FFXIV Live Letter Recap: Dawntrail Job updates, Fall Guys event return, and Mountain Zu

Final Fantasy XIV is gearing up for its next expansion debut on July 2, though you can begin Dawntrail’s early access on June 28. With Version 7.0 comes the usual flood of Job reworks and changes, and today’s Letter from the Producer Live was filled with a flood of information about all of its 21 Jobs, including both Viper and Pictomancer. 

There’s a lot to cover, the May 16 stream almost hit the 5-hour mark. If you’re looking for the bullet points — they very long, brief version — here’s a recap of the FFXIV Live Letter, including all of the Job previews, trailers, system changes, and even some weird collaborations with Mountain Dew and KFC. As a note, we’ll keep updating this Job recap as more information from the Live Letter clears up.

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FFXIV Job Action Trailer, including Viper and Pictomancer

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Viper and Pictomancer Job details, new ‘Action Change’ setting

As the Level cap increases to 100, all Jobs will see new actions and Traits. In an effort to streamline the gaming experience and avoid clutter on hotbars, a new setting called Action Change also debuts in Dawntrail. Action Change Settings will “allow you to individually choose whether or not specific changing actions will be replaced by their follow-up counterparts upon execution.”

Then there’s the new Jobs, Viper and Pictomancer. The Live Letter doesn’t provide all of the exact potencies and ability names, those come much later. Regardless, we did get a few details on some guiding design ideas and a look at how both play.

Viper, Melee DPS

• Shortened to VPR
• A fast-paced job that fluidly shifts between dual blade and double-bladed strikes with their various combos and abilities
• Has a similar total number of actions as other jobs, but designed so that fewer actions need to be set on the hotbar
• As you accumulate enough in your gauge, you enter a mode named Reawaken, and then can execute double-blade abilities
• Once in Reawaken mode, the cooldown between ability execution is two seconds, but double-bladed abilities need to be executed within a countdown timer
• There are multiple different skill rotations available
• Viper will come with a lot of abilities that provide buffs to the player, depending on which rotation is implemented
• Will be available for PvP play with the implementation of 7.0

Pictomancer, Magical Ranged DPS

• Shortened to PCT
• Prepares by painting a variety of motifs, then renders them to life to produce an assortment of effects. Renders multiple motifs to execute high-powered attacks
• Capable of granting buffs to party and self
• Three motifs include a Creature, a Weapon, and a Landscape
• Drawing motifs is different in and out of combat, with combat adding a cast time element
  • You can prepare these motifs outside of battle
• Landscape Motif will apply party buffs
• Motifs that are available on the Canvas Gauge can be rendered as attacks, removing it from the Canvas Gauge
• Upon using a Motif of any type, a new Motif will become available
• After using two Motifs of one type, a large-damage attack will become available for use
• Building up Aether Hue on your Palette Gauge will allow the use of further abilities

• Filling the Rainbow Gauge on your palette will allow you to use Subtractive Palette, which will change the element of Aether Hue, therefore unlocking different abilities
• Includes an action that allows you to move directly to a position, also increasing movement speed for a limited time
• Will be available for PvP play with the implementation of 7.0

Updates to the Tank Role in FFXIV

Role Action changes for Tanks

• Rampart and job exclusive 30% damage reduction abilities will be upgraded in the 90s level range
• Additional affects which will be applied to each Job when using unique 30% buff, though details weren’t given about what these affects would be
• Reprisal’s duration will be increased to 15 seconds in the 90s level range

Paladin

• The second and third executions of Atonement have been changed to new actions with separate animations
  • Atonement will change to these actions, so input will remain the same
• A new action that can be executed after Blade of Valor will be added 
• In order to execute Goring Blade, you will need to have Fight or Flight executed

Warrior

• A new action, which can be executed after three executions of Fell Cleave or Decimate while Inner Release is active, will be added
• A new action which can be executed after Primal Rend will be added
• Effects and animation for Inner Chaos will be updated 

Dark Knight

• To reduce the number of inputs during burst damage phases, Blood Weapon will upgrade to Delirium, and the effects of Blood Weapon will be added to Delirium
• A new action which can be executed after Living Shadow will be added

Gunbreaker

• A new action which can be executed after Fated Circle (via Continuation) will be added
• A new three-step combo that can be executed after Bloodfest will be added (no cartridge cost)

Updates to the Melee DPS Role in FFXIV

Role Action changes for Melee DPS

• Second Wind’s healing potency will be increased in the 90s level range for all Melee DPS Jobs
• Feint’s duration will be increased to 15 seconds in the 90s level range for all Melee DPS Jobs

Monk

• Basic combo mechanics will no longer center around maintaining a buff or damage over time; instead, performing actions in a certain order will increase the next action’s potency
  • The feel of the job will remain largely the same, while alleviating uncertainty about which action to use when rotation is interrupted
  • For example, Dragon Kick will increase the potency of Bootshine
• The Job HUD will have additional elements, including a new gauge
• Can accumulate up to a total of ten chakra while Brotherhood is active (to prevent chakra overflow)
• A new action will be available when Six Sided Star is active, depending on how many chakra you have stacked

Ninja

• To reduce positional requirements for the single-target combo, the fifth combo action has been changed to a new non-directional action, Drakesbane
  • Fang and Claw/Wheeling Thrust will change to Drakesbane, so input will remain the same
• To facilitate maximum damage output at the beginning of a battle, Life of the Dragon will be available without accumulating Dragon Gauge
• To reduce the number of inputs during burst damage phases, certain actions will be removed or adjusted
• Many animation and visual updates
• Spine Shatter Dive will be removed and replaced with another action that moves player position

Ninja

• Huton’s effect has been moved to a trait and will always be active
  • Huton will be changed to an AoE attack which grants the effect of Hidden
• A new HUD element will be added
• Actions which extend the duration of Huton’s effect will be adjusted in accordance with the above change

Samurai

• To simplify recast management, Tsubame-gaeshi will be changed to be executable after Meikyo Shisui
• Hakaze, Tenka Goken, and Midare Setsugekka will be be upgraded into new actions
• Traits will be added which shorten recast time for certain abilities

Reaper

• Plentiful Harvest’s effect will no longer increase the Shroud Gauge by 50, and instead will allow the execution of Enshroud
  • It now can be used when gauge is at 51 or more without waste
• A new action which can be executed while Enshrouded will be added

Updates to the Physical Ranged DPS Role in FFXIV

Role Action changes for Physical Ranged DPS

• Second Wind’s healing potency will be increased in the 90s level range for all Physical Ranged DPS Jobs
• Damage reduction of job-exclusive defensive abilities will be increased to 15% in the 90s level range for all Physical Ranged DPS Jobs

Bard

• Mage’s Ballad, Army’s Paeon, and the Wanderer’s Minuet will be changed into buffing actions which do not attack enemies
• Pitch Perfect will be changed into an AoE attack for ease of use in encounters with multiple enemies
• Straight Shot Ready and Shadow Bite Ready will become merged into one ability

Machinist

• Barrel Stabilizer will no longer increase Heat Gauge by 50, and instead will allow execution of Hypercharge
  • It can now be used when gauge is at 51 or more without waste
• A new trait which accumulates charges for Drill will be added

Dancer

• A new action which can be executed after Flourish will be added
• A new action which consumes Espirit and can be executed after Technical Finish will be added
• An action which will grant the effects of Standard Step without having to perform the steps will be added

Updates to the Magical Ranged DPS in FFXIV

Role Action changes for Magical Ranged DPS

• Swiftcast’s recast will be reduced to 40 seconds in the 90s level range for all Magical Ranged DPS Jobs
• Addle’s duration will be increased to 15 seconds in the 90s level range for all Magical Ranged DPS Jobs

Black Mage

• Various adjustments will be made to streamline certain aspects of the job, such as restoring MP upon landing ice spells while Umbral Ice is active, instead of passively over time
• A new action which repositions Ley Lines beneath the caster will be added, allowing them to be moved once during the time in which they’re active

Summoner

• Solar Bahamut, a new summon akin to Bahamut and Phoenix, will be added
• A new attack action which can be executed after Searing Light will be added
• Skill rotations will be updated to accommodate Solar Bahamut’s addition
• Summons will appear in the following order:
  • Solar Bahamut
  • Bahamut
  • Solar Bahamut
  • Phoenix
• Summoner will keep their resurrection ability through 7.X, though there’s a high chance that their resurrection ability will be removed in 8.0

Red Mage

• Manafication will no longer increase Black Mana and White Mana by 50, and will insted allow the execution of enchanted swordplay actions without cost
  • It can now be executed while mana is at 51 or more without waste
• The AoE enchanted swordplay combo beginning with Enchanted Moulinet will now consume a total of 50 Black Mana and White Mana, similar to its single-target counterpart
• When Embolden is executed, there will be an additional attack ability

Updates for Healers

Role Action changes for Healers

• Swiftcast’s recast will be reduced to 40 seconds in the 90s level range for all Healer Jobs

White Mage

• A new action allowing the caster to quickly move forward will be added
• A new AoE attack, which can be executed up to three times after Presence of Mind, will be added
• Added trait which will allow for increased stacks of Tetragrammaton

Scholar

• Seraphism, a new action which changes the caster’s appearance and enhances healing magicks, will be added
• A new DoT AoE attack that can be executed after Chain Strategem will be added
• A new trait which will provide a reduced cast for certain abilities

Astrologian

• The card system will no longer be random, and will instead simultaneously draw cards with offensive, defensive, and curative effects
• Existing cards will be divided into two groups of four, which will all be played at once as two sets which will be drawn in turn
• Damage buffs will be limited to certain cards, while remaining cards will either be defensive or curative
• Astrodyne will be removed in accordance with the discontinuation of astrosigns
• A new trait will be added which will increase the stack number for Essential Dignity

Sage

• Eukrasia will now enhance Dyskrasia II into Eukrasian Dyskrasia, an AoE attack which deals damage over time to enemies within range
• A new party buff, which heals nearby party members whenever the caster casts a spell for a limited time, will be added
• Added trait which will shorten the recast time for Sotaria

FFXIV partners with Mountain Dew, KFC, and more to recap

While it was mostly a dive into all that Job stuff, there was more at this latest FFXIV Live Letter. There’s another round of collaborations and events on the way, too. Yoshi-P revealed the Fall Guys Collaboration event for the Gold Saucer returns soon, so you can head to the Gold Saucer again on May 23 as it runs until June 10.

As for the rest, here’s a quick rundown of what you may have missed from this morning’s Live Letter:

• The US-only FFXIV x Mountain Dew collaboration is real, behold the Mountain Zu
• Phial of Fantasias will get a rework, plus you can score a free one
• FFXIV’s KFC returns soon, but it’s still a Japan-only event
• Dawntrail’s benchmark is still undergoing updates, and the team is watching feedback from players
• Yoshida acknowledged ongoing DDoS attacks and plans to mitigate interruptions

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