Stealth sections can be difficult and frustrating in any game. If you’re struggling in FFXIV Dawntrail, here’s how to follow Wawkesa and the Shady Hoobigo without being seen.
How to follow Wawkesa without being seen in Dawntrail
The Dawntrail main story quest throws a double-whammy stealth sequence at you roughly 10 hours in. I’m probably the most unstealthy gamer on the planet, so I really struggled here. If you’re in the same boat, let me show you what to do and where to hide.
If you’re having problems seeing where your target is facing, make sure your graphics are set up properly, as they received an overhaul with Dawntrail.
How to Chase Wawkesa in A Brother’s Duty MSQ
When prompted, you must follow Wawkesa at a safe distance and use cover to remain unseen. You can let Wawkesa get pretty far away, but if he wanders out of range, you must repeat the section. You’re also forced to repeat the entire section if you’re spotted.
Wawkesa will already be moving when the stealth sequence starts, so run to the nearest tree (#1). Your target will stop for a few moments before running again. When Wawkesa moves for a second time, it’s your cue to move behind the “#2” tree. See the image above for which trees I’m talking about.
You can repeat the process using the trees in the image above. Wawkasa has a good look around when he stops, so make sure you’re hugging the first tree to break the line of sight. Fortunately, your target always pauses in the same spots, so you can safely walk to tree #2, even though it’s far away.
Hide behind the tree until Wawkesa stops talking to himself, then move to the tree in the distance (#1). From here, you can move to the large rock to the left. If you’re quick, you can move from #1 to #2 without waiting for Wawkesa to pause again.
You’re almost finished, and there are a few places to move from the rock you’re hiding behind. I found the safest place was to stand behind the stone in the water (pictured above). It looks like a long walk without cover, but if you keep up with your target, you’ll reach the rock before he turns around.
Follow Wawkesa around the corner
If you’re going to mess up anywhere, it’ll likely be here. If you’re hiding behind the rock in the water, Wawkesa won’t stop again until he goes around the corner to the left.
There’s a large, convenient rock to stand behind on the corner’s apex (#1). Wait here until Wawkesa moves again, and you can walk all the way to the tree in the distance (#2). The next time your target starts walking, you can move to the destination circle to finish the section.
How to follow the Shady Hoobigo in FFXIV Dawntrail
If you struggled with tailing Wawkesa, you’ll be pleased to learn the Hoobigo section is shorter and easier. The same rules apply; follow at a distance and try to keep something between you and the target.
The Hoobigo won’t turn around for a very long time, so you can travel from the tree to the left (#1) to tree #2 without waiting. Take your time, as you don’t want to catch up with the Shady Hoobigo and alert them.
Hug the wall to the left and go through the rocks labeled in the image above. Stop behind the closest tree after the rocks (#2), as your target will likely turn around here. Once the Shady Hoobigo starts to move, he shouldn’t turn around again until you complete the section.
I recommend keeping trees between you whenever possible, but you can safely follow from this point onward without worrying about detection. Walk into the destination marker when you can see it to finish the task.
If you’re struggling to see important quest vendors, a handy new feature has been added to the game with Dawntrail. Now, you can make players disappear near important NPCs so you don’t accidentally click on them.
