Every Melee DPS change coming to FFXIV: Dawntrail

Final Fantasy XIV’s Dawntrail is fast approaching, and with a new level cap comes new job actions. So, here’s everything we currently know about the changes coming to the melee DPS role.

Final Fantasy XIV is looking to make some big changes with the Dawntrail expansion. From a new MSQ to a new raid and new jobs to pick up, players are plenty excited to dive right in.

This includes a new level 100 cap, that brings even more abilities and actions for jobs to perform. Here’s what we know about every change coming to melee DPS in FFXIV: Dawntrail.

General

Two changes are coming to Melee DPS in Dawntrail. The first is that Second Wind’s healing potency will be increased in the level 90s range, which should alleviate some pressure off of healers if they aren’t able to reach them.

On top of that, Feint’s duration is being increased to 15 seconds in the level 90s, which aligns with other changes such as Reprisal being increased.

Monk

Monk has received some of the larger changes in Dawntrail. Instead of their basic combo centering around refreshing the DoT and damage buff, they’ll perform actions in a certain order to increase potency.

According to the devs, the job should feel mostly the same while relieving pressure from players when they’re uncertain about which action to use next when their rotation is interrupted.

Monk will also be able to accumulate up to a total of 10 Chakra when Brotherhood is active, preventing them from overflowing their resources.

Dragoon

Similarly, Dragoon is receiving a rework in Dawntrail, which should change how the class plays. Firstly, the devs are adding a fifth combo action that will no longer be a directional attack, reducing the positioning requirements for the class.

Secondly, at the beginning of a battle, Life of the Dragon will be available without accumulating any Dragon Gauge.

Finally, the devs want to reduce the number of inputs during Dragoon’s burst phase, removing certain actions or adjusting them to prevent this.

Ninja

Ninja is receiving some nice quality-of-life buffs in the removal of Huton. Huton will now be moved to a trait and will always be active, while the active button itself will be changed to an AoE attack which grants Hidden.

Actions like Armor Crush, which originally extended the duration of Huton’s effect, will be adjusted in accordance with these new changes.

Samurai

Samurai is also having part of its class simplified, with Tsubame-gaeshi now only being executable after you cast Meikyo Shisui.

Alongside this change, Hakaze, Tenka Goken, and Midare Setsugekka will be upgraded into new actions, likely giving them a flashy new look.

Reaper

Reaper’s Plentiful Harvest effect will no longer increase the Shroud Gauge by 50, instead it will allow for the execution of Enshroud. This will prevent Reapers from overcapping during their two-minute window, a nice quality of life buff for the class.

On top of that, a new action will be available to Reapers when they cast Enshroud.

Viper

Viper is the newest class being added to Dawntrail. Focusing on Dexterity stats, the class will share the same armor as Ninja.

Viper will shift between using dual blades and double-bladed strikes in their combos and abilities. The new class was also designed with button bloat in mind and therefore has fewer actions that need to be set on the hotbar.