So, you’re hunting The Pack. Honestly, it’s one of those Hunt Board marks in Final Fantasy XVI that sounds way easier than it actually is. You see "C-Rank" and think, "Alright, Clive’s just gonna breeze through some overleveled dogs," but then you spend twenty minutes running around the Rosaria countryside wondering if the game glitched. It didn't. You're just in the wrong spot.
Tracking down The Pack location in FF16 requires you to be at a specific point in the main story—specifically after you've started the "Things Fall Apart" main quest. If you haven't reached that point, Nektar the Moogle won't even have the bill posted. But once it's up, the description is annoyingly vague. It mentions the "south of Tabor" or the "Gilded Path," which is basically the FF16 equivalent of saying "it's near that one tree in the woods."
Let’s get you there without the headache.
Where Exactly is The Pack Location in FF16?
Stop fast traveling to the wrong obelisk. Most players instinctively warp to Tabor because the hunt description mentions it, but that's a long walk for no reason. Instead, you want to hit the The Dalimil Inn waypoint.
Once you’re in Dalimil, head south. You’re looking for a sub-region called The Gilded Path. It’s that dusty, yellowish stretch of road that connects the southern Dhalmekian Republic toward the mountains. You’ll know you’re in the right place when the music shifts and the landscape starts feeling a bit more claustrophobic. The Pack isn't hiding in some secret cave or behind a waterfall; they are literally standing in the middle of the road.
If you're coming from Tabor, you head south and slightly west. But seriously, the Dalimil route is faster. You'll find them lounging around at the southern end of the Gilded Path, right before the path starts to curve and narrow significantly. They aren't shy. They won't ambush you from the shadows. They just sit there, waiting for you to start the fight.
What You’re Actually Fighting
Don't let the C-Rank fool you. It's not one big monster. It's a group of Pack leader wolves and their subordinates. This is a numbers game. In FF16, being outnumbered is usually more dangerous than fighting one massive boss with a predictable telegraph.
The main threat here is the sheer aggression. These aren't like the random wolves you fight in the prologue. They coordinate. While you’re focusing on one, another will likely lung at you from off-camera. This is why having your Eikonic abilities geared toward Area of Effect (AoE) is non-negotiable.
I’ve seen people go in with a high-damage, single-target build like Titan’s Windup or Bahamut’s Megaflare and get interrupted every two seconds. It’s frustrating. You need crowd control.
The Mechanics of the Fight
The "boss" of the group is the larger wolf, but the smaller ones are the real pests. They use a lot of quick bites and pouncing attacks that can stagger Clive if you aren't careful.
- Lunge Attacks: They love to jump. If you see one back up slightly, it's about to fly at your face.
- Encircling: They will try to get behind you. Keep your camera moving.
- Pack Mentality: If you kill the smaller ones first, the larger one gets noticeably more aggressive.
Honestly, the best way to handle this is to use Ramuh’s Lightning Rod or Shiva’s Mesmerize. You want to pull them all into a single point and then unload. Ignition (from Ifrit) is also a godsend here because it carries the whole pack along with you, preventing them from flanking you while you deal damage.
Why This Hunt Matters for Your Gear
You aren't just doing this for the 10 Renown or the 250 Gil. Let’s be real, 250 Gil buys you like... a couple of potions. You're doing this for the Sharp Fangs and the Bloody Hides.
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By this point in the game, you’re likely looking to upgrade your mid-game armor or craft the Defender sword. The materials dropped by The Pack are essential for those +1 and +2 upgrades at Blackthorne’s forge. If you ignore these lower-tier hunts, you'll find yourself hitting a wall later in the game where your defense stats just aren't keeping up with the bosses in Ash.
Also, it’s a completionist thing. If you want that "Hunter" trophy or the satisfaction of a clean board, you have to clear these out.
Common Mistakes When Searching
I’ve talked to plenty of people who swear the pack didn't spawn. Usually, it's one of two things.
First, check your quest log. If you have an active main story quest that "locks" the world state (like when a major character is waiting for you at a specific destination), some hunts temporarily de-spawn to avoid narrative conflicts. It's rare, but it happens.
Second, check the map name. People often confuse the Southern Velkroy Desert with the Gilded Path. They look similar—lots of sand, lots of orange rocks. But The Pack is strictly a Gilded Path inhabitant. If you see giant scorpions or those weird flying bugs, you’ve gone too far north or west.
Turn around. Look for the narrow canyon-like road.
Strategy: The Best Eikons for The Pack
If you’re playing on "Action Focused" or "Final Fantasy" mode, you can’t just mash Square. Well, you can, but it’ll take forever.
- Phoenix: Use Rising Flames to launch the smaller wolves. An airborne enemy can’t bite you. Simple.
- Garuda: Gouge is great for building the stagger bar on the pack leader quickly. Once he's down, the rest of the fight is a cakewalk.
- Shiva: If you have access to her yet, Diamond Dust is the ultimate "I’m done with this" button. It clears the board instantly.
Most players find that Ifrit’s Will-o'-the-Wykes is the secret MVP here. It creates a shield of fireballs around Clive. Since the wolves rely on physical contact and pounces, they’ll just keep hitting your fire shield and taking damage while you stand there. It’s a very "lazy" but highly effective way to win.
The Rewards Breakdown
When the dust settles, you're looking at:
- 700 EXP (Scaling depending on your level)
- 40 Ability Points (Great for topping off those expensive Eikonic upgrades)
- Sharp Fang x20
- Bloody Hide x5
- Magicked Ash x10
It's a solid haul for a fight that takes maybe ninety seconds if you know what you're doing.
Next Steps for Your Hunt
After you've cleared The Pack, don't just warp back to the Hideaway. You're already in the Dhalmekian Republic, so check your board for the Griffin (Doeyare) or Flan Prince. They are in the same general region of the map. Clearing these in "loops" saves you a massive amount of loading screen time.
Once you have the materials, head back to Cid's Hideaway and talk to Blackthorne. Check the "Craft" tab first, then "Reinforce." You’ll likely find that the Bloody Hides you just looted allow you to bump your belt or bracers up to a significantly higher defense tier, which you'll definitely need for the upcoming boss fights in the Kingdom of Waloed.
If you're still missing materials for the Excalibur or the Gotterdammerung later on, remember that these C-Rank hunts are the foundation. They provide the base materials that the rarer drops get added to. Keep the board clear, keep Clive's gear updated, and stop fast traveling to Tabor when Dalimil is right there.