In Final Fantasy 14, the Damage-per-Second or DPS class is designed to decimate enemies as quickly as possible, dealing far more damage than a tank or healer class role can. DPS classes gain this power either through raw damage dealing skills or hefty damage buffs. However, with so many types of DPS classes from magic ranged to melee and a wide range of varying skills, some DPS are definitely more efficient fighting a single target enemy rather than multiple enemies at once. This can be especially useful during trials or trickier dungeon bosses. Of the ten DPS classes (sorry, Blue Mage), here are some of the best to take down single target enemies in the game thus far.
5) Dragoon
When looking at Dragoon’s skills, you’ll notice that Dragoon really was designed more to fight a single target rather than hordes of enemies at a time. Unfortunately, with the addition of newer and stronger DPS classes, Dragoon has taken the backseat, but with a myriad of damage buffs, Dragoon still remains an excellent option for single target fights. As a melee DPS, Dragoon has two downsides. First, its jump animations can’t be canceled once executed, and therefore, you won’t be able to move even if an AOE pops up underneath you. Second, the jumps themselves can become tricky in fights where there’s smaller platforms, but overall, if you can master the jumps, Dragoon will be able to deal high amounts of damage.
Why Dragoon is one of the best Single Target DPS:
- Skills were made to fight a single target
- Damage buffs boost already high damage-dealing skills
- Has more leniency when it comes to movement compared to magic DPS classes
4) Monk
Much like Dragoon, Monk is another class that was one of the best for single targets, but it ultimately ended up being outclassed by the newer DPS on this list. Overall, however, it is still a great option if you want a DPS that can deal damage to a single target. As a melee DPS, Monk has no jump animations to inhibit movement and has quite a few excellent damage buffs. The one downside to Monk is that it can be somewhat complicated to learn with its various forms, but if you can master the class and use the three forms wisely, you’ll be able to deal insane amounts of damage.
Why Monk is one of the best single target DPS:
- Hefty damage buffs in all three forms
- Gains damage buffs when executing certain actions from rear or flank of the enemy
- Much more movement compared to Dragoon or magic DPS classes
3) Samurai
Samurai is a newer class that bumped back Dragoon and Monk when it comes to fighting single target enemies. It is also a melee DPS, but unlike the previous two classes, it relies less on damage buffs and more on combo actions to build up some of the highest damage dealing actions of any class in the game currently. The combo actions themselves are also fairly easy to get the hang of.
Why Samurai is one of the best single target DPS:
- Combo actions build up insanely strong moves
- Combo actions on their own also deal a fair amount of damage
- Has the most amount of movement of all the classes in this list
2) Summoner
Summoner is a tried and true DPS class that always ranks fairly high in terms of both strength and popularity. As a magic-ranged DPS, Summoner has an arsenal of DoT (damage-over-time) spells as well as battle pets that can pack a punch. A majority of Summoner’s power comes from the DoT spells and its battle pets’ attacks, but a couple of its regular actions can deal a decent amount of damage, adding to the carnage.
Why Summoner is one of the best single target DPS:
- Multiple DoT spells wear down the enemy
- Battle pets have strong attacks
- Several buffs cut down spell casting time or boost damage
1) Black Mage
Much like Samurai, Black Mage can dish out some of the strongest attacks and deal more damage than most other DPS classes. While learning to balance MP can be tricky at first, Black Mage is rewarding in its destructive capabilities. Some spells deal a hefty amount of damage to an enemy while others tag a boon onto the enemy, damaging it further, and others buff the player’s actions.
Why Black Mage is one of the best single target DPS:
- Strong spells to deal damage to the enemy
- A couple of DoT spells
- Buffs that reduces casting time or boost damage dealt
