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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One question remains after New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu announced his retirement. How long until Canton calls? On Tuesday, the 12-year NFL veteran revealed he was retiring, effective immediately, ending the New Orleans native's legendary football career. In a statement published to social media, the three-time first-team All-Pro wrote, "As I hang up my cleats, I'm filled with gratitude as I close this chapter of my life and officially retire from the game that's shaped me in every way. "From my first snap in college to my final play in the NFL, this journey has been nothing short of a blessing." He's a surefire first-ballot Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame honoree, breaking out while at LSU (2010-11). During his freshman and sophomore seasons, he forced 11 fumbles with eight recoveries, four interceptions and four total touchdowns while finishing fifth in Heisman voting in 2011. Mathieu was dismissed from the team in 2012 after failing multiple drug tests and then was arrested on marijuana charges, but he didn't allow that to define his career. Instead, he carved out what could be considered a Pro Football Hall of Fame resume, too. Mathieu ends his professional career with 838 tackles, 100 passes defended and 36 interceptions. In addition to being named first-team All-Pro three times, he received three Pro Bowl honors and was a member of the Hall of Fame All-2010 Team. Mathieu also won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2020. Per Mathieu's Pro Football Reference's Hall of Fame Monitor score (65.2), he has a below-average case for enshrinement, with the average Hall of Fame defensive back scoring a 96.93. But players have received a gold jacket with worse scores in the PFR metric, including John Lynch, Eric Allen and Dick LeBeau. While he might have to wait past his first ballot to make it into the Hall of Fame, it would be a shame if Mathieu didn't one day receive his flowers. It certainly helps his case that in addition to being one of the greatest safeties of his generation, Mathieu was, by all accounts, just as outstanding off the field. NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill and Arizona Cardinals insider Kyle Odegard, who covered Mathieu when he played for the Cardinals, were among the media members to share fond stories about Mathieu. "One of those guys who really respected the job we do and would take the time to explain the game," Underhill shared. "He an all-world talent and the most accessible, genuine, introspective superstar I've ever met," Odegard wrote. It could take longer than five years, but it should surprise no one if one day Mathieu receives Hall of Fame recognition. He is the Honey Badger, after all. He takes what he wants.
Another year, another shot at a championship. Since their last World Series appearance in 2022, a match in which they lost, the Philadelphia Phillies have slid backwards, falling in the NLCS in 2023 and the NLDS in 2024. This year, the Phillies are back on top of the NL East, holding a slim half-game lead over the New York Mets entering Tuesday. Still, their season has been far from spotless. The Phillies have gone through immeasurable difficulties from the bullpen without Jeff Hoffman (signed with Blue Jays), Carlos Estevez (signed with Royals) or Jose Alvarado (PED suspension), especially with Jordan Romano’s descent into the dumpster fire. But with new free-agent signing David Robertson in tow, we can expect some degree of stability from the relief corps going forward — though, not to insinuate that team president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is done adding bullpen arms. Another sore spot that received plenty of attention the past few months is in the outfield, left field in particular. Among all qualifying left fielders, Max Kepler maintains the second lowest OPS. Much has been made about potentially replacing him, but as bad as he’s been, there is one Philadelphia infielder that has done even worse. Once a promising bat, second baseman Bryson Stott seems to be reaching rock bottom. Below, you can his stats in comparison to that of Kepler’s: (wRC+: weighted runs created plus represents the culmination of a hitter’s offensive achievements where a value of 100 is MLB’s average) Stott has been more proficient than Kepler at recording hits, but Kepler’s power and higher walk rate gives him the edge in overall offensive stats. It was only in 2023, his second year of MLB action, when Stott hit .280/.329/.414 with 15 home runs. Unfortunately, Stott’s productivity began to slide last season. This year, his slump halted in April when he hit .314 on the month, but it quickly resumed in May (.216), worsened in June (.202) and has reached a fever-pitch in July (.132). If the Phillies are going to claw their way back to the Fall Classic, it may be better if Stott’s bat isn’t in the lineup.
Through much of his time with the New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad has been too good to be a second-line center, yet not quite a top liner for a contender. Now aging out of his prime, his play has dropped off the past two seasons, only rebounding when moved to the wing next to midseason acquisition J.T. Miller. That presents a problem for New York. The Rangers are not deep down the middle. Moving Zibanejad back to center provides that depth, putting Vincent Trochek back in his appropriate 3C role. But does Zibanejad again suffer without Miller? It also leaves the Blueshirts thin on the right side. Zibanejad can’t play two positions at once and the Rangers cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. There is a solution, however: Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish. Anaheim and New York already have strong front office ties, with a pair of trades in the past eight months. The cross-continental line should be open. McTavish is precisely the player archetype that Rangers general manager Chris Drury has sought in this past year. The 22-year-old possesses good size (6-foot-1, 219 pounds) and plays with a grit that Drury adores. An old-fashioned power forward in the making, McTavish hunts bodies, making life miserable for defenders on the forecheck and finds pockets of space when off the puck, where he unloads a cannon of a shot. An all-situations player, McTavish digs in the corners and is developing nicely as an offensive driver. McTavish is a hard worker who shows leadership traits. New Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan loves to play with speed and relentless pressure, a mantra that suits McTavish down to the ground. For a second-line center, McTavish’s numbers don’t exactly pop off the page, but 52 points (22 goals) in 76 games for a bad Ducks team is nothing to sneeze at. In New York, he would also presumably get to play with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Given the playmaking ability of those wingers and McTavish’s heavy shot, 30-plus goals could be on the cards. Bleacher Report has stated that the Ducks are unlikely to extend McTavish an offer sheet, instead willing to match whatever offer comes his way. Does that mean he is on the trade block? At the very least it means that Anaheim will likely be willing to listen to offers. That said, it would take an almighty package to pry the former No. 3 pick out of Orange County. The Ducks would rightly command a first-round pick — if not two — and a highly-rated prospect. New York has its own first-rounders in store, as well as a, likely, late first-rounder next year, with second-round picks each year except 2027. Would New York part with a first, a second and a pair of its top prospects? The Rangers are loaded with left wing prospects. Whilst Gabe Perrault is likely off the table, Brennan Othmann, Adam Sykora and Brett Berard should be discussed, as should defenseman E.J. Emery. Would picks and a pair of prospects be enough for Anaheim, though? Here’s a thought experiment: a deal centered around Will Cuylle. As mentioned, the Rangers have a raft of left wingers coming through and Lafreniere is also a natural left winger. Would trading Cuylle for McTavish solve the Rangers' issues at the pivot, allowing Zibanejad to help fix the right-hand side and give the team room to develop more youngsters on the left? Could this solve three issues in one swoop? It would be a, potentially, seismic move, but it might just make sense for both teams, especially if the Ducks are not looking to keep McTavish around long-term. It would complete a remarkable offseason for Drury.
The number of available MLB stars on the trade market appears to be dwindling. Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy will not be available for trade ahead of the July 31 deadline, Buster Olney of ESPN reported on Tuesday. Additionally, Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan is unlikely to be moved as well, Olney added. The 30-year-old Murphy, an All-Star in 2023, is batting .240 with 16 home runs and 38 RBI this season for the Braves. Meanwhile, the 27-year-old Kwan is batting .288 with six home runs, 32 RBI and 11 stolen bases for the Guardians — numbers that were good enough for Kwan to make his second career All-Star appearance this year. A common thread for both players is that their respective teams have underperformed in 2025. The Braves are a miserable 44-55, and the Guardians are only slightly better at 49-50. Those underachieving records have given rise to trade speculation surrounding both teams. However, both Murphy and Kwan are under contract for multiple more years at very reasonable salaries. Murphy is set to make $15 million in each of the next three seasons (with the Braves holding a $15 million team option on him in 2029 as well). As for Kwan, he still has two more years left of arbitration eligibility before potentially becoming a free agent after the 2027 season. There could still be a lot of movement ahead of this year’s trade deadline, particularly with some marquee teams looking to buy. But those teams will probably be out of luck if they are eyeing a potential move for Murphy or Kwan before July 31.