FFXIV Classes

**Choosing a Class**

Classes provide the basic, core abilities that will help you fill whichever role or duty you wish to play. The starting classes will help introduce you to the game's mechanics and party structure, as well as prepare you for Job specialization once you hit level 30. When choosing your starting class, it may be easiest to first decide which duty you wish to fulfill. Do you want to play a tank and take the brunt of dangerous hits so your group may focus on damage? Do you want to support your group by padding health bars as a healer? Do you want to dish out powerful attacks and spells as a DPS? Each of the starting classes are associated with one of these roles and will correspond with your duty when participating in group play.

When considering the duty role we wish to fulfill with our character then, the starting classes correspond with one of these five roles:

* Tank
* Healer
* Melee DPS
* Ranged physical DPS
* Ranged magical DPS

Don't fret too much about this initial decision. One of the best aspects of Final Fantasy XIV, especially if you're coming from another MMO, is that your character is able to level and play through every class available in the game. You do not need to roll an alternate character to experience another class or job. After completing the necessary introductory quests to unlock another class, switching is as simple as changing the equipment your character is wearing. It is advised, however, to stick with the class you initially choose until you receive your first job specialization at level 30.

**Starting classes**

Classes are divided into four categories: Disciples of War, Disciples of Magic, Disciples of the Land, and Disciples of the Hand. Disciples of War and Magic classes are centered around combat. You will choose a class from one of these two categories when you roll your character, as these will help you progress through the main story quest (MSQ) and eventually unlock Jobs. Disciples of the Land and the Hand are gathering / crafting classes which will help you throughout the game via Marketboard buying and selling. These two categories of classes are not necessary to level through the MSQ, which should be your main goal when you first roll your character.

The Disciples of War have six classes total, all based on physical combat. The classes and associated roles are:

* Gladiator - Tank
* Marauder - Tank
* Pugilist - Melee DPS
* Lancer - Melee DPS
* Archer - Ranged physical DPS
* Rogue - Melee DPS

The Disciples of Magic only have three starting classes, all based on the use of magic and spellcasting. The classes are:

* Conjurer - Healer
* Thaumaturge - Ranged magic DPS
* Arcanist - Ranged magic DPS, Healer

The class you choose when you roll your character will determine which of the three starting zones through which your character will begin the MSQ. Your class trainer will be located in the major city of this starting zone. You will need to visit your class trainer every 5 levels and complete a quest in order to use new abilities unlocked via leveling, as well as eventually advance into a job specialization.

To start leveling another class, you need to first complete the level 10 quest of your starting class. Once completed, you need only speak to the guild receptionist of whichever class you next wish to level. As mentioned earlier, switching between classes only requires you equip the appropriate weapon for the class you wish to play.

**Jobs**

Once you hit level 30 in one of the starting classes (and complete the MSQ through Sylph Management), you will receive a quest from your class trainer that will allow you to specialize in a job associated with your class. Jobs are a specialized amalgamation of everything you learned while leveling its base class. Once you choose a job, you will retain all the abilities from the base class but will also receive abilities specific to your job.

Most of the jobs in the game require you to level a base class to 30 and then complete the quest to receive the appropriate job crystal. However, once you have played through A Realm Reborn, other jobs become available that only require you reach level 50 or 60 in either a Disciple of War or Disciple of Magic class first.

The jobs and associated base classes are as follows:

* Paladin - requires level 30 Gladiator, Tank
* Warrior - requires level 30 Marauder, Tank
* Monk - requires level 30 Pugilist, Melee DPS
* Dragoon - requires level 30 Lancer, Ranged physical DPS
* Bard - requires level 30 Archer, Ranged physical DPS
* Ninja - requires level 30 Rogue, Melee DPS
* White Mage - requires level 30 Conjurer, Healer
* Scholar - requires level 30 Arcanist, Healer
* Black Mage - requires level 30 Thaumaturge, Ranged magic DPS
* Summoner - requires level 30 Arcanist, Ranged magic DPS

Level 50 Jobs:

* Dark Knight - Tank
* Astrologian - Healer
* Samurai - Melee DPS
* Machinist - Ranged physical DPS
* Red Mage - Ranged magical DPS

Level 60 Jobs:

* Gunbreaker - Tank
* Dancer - Ranged physical DPS

Special Job:

* Blue Mage - Ranged magic DPS (designed for use in solo play only)