Welcome to the ultimate Samurai guide for Final Fantasy XI! This guide will delve into the intricacies of the Samurai job, from its origins to its current state in Dawntrail․ We aim to cover everything from weapon skills to gear;
Overview of the Samurai Job in FFXI
The Samurai job in Final Fantasy XI is an iconic damage dealer, known for its mastery of the Great Katana․ Introduced in the Rise of the Zilart expansion, it initially served primarily as a skillchain maker․ Over time, it evolved into a potent damage-dealing class, capable of high damage output and decent defensive capabilities․ Samurai are experts in wielding the Great Katana and manipulating Tactical Points (TP)․ This allows them to unleash a flurry of skills on their enemies quicker than almost any other class in Vana’diel․ They are the demon killers of FFXI!
Role of Samurai: Damage Dealer and Skillchain Specialist
The primary role of the Samurai in FFXI is to deal high frequencies of damage, making them a valuable asset in any party․ They excel at creating and participating in skillchains, further amplifying their damage output․ Samurai possess both piercing and slashing options for close range, also having ranged options․ They have meaningful options for both low ratio and high ratio situations․ Their ability to manipulate TP allows for frequent weapon skill usage, contributing significantly to both damage dealing and skillchain construction․ Proper gearing and understanding of game mechanics is vital for optimal performance․
Samurai Gameplay Basics
This section covers the foundational elements of playing Samurai effectively․ We’ll explore TP management, a crucial aspect, and the Sen collection system․ Mastering these basics is key to unlocking the job’s potential․
TP Management for Samurai
Effective TP management is essential for any Samurai in FFXI․ Samurai are experts in wielding the Great Katana and manipulating Tactical Points, allowing the player to unleash a flurry of skills․ Meikyo Shisui grants 300 TP, and reduces weapon skill cost to 100 TP․ Zanshin increases TP gain․ Understanding when to use abilities like Meikyo Shisui to maximize TP gain and minimize weapon skill cost is paramount․ This allows for frequent weapon skill usage․ Mastering TP flow will significantly enhance your damage output and skillchaining capabilities, positioning you as a valuable asset in any party․
Sen Collection and GCD Structure
At a glance, a Samurai’s GCD structure is simplistic and easy to digest․ There are three different combos you execute one after another in order to collect their corresponding Sen․ As such, it’s a job that’s easy to get into and do moderately well with, even if your knowledge of Samurai is limited․ Collecting Sen is crucial․ Samurai manipulate Tactical Points, allowing the player to unleash a flurry of skills on their enemies․ Understanding the GCD and how to efficiently collect Sen will drastically improve your gameplay․
Subjob Options for Samurai
Samurai’s best sub job will really depend on what content you are doing and what support you have available․ The choice of subjob impacts attack power, WSD, and enmity․
/WAR and /DRK for Attack Power
When maximizing attack power is crucial, /WAR (Warrior) and /DRK (Dark Knight) become valuable subjob options for Samurai․ /WAR offers Berserk and Last Resort, significantly boosting attack for a limited time․ These abilities can dramatically increase damage output in situations where survivability is less of a concern․ /DRK, on the other hand, provides access to Dark Seal and other abilities that enhance attack, although often at a cost․ The choice between /WAR and /DRK depends on the specific encounter and the availability of support from the party․ Consider the trade-offs between raw power and potential drawbacks when selecting the optimal subjob for attack․
/DRG for Weapon Skill Damage (WSD) and Enmity Control
The /DRG (Dragoon) subjob offers a unique blend of Weapon Skill Damage (WSD) potential and enmity management for Samurai․ With access to Jump and High Jump, /DRG allows Samurai to shed some enmity․ This can be particularly useful in situations where maintaining hate is challenging․ Furthermore, /DRG provides a 7% WSD bonus (and potentially more with Master Levels), boosting the damage of crucial weapon skills․ While /WAR and /DRK excel in raw attack power, /DRG offers a balanced approach with utility for managing enmity while still enhancing weapon skill damage, making it a strategically viable subjob option․
Essential Samurai Abilities and Traits
Samurai possess key abilities and traits that define their gameplay․ These include Meikyo Shisui for TP and weapon skill cost reduction, and Zanshin, a crucial trait that enhances TP gain during combat․
Meikyo Shisui: TP and Weapon Skill Cost Reduction
Meikyo Shisui is a cornerstone ability for Samurai in FFXI․ This ability grants the player 3000 TP instantly, offering immediate resources for weapon skills․ Furthermore, it reduces the TP cost of all weapon skills to a mere 100 TP for a limited duration․ This allows Samurai to unleash a flurry of weapon skills, maximizing damage output and skillchain opportunities․ Mastering Meikyo Shisui is essential for any Samurai seeking to excel in combat, as it provides unparalleled burst potential and sustained damage capabilities․ It is contender for the strongest ability․
Zanshin: TP Gain Trait
Zanshin is a crucial trait for Samurai, significantly enhancing TP gain during combat․ This trait allows Samurai to accumulate TP at an accelerated rate, enabling more frequent use of weapon skills․ The increased TP generation from Zanshin directly translates to higher damage output and greater skillchaining potential․ It is a trait that players will love․ Mastering TP management, with Zanshin as a key component, is essential for maximizing a Samurai’s effectiveness in any situation․ Understanding how Zanshin interacts with other TP-related gear and abilities is vital for optimizing performance․
Samurai Gear Guide
Choosing the right gear is crucial for maximizing Samurai’s potential․ This section will cover essential equipment, including Great Katanas like Masamune and Dojikiri Yasutsuna, and considerations for sets like Nyame and Mpaca․
Great Katana Choices: Masamune vs․ Dojikiri Yasutsuna
Selecting the right Great Katana is pivotal for a Samurai’s performance․ Masamune (Level 119 III), augmented to Rank 15, stands out as an excellent choice, especially for Fudo spam and multi-step skillchains․ Dojikiri Yasutsuna shines when the Samurai is the sole weaponskiller, enabling Radiance skillchains․ However, a Rank 15 Masamune often delivers superior weaponskill damage, leading to higher skillchain numbers overall․ The TP bonus effect on some Great Katanas is also worth considering․ Ultimately, the best choice depends on the specific encounter and party composition․
Nyame/Mpaca Set Considerations
The full Nyame/Mpaca set has a specific niche for Samurai, offering unique benefits․ While gear choices often spark debate, understanding the utility of each piece is essential․ Consider incorporating items like the Coiste Bodhar, Schere earring, and Beithir ring into your gear sets․ These pieces can contribute to a well-rounded Samurai build․ The optimal gear setup depends on various factors, including the encounter, your playstyle, and party composition․ Full Nyame/Mpaca set have a use on SAM․ Remember to prioritize stats that enhance your damage output and survivability․
Advanced Samurai Strategies
This section explores advanced Samurai strategies․ It covers skillchaining and solo play with trusts․ Mastering these will make you a powerful asset in various situations․ This is not gospel, but things I picked up․
Skillchaining as a Samurai
In FFXI, skillchaining is a core component of Samurai gameplay․ The Samurai’s Great Katana and TP management skills make them excellent skillchain initiators and contributors․ Understanding weapon skill properties and skillchain families is crucial for maximizing damage output․
Samurai have great Damage over Time if equipped properly․ A good Samurai is highly complex in Final Fantasy XI․ Knowing when to build TP versus weaponskill to continue or close a skillchain is vital․ Communication with your party is essential for coordinated skillchains․ Consider using Masamune for Fudo spam or multi-step skillchains․
Solo Play with Trusts as Samurai
Samurai are well-suited for solo play in FFXI, especially when utilizing Trusts․ Trusts provide support in the form of healing, tanking, and additional damage․ When soloing, consider trusts that can provide buffs like Haste and Accuracy․ A tanking trust can help manage enmity․ Experiment with different trust combinations to find what works best for different situations․
Meikyo Shisui is an essential ability for soloing, allowing you to unleash multiple weapon skills quickly․ Zanshin helps maintain TP․ With proper gear and trust selection, Samurai can effectively tackle a wide range of solo content․
Samurai in the Current Game (Dawntrail)
Samurai has received substantial updates in Dawntrail, marking a shift in gameplay․ This section will cover changes and updates up to version 7․05, impacting rotations, gear choices, and overall effectiveness․
Changes and Updates in Dawntrail (up to 7․05)
Dawntrail brings significant changes to Samurai gameplay․ These changes impact rotations, gear choices, and effectiveness․ This section will be updated to reflect the meta․ Since Shadowbringers, many changes were made․ The guide will cover the changes made up to 7․05․ This section is to keep you up to date with the job․ This is not gospel, but just things picked up over the years․
This includes ability adjustments, trait modifications, and new gear options․ The aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of how to optimize the Samurai job in the current game environment․
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