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There may be no more iconic and familiar Job in fantasy, RPGs, or even historical accounts than the Warrior. In Final Fantasy, some characters are not always represented by this title but by other Jobs/Classes, such as Fighter, Soldier, Knight, and more in the same warlike semantic field.
Still, I’m sure you know exactly what defines a Warrior in the franchise.
Combat specialists, sturdy, sometimes crude, but mighty fighters wielding weapons twice their size. In Final Fantasy, it’s not all that different. While Warrior is featured in a few mainlines and some spinoffs, they are usually a Job focusing on physical attack, heavy armor, and little to no prowess in magic.
Yet despite its limitations and the fact that it is somewhat single-minded, it’s one of the favorite Jobs of those whose first strategy is to head-on into the battlefield without a strategy. In this Warrior Final Fantasy Guide, I will show how this Job stars in its various installments and what makes it different from other combatant-like roles.
Traits of a Warrior
Warrior was considered the run-of-the-mill melee fighter. Sword in hand, with a good offense, great defense, and high HP. No special skills made them stand out among others. They functioned more like a stepping stone to more powerful Jobs than their own entity.
After spending some time in limbo, Warrior returned to MMORPGs boasting barbarian-worthy abilities such as War Crys, a massive axe, and a feral rage that prioritizes beating their enemies down to a pulp. Pretty much a reflection of the adage, “the best defense is a good offense.”
- Japanese Name: 戦士, Senshi, which means soldier, combatant, warrior.
- Main Weapon: Warriors can wield a whole arsenal of weapons, but they thrive on Swords, Axes, Two-handed Broadswords, Two-handed Axes, and Shields. Still, most can equip Daggers and Bows.
- Armor: Heavy Armor like plate mails, but generally, they can wear all sorts of armor types. In Final Fantasy XIV, they wear armor and accessories with the “of Fending” suffix.
- Common Abilities: Cover, Break Stats, Berserk, Provoke.
- Role: Melee DPS and Tank.
- Notable Warriors: Steiner, Auron, Paine, Curious Gorge.
Warrior in Each Final Fantasy Game
First of all, there will arguably be some poetic licenses here to what I consider a Warrior and you, the reader. Consider this a disclaimer.
If you read in other internet dens, you might see that many authors think of Cloud, Squall, and even Lightning as a portrayal of the Warrior Job. In contrast, I do not – even though Square entitles its noble protagonists as the Warrior of Light.
As I said in the introduction, Warrior is a comprehensive meele fighter role. But simply wielding a sword is not enough to be a Warrior. For me, having a skill set that symbolizes that Job is necessary. Steiner from Final Fantasy IX is clearly a Knight.
However, I still cited him as a Notable Warrior because he has Break abilities that appeared in the Knights of Final Fantasy Tactics. Still, those skills echoed all the way to the Warrior Job in Final Fantasy X-2.
Don’t even get me started on the MMORPGs, which have turned the Warrior into a tank that more resembles a Berserker than a Knight.
Anyway, all this is to prevent you from throwing stones at me and to shed light on how the Warrior in Final Fantasy is quite the conundrum despite being a role so prominently straightforward.
Final Fantasy I
Ironically, the Light Warriors, as the protagonists were called in the classic version of Final Fantasy I, did not have the Job Warrior for the choosing.
Or class, as it was called at the time. Initially, the role was called Fighter, a heavy meele fighter with high HP who evolved into a Knight after going through the trial of Bahamut, the almighty dragon hunter of rats.
With the numerous relaunches, Fighter morphed into Warrior. The Job has no special features other than its ability to equip an array of weapons and armor. When they upgrade to Knight, they have limited mastery over White Magicks and can wield spells up to level 3.
The most important milestone of the Warrior from Final Fantasy I was the illustration by Yoshitaka Amano that immortalized him as the poster boy Warrior of Light, used as a reference for several crossovers of the franchise’s games, such as in Dissidia, Final Fantasy World, and even as a boss in Final Fantasy XIV.
Final Fantasy III
Once our brave Onion Knights acquire their first crystal, the Wind Crystal, they unlock some basic Jobs. Among them is the Warrior.
At the start of the game, the Warrior serves as a mighty, tough meele fighter, equipping various weapons such as daggers, swords, axes, and bows, but lacking any significant abilities. At the end of the game, the Job simply doesn’t serve because you already discarded it
In the 3D version, the Warrior owns the skill Advance, which swaps their defense for increased physical damage. It was a means of differentiating the Job from others. However, in this version, the Warrior is still an entry-level Job, quickly outclassed by the many others acquired down the road.
Final Fantasy X-2
The Warrior is Paine’s primary Job, one of the three members of the Gullwings. In this version, the Warrior wields the one-handed sword. Interestingly, Yuna brandishes Tidus’ sword, the Brotherhood, reinforcing the suggestion that most Final Fantasy protagonists are Warrior-like variants – which I still beg to differ.
The Job’s innate abilities in FFX-2 include physical elemental damage and skills that reduce the enemy’s stats, such as strength or defense.
These attack types resemble Knights from Final Fantasy Tactics and Steiner from Final Fantasy IX.
This is why I said earlier that while Warrior is the most typical Job out there, after Final Fantasy III, it was represented by other titles in different installments, such as Knight or Soldier. That would change with the dawn of MMORPGs in the mainline.
Final Fantasy XI
It was in Final Fantasy XI that, after being on hiatus for quite some time, Warrior returns for good as a Job. FFXI was released before FFX-2, but I mentioned the latter earlier to keep an order of mainlines.
The Warrior in this MMORPG is one of the initial base classes, selectable at character creation. Their abilities involve increasing damage or defense, usually sacrificing one for the other.
Additionally, there are party buffs such as Wacry, which increases attack for everyone. Warrior comes with the staple Mighty Strikes, guaranteeing critical hits at every smash.
Warrior Traits increase their defense against physical damage and negative status, the odds of critical hits, the maximum HP, and other run-of-the-mill features.
To get the most out of the Warrior, it’s suggested to wear an Axe or Great Axe, a recent feature the Job carried over to the next MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV.
Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XIV kept the Warrior as depicted in Final Fantasy XI, a massive axe-wielding bruiser with bestial attacks. However, they have abandoned their role as DPS meele and become a full-time tank.
Players cannot start the game as a Warrior. The Job is an evolution of the Marauder class and can be achieved by reaching level 30 with the Disciple of War.
Warrior is a tank Job that takes hits with an open chest but remedies this with actions that heal their own HP.
In some patches, their healing is so powerful that it is common to see players doing challenges as Warriors, solo killing some bosses while their entire party decorates the floor. Unlike other tanks, they lack many utilities to aid the party, but it is a powerhouse in its own right.
How to Become a Warrior in Final Fantasy XIV
The easiest and fastest way to become a Warrior is to create a Marauder character, start in Limsa Lominsa and have fun with the game until you reach level 30, the required to start the Job quest.
I hope you are completing all the Marauder quests that Wyrnzoen gives you. After all, it’s a prerequisite to take on the “Pride and Duty (Will Take You from the Mountain)” quest, which will lead you to the NPC Curious Gorge, responsible for educating you on the craft of a Warrior.
For the nostalgic and inquisitive among you, before Stormblood, it was necessary to have Gladiator at level 15 and Marauder at level 30 to become a Warrior.
The most amusing thing was that Warrior could use all the skills that Gladiator learned up to that level. I remember how satisfying it was that my Paladin could use Raise and help random adventurers who perished along the way.
Warrior Actions Level 1-30
|
Name |
Level |
Cooldown (seconds) |
Description |
|
Heavy Swing |
1 |
2.5 |
A 200-potency attack is delivered. |
|
Maim |
4 |
2.5 |
A 150-potency attack is delivered. Combo after Heavy Swing A 300-potency combo. Beast Gauge is increased by 10 in Combo. |
|
Berserk |
6 |
60 |
Warrior gains 3 Berserk stacks. Weaponskills are always critical and direct hits by spending a stack. If under an effect which raises critical or direct hit, increases damage caused. 15 seconds duration. Extra Effect: Surging Tempest duration increases from 10 seconds to a maximum of 60 seconds. |
|
Overpower |
10 |
2.5 |
A 110-potency attack is delivered to enemies nearby. |
|
Defiance |
10 |
2 |
Enmity generation is increased while the effect is active. Reusing the ability removes its effect. |
|
Release Defiance |
10 |
1 |
Defiance effect is canceled. |
|
Tomahawk |
15 (Class Quest) |
2.5 |
A 150-potency ranged attack is delivered. Extra Effect: Enmity generated is increased. |
|
Storm’s Path |
26 |
2.5 |
A 150-potency attack is delivered. Combo after Maim A 430-potency combo. Restores own HP when in Combo. Heal Potency of 250 Beast Gauge is increased by 20 in Combo. |
|
Thrill of Battle |
30 (Class Quest) |
90 |
Maximum HP is increased by 20% and the same amount is recovered. Extra Effect: Any healing actions by others or self are increased by 20%. 10 seconds duration. |
Warrior Actions Level 31-60
|
Name |
Level |
Cooldown (seconds) |
Description |
|
Inner Beast |
35 (Job Quest) |
2.5 |
A 330-potency attack is delivered. Needs 50 Beast Gauge points to cast. |
|
Vengeance |
38 |
120 |
Damage taken is reduced by 30%. Counter every physical damage with a 55-potency attack. 15 seconds duration. |
|
Mythril Tempest |
40 (Job Quest) |
2.5 |
A 100-potency attack is delivered. Combo after Overpower A 150-potency combo. Surging Tempest is granted if in Combo. Damage dealt is increased by 10%. 30 seconds duration. Surging Tempest duration is extended from 30 seconds to 60 seconds. Beast Gauge is increased by 20 in Combo. |
|
Holmgang |
42 |
240 |
Prevents almost every incoming attack from decreasing your HP past 1. 10 seconds duration. When used on a target, their movements are halted with chains. |
|
Steel Cyclone |
45 (Job Quest) |
2.5 |
A 170-potency attack is delivered to all enemies nearby. Needs 50 Beast Gauge points to cast. |
|
Storm’s Eye |
50 |
2.5 |
A 150-potency attack is delivered. Combo after Maim A 430-potency combo. Surging Tempest is granted if in Combo. Damage dealt is increased by 10%. 30 seconds duration. Surging Tempest duration is extended from 30 seconds to 60 seconds. Beast Gauge is increased by 10 in Combo. |
|
Infuriate |
50 (Job Quest) |
60 |
Beast Gauge is increased by 50. Extra Effect: Warrior is buffed with Nascent Chaos 30 seconds duration. 2 Maximum Charges. Infuriate is executable only in combat. |
|
Fell Cleave |
54 (Job Quest) |
2.5 |
A 490-potency attack is delivered. Needs 50 Beast Gauge points to cast. ※ If the Warrior is under Nascent Chaos’ effect, Fell Cleave upgrades into Inner Chaos. |
|
Raw Intuition |
56 (Job Quest) |
25 |
Damage taken is reduced by 10%. 6 seconds duration. Extra Effect: Every successful weaponskill restores the Warrior’s HP. Heal Potency of 400 Cooldown is shared with Nascent Flash. |
|
Equilibrium |
58 (Job Quest) |
60 |
Own HP is restored. Heal Potency of 1,200 Extra Effect: Grants Regen to the Warrior Heal Potency of 200 per tick. 15 seconds duration |
|
Decimate |
60 (Job Quest) |
2.5 |
A 200-potency attack is delivered to all enemies nearby. Needs 50 Beast Gauge points to cast. ※ If the Warrior is under Nascent Chaos’ effect, Fell Cleave upgrades into Chaotic Cyclone. |
Warrior Actions Level 61-90
|
Name |
Level |
Cooldown (seconds) |
Description |
|
Onslaught |
62 |
30 |
A 150-potency attack is delivered by rushing to the target. 3 Maximum Charges If the Warrior’s bound, Onslaught can’t be cast. |
|
Upheaval |
64 |
30 |
A 370-potency attack is delivered. Cooldown is shared with Orogeny. |
|
Shake It Off |
68 |
90 |
Provides a 15% of maximum HP damage-absorbing barrier around oneself and all party members nearby. Increase damage absorbed by 2% by dispelling Bloodwhetting, Thrill of Battle, and Vengeance up to 6% effect. 30 seconds duration. Extra Effect: Grants Regen to the Warrior Heal Potency of 100 per tick. 15 seconds duration Extra Effect: Restores the Warrior’s HP. Heal Potency of 400 |
|
Inner Release |
70 (Job Quest) |
60 |
Provides 3 stacks of Inner Release, each stack granting Fell Cleave or Decimate cost-free, ensuring critical and direct hits. If under an effect that raises critical or direct hit, it increases the damage caused. Extra Effect: The Warrior is buffed with Inner Strength, becoming immune and dispelling Heavy, Bind, Sleep, Stun, and most draw-in and knockback effects 15 seconds duration. Extra Effect: Surging Tempest duration increases from 10 seconds to a maximum of 60 seconds. Extra Effect: Warrior is buffed with Primal Rend Ready 30 seconds duration. |
|
Chaotic Cyclone |
72 |
2.5 |
A 320-potency critical direct hit attack is delivered to all enemies nearby. If under an effect that raises critical or direct hit, it increases the damage caused. Extra Effect: The cooldown of Infuriate is reduced by 5 seconds. Needs 50 Beast Gauge points to cast. The Warrior needs to be under Nascent Chaos’ effect to cast this. Nascent Chaos is removed after execution. ※It is not possible to add this action to a hotbar. |
|
Nascent Flash |
76 |
25 |
Nascent Flash is granted to the Warrior and Nascent Glint is granted to a party member. Nascent Flash causes every successful weaponskill to restore the Warrior’s HP. Nascent Glint on a party member restores the same HP amount as Nascent Flash, plus reduces the damage taken by the party member by 10%. 8 seconds duration. Extra Effect: party member is granted Stem the Flow buff, taking 10% less damage. 4 seconds duration. Extra Effect: party member is granted Stem the Tide buff, nullifying damage equivalent to a 400-potency heal. 20 seconds duration. Nascent Flash shares a cooldown with Bloodwhetting. |
|
Inner Chaos |
80 |
2.5 |
A 650-potency critical direct hit attack is delivered to an enemy. If under an effect which raises critical or direct hit, increases damage caused. Extra Effect: The cooldown of Infuriate is reduced by 5 seconds. Needs 50 Beast Gauge points to cast. The Warrior needs to be under Nascent Chaos’ effect to cast this. Nascent Chaos is removed after execution. ※It is not possible to add this action to a hotbar. |
|
Bloodwhetting |
82 |
25 |
Damage taken is reduced by 10%. 8 seconds duration. Extra Effect: Every successful weaponskill restores the Warrior’s HP. Heal Potency of 400 Extra Effect: Warrior is granted Stem the Flow buff, taking 10% less damage. 4 seconds duration. Extra Effect: Warrior is granted Stem the Tide buff, nullifying damage equivalent to a 400-potency heal. 20 seconds duration. Bloodwhetting shares a cooldown with Nascent Flash. |
|
Orogeny |
86 |
30 |
A 150-potency attack is delivered to all enemies nearby. Orogeny shares a cooldown with Upheaval. |
|
Primal Rend |
90 |
2.5 |
The Warrior jumps at the enemy and delivers a critical direct hit against it and all enemies around. A 700-potency attack hits the first enemy and 70% less to all the others around. If under an effect that raises critical or direct hit, it increases the damage caused. Don’t consume Stacks of Inner Release after casting the skill. Primal Rend Ready is needed to execute the skill. It’s granted by casting Inner Release. Can’t be cast if bound. |
Warrior Traits
|
Name |
Level |
Description |
|
Tank Mastery |
1 |
All damage taken is reduced by 20%. Additionally, the Warrior’s vitality attribute grants more maximum HP, and the strength attribute increases damage dealt further. |
|
The Beast Within |
35 (Job Quest) |
Casting Maim or Storm’s Path correctly in a combo increases Beast Gauge. |
|
Inner Beast Mastery |
54 (Job Quest) |
Inner Beast is upgraded to Fell Cleave |
|
Steel Cyclone Mastery |
60 (Job Quest) |
Steel Cyclone is upgraded to Decimate. |
|
Enhanced Infuriate |
66 |
Striking a target with Decimate, Fell Cleave, Steel Cyclone, or Inner beast reduces Infuriate cooldown by 5 seconds. |
|
Berserk Mastery |
70 (Job Quest) |
Berserk is upgraded to Inner Release |
|
Nascent Chaos |
72 |
Nascent Chaos is granted by casting Infuriate. While the effect is active, Decimate is upgraded to Chaotic Cyclone. At level 80, Fell Cleave is upgraded to Inner Chaos. 30 seconds duration. |
|
Mastering the Beast |
74 |
Casting Mythril Tempest correctly in a combo increases Beast Gauge. |
|
Enhanced Shake It Off |
76 |
Shake It Off gets an extra healing effect. Heal Potency of 300 |
|
Enhanced Thrill of Battle |
78 |
Thrill of Battle gets an additional effect that increases all HP recovery cast on the Warrior by 20%. |
|
Raw Intuition Mastery |
82 |
Raw Intuition is upgraded to Bloodwhetting. |
|
Enhanced Nascent Flash |
82 |
Nascent Flash and Nascent Gling duration is extended to 8 seconds. Target is granted Stem the Flow, and all incoming damage is reduced by 10%. 4 seconds duration Target is granted Stem the Tide, and all incoming damage is nullified, equivalent to a 400-potency heal. 20 seconds duration |
|
Enhanced Equilibrium |
84 |
The Warrior is granted a regen to self. Heal Potency of 200 15 seconds duration |
|
Melee Mastery |
84 |
Heavy Swing’s potency increased to 200, Maim’s potency increased to 150, Storm’s Path’s potency increased to 150, and Storm’s Eye’s potency increased to 150. |
|
Enhanced Onslaught |
88 |
Onslaught charges can now stack threefold. |
Warrior’s Gauges in Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XIV’s Warrior has the Beast Gauge, which performs two functions. The first function is for the inattentive who forgets to activate their tank stance in every dungeon. When you turn on Defiance, the Beast Gauge becomes active like a red crystal fills the space.
After reaching level 35, the Warrior learns actions that use the Beast Gauge resource, such as Inner Beast. Well-executed combos increase this gauge, shown by a bar that goes from 0 to 100.
Honestly, it is the simplest gauge among all the Jobs, but it matches the characteristic of a Warrior bulldozing head-on into the heart of an army.
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and A2
In the tactical spinoffs, the Warrior is a Job exclusive to the lizard-like race, Bangaa – don’t tell them I called them lizards. It is basically a counterpart to the Humes’ Soldier Job, sharing various battle techs that reduce the enemy’s attributes.
Warriors wield swords or broadswords in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and A2 and are a basic version of the Bangaa melee fighters in both games.
In Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Warriors’ skills are prerequisites to becoming Dragoon, Defender, or Gladiator. In Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Warriors grow into Dragoon and Gladiator and share the evolution to Master Monk alongside the White Monk Job.
FAQs
Question: How to Unlock Warrior in FFXIV?
Answer: Warrior is the Marauder’s evolution, one of the Disciple of War selectable when creating a character. You don’t need to start out as a Marauder to become one, but it’s the fastest process.
When you reach level 30 with a Marauder, you must complete all their previous class quest until you get the “Pride and Duty (Will Take You from the Mountain)” from Wyrnzoen at Limsa Lominsa.
He’s located in the Upper Decks (X:11.2 Y:6.1). The quest will take you to Costa del Sol and eventually Curious Gorge, which in addition to rewarding you with the Soul of the Warrior crystal, will accompany you through all the other Warrior quests in A Realm Reborn.
Question: What’s the Role of Warrior in FFXIV?
Answer: Fairly different than its previous iterations. Previously, the Warrior was a melee fighter, focused on defense and offense, with skills capable of reducing an enemy’s attribute. In Final Fantasy XIV, the Warrior had to adapt to the MMORPG gameplay by switching almost their entire skill set.
On top of that, their role is now Tank, one who stands at the vanguard attracting bosses into the corner of the arena.
I know it sounds counterintuitive for a Warrior to be tanking, and I have seen many new players start their journey in Final Fantasy XIV as Marauder without knowing they would stand on the frontlines, but it works really well.
Question: Is Warrior of Light Related to Warrior in Final Fantasy?
Answer: Despite the name resemblance, no. In fact, I believe the Warrior of Light moniker was responsible for keeping the Warrior, as a Job, shy from the mainlines for so long.
After all, how can the title of the supreme hero also be one of the most basic and easily disposable Jobs in favor of better ones? But digressing aside, there is an artistic and branding relationship.
The Warrior of Light depicted in games like Dissidia, Final Fantasy World, and any mobile game was based on an artwork by Yoshitaka Amano for the Warrior/Knight class from the original Final Fantasy I.
The Warrior of the Spotlight
Warrior was always considered an initial step in the adventures of the Final Fantasy heroes. In the first game, Warrior evolved into Knight. In the third, it was quickly swapped out for more powerful Jobs.
Even in the spinoffs, the Warrior serves only as a prerequisite for advanced Jobs, and its usefulness is reserved for a subjob. However, it was with the MMORPGs that the Warrior and many other Jobs returned to the spotlight.
Perhaps the title Warrior of Light has taken a bit of the shine off the Job named Warrior, after all, just writing that paragraph has already messed me up.
However, we see that the Warrior has taken on an identity of their own, with fierce characteristics and a weapon to call home. From now on, I imagine we will see many more Warriors in future Final Fantasy and recognize them effortlessly, just as we do Dragoons, Black Mages, or Paladins.