FFXIV Patch 7.38 Notes Released!

Key Takeaways

• Patch 7.38 released November 11, 2025 as a minor update in the 7.3x cycle of Dawntrail, focused on quality-of-life changes and targeted bug fixes rather than new zones or story content.
• Weekly lockout changes hit AAC Cruiserweight — the weekly restriction on receiving loot from the M4 encounter was removed, freeing players to farm the Savage tier without the one-clear-per-week gate.
• Savage treasure coffers adjusted so rewards always appeared in full even when party members had previously cleared the area, effectively removing the partial-lockout penalty on group farming runs.
• Weapon upgrade materials became vendor-available, letting players exchange alliance raid currency for the upgrade item needed to cap out Savage-tier weapons obtained with elegant tombstones of mathematics.
• Pilgrim's Traverse bug fixes addressed incorrect status overrides in the deep dungeon introduced in Patch 7.35, along with network-latency mitigations to reduce disruption during gameplay.
• Patch 7.38 is historical — as of April 28, 2026, the live patch is 7.5 "Trail to the Heavens." The 7.3x content cycle described here has since been followed by Patches 7.4 and 7.5.

Here is a closer look at each of those changes and what they meant for players who were active during the 7.3x content cycle.

Context: What Was Patch 7.38?

Final Fantasy XIV Patch 7.38 arrived on November 11, 2025, during the middle portion of the Dawntrail expansion cycle. Minor patches in the 7.x series typically serve as maintenance updates — adjusting lockouts, fixing bugs flagged since the last major patch, and making vendor changes that ease the gear grind. Patch 7.38 followed that pattern. There was no new zone, no new story chapter, and no new raid tier; the focus was entirely on smoothing out friction points that had surfaced since the AAC Cruiserweight Savage tier launched in Patch 7.2.

Dawntrail raised the level cap to 100 and introduced the AAC raid series as the expansion's primary Savage content. By the time Patch 7.38 landed, the Cruiserweight tier (M1–M4) had been live for several months, and Square Enix began the standard process of easing access for players still working through the tier.

AAC Cruiserweight Lockout Changes

The most widely discussed change in Patch 7.38 was the removal of the weekly restriction on loot from AAC Cruiserweight M4 Savage. In the standard Savage progression model, each encounter awards loot only once per week per character — after that first clear, treasure coffers either do not appear or yield nothing. Patch 7.38 adjusted this in two ways:

1. Weekly restriction removed from M4 loot: Players could receive AAC Cruiserweight M4 rewards on repeated clears within the same weekly reset, making the encounter farmable for players who still needed specific gear pieces or tokens.
2. Savage treasure coffers always appear: Coffer behaviour across the Cruiserweight tier was adjusted so that coffers appeared consistently and delivered full rewards regardless of whether other party members had previously cleared the duty. This removed the partial-lockout penalty that had made group farming less efficient.

These changes are standard practice for Square Enix as a Savage tier ages — they typically roll out when a new tier is approaching so that players can catch up before progression resets. At the time of Patch 7.38, AAC Cruiserweight had been the current Savage tier for several months. The AAC Heavyweight tier (M5–M8) launched in Patch 7.4, with its Savage difficulty unlocking on January 6, 2026.

Players who want to clear AAC Cruiserweight without the weekly friction can browse FFXIV Savage raid carries on WowCarry.

Weapon Upgrade Changes

Patch 7.38 made it easier to complete the Dawntrail Savage weapon upgrade path. The upgrade material required to cap out weapons obtained with elegant tombstones of mathematics — the currency earned from AAC Cruiserweight Savage — became available from a specific vendor rather than being limited to rare drops. Players could exchange currency earned from the Echoes of Vana'diel alliance raids, the Dawntrail alliance raid series based on the Final Fantasy XI world, to acquire the upgrade item directly.

This followed the familiar pattern FFXIV uses when a tier matures: making upgrade materials vendor-purchasable lowers the barrier for players who have the currency but have not landed the drop, and gives alliance raid participants a direct path to Savage-tier weapon upgrades without requiring a drop from the Savage tier itself. The Echoes of Vana'diel series — a crossover with the world of Final Fantasy XI spanning three wings — provided the currency that fed into this exchange.

Players looking to run Echoes of Vana'diel for weapon upgrade currency can find FFXIV alliance raid carries on WowCarry.

Pilgrim's Traverse Bug Fixes

Pilgrim's Traverse, the deep dungeon added in Patch 7.35, received targeted fixes in 7.38. The deep dungeon is set in Il Mheg, the fairy realm from the Shadowbringers expansion, and runs from floors 1 through 100 with a level range of 91–100. Because it launched only a month before Patch 7.38, several status-related edge cases were still being resolved.

• Status override corrections: Certain status effects applied in Pilgrim's Traverse were being incorrectly overridden by other effects in specific circumstances. The 7.38 fix restored the intended behaviour so that statuses stacked and expired as designed.
• Network latency mitigations: Adjustments were made to reduce the impact of high-latency conditions on gameplay within the dungeon, improving the experience for players in regions with higher ping.

Pilgrim's Traverse is entered through Vanthau in Il Mheg and supports solo and pre-formed party entry. Players who want help progressing through its floors can explore FFXIV deep dungeon boost options on WowCarry.

Where Patch 7.38 Fits in Dawntrail's Timeline

Patch 7.38 occupied a short window between the Hildibrand and deep dungeon additions of 7.35 and the full next major patch in 7.4. Its changes were modest in scope but welcomed by players who were deep into AAC Cruiserweight progression at the time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Was in FFXIV Patch 7.38?

Patch 7.38, released November 11, 2025, was a minor maintenance update during the Dawntrail expansion. It removed the weekly loot restriction from AAC Cruiserweight M4 Savage, adjusted Savage treasure coffer behaviour so rewards always appeared in full, made weapon upgrade materials available from a vendor in exchange for alliance raid currency, and fixed several bugs in Pilgrim's Traverse.

How Does Removing Weekly Lockouts Affect AAC Cruiserweight Farming?

Before Patch 7.38, AAC Cruiserweight M4 rewarded loot only on a character's first clear per weekly reset. After the change, players could receive rewards on repeated clears within the same week, which allowed groups to farm specific gear pieces or tokens without waiting for the next reset. This is a standard Square Enix practice for aging Savage tiers to help latecomers catch up before a new tier launches.

What Is the AAC Cruiserweight Raid in Dawntrail?

AAC Cruiserweight is the second Savage raid tier introduced in Dawntrail, with four encounters in both Normal and Savage difficulty. It launched with Patch 7.2 and was the active Savage tier at the time of Patch 7.38. The third and final Arcadion tier, AAC Heavyweight, followed in Patch 7.4 with its Savage difficulty unlocking January 6, 2026.

What Is Pilgrim's Traverse and When Was It Added?

Pilgrim's Traverse is the fourth deep dungeon in Final Fantasy XIV, added in Patch 7.35 on October 7, 2025. It is set in Il Mheg, the fairy realm from the Shadowbringers expansion, and spans 100 floors for characters between levels 91 and 100. Entry is through Vanthau in Il Mheg. Patch 7.38 addressed early bug reports about status effect interactions inside the dungeon.

What Is the Echoes of Vana'diel Alliance Raid Series?

Echoes of Vana'diel is the Dawntrail alliance raid series, built around a crossover with the world of Final Fantasy XI. It spans three wings and awards currency that, following Patch 7.38's vendor changes, could be exchanged for weapon upgrade materials used alongside tombstone-purchased Savage gear. The series features locations and themes drawn from the Final Fantasy XI world, including iconic regions associated with the cities of that game.

Is Patch 7.38 Still Current?

No. As of April 28, 2026, the live patch is 7.5 "Trail to the Heavens," which is several major updates beyond 7.38. The AAC Cruiserweight Savage content described in this article has been followed by AAC Heavyweight Savage (Patch 7.4) and additional content in 7.5. Patch 7.38 is historical, but the lockout mechanics it introduced for Cruiserweight remain part of how that tier functions today.

What Expansion Is FFXIV Currently In?

Final Fantasy XIV is currently in Dawntrail, which launched July 2, 2024, and raised the level cap to 100. The current patch is 7.5 "Trail to the Heavens," released April 28, 2026. FFXIV requires a purchase and an active subscription; the Free Trial covers all content through Shadowbringers (up to level 80) with no time limit.

Last reviewed 2026-06-18 against Patch 7.5 Trail to the Heavens (Dawntrail) — Maintained by WowCarry's FFXIV team.