All FFXIV Dawntrail job changes

Including the Dragoon and Astrologian reworks

Square Enix

The big FFXIV Dawntrail job change live letter dropped several hours’ worth of information about class tweaks in the MMO game’s upcoming expansion, including big changes for some – Red Mage, for instance – and a small number of eyebrow-raising alterations as well. FFXIV producer Naoki Yoshida also went over the long-anticipated Dragoon and Astrologian reworks, though “rework” might be stretching it a little.

Unlike the summoner in Endwalker, the Dragoon and Astrologian reworks mainly consisted of some mechanics tweaks to give you more control over your abilities in battle. Yoshida said these changes don’t represent every alteration coming to roles and classes, so expect a few more changes when Dawntrail launches at the end of June 2024.

We’ve listed all the FFXIV Dawntrail job changes from the Live Letter below, including broader changes affecting roles.

All FFXIV Dawntrail job changes

1. FFXIV Dawntrail Tank role changes
2. FFXIV Dawntrail Paladin changes
3. FFXIV Dawntrail Warrior changes
4. FFXIV Dawntrail Dark Knight changes
5. FFXIV Dawntrail Gunbreaker changes
6. FFXIV Dawntrail Damage role changes
7. FFXIV Dawntrail Monk changes
8. FFXIV Dawntrail Dragoon changes
9. FFXIV Dawntrail Ninja changes
10. FFXIV Dawntrail Samurai changes
11. FFXIV Dawntrail Reaper changes
12. FFXIV Dawntrail Bard changes
13. FFXIV Dawntrail Machinist changes
14. FFXIV Dawntrail Dancer changes
15. FFXIV Dawntrail magical ranged damage role changes
16. FFXIV Dawntrail Black Mage changes
17. FFXIV Dawntrail Summoner changes
18. FFXIV Dawntrail Red Mage changes
19. FFXIV Dawntrail Healer role changes
20. FFXIV Dawntrail Astrologian changes
21. FFXIV Dawntrail White Mage changes
22. FFXIV Dawntrail Scholar changes
23. FFXIV Dawntrail Sage changes

FFXIV Dawntrail Tank role changes

First up is a small set of tank tweaks that should make it a little easier for high-level tanks to stay alive.

• Reprisal lasts 15 seconds longer when you’re level 90 or higher

• Rampart and other job-exclusive 30 percent mitigation abilities will get an upgrade once you reach level 90

FFXIV Dawntrail Paladin changes

Paladin gets a balanced set of changes / Square Enix

• Atonement’s second and third executions are new actions with new animations, but their inputs remain the same. Atonement automatically changes to these actions

• Paladins are getting a new action that you can use after Blade of Valor

• Goring Blade only becomes available if Fight or Flight is active

FFXIV Dawntrail Warrior changes

Small shakeups for the Warrior / Square Enix

• Warriors get a new action you can use after three uses of Fell Cleave OR Decimate while Inner Release is active

• There’s also a new action you can use after executing Primal Release

FFXIV Dawntrail Dark Knight changes

Should be easier to handle the DRK's damage burst in Dawntrail / Square Enix

• Blood Weapon will upgrade to Delirium, and Delirium will gain Blood Weapon’s effects. The idea is to reduce the number of inputs during the Dark Knight’s damage burst phase in Dawntrail and then strengthen individuality for FFXIV 8.0

• Dark Knights will also have a new action to use after Living Shadow

• Living Shadow no longer costs Black Blood

FFXIV Dawntrail Gunbreaker changes

Now that's an outfit / Square Enix

Gunbreakers are getting a new three-step combo to use after Bloodfest, and it costs no cartridge charges

There’s also a new action called Lionheart for use after Fated Circle, drawing on one of Squall’s limit breaks from Final Fantasy 8.

• Sonic Break can only be executed when No Mercy is active

FFXIV Dawntrail Damage role changes

Damage roles get two small, but pretty helpful changes in the 90s level range. Second Wind will heal more, and Feint lasts 15 seconds. These effects will also apply to ranged damage classes.

While these changes do theoretically make some jobs easier to play, they don't really change our stance on the best FFXIV jobs to start withFFXIO. If you're new to the game, Rogue/Ninja, Arcanist/Summoner - at least until you finish A Realm Reborn - and Gladiator/Paladin are still strong choices.

FFXIV Dawntrail Monk changes

No more buff management / Square Enix

Monk has a few important alterations that Yoshida said should remove some of the job’s clunkiness without changing how it plays.

• Combos are replacing buffs. “Basic combo mechanics will no longer center around maintaining a buff or damage over time. Instead, performing actions in a certain order will increase the next action's potency.”

Yoshida says the job will still “feel” the same, but there should be less uncertainty about what to do next if your rotation gets interrupted

• The job’s UI will introduce additional elements to help streamline rotations

• All Chakra will enhance potency when Six-Sided Star is active

• Can accumulate up to 10 Chakra while Brotherhood is active

FFXIV Dawntrail Dragoon changes

Not a huge rework after all / Square Enix

• New single-target action Drakesbane replaces the single-target combo’s fifth move. Drakesbane is a non-directional skill, and the input stays the same, since Wheeling Thrust and Fang and Claw will automatically change to Drakesbane.

• Life of the Dragon activates without filling up the Dragon Gauge, so you can hit harder, faster

• Some actions will be removed or changed to reduce the number of inputs required during damage burst phases. Square Enix didn’t say which ones

• A new movement ability will replace Spineshatter Dive

FFXIV Dawntrail Ninja changes

Hope you like permanent Huton / Square Enix

Huton’s effects will become job traits and remain permanently active, instead of being a 1-minute status activated through a ninjutsu combo

• The Huton mudra combo will result in an attack that deals AoE damage and grants the Hidden effect without using the Hidden skill

• Actions that extended Huton’s effect before will have other adjustments made to them, but Yoshida didn’t elaborate any further.

FFXIV Dawntrail Samurai changes

A comfier Samurai for Dawntrail / Square Enix

• You can cast Tsubame-gaeshi after Meikyo Shisui to help simplify recast management

• Hakaza, Tenka Goken, and Midare Setsugekka are getting upgraded into new actions, but that’s all the detail we have on it for now

• A new trait will reduce recasts for Hissatsu Guren and Senei

• In addition to more new actions, unspecified “adjustments” will help make samurai more comfortable to play

FFXIV Dawntrail Reaper changes

Less waste with the Shroud Gauge now / Square Enix

• Plentiful Harvest will let you use Enshroud, instead of filling the Shroud Gauge by 50

• A new action you can use while Enshrouded is active will show up

FFXIV Dawntrail Bard changes

Sing a song of hope (that Bard isn't busted) / Square Enix

• Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon, and the Wanderer's Minuet will provide buffs, but do no damage

• Pitch Perfect will deal AoE damage

• Straight Shot Ready and Shadow Bite Ready are getting merged

FFXIV Dawntrail Machinist changes

Drill for oil! Drill for victory! / Square Enix

• Machinists are getting a new trait that builds Drill charges

• Barrel Stabilizer won’t increase the Heat Gauge by 50 anymore, but it will let you cast Hypercharge

FFXIV Dawntrail Dancer changes

Not quite a Dancer revolution / Square Enix

• Dancers will have a new action they can use after Flourish

• There’s also a new action usable after Technical Finish, and it uses Esprit

FFXIV Dawntrail magical ranged damage role changes

Addle will last for 15 seconds once you hit level 90, instead of the usual 10, and Swiftcast’s cooldown timer drops to 40 seconds.

If you're keen to see how your current magic wielder looks in Dawntrail's graphics update, Yoshida also said the revamped Dawntrail benchmark should be ready around May 30, 2024.

FFXIV Dawntrail Black Mage changes

You have to actually cast ice now / Square Enix

• Black Mages get a new action that places Ley Lines under them

• They’ll also get “various adjustments” to improve their playstyle, including having MP restored when ice spells land, instead of it automatically happening while Umbral Ice is active

FFXIV Dawntrail Summoner changes

What if we got... more Bahamut? Haha, just kidding... unless / Square Enix

If you were hoping for some more complexity with the Summoner, well, don’t.

• Summoners can call on Solar Bahamut, a summon similar to Phoenix and Bahamut

• They’ll also get a new action to use after Searing Light

FFXIV Dawntrail Red Mage changes

Your flashy swordwork gets a bit more screentime / Square Enix

• Rather than increasing the Black and White magic gauges by 50, Manafication will let you use enchanted swordplay actions without cost
• The AoE combo beginning with Enchanted Moulinet will consume 50 Black and White mana
• Embolden will have an attack ability as a follow-up

FFXIV Dawntrail Healer role changes

The Healer role isn’t changing much. It just gets the same Swiftcast buff as magical DPS classes, where the skill cooldown timer drops to 40 seconds once you reach level 90.

FFXIV Dawntrail Astrologian changes

The stars say farewell to RNG / Square Enix

The Astrologian rework removes the random nature of their card pulls.

• Drawing cards will simultaneously draw offensive, defensive, and curative cards

• Four cards will appear at once, and you have 60 seconds to choose which ones you want to play

• Astrosigns are gone, and with them goes Astrodynes as well

• A new trait will show up that increases Essential Dignity stacks

FFXIV Dawntrail White Mage changes

Gap closer! New attacks! / Square Enix

• White Mages get a gap closing skill (at last)

• They also have a new AoE attack they can use up to three times after Presence of Mind

• A new trait will increase Tetragrammaton stacks

FFXIV Dawntrail Scholar changes

Singing with the Seraphi(s)m / Square Enix

• Scholars gain the new action Seraphism, which changes their appearance and improves healing magic

• They also get a new AoE attack to use after Chain Stratagem

• And a trait to reduce the recast of Recitation

FFXIV Dawntrail Sage changes

Featuring a pretty sweet new buff / Square Enix

• Eukrasia will enhance Dyskrasia II to Eukrasian Dyskrasia. Eukrasian Dyskrasia is an AoE attack that deals damage over time to enemies it hits

• Sages gain a new buff ability that heals party members when the caster uses a spell

• They also gain a new trait that shortens the time to cast Soteria for Kardion

FFXIV Dawntrail launches July 2, 2024, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. If you're just getting started from level one, check out our FFXIV beginner's guide for some handy tips.