Since the extended Evercold trailer first aired during Berlin fanfest, FFXIV players have been speculating about the new physical ranged job coming with the next expansion. The on-screen appearance of a miqo’te alongside a raptor-like bird appeared to be a strong hint, and the introduction of Visna in patch 7.56 seemed to all but confirm she represented the new job.
Any thoughts of a last-minute bait and switch were thoroughly put to rest at okyo fanfest. After announcing the delay of Evercold’s launch to February, Yoshi-P went straight into talking about the new physical ranged DPS job: Zephyr. Here’s everything we know:
Job Background and Unlock Location
Zephyr’s in-game background originates from the mountains of Ilsabard, the continent northeast of Eorzea, with the job’s gear fitting for the region’s cold climate. The Zephyrs are hunters, surviving with the aid of a crossbow and an avaian familiar known as a Nephele. The Nephele helps attack its master’s quarry with coordinated attacks, as well as offering party support not unlike other physical ranged jobs. The showcase highlights Zephyr’s evasion, emphasizing the job’s “breezy” movement actions.
If you’re eager to unlock this job as soon as maintenance ends, just wait in Gridania where you can find the first job quest. Zephyr’s starting level is 90, and as with Bastion, the job is only playable in evolved mode.
How will the Job Play?
While Fanfest provided a basic overview, nothing is yet known about Zephyr’s job actions. Those eagle-eyed players looking for more details might be able to glean a few things from the job trailer.
Throughout the trailer, we can see the Zephyr and their familiar coordinate attacks, with a big finisher move shown at the end of the trailer. While the video shows the usual mix of single-target and AOE attacks you’d expect, one thing stands out at the 50 second mark. The Zephyr player grabs ahold of the Nephele and begins flying around the arena while the familiar continues to attack. With evolved mode’s focus on giving jobs more “personality,” Zephyr’s flight might have in-game uses like being able to evade ground obstacles. This is just speculation though, and it could be the flight mechanic does something else entirely.
Zephyr will be playable when Evercold launches on February 23rd, 2027, with early access on February 19th. Check into Icy Veins regularly for more updates from Fanfest!
