Final Fantasy XIV is becoming more and more popular these days and it’s not a surprise. Naoki Yoshida and the teamwork hard for promoting the game and attracting new players, they are also constantly staying in contact with the existing player base, so the veterans of the game have no time to be bored either. The game is alive and it has a lot of activities to offer for literally everyone and it’s more than capable to satisfy all tastes.
So, if you are still doubting whether you should play the game or not – you definitely should, and now with the new expansion on the doorstep, it might be the best time ever.
For a brand-new player, it might be quite difficult to figure out which starting class to choose.
Considering the unique system of Final Fantasy 14 it doesn’t really matter which one you will pick since it’s possible to max out all of them with just one and the same character.
But keep in mind that for doing exactly that you need a certain story progression and the level 15 on your very first battle class.
Each class and each job have its own unique questline the players should do to acquire new skills.
It’s crucial not to neglect them or you will inevitably end up missing some important abilities and won’t be able to perform your combos.
It should also be noted that each class will represent a specific role which is a tank, a healer or a damage dealer respectively. So, does starting class matter in FFXIV? We’ll cover everything you need to know to make your decision.
If you are completely new to this all or if FFXIV is your very first MMORPG in life, the game has a specific system that will guide you through the basics of each role and combat mechanics. This is the Novice System, and the corresponding NPC could be found in each major city state in the adventurers’ guild. It becomes available starting from level 15 just before the quest to the very first dungeon.
Disciples of War / TANKS
As a tank, your primary job will be to keep enemy attention away from the party by using Tank Stance and to stay alive as long as possible with the help of defensive skills.
There are two starting tanks to pick from.
Gladiator: this is the perfect starting class for everyone who wants to get into tanking. Starting in Ul’dah, these sword and shield-wielding combatants balance between attack and defence which makes it a wonderful choice for a new player.
Becomes a Paladin on level 30.
His limsan colleague – a marauder, who wields an axe and is more focused on the damage.
Becomes a Warrior on level 30.
Disciples of War / MELEE DPS
As a DPS your primary job would be dealing damage so the enemies would be dying as fast as possible.
Keep in mind that some of their skills have a positional impact – the side from which you hit the enemy really matters.
Pugilist: the ideal choice for the fighting games fans, starting city-state – Ul’dah. They wield knuckles or claws and use stances for the fighting. Pugilists are a bit slow but heavy-hitting; stances affect combos as well.
Becomes a Monk on a level 30.
Lancer: formidable warriors in edgy armour who specialize in jumps and piercing attacks with a lance. Starting city-state – Gridania.
Becomes a Dragoon on a level 30.
Rogue: the only class which is not present on the character creation screen, and the reason for that is the plot. It’s being unlocked a bit later after some story progression.
Rogues are fast, sneaky, have invisibility and wield double swords or double daggers.
Become Ninjas on a level 30.
DISCIPLE OF WAR / RANGE DPS
As a range DPS your job will still be the same – to do damage to the enemy but from afar. Compared to their magic colleagues they can move freely on the field without being bothered by the positioning or the cast time.
Archer: it is the only physical ranged DPS you can start with. A bow-wielding Archer can slow down enemies with certain skills and it also can apply DOTs using wind or poison arrows.
Becomes a Bard on a level 30.
DISCIPLES OF MAGIC / RANGE DPS
Thaumaturge: the most difficult class to start your journey with. Starting city-state – Ul’dah. Thaumaturges are pure mages, and for the new player, it could be quite difficult to survive with the long cast times and the lack of movement. The gameplay which consists of balancing between fire and ice is very interesting though.
Becomes a Black Mage on a level 30.
Arcanist: the only class that has two possible ways of ‘evolution”. Starting as a DPS in Limsa Lominsa, arcanists use pets in combat and wield grimoires. In addition to spells, they apply dots which are making them a bit more mobile compared to their Ul’dah colleagues.
Becomes a Summoner (stays as DPS) or a Scholar (becomes a Healer) on a level 30.
DISCIPLE OF MAGIC / HEALER
As a healer, your primary job would be to keep the party (mainly the tank) alive and to do some damage.
Cojurer: the only healer you can start your journey with. Those staff-wielding gridanian mages are specializing in the stone and wind magic that they are using for the fight.
Becomes a White Mage on a level 30.
JOBS
After reaching level 30 and a certain story progression, the player can (and should) unlock a JOB for the class they are currently working on. JOB is a natural upgrade for the class which brings new skills, traits and abilities with the shiny job-stone the player should equip.
With the story progression, some additional jobs also become available for unlocking, such as Dark Knight, Machinist, Astrologian, Red Mage, Samurai, Gunbreaker, Dancer and Blue Mage. We will probably cover them in the next guides.
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