Patch 7.1 brought significant adjustments to Final Fantasy XIV’s job potencies, aimed at refining the overall DPS balance within each role and enhancing gameplay fluidity. These changes encompass a range of modifications, from altering the required level for certain actions and expanding area of effect ranges to fine-tuning hit detection. This guide provides a detailed overview of these adjustments, ensuring players are well-informed about how their preferred jobs have been impacted.
Tank Job Adjustments
Across all tank jobs, abilities designed to prevent incapacitation, such as Hallowed Ground and Living Dead, have been modified to ensure their status effects are applied more promptly. This enhancement allows tanks to more effectively utilize these crucial abilities when faced with substantial damage from enemies.
Paladin
For Paladins, the level requirement for learning Intervene has been reduced. This adjustment aligns Paladin’s mobility capabilities more closely with those of other tank jobs. Furthermore, the effective range of Cover has been extended, improving its ease of use in dynamic combat situations.
Dark Knight
Dark Knights also benefit from a lowered level requirement for learning Dark Missionary, bringing it in line with the defensive party abilities of other tank roles. To bolster survivability against large enemy groups, the cure potency of Abyssal Drain has been increased. Notably, the single-target counterpart, Carve and Spit, now includes an additional effect that restores the Dark Knight’s HP, enhancing sustain in solo and group content. Addressing physical defense disparities among tank jobs, Dark Mind and Dark Missionary have been updated to also mitigate physical damage, providing a more balanced defensive profile.
Gunbreaker
Ease of use for Gunbreakers has been improved with a reduction in the cartridge cost of Double Down. While this cost reduction facilitates more frequent use of Burst Strike and Hypervelocity, the potency of Hypervelocity has been slightly reduced to maintain overall balance. Despite this potency adjustment, Gunbreakers are expected to experience a net increase in their DPS output. Gunbreaker survivability is also enhanced with an increased cure potency for Aurora. Similar to Dark Knights, Heart of Light now also reduces physical damage taken, contributing to a more uniform physical defense capability among tank jobs.
DPS Job Adjustments
Dragoon
To mitigate DPS loss when distance from enemies is necessary, the potency of Piercing Talon has been increased for Dragoons. Elusive Jump has also received an additional effect that further augments its potency, providing more impactful ranged options. To streamline damage burst phases and reduce action clutter, the accumulation of multiple stacks of Nastrond Ready has been removed. This significant change to Dragoon’s rotation has been carefully balanced with potency adjustments to other actions, ensuring parity with other melee DPS jobs.
Ninja
Ninjas will find Ten Chi Jin significantly easier to use as its effect will no longer be canceled by movement. Additionally, Dokumori has been transformed into an area-of-effect attack, increasing its effectiveness in multi-target scenarios. For situations requiring ranged damage, the potency of Throwing Dagger has been increased. It’s important to note that this adjustment is intended to supplement Ninjutsu, which remains the primary source of high ranged damage for Ninjas.
Black Mage
Black Mage mobility during combat has been improved through reductions in the cast times of Flare and Despair. Ley Lines has been changed to a charged action, offering greater flexibility in its use outside of burst damage phases. While the potency of Enochian has been slightly decreased, the collective impact of these changes is expected to result in an overall DPS increase for Black Mages.
Summoner
For Summoners, the combo requirement for Crimson Strike has been eliminated. The action now requires the “Crimson Strike Ready” status effect to be executed, simplifying its usage. Furthermore, a previous discrepancy regarding the potency of Inferno, Earthen Fury, and Aerial Blast has been corrected. These actions now correctly reflect their intended potency of 800, aligning with their in-game descriptions.
Healer Job Adjustments
A universal quality of life improvement for healers is the reduction of Esuna’s cast time to instant, enhancing responsiveness in cleansing debuffs.
White Mage
White Mages benefit from reduced cast times for Holy and Holy III. This change allows for greater weaving of abilities between spell casts, improving the flow and responsiveness of the White Mage rotation.
Scholar
Scholars experience enhanced MP management with a reduction in the MP cost of area-of-effect healing actions. Additionally, a correction has been implemented for Embrace and Seraphic Veil, increasing their cure potency to 180 to match their intended values as stated in their descriptions.
Astrologian
Astrologians gain improved area-of-effect capabilities with an increased area of effect for Gravity and Gravity II. This enhancement ensures all targets, including larger enemies within groups, can be effectively reached, improving Astrologian’s performance in AoE situations.
Conclusion
Patch 7.1’s job adjustments represent a comprehensive effort to refine job balance and enhance gameplay within Final Fantasy XIV. These changes touch upon various aspects of each job, from potency adjustments and ability modifications to quality of life improvements. Players are encouraged to explore these changes and adapt their strategies to maximize their effectiveness in Eorzea.
