[Top 5] FF14 Best DPS for Raids - What's the Best DPS to Play?

[Top 5] FF14 Best DPS for Raids - What's the Best DPS to Play?
We are talking about Red DPS here.


What would be the best DPS for doing raids in FF XIV?

There are various types of raids in Final Fantasy XIV, the 8 men raids and the many men raids are raids based on the number of participants. There are also raids based on difficulties, like normal raids, savage raids, and ultimate raids. In raids, the roles also have their important part to play, and that includes the DPS. There are a lot of DPS in Final Fantasy XIV, there are Blue DPS, Green DPS, and Red DPS. Now on a more serious note, which classes within the Red DPS are great to play for the raids? Today, I’m going to give you my opinion on that matter. These are the Best 5 DPS to use in raids and why!

5. Dancer

Dance dangerously.

Dancer is a ranged-melee DPS. Dancers may not be the best damage dealer in the realm, but this class offers great party utilities, like buffs and shields. Dancers are like the caretaker DPS that loves to support their team members. This class doesn’t have that many buttons to press, it has simple combos and rotations with a lil’ bit of RNG factors included. With enough practice, anyone can do it!

Why Play Dancer in Raid:

  • Dancer offers great party utilities to the raid team.
  • The utilities’ Cooldowns (CD) are relatively fast too.
  • Easy rotation, not too many buttons to click.
  • A mobile class.
  • Newbie-friendly.

You Should Pick Up the Chakram If:

  • You don’t really care about high numbers.
  • You don’t like complicated rotations (because the mechanics are complex enough!)
  • You like to play the supporting role but still want to be a Red DPS.
  • You don’t mind RNG.
  • You like flashy VFX.

4. Black Mage

Because it's not white.

Black Mage is a magical-ranged DPS that deals great damage. The skills are pretty straightforward, yet the mastery doesn’t come easy. Due to this nature, people who can play Black Mage in the raids are well respected. Black Mage doesn’t come with great mobility, which makes things hard in a complex and mobile mechanic. However, this what makes Black Mages are challenging to play and maybe rewarding for some.

Why Play Black Mage in Raid:

  • Black Mage is currently one of the highest damage dealers in the realm, only second after Samurai.
  • Deal great damage.
  • This class makes the players who played it well look in high regard.

You Should Pick Up the Wand If:

  • You prefer a caster to a melee DPS that can deal big damage.
  • Simple skills with complex rotation.
  • You like challenges.
  • You like to complicate things.
  • You like to make things even more complex.
  • You want to be look in high regard.
  • You like big boom boom spells.

3. Ninja

Raiton, futon, doton and rabbit.

Ninja is kinda a melee DPS in Final Fantasy XIV. The skillset is unique and fun to play with, on top of that, Ninja is a very mobile and flexible class. The main rotation of this class is close combat and simple, but you can also deal great damage from a certain distance too. This class also offer a vulnerability debuff which is an awesome utility for the raid team.

Why play Ninja in Raid:

  • You can deal damage in closed-distance as well as a ranged one, a semi-melee DPS.
  • Awesome flexibility and great mobility.
  • Easy rotation and combo with a variety of Off Global Cooldown (OGCD) skills.
  • Great debuff and good personal buff.
  • Quick and sassy class.
  • Ninja also moves slightly faster than other classes, which is great to avoid mechanics.

You Should Pick Up the Knives If:

  • You like a mobile and flexible class.
  • You want to have various attacking skills.
  • You like a fancy jump animation.
  • You want to run like Naruto.

2. Red Mage

When black and white waltz, they become red.

Red Mage, also known as Rez Mage, is a magical-ranged DPS. Unlike their founding father, Black Mage, Red Mage is a much more mobile and flexible caster. Just like their founding mother, White Mage, Red Mage can resurrect a fallen member. With the Dual-Cast trait, these mages don’t even need to use the Swiftcast to resurrect the team! They are very versatile mages. The spells deal fair damage compared to Black Mage, few spells also have an RNG factor to them, but their utilities are the things that make people bring them to the raid. 

Why Play Red Mage in Raid:

  • Help resurrect fallen members, quicker than healers can do.
  • You can instant resurrect fallen members.
  • You can help healer to heal when needed urgently.
  • A pretty mobile caster.
  • A simple and easy to understand rotation and combo.
  • Very versatile.
  • Above all, your priority is still to deal damage.

You Should Pick Up the Rapier If:

  • You like a simple and easy to understand rotation.
  • You want to play caster but you don’t want to be constantly casting.
  • You don’t have an inferiority complex where all things are measured by big numbers.
  • But still, you want your priority to be dealing damage.
  • You want to help ease the burden of the healer.

1. Samurai

"Want to see me draw the sword? Want to see me do it again?"

Samurai is a closed-range melee class. It has great mobility skills that also deals damage and is relatively easy to play and master. In contrast to the Dancer class, Samurai is the selfish DPS with no party utilities, whatsoever. What Samurai can bring to the table is the massive DPS that this class can deal with. Samurai will make a great Dance Partner to Dancer class.

Why Samurai:

  • Currently the highest damage dealer in the realm.
  • Has a relatively easy rotation therefore relatively easy to be good at.
  • Pretty much mobile, but not as much compared to Dancer/Ninja.
  • Have the privilege of using Limit Break 3, though not all the time, but better often than not.

You Should Pick Up the Katana If:

  • You don’t care and don’t want to care about party utilities.
  • You just want massive damage.
  • You like to have a close position with the boss, ehum!
  • You like big numbers.
  • You like swords, Katana specifically.
  • You like anime.

That is, in my opinion, the best 5 DPS to play in a raid with. I do advise, however, that you should play any class you are comfortable with. Regardless of what class you decided to play, all classes are designed to be able to clear the raids. FFXIV is heavy on the mechanic side, so long as you don’t master the mechanic, even if you play the greatest class, it won’t matter at all. Remember the worst damage you can do is death! Do the mechanic masterfully and do the rotation correctly, that way you can clear up any raids!

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Born to be both gamer and storyteller, Lynn have the right amount of salt when it comes to gacha games. She level all her skills, but not enough points on humor. Still a self-proclaimed funny she is.
Gamer Since: 2001
Favorite Genre: RPG
Currently Playing: Final Fantasy XIV
Top 3 Favorite Games:Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward, DOTA 2, Diablo


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