[Top 10] FF14 Best DPS For Max Damage (6.28)

Updated:

30 Mar 2023

With the second savage tier of Endwalker complete and a new Ultimate on the way, it’s only natural that players want to know what’s the best DPS job. Of course, no DPS is infallible, and Final Fantasy XIV is a game designed so that anybody can play what they want when they want. Still, if you want your damage output streamlined to make savage clears easier, or maybe you just want the best classes to clear the upcoming Ultimate, then this guide is for you. The Balance Discord deserves full credit for their tireless efforts in calculating the best gear for prog and BIS.

10. Bard

Bard weilding the "Law's Order Composite Bow."

The original ranged DPS, the Bard, is the bow-wielding, songbird of Final Fantasy XIV. Though many might assume that all they’re good for is playing music in Limsa, a skilled Bard player knows that their utility is paramount in raiding and savage content.

Why Bard is one of the best

Dots, dots, dots! Everybody! If the mantra of every DPS class in Final Fantasy XIV is "Always Be Casting", then the mantra of every bard is "Always Be Refreshing Dots." Bard might not have the blockbusting damage of melee DPS, but they make up for it by having an arsenal of Damage Over Time procs that seep away at enemy HP.
More range equals more uptime. Whereas other classes might struggle with dodging an AOE or an aggressive enemy damage phase, Bard’s range gives it an advantage other classes don’t have.
Bards are the most giving DPS in Final Fantasy XIV. More than fifty percent of their rotation is spent doling out buffs to help the party’s DPS.
Soul Voice. Learn it, love it. Soul Voice enables Bard to pepper bosses with some of their highest dealing attacks.
The 2.5-second GCD (Global Cool Down) Bard mitigates some of this by having more Off Global Cool Downs than other jobs, which is a major complaint among players who have never played Final Fantasy XIV

How to Build

Progging set

Savage Best in Slot (BIS)

DPS Score:72/100

9) Red Mage

Red Mage at the end of the Praetorium.

The swashbuckling, backflipping master caster. Red Mages' DPS has been reduced slightly in 6.2, but none of their original utility has been lost. Red Mage is the caster job to choose if you want the range of a magical DPS without the limitations of Black Mage.

Why Red Mage is one of the best:

As previously stated, Red Mages are extremely useful. With spells like Verraise and Vercure in their repertoire, sometimes a Red Mage is all that stands between a desperate clear and a wipe.
Red mage is also versatile in that it has both a melee rotation and a ranged rotation. Which means it’s easy for the job to adapt to any situation.
Red Mage’s movement abilities are unparalleled, with OGCD gap closers and backflips that make it easy for Red Mage players to avoid AOES.
Red Mage's rotation also includes a satisfying burst phase. A rotation that has only been extended with Endwalker.
For those of you vying for the swordsman fantasy, Red Mage is also one of the wordsman DPS classes.

How to Build

Progging set

Savage Best in Slot (BIS

DPS Score: 80/100

8) Summoner

A summoner with their Carbuncle.

Everyone loves a pet class in MMOs and the Summoner is the Final Fantasy XIV version of that class. After a major overhaul at the beginning of Endwalker, summoner now sits in a better place than it was in previous expansions.

Why Summoner is one of the best:

If you like Red Mage for its emergency resurrection but want a little more damage, the summoner is the answer. They learn resurrection as an arcanist at level 12 and never lose it as they progress to Summoner.
Among complaints that in the wake of patch 6.1 too many classes have become easy to play, Summoner’s rotation remains as complicated as ever, which offers an extra challenge to raiding for those who desire it.
The composition of certain statics may require a melee to even out damage. If you are unable to recruit one, the summoner will suffice.
The versatility of Summoner’s rotation and freedom of movement make it almost a necessity in most statics.
Being a caster offers summoner range and magical mitigation moves such as addle.

How to Build

Progging set

Savage Best in Slot (BIS

DPS Score:82/100

7) Machinist

Machinist using their special ability

The much-maligned gunslinger of Final Fantasy XIV. Machinist has suffered greatly this year, with many statics choosing to drop the job because of its damage, but just because it won’t guarantee an easy clear doesn’t mean machinist is a bad job.

Why Machinist is one of the best:

With equal parts GCD and OGCD, a machinist is one of the easiest jobs to follow the ABC rule.
While it lacks the buffs of a bard, it makes up for it in damage using its own set of OGCD cooldowns and the heat gauge system.
Tactician is excellent at mitigation when tanks and healers are all drained after several raid-wide attacks.
Hypercharge is one of the most satisfying battle mechanics in the game.
Aside from Sage, Machinist is one of the few jobs that doesn't have a medieval or feudal theme.

How to Build

Progging set

Savage Best in Slot (BIS

DPS Score:84/100

6) Dragoon

A Dragoon at Mare Lamentorum.

The eponymous floor tank, the Dragoon has been around since the beginning. Though they’ve lost their beloved Dragon’s eye they’ve gained exceptional buffs in damage to make up for it.

Why Dragoon is one of the best

One of the best job stories that have a significant connection to the Heavensward MSQ.
Dragoon is one of the few jobs that’s kept its playstyle since the start of A Realm Reborn.
Dragoon is an excellent class for the Savage meta, and a good Dragoon can outpace a Samurai or Monk quite easily.
Dragoon is a PVP monster. In crystalline conflict and frontlines, it is the king of crystal control.
Dragoon’s movement abilities have a style that rivals Red Mage's.

How to Build

Progging set

Savage Best in Slot (BIS

DPS Score:89/100

5) Ninja

Ninja weilding Antiquated Nagi.

If you like Naruto but don’t mind being embarrassed when you fumble your hand signs and a cute bunny rabbit comes out to shame you, then I present the dual-wielding, fire-spitting lightning summoning melee DPS of Final Fantasy 14.

Why Ninja is one of the best

The mudra system and execution are immaculate, and truly do indulge the fantasy of being a magical Japanese assassin.
A well-timed Trick attack combined with other raid buffs from healers and summoners can make ninjas give raids a massive boost in damage.
With Ninja’s stylish rotation it makes easier content far more interesting to play.
·Ninja offers the fast-paced skills of a Dragoon, with the flexibility of Samurai.
Were it not for a high skill ceiling, Ninja’s opener would beat out most other melee DPS for high damage.

How to Build

Progging set

Savage Best in Slot (BIS

DPS Score:89/100

4) Reaper

A Reaper at Ultima Thule.

Coincidentally, it seems that with this Job it’s not the Reaper you should fear, but the Reaper’s voidsent. Reaper is the newest Melee DPS introduced with the launch of Endwalker, and so far they’ve proven to be a formidable addition to the game.

Why Reaper is one of the best.

It shares gear with Dragoon so for those who started as a lancer, Reaper would be an easy transition.
Reaper’s positionals are easier than Monk’s whose main source of DPS focuses on where the player is located around the boss.
Reaper’s voidsent mechanic doesn’t truly kick in until around LVL 80, so it offers players a smooth introduction to a new class that starts at LVL 70
Arcane circle combines well with Ninja and Bard buffs to provide Reaper with a boss-busting finish.
For those who enjoy dark fantasy, the voidsent mechanic provides a satisfying damage phase.

How to Build

Progging set

Savage Best in Slot (BIS

DPS Score:89/100

3) Monk

Monk practicing in Kholusia.

The fist-wielding, martial artist job. Monk was also an A Realm Reborn original, but unlike Dragoon and Bard, Monk has gone through a few changes over the years.

Why Monk is one of the best.

Learning when and how to shift between all the riddle forms as well as buffing yourself to deal big damage makes Monk a truly satisfying job.
It is possible that with the right materia and the right gear, Monk can have a two-button rotation, making it one of the easiest to get into Savage content with.
Monk's mantra ability provides the party with 10% more healing, which can help save the raid fights in a pinch.
Thunderclap is one of the most satisfying movement abilities in the game.
In PVP Monk is the king of stuns, which enables it to decimate opponents before they can react.

How to Build

Progging set

Savage Best in Slot (BIS

DPS Score:92/100

2) Black Mage

Black Mage in Ul'Dah.

Before I heap all my praise onto Black Mage, allow me to say this. You’re responsible for your ley lines. A healer pulling you out of the stink is not them ruining your DPS, be better about where you drop that thing. That being said of course.

Why Black Mage is one of the best.

Black Mage deals the rawest damage of any DPS in the entire game.
As a job, it takes the most advantage of any buffs doled out by support or healer classes.
As a caster, it possesses addle, which is useful mitigation when it comes to negating the magical attacks of certain bosses.
As Black Mage is a stationary job, there is no need to be concerned about positional issues. Your spells will deal the same amount of damage regardless of which direction you cast them.

How to Build

Progging set

Savage Best in Slot (BIS

DPS Score:93/100

1) Samurai

Samurai performs Hissatsu:Chiten.

All hail the king of stingy DPS. Pour one out for Kaiten because everyone’s favorite Weaboo class is at the top of the charts when it comes to damage. Eorzea’s number-one swordsman job deals some of the best DPS when it comes to raids, PVP, and dungeon content.

Why Samurai is one of the best.

Samurai offers a versatile rotation, in that it can be performed in any number of ways, and still deal the most damage in a raid.
Samurai’s burst phase is unmatched, and rivals even the raw damage of Black Mage’s DPS.
The skill level for Samurai’s rotation sits at the medium level in terms of difficulty and skill ceiling, especially if you’re wholly unfamiliar with Japanese words.
The kenki system allows Samurai to deal lots of damage quickly by spending a built-up resource.
Samurai also offers a toolkit for mitigating physical damage in the form of Feint and Third eye.