Final Fantasy 14 is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed and published by Japanese game developer Square Enix, and is the fourteenth game in the Final Fantasy series. In terms of series branding and online game typology, Final Fantasy 14 has taken a big step compared to Final Fantasy 11 and its own previous version, Final Fantasy 14 Rebirth.
Today let us talk about the classes of Final Fantasy 14. In FINAL FANTASY XIV, there are many classes that players can choose from, which fall under three main categories: Tank, Healer, and DPS. In total, there are 19 different classes available for players to explore and master.
Best Starting Class for New Players in Final Fantasy XIV
Paladin: Paladin is a job class focusing on defense with many damage-reduction skills. It’s a practical and simple tank that can defeat one or multiple enemies. Although the gameplay may seem repetitive, being a skilled Paladin can ease the Healer’s worry.
Warrior: Warrior is a powerful melee DPS job in FFXIV. Compared with Paladin, Warrior is a Tank-type attacker and may not have practical damage reduction skills. However, a warrior can effortlessly heal himself back to full HP than Paladin. This makes WAR more suitable for killing all the mobs in a dungeon alone. Although the Tank group may be weaker than the Paladin, WARRIOR’s variety of skills is more interesting than Paladin’s.
Bard: Bard is a magical ranged DPS, using a variety of musical instruments to create powerful effects. This job utilizes long-range attacks that can be quickly executed while on the move. Alongside that, BRD can also be used solo and in groups, with various auxiliary skills crucial for team success. While it may not have the highest damage output, it is often the go-to job for bosses that require running and hiding skills.
Most Popular FFXIV Classes 2023
Tank: Warrior
Warrior is an extremely versatile class in FFXIV, and can be adapted to fit the needs of any given party composition. It has high burst damage potential for dealing with bosses, as well as strong defensive abilities for tanking. The Warrior also has a good selection of utility abilities that can be used to provide crowd control and support to its allies.
Healing: White Mage
White Mage is considered one of the most powerful jobs in FFXIV due to its ability to provide powerful healing and defensive spells that can help keep allies alive. Additionally, it has access to a wide range of support spells that can assist allies in tough fights. White Mages are essential for any party looking to succeed in difficult content, making them an invaluable asset.
Output: Summoner
In terms of raw damage output, Summoner is one of the strongest jobs in FFXIV. It is capable of dealing huge amounts of damage to single targets as well as large groups of enemies. It also has some utility in the form of crowd control spells and powerful buffs that can be used to help allies in a fight. Summoner sits comfortably at the top tier of FFX IV jobs, offering a unique playstyle and high damage output.
Final Fantasy 14 Class Tier List Ranking 2023
Red Mage: RDM is one of the most powerful jobs in FFXIV, which offers both high total output and explosiveness, making it a valuable asset to any team. Additionally, it also boasts exceptional survivability and control, alongside remarkable mobility.
Warrior: WAR is a formidable character that combines the strengths of the 6.0 Warrior and Summoner. It possesses incredible power and can weaken enemies and stun entire groups. Overall, the Warrior is one of the most overpowered jobs in Final Fantasy 14.
Sage: SGE possesses extreme skills that can potentially turn the tide of battle in their favor. In addition, it is a job that can frequently heal other characters, and it’s no surprise that Sages are highly sought after for their impressive high standard output and burst output.
White Mage: WHM is a pure Healer in FFXIV who excels at controlling the battlefield by releasing control, reducing damage, and unleashing powerful bursts. While their output ability may not be as high as some other classes, White Mage maintains balanced overall skills.
Dragoon: In FF14, the Dragoon can achieve exceptional mobility and powerful bursts, but at a cost to their survivability. It’s worth noting that Dragoon’s bursts can be easily disrupted, and it is a relatively balanced class in FF14.
Samurai: A balanced class. They’re particularly strong regarding limit skills and can deal with high burst damage. However, it’s important to keep in mind that their burst is easy to detect, and they don’t have the best ability to escape from danger.
Ninja: Ninja is a class that has a great balance of offense and defense. This job is well-balanced and has a high Limit Break, which may not have the strongest output, but it makes up for it with support and control capabilities. However, Ninja’s upper limit in battle largely depends on teammates. Even without the Limit Break, Ninja can be used as a Tank.
Bard: It is an in-depth class with many abilities. Bard is mastering accumulating energy, avoiding enemy attacks, and relying on their support team without sacrificing their damage output. Ultimately, a player’s proficiency in the class will significantly impact their ability to succeed.
Machinist ： Machinist is considered a B-Tier job in FFXIV due to its ability to deal large amounts of damage from afar and provide some useful utility spells. The job is somewhat difficult to master, however, as it requires a lot of positioning and timing. Additionally, its damage output can be inconsistent at times depending on how the fight is progressing.
Reaper: which is known for having the highest burst among all classes, has now fallen to the tenth place. Apparently, this is due to the harsh output environment required by the Reaper. Although the super burst can take down a full blood Tank in 1.4 seconds, it can be prevented from succeeding by using protective skills at the right time.
Gunbreaker: this job excels in dealing high DPS, yet it is lacking in damage reduction abilities, which can impact its overall output during attacks. Additionally, Gunbreaker is somewhat limited in terms of movement skills.
Paladin: The Paladin job in Final Fantasy XIV offers exceptional functionality to stun enemies, protect protection, and even unleash an invincible Limit Break. However, this versatility comes at the cost of having a lower output and burst damage. While the damage output may be on the downside, the overall balance of the job remains acceptable.
Astrologian: This job is brilliant and intriguing, but sometimes it needs some luck. Its powerful healing abilities are prone to be detected and interrupted by enemies, making it a challenging class to play.
Dark Knight: This class excels in highly efficient healing reduction. This may not always be the most effective strategy in high-burst situations. It may be more advantageous to focus on controlling the opponent’s self-healing instead.
Monk: The Monk is a versatile DPS job with functional abilities for dealing with damage and supporting their team. Still, their skills may not give them an advantage over other players.
Black Mage: It is an incredibly strong magical ranged DPS with high damage output, but it heavily relies on the assumption that your enemy will remain stationary throughout the battle. Unfortunately, this scenario is quite unlikely, which can be frustrating.
Summoner: it has excellent AOE performance on the battlefield, but in a 5v5 scenario, Summoner faces the challenge of getting close to the enemy to unleash their burst damage, which may not always yield significantly high results. Moreover, Summoner heavily relies on the Limit Break, which lacks abilities to enhance their skills and recovery during combat.
Scholar: In Final Fantasy XIV, the Scholar and the Black Knight are classes that specialize in reducing incoming healing. However, the Scholar takes this role to an even greater extreme, with their burst healing abilities ranking disappointingly low. The Scholar heavily relies on GCD skills to enhance their ability to deal damage to their teammates.
Dancer: the output is not ideal and the burst is not high. Additionally, all AOE skills and auxiliary ability are also very poor. However, the Dancer does have a powerful group control skill, although this skill does not have any damage or other bonuses. The only advantage is that the normal long-range attack does not need to store energy.
