Quick Links
Final Fantasy 14 has a large roster of DPS classes – also known as Jobs in the game – offering different options for you to choose from. From long-range to melee, from magical to physical damage, you are certain to find a match. However, picking a class to play depends on how you personally feel about them as well as their strength and potential when facing certain types of content change as new patches are introduced.
By ranking the DPS classes in the game, we want to help you find the best one to complete the Savage raids introduced in Dawntrail or understand where your class exceeds and where it falls short.
Tier List Rankings Explained
To rank the DPS classes in Final Fantasy 14, while taking into consideration their damage output is fundamentally important, there are more aspects to add to the equation. You may be reaching unbelievable numbers with your character, but you won’t get far fighting a boss without helping the rest of the party on some level.
For this list, we are adding utility as a factor to determine how good a class is. Below, you will find a rundown of each tier:
- S Tier – The best classes in terms of damage and utility. If they lack one, they compensate for the other.
- A Tier – Powerful classes that contribute a lot to the party, but their damage output sets them back.
- B Tier – These are solid classes, but they are more complicated or less effective versions of the others.
In order to prepare this list, we are analyzing each class based on their performance in endgame duties, such as Savage raids, Extreme trials, and Ultimate. Even though you might not be considering venturing into these kinds of content, it’s only in these scenarios that most of the differences between classes become perceptible.
While there are classes that perform better than others, you don’t need to worry too much about that if you only run casual content, like daily duty rouletes.
S-Tier DPS Classes
With one DPS class of each type, this list has the best ones in the game. The classes in the S Tier have been selected based on their outstanding performance, especially in terms of damage output, since you only complete a duty when you kill the boss.
At the same time, the best class might not be so strong by itself, but it may have the perfect tools to make others shine.
|
Name |
Type |
Explanation |
|---|---|---|
|
Pictomancer |
Caster |
High damage per second numbers, comes with solid party buffs. |
|
Viper |
Melee |
Capable of dealing great damage, and easy to execute. |
|
Dragoon |
Melee |
Good damage and it comes with great buffs. |
|
Bard |
Physical Ranged |
Great damage output and utility skills. |
Since Pictomancer became an available class in Dawntrail, it has dominated the DPS scene with its surprising set of powerful attacks that are followed by a couple of utility skills. Take, for example, the level 100 spell “Star Prism”. In addition to its massive damage potential, when used, Star Prism also heals allies within the range of the ability.
Even though not always in its prime, Dragoon has been a great melee DPS for a long time in the game, and it’s still the case. This class has always been capable of dealing a great amount of damage and since the last major changes, which simplified its gameplay, it has a lower skill ceiling. And don’t forget about the Dragoon’s Battle Litany, the Dragoon’s signature buff.
Regardless of how powerful the S-Tier classes are, you still need to learn and study the fights. You can’t make them work if you don’t know the right moments to use your skills.
While Viper hasn’t dominated the raiding scenario as much as Pictomancer, the new melee class conquered their place as one of the strongest in the game. A downside of this class is the lack of buffs from which others in the party could benefit from. Fortunately, the numbers Viper can reach compensate for its fairly individual kit.
On the other side of the spectrum, we find Bard. This class’s signature skills are the three songs, one of them being a raid buff. In addition, Bard offers lots of utility and a solid capacity to deal damage. Among the physical ranged DPS classes, it is the best option.
Related
Final Fantasy 14: The Whorleater (Hard) Trial Guide
Here’s how to beat Leviathan in The Whorleater (Hard) Trial in Final Fantasy 14.
A-Tier DPS Classes
In Final Fantasy 14, there are a good number of classes and, although they are good enough to complete endgame content, some unique aspects make them not so good as an S-Tier class. Classes in this tier might get close to the numbers reached by better classes, but their damage is not as expressive.
|
Name |
Type |
Explanation |
|---|---|---|
|
Dancer |
Physical Ranged |
Easy to play and great buffs, but not as flexible and powerful as Bard. |
|
Monk |
Melee |
Good melee class with great raid buffs, but with a stiff and punitive rotation. |
|
Samurai |
Melee |
Great burst, difficult to master, and doesn’t help the group. |
|
Ninja |
Melee |
Provides solid assistance to the party but lacks damage. |
|
Summoner |
Caster |
Although lacking damage, it’s easy to play and has great tools for the party. |
|
Red Mage |
Caster |
A little bit more complex, but has great utility and reasonable damage. |
Regardless of the buffs and mobility that make Dancer an excellent class, depending on their partner to compensate for their low damage sets it back. It might be easier to play than Bard, but in endgame content, Dancer adds an extra layer of responsibility to their partner.
Consider picking one of these classes if you’re new to Final Fantasy 14 and want to play a DPS class. They will give you a good grasp of how to play a melee, caster, and physical ranged class.
On the other hand, Monk, Samurai, and Ninja end up in this tier because they aren’t difficult classes to play, but they can’t outperform Viper and Dragoon.
They are great melee DPS classes, capable of causing lots of damage or contributing to the party with buffs. However, because of specific issues such as complexity or lack of flexibility to adapt during a fight make them less of an optional pick.
Summoner and Red Mage share the A-Tier caster spot because, fundamentally, they are very similar. Both come with great raid buffs – Red Mage’s Embolden and Summoner’s Searing Light – as well as skills capable of resurrecting fallen party members and healing them. While the former is more mobile and easier to play, the latter offers a more engaging gameplay and adaptation.
B-Tier DPS Classes
If you’re considering playing a B-Tier DPS class, you should know that, while it’s possible to complete endgame content with them, you’re choosing the most difficult route. The classes in this tier can perform well as long as you make no mistakes and spend a lot of time trying to master them. Even though the effort might turn into big numbers, it is hardly justified.
|
Name |
Type |
Explanation |
|---|---|---|
|
Reaper |
Melee |
A less complex class than Monk, but it lacks damage capability and a larger set of utility skills. |
|
Machinist |
Physical Ranged |
Extracting all the potential requires zero mistakes and no contribution to the rest of the party. |
|
Black Mage |
Caster |
A potent class, no raid buffs, and flexible but difficult gameplay |
The difference between Reaper and other melee classes isn’t substantial but it is enough to make it less optimal than playing Monk, for example.
Reaper has powerful skills with high potency, but it is not easy to perform it well if you’re having trouble preparing for the two-minute burst window. We might argue that Reaper at least comes with some utility, increasing the party’s damage with Arcane Circle, which doesn’t compensate for the other issues.
The Machinist has been in a difficult position for a long time. Among the Physical Ranged classes, it has the biggest damage output capacity. On the other hand, executing it and making the Machinist’s damage constant is the difficult part, mostly because of the complexity and, to some extent, randomness of their bursts.
Having Black Mage, one of the most potent caster classes in Final Fantasy 14 in the B-Tier, might look counterintuitive. This class shines when it comes to pure damage and has made a name for itself due to its powerful single-target spells.
It is, at the same time, a difficult class to master and one of the most stationary casters. Mistakes are harshly punished and, as a class with no buffs to help the party, too dependent on performing well to justify a spot in a group.
Next
Final Fantasy 14: PvP Play Guides For Every Job Role
If you want to know how best to play your chosen job role while in a FFXIV PvP match, we’ve got you covered.