Final Fantasy 14 Job Tier List

Welcome, Adventurers of Eorzia, to the most complete Final Fantasy 14 jobs tier list! As the game celebrates its 10th anniversary and the fans are eagerly await for the next expansion, it is the best time to compile such a list where we summarise all of the classes released throughout the amazing 10 years in the game. If you’re new to the game or are looking to try out a different job on your character, there’s no better place to find out which classes are the best than this article.

 

Final Fantasy XIV is a massive game that offers players a truly unforgettable MMO experience in the style of classic jRPGs. The game’s unique job system allows you to play as multiple classes on the same character. Right now, there are 19 classes in the game with the 20th being released with the next expansion in 2024. The way it works is - you begin the game by selecting one of 9 base classes. Upon reaching a certain level you get the chance to specialize further and evolve your class into a job. Usually this is an enhanced version of the base class that offers better abilities and more elaborate combos. But sometimes, you’re offered to select between different jobs like in the case with Arcanist. Before we get to the  actual FF14 tier list, let’s explain the roles first. All classes and jobs follow under the same class roles. Here they are:

• Tank Role - Tanks are the protectors of the group, responsible for managing enemy aggression (aggro) and ensuring that they are the focus of enemy attacks. They have abilities to absorb any form of incoming damage and keep the enemies aggroed, preventing them from attacking other party members. Tanks must be aware of enemy mechanics and positioning, and they often lead the group in navigating through dungeons and initiating combat with bosses.
• Healer Role - Healers are vital for keeping the party alive. Their primary role is to restore health to party members who are injured and to use abilities that prevent damage. In addition to healing, they often provide utility through buffs and can sometimes resurrect fallen allies. Healers must manage their resources effectively, prioritize healing targets during intense combat, and maintain situational awareness to react quickly to changing battle conditions.
• Melee DPS Role - Melee DPS characters specialize in close-quarters combat, delivering high damage to enemies directly in front of them. They excel in single-target damage but often have abilities that can deal with multiple enemies simultaneously. This role requires precise positioning to maximize damage output and avoid taking damage. Melee DPS players need to execute complex ability rotations and be agile to dodge enemy attacks.
• Physical Ranged DPS Role - Physical Ranged DPS deal damage from a distance using weapons like bows or firearms. This role allows for greater mobility during combat, enabling players to maintain a steady output of damage while on the move. They are responsible for sustained damage output and often provide additional party support through abilities like crowd control or buffs. Positioning is key to staying within range of targets while avoiding direct engagement.
• Magical Ranged DPS Role - Magical Ranged DPS cast spells from a afar, focusing on dealing damage through a variety of single-target burst and AoE magical attacks. They are known for their ability to deal significant area-of-effect damage or high single-target damage. This role involves managing resources like mana and executing spell rotations effectively. Players need to be mindful of their positioning to avoid interrupting their spell casts and to stay clear of enemy attacks. BLOG20

Each role contributes uniquely to a party's success in the group activities, and players often choose a role that aligns with their preferred playstyle or the needs of their group. But how do you decide which is the best FF14 job? This is what this tier list is for.

How The Tier List Works

The game with such a history as FFXIV is an ever-evolving, breathing beast. This means that there are patches and updates that constantly change the balance and players are often curious about the standing of their classes and jobs in the FF14 meta. A tier list is a useful tool to gauge the relative effectiveness of each class and job, especially in terms of their awesomeness in high-end content like raids, as well as their general utility in more standard gameplay scenarios. It's important to remember that while tier lists offer a snapshot of the current meta, they are subjective and can vary based on different playstyles, content types, and player skill levels. With this in mind, let's delve into the FF14 jobs tier list, breaking down each category to understand what makes certain classes and jobs stand out in the current state of the game.

• S-Tier

This tier is all about the cream of the crop, the top FFXIV jobs that are considered to be by far the most effective and powerful in both high-end game content like raids and in normal solo gameplay They are simply OP (overpowered). These jobs are favored by top players and are known for their exceptional performance. They excel in their respective roles, whether it's dealing damage, tanking, or healing, and often have abilities that significantly benefit the entire party or raid group.

• A-Tier

Jobs in the A tier are strong and capable of performing well in all types of content, but they have some deficiencies compared to the S tier jobs. These jobs are still solid choices for most gameplay situations and are often chosen for their enjoyable playstyles or specific strengths that can be useful in certain scenarios. While they might not be the absolute best in their roles, they are still highly effective and can contribute significantly to a party's success.

• B-Tier

B tier jobs can still be effective in all content, but they suffer from certain design choices that make them not really that good compared to higher-tier jobs. These jobs might have issues like lower damage output, less effective abilities, or more challenging mechanics. While they are still viable for completing content, there are generally better options available. Players might choose these jobs for personal preference or specific niche situations where their unique abilities can be advantageous.

Regardless of the how our or anyone’s FF14 jobs ranked lists, it is crucial to point out that all jobs, no matter what tier anyone puts them in, are capable of cleaning endgame content. The game is balanced well enough that all jobs are equally viable. It’s just some jobs have a bit weird design compared to others.

The Best Final Fantasy 14 Class Tier List

The following FF14 jobs classes tier list is a curated guide that reflects the current meta of FFXIV, offering insights into which classes and jobs excel in various aspects of the game, from high-end raids to general play. It's crucial to remember that this tier list is influenced by ongoing updates, player strategies, and community trends, making it a snapshot of the game's ever-evolving content.

Every class is special by design and brings its unique flavor and gameplay style to the table, and the effectiveness of each can vary greatly depending on the specific context, player skill, and team composition. Therefore, while this tier list serves as a valuable tool for understanding the current standing of each class and job, it should not diminish the enjoyment and potential of playing any class that speaks to you and you want to play no matter what. In other words, there’s no one right answer to the equesiton what is the best job in FFXIV because the game is made for groups of players that each play a specific role in an adventure.

As you can see we didn’t name the base classes as they merely provide the starting point for the advanced jobs which are the ones that we named in our Final Fantasy 14 tier list for the latest patch.

What is the best class in Final Fantasy 14

Naming only one best FF14 class is rather pointless since we’ve already talked about the different roles all classes follow in the beginning. Therefore, instead, we’ll name 5 best classes in Final Fantasy 14, one for each role.

1. Best Tank: Gunbreaker (GNB) stands out in the tank category for its exceptional damage output, making it a top choice in raiding scenarios. It excels particularly when new raids are released and high-level gear is scarce. Gunbreaker also features strong mitigation abilities like "Heart of Corundum" and "Heart of Light." Its ability to solo most bosses in dungeons due to its self-sustain and the "Superbolide" skill, which grants temporary invulnerability, further solidifies its position as the top tank choice.
2. Best Melee DPS: Dragoon (DRG) is the best Melee DPS job aka the current FF14 meta, known for its outstanding damage and valuable raid buff, "Dragon Litany." This buff significantly increases the party's critical hit chances, greatly enhancing overall group damage. Dragoon's unique combo rotation and strong AoE potential make it a dominant force in both high-end and normal content.
3. Best Physical Ranged DPS: Dancer (DNC) is recognized as the paramount Physical Ranged DPS due to its remarkable raid buffs and utility. While this class won’t be your top-DPS dealer per se, Dancer offers "Technical Finish," a powerful raid buff that increases party damage, and "Dance Partner," which significantly boosts a chosen party member's critical and direct hit rates. These utilities make Dancer almost a must-have for any party or activity.
4. Best Magical Ranged DPS: Summoner (SMN) is the top choice in the Magical Ranged DPS role. It has been reworked in Endwalker to have a more straightforward rotation without sacrificing effectiveness. Summoner excels at attacking from a distance using various summons called Primals and is one of the two DPS jobs capable of reviving fallen allies. 
5. Best Healer: Scholar (SCH) is the top pick for the healer role, specializing in damage mitigation and strong shielding. It offers a raid buff, "Chained Stratagem," which increases the party's critical hit chances. Scholar's "Excogitation" skill provides a safety net by automatically healing a party member when their health drops below a certain threshold. These abilities, combined with its effective mitigation, make Scholar the META shield healer in FFXIV.

These are best jobs in FF14, in their respective roles, and if you want to play a certain role, these are the classes you should look into first.

Final Fantasy 14 S-Tier Classes

• Gunbreaker (GNB)

Known for its high damage output and strong mitigation abilities, Gunbreaker excels in both raids and dungeons. Its skills like "Heart of Corundum" and "Superbolide" make it a formidable tank, especially in new raid content.

• Warrior (WAR)

Warrior stands out for its exceptional self-healing capabilities and strong party mitigation. Despite having the weakest tank damage, its survivability and utility make it a top choice in various content.

• Dark Knight (DRK)

Dark Knight compensates for its weaker mitigation with the best damage tanking capabilities in the game. Its ability to outclass other jobs in damage during openers makes it highly effective in raids.

• Samurai (SAM)

Samurai offers incredibly high damage and excels in both AoE and single-target scenarios. Its ability to consistently land critical hits with certain attacks makes it a powerful melee DPS. 

• Ninja (NIN)

Ninja is valued for its high damage and flexibility, allowing it to attack from a distance. Its raid buff, Mug, and exceptional movement capabilities make it a top-tier melee DPS.

• Dragoon (DRG)

Dragoon is the best Melee DPS job currently, with exceptional damage and a valuable raid buff, "Dragon Litany." Its unique combo rotation and strong AoE potential make it a dominant force. This class takes the first place in the FF14 dps tier list as one of the all-time favorites among the community.

• Monk (MNK)

Monk has seen significant reworks, now enjoying a peak in performance. Its simplified mechanics, strong attacks, and utility like "Brotherhood" and "Mantra" make it a top-tier choice.

• Dancer (DNC)

Dancer excels with its incredible raid buffs, particularly "Technical Finish" and "Dance Partner." While its personal damage isn't the highest, its utility makes it the strongest Physical Ranged DPS.

• Bard (BRD)

Bard is a top-tier choice due to its excellent utilities and party buffs, like "Battle Voice" and "Radiant Finale." Its defensive skills and ability to enhance party damage make it a valuable asset.

• Summoner (SMN)

Summoner, with its reworked and simplified rotation in Endwalker, stands out in the Magical Ranged DPS role. Its ability to revive fallen allies and strong damage output make it one of the FF14 meta classes and a player’s favorite.

• Scholar (SCH)

As a shield healer, Scholar excels in mitigating damage with strong shields and has a raid buff, "Chained Stratagem." Its healing capabilities and utility skills like "Excogitation" secure its top-tier status.

• Astrologian (AST)

Known for incredible burst healing and two types of raid buffs, "Divination" and card-based buffs, Astrologian is a top-tier healer, excelling in keeping the party topped off.

Final Fantasy 14 A-Tier Classes

• Black Mage (BLM)

Black Mage deals the highest damage among magical DPS but lacks a raid buff. Its stationary casting requirement presents a skill barrier, placing it in the A tier.

• Red Mage (RDM)

Red Mage offers solid damage and a useful raid buff, "Embolden." Its ability to revive allies is valuable, but it's overshadowed by Summoner, placing it in the A tier.

• Reaper (RPR)

Reaper, a recent addition, initially dominated the META but has since been overshadowed by buffs to other jobs. Its reliable damage and utility like "Arcane Circle" make it a strong A-tier choice.

• Sage (SGE)

Sage, a shield healer with offensive capabilities, offers the highest damage among healers. Its unique healing mechanics are strong, but it's slightly outperformed by Scholar, placing it in the A tier.

• White Mage (WHM)

White Mage is a pure healer known for skills like "Benediction" and "Holy." Lacking the strong party healing of Astrologian and raid buffs, it's placed in the A tier.

Final Fantasy 14 B-Tier Classes

• Paladin (PLD)

Paladin has strong mitigation with "Holy Sheltron" but struggles with fitting its rotation inside raid buffs. Its less convenient party mitigation and the worst invulnerability skill place it in the B tier.

• Machinist (MCH)

Machinist, a Physical Ranged DPS, lacks the raid buffs and defensive utilities of Dancer. While capable of solid damage, it's outclassed by Dancer, placing it in the B tier.

• Viper (VPR)

Viper is the new Melee DPS job added in Dawntrail. Viper shares the Scouting category of gear with Rogues and Ninjas and relies on stats like Critical Hit, Skill Speed, and Direct Hit. To unlock Viper, you must travel to Ul'dah's Steps of Nald and speak with NPC named Worried Weaver (X:9.3 Y:9.2). Then complete the quest "Enter the Viper" to unlock this job. Just make sure that you already have at least one combat job maxed out and you own the Dawntrail.

• Pictomancer (PCT)

Pictomancer is the new Magical DPS job available to players in Dawntrail. Pictomancers, unsurprisingly wield a giant brush and wear gear Casting gear which they share with other Magic-based jobs. Their primary attribute is Intelligence as well as Critical Hit, Skill Speed, and Direct Hit. To unlock Pictomancer, the requirements are similar to those for Viper. You must own at least one combat job maxed out and you own the Dawntrail. Head out to Old Gridania's Nophica's Altar and speak with Cheerless Hearer (X:8.0 Y:10.3) to accept the quest that unlocks this job.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this FF14 job tier list provides a valuable snapshot of the game's current meta, highlighting the varying levels of effectiveness and utility across different classes and jobs. The distinctions between the tiers - from the top-performing roles in the S-tier to the more niche choices in the lower tiers - reflect a dynamic balance shaped by ongoing updates, player experiences, and evolving strategies within the game's community.

This tier list serves as a guide, offering insights into the relative strengths and weaknesses of each role, but it's important to remember that it doesn't dictate the only way to enjoy the game. Player skill, team composition, and personal preference play significant roles in shaping the gameplay experience. We also answered the question - who is the best class in FF14 for each role. Whether you prefer roles that are currently favored in the meta or those that offer unique challenges and playstyles, Final Fantasy XIV's diverse roster ensures that every player can find their niche and contribute to the rich tapestry of adventures in Eorzea. Ultimately, the game's enduring appeal lies in its ability to cater to a wide array of playstyles and preferences, encouraging players to explore and embrace the roles that resonate most with them.

F.A.Q.

What's the Best Class in FF14?

There isn’t one best class in the game. The best DPS is Dragoon, while the best healer is Scholar. Determine which role you want to play and find the best job for it.

Does it Matter What Class You Pick in FF14?

Yes, it actually matters a lot what class you pick in the game. All classes and jobs represent different roles in group content and the role-playing element in this game is a huge part of it. However, always remember that you can switch to any class at any time without needing to create another character. You’ll just have to level up your new class from the start.

How Many Classes Can You Have in Final Fantasy 14?

You can have as many classes as you want in this game as long as you visit their trainers and learn them.

Can You Unlock All Jobs in FFXIV?

You absolutely can unlock all jobs in FFXIV!

What is the Most Sought After Job in FFXIV?

That depends on the role. The most popular tanks are Gunbreakers, while best ranged magical DPS is the Summoner. Also all tier lists are subjective and are prone to go outdated from time to time.

What is The Strongest Class in FFXIV 2023?

The strongest class in the game is the the one that can absorb lots of damage and survive. That would be the Gunbreaker, the best tank job in the game.

What is The Most Flexible Job in FFXIV?

Most jobs are quite complex by the time you reach the max level, however, most of them are made for one role in mind - tanking, dealing damage, healing, etc. On the other hand, you can be flexible by switching between any job and role you want!