Final Fantasy XIV Unveiled: Mastering Roles, Classes, and Jobs

The first time you dive into Final Fantasy XIV, you'll likely encounter terms such as Roles, Classes, and Jobs. These may seem confusing at first, but grasping their distinctions is crucial for excelling in the game.

Although they might appear alike, particularly with regard to Classes and Jobs, each has distinct characteristics that set their specific roles within Square Enix’s MMORPG universe. This guide aims to clarify all aspects related to Roles, Classes, and Jobs.

Roles

Categories that each Class and Job belong to are known as Roles. These generally describe their primary functions during battles. Similar to many teamwork-focused games, these roles can be divided primarily into three types:

• Tanks
• DPS
• Healers

It is anticipated that tanks will utilize their substantial health reserves and defensive capabilities to draw and maintain the focus of enemy attacks (referred to as "aggro" in numerous gaming contexts; however, Final Fantasy 14 refers to this concept as "enmity"). As a result, foes will target tanks rather than their more fragile allies.

Read More: 10 Tips for Beginners Entering Final Fantasy XIV

The main approach for dealing damage to foes is through DPS roles. In contrast to the remaining two classes, DPS encompasses three distinct sub-roles.

Melee Damage Per Second classes such as the Monk get up close to their enemies and use positioning to maximize sustained damage output.

Melee Range Damage per Second (DPS) classes such as the Bard engage their targets from afar and provide steady harm.

Magical Ranged Damage Per Second (DPS) classes such as the Black Mage cannot perform actions as often as others because casting their spells requires more time, yet they can deliver enormous damage with each hit.

The last class, Healers, ensure that their teammates' health points never hit zero. Additionally, they offer various beneficial enhancements to grant both themselves and others an advantage during battles.

Classes

The starting point for newcomers is choosing their classes. These choices dictate the types of abilities you'll acquire and influence your strategy during battles. Upon creating a new character, players can select from among eight distinct Classes.

Tank Classes: Gladiator and Marauder

Melee DPS Classes: Pugilist and Lancer

Physical Ranged DPS Class: Archer

Magic Ranged DPS Classes: Thaumaturge and Arcanist.

Healing Class: Conjurer.

Every class will possess its own guild providing exclusive quests and tailored rewards designed for that specific class. Initially choosing your class doesn’t lock you in since completing the Level 10 quest unlocks the option to switch classes via interaction with another class’s guild. It’s through this system that players can acquire the Rogue class, which cannot be selected at the beginning of the game.

Read More: The Optimal Class for Solo Play in Final Fantasy XIV

Novice players often emphasize the importance of their Character Class significantly; however, these classes become less crucial after reaching approximately level 30. This leveling stage marks the conclusion of the class questline, which then unlocks a much stronger iteration of the player's chosen class.

Jobs

Jobs are specific roles derived from Classes. Nevertheless, these cannot be utilized until later stages in the game—specifically after reaching Level 30 and finishing the level 20 quests. Main Story Quest (MSQ) , you'll get access to jobs, although not all will be available.

To secure a job, you'll require a "job stone." Various jobs can be acquired using different approaches; however, those accessible in the main game typically follow a similar criterion: Once every class reaches level 30, players become eligible for a particular quest. Completing this quest rewards them with a job stone.

Read More: Final Fantasy XIV: A New Player’s Guide To Quests

If you're a Gladiator and achieve level 30 (along with finishing the mentioned main story quest), you'll gain access to the mission called "Paladin’s Pledge." This mission grants you the Soul of the Paladin, enabling you to assume that role. However, you won't be capable of equipping the Monk job stone since you wouldn't possess it yet. To acquire it, you must go through the same procedure but start as a Pugilist class. Here is a compilation of every class along with their corresponding jobs:
1. Gladiator → Paladin
2. Marauder → Warrior
3. Archer → Ranger
4. Lancer → Dragoon
5. Pugilist → Monk
6. Rogue → Thief
7. Conjurer → White Mage
8. Archer → Dark Knight
9. Thaumaturge → Black Mage
10. Carpenter → Armorer
11. Blacksmith →Blacksmith
12. Tanner → Leatherworker
13. Weavermaster → Weaver
14. Goldsmith → Goldsmith
15. Carpentry → Botanist
16. Mining → Miner

Tanks

Marauder - Warrior

Gladiator - Paladin

DPS

Pugilist - Monk

Lancer - Dragoon

Rogue - Ninja

Archer - Bard

Thaumaturge - Black Mage

Healer

Conjurer - White Mage

The Arcanist class stands out because once you reach level 30, you can choose between two specialized jobs: the Damage Per Second (DPS) job, Summoner, or the Healing job, Scholar.

Therefore, what distinguishes Classes from Jobs?

In terms of gameplay mechanics, Classes and Jobs aren't entirely distinct from each other. Instead, think of Classes as a foundational stepping stone towards mastering their respective Jobs. They serve to familiarize players with effective strategies specific to the specialized role they'll eventually take on. After unlocking the associated Job Stone, there’s little incentive to stick solely with the Class because the Job provides significantly better stats and more powerful skills. Fortunately, leveling up your Job mirrors the experience gained through your Class levels; thus, even without equipping the Soul Crystal, advancing one also contributes to progressing the other.

What happens to jobs that do not have a class assigned to them?

Even without stemming from a Class, you'll still require a Job’s Soul Crystal for utilization. For instance, Jobs such as the Gunbreaker, which was introduced in one of the game’s five expansions, come with particular prerequisites for accepting their quests. Specifically, players must have bought the Shadowbringers expansion and advanced a combat job—referred to as either a Disciple of War or Disciple of Magic—to level 60 or higher before undertaking the Gunbreaker quest.

Read More: How to Unseal the New Viper and Pictomancer Roles in Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

The jobs introduced with the first expansion, Heavensward, come with an additional prerequisite: players must collect these questlines in Ishgard, accessible solely after finishing the main storyline of the original release, A Realm Reborn. Here’s a rundown of the classes added through every subsequent expansion along with their prerequisites. Keep in mind that access to each job requires owning the corresponding expansion.

Heavensward

Requirement: Arrive at Ishgard by finishing "A Realm Reborn" and advance a Warrior or Mage class beyond level 50.

• Dark Knight (Tank)
• Machinist (Physical Ranged DPS)
• Astrologian (Healer)

Stormblood

Requirement: Advance a Disciple of War or Disciple of Magic beyond Level 50.

• Samurai (Melee DPS)
• Red Mage (Magic Range Damage Per Second)

Shadowbringers

Requirement: Advance a Disciple of War or Disciple of Magic beyond Level 60.

• Gunbreaker (Tank)
• Dancer (Physical Ranged DPS)

Endwalker

Requirement: Reach level 70 with either a Disciple of War or a Disciple of Magic.

• Reaper (Melee DPS)
• Sage (Healer)

Dawntrail

Requirement: Advance a Disciple of War or Disciple of Magic beyond Level 80.

• Viper (Melee DPS)
• Pictomancer (Magical Ranged DPS)

Although Jobs and Classes share many similarities, it's crucial to understand that Jobs represent more advanced forms of Classes and should be utilized immediately upon obtaining them. You might prioritize focusing on your Class once acquiring a Job solely if you aim to unlock an additional Job further down the line. FFXIV promotes switching between various Jobs fluidly. On the other hand, Roles define your function during battles, ensuring optimal support for your party members. With this understanding of each term, you're ready to tackle Final Fantasy XIV with the expertise akin to having a Job—though enjoyably so!

.

For the latest news, Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .