When first getting into Final Fantasy 14, players will get a choice of two tanks. Although both are beginner-friendly, many will recommend Marauder, as its attack rotation is simple and doesn't change too much while leveling. Although this sounds boring, Marauder, and eventually Warrior's versatility is among the highest in the tank roster. This, alongside its explosive animations, has made many players fall in love with the job. This guide will be a breakdown of Warrior's abilities when they are unlocked, and how to properly use them. In the end, we will see the full rotation at level 90 in action, just as described in this guide.
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Unlocking Marauder in FF14
At any point after reaching Limsa Lominsa, players can head to the upper decks of the northern Marauder's guild. Regardless of what job, level, or starting location, anyone can accept the quest "Way of the Marauder" and follow it through to unlock the class.
Like every class/job, Marauder has class quests to complete as its leveled. These will need to be completed to unlock skills and eventually the Warrior Job, so keeping up to date on these is vital. When one becomes available, it will be displayed under the "Main Scenario Quest" box.
Actions and Traits by Level
It should be noted that every skill unless otherwise noted, is on the global cooldown (GCD). This means that when one is used, all others also go on cooldown for 2.5 seconds. This timer is reduced based on skill speed for Marauder and Warrior.
Level 1 - Heavy Swing and Tank Mastery
Every Marauder starts with Heavy Swing, and it will be the combo starter. Alongside this, Marauder receives the trait Tank Mastery, as all other tanks do at level 1. All this does is make it so that the tanks take less damage naturally and receive more tank stats passively.
All traits are applied passively, and don't need to be placed on a hotbar.
Level 4 - Maim
Maim is the second part of the combo and should only be used after using Heavy Swing. Although its potency is higher than Heavy Swing, it only gets that increased damage during the combo. Players will know when it will deal the increased damage when the skill is highlighted on the hotbar.
All combos in the game will last for 30 seconds. Players can use this to their advantage by using most other GCD skills outside their combo, then returning to the combo later from where they left off. Other combos will cancel the current combo.
Level 6 - Berserk (60 second cooldown)
One of Marauder and Warriors signature abilites, this skill makes the next 3 GCDs used to be both a critical hit and a direct hit. Basically, the next 3 attacks hit super hard. This gets more value when more powerful skills are unlocked, but for the most part, if in battle and it's off cooldown, use it.
Level 8 - Rampart (90 second cooldown)
The first defensive skill marauder gets access to, it reduces damage taken by 20% for 20 seconds. Very useful for reducing damage taken for an extended period of time, like dungeon add packs or bosses that hit with multiple tankbuster skills over and over. This is also a role action.
Role actions, once unlocked, will always be available while on that job. Regular actions and traits will be lost if they are level synced to a level below the unlock requirement.
Level 10 - Overpower and Defiance (2 second cooldown)
Overpower is an area of effect (AoE) attack, dealing damage in a circle around the player. For the most part, when there is more than 1 target, this should be used. Using overpower will cancel out the main combo. Defiance is Marauder and Warrior's "Tank stance" (also referred to as simply "stance" in the community). Very simply, if this skill is activated, the player will receive a buff by the same name, increasing how much enmity they get when damaging enemies, forcing them to focus on that player.
In content where there is only one tank, like dungeons, this should always be on. In content where there is more than one, like raids and trials, in most situations, only a single tank should have their tank stance on.
Level 12 - Low Blow (25 second cooldown)
A simple stun for a few seconds. Useful in add packs to make the most damaging thing there stop attacking for a bit, or in rarer cases, stun a boss out of an annoying attack. This is a role action.
If stuns are applied multiple times to the same enemy, they will begin to get stunned for less and less time. After a handful of uses, they will become completely immune.
Level 15 - Tomahawk and Provoke (30 second cooldown)
This is a low-damaging skill that is capable of being used at a range. This is used at the start of encounters to bring an enemy to the tank or whenever forced out of melee range. Additionally, this also generates bonus enmity on whatever is hit, so be careful not to take aggro of the boss unintentionally in raids.
On the topic of taking aggro, provoke does just that; it places the player at the top of the aggro list. This is used to quickly get the attention of something hitting a non-tank in a dungeon or to quickly take the boss in a raid should the need arise. This is also a role action.
Provoke is not a skill to be spammed. Doing so can create problems for healers, being unsure who to heal in certain situations, or the melee DPS, who deal damage based on their position on the boss.
Level 18 - Interject (30 second cooldown)
This interrupts certain casts. Certain enemy skills will cause their cast bar to flash; using interject during this cast will make it stop, negating the attack. This is a role action.
Level 22 - Reprisal (60 second cooldown)
Another mitigation tool, in a small AoE around the player, a debuff will be applied to all enemies that reduce their damage dealt by 10% for 10 seconds. This is useful as a general cooldown for dungeons, reducing raidwide damage, or mitigating for a fellow tank. This is also a role action.
Because this is a role action, the other tank also has access to reprisal ("Rep" for short). The debuff does not stack with itself; it will just overwrite itself if both tanks use their reps, wasting one of the cooldowns. Communicate with the other tank to avoid this.
Level 26 - Storm's Path
The third hit to the main combo, for right now, it deals the most damage in the combo, and also heals the player.
Level 30 - Unlocking Warrior and Thrill of Battle (90 second cooldown)
At level 30, Marauders can upgrade their class to the Warrior job. There is no benefit to sticking with Marauder, and it is expected of all players to unlock the job as soon as possible, as most skills are locked behind it. Thrill of Battle is one of those skills, another mitigation tool that increases the Warrior's HP by 20% for 10 seconds. This is just another mitigation option that only gains value as more of Warrior's kit is unlocked.
Level 32 - Arm's Length (120 second cooldown)
One of the most niche mitigation tools, but a mitigation tool regardless. When activated, it gives a 6-second-long buff that makes it so that whenever the tank is hit, the attacker is slowed by 20% for 15 seconds. This reduces the auto-attack speed of all attacks by a noticeable amount. The issue is that this is mostly useful in dungeons due to most bosses being immune to the slow. Additionally, while the buff is active, most knockback or pull-in effects are negated. This is also a role action.
Level 35 - Inner Beast and The Beast Within
The first notable gameplay shift for Warrior, as they now have access to the "Beast gauge." Thanks to The Beast Within trait, upon landing certain parts of the combo, Warrior slowly fills up this gauge. When the gauge is at 50 or more, they can use Inner Beast, a very heavy-hitting attack.
Maximize the number of Inner Beasts used while under the effects of Berserk. If Berserk is coming up soon, avoid using Inner Beast to not use the Beast Gauge. At this level, the best Berserk will be some combination of 2 Inner Beasts and a Storm's Path.
Level 38 - Vengeance (120 second cooldown)
Another defensive option, this time 30% damage reduction for 15 seconds. This is the strongest base cooldown, hence the rather long 2-minute cooldown. Whatever the highest source of damage is, use this on whatever that is. This skill also has another effect that bounces back physical damage to the attacker for a bit of damage. This effect isn't too relevant, but does help out.
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Level 40 - Mythril Tempest
This is actually a combo action to follow overpower, dealing a bit more damage in an AoE around the Warrior. Additionally, this gives a buff called "Surging Tempest" that increases damage dealt by the Warrior by 10% for 30 seconds. This is the only way to apply this buff for a bit. There are ways to optimize this, but they are too complex for this type of guide. Besides, Warrior will get another tool before too long to make this less awkward.
Level 42 - Holmgang (240 second cooldown)
Every tank gets a skill dubbed their "Invuln," and this is commonly agreed to be the best of all tanks. On activation, for the next 10 seconds, the Warrior cannot drop below 1hp. They cannot die while under the effects of Holmgang outside very specific scenarios. What makes this skill so good is its cooldown. Four minutes may sound like a long time, but compare it to say Paladin's massive 7-minute cooldown on their Invuln, Holmgang is practically a regular cooldown. It's not uncommon to see Warriors use Holmgang 4, even 5 times in the highest tier of raiding when other tanks can only invuln once or twice. In more casual content, if resources ever run dry and death seems inevitable, use Holmgang and see what happens.
Holmgang requires a target to use and has a short range. If the target that was targeted by Holmgang dies, the buff will fall off prematurely.
Level 45 - Steel Cyclone
The AoE equivalent to Inner Beast. Everything said about that applies here; just make it hit multiple targets.
To figure out if a player should use single target skills or AoE skills, they will look at the potency of the two skills being compared. Multiply the potency of the AoE skill by the number of targets to be hit by it; if the result is greater than the potency of the single target skill, then the AoE skill should be used. This applies to every skill in the game.
Level 48 - Shirk
This skill transfers 25% of the players' enmity to another party member, which is always the other tank. This is used to assist in swapping aggro in high-end content and is rarely used in casual content. This is also a role action.
Level 50 - Storm's Eye and Infuriate (60 second cooldown, 2 charges)
This is another combo finisher for the Heavy Swing combo. Instead of Storm's Path's heal, Warriors can use Storm's Eye to receive the same "Surging Tempest" buff that Mythril Tempest gives. Although the skills have the same potency, Storm's Path gives 20 Beast Gauge compared to Storm's Eye's 10, so Storm's Eye is only used to maintain the Surging Tempest buff. Speaking of Beast Gauge, Infuriate just gives the Warrior 50. This gives an additional use of Inner Beast or Steel Cyclone once a minute, allowing for three uses of them during Berserk. This is also the first "charge" based cooldown Warrior gets access to. The cooldown is how long it takes to get an additional charge, although the skill can be used while it has a single charge. Using the skill costs one charge.
Level 54 - Inner Beast Mastery and Fell Cleave
This is it, the skill Warrior is known for. Inner Beast Mastery is a trait that upgrades Inner Beast to Fell Cleave. Fell Cleave is used in the exact same way Inner Beast was; it just hits way harder.
Level 56 - Raw Intuition (25 second cooldown)
Raw Intuition is another Mitigation tool that only mitigates 10% for 6 seconds. However, during that duration, the Warrior heals for every GCD landed per target. During add packs, it's not unusual to see the Warrior full heal themselves with just this tool, as they are healing for every enemy in the pack every two and a half seconds. The heal isn't insignificant either. Even on one target, the heal is noticeable. Players should get used to clicking this button; it's used frequently.
Level 58 - Equilibrium (60 second cooldown)
As if Raw Intuition wasn't enough, Equilibrium just heals the warrior for a bunch.
Level 60 - Steel Cyclone Mastery and Decimate
A repeat of the Fell Cleave changes at level 54, just for the AoE option. Again, just use Decimate like one would Steel Cyclone.
The attacks being upgraded are automatically changed on the hotbar, so there is no need to worry about constantly swapping attacks out when level syncing.
Level 62 - Onslaught (30 second cooldown, 2 charges)
This is the gap closer, which does exactly what it says on the tin.
Onslaught, in addition to closing the gap, also deals damage. If the mobility part of the attack isn't needed, using onslaught when already on the boss is the best use.
Level 64 - Upheaval (30 second cooldown)
This is just a skill that deals damage to a single target that isn't a GCD. Whenever this is up, use it.
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Level 66 - Enhanced Infuriate
This is a trait that passively makes any use of Fell Cleave or Decimate reduces Infuriates cooldown by 5 seconds. This will drastically increase the amount of Infuriates used in battle, so keep that in mind when managing the Beast Gauge.
Level 68 - Shake It Off (90 second cooldown)
This skill shields all nearby party members and restores health over time for everyone hit for 15 seconds. On activation, if Raw Intuition, Thrill of Battle, or Vengeance is currently active, they are dispelled in exchange for a slightly larger shield. Be cautious when using Shake It Off to not accidentally get rid of mitigation that's still needed.
Level 70 - Berserk Mastery and Inner Release (60 second cooldown)
As may be expected at this point, Berserk Mastery directly upgrades Berserk to the new skill Inner Release. Inner Release, unlike Berserk, only upgrades the next 3 Fell Cleaves or Decimates specifically. However, those attacks are free of charge, no Beast Gauge required. This drastically increases the amount of Fell Cleaves that can be used during an encounter.
The Fell Cleaves and Decimates used during Inner Release also feed into reducing Infuriate's cooldown. When playing into party member's burst phases (when everyone's damage is increased due to party member buffs), Warriors can very easily land 5 or 6 Fell Cleaves into the buff.
Level 72 - Nascent Chaos
This is a trait that passively makes Infuriate transform Decimate into a new move, Chaotic Cyclone. This move is always a critical and direct hit, akin to the buff Inner Release gives.
Only the next use of Decimate will be Chaotic Cyclone after Infuriate. This move still reduces Infuriate's cooldown by 5.
Level 74 - Mastering The Beast
Finally, it makes Mythril Tempest give Beast Gauge.
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Level 76 - Enhanced Shake It Off and Nascent Flash (25 second cooldown)
Enhanced Shake It Off adds an additional heal to Shake It Off. Nascent Flash is another cooldown option that shares its cooldown with Raw Intuition. By targeting a party member, the Warrior can effectively give them Raw Intuition. The target party member also heals based on the enemies the Warrior hits.
Level 78 - Enhanced Thrill of Battle
Makes it that, in addition to the 20% health, the Warrior also receives 20% additional healing during the buff duration. All the Warrior's personal sustain buttons also benefit from the healing buff.
Level 80 - Inner Chaos
Infuriate now also upgrades Fell Cleave the same way it upgrades Decimate, transforming it into Inner Chaos on the next usage.
If Inner Chaos is used during Inner Release, it will not cost one of Inner Releases boosted attacks, but it will use Beast Gauge.
Level 82 - Raw Intuition Mastery, Enhanced Nascent Flash, and Bloodwhetting (25 second cooldown)
Bloodwhetting functions as Raw Intuition did, just with a few bonuses. It now lasts for 8 seconds, but for the first 4 seconds, the amount of mitigation is doubled to 20%. Additionally, it also now grants a personal shield for 20 seconds. Nascent Flash has been changed to give Bloodwhetting instead of Raw Intuition.
Level 84 - Enhanced Equilibrium and Melee Mastery
Adds a health regen effect onto Equilibrium. Melee Mastery just increases the potency of the single target combo by a bit; players may need to double-check their AoE math.
Level 86 - Orogeny (30 second cooldown)
An AoE equivalent to Upheaval, they share a cooldown.
Level 88 - Enhanced Onslaught
Gives Onslaught a third charge.
Level 90 - Primal Rend
After using Inner Release, Primal Rend becomes usable. This is an attack that deals massive damage, is always a critical direct hit, hits the target and all targets surrounding it, and closes the gap if there is one. This is currently the final skill learned by Warriors.
When Primal Rend is used, it locks the Warrior from any other movement until the animation is done. Players should take care not to lock themselves in danger.
Now that we've gone over all the skills, how do we put it all together? In a battle, Warrior should prioritize making sure that Surging Tempest is up as soon as possible. After that, they should immediately start Fell Cleaving using Inner Release, making sure to open with Inner Chaos first to make sure we get the max value out of reducing Infuriate's cooldown.
After this, it's all about generating as much Beast Gauge as possible to get more Fell Cleaves while maintaining the Surging Tempest buff. Let's see how this looks in practice with a brief demonstration.
Final Fantasy 14
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS3 , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- August 27, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
