10 Most Powerful Jobs in Final Fantasy XIV

Final Fantasy XIV has become filled to the brim with jobs throughout its nearly 15-year-long existence. With almost 20 different jobs to choose from, players are spoiled for choice over what job to play. Especially when it comes to the abundance of DPS jobs the game currently has.

However, if one examines the jobs, their skills, and, of course, the cool animations their attacks have, it is entirely possible to come up with a list of which jobs are the best in this best of games. From here, you may think about which job truly feels the best for you and then work on the requirements to unlock it.

10

White Mage

Break the Healer Strike on your Own

Despite being around since the very start of the game, the White Mage job in FFXIV still has plenty of uses. With a multitude of instant healing spells, regen over time spells, and the ability to cast a healing sanctuary in a boss arena, players who choose this class provide invaluable support to others. In addition to this, due to not many people playing as a healer you will almost always be able to find a dungeon party instantly.

Unfortunately, due to this job almost entirely being based around healing companions, it falls behind when it comes to Solo Duties. As (if you can even survive them), you’ll be forced to spam the same Stone spell on repeat as it’s the only offensive option available to White Mages. Therefore it must place low on this list.

9

Black Mage

Throw Meteor at the Raid Boss

Of course, the most iconic job in the Final Fantasy franchise is placed on this list. The Black Mage was one of the initial jobs in Final Fantasy XIV and it fulfills the natural high fantasy desire to toss fireballs at your opponents. As you level this job you will gain even more spells like beautiful Xenoglossy. You’ll even be able to quickly cast up to three spells at a time via Triplecast, allowing Black Mage players to quickly unload heaps of damage to bosses.

Related

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Finalizes its Launch

The latest Letter from the Producer Live showcases various new features for the upcoming expansion.

Unfortunately, the job ranks low on this list as for much of the early game, the job is very basic, a sad consequence of debuting in A Realm Reborn.

8

Dark Knight

Become the Warrior of Darkness

Next on the list is a job that shockingly didn’t debut in Shadowbringers but rather Heavensward: Dark Knight! Dark Knights are a fantastic Tank Job that excels at dealing damage on top of taking it for your comrades. With its Blackest Knight shield that can turn into a free Flood of Shadow damage spell when broken, weaker enemies have everything to fear from Dark Knight players.

The real magic of the Dark Knight job, however, comes from its Living Dead skill. When near death, Dark Knight players can activate a zombie-like state where their attacks will regain HP for a limited time. This status can be a double-edged sword however if they are unable to recover all of their health, their HP will immediately drop back down to 0.

7

Dancer

Bring Style and Grace to Raids

Next up on the list is a DPS job that lets you do damage as well as look fabulous 24/7. The Dancer Job prioritizes dealing damage to enemies from a distance while also casting minor support spells on the whole party, such as raising their attack for a brief amount of time. Dancers also have a form of self-healing and defensive spells that they can cast in desperate situations to keep themselves alive while the healers are busy.

The only reason Dancers rank low on this list is that it is a complicated job to master, so players who just want to coast through dungeons may gravitate toward other DPS jobs.

6

Monk

Don’t Think, Feel

Sometimes people don’t want to mess around with swords and sorcery and just want to punch their way through any given situation, and that’s where the Monk job comes in. The gameplay loop for Monks revolves around building up your chakras while switching between three different forms that determine which attacks are available to you. After charging up via dealing damage to enemies, Monks are capable of inflicting a huge burst of damage that is more than worth all of that build-up.

This job is a great DPS option for those who just want to deal huge damage to enemies while the rest of the party keeps you healthy. Unfortunately, it must rank low on this list due to the lack of variety in its skills.

5

Sage

Bringing DPS to a Healing Job

Unlike healers in many other MMOs, Final Fantasy XIV healers are expected to deal damage to bosses during battle as well. No other Healer Job excels at doing this quite like Sage, as while you’re running around healing allies you’ll also be expected to deal ranged damage to enemies via commanding Mobile Suit Gundam-styled funnels.

This job is one of the most complicated to master in the game as players must strike a delicate balance between healing and dealing damage. As the Sage’s healing skills will only charge up based on the amount of damage you are inflicting on enemies, requiring you to find the right opportunities to use each attack. However, if you are skilled enough to overcome this gap then playing as a Sage will be one of the most fun experiences you will have playing Final Fantasy XIV.

4

Samurai

Slice through the Battlefield

Many DPS jobs in Final Fantasy XIV can be played more or less the same way: step away from the enemy attacks and then use the attack spells that are right for you. The Samurai job stands unique among others by having slightly more depth when it comes to choosing your own skills. As to use the Samurai’s more powerful attacks you must first charge them up by using three weaker attacks.

Related

10 Best Samurai Games on PlayStation 5

Check out the best samurai games to play on the PlayStation 5!

This small change might not seem like much to an outsider, but this slight change to combat makes playing as a Samurai all the more engaging and places the job high on this list.

3

Machinist

Fantastic Tools at your Disposal

Final Fantasy XIV brings back the pure joy of giving Edgar random items to use in battle from Final Fantasy VI via the Machinist class. This DPS Job allows you to drill through enemies, slice at them with a chainsaw, and even place down an auto-turret which turns into a robot. Machinist’s main purpose in battle is to constantly keep moving and repeatedly deal damage to enemies that are targeting their tanks.

With no major downsides, Machinist remains one of the coolest DPS jobs in Final Fantasy XIV and deserves to place high on this list.

2

Warrior

Become the Warrior of Light from Legend

Placing at the top of this list is a tank job so good that you won’t even need a healer in your party. It may have been in the game ever since A Realm Reborn, but players still find a way to get used out of this top-tier job. On top of attracting the aggro of enemies toward you, Warriors have a plentiful supply of self-healing spells and several methods to mitigate damage.

To unlock this top-tier job, you’ll first need to level your Marauder Job to level 30 and complete its Soul Crystal quest, a task that most Tank players will accomplish as they progress through A Realm Reborn.

1

Reaper

The Beauty of Undeath

If you want to rush into battle slicing through enemies like a harbinger of death or simply want to accurately cosplay Marluxia from Kingdom Hearts, then the Reaper Job is right for you. This job revolves around dealing small bits of damage so you can summon an unworthy creature which then can perform a devastating attack that can inflict heavy damage on either a single enemy or a large group depending on your commands.

Throughout battle, Reaper players may also give into the darkness via their Enshrouded skill, briefly transforming their attacks into more damage for a limited amount of time. The Reaper takes a long time to unlock as you must first be level 70, but it is well worth the wait for one of the best DPS jobs in the game.

Next

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is the Vacation We’ve Been Waiting For

We were able to get some hands-on time with Dawntrail and we were left wanting more.