FFXIV Offensive Tank Classes
Choosing a Tank Class Article by: @Dendrius Starn#3544 from The Tank Club Discord.
Starting out in FINAL FANTASY XIV with the mindset of becoming a Tank leaves you with two initial jobs to choose from, with two additional jobs unlocking further ahead in the game.
Players have the option choosing a Tank Class and becoming Warrior, Paladin, Dark Knight or Gunbreaker, with each role fulfilling a different set of advantages that might put them in a better position than the others depending on the content. However, like with many games, there is no determined best Tanking job, as the flexibility to play whatever you want is quite prevalent in this specific MMO.
At the beginning of the game you can only choose Marauder and Gladiator, which each turn into Warrior and Paladin respectively at level 30.
Dark Knight can be unlocked once you enter the first expansion, Heavensward, and starts at level 30.
Gunbreaker can be unlocked in the base game whenever one of your jobs reaches level 60, and starts off at level 60.
Below we will discover more information about the FFXIV Offensive Tank Classes!
Dark Knight
The Glass Cannon.
Feeling the urge to try and parse with a fellow DPS? Then the Dark Knight is your preferred role, as this Tank role delivers a hefty amount of damage into the fray at the downside of reduced defensive abilities. This role excels at sudden bursts of damage with powerful abilities, empowering themselves and then performing high-damaging single-target or AoE abilities by use of their “Blood Gauge”. With practically no group utility other than some magical damage negation, the Dark Knight is a selfish-targeted Tank that aims to reduce the boss HP to 0 as quickly as possible to make the encounter shorter and therefore less intensive for the rest of the group. That isn’t to say you’re defenceless, as you still possess a good amount of mitigation and the best self-shield in the game, actively rewarding you for utilizing it effectively to get free casts of your highest-damage abilities afterwards. It may not bring the raw defence of other Tank jobs, but the damage is something any group can appreciate. Suited for both groups and single targets, there’s always something in your arsenal to dice up your target.
Gunbreaker
Intensive burst-machine.
Gunbreaker is the second in the offensive-orientated Tank roles, performing flashy strikes and explosive swipes with their signature “Gunblade”, a longsword with a gun embedded within. A Gunbreaker’s playstyle is straightforward but intensive, focused on performing combos to acquire “cartridges” and then expending these in their 20-second burst windows whenever possible. This role’s rotation is generally considered a bit difficult at first, the necessity of needing to squeeze many abilities into a time window a bit overwhelming at first, but something that can be easily practiced on combat dummies if deemed necessary. Unlike the Dark Knight, a Gunbreaker also possesses a surprising amount of defensive capabilities, including a self-regen, additional powerful temporary mitigations, and group utility with the ability to apply these to teammates as well. A Gunbreaker is comfortable both as a main and off-tank, a jack-of-all-trades with a slightly steeper learning curve to master over the others. If you enjoy being active in your playstyle, this is the role to pick up.
