Picking the best Final Fantasy XIV class to start with seems like a daunting task, but despite having to make a choice as soon as you start the game, it's not as big of a deal as it seems. FFXIV makes finding your ideal class and settling into it comparatively straightforward, though, so you’re not locked into a bad choice for hours of battles and dungeon exploring.
However, some classes are easier to learn than others and have more to offer, especially if you're playing by yourself. We break down what the best FFXIV starting class is and how to go about changing it below.
Some longtime FFXIV players might tell you that your starting class doesn’t matter, but that’s only partially correct. It’s true that, after A Realm Reborn, you get access to new classes whose only prerequisites are based on your character’s level, and not a previous job. However, unless you’re buying level skips and burning through expansions, you still have to contend with leveling.
Some instanced battles outside of dungeons also require you to fight alone, so since you can’t always rely on party members for help, you need a good, well-rounded class to get you through the story.
You’re only stuck with your starting job for a few hours, so if you’re unhappy with your pick, you can just switch to something else.
Every class in FFXIV starts with a quest from the class’ associated guild or society, and each of the three major cities in A Realm Reborn is home to a few guilds. Visit, speak with the questgiver, and complete the quest to unlock that job. You can change jobs by equipping its associated weapon – a grimoire for Arcanist, for example, or a bow for Archer.
Bear in mind that changing classes by equipping a weapon removes all of your previous equipment. Make sure to save your loadouts as Gear Sets, so you don't waste time re-equipping your class gear every time you change.
Whether you should level multiple jobs depends on which one you start with and how you plan to play. The old wisdom used to be that if you pick a DPS character, you should also level a tank or healer to help shorten queue times while waiting to party up for dungeons, as most people tend to choose DPS classes.
That’s not quite as important now that Square Enix has implemented duty support for a good many main story dungeons, a system that lets you party up with NPCs and avoid queue times entirely.
However, if you want to play with others or engage in dungeons and activities outside of the main story, it’s worth playing a desirable role – tank or healer – so you’re not stuck waiting for 30 minutes or more.
Unless you’re on a server with an XP multiplier, though, we recommend sticking to two jobs maximum until you finish leveling one. That reduces the level grind, but still gives you some variation to play around with in case you want or need to change things up.
You should tinker with classes and see which ones suit your style before settling on one or two, but we recommend considering these to start with.
Gladiator (Tank)
Gladiator is technically a tank class, but it gets several DPS-oriented actions as well. If you want a more active tanking role that goes beyond just attracting aggro, this is the class for you. Completing the level 30 Gladiator quest unlocks the Paladin class, and while it has a mixed reception in the FFXIV community, it’s a lot more fun to play than Warrior.
Arcanist (Ranged Magical DPS)
Arcanist throws a touch of healing and support in with DPS actions, and it offers the most variety in the early game. Arcanists use elemental and unaspected magic to deal damage via summoned familiars. They can also heal, generate shields for themselves, raise fallen allies, and debuff enemies.
The carbuncles you use for elemental spells have different attack styles that lend themselves well to basic skill rotations, and you can specialize as a Summoner or Scholar after finishing the level 30 Arcanist quest.
Lancer (Melee DPS)
Lancer isn’t the flashiest class, but it is reliable and a good introductory to position-based attacks that some advanced classes make use of. Lancers attack from all sides, including from above, and deal a respectable amount of damage, while taking advantage of their role actions to sustain themselves and weaken foes.
The real draw here, aside from leveling into a Dragoon, is the class story that spans Lancer and Dragoon and has close ties with the main story narrative once you reach Ishgard.
You can also just watch the story on YouTube if you end up not liking the Lancer class.
Conjurer (Ranged Magical Healer)
Conjurer is a tough one to recommend for leveling. You get just two offensive spells, which means most battles outside of dungeons can take a while, and Fates in particular are tough to complete alone.
However, it and the White Mage class you eventually level into are among the best support classes in the game, with powerful healing spells that are perfectly suited to challenging battles and raids.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot to prove to fans and media pundits alike as a Week 3 contest against the New England Patriots approaches. One of the main concerns thus far has been the defensive front not being able to stop the run. Through two games, the unit has allowed 149.5 yards per game, which is an absolutely ridiculous number for a defense that is labeled as the highest-paid in the NFL. The organization won't have a chance to be competitive in an AFC full of firepower unless Teryl Austin's unit can figure out how to stop opposing offenses. An asterisk can be put next to the first two matchups because rookie first-round selection, Derrick Harmon, hasn't had the opportunity to play, but what has been the most worrisome has been the individuals filling in for him that haven't been able to perform at an encouraging level. One of those players is Keeanu Benton, a former second-round pick who has not blossomed into the player that the team wanted him to be. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette insiders Gerry Dulac and Ray Fittipaldo appeared on a practice report show with the Patriots game on the horizon, and went into some more detail about the defensive line. While the team is high on the other rookie in Yahya Black, Dulac noted that there are some real concerns internally about what has happened with Benton over the years. "The key is being able to be physical and be aggressive, but still being able to make the play, and that's what they're hoping to see from [Yahya] Black," Dulac said. "You know, they really like this guy and he's only going to improve in time. The converse of that Ray, and you mentioned Keeanu Benton, was told to me from inside the building, that they actually think he's regressed." There is not a single member of the Steelers' coaching staff or front office that can be pleased if the feeling is that Benton is getting worse. Spending a second-round selection on a member of the front seven on defense is supposed to provide stability, but it has done the exact opposite. It shouldn't surprise anyone if Benton begins to see the field less and less, while Black finds more opportunities to show that he should be playing more often. It's not time to hit the panic button yet in Pittsburgh, but many are very close to doing so. If the run defense continues to get shredded on the ground, there are not going to be many chances to stop any offense that is on the other side of the ball. The Steelers also preach winning the time of possession, something that will be extremely difficult to do if running backs are having their respective ways with Pittsburgh's front seven. It would be exciting to see Harmon and Black in action together. It's possible that they could be the future on the defensive line for the Steelers. Benton's regression can't be looked at as positive in any way, so Dulac's words hint at the very possible fact that the franchise is not happy with the University of Wisconsin graduate. Austin and co. won't tolerate a player getting worse, and then performing poorly on top of it. Steelers Won't Last In The AFC North With Poor Rushing Defense All teams within Pittsburgh's division have capable rushing attacks, even the Cleveland Browns now that rookie Quinshon Judkins is in the fold. It is imperative that the defense in the Steel City figures out how to stop the run, as it will lead to more passing attempts and a better chance to get to quarterbacks. It shouldn't come as a shock if Benton is soon watching from the sidelines more so than he is playing on the field.
A Wednesday report shared that the Miami Dolphins "did a lot of work in the offseason to try to transform their team culture" before they opened the ongoing campaign with back-to-back losses. For a lengthy piece published on Thursday, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN expanded on alleged culture issues that have impacted the Dolphins under head coach Mike McDaniel, who has been in his role since 2022. Mike McDaniel hasn't run a tight ship with Dolphins "Multiple sources in and around the team said tardiness was an issue throughout this past season," Louis-Jacques revealed. "...One current Dolphins player said he believed some captains this past season took advantage of the role. [Cornerback Jalen Ramsey] and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who were two of the eight players voted captains in 2024, were among repeat offenders who received numerous fines throughout the season. Players were often late to practice and meetings, with multiple team sources suggesting it reflected a lack of respect for the first-time coach McDaniel -- who was hesitant to publicly admonish players outside of posting fines." On Wednesday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler noted that Dolphins players "believe the culture is better after the franchise moved on from several key players, many of whom did not appear happy there." Specifically, Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith were traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a pick swap in June. Safety Jevon Holland left the Dolphins and signed with the New York Giants in free agency. As for Hill, questions about his dedication to the cause arose when he subbed himself out of Miami's regular-season finale and then told reporters that he was "out" this past January. He later publicly apologized for his actions but has remained the subject of trade rumors through September. Are McDaniel and Dolphins general manager Chris Grier on the hot seat? Whispers throughout the offseason suggested Dolphins owner Stephen Ross could part ways with McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier if the club finished this season without at least a playoff appearance. McDaniel has yet to guide the Dolphins to a single postseason win, and his team was coming off an 8-9 campaign before it dropped two straight games this month. "A source familiar with Ross' thinking told ESPN this offseason they don't believe McDaniel's and Grier's job security is as simple as 'playoffs or bust,' and reiterated that sentiment after Week 1," Louis-Jacques wrote. "...Although there is a limit to [Ross'] patience with the team's results. After a winless start to the 2025 season, and prime-time games against division opponents coming, there will be increased outside attention on how far Ross' patience will stretch." As of Thursday morning, ESPN BET had the winless Dolphins as massive 11.5-point road underdogs for Thursday night's game at the 2-0 Buffalo Bills. One can't help but wonder how Ross may react if Miami gets blown out at Buffalo's Highmark Stadium.
The Cleveland Browns have their attention on the Green Bay Packers with their first NFC opponent coming to town in Week 3. Cleveland opened the season with two AFC North losses against the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens and will now look to get right against perhaps the league’s best team. Green Bay has had the best defense this season through two games the league has and they bring a good quarterback with Jordan Love. Cleveland looks like they’ll get RT Jack Conklin back this week against the Packers, while DT Mike Hall did not participate on Thursday as part of his plan returning from the knee injury. It could be another week before the former second-round pick is out there. Joel Bitonio has not practiced yet this week with a back injury and tomorrow will tell whether or not he will be able to play against the Packers. Returner DeAndre Carter returned to practice for the Browns on Thursday from concussion protocol. The Packers suffer scare with one of their offensive stars Tucker Kraft is one of the league's more underrated tight ends and he suffered a knee tweak at practice on Thursday that was a scare, but he is expected to be fine. The star tight end had 124 yards and a touchdown against the Washington Commanders last week and will be a major weapon that the Packers and Love will look to target. Cleveland’s defense is allowing 146 passing yards per game through two games, which is third in the NFL. The Browns' offense will have to give the defense a chance to stay in this one at home. If Cleveland doesn’t have Bitonio against the Packers, they’ll be turning to backup offensive lineman Tevin Jenkins. Cleveland’s defensive front has been maybe the best in the NFL through the first two games, so they’ll only benefit when they put Hall’s interior rushing ability into the mix. It just may be too early for that to happen in Week 3 against Green Bay. window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-424').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-424').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');
The Miami Dolphins reportedly had some internal disciplinary issues throughout their disappointing 2024 season, and star wide receiver Tyreek Hill was fined on multiple occasions for being a repeat offender. ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques published a story on Thursday that examines some of the ways the Dolphins have tried to change what became a problematic culture last season. One of the issues the team had amid their 8-9 campaign was that players were often late to practices and team meetings. One anonymous player who is still with the Dolphins told ESPN that he felt the team’s captains took advantage of their status. Hill and All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers over the summer, were two of Miami’s eight captains last season. Louis-Jacques said both players were “repeat offenders” of rules violations and were fined multiple times by the Dolphins. Some felt the tardiness showed a lack of respect for Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who refrained from calling his players out publicly. One former Miami player said the issues were not new but that no one cared when the Dolphins were winning in McDaniel’s first two seasons on the job. “Everyone was fine with cutting meetings, cutting practice when they’re winning, but once you’re losing, it’s like now you can’t get mad at that,” the player said. “You were just enjoying it when you were winning.” Hill had a tumultuous season last year that began with him getting arrested on the way to Miami’s Week 1 game. It concluded with him suggesting he wanted to be traded, though the eight-time Pro Bowl wideout has since walked that back. Hill admitted in May that he needed to do a better job of being a leader. Those comments make even more sense now knowing that he was fined by the Dolphins on more than one occasion in 2024. The Dolphins are 0-2 following losses to the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots. Fans have begun calling for McDaniel’s job, and the talk of disciplinary issues is not going to help his cause.