FFXIV Job Tier List for 6.5 (2024)

Here is our FFXIV Job Tier List for 6.5

The final big Patch of FFXIV landed just a month ago and we're all slowly gearing up for a lengthy winter/springtime slumber until the new expansion Dawntrail arrives in the summer of 2024. But if you're looking to get into the high-end side of content now, there is no better time for it.

So whether you're looking to catch up on the recent batch of Savage Raids or are finally tackling one of the game's many Ultimate encounters you want to make sure that you pick the right Job for the job, for that, we have compiled this hand little Tier List evaluating jobs by balance while giving you a quick rundown of the current meta.

FFXIV Tank Tier List

Tanks had a bit of an up and down in 6. x with the Dark Knight dominating the DPS charts while also boasting some of the strongest mitigation of all the tanks. Thanks to rigorous changes in the balance and a rework of the Paladin Job we're almost back to where we started at the end of Shadowbringers.

S Tier

Gunbreaker – Good damage, decent self-preservation, and one of the most fun rotations of all the tanks. It now boasts the highest damage output of them all with a rotation that demands perfection. Well deserved.

A Tier

Warrior – It was weird seeing Warrior down in the dumps for so long of Endwalker. It is still the easiest tank to pick up with good damage and really strong mitigation. Making it perfect on reclears you don't want to crutch on anything.

Paladin – After a full-on rework that took the DoT away, the Endwalker posterchild has been reeled in a bit. Maybe in Dawntrail, our fellow knights in shining armor can stand in the limelight once more. But if you're looking for something reliable for progression, you can't go wrong with Paladin.

B Tier

Dark Knight – Where did it all go wrong? We had damage, all the fanfare, and the support of the developers. For once Dark Knight was on top with its superb mitigation, big damage, and easy gameplay. Now a Dark Knight is only good for Living Dead, but you might as well play Gunbreaker. Maybe next time.

FFXIV Healer Tier List

Endwalker introduced a new healer in quite a while which shook up the balance quite a bit. We got a complete rework of the entire system and healers are not split into the two genders. Those to be clear with and those we pump numbers with.

S Tier

Astrologian – Astro might be low in damage but we just can't underestimate the power of the right cards at the right time. And there is their kit which is just incredible when it comes to turning a situation around. There is no other healer as versatile that can deal with every situation without dropping a beat.

Scholar – You know why they are here. Sure we also miss those DoTs and will never stop complaining about them on the forums but with every patch, our fairy growths. And Chain Strategem always feels good to use mid-burst.

A Tier

White Mage – The classic Final Fantasy healer finally got their groove back and for the first time in years, it feels viable across the board. Sure you'll miss out on mighty buffs but the chunky healing and chunky damage make it all worth it. Our only complaint is the lack of conversion from Lilies to Bloodlilies if you don't need them for healing.

Sage – On this spot interchangeable with WHM. The new healer is simply fun to play, has great mobility, and has a unique twist on the healer game plan. But what makes them excellent for progression is their almost uncanny ability to turn a situation around in just a few button presses.

FFXIV Melee DPS Tier List

S Tier

Monk – Monk might be significantly harder to play than most other jobs in its category but thanks to Brotherhood and a top-to-bottom rework it now sits at the very top of the DPS charts. Sure you could play Samurai and have an easy life but don't you want to flex on everyone else?

A Tier

Dragoon – The crowd favorite, the one and only Dragoon is still kicking ass and taking names in 2023 going into 2024. We never got that rework Naoki Yoshida promised us but sometimes that's just how it is, isn't it? Still big damage and Dragon Sight now covers most of the arena. That's enough right?

Samurai – Samurai still induced wrath in most FFXIV players just by how easy it is to play and optimize. Sure if you're bad at it, the numbers won't lie but if you are good at SAM the damage is gonna be extreme. But maybe we'll get Kaiten back, eventually. Some day.

B Tier

Reaper – Initially conceived as “What if Dragoon was mobile but in a good way”, the shine is slowly coming off our favorite edge lords. But that doesn't mean they are bad by any means, no their freeform rotation is still fun to optimize around fights and they are still pretty cool.

Ninja – No one appreciates the Ninja, shows up to almost every encounter, and blesses the party with Trick Attack and Mug. They are often imitated but never duplicated. And with them getting a new colleague in the Scouting category we hope that Dawntrail will go the NINs way once again.

FFXIV Ranged DPS Tier List

For years the poor ranged DPS have been suffering from the ranged tax and the fact that anything that isn't Bard was usually considered griefing. Now it is better, not perfect but you will still have your fellow party members gaslight you into thinking anything that doesn't buff the party isn't viable.

S Tier

Bard – We hate it here. BRD DPS might not top the charts on paper but those silly little songs they play are just too damn useful. Now if come Dawntrail you wouldn't have to clip your song rotation by 15 or so seconds every single time, that'd be nice.

A Tier

Dancer – Might not do a lot of damage when looking at the numbers but when paired with a very strong dance partner, they might even excel the Bard in terms of usefulness. Just keep telling yourself that your party likes you for you and not the numbers you bring to your Samurai or Black Mage.

B Tier

Machinist – You hate to see it, we hate to see it but it sadly is what it is. How come that the second coolest class with a gun in this game ends up so low on the totem pole? Easy, the lack of big numbers and a stupid mechanic that puts you at the mercy of the server tick.

FFXIV Magical DPS Tier List

For our mages, it was business as usual in Endwalker. Sure everyone got a few more tools to play with and two of them got relegated to glorified assistant healer but it wasn't all bad, right? And we're getting a new one with Dawntrail so that is exciting.

S Tier

Black Mage – You can clearly tell which job is played by the director and producer of Final Fantasy XIV right? Kidding.. the way this game is balanced is that you trade mobility and party utility for big numbers, right? But when all the fights can be micro-optimized that doesn't really matter. So you go off BLM.

A Tier

Summoner – Poor Summoner. Their world was turned upside down with the most recent rework of the job. Suddenly you have lots of mobility, and cool utility across the board and your job doesn't feel like the magical version of Bard. But suddenly the magic is gone, Summoner has turned into a very easy and fun class to play but pays for it by having small numbers. Sad.

B Tier

Red Mage – This hurts. This one just hurts. How come Red Mage, one of the coolest jobs in the entire game (not biased), with a run rotation that allows for some flexibility (still no bias) really useful utility, and even a very fast rez (absolutely not biased here) is so low in numbers? This needs to be addressed! They are fun in PvP tho.

And that sums up our tier list for Final Fantasy XIV and its current standings. For more on FFXIV check out our guide to PvP and what you can expect from the upcoming Dawntrail expansion.