AAC Light-heavyweight M3 (Savage), usually called M3S, is the third Savage fight in Dawntrail’s AAC Light-heavyweight tier. It is a level 100, eight-player encounter against Brute Bomber with an average item-level requirement of 710. Its central challenge is coordinating spreads, paired damage, knockbacks and increasingly layered lariat, dive, clone, bomb and fuse mechanics without being pushed into the lethal arena boundary.
How to unlock M3S
To enter, use a level 100 Disciple of War or Magic and complete the quest The Neoteric Witch, then speak with Gabbro. Dawntrail must be purchased and registered to access these Savage additions. The encounter was introduced in patch 7.05.
- Reach level 100 on a Disciple of War or Magic.
- Complete The Neoteric Witch.
- Speak with Gabbro to unlock AAC Light-heavyweight M3 (Savage).
- Register through the Raid Finder or enter as a full party.
The duty requires an average item level of 710 or higher, an eight-player party and a 90-minute time limit. Two or more players of the same job are not permitted under the duty’s listed composition rules. In Raid Finder registration, the party is matched with one pure healer and one barrier healer. A full party is exempt from the item-level and role requirements when registering. These entry rules are listed in Square Enix’s Patch 7.05 notes.
What to expect from the fight
The encounter takes place in the Blasting Ring against Brute Bomber. Falling or being knocked beyond the arena’s fire boundary is lethal, so knockback direction and landing position matter as much as avoiding attack markers. The fight repeatedly asks the party to recognize whether an attack calls for spreading out or grouping with a partner, then layers those decisions with movement and positioning.
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Opening mechanics: mitigation, spreads and knockbacks
- Brutal Impact: a multi-hit raid-wide attack. Coordinate mitigation and healing across its hits.
- Knuckle Sandwich: a multi-hit tankbuster; tanks should plan defensive cooldowns for the sequence.
- Lariat and dive variants: these alternate between spread and paired-damage patterns. Identify the cast and resolve the indicated formation rather than assuming every version is handled the same way.
- Barbarous Barrage: knockback towers combine with a dangerous cleave, so players must account for both tower placement and where the knockback will leave them.
As the fight progresses, Doping Draught stacks augment the boss’s attacks, increasing the pressure to resolve mechanics cleanly while maintaining mitigation and healing.
Later mechanics: animation reads, clones and fuses
Later lariat and dive casts can change the safe position according to the boss’s fire animation. The relevant safe area therefore depends on reading the cast’s visual cue, not simply repeating the opening positioning.
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Tag Team makes two clones untargetable and assigns tethers. Each player must handle the attack from their tethered clone while avoiding the other clone’s attack. The tether assignment determines which threat to resolve; watching both clones helps prevent being caught by the attack that is not yours.
Final Fusedown combines short-fuse and long-fuse bombs with player fuses. The party has to find safe space while avoiding overlap. Fusefield follows with a spaced sequence in which players disarm matching short- or long-fuse sparks as the group continues healing and mitigating raid damage. This is a coordination check as much as a personal movement mechanic: resolve the correct fuse at the right point in the sequence, and leave room for others.
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Final phase: repeated raid damage and a damage check
Bombarian Special adds repeated raid-wide damage, point-blank and donut attacks, then a knockback followed by partner stacks or spreads. Fuses of Fury and further clone attacks continue the pattern of resolving individual assignments while preserving space for the group. The final Barbarous Barrage adds another layered positioning check.
The encounter ends with Special Bombarian Special. The party must defeat Brute Bomber before the enrage; failing the damage check results in a wipe.
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How to organize the party
A published encounter strategy reference suggests assigning clock positions and light parties before starting: DPS at intercardinals and support roles at cardinals, with role pairs used for mechanics that call for partners. Treat that as one strategy reference, not a universal or guaranteed current Party Finder convention. Agree on positions and partner assignments with your group before the pull, and follow the strategy your party has chosen.
- Confirm clock spots, light-party sides and partner pairings.
- Plan mitigation for multi-hit raid damage and tankbusters.
- Keep the arena boundary in mind whenever knockbacks are involved.
- For clone and fuse mechanics, make sure everyone knows how assignments are identified and resolved.
M3S rewards and weekly eligibility
The encounter reference lists 15 Allagan Tomestones of Mnemonics and one guaranteed AAC Illustrated: LHW Edition III. Listed coffer and upgrade rewards are:
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| Reward | Listed detail |
|---|---|
| Dark Horse Champion’s Chest Gear Coffer | Item level 730 |
| Dark Horse Champion’s Leg Gear Coffer | Item level 730 |
| Surgelight Solvent | Upgrade item |
| Surgelight Twine | Upgrade item |
Square Enix’s patch notes explain that Savage coffers turn into gear for the job you open them on. AAC Illustrated tokens can be exchanged with Hhihwi in Solution Nine for gear or upgrade items, with exchange quantities set out in the official Patch 7.05 notes. The tier uses weekly reward eligibility and a reset, so the precise loot rules and item availability may change with later patches; check current in-game rules before planning a weekly clear.
How M3S differs from normal M3
M3S is the Savage version, not the normal-difficulty duty. The listed item-level gate, eight-player party rules and Savage reward structure above apply to Savage. The encounter source used for the mechanic outline describes M3 Savage specifically; a complete normal-mode mechanic or reward comparison is not established here, so individual attacks and rewards should not be assumed to match between difficulties.
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