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“Alexander raids” can mean the whole Heavensward raid series, including its standard duties and its separate Savage versions. If you mean Alexander Savage versus normal Alexander, the key difference is that Savage is a distinct, more demanding set of duties—not a difficulty toggle for the standard encounters. Access and rewards also varied by installment, so old launch rules should not be treated as today’s universal requirements.
What “Alexander raids” means
Alexander is a raid series from Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward, divided into three installments: Gordias, Midas, and the Creator. Each installment has standard raid duties, and separate duties with “Savage” in their names. The official Patch 3.05 notes described Alexander: Gordias (Savage) as “a more unforgiving version” of the raid dungeon: Patch 3.05 Notes.
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So “Alexander vs. normal raid” can be misleading: Alexander is itself a raid series. The useful comparison is standard Alexander duties versus Alexander Savage duties.
Standard Alexander vs. Alexander Savage
| What differs | Standard Alexander duties | Alexander Savage duties |
|---|---|---|
| Content | The standard encounters in Gordias, Midas, and the Creator. | Separate Savage versions of encounters from the series. |
| Challenge | The ordinary version of each raid encounter. | Designed as a more demanding version; the official description applies specifically to Gordias Savage. |
| Entry and party rules | Gordias launched as level 60, eight-player content. Its Patch 3.01 notes said players could queue through Duty Finder after unlocking it. | Rules varied by installment. Original notes describe saved area progression for Gordias, full-party and NPC entry conditions for Midas, and area-specific item-level gates for the Creator. |
| Rewards | Launch notes describe exchangeable tokens or items rather than direct gear from normal coffers. | Savage had separate progression and reward rules. The details should be checked for the relevant installment and current duty. |
The historical details in the table are launch-era rules, not guarantees about current queue behavior, weekly restrictions, or recommended item level. For example, Patch 3.01 specified eight players and a 90-minute time limit for Gordias, and its token limits were weekly at that time: Patch 3.01 Notes. Those figures describe the original release context.
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How entry and progression differed by installment
Gordias
Alexander: Gordias arrived in Patch 3.01 as a level 60 raid for an eight-player party. Unlocking it required completing “Heavensward” and the quest “Disarmed.” The patch notes described Duty Finder access after unlocking for the standard duties. Gordias Savage came in Patch 3.05, with its own area-based saved progression and eight-player entry requirement; it was not simply the standard duty with a setting changed: Patch 3.05 Notes.
Midas
Patch 3.2 added Alexander: Midas as level 60, eight-player content. Its standard coffers awarded exchange items. The original Savage announcement described separate entry and progression conditions, including forming a full party and speaking to an NPC: Patch 3.2 Notes.
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The Creator
Patch 3.4 added Alexander: The Creator, also level 60 and eight-player content. Its Savage announcement listed item-level thresholds by area. Those were 2016 launch requirements, not current recommendations: Patch 3.4 Notes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What about the story?
Both versions belong to the Alexander story arc, which features Mide, Roundrox, and the Illuminati. The standard duties advance that story. The Lodestone’s duty descriptions frame Savage encounters as embellished retellings by the Wandering Minstrel. For instance, the current database entry for The Fist of the Father introduces Alexander as a self-sufficient bastion of logic and reason in Mide’s account; The Cuff of the Son describes Mide’s fragment as a useless rock and notes that Roundrox has been captured by the Illuminati: Eorzea Database: Duties.
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Which version should you queue for?
- Choose the standard duty if you want the regular raid encounters or to follow the story through the series.
- Choose Savage if you want the separate, more demanding versions and their distinct progression and reward structure.
- Check the exact duty page before relying on old entry, item-level, or reward details. Current Lodestone database pages are displayed as Patch 7.56 and list Alexander encounters under level 60 Raids; individual entries can show synced levels, requirements, and rewards. Search the database for the specific encounter: Eorzea Database.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
