The Ultimate Guide to the Samurai Role in FFXIV

Melee DPS roles are incredibly popular in Final Fantasy 14, offering five exciting jobs that will make you feel powerful and dynamic. One of these jobs is the Samurai, introduced with the Stormblood expansion, which quickly garnered a strong following among players.

While Eorzea has no shortage of Melee DPS characters, trying this role for the first time is a rewarding experience, even if it means a longer wait in queues. The Samurai class may seem intimidating for newcomers, particularly for those unfamiliar with melee DPS styles, but it becomes more manageable once you get the hang of it.

Updated December 18, 2024: With the arrival of the Dawntrail Patch 7.11, this guide has been refreshed to reflect current game updates. Although the opener remains unchanged, we’ve revised several Samurai actions throughout the guide to reflect their latest adjustments. Additionally, the "Best Gear" section now outlines the optimal builds and materia pairings currently available for Samurai, along with tips on how to acquire this equipment!

Becoming a Samurai

Unlike many other jobs in Final Fantasy 14, the Samurai is not a starting job available during character creation, nor does it evolve from another class. However, you will need to meet a couple of prerequisites before you can master the sword.

Requirements

• Own the Stormblood expansion
• Level 50 (Disciple of War or Magic)

Once you’ve met these requirements, head to Ul’dah, Steps of Nald, and talk to the Ul’dah citizen (coordinates: X:9.2, Y:9.1) to initiate the quest titled "The Way of the Samurai." Completing this quest unlocks the Samurai job! Afterward, you’ll focus on leveling it up to the current maximum level of 100.

Leveling a new job, particularly near the end-game content, can be challenging. However, there are some strategies to help ease the grind.

Samurai Rotations

One of the critical aspects of any job in Final Fantasy 14 is maintaining your rotations while weaving Off-GCD actions between your primary abilities. This approach maximizes your output and supports your team effectively.

Instead of overwhelming you with information, let’s break down the Samurai’s basic rotations without complicating matters. For more advanced techniques, check the sections on Managing Off-GCD Actions and Opener further down.

Basic Single-Target Rotation

• Gyofu > Jinpu > Gekko
  Increases your Kenki Gauge and damage output while granting the Getsu buff.

• Gyofu > Shifu > Kasha
  Boosts your Kenki Gauge and grants you the Ka buff, reducing casting and recasting times.

• Gyofu > Yukikaze
  Grants you the Setsu buff and significantly increases your Kenki Gauge.

The Samurai has three basic single-target rotations. The first two are your go-to sequences, while the third is meant to fill your Kenki Gauge quickly based on your combat situation.

Basic AoE Rotation

• Fuko > Mangetsu
  Increases your Kenki Gauge and damage output, granting Getsu.

• Fuko > Oka
  Grants Ka and boosts your Kenki Gauge, while reducing casting and recasting times.

Unlike many DPS jobs in Final Fantasy 14, the Samurai features more than one AoE rotation. Choose between increasing damage or reducing weapon skill casting times based on your battle scenario.

We recommend utilizing AoE rotations against three or more enemies, while sticking to single-target rotations for smaller groups.

Samurai Positional Attacks

When executing your rotations, it’s essential to land your positional attacks correctly, which can yield additional damage and buffs. Neglecting positional attacks can significantly diminish your overall damage potential, which is never desirable.

However, if you know you can’t position yourself quickly enough or if your area is at risk, it’s acceptable to skip positional attacks on occasion. Mastering the timing of both your rotations and positional attacks is crucial, especially in high-level content.

Rear Attacks

• Gekko: +50 Damage Potency when striking from behind.

Flank Attacks

• Kasha: +50 Damage Potency when striking from the side.

Samurai Off-GCD Actions

Off-GCD Actions are abilities you use in between your primary GCD actions to optimize your performance. These skills are vital for maximizing your effectiveness, especially in later-game content.

The following table outlines important Off-GCD actions for the Samurai:

By effectively using Off-GCD actions alongside your rotation, you can deal continuous damage and maintain your buffs throughout encounters. Staying active is key; there should be no downtime where you’re not attacking or buffing yourself or your team.

Best Samurai Opener in FFXIV Dawntrail

Your "Opener" consists of the most efficient sequence of actions to perform at the beginning of a boss fight or significant encounter. An optimized opener can lead to significant early damage while maximizing buffs and managing cooldowns.

Here’s a basic opener for a Level 100 Samurai, with Off-GCD actions in bold:

• Pre-Pull: (Meikyo Shisui) > (True North)
• Gekko (Grade 1 Gemdraught of Strength) > Kasha (Ikishoten) > Yukikaze > Tendo Setsugekka (Hissatsu: Senei) > Tendo Kaeshi Setsugekka (Meikyo Shisui) > Gekko (Zanshin) > Higanbana > Ogi Namikiri (Shoha) > Kaeshi: Namikiri > Kasha (Hissatsu: Shinten) > Gekko (Hissatsu: Gyoten) > Gyofu > Yukikaze (Hissatsu: Shinten) > Tendo Setsugekka > Tendo Kaeshi Setsugekka

While your opener differs from your main rotation, they will closely resemble each other once Off-GCD actions are integrated. Having an effective opener enables you to manage cooldowns on buffs better and maintain high damage output throughout the encounter.

Best Gear for Samurai in FFXIV Dawntrail

Finding the ideal gear for your job can be challenging, especially regarding the best equipment and materia pairings. Post-game content often requires you to take full advantage of your job and equipment to reach "Best in Slot" levels.

Here’s an example build for a Samurai, aiming to reflect the typical state of most players post-game, including recommended materia pairings:

Furthermore, for a damage boost, consider using a Grade 1 Gemdraught of Strength during your opener to maximize your output.

Don’t overlook the importance of food buffs, such as the Moqueca, which is a great choice for the Samurai, enhancing your stats before diving into high-level content.