New Job actions and balance adjustments revealed for Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
A mountain of new actions and balance changes await Jobs in Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
What you need to know
- In Final Fantasy XIV's 81st Letter from the Producer livestream, Square Enix has unveiled a new trailer for the MMORPG's 5th upcoming expansion, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail.
- The gameplay trailer is a showcase of the new Viper and Pictomancer Jobs, new actions and balance changes for all the rest of the player Jobs, an
- Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is scheduled to release on July 2, 2024, for PC (via Square and Steam), PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
On May 16, 2024, Square Enix hosted Final Fantasy XIV's latest Letter from the Producer Livestream event, and during it, unveiled a new trailer for the game's upcoming expansion, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail.
The contents of this livestream and trailer are dedicated to showcasing all the new actions and balance changes player Jobs will receive in Dawntrail. In addition, the new Viper and Pictomancer Jobs and how their gameplay will function are at last fully detailed in this livestream.
The following Job adjustments and new actions shown from the livestream are as follows (do note these are not the full final lists of additions and adjustments):
Load the full list ↴
Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Job Changes - Action Change Settings
The new Job actions will be acquired as players level up to the new level cap of Lv.100. As there will be lots of new actions to fill your hotbars, there will be new Action Change Settings in the options menu to accommodate.
For example, combo action buttons will now be combined into a single button in Dawntrail, however, you will have the option to change them in Action Change Settings to be separate buttons like how they were originally.
Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Job Changes - Tanks
The Tank-role Jobs will receive the following changes:
All Tanks
- Rampart and job-exclusive 30% damage reduction abilities will be upgraded in the Lv.90's level range.
- Reprisal's duration will be increased to 15 seconds in the Lv.90's level range.
Paladin
- The second and third executions of Atonement have been changed to new actions with separate animations (Atonement will change to these actions, so input execution will remain the same).
- A new action that can be executed after Blade of Valor will be added.
Warrior
- A new action, which can be performed three executions of Fell Cleave or Decimate while Inner Release is active, will be added.
- A new action that can be executed after Primal Rend will be added.
Dark Knight
- To reduce the number of inputs during burst damage phases, Blood Weapon will upgrade into Delirum, and the effects of Blood Weapon will be added to Delirum.
- A new action that can be executed after Living Shadow will be added.
Gunbreaker
- A new action that can be executed after Fated Circle (via Continuation) will be added).
- A new three-step combo that can be executed after Bloodfest will be added at no cartridge cost.
Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Job Changes - Melee DPS
The Melee DPS-role Jobs will receive the following changes:
All Melee DPS
- Second Wind's healing potency will be increased in the 90s level range
- Feint's duration will be increased to 15 seconds in the 90s level range.
Monk
- Basic combo mechanics will no longer center around maintaining a buff or damage over time: instead, performing actions in a certain order will increase the next action's potency. (The feel of the Job will remain largely the same, while alleviating uncertainty about which action to use when rotation is interrupted.)
- Can accumulate up to a total of ten Chakra while Brotherhood is active (this is to prevent Chakra overflow).
Dragoon
- To reduce positional requirements for the single-target combo, the fifth combo action has been changed to a new non-directional action, Drakesbane. (Fan and Claw/Wheeling Thrust will change to Drakesbane, so input execution will remain the same).
- To facilitate maximum damage output at the beginning of a battle, Life of the Dragon will be available accumulating Dragon Gauge.
- To reduce the number of inputs during burst damage phases, certain actions will be removed or adjusted.
Ninja
- Huton's effect has been moved to a trait and will always be active (Huton will be changed to an AoE attack which grants the effects of Hidden).
- Actions which extend the duration of Huton's effect will be adjusted in accordance with the above change.
Samurai
- To simplify recast management, Tsubame-gaeshi will be changed to be executable after Meikyo Shisui.
- Hakaze, Tenka Goken, and Midare Setsugekka will be upgraded into new actions.
Reaper
- Plentiful Harvest's effect will no longer increase the Shroud Gauge by 50 and instead will allow the execution of Enshroud (now can be used when gauge is at 51 or more without waste).
- A new action that can be executed while Enshrouded will be added.
Viper
SWISH SWOOSH SWISH SWOOSH 💨Check out some of these cool viper moves! ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/0EpVUXycROMay 16, 2024
The Viper is a fast-paced Job that fluidly shifts between dual-blade and double-bladed strikes in their various combos and abilities. It has a similar total number of actions as other Jobs but designed so that fewer actions need to be set on the hotbar.
The general game plan around Viper is mixing your dual-blade and double-bladed attacks to build a gauge that will activate Rewakened mode and unleash a storm of powered-up super-moves on foes.
Do note that this is a partial description and not a complete summary of the Job.
Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Job Changes - Ranged DPS
The Ranged DPS-role Jobs will receive the following changes:
All Ranged DPS
- Second Wind's healing potency will be increased in the 90s level range
- Damage reduction of Job-exclusive defensive abilities will be increased to 15% in the 90s level range.
Bard
- Mage's Balld, Army's Paeon, and the Wanderer's Minuet will be changed into buffing actions which do not attack enemies.
- Pitch Perfect will be changed into an AoE attack for ease of use in encounters with multiple enemies.
Machinst
- Barrel Stabilizer will no longer increase Heat Gauge by 50, and instead will allow execution of Hypercharge (now can be used when gauge is at 51 or more without waste).
- A new trait which accumulates charges for Drill will be added.
Dancer
- A new action that can be executed after Flourish will be added.
- A new action which consumes Esprit and can be executed after Technical Finish will be added.
Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Job Changes - Magical Ranged DPS
The Magical Ranged DPS-role Jobs will receive the following changes:
All Magical Ranged DPS
- Swiftcast's recast will be reduced to 40 seconds in the 90s level range.
- Addle's duration will be increased to 15 seconds in the 90s level range.
Black Mage
- Various adjustments will be made to streamline certain aspects of the Job, such as restoring MP upon landing ice spells while Umbral Ice is active, instead of passively over time.
- A new action which repositions Ley Lines beneath the caster will be added.
Summoner
- Solar Bahamut, a new summon akin to Bahamut and Phoenix will be added.
- A new action that can be executed after Searing Light will be added.
Red Mage
- Manafication will no longer increase Black Mana and White Mana by 50, and will instead allow the execution of enchanted swordplay actions without cost (can now be executed while mana is at 51 or more without waste).
- The AoE enchanted swordplay combo beginning with Enchanted Moulinet will now consume a total of 50 Black Mana and White Mana, similar to its single-target counterpart.
Pictomancer
Pictomancers don't make mistakes, they have happy accidents. 🌲 pic.twitter.com/zdTw3kXxRzMay 16, 2024
Pictomancer is an unorthodox Job that fights by painting a variety of motifs, then renders them to life to produce an assortment of effects. It can render multiple motifs to execute high-powered attacks and grant buffs to the whole party.
By painting specific renders in the correct order, you can unlock and unleash powerful super-moves.
Do note that this is a partial description and not a complete summary of the Job.
Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Job Changes - Healers
The Healer Jobs will receive the following changes:
All Healers
- Swiftcast's recast will be reduced to 40 seconds in the 90s level range.
White Mage
- A new action allowing the caster to quickly move forward will be added.
- A new AoE attack, which can be executed up to three times after Presence of Mind, will be added.
Scholar
- Seraphism, a new action which changes the caster's appearance and enhances healing magicks, will be added.
- A new AoE attack that be can be executed after Chain Strategem will be added.
Astrologian
- The card system will no longer be random, and will instead simultaneously draw cards with offensive, defensive, and curative effects.
- Astrodyne will be removed in accordance with the discontinuation of astrosigns.
Sage
- Eukrasia will now enhance Dyskrasia II into Eukrasian Dyskrasia, an AoE attack which deals damage over time to enemies with range.
- A new party buff, which heals nearby party members whenever the caster casts a spell, will be added.
Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Job Changes - PVP
Final Fantasy XIV's PVP mode will also receive new Job actions and adjustments, and more with the following changes:
- Viper and Pictomancer will be added in 7.0 (both Jobs will have their own respective PvP actions and limit break).
- New PvP actions, action adjustments, and adjustments to existing maps are planned for 7.1.
- Crystalline Conflict ranked matches will be in pre-season between 7.0 to 7.1 (rankings will not be updated, but tiers and Crystal Credit will be affected by wins and losses).
Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Job Changes - Miscellaneous news
In addition to the Job balance and PvP changes, Square Enix has other news to share. First off, they will release a new Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Benchmark program on May 31, 2024, that will better showcase the improved visuals of Final Fantasy XIV's graphical update that will be included in Dawnlight compared to the previous Benchmark program.
Next, Square Enix has announced they will add a new low-level quest in Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail that will reward players with a Fantasia potion upon completion. Fantasia are special items that allow players to completely change their character's appearance or even their race.
Fantasia are normally bought via microtransactions on Square Enix's Online Store, but when Dawntrail launches, players will be able to acquire one for free thanks to this new quest.
Square Enix also announced a few Final Fantasy XIV collaboration events planned over the coming weeks. First off is the return of the Fall Guys collaboration event which will run from May 23, 2024, to June 10, 2024.
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Then, Square Enix announced a special giveaway competition in collaboration with Mountain Dew. From May 16, 2024, to July 14, 2024, players must find codes underneath Mountain Dew bottle caps (specifically marked with MTN DEW) and enter them on the Mountain Dew website to receive special in-game prizes. Do note this event is for US residents only.
Finally, the FFXIV x KFC collaboration will also be making a return at an unspecified date. Do note this event is for Japan residents only.
I can't wait to try all these new Job actions in Dawntrail
Overall, the new Job actions showcased in the trailer and update notes look so cool, and I can't wait to try them out when this upcoming PC title and upcoming Xbox title launches later this summer.
The new Job adjustments also have me excited because some of them are looking to fix problems I had with certain Jobs so that they're more fun to play (I'm so happy that the Black Mage Job will finally be able to move Ley Lines to their current position)
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is set to launch on July 2, 2024, for PC (via Square Enix's Online Store and Steam), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.
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Alexander Cope is a gaming veteran of 30-plus years, primarily covering PC and Xbox games here on Windows Central. Gaming since the 8-bit era, Alexander's expertise revolves around gaming guides and news, with a particular focus on Japanese titles from the likes of Elden Ring to Final Fantasy. Alexander is always on deck to help our readers conquer the industry's most difficult games — when he can pry himself away from Monster Hunter that is!