Black Mages, like Summoners, are magical DPS battle jobs that have been available since Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn's early days.

At Ul'dah, players will begin as a Thaumaturge before progressing to become a Black Mage at level 30. As a Black Mage, these casters excel at dealing massive amounts of damage that can wreak havoc on the battlefield.

Black Mages are arcane arts experts with the ability to control the elements, primarily Thunder, Ice, and Fire. Black Mages can use the power of these elements to cast a variety of powerful spells on their enemies.

Many players may be interested in playing Black Mage because they can deal a lot of damage and have explosive visual effects for their spells. As a result, this article will highlight ten of the best Black Mage's spells for a variety of reasons, such as granting a Black Mage access to more skills, buffing a Black Mage's spells, or simply causing pure damage.

10. Manafont

A video guide on Black Mages for beginners. See Manafont in action at 4:54.

Manafont is the first ability spell to be featured in this article. While its effects may seem simple at first glance, it can be extremely useful even at level 90 rotations.

Why Manafont is Great:

• Manafont, when activated, restores 30% of the Black Mage's MP. Given that a Black Mage's MP cap is 10,000, this will result in a 3,000 instant MP restoration.
• MP regeneration is extremely useful, especially for allowing the Black Mage to cast more spells. The majority of the Black Mage's DPS will come from their Fire element, which can cost their entire mana bar to cast.
• Using Manafont when low on Mana, as Black Mages who cast fire spells frequently do, allows the Black Mage to continue their rotation with more Fire spells before having to return to Ice phase to restore their MP.

Manafont details. 

9. Despair

A video guide on Black Mages’ spells. See Despair in action at 55:20.

Despair is the next spell to be featured in this article, and is also the first offensive spell to be introduced.

Why Despair is Great:

• Despair is a very powerful finisher spell with a 340 damage potency on the target.
• Despair also grants Astral Fire III for 15 seconds, allowing a Black Mage to cast Fire Spells with increased damage potency at a higher MP cost. This increases the potency of all Black Mage's fire spells.
• Finally, Despair can be used only when the Black Mage is under the Astral Fire effect. Because it consumes all of the Black Mage's MP, it is usually used at the end of the Black Mage's fire rotation.

Despair details. 

8. Amplifier

A video guide on Black Mage for patch 6.2. See Amplifier in action at 3:51.

Amplifier is the next ability spell to be featured in this article. Similar to Manafont, it is a support ability spell that can enhance the Black Mage’s usual rotation.

Why Amplifier is Great:

• When Amplifier is activated, it grants the Black Mage a stack of Polyglot.
• Polyglots are the Black Mage's secondary resource, allowing them to cast powerful spells such as Foul and Xenoglossy.
• Amplifier is an ability spell that can be instantly activated without the need to cast it, and it can also be weaved in between the Black Mage's normal casted spells, allowing them to use it without interrupting their rotation.

Amplifier details. 

7. Foul

A video demonstrating the Foul spell.

Foul is the fourth spell to be introduced in this article, as well as the second offensive spell after Despair.

Why Foul is Great:

• Foul is an offensive spell that deals 560 unspecified damage to the first enemy and 60% less damage to all other enemies nearby.
• Black Mage will also require one stack of Polyglot to cast Foul. This will automatically recover as long as the Black Mage has Enochian active, and it can be sped up by using Amplifier.
• Furthermore, because Foul is a powerful spell that can also deal AoE damage, it is an excellent spell that can be used in both dungeons and raids.

Foul details. 

6. Xenoglossy

A video demonstrating the Xenoglossy spell.

Xenoglossy is the next offensive spell to be featured in this list. Xenoglossy is also known as one of the most powerful offensive spells that Black Mages have.

Why Xenoglossy is Great:

• Xenoglossy is a powerful spell with a 760 damage potency for the targeted enemy.
• Xenoglossy, like Despair, will require 1 polyglot stack to be activated.
• One significant advantage of Xenoglossy is that it can be used immediately without the need to cast it. It allows Black Mages to walk while performing Xenoglossy and weave in other abilities as they do so.

Xenoglossy details. 

5. Umbral Soul

A video guide on Black Mage’s standard rotation and spells from level 50 to 90. See Umbral Soul in action at 11:00.

Umbral Soul is the next ability spell to be featured in this article. It is an important ability that can help keep Enochian active.

Why Umbral Soul is Great:

• When activated, Umbral Soul grants the Black Mage Umbral Ice and 1 Umbral Heart.
• Umbral Heart cancels Astral Fire's MP Cost Increase for fire spells and cuts the MP cost to cast Flare in half.
• This allows a Black Mage to use more fire spells because they can cast their fire spells with less MP than usual.

Umbral Soul details. 

4. Triplecast

A video guide on Black Mages for beginners. See Triplecast in action at 3:48.

Triplecast is the next ability spell to be introduced in this article. It is a very important ability that will let Black Mages have mobility.

Why Triplecast is Great:

• Triplecast is Excellent: When activated, the next three spells cast by the Black Mage have no spell cast time and can be executed immediately.
• This allows a Black Mage to use spells that require spell cast time instantly, as well as spells that take a long time to cast, such as Flare.
• Aside from allowing the Black Mage to cast spells while moving, it will also allow the Black Mage to deal more damage by casting more spells in a shorter amount of time instantly.

Triplecast details. 

3. Paradox

A video which describes why one should play the Black Mage battle job. See Paradox in action at 3:45.

Paradox is the next offensive spell to be featured in this article. It is also the last spell that a Black Mage can learn currently, as it is a level 90 spell.

Why Paradox is Great:

• When activated, the targeted enemy will receive unspecified damage with a potency of 500.
• In addition, Paradox will refresh the duration of Astral Fire and has a 40% chance of obtaining Firestarter, which will allow a Black Mage to perform Fire III without the need to cast it or use any MP.
• When Umbral Ice is used to cast Paradox, it refreshes the duration of Umbral Ice and allows the spell to be cast immediately without consuming any MP.

Paradox details. 

2. Sharpcast

A video demonstrating the Sharpcast spell.

Sharpcast is the next support ability spell that can help prolong and continue the Black Mage’s rotation in the battlefield.

Why Sharpcast is Great:

• Sharpcast, when activated, grants the Black Mage a buff that ensures the special effects of the Black Mage's next Scathe, Fire, Paradox, or Thunder spell are triggered.
• This buff will allow a Black Mage to easily earn a free proc of Fire III, Thunder III, or other procs, allowing them to instantly execute the proc spells without the need to cast them or spend any MP in doing so.
• Not to mention that Black Mages will have two Sharpcast charges, with each one replenishing every 30 seconds. This means that Black Mages will be able to use Sharpcast frequently on the battlefield.

Sharpcast details. 

1. Ley Lines

A video guide on how to properly do the Black Mage’s rotation at level 90. See Ley Lines in action at 7:50.

Ley Lines are the last spell to be featured in this article and are the bread and butter to the Black Mage’s gameplay.

Why Ley Lines is Great:

• When activated, Ley Lines will summon a circle of power beneath the black mage that will remain in place for 30 seconds.
• Standing on the Ley Lines grants Black Mage a buff that reduces spell cast time, recast time, and auto-attack delay by 15%.
• This buff allows the Black Mage to cast faster, allowing them to cast more spells while standing on the Ley Lines.
• Not to mention, with Aetherial Manipulation and Between The Lines, Black Mages can instantly teleport to the side of a party member when their location is in danger, before returning to their Ley Lines with Between the Lines.

Ley Lines details. 

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