Responding to player feedback, Final Fantasy XIV Patch 7.16 will introduce a Clouddark Demimateria exchange system. This update, arriving January 21st, 2025, addresses concerns regarding the acquisition of high-demand items from the Cloud of Darkness (Chaotic) Alliance Raid.
The exchange will allow players to convert excess Clouddark Demimateria 1 into Clouddark Demimateria 2, facilitating purchases of sought-after rewards like the "A Half Times Two" hairstyle and the "Dais of Darkness" mount. While the precise exchange rate remains undisclosed, the change aims to improve accessibility to these items, which currently require a substantial amount of Clouddark Demimateria 2 (49 and 75 respectively). Both the mount and hairstyle are also available on the Market Board, suggesting potential price fluctuations following the patch.
The Cloud of Darkness (Chaotic) Alliance Raid, introduced in Patch 7.15, presents a challenging encounter for up to 24 players. The current reward structure, awarding Clouddark Demimateria 1 and 2 (with bonus Demimateria 2 based on first-time clears), proved imbalanced according to player feedback.
Square Enix emphasizes that this adjustment is a direct response to community input, and further refinements to the Demimateria system or future raid content are possible based on ongoing feedback. Patch 7.16, while featuring the Dawntrail Role Quest finale, will likely postpone major job balance changes until Patch 7.2. The impact of player feedback on subsequent raid content releases throughout 2025 remains to be seen.
