All The Merchant's Tale Variant Dungeon routes in FFXIV

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Final Fantasy 14 patch 7.45 introduces The Merchant's Tale Variant Dungeon, adding it to the pool of side content players can enjoy besides the regular dungeons and raids. Similar to previous iterations of this type of dungeon, The Merchant's Tale has 12 different routes, each one telling a different story. Completing them is required to unlock a secret boss and defeating it rewards you with a special prize.

To help you navigate the fantastical pages of this book, here's an explanation of how to unlock all the paths in FFXIV The Merchant's Tale Variant Dungeon and how to access the final secret boss.

How to unlock The Merchant's Tale in FFXIV

To unlock the fourth Variant Dungeon in FFXIV, you must first talk to Shallow Moor in Old Sharlayan (X: 12, Y: 13.5) to start the "A Spellbinding Read" sidequest.

To unlock this quest, you must meet the following prerequisites:

Complete the main scenario quest "Endwalker."
Spoken to Osmon in Old Sharlayan (X: 11.9, Y: 13.3).
Have a level 90 combat job.

Shallow Moor eventually introduces Y'nazqha, one of Y'shtola's sisters and who requires your help to explore the pages of a magical book her father gave to her.

After completing an initial run of The Merchant's Tale, you can queue for this specific Variant Dungeon by accessing the V&C Dungeon Finder tab in the Duty menu.

Below, you find only the required steps to unlock each run. Anything else you might find along a route does not affect the final result.

Path 1: A land of Abundance

Take the left path.
Choose to either follow the fruit or go the other way. (This has no impact on the end result, but will alter which boss you face.)
After you defeat the Grapevine Vagabonds, interact with the damaged fence and follow the path it unlocks.
Near a nest of birds, hit the fairy to stop it from casting an attack, and protect the birds.
Complete the rest of the dungeon as normal.

Path 2: A Carpet Soars

Take the left path at the Font of Paths.
Choose to either follow the fruit or go the other way. (This has no impact on the end result, but will alter which boss you face.)
Break the damaged fence in the Jealous Slope and go down the path.
This time, you should not save the birds from the fairy.
Complete the rest of the dungeon as normal.

Path 3: A Foe of Flame

Follow the left path at the Font of Paths.
Choose to either follow the fruit or go the other way. (This has no impact on the end result, but will alter which boss you face.)
Once you reach the Jealous Slope, do not break the damaged fence. Instead, follow the regular path.

Graphic: Paulo Kawanishi/Polygon | Source images: Square Enix
Eventually, you'll find two Airy Wisps in front of the door to the palace. Before you kill them, lure them to the fence on the left side of the door and force them to cast Ancient Aero on it to break it.
Follow the unlocked path to reach the boss fight.
Complete the rest of the dungeon as normal.

Path 4: Fragrant Fruits

Take the left path.
Choose to either follow the fruit or go the other way. (This has no impact on the end result, but will which boss you face.)
In Jealous Slope, do not break the fence.
Defeat the two Airy Wisps as normal, and do not break the fence on the left.
Complete the rest of the dungeon as normal.

Path 5: The Sunlit Expanse

Take the right path.
Choose the "The seaweed won't steer us wrong" option when a dialogue with Y'nazqha prompts.

Graphic: Paulo Kawanishi/Polygon | Source images: Square Enix
Make the Yawning Maw cast "Inhale" on the colorful rock formations on the ground. Defeat it after it has inhaled all four rock piles.
Complete the rest of the dungeon as normal.

Path 6: Treasure at the Ocean's Floor

Take the right path.
Keep following to reach the part where Y'nazqha talks to you. Choose "The seaweed won't steer us wrong."
Defeat the Yawning Maw before it inhales all the rocks on the ground.
Complete the rest of the dungeon as normal.

Path 7: Rule of the Radiant Sea

Take the right path.
Choose the "I fancy a stroll along the beach" option when talking to Y'nazqha.
Interact with the giant conch shell on the north side of the Seven-shade Sands area, near the two Shell Dwellers.
Complete the rest of the dungeon as normal.

Path 8: The Ocean's Bounty

Follow the right path.
Choose to go to the beach when talking to Y'nazqha.
Do not interact with the shell in the Seven-shade Sands area.
Complete the rest of the dungeon as normal.

Path 9: Valley of Extremes

Take the middle path.
When prompted to choose a path, pick the "Let the mushrooms guide us true!" dialogue option.

Graphic: Paulo Kawanishi/Polygon | Source images: Square Enix
Once inside the Passage of Earth cavern, wait for the Stone Puppet golem to mark you with a purple area-of-effect attack. When it does, stand near the purple rocks to activate them. You must repeat the process with all three rocks.
Complete the rest of the dungeon as normal.

Path 10: A Blade Engraven

Take the middle path again.
Follow the mushroom path.
When inside the Passage of Earth cavern, do not stand near the rocks when marked by the Stone Puppet's magnetic attack.
Complete the rest of the dungeon as normal.

Path 11: Master of the Unyielding Blade

Follow the middle path.
When talking to Y'nazqha, choose the "Floating rocks warrant a closer look" option.

Graphic: Paulo Kawanishi/Polygon | Source images: Square Enix
While in the Passage of Sky area, there are three glowing rocks. As a party, stand near each one of them to charge them. After having repeated this process with all three rocks in the area, the message "The magnetism of the atmosphere shifts…" will appear on the screen.
Complete the rest of the dungeon as normal.

Path 12: In a Harsh Nature

Take the middle path.
Head to the floating rocks route.
You must not charge the three rocks in the Passage of Sky area.
Complete the rest of the dungeon as normal.

Path 13: The Eye of the Beholder

Take the right path.
Choose the seaweed route.
Before the usual boss arena, turn right and enter the Shimmering Stage, which is a circular platform.
Use the "/bow" command then enter the message "I am returned!" so five colorful platforms light up.

Image: Square Enix via Polygon
Step on the platforms in the following order: coral (green), conch (purple), starfish (pink), and pearl (blue).
Follow the bridge and defeat the boss.

The Merchant's Tale rewards

Opening the chests you find in The Merchant's Tale can reward you with Corvosi Potsherds, Magicked Prisms, Triple Triad Cards of each of the bosses, and furnishing items. Unlike previous Variant Dungeons, you won't obtain a mount by completing all the Merchant's Tale's routes.

With Corvosi Potsherds, you can buy the following items from Trisassant in Old Sharlayan (X12, Y13:4):