The Great Gubal Library
This article is about the Main Scenario dungeon. For the optional level 60 dungeon, see The Great Gubal Library (Hard).
The Great Gubal Library
- Level
- 59 (Sync: 60)
- Item Level
- 120 (Sync: 150)
- Difficulty
- Normal
- Party size
- Light Party
4 man • 1
1 
2 
- Unsyncing
- Allowed
- Time limit
- 90 minutes
- Duty Finder
- Dungeons (Heavensward)
- Roulette
- Leveling
- Req. quest
Forbidden Knowledge- Entrance
- The Dravanian Hinterlands (X:28, Y:37)
- Modes
- Duty Support, Explorer
- Patch
- 3.0
“Built by the learned men and women of Sharlayan, the Great Gubal Library is the grandest repository of knowledge in all of Eorzea. Lining its towering shelves are tomes beyond count, gathered from the farthest reaches of the realm. Like the city-state, however, the library was abandoned by its caretakers when they fled to their motherland in the face of Garlean invasion. And now, fifteen years since its doors were sealed, you will be the first soul to set foot within its halls. Your destination is the forbidden section deep within the library, where lies your objective: the fruits of Matoya's research on the aetheric converger.
— In-game description
The Great Gubal Library is a level 59 dungeon introduced in patch 3.0 with Heavensward.
Duty Support
| Pero Roggo | Alphinaud | Y'shtola | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
| |
| Class |   Poroggo
|
  Academician
|
 Archon
|
| Role | Tank or DPS | Healer or DPS | DPS |
Objectives
- Defeat the demon tome.
- Defeat Byblos.
- Defeat the Everliving Bibliotaph.
Bosses
The Demon Tome
The Demon Tome is similar to the Demon Wall in Amdapor Keep, with a few added skills, but doesn't advance.
- Like the Demon Wall, the Demon Tome will cast an AOE down the middle of the room, then the sides. If this hits you, it will have a slowing effect, making it harder to get past him for Disclosure.
- As he is between casting the two previous attacks, the Demon Tome will also cast Dark Blizzard III, a circle AOE that will target a random player.
- The Demon Tome will occasionally cast Disclosure and "begin to glow." This signals that you need to run along the sides of the arena to the backs-side of the Tome. Anyone on the wrong side of it when it closes will be killed instantly.
- The Demon Tome will cast Words of Winter after a while, an attack similar to Shiva's ground freeze - when the ground is frozen, you will move a certain length in the direction you attempt to go. Unlike Shiva, this is not all the way to the edge of the arena; it is a matter of several yalms. At that point it will always be active when it casts Disclosure.
Take note that the fence is not present to the immediate left and right of the book, but you cannot fall off the ledge despite this. The easiest way to get past him when frozen, for PC players, is to press Q or E while directly facing the boss (assuming you haven't remapped those keys) so that you slide into the fence, then W twice so that you slide forward and past him. Alternately, holding right-click and pressing A or D will accomplish the same thing. While I haven't attempted the boss with a controller on PC, just tapping left or right once, and then forward twice, 'should' get the job done as well.
Byblos
Byblos is a book demon, and the second boss of The Great Gubal Library.
- At intervals, Byblos will run to the center of the book that summoned him and become invincible. Shortly after, two books will spawn with adds in them. They will fire Death Ray, a low damage line AoE that extends pretty far. Kill the adds quickly. When they die, they will draw a tether between them and a given player (like the ice, fire, and lightning orbs in the Scylla encounter in The Labyrinth of the Ancients). Draw this orb into Byblos to break his invulnerability.
- After one invulnerability phase, Byblos will begin spawning clouds of oil fumes around the room. These will cause 2k damage and a pushback when you run through them, so take them in turns, carefully, to keep them from stacking up. The clouds will break the orbs from the invulnerability phase if they collide, requiring your party to deal with another set of adds.
- Performs Gale Cut fairly regularly, a frontal attack that deals mild damage to tanks. This has no ground warning, and can be avoided by either running through or to the side. It has a cast time of around 2.5-3 seconds.
- Performs Tail Swipe when someone is behind him, a rear-facing conal attack. This seems to only happen if someone is behind him.
- Performs Head Down on a random party member, which is a fairly damaging charge attack/sort-of stun. This cannot be avoided regardless of any attempt to move away from it and it will hit all party members in its path. If he targets you, try to line yourself up with your party, as this damage is shared evenly between everyone hit.
The Everliving Bibliotaph
The Everliving Bibliotaph has a few ground-pattern AOE attacks in addition to:
- At 3 intervals throughout the fight (roughly 85%, 55%, and 25% HP), Bibliotaph will begin casting Void Summon. Platforms on the ground will light up, and they will need a certain number of players to stand on them in order to cancel their summon. When one light on the platform is lit up, only one player is needed to stand on it to cancel the summon. When two lights on the platform are lit, two players must stand on it. When three lights are lit, the platform needs three players. Before this fight, figure out who will go with who for the first two phases, and plan to run all together for the final (three-person) phase. If a platform's summon is not canceled, that platform will summon a voidsent add to the boss fight.
Note: All six platforms will light up the first time (for one player each), four will light the second time (two players each), and only two will light the third time (three players each). You seem to have around ten seconds to cancel all the summons (need confirmation) before the add is spawned.
- At intervals, Bibliotaph will mark players with targets. If you are targeted, run to one side of the arena between platforms to bait the AOE he will place on you.
- This sets down a purple void spark (a stationary ball) which will remain in place for a duration, periodically pulsing to inflict a stack of vulnerability on those in the area. Be sure to avoid this at all costs.
- After the 2nd Void Summon at roughly 55% HP, he will begin casting Deep Darkness which covers the entire outside of the arena, immediately followed by Magic Burst (occasionally he will cast Magic Burst first), which covers the inside of the arena. Deep Darkness hits tanks for around 3k and causes a 25-30 second Heavy debuff. Magic Burst deals damage and a knockback.
Loot
- See also: Sharlayan Weapons, Sharlayan Armor and Sharlayan Accessories
The Demon Tome
| Name | Type | Item Level | Rarity | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sharlayan Conservator's Bangle
|
Bracelets | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Conservator's Boots
|
Feet | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Conservator's Ring
|
Ring | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Custodian's Bangle
|
Bracelets | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Custodian's Boots
|
Feet | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Custodian's Ring
|
Ring | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Emissary's Boots
|
Feet | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Pankratiast's Bangle
|
Bracelets | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Pankratiast's Boots
|
Feet | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Pankratiast's Ring
|
Ring | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Pathmaker's Boots
|
Feet | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Philosopher's Bangle
|
Bracelets | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Philosopher's Boots
|
Feet | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Philosopher's Ring
|
Ring | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Preceptor's Bangle
|
Bracelets | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Preceptor's Boots
|
Feet | 148 | Green | 1 |
 Sharlayan Preceptor's Ring
|
Ring | 148 | Green | 1 |
Byblos
The Everliving Bibliotaph
Byblos Card (Drops at a fixed rate.)
Ink Long Dry Orchestrion Roll (Drops at a fixed rate.)
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Additional Treasure Coffers
Treasure Coffer 1 (X: 13.2 Y: 10.7)
Treasure Coffer 2 (X: 12.2 Y: 12.7)
Treasure Coffer 3 (X: 16.2 Y: 10.8)
Treasure Coffer 4 (X: 15.7 Y: 10.2)
Images
Gear Images
Dungeon Images
Other Images
Dungeon Dialogue Infographic Part 1 (credits: TrustInsighters)
Dungeon Dialogue Infographic Part 2
Dungeon Dialogue Infographic Part 3
Lore
Throughout the dungeon, players can find books detailing various items such as Garlean naming conventions, elements, Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn, and a Leather-bound Diary of unknown author mentioning Lady Almandine.
Some entries have been reformatted from the way they appear in-game, to make them easier to read.
On Garlean Hierarchy Volume 1
“The rise of the Garlean Empire in the Year 1522 of the Sixth Astral Era led to significant changes in the structure of Garlean society. This is most evident in the adoption of titles which serve to indicate an individual's place within the social hierarchy. The following information was compiled with the aid of informants within the Empire and has yet to be verified:
Royalty:
Zos - The emperor;
Yae - Member of the royal family in the line of succession;
Wir - Member of the royal family with no claim to the throne.
Military:
Van - Legatus;
Tol - Tribunus laticlavius;
Sas - Tribunus angusticlavius or Praefectus castrorum;
Rem - Primus pilus or Pilus prior;
Quo - Primi ordines or Centurion;
Pyr - Optio, Tesserarius, or Decurion;
Oen - Duplicarius or Legionarius.
Specialists:
Nan - Chief engineer or engineer;
Mal - Primus medicus or senior magitek technician;
Lux - Chief medicus or magitek technician;
Kir - Senior medicus or senior technician;
Jen - Medicus or technician.— On Garlean Hierarchy Volume 1
On Garlean Hierarchy Volume 2
“Public Officials:
Iyl - Dictator or Princeps senatus;
Het - Consul, Praetor, Tribunus plebis, Aedilis, or Quaestor;
Goe - Censor;
Fae - Unknown;
Eir - Unknown;
Dus - Lictor.
This hierarchy extends to the general populace as well, though it is far less complex. The majority of citizens bear the “Bas” title, and there is a smaller group which appears to be comprised of respected artisans who have adopted the “Cen” title.
The “Aan” title is bestowed upon the peoples of annexed territories and indicates that they lack even the most basic rights afforded to a citizen. However, many Garleans view this as an opportunity rather than a condemnation, as citizenship may be granted to those who have demonstrated exceptional skills, as well as those who have contributed twenty or more years of military service.— On Garlean Hierarchy Volume 2
Essences and Permutations
“Chapter I─The Six Nativities & Myriad Creation.
The spark of Lightning ignites when it strikes, and thus Fire is born.
The heat of Fire renders to ash all that it touches, and thus Earth is born.
The density of Earth shuns sun and harbors cold, and thus Ice is born.
The armor of Ice melts away, and thus Water is born.
The moistness of Water mists and rises, and thus Wind is born.
The gusts and sighs of Wind gather the clouds, and thus Lightning is born.
Chapter II─The Three Conquests, Boundless and Unwavering.
Earth grounds Lightning.
Water erodes Earth.
Lightning boils Water.
Chapter III─The Three Submissions, Timeless and Unending.
Fire is extinguished by Wind.
Ice is melted by Fire.
Wind is obstructed by Ice.
— Essences and Permutations
Over the Horizon
“Though there is some debate as to whether or not Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn and her League of Lost Bastards were the first Eorzeans to discover the western continent, there is no denying that their navigational charts were instrumental in establishing the major trade routes of today.
Moreover, the accounts from their expedition are widely regarded as both informative and entertaining. Of particular note is their first encounter with the Mamool Ja, as well as other indigenous peoples and creatures which seemed curiously intent on their demise.
These travel journals have since inspired a legion of explorers and treasure hunters to retrace the League's journey. Yet in spite of their numbers, the existence of “a bleedin' city o' gold” remains unconfirmed...— Over the Horizon
Leather-bound Diary
“Beauty is ephemeral, but it needn't be. My lady Amandine knows this well, lovely creature that she is. Would that I could have the genuine article in my keeping...but alas, I shall have to settle for a pale imitation.
The vessel is not quite up to my usual standards, but beggars can't be choosers, as they say. I washed and anointed it per the instructions, then secured it to the bed with chains─wouldn't want her to get ideas above her station, oh no!
Gods, just the thought of it is enough to get my blood pumping! I can hardly wait to welcome my beloved succubus into this world!
The tentacles...so many tentacles! And the sound of it writhing on the bed! Gods, just listening to it is agony!
I've made a terrible mistake.— Leather-bound Diary
The Abandoned Storehouse of Wisdom
Built by the learned men and women of Sharlayan, the Great Gubal Library is the grandest repository of knowledge in all of Eorzea. Lining its towering shelves are tomes beyond count, gathered from the farthest reaches of the realm. Like the city-state, however, the library was abandoned by its caretakers in the exodus fifteen years ago and its entrance sealed by magicks.
Comprised of myriad sections, upon entering the library one soon encounters the School of Phantasmagoria. Open to the general citizenry, the school features a series of rounded platforms with open-plan shelves, connected via magical stairs. Proceeding deeper, one next comes upon the research rooms, access to which is restricted to scholars from approved institutions such as the Studium in the Sharlayan motherland. Venturing deeper still, inquiring minds will find themselves within the School of Fantastics, home to forbidden tomes reserved only for the eyes of those who bear the title of Archon. Such a section, it should come as no surprise, is kept under tight guard.
The Everliving Bibliotaph
This hulking soulkin mammet was created to guard the library’s forbidden section. Embodying an arcane tome with voidsent sealed within its pages, it imitates a living will to forge a pact with the creatures, which are unleashed upon trespassers. By way of a safety measure, should the Bibliotaph’s aetherial core become spent and it cease to function, the voidsent are automatically released from the pact and returned to their realm.
A Room On The Upper Floor
In a quiet corner of the Great Gubal Library, on its lonely uppermost floor, there is a section which houses the rarest of volumes—the aptly named Rare Tomes Room. It is said that some of the tomes stored therein were of such great worth, one could only enter the room with the express approval of the head librarian and in the presence of senior staff and guards.
Lest ambitious treasure hunters wonder, any truly rare volumes have already been removed, come back to the Sharlayan motherland during the exodus. All that remains today are the replaceable and the magically reproduced.
Strix
A guardian bound to the Rare Tomes Room on the highest floor of the Great Gubal Library. Similar to skatenes, Strix is an owl which has been enchanted with heightened intelligence. Strix’s comparatively vast intellect, however, grants the creature command over spells of formidable potency.
Achievements
This duty is associated with the following achievements:
| Name | Points | Task | Reward | Patch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Mapping the Realm: Great Gubal Library
|
10 | Discover every location in the Great Gubal Library. | - | 3.0 |