Welcome to the Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood Samurai Job Class Guide. If you’re wondering what your Samurai can do or need a refresher course on the rotations, we’ll be here to guide you along the way.
Where to find the quest?
In order to find the quest to the Samurai Job, you will need to head over to Ul’dah. It’s best to travel via the Teleport ability so you can land right at the Aetheryte as the quest is almost immediately in front of it.
The Way of the Samurai
Quest level: 50 (You must have a Disciple of War or Magic level to 50).
Quest location: Ul'dah - Steps of Nald (X:9.2 Y:9.1)
Quest giver: Ul'dahn Citizen
Guide to the Samurai:
The Samurai job is a melee DPS that deals considerable damage to foes. It has a multitude of AOE and direction attacks, as well as very strong single target attacks. In my experience using the job, there are many ways to increase overall DPS: through direction attacks, which will hit multiple enemies, powerful area-of-effects that will slice enemies, and the Iaijustu attacks that will deal enormous damage (especially when using certain buffs). All of this is channeled through your SEN gauge, which will give you even more devastating attacks. Before we begin the rotation set* we will be talking about the gear.
*Rotation guide is currently as of level 60. We will update this guide with the complete rotation when we have reached level 70.
Gearing Your Samurai
First and foremost,the Samurai shares gear with the Monk job. This means you will be gearing “Striking” gear whenever you need an upgrade. This will also give you some of the best strength in the game, and your main weapon will be the Katana blade.
The Rotation: SEN Gauge
Samurai is a beast when it comes to damage. While it has limited raid capabilities, it will have decent damage from normal rotations (ie: Hakaze, Jinpu, Gekko) and enormous damage spikes when you hit you “Iaijustsu” moves. Those will be covered later in the guide.
As mentioned previously, your job starts at level 50 and must be grinded to level 60 to begin Stormblood content. If you have EXP bonuses, we suggest running content like roulettes and dungeons, or grind it out with fellow players in Heavenswards FATES and The Palace of the Dead. Additionally, with PvP now adding experience, you can also choose to run through PvP with the Samurai if you wish. When leveling to 60, we primarily used FATES and roulettes to level up within 24 hours (approx: 14 hours). This was really beneficial as we were able to learn the combos and added buffs and bonuses the job required.
In order to use your Samurai effectively, you are under the mercy of the SEN gauge. The SEN gauge features three Katana hilts on your screen. These hilts light up when executing certain combos:
Hakaze → Jinpu → Gekko = The Left Hilt
Hakaze → Shifu → Kasha = The Right Hilt
Hakaze → Yukikaze = The Top Hilt
You can also trigger the Left and Right hilts with the following combos for strong AOE attacks:
Fuga → Mangetsu = Left Hilt
Fuga → Oka = Right Hilt.
To speed this process up, you may use a great ability called Meikyo Shisui, which allows you to use the above mentioned skills without having to combo them together. What this means is that you can just use three actions (Gekko, Kasha, and Yukikaze) under Meikyo Shisui and still gain all of you SEN in three attacks.
The Rotation: Iaijustsu
Iaijustsu attacks are attacks based off your SEN gauge. Iaijustsu attacks are potent and can really be a tide turner in battle. Let’s go over them:
1 SEN: Higanbana - Attack a single target with decent damage that leaves a DOT causing bleeding.
2 SEN: Tenka Goken - Delivers an attack to all enemies in a cone shape and will directly affect the target and will deliver less damage to other enemies. This works well against multiple foes and even without buffing your weaponskills.
3 SEN: Midare Setsugekka - A beast of an attack with a potency of 720. This is easily the strongest attack for Samurai and CAN be paired with Hissatsu: Kaiten (buff that raises your next weaponskill 50%). When pairing these two together, Midare Setsugekka becomes a powerful tool when dealing with single enemies. At some points I can easily clear 13k (once managing 19k) critical damage at level 60.
The Rotation: Kenki Gauge
Just when you think you’re out of the gauge business, the Samurai pulls you back in. At level 52, you gain access to the Kenki gauge. This gauge allows you channel your blade's hidden power to use certain weaponskills and abilities. It will also help power your buffs like the aforementioned Hissatsu: Kaiten.
To gain Kenki, you have to perform combo abilities in certain situations. These situations are vital in the early stages of the job. From level 60 to 70, the requirements become less strenuous as you continue improving your skills. Here’s an example of how it works:
On the screen you will have a Katana blade with a number and a progress bar underneath it. The number represents the amount of Kenki you have to use. Using combos you can make the gauge rise with power. Here are some of the situations in order to fill the gauge:
Finish a combo using Gekko towards the back of the enemy.
Finish a combo using Kasha towards the enemy’s flank (side)
Finish a combo using Yukikaza. Note: This does not have a directional requirement.
Filling the Kenki gauge is vital to making the weaponskills use their full potential in damage production.
Actions and Traits
The Samurai class is Melee DPS class that calls upon the the blade of the Katana to use most of its attacks and will be one of the highest damage dealers in the game. Below you can find the actions, traits, and abilities of the job along with the rotation guide:
Job Actions
**Action Name** | **Acquired** | **Type** | **Cast** | **Recast** | **Effect** |
**Hakaze** | Lv. 1 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 150. Additional Effect: Increases Kenki Gauge by 5 |
**Jinpu** | Lv. 4 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Combo Action: Hakaze Combo Potency: 280 Combo Bonus: Increases damage dealt by 10% Duration: 30s Combo Bonus: Increases Kenki Gauge by 5 |
**Third Eye** | Lv. 6 | Ability | Instant | 15s | Reduces the amount of damage taken by the next attack by 5%. Duration: 3s Additional Effect: Grants Open Eyes when hit Duration: 15s |
**Ageha** | Lv. 10 | Ability | Instant | 60s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 250. Additional Effect: Increases Kenki Gauge by 10 (30 if killing blow is dealt) Can only be executed when target's HP is below 20%. |
**Enpi** | Lv. 15 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 100. Enhanced Enpi Bonus Potency: 300 Additional Effect: Increases Kenki Gauge by 10 |
**Shifu** | Lv. 18 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Combo Action: Hakaze Combo Potency: 280 Combo Bonus: Reduces weaponskill cast time and recast time, spell cast time and recast time, and auto-attack delay by 10% Duration: 30s Combo Bonus: Increases Kenki Gauge by 5 |
**Fuga** | Lv. 26 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 to all enemies in a cone before you. Additional Effect: Increases Kenki Gauge by 5 |
**Gekko** | Lv. 30 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Combo Action: Jinpu Combo Potency: 400 Rear Combo Bonus: Increases Kenki Gauge by 5 Combo Bonus: Increases Kenki Gauge by 5Combo Bonus: Grants Getsu,Combo Bonus: Grants Getsu |
**Iaijustsu** | Lv. 30 | Weaponskill | 1.8s | 2.5s | Executes a weaponskill depending on current number of Sen stored in Sen Gauge. 1 Sen: Higanbana 2 Sen: Tenka Goken 3 Sen: Midare Setsugekka |
**Mangetsu** | Lv. 35 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack to all nearby enemies with a potency of 100 for the first enemy, 10% less for the second, 20% less for the third, 30% less for the fourth, 40% less for the fifth, and 50% less for all remaining enemies. Combo Action: Fuga Combo Potency: 200 for the first enemy, 5% less for the second, 10% less for the third, 15% less for the fourth, 20% less for the fifth, and 25% less for all remaining enemies. Combo Bonus: Increases Kenki Gauge by 10 Combo Bonus: Grants Getsu |
**Kasha** | Lv. 35 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Combo Action: Shifu Combo Potency: 400 Side Combo Bonus: Increases Kenki Gauge by 5 Combo Bonus: Increases Kenki Gauge by 5 Combo Bonus: Grants Ka |
**Oka** | Lv. 45 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack to nearby enemies with a potency of 100 for the first enemy, 10% less for the second, 20% less for the third, 30% less for the fourth, 40% less for the fifth, and 50% less for all remaining enemies. Combo Action: Fuga Combo Potency: 200 for the first enemy, 5% less for the second, 10% less for the third, 15% less for the fourth, 20% less for the fifth, and 25% less for all remaining enemies. Combo Bonus: Increases Kenki Gauge by 10 Combo Bonus: Grants Ka |
**Yukikaze** | Lv. 50 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Combo Action: Hakaze Combo Potency: 340 Combo Bonus: Reduces target's slashing resistance by 10% Duration: 30s Combo Bonus: Increases Kenki Gauge by 10 Combo Bonus: Grants Setsu |
**Meikyo Shisui** | Lv. 50 | Ability | Instant | 80s | Execute up to 3 weaponskill combos without meeting combo prerequisites. Does not affect Iaijutsu. Duration: 10s |
**Hissatsu: Kaiten** | Lv. 52 | Ability | Instant | 5s | Increases potency of next weaponskill by 50%. Duration: 10s Kenki Gauge Cost: 20 |
**Hissatsu: Gyoten** | Lv. 54 | Ability | Instant | 10s | Rushes target and delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Kenki Gauge Cost: 10 Cannot be executed while bound. |
**Hissatsu: Yaten** | Lv. 56 | Ability | Instant | 10s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: 10-yalm backstep Additional Effect: Grants Enhanced Enpi Duration: 15s Kenki Gauge Cost: 10 Cannot be executed while bound. |
**Merciful Eyes** | Lv.58 | Ability | Instant | 1s | Instantly restores own HP. Cure Potency: 200 Cure potency varies with current attack power. Can only be executed while under the effect of Open Eyes. Shares a recast timer with Hissatsu: Seigan. |
**Meditate\*** | Lv.60 | Ability | Instant | 60s | Gradually increases your Kenki Gauge. Duration: 15s Kenki Gauge not affected when used outside battle. Effect ends upon executing another action or moving. Cancels auto-attack upon execution. |
**Hissatsu: Shinten** | Lv.62 | Ability | Instant | 1s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 300.| Kenki Gauge Cost: 25 |
**Hissatsu: Kyuten** | Lv.64 | Ability | Instant | 1s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 150 to all nearby enemies. Kenki Gauge Cost: 25 |
**Hissatsu: Seigan** | Lv.66 | Ability | Instant | 1s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 200. Kenki Gauge Cost: 15 Can only be executed while under the effect of Open Eyes. Shares a recast timer with Merciful Eyes. |
**Hagakura** | Lv.68 | Ability | Instant | 40s | Converts Setsu, Getsu, and Ka into Kenki. Each Sen converted increases your Kenki Gauge by 20. Can only be executed if under the effect of at least one of the three statuses. |
**Hissatsu: Guren\*** | Lv.70 | Ability | Instant | 120s | Delivers an attack to all enemies in a straight line before you with a potency of 800 for the first enemy, 25% less for the second, and 50% less for all remaining enemies. Kenki Gauge Cost: 50 |
* = Requires job quest to be completed.
Iaijutsu Abilities
**Action Name** | **Acquired** | **Type** | **Cast** | **Recast** | **Effect** |
**Higanbana** | Lv. 30 | Weaponskill | 1.8s | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 240. Additional Effect: Damage over time Potency: 35 Duration: 60s |
**Tenka Goken** | Lv. 40 | Weaponskill | 1.8s | 2.5s | Delivers an attack to all enemies in a cone before you with a potency of 360 for the first enemy, 10% less for the second, 20% less for the third, 30% less for the fourth, 40% less for the fifth, and 50% less for all remaining enemies. |
**Midare Setsugekka** | Lv. 50 | Weaponskill | 1.8s | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 720. |
Traits
**Traits** | **Acquired** | **Effect** |
**Enhanced Strength** | Lv. 20 | Increases strength by 8. |
**Enhanced Strength II** | Lv. 20 | Increases strength by 16. |
**Kenki Mastery** | Lv. 52 | Increases Kenki Guage when landing select weaponskills. |
**Enhanced Strength III** | Lv. 60 | Increases strength by 24. |
**Kenki Mastery II** | Lv. 62 | Increases Kenki Gauge when landing all weaponskills excluding Iaijustu. |