Vanhel's Guide To Dancer

=Ghostly Hero Tips=
Well, first off, I'm not going to act as if I'm the best dancer out there; all I'm looking to do is help people who may not know much about the Dancer job, and offer some tips on how to improve on what they already know.
=Sambas=
==Drain Samba I-II-III==
This samba is best used from levels 5-45, to be replaced by Haste Samba. Unless you are fighting goblins or any other type of mob with an AoE attack, it may be better to save your TP for other abilities; if no one has any health loss, there will be no HP to be returned.
==Aspir Samba I-II==
Aspir Samba doesn't drain much MP, so I don't find myself using this ability very often. It may be useful if most of the front line damage dealers have MP, but in my opinion, Drain Samba/Haste Samba is a better choice.
==Haste Samba I==
Now this Samba is the best of all. The faster you and your damage dealers swing, the better; quicker kills, and quicker TP gain for you. After level 45, I suggest this be your primary Samba.
=Waltzes=
==Curing Waltz I-II-III-IV==
Curing Waltz heals a party member of your choice. Besides the obvious utility in curing the party so your main healer expends less MP, it can also be used to pull temporary hate from the tank if necessary.
==Divine Waltz==
Divine Waltz is our first and only Curaga type ability. It is best used to heal after an AoE ability. It doesn't cure for much, but it can help the main healer's MP efficiency.
==Healing Waltz==
Healing Waltz is a life saver ^^. Like Erase, this ability takes debuffs off you and your party. It cannot remove Petrification or enemy bard songs, but for everything else, it works wonders.
=Jigs=
==Spectral Jig==
Spectral Jig is our Sneak and Invisible ability. It doesn't last long, but by the time it wears off, it's ready to use again. Jigs do not require TP to use.
==Chocobo Jig==
Chocobo Jig makes travel quick and painless. Of course, if you can get a chocobo, it is quicker ^^. Although it has a 1 minute recast timer, its duration is 2 minutes.
=Steps=
Note: Steps earn you finishing moves. The finishing moves are used in Flourishes
==Quickstep==
Quickstep lowers target's evasion. If successful, you will earn two finishing moves. This is the best step to use in EXP parties; it will allow your damage dealers to hit much more frequently and quicken fights. If you have good accuracy gear, go back and forth between with ability and Box Step.
==Box Step==
Box Step lowers target's defense. If successful, you will earn two finishing moves. While this ability can improve the party's damage, it won't help much if you can't hit. As mentioned before, it is best to go back and forth between Box and Quickstep for the fastest kills.
==Stutter Step== 
Stutter Step lowers target's magic resistance. If successful, you will earn a finishing move. I don't use this Step very often. It can help your mage's damage, but I think the front line damage dealers need the boost more. I prefer Quickstep/Box Step to maximize damage output. It is best to have good accuracy gear.
=Flourishes I=
==Animated Flourish (A.K.A Weak Provoke)== 
You won't be using this ability much. Low level dancers can make decent tanks or duo tanks, but a PLD or NIN is better at higher levels.
==Desperate Flourish==
Weighs down a target with a low rate of success. Requires one finishing move. While it has a very low accuracy, it can be good if you need to get away... if it lands, that is. The weaker the mob is compared to you, the more likely you will land this move. I've noticed that I can land desperate flourishes on Even matches, Decent Challenges, and weaker mobs all day long. My estimate on landing these moves on VT or IT prey varies from about a 20-30% chance.
==Violent Flourish==
Stuns target with a low rate of success. Requires one finishing move. I use this on gobs to prevent Bomb Toss, works wonders as long as it doesn't spam it. The weaker the mob is compared to you, the more likely you will land this move. I've noticed that I can land violent flourishes on Even matches, Decent Challenges, and weaker mobs all day long. My estimate on landing these moves on VT or IT prey varies from about a 20-30% chance. 
=Flourishes II=
==Reverse Flourish ==
Converts remaining finishing moves into TP. Requires at least one finishing move. This will keep you swimming in TP as long as you can get your Steps in. The best thing to do is to get loads of ACC gear to help improve Step accuracy. I also use this after I use Building Flourish + Dancing Edge, but this is 62+.
==Building Flourish==
Enhances potency of your next weapon skill. Requires at least one finishing move. This is what makes your weapon skills show their damage. You shouldn't start using your weapon skills until 62+, when you get Dancing Edge. The reason for being that Dancing Edge is your first real damage weapon skill, unless you sub thief (ninja is a much better sub for dancer, though).
==Wild Flourish==
Readies target for a skillchain. Requires at least two finishing moves. With this, you can open a skill chain for you or one of your party members. I don't use it until you think your PT is going to weapon skill. Usually thats around 40-50% HP. 
[edit] Artifact Equipment
War Hoop
 
(Throwing) All Races 
DMG: 21 Delay: 286 CHR +3 
Lv. 40 DNC 
Not what I was expecting to get, but it boosts your Curing Waltz. It's a good weapon to pull with.
Dancer's Bangles
 
[Hands] All Races 
DEF: 15 HP +12 DEX +2 AGI +2 
Increases "Step" accuracy 
Lv. 52 DNC 
If you can afford something with more accuracy, use it in your main set and only macro these in for Steps.
Dancer's Tiara
 
[Head] All Races 
DEF: 18 HP +10 CHR +4 Enmity -2 
Increases "Samba" duration 
Lv. 54 DNC 
This is best used in your Samba and Curing Waltz macros, since the +4 CHR will increase the amount you heal for.
Dancer's Shoes
 
[Feet] All Races 
DEF: 14 HP +7 Attack +5 Evasion +5 
Increases "Jig" duration 
Lv. 56 DNC 
Best used in your Jig and Weapon Skill macros. Good for soloing, as well, due to the +5 Evasion.
Dancer's Tights
 
[Legs] All Races 
DEF: 28 HP +10 CHR +3 
Accuracy +3 Enmity -1 
Lv. 58 DNC 
These are good to wear all of the time, no need to macro them in. The +3 CHR helps your Curing Waltz, and the +3 Accuracy will keep your swings hitting. The -1 Enmity is good as long as you're not trying to tank.
Dancer's Casaque 
 
[Body] All Races 
DEF: 38 HP +20 STR +2 DEX +2 
"Waltz" potency +10% 
Enmity -2 
Lv. 60 DNC 
Best to macro this in for Curing Waltz, since it will greatly increase the amount you cure for.
=Dancer in EXP Parties=
There are three roles a dancer can play in EXP parties. 
==Tank==
This is more of a low level thing than anything. As your get into the higher levels, evasion gear can be expensive; unless you have a way to make a lot of gil, it's best to avoid this role. As mentioned before, dancers can be decent tanks 10-30ish. 
From level 10-30, sub warrior if you find yourself needing to Provoke to keep aggro. If you continue to tank after level 30, invite a thief and sub ninja for the shadows. The thief will Trick Attack onto you to give you enmity. Afterward, just use Steps, Animated Flourish and Curing Waltz to keep the enemy trained on you. 
==Healer==
I have been a main healer a few times, but you need to have a lot of ACC gear. If you can't hit, you'll run out of TP and your party will die. 
As a backup healer, you don't need to worry as much if your gear isn't so hot, since you won't be doing all of the healing. 
==Damage Dealer==
Dancers don't really do very good damage until around level 62, when they get Dancing Edge. It's best not to use your TP on Weapon Skills until you reach that level. 
I have done up to 420-430 Dancing Edge using a Building Flourish + Dancing Edge combo.
If dagger is merited you can get Dancing Edge @ 60. This is when the job starts to change to more of a DD. ACC is important. (I did 832 Dancing edge @ lvl 60 with 2 Building Flourishes (dagger merited))Ezerelda 12:10, 23 April 2008 (UTC)
As a 75 DNC, my record WS was using (in this order) Building Flourish + Wild Flourish + Dancing Edge resulting in 900+ damage and then created a sission skillchain for 500+. On a more regular basis, I've done 500-700 weapon skill DMG and 200-400 skillchains. In order to do this, you can't use ACC+ gear, you must use all DEX and CHR gear since dancing edge is only modified by those attributes. ACC+ gear isnt going to do anything but improve ACC
Dancing Edge is a 5-hit multi-hit weapon skill; ACC is just as important, you won't be able to do ANY damage if you can't land those hits, and if even one hit misses the overall damage will be SIGNIFICANTLY lower. DEX alone is not enough. ACC+ gear is just as important as CHR and DEX gear for Dancing Edge. Using mostly ACC gear I have broken 1k damage on Greater Colibri, not counting skillchain damage. Once you've capped out on ACC you can start focusing on DEX and CHR, but ignoring the importance of ACC for Dancing Edge is just stupid.
DNC can hit hard @ 75! Its just we have to conserve our TP. 
Lv.65 DNC - I have been spending a ton of time and gil on getting Store-TP+, DEX, CHR, and ACC+ gear and I can say that DNC can be DD. I duo with a PLD a ton and we SC ourselves quite often. The best combo we have come with at this point is, 
<DNC> Building Flourish
<PLD> Berserk
<DNC> Wild Flourish
<PLD> Vorpal Blade
<SC> Scission
<DNC> Dancing Edge
<SC> I will have to check and see which SC happens at this point. Most of the mobs we fight are dead by the time this occurs. 
Both of our record WS DMG has exceeded 1k at this point, and with Wild Flourish, the SC damage has been 500+ on occasion. At 75, and with enough patience to get the new gear DNC can equip (see: Airy Buckler, Antares Harness, Azoth<dagger>), I could see it being a powerhouse if done correctly. 
Theode - Ragnarok - Lv. 65 DNC