FF14 has a lot of combat jobs that you can play, and some might be quite confusing. All 10 base classes end up speccing into jobs at level 30. And in this article, we’re going to be going through and ranking the 7 best classes on how good they are to play and more. This is perfect for all those new players and sprouts looking for some help.
7. Pugilist
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A Pugilist winds up for a punch.
Pugilist is the class that becomes Monk at level 30 and in all honesty, despite it being quite confusing to new players, it can be a fun and fast combat style to try and master. But it can be very difficult to fully understand so be warned.
Monks/Pugilists have insanely quick DPS because their rotation is the quickest in the game. Their abilities and skills have a cooldown of no higher than two seconds and because of that, you can get through your combos and rotation incredibly quickly. Plus, it’s pretty cool to just punch things to death, whoever says it isn’t is lying to themselves.
If you do end up taking Pugilist as your starting class, I would recommend finding a striking dummy to learn your rotations and forms. This is by far the most complicated part of Monk/Pugilist outside of the positionals so learning how these work is a big step to mastering the job.
Why Pugilist is Great for Beginners:
Teaches mechanics like positionals quite early on with Snap Punch at level 6, which is incredibly useful when playing the other Melee DPS classes
Very mobile owing to their reliance on positionals, meaning you can easily dodge AoE attacks while not losing your uptime.
Massive DPS due to their quick rotation and abilities like The Forbidden Chakra to give you a 340 potency attack.
Meditation, which allows you to use The Forbidden Chakra, has an 80% chance of stacking on a critical hit, meaning you don’t need to constantly worry about weaving it into your rotation.
Becomes the Monk class at level 30,
Pick Pugilist if…
You want to pick a quick and mobile DPS class with high damage output and an in-depth learning experience
You don’t want to use weapons and instead just punch things.
You like mixing positionals into your combos and dealing extra damage because of it
You don’t mind the high queue times that come with being a DPS class.
Tanking doesn’t tend to vary from game to game, so any tanking experience in MMOs will put you in good stead for tanking in FF14. However being a tank is also for those who aren’t scared of trying new things, as tanking in FF14 can put some new players off.
Gladiator is one of the two tank classes available at level 1 and is the image that everyone thinks of when they hear tank, carrying a sword and shield and clad in armour. Gladiators, like all tanks, have a lot of HP from a pretty low level with decent damage output. This doesn’t mean you can solo things though, you are still a tank and deal tank damage numbers.
When tanking in FF14, don’t be scared, everyone started somewhere and you won’t learn unless you try. My advice for playing Gladiator is to read your tooltips. Tanking is the most important role in FF14 and you need to know what your abilities do before you go into things, and also remember to trust your healers, they will keep you alive and you don’t have to worry about losing some HP.
Why Gladiator is Great for Beginners:
Teaches core tank mechanics like your tank stance, mitigation tools like Rampart and Reprisal and your 1-2-3 combos.
Since you’re a tank, your queue times are pretty much zero. You are the role that most parties are looking for so you can get into dungeons with little effort.
Gladiator becomes Paladin at level 30, unlocking more abilities to stay alive and reducing your damage taken.
Gladiator and Paladin recently got adjusted so your magic and physical damage are combined and the Damage over Time (DoT) is gone.
Pick Gladiator If…
You want to play a tank that stays true to the image and the idea that you think of a tank being.
You want low queue times because you’re a tank and you want to level quickly.
You want to start tanking early on in FF14 and enjoy the idea of being a tank
You have some previous tanking experience in other MMOs.
Rogues are kinda similar across all MMOs, the sneaky and stealthy characters who move behind the enemy to deal damage. And it’s no different in FF14. However unlike Pugilist, Rogue is a lot slower-paced in the early levels.
As a Rogue, your core abilities are Hide, which makes it impossible for a lot of enemies to detect you, Trick Attack, which synergizes well with your Hide as it is a positional attack and deals more damage from the rear, and Death Blossom which is your AoE. Your Hide really has a lot of use with your kit since you use positionals. And later on, as a Ninja, you can poison enemies for DoT.
When compared to Pugilist, Rogue is a lot easier because there are no forms needed. So you don’t need to worry about figuring out what comes next and you can focus on your combos and positionals a lot more, meaning it’s a smoother introduction to melee DPS. Plus you get to be a Ninja, that’s pretty damn cool if you ask me.
Why Rogue is Great for Beginners:
Easier learning curve for Melee DPS over Pugilist/Monk because there are no forms.
Turns into Ninja at level 30, giving you different ninjutsu for cooler attacks and buffs for your attack speed and such.
Hide allows you to easily execute your positionals and dodge aggro since you turn invisible.
Your Shade Shift gives you some leeway for damage since it straight up stops damage equal to 20% of your max HP
Pick Rogue If…
You want a DPS class that is easier than Pugilist to play without the need to use forms.
A long queue time is okay for you because you’re a DPS class
You want to play a DPS class that looks and plays uniquely with the ninjutsu mechanic you unlock as a Ninja
The Lancer is the final Melee DPS class you can start at level 1 and although it might not be as unique as Rogue, the reason it’s ranked higher is just because of how beginner-friendly it is to new players in FF14.
Lancers are the over-the-top, agile class who use polearms to deal their damage. They don’t have any positionals so you don’t need to worry about that and your only skill to enhance your damage is Life Surge. Because of this, you can focus more on dodging AoEs and dealing straight damage.
If you do decide to play a melee class, I’d recommend Lancer first. It’s the easiest and the only thing you really need to worry about is using your Life Surge when it’s off cooldown as the extra damage it gives you and damage reduction to you are both incredibly helpful. Outside of that, I’d recommend just practising with it to get the basics.
Why Lancer is Great for Beginners:
It’s a DPS class that is easier than the other two with no positionals needed until past level 30.
At level 30, you can become a Dragoon and unlock a lot more abilities that allow you to deal more damage and look good doing it.
Your uptime isn’t reduced as you have a ranged attack so you can still deal damage when dodging mechanics.
Pick Lancer If…
You want to have an easier and smoother time learning DPS and not have to worry about going to a certain location.
Queue times aren’t much of an issue to you as with the other two DPS classes since you aren’t a tank or healer.
You want your abilities and skills to have extra effects like Disembowel increasing damage
Positionals aren’t that important to you so you don’t care if your class has them or not.
Now we’re into the top 3, these are the real hard hitters. Conjurer is a healer class available at level 1 and if I’m being honest, it’s one of the best healing classes overall. It allows you to be a big team player from early on in the game.
The Conjurer, and by extension White Mage, has some of the best healing power in the game full stop. At level 30, before you go on the mission to become a White Mage, you get Cure 2, this is an 800 potency heal with no long cooldown. Your Medica is a 400 potency AoE heal and you get that at level 10, so yeah, a White Mage can really pump out some healing at low levels.
When attempting to be any healer, let alone a Conjurer, practice is key. But just as important is knowing when to heal. Every class in FF14 must DPS, just because you’re a healer doesn’t mean it’s your sole responsibility, you must know when to heal and when to deal damage in this game and figuring that out quickly will propel you through the game and give you tons of confidence.
Why Conjurer is Great for Beginners:
High healing output with no complicated mechanics.
Turns into a White Mage at Level 30, unlocking even more powerful healing abilities
Little to no rotation outside of your upgrading stone and wind spells, meaning you can focus on your healing spells.
Teaches important lessons in FF14 such as when to heal, how to properly keep your tanks and DPS alive and more.
Pick Conjurer If…
You want an easy, healing-focused class that has immense healing potential
Low queue times are something you want because you are always needed as a healer
Healing is something that interests you and you want to try learning it.
You don’t mind sacrificing a bit of damage in exchange for helping your party.
The Arcanist with their Ruby Carbuncle beside them.
Arcanist is an incredible class for several reasons. It’s dual purpose, it can go into either Healing or DPS, meaning it allows more opportunities at level 30. This allows a deep combat experience that’s also incredibly fun.
Arcanist has a lot of utility in terms of abilities and spells. You can deal damage and heal at the same time, making the class a ton more useful than if you had just chosen one or the other. The healing certainly isn’t the main focus, as you do only get Physick, but it can save you and your party in a pinch.
The best advice I can give when starting Arcanist is to learn what each ability does. You have a rotation as an Arcanist and sticking to it will allow you to deal the most damage whilst also weaving some of your healing in should your party need it.
Why Arcanist is Great for Beginners:
Gives you solid DPS from the outset with your Ruin spells and your Carbuncle forms giving extra damage types.
Has solid sustain with Radiant Aegis for a shield and Physick to heal at 400 potency.
Can turn into either Summoner OR Scholar at level 30, allowing for leaning into damage or healing, whichever takes your fancy.
Allows you to flex and add survival to your team with your healing and shielding.
Pick Arcanist If…
You want the freedom to become either a damage dealer or healer when you hit level 30.
You don’t mind the queue times that are associated with a DPS class
You like the flexibility that Arcanist has with its healing and shielding built into its kit.
The Marauder on top of a cliff after fighting with their team
And at number one, there’s Marauder. It’s not just here because it looks cool, but it’s also here because it is the best starter class for new players in FF14. Its combat style allows you to play fast and stay alive in a lot of situations.
Its kit allows you to stay alive even at the worst of times, along with the abilities that all tanks get, you end up being nigh on unkillable. Your 1-2-3 combo also heals you at 250 potency, meaning you’re not just dealing damage but you’re healing yourself as well, further increasing survival. If you add in your Berserk stacks as well for even more damage, you find yourself breezing through content.
As with all tanks, I recommend starting slow and running content more than once to get a feel for how your kit works and how you feel while tanking. As a Marauder you don’t really need to worry about needing heals as much as a Gladiator because your combo heals you for a portion of your damage, but I would still not get too cocky and pull more than you are comfortable with. Finally, I’d tell you to space out your mitigation, they’re on a decent cooldown and I don’t want you burning them all at once on a boss, leave at least 15-30 seconds between them.
Why Marauder is Great for Beginners:
The main combo for Marauder heals you, allowing for more breathing room with your healers and giving you some self-sustain.
Becomes a Warrior at level 30, with even more healing and damage reduction in its kit with skills like Raw Intuition at later levels.
Low queue times since you’re a tank and you’re needed
Good damage for a tank, with Berserk, adding 3 stacks of increased damage across most of the game until it gets upgraded
Pick Marauder If…
You want a tank that can stay alive no matter what with Thrill of Battle and other skills reducing damage taken
You want to have self sustain to keep yourself alive with your main combo
Low queue times are a plus for you since you’re a tank and you will always be needed for content
You want to look cool while you tank as well since you’re wielding a huge double-headed axe.
From dusk till dawn, Cam has his head buried in the books of lore, gains stat buffs when consuming lemon sherbets and is charmed when listening to music.
Gamer Since:
2008
Favorite Genre:
RPG
Currently Playing:
Final Fantasy XIV, League of Legends/TFT, Terraria/tModLoader
Top 3 Favorite Games:
Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward, League of Legends, Prototype 2
