonic

Having healing items like Potions and High Potions is always smart. The Stoneskin Tonic is also a good pick to boost your defense, especially if you anticipate taking a few hits from his combos.

Boss Strategy:

The Nine of Knives is agile, so don't get too comfortable. His Spinning Slash is particularly tricky due to its deceptive range; using Titanic Block and timing a Precision Block can set you up for some great counter-attacks and stagger damage. His other melee attacks are manageable, but watch out for the Ninja Combo – it's a sequence, not just a single hit. Smokescreen is mostly a visual cue, but be aware that the initial explosion can hurt, so dodge out of the way. Poison Mist gives you plenty of time to escape, just don't get too greedy with your attacks. And for Undermine, just keep your distance until he reappears. You've got this!