What is Limbus?
In my humble opinion, Limbus is probably one of Square-Enix's greatest additions to Final Fantasy XI. Although similar in some aspects to Dynamis, Limbus is actually more akin to an extended BCNM or ENM—only, consistently more fun. Although Limbus was designed for high leveled end-game players, Square-Enix limited the number of participants to a single alliance of eighteen people. In this way, it allows smaller (non-HNM) linkshells or groups of friends to participate in an end-game event without the frustratingly long and perfunctory hours involved with the typical Dynamis run.
Not to mention that
everyone who attends Limbus can easily obtain items that are exchanged for upgraded
Artifact Armor or for an abundance of rare/exclusive end-game armor, including ribbons, earrings, and mantles. In Limbus, your efforts are consistently rewarded; in Dynamis, you may have to wait months or even years before you get a particular drop—not to mention the other 40-50 people who may or may not be your competition. Simply put, Limbus succeeds where so many other Square-Enix events fail (i.e. Expeditionary Force, Garrison, and to a lesser extent, Dynamis). Although it takes some getting used to, Limbus is a fast-paced and enjoyable romp that you can enjoy with a small number of your very close friends.
Apollyon & Temenos Strategies
Apollyon:
NW Apollyon (Magenta Chip)
SW Apollyon (Charcoal Chip)
NE Apollyon (Smoky Chip)
SE Apollyon (Smalt Chip)
CS Apollyon - Requires Metal Chip
Central Apollyon - Proto-Omega
Temenos:
Temenos - Northern Tower (Ivory Chip)
Central Temenos - 3rd Floor (Silver Chip)
Temenos - Eastern Tower (Scarlet Chip)
Central Temenos - 2nd Floor (Cerulean Chip)
Temenos - Western Tower (Emerald Chip)
Central Temenos - 1st Floor (Orchid Chip)
Temenos Central Basement 1 - Requires Metal Chip
Central Temenos - Proto-Ultima
How to Participate in Limbus
- You must have completed CoP 7-5: The Warrior's Path and be on CoP 8-1: Garden of Antiquity (i.e. access to Al'Taieu). The reason for this is that Limbus zones can only be entered through Al'Taieu (see map above).
- Next, each player who wishes to enter Limbus is required to have at least two key items; Cosmo-Cleanse and a colored Key Card that corresponds to the Matter Diffusion Module of the Limbus you wish to enter.
- Purchase the Cosmo-Cleanse key item from Sagheera (I-8) in Port Jeuno for 50,000 gil; this can be repeated every 72 earth hours.
- You must gather one (or all 3 if you wish) of the colored key item cards: a Red Card, a White Card, and a Black Card.
- These cards are obtained by defeating NM Euvhi: Aw'euvhi (Lv.78) from each of the three Northern Al'Taieu areas (red, white, and black as shown above).
- The Aw'euvhi are only a decent challenge and fairly simple to defeat; often times they are far more difficult to track down (unless you have a Ranger in your party). Two or three people are more than enough (if NIN or THF tank) to take one down and once you do, everyone in your party (or alliance if you're going with a large group) will receive the card key item automatically.
- Limbus consists of two very distinct 'sections'—one called Temenos and the other called Apollyon. Temenos zones architecturally resemble the Grand Palace of Hu'Xzoi and Garden of Ru'hmet while Apollyon zones are reminiscent of the Promyvions.
- Once you have obtained the appropriately colored card, you can enter Apollyon West, the Temenos zone, or Apollyon East.
- White Card: A flexible white card covered in the fluids of a Luminian; allows you to enter Temenos (North, East, and West); entrance to Temenos is (H-4) in Northern Al'Taieu.
- Red Card: A flexible red card covered in the fluids of a Luminian; allows you to enter Apollyon West (NW & SW); entrance to Apollyon West is (D-6) in Northern Al'Taieu.
- Black Card: A flexible black card covered in the fluids of a Luminian; allows you to enter Apollyon East (NE & SE); entrance to Apollyon East is (K-6) in Northern Al'Taieu.
- When everyone in your alliance has both key items, you can examine the Matter Diffusion Module and select the Limbus area you wish to enter. At this point, everyone in your alliance should examine the Module and be teleported into Limbus.
- There are some Limbus areas that can only be accessed by trading a specially colored chip to the Matter Diffusion Module. These chips are obtained when you defeat a particular Limbus zone (see below for more details). After the chip has been traded to the Module, you will be able to select these additional areas.
- Your Cosmo-Cleanse and colored Key Card will be lost upon entering Limbus.
General Limbus Rules
Each individual Limbus zone has it's own set of rules, but they basically follow the same general formula: clear each floor, ascend, and defeat the final boss to move on. Most Limbus areas can be cleared by a
very well-balanced and
highly skilled party of six. However, this isn't usually recommended. Since you are limited to one full alliance (18 players) per Limbus zone, if at all possible, take the full amount.
You can only attend Limbus once every 72 earth hours. The countdown starts the instant you enter a Limbus zone through the
Matter Diffusion Module. You will be required to obtain the
Cosmo-Cleanse and the colored
Key Card key items for every Limbus event.
Just like BCNM, most Limbus zones have an initial time limit of 30 earth minutes (although Central Limbus zones are exceptions). Time extensions are granted by opening specifically colored
Armoury Crates (see below) that you encounter throughout your expedition.
Also, just like a BCNM, BLM and DRK will be
unable to
Tractor fallen members. Therefore, if you are going to be defeated, make sure to do it in a safe place.
Unlike Dynamis, you will not be allowed to re-enter a Limbus area if you
Warp out or
Home Point. The
Matter Diffusion Module will close the instant you begin to fight, so make sure that everyone in your alliance has entered before you engage your first target (we learned this the hard way).
One complaint about Limbus (similarly with most Dynamis) is that experience points are lost if you are defeated and, alternately, never gained. Although this is
just how it is, I wish the developers would reward players with experience points (or
Limit Points) upon completion of a Limbus zone (à la ENM) or at least have the monsters that you defeat reward you with some measly amount of exp. Too many end-game activities drain experience points instead of reward them and this is just something I would love to see changed.
When you have defeated the final boss and opened the zone's last
Armoury Crate , you will have cleared that Limbus and be automatically teleported out. Don't worry, all items remaining in the treasure pool will still be there for you to lot on afterward.

Get to know your
Armoury Crates! There are three different types of
Armoury Crates in Limbus.
- Time Extensions
- These Armoury Crates are blue coffers with gold trim.
- These Armoury Crates give time extensions of up to 5, 10, or 15 minutes.
- Items
- These Armoury Crates are dark brown coffers with gold trim.
- These Armoury Crates contain Ancient Beastcoins, AF+1 materials, Limbus chips, and crafting materials.
- HP/MP
- These Armoury Crates are light brown coffers with gray trim.
- These Armoury Crates recover the HP/MP and all the job abilities (including two hours) of your entire alliance (within radius).
As you journey throughout Temenos and Apollyon, you will inevitebly stumble upon a good number of these
Armoury Crates. Depending on the Limbus zone you are attending, the conditions for which they appear will vary dramatically.
You should have one person designated to open
Armoury Crates during each Limbus; that way nobody mistakenly opens an HP/MP Crate while people are out of range or is responsible for causing other
Armoury Crates to dissapear.
For instance, certain Limbus zones require you to choose
one Armoury Crate; once it's open, all the other crates will dissapear. Opening an
Armoury Crate in other zones will sometimes release a very unhappy Avatar who proceeds to
Astral Flow your alliance to death. Then, there are those Limbus areas where
Armoury Crates are actually Mimics in disguise.
Lastly, it is important to note that, while Temenos and Apollyon both drop
different sets (see below) of AF+1 material, each individual Limbus zone has the same chance of dropping AF+1 materials for every single job.
Nashira Armor
Nashira Set
Obtained by trading items dropped from
Proto-Ultima
Usable by BLU, WHM, BLM, RDM, SMN
| | Nashira Armor | Level | Slot | DEF | Stats | Item Needed |
|---|
 | Nashira Turban | Lv.75 | Head | DEF:19 | Magic Accuracy +5 Enmity -5 Haste +2% Spell Interruption Rate -10% | Ultima's Cerebrum |
 | Nashira Manteel | Lv.75 | Body: | DEF:41 | Healing Magic Skill +5 Dark Magic Skill +5 Magic Accuracy +5 Haste +3% | Ultima's Heart |
 | Nashira Gages | Lv.75 | Hands | DEF:18 | Magic Accuracy +3 Enmity -4 Avatar Perpetuation Cost -1 Haste +1% | Ultima's Claw |
 | Nashira Seraweels | Lv.75 | Legs | DEF:30 | Divine Magic Skill +5 Enfeebling Magic Skill +5 Magic Accuracy +3 Haste +2% | Ultima's Leg |
 | Nashira Crackows | Lv.75 | Feet | DEF:13 | Elemental Magic Skill +5 Summoning Magic Skill +5 Magic Accuracy +2 Haste +1% | Ultima's Tail |
Full Set:
Magic Accuracy +16
Enmity -9
Haste +9%
Spell Interruption Rate -10%
Healing Magic Skill +5
Dark Magic Skill +5
Divine Magic Skill +5
Enfeebling Magic Skill +5
Summoning Magic Skill +5
Avatar Perpetuation Cost -1
Homam Armor
Homam Set
Obtained by trading items dropped from
Proto-Omega
Usable by BLU, THF, PLD, DRK, DRG
| | Homam Armor | Level | Slot | DEF | Stats | Item Needed |
|---|
 | Homam Zucchetto | Lv.75 | Head | DEF:26 | HP+22 MP+20 Accuracy +4 Enmity +3 Haste +3% | Omega's Eye |
 | Homam Corazza | Lv.75 | Body | DEF:49 | HP+28 MP+28 Accuracy +15 Enhances 'Triple Attack' Effect | Omega's Heart |
 | Homam Manopolas | Lv.75 | Hands | DEF:20 | HP+20 MP+20 Accuracy +4 Enmity +3 Haste +3% | Omega's Foreleg |
 | Homam Cosicales | Lv.75 | Legs | DEF:35 | HP+26 MP+26 Accuracy +3 Enhances 'Fast Cast' Effect Haste +3% | Omega's Hind Leg |
 | Homam Gambieras | Lv.75 | Feet | DEF:16 | HP+31 MP+31 Accuracy +6 Ranged Accuracy +6 Haste +3% Wyvern: HP+50 | Omega's Tail |
Full Set:
HP+127
MP+125
Accuracy +32
Ranged Accuracy +6
Enmity +6
Haste +12%
Enhances 'Triple Attack' Effect
Enhances 'Fast Cast' Effect
Wyvern: HP+50
Limbus Rewards
| | 75 Anicent Beastcoins | Level | Slot | DEF | Stats | Jobs |
|---|
 | Boxer's Mantle | Lv.70 | Ear | DEF:8 | Guard Skill +10 Evasion Skill +10 Shield Skill +10 Parrying Skill +10 | All |
 | Brutal Earring | Lv.75 | Ear | DEF:0 | Enhances Double Attack Effect Store TP+1 | All |
 | Gunner's Mantle | Lv.70 | Back | DEF:7 | Attack -10 Ranged Accuracy -10 Ranged Attack +20 | All |
 | Loquacious Earring | Lv.75 | Ear | DEF:0 | MP+30 Enhances Fast Cast Effect | All |
 | Musical Earring | Lv.70 | Ear | DEF:0 | Evasion +5 String Instrument Skill +5 Wind Instrument Skill +5 | All |
 | Stealth Earring | Lv.70 | Ear | DEF:0 | Ninjitsu Skill +5 Enhances Resist Silence Effect | All |
| | 150 Anicent Beastcoins | Level | Slot | DEF | Stats | Jobs |
|---|
 | Flawless Ribbon | Lv.75 | Head | DEF:18 | Resist vs Light +30 Resist vs Dark +30 Enhances Killer Effects Increases Resistance to All Status Ailments | All |
 | Charger Mantle | Lv.70 | Back | DEF:7 | Attack +20 Ranged Accuracy -10 Ranged Attack -10 | BRD/BST/DRK DRG/MNK/NIN PLD/RDM/RNG SAM/THF/WAR |
 | Jaeger Mantle | Lv.70 | Back | DEF:7 | Attack -10 Ranged Accuracy +20 Ranged Attack -10 | BRD/BST/DRK DRG/MNK/NIN PLD/RDM/RNG SAM/THF/WAR |
Apollyon Materials
- Here's a quick reference list of items that drop in Apollyon and which job(s) they benefit.
| - | Material | Which Job? | Apollyon |
|---|
 | Ancient Brass | Monk | Apollyon |
 | Argyro Rivet | Warrior | Apollyon |
 | Astral Leather | Summoner | Apollyon |
 | Benedict Yarn | White Mage | Apollyon |
 | Black Rivet | Dark Knight | Apollyon |
 | Blue Rivet | Dragoon | Apollyon |
 | Brown Doeskin | Bard | Apollyon |
 | Cardinal Cloth | Red Mage | Apollyon |
 | Charcoal Cotton | Ranger | Apollyon |
 | Diabolic Yarn | Black Mage | Apollyon |
 | Ebony Lacquer | Ninja | Apollyon |
 | Fetid Lanolin | Beastmaster | Apollyon |
 | Kurogane | Samurai | Apollyon |
 | Light Filament | Thief | Apollyon |
 | White Rivet | Paladin | Apollyon |
Temenos Materials
- Here's a quick reference list of items that drop in Temenos and which job(s) they benefit.
| - | Material | Which Job? | Temenos |
|---|
 | Benedict Silk | White Mage | Temenos |
 | Chameleon Yarn | Ranger | Temenos |
 | Cobalt Mythril Sheet | Dragoon | Temenos |
 | Coiled Yarn | Bard | Temenos |
 | Dark Orichalcum | Dark Knight | Temenos |
 | Diabolic Silk | Black Mage | Temenos |
 | Ecarlate Cloth | Warrior | Temenos |
 | Glittering Yarn | Summoner | Temenos |
 | Plaited Cord | Ninja | Temenos |
 | Ruby Silk Thread | Red Mage | Temenos |
 | Scarlet Odoshi | Samurai | Temenos |
 | Smalt Leather | Beastmaster | Temenos |
 | Snowy Cermet | Paladin | Temenos |
 | Supple Skin | Thief | Temenos |
 | Utopian Gold Thread | Monk | Temenos |