{"id":45146,"date":"2026-11-12T02:58:38","date_gmt":"2026-11-12T02:58:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/?p=45146"},"modified":"2026-11-12T02:58:38","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T02:58:38","slug":"ffxiv-job-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/ffxiv-job-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"FFXIV Job Guide: Roles, Unlocks and Beastmaster"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated November 12, 2026 for FFXIV Job Guide.<\/em><\/p>\n

FFXIV has 21 regular combat jobs<\/strong> across five roles, plus two limited jobs, Blue Mage and Beastmaster; you can learn them all on one character. The key distinction in this FFXIV job guide is how you unlock them: original classes advance into jobs at level 30, while later regular jobs unlock directly and begin at higher levels.<\/p>\n

Which role should you play?<\/h2>\n

Your role determines what the party needs you to do, while jobs within that role differ in their mechanics, utility and damage buffs.<\/p>\n\n

Role<\/strong><\/td>What you do<\/strong><\/td>Jobs<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Tank<\/strong><\/td>Keep enemies focused on you and use defensive abilities to survive their attacks.<\/td>Paladin, Warrior, Dark Knight, Gunbreaker.<\/td><\/tr>
Healer<\/strong><\/td>Restore health, prevent damage, cleanse harmful effects and revive allies.<\/td>White Mage, Scholar, Astrologian, Sage.<\/td><\/tr>
Melee DPS<\/strong><\/td>Fight close to enemies, using combos and positioning to improve damage.<\/td>Monk, Dragoon, Ninja, Samurai, Reaper, Viper.<\/td><\/tr>
Physical ranged DPS<\/strong><\/td>Attack from a distance while moving and contribute support.<\/td>Bard, Machinist, Dancer.<\/td><\/tr>
Magical ranged DPS<\/strong><\/td>Use spells, balancing damage opportunities against casts that restrict movement.<\/td>Black Mage, Summoner, Red Mage, Pictomancer.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

We'd start with Archer if moving freely while attacking matters most, or Arcanist if you want to try both damage and healing: Archer becomes Bard, while Arcanist branches into Summoner and Scholar, which share their level.<\/p>\n

One creator's assessment is that your initial class mainly determines your starting city and early progression rather than a permanent character commitment.<\/p>\n

How to unlock jobs from starting classes<\/h2>\n

Choose your initial class and city through character creation; other classes become available after your level 10 class quest. For the original class-to-job paths, follow this sequence:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Reach level 30 in the relevant class and finish its level 30 class quests.<\/li>\n
  2. Complete the level 20 main scenario quest Sylph-management<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  3. Finish the first job quest to receive its soul crystal.<\/li>\n
  4. Equip the crystal through your Armoury Chest to activate the job.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    A second class is no longer an unlock requirement. Your job retains the class's abilities and gains additional actions and traits, including some awarded through job quests rather than leveling alone.<\/p>\n

    Take the job upgrade as soon as it opens: staying on the class gives up those additional tools.<\/p>\n

    Rogue and Ninja<\/h3>\n

    Rogue is absent from character creation: unlock class changing first, then take up Rogue in Limsa Lominsa and advance it to Ninja at level 30. Starting elsewhere adds the journey to Limsa through the level 15 main scenario, while a Limsa start avoids that travel gate.<\/p>\n

    We'd begin in Limsa if Ninja is your goal, matching one creator's recommendation to make reaching Rogue easier.<\/p>\n

    Tank unlocks<\/h2>\n

    For jobs with a base class, \u201cclass 1 \u2192 job 30\u201d means you begin the class at level 1 and upgrade at 30; it does not mean you unlock the job itself at level 1.<\/p>\n\n

    Job and weapon<\/strong><\/td>Entry requirement and starting level<\/strong><\/td>Unlock quest and city<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Paladin (PLD): sword and shield.<\/strong><\/td>Gladiator 30; class 1 \u2192 job 30.<\/td>Paladin's Pledge<\/strong>, Ul'dah.<\/td><\/tr>
    Warrior (WAR): greataxe.<\/strong><\/td>Marauder 30; class 1 \u2192 job 30.<\/td>Pride and Duty (Will Take You from the Mountain)<\/strong>, Limsa Lominsa.<\/td><\/tr>
    Dark Knight (DRK): greatsword.<\/strong><\/td>Combat class\/job 50 and access to Ishgard; starts at 30.<\/td>Our End<\/strong>, Ishgard.<\/td><\/tr>
    Gunbreaker (GNB): gunblade.<\/strong><\/td>Combat class\/job 60 and Shadowbringers access; starts at 60.<\/td>The Makings of a Gunbreaker<\/strong>, Gridania.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    Dark Knight's story gate is Coming to Ishgard<\/strong>, at the beginning of Heavensward; reaching the required combat level alone does not provide city access. You do not need another tank leveled to unlock it: the prerequisite can be met with any Disciple of War or Magic.<\/p>\n

    Healer unlocks and differences<\/h2>\n\n
    Job and weapon<\/strong><\/td>Entry requirement and starting level<\/strong><\/td>Unlock quest and city<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    White Mage (WHM): cane or wand at early levels.<\/strong><\/td>Conjurer 30; class 1 \u2192 job 30.<\/td>Seer Folly<\/strong>, Gridania.<\/td><\/tr>
    Scholar (SCH): codex.<\/strong><\/td>Arcanist 30; class 1 \u2192 job 30.<\/td>Forgotten but Not Gone<\/strong>, Limsa Lominsa.<\/td><\/tr>
    Astrologian (AST): star globe.<\/strong><\/td>Combat class\/job 50 and Coming to Ishgard<\/strong> access; starts at 30.<\/td>Stairway to the Heavens<\/strong>, Ishgard.<\/td><\/tr>
    Sage (SGE): nouliths.<\/strong><\/td>Combat class\/job 70 and Endwalker ownership; starts at 70.<\/td>Sage's Path<\/strong>, Limsa Lominsa.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    White Mage and Astrologian<\/h3>\n

    White Mage and Astrologian are pure healers, with stronger recovery after damage and healing over time. White Mage begins duties with its Lilies and Blood Lily filled, a change introduced in Patch 7.4.<\/p>\n

    Astrologian contributes party damage through cards and Divination. We'd choose Conjurer into White Mage for someone who wants to heal from the beginning, since Conjurer is the starting healer class; Sage requires a level 70 combat job first.<\/p>\n

    Scholar and Sage<\/h3>\n

    Scholar and Sage are barrier healers, using shields and damage reduction to prepare the party for incoming hits. Scholar also heals through faeries, and its shared Arcanist progression means leveling Summoner raises Scholar's level too, although job quests still unlock important actions.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    Melee DPS unlocks<\/h2>\n\n
    Job and weapon<\/strong><\/td>Entry requirement and starting level<\/strong><\/td>Unlock quest and city<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Monk (MNK): fist weapons.<\/strong><\/td>Pugilist 30; class 1 \u2192 job 30.<\/td>Brother from Another Mother<\/strong>, Ul'dah.<\/td><\/tr>
    Dragoon (DRG): polearm.<\/strong><\/td>Lancer 30; class 1 \u2192 job 30.<\/td>Eye of the Dragon<\/strong>, Gridania.<\/td><\/tr>
    Ninja (NIN): paired daggers.<\/strong><\/td>Rogue 30; class 1 \u2192 job 30.<\/td>Peasants by Day, Ninjas by Night<\/strong>, Limsa Lominsa.<\/td><\/tr>
    Samurai (SAM): katana.<\/strong><\/td>Combat class\/job 50 and Stormblood access; starts at 50.<\/td>The Way of the Samurai<\/strong>, Ul'dah.<\/td><\/tr>
    Reaper (RPR): war scythe.<\/strong><\/td>Combat class\/job 70 and Endwalker ownership; starts at 70.<\/td>The Killer Instinct<\/strong>, Ul'dah.<\/td><\/tr>
    Viper (VPR): dual blades.<\/strong><\/td>Combat job 80 and Dawntrail ownership; starts at 80.<\/td>Enter the Viper<\/strong>, Ul'dah.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    Monk's forms and gauges<\/h3>\n

    Monk cycles through opo-opo, raptor and coeurl forms, with its current form determining which attacks and bonuses are available. Snap Punch and Pouncing Coeurl reward flank positioning, while Demolish rewards attacking from behind.<\/p>\n

    Meditation fills the Chakra Gauge; Perfect Balance enables Beast Chakra generation, and the types collected determine your Masterful Blitz action. Three identical Beast Chakra open the Lunar Nadi through Elixir Field or its upgraded form, while three different types open the Solar Nadi through Flint Strike or Rising Phoenix; both nadi and three Beast Chakra enable Phantom Rush<\/strong> at level 90.<\/p>\n

    Meteodrive is listed under the Limit Break gauge, which fills through PvP duty objectives.<\/p>\n

    Physical ranged DPS unlocks<\/h2>\n\n
    Job and weapon<\/strong><\/td>Entry requirement and starting level<\/strong><\/td>Starting city<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Bard (BRD): bow.<\/strong><\/td>Archer 30; class 1 \u2192 job 30.<\/td>Gridania.<\/td><\/tr>
    Machinist (MCH): firearm.<\/strong><\/td>Combat class\/job 50 and Coming to Ishgard<\/strong> access; starts at 30.<\/td>Ishgard.<\/td><\/tr>
    Dancer (DNC): throwing weapons.<\/strong><\/td>Combat class\/job 60 and Shadowbringers ownership; starts at 60.<\/td>Limsa Lominsa.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    Magical ranged DPS unlocks<\/h2>\n\n
    Job and weapon<\/strong><\/td>Entry requirement and starting level<\/strong><\/td>Unlock quest and city<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Black Mage (BLM): staff, with early scepter options.<\/strong><\/td>Thaumaturge 30; class 1 \u2192 job 30.<\/td>Taking the Black<\/strong>, Ul'dah.<\/td><\/tr>
    Summoner (SMN): grimoire.<\/strong><\/td>Arcanist 30; class 1 \u2192 job 30.<\/td>Austerities of Flame<\/strong>, Limsa Lominsa.<\/td><\/tr>
    Red Mage (RDM): rapier.<\/strong><\/td>Combat class\/job 50 and Stormblood access; starts at 50.<\/td>Taking the Red<\/strong>, Ul'dah.<\/td><\/tr>
    Pictomancer (PCT): brush.<\/strong><\/td>Combat job 80 and Dawntrail ownership; starts at 80.<\/td>The Joy of Pictomancy<\/strong>, Gridania; the unlock is in Old Gridania.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    Summoner and Red Mage can resurrect allies during combat. Later expansion jobs have no base class to train, and their combat-level prerequisites cannot be met by a crafter or gatherer.<\/p>\n

    Blue Mage and Beastmaster limited jobs<\/h2>\n

    Limited jobs have separate progression and cannot use normal Duty Finder queues or roulettes; each has activities built around its own mechanics.<\/p>\n

    Beastmaster<\/h3>\n

    Beastmaster<\/a> arrived in Patch 7.56 on September 8, 2026<\/strong>, as a limited melee DPS job. Unlocking it requires a level 50 Disciple of War or Magic, completion of The Ultimate Weapon<\/strong>, and Dawntrail registered to your service account; it starts at level 1 in Gridania.<\/p>\n

    Its equipment is a one-handed axe and shield, with Striking armor and Slaying accessories. Its central mechanic is forming pacts with 50 capturable beasts<\/strong> and using their abilities.<\/p>\n

    The FFXIV Beastmaster Job Guide<\/a> focuses on that job's unlock and beast collection.<\/p>\n

    Blue Mage<\/h3>\n

    Blue Mage also starts at level 1, with a level 50 combat class\/job and The Ultimate Weapon<\/strong> required before unlocking it in Limsa Lominsa. It uses one-handed canes and Casting gear, learning spells from enemies rather than receiving them through normal leveling.<\/p>\n

    How to change jobs and manage gear<\/h2>\n

    Equip another unlocked job's weapon to switch; jobs based on classes also need their soul crystal equipped, while a job without a base class equips its crystal automatically. Save a gearset and assign it to a hotbar to make switching easier.<\/p>\n

    Class and job hotbars are separate, although you can copy configurations with the \/hotbar copy<\/code> or \/chotbar copy<\/code> commands. Removing a soul crystal returns you to the base class, which matters for Unicorn Power<\/strong>: this level 30 quest requires Conjurer rather than White Mage.<\/p>\n

    Which jobs share equipment?<\/h3>\n\n
    Equipment group<\/strong><\/td>Jobs<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Fending armor and accessories<\/strong><\/td>Paladin, Warrior, Dark Knight, Gunbreaker.<\/td><\/tr>
    Healing armor and accessories<\/strong><\/td>White Mage, Scholar, Astrologian, Sage.<\/td><\/tr>
    Maiming armor; Slaying accessories<\/strong><\/td>Dragoon, Reaper.<\/td><\/tr>
    Striking armor; Slaying accessories<\/strong><\/td>Monk, Samurai, Beastmaster.<\/td><\/tr>
    Scouting armor; Aiming accessories<\/strong><\/td>Ninja, Viper.<\/td><\/tr>
    Aiming armor and accessories<\/strong><\/td>Bard, Machinist, Dancer.<\/td><\/tr>
    Casting armor and accessories<\/strong><\/td>Black Mage, Summoner, Red Mage, Pictomancer, Blue Mage.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    Jobs below your highest-level job receive extra EXP through the Armoury Bonus<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    Crafting, gathering and free trial access<\/h2>\n

    Eight crafting classes belong to the Disciples of the Hand, while Miner, Botanist and Fisher make up the three gathering classes, the Disciples of the Land. They have their own progression, do not transform into jobs, and use weapon or tool changes for switching.<\/p>\n

    The free trial includes Shadowbringers and the regular jobs through Gunbreaker and Dancer. Reaper and Sage require Endwalker, while Viper, Pictomancer and Beastmaster require Dawntrail.<\/p>\n

    Evercold jobs and Evolved Mode<\/h2>\n

    Evercold is due on February 23, 2027<\/strong>, so its new jobs are future additions. Square Enix's job guide says the expansion will introduce a battle mode alongside the existing action system.<\/p>\n\n

    Future job<\/strong><\/td>Role and weapon<\/strong><\/td>Starting requirements<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Bastion<\/strong><\/td>Tank using Skyltborg gun-shields; playable only in Evolved Mode.<\/td>Level 90 combat prerequisite; starts at 90 in Limsa Lominsa.<\/td><\/tr>
    Zephyr<\/strong><\/td>Physical ranged DPS using a crossbow; playable only in Evolved Mode.<\/td>Level 90 combat prerequisite; starts at 90 in Gridania.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    One creator reported a broader shift away from party buffs in November 2026.<\/p>\n

    Ninja's mudras are central to one player's concern about Evolved Mode.<\/p>\n

    if we lose mudras im not sure if i could have as much fun with other jobs than i do with ninja right now.<\/p>\n

    \u2014 one player<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Signature features such as Dark Knight's Esteem and Scholar's damage-over-time spell are things many players want preserved in Evolved Mode. Button consolidation worries others who fear that jobs could lose their individual feel.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    FFXIV job guide covering 21 combat jobs, their roles, unlock levels and cities, plus Blue Mage, Beastmaster and how to switch jobs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33680,"featured_media":45147,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[93,3],"tags":[1964],"post_kind":[97],"ppma_author":[127],"class_list":["post-45146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ffxiv","category-all","tag-ffxiv-job-guide","author-dina"],"acf":{"faq_header":"","faq_items":[{"question":"

    What FFXIV job should I play?<\/h3>","answer":"

    Archer into Bard suits attacking while moving; Conjurer into White Mage lets you begin as a healer, and Arcanist leads to both Summoner and Scholar.<\/p>"},{"question":"

    How do I change jobs in FFXIV?<\/h3>","answer":"

    Equip the unlocked job's weapon, along with its soul crystal when it has a base class; saved gearsets make the switch easier.<\/p>"},{"question":"

    How do I unlock jobs in FFXIV?<\/h3>","answer":"

    Original jobs require the relevant level 30 class progression, Sylph-management<\/strong>, and a job quest awarding a soul crystal; expansion jobs instead have their own combat-level, access and sometimes story requirements.<\/p>"},{"question":"

    Can you have multiple jobs in FFXIV?<\/h3>","answer":"

    Yes, one character can learn every class and job, including all regular combat roles.<\/p>"}],"wpwp_short_description":"FFXIV job guide covering 21 combat jobs, their roles, unlock levels and cities, plus Blue Mage, Beastmaster and how to switch jobs.","wpwp_plus_for_views":""},"authors":[{"term_id":127,"user_id":33680,"is_guest":0,"slug":"dina","display_name":"Dina","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Dina-avatar.webp","url2x":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Dina-avatar.webp"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45146","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33680"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45146"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45146\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45148,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45146\/revisions\/45148"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45147"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45146"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45146"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45146"},{"taxonomy":"post_kind","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_kind?post=45146"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epiccarry.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=45146"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}