It’s not often a previous expansion minion explodes in popularity, but this month has seen the Hippo Calf from FFXIV: Endwalker become highly sought-after in part thanks to viral sensation Moo Deng.
Yes, a baby pygmy hippo from Thailand has caused the Hippo Calf from Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker to become one of the most-wanted minions in the game, ballooning to several hundred thousand gil on the marketplace, and becoming a must-have for all players. But worry not! We’ve put together a guide for you to save your gold and get Moo Deng for yourself!
How To Get the Hippo Calf Minion in FFXIV
Image Credit: Esports.net
Luckily there’s no long FFXIV raid series to complete to unlock this minion! To get the Hippo Calf Minion in FFXIV and claim your very own Moo Deng look-alike, all you need to do is to have unlocked the Vanaspati Dungeon in Endwalker. This is the level 85 dungeon, and requires an item level of 510.
The Hippo Calf is a rare drop at the end of the dungeon. It won’t drop 100% of the time, and when it does, you’ll have to roll on it if you’re in a party. One way to get around this is to run the dungeon with a Trust or other NPCs. That way, if the hippo does drop, you’re not competing with anyone. This can be a little slower, as NPCs don’t tend to attack with AoE or heal very well, but it’s possible.
Alternatively, well… just pay the gil! At the time of writing it’s a few hundred thousand gil on the market board, but we bet with a bit of time and as Moo Deng’s popularity fades, the price will fall.
Moo Deng?
Now you might be reading this and wondering what on earth is Moo Deng? Moo Deng is a baby hippo from Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi. The hippo’s hilarious facial expressions and wide eyes instantly gave it global popularity. Roughly translated as “bouncy pork,” Moo Deng has seen its home attract record attendance. And while we don’t know if Moo Deng will have as much longevity as a viral hit as some other famous memes, they sure are adorable.
In Final Fantasy XIV, fans have decided to show their appreciation for Moo Deng by equipping the baby Hippo Calf minion. This means the price on the Market Board has skyrocketed from a few thousand gil to hundreds of thousands depending on your Data Centre and World. And while we don’t expect any hippo celebration to end up on the FFXIV patch schedule, we can enjoy the fun while it lasts!
