As they explore the world of Valisthea,Final Fantasy 16players may occasionally find themselves stumbling upon mysterious stone tablets known as Chronoliths. They look a lot likethe Arete Stone from the hideaway, only rather than being dedicated to more generic combat tasks, each one focuses on a different Eikon. There’s not one for Ifrit though, meaning that there are seven Chronoliths in total.
Although players will be able to find all of theFinal Fantasy 16Chronoliths as soon as they gain access to their respective areas, they won’t actually be able to take on a Chronolith’s challenges until they’ve unlocked its corresponding Eikon. All of theFF16Chronolith trials feature four stages, with players expected to complete all four within a certain amount of time. The first three stages are made up of three waves of enemies and the last is a one-on-one boss battle against a Trial Protector.
Updated July 08, 2025, by Tom Bowen:Given that the Rising Tide DLC centers around the lost Eikon Leviathan, players probably shouldn’t be too surprised to learn that it brings with it a brand-new Chronolith trial. Though not needed for the Circle of Malius Curiosity, those who complete the Trial by Water will unlock the Still Breathing Trophy, as well as a unique accessory that makes Leviathan’s most powerful Eikonic ability even stronger. With that in mind, finding the location of Leviathan’s Chronolith should be pretty high on most players' to-do lists.
Although players will only need to complete one of theFF16Chronolith trials to unlock the “Trial Run” Trophy, they’ll need to master all seven of the base game trials to get their hands on the “The Circle of Malius” Curiosity, which is needed tounlock the “For the Hoard” Trophy.
The Hand of Tethys: Trial by Water (Leviathan)
The Hand of Hyperion: Trial by Fire (Phoenix)
Players will be able to find the Phoenix Chronolith in the Greensheaves area of Rosaria. The fastest way to reach it is byfast traveling to the Martha’s Rest Obeliskand then leaving the settlement from the northern exit. The Trial Protector is an Ahriman variant called the Firebound Plague.
The Hand of Dione: Trial by Wind (Garuda)
The Garuda Chronolith can be found to the east of the Velkroy Desert in the Dhalmekian Republic. Though it looks as though it can be accessed via the Krozjit Echoes Obelisk, players are actually better off fast traveling to Laetny’s Cleft and then making their way west to Drakos Deep. The Trial Protector is a Coeurl variant called the Windbound Coeurl.
The Hand of Iapetus: Trial by Thunder (Ramuh)
The Chronolith for Ramuh is in the Norvent Valley area of Sanbreque. If they’ve unlocked it, players should fast travel to the Caer Norvent River Gate Obelisk and then head north. If not, they’ll need to make their way to Loswtwing and follow the path leading south until they reach their destination. The Trial Protector is a Griffin variant called the Thunderbound Griffin.
The Hand of Titan: Trial by Earth (Titan)
To find Titan’s Chronolith, players should fast travel to the Velkroy Desert Obelisk and then head northeast. Eventually, they’ll come to a sandstorm, at which point, they should keep heading north until they reach the area containing the Chronolith. The Trial Protector is an Iron Giant variant called the Earthbound Giant.
The Hand of Mimas: Trial by Light (Bahamut)
The Bahamut Chronolith can be found overlooking the ocean in the Royal Meadows area of Sanbreque. To reach it, players should leave Northreach via the northern exit and thenride their Chocobowest until they can’t go any further. The Trial Protector is an Orc variant called the Lightbound Warlord.
The Hand of Rhea: Trial by Ice (Shiva)
Shiva’s Chronolith can be found in the Angry Gap area of Waloed. To reach it, players should look for a path leading south in the western part of the area, which will eventually lead them to a narrow crack between some rocks. The Chronolith is on the other side of this crack, along with a treasure coffer containingthe Masamune sword. The Trial Protector is a Necrophobe variant called the Icebound Necrophobe.
The Hand of Enceladus: Trial by Darkness (Odin)
The last of the non-DLCFF16Chronolith trials can be found in the Badbach Conservatory area of Waloed. To reach it, players should fast travel to the Vidargraes Obelisk and then make their way southeast. The Trial Protector is a Chimera variant called the Darkbound Chimera.
Though it looks like players can reach Leviathan’s Chronolith by heading west from the Tailwind Bay area, they’ll actually need to approach it from the other side, as there’s a brick wall blocking the westbound path that can only be knocked over from the other side. With this in mind, players should head to the Sunken Ruins area where they foughtthe Thalaos Notorious Markand then follow the eastbound path to Languor Falls. The Trial Protector is a Behemoth variant called the Waterbound King.
Tips for Completing FF16 Chronolith Trials
Before starting any of theFF16Chronolith trials, players should take a moment to familiarize themselves with the time bonus tasks. These are displayed at the beginning of the first three stages of each trial and will be integral for those hoping to complete all four stages before the time runs out. For anyone who has been using it up to this point, it’s also a good idea to unequipthe Ring of Timely Strikes Timely Accessory, as having this equipped will make it impossible to complete certain tasks (the game’s AI will never let Odin’s Zantetsuken charge to the maximum level, for example), thus making the trials a lot harder than they would otherwise be.
