Samurai PvP Guide for FFXIV

The Samurai is one of Six Melee DPS roles whose speciality revolves around bringing fear to the Meta. Whilst slow on Damage output there heavy hits vast utility and there Ability to One Shot any Player through there Limit Break. A few other roles have a means to KO targets from certain HP thresholds but the Samurai is the only one who can deal 100% HP damage.

Since 7.3 the Samurai has received a new visual effect to there Chiten which sets up there one shot ability making it easier to enemies to notice and avoid, add the new heavy ranged meta into the mix and mastering the Samurai takes much time and patients often times frustrating to players new to PvP.

Note: This guide is focused on PVP as a whole; Frontline, Crystalline Conflict and Rival wings all play differently to one another, however the fundamentals and understanding of a role translate across all game modes.

Strengths

• Access to Both a single target Stun and a 6 yalm area wide Bind
• Great Mobility with your Hissatsu: Soten holding three charges and upgrades your base rotation
• Your Limit Break Zantetsuken can KO a entire team when setup correctly
• Capable of generating shielding while dealing AOE damage with there Ogi Namikiri combo
• Hissatsu: Chiten can often work as a get out of jail free as most players will no longer attack during this 4s window
• Extra CC immunity thanks to your Meikyo Shisui which combos into powerful single target strikes

Weaknesses

• Slow Rotations allowing enemies time to CC you or to simply run away
• Your Limit Break is shutdown the moment your targets use barriers
• Full burst rotations require team pressure and can be rather difficult to complete going in solo
• Great movement to engage but no movement for escaping outside of Swift
• Weak against Burst damage once your Hissatsu: Chiten is on cool down
• No ranged abilities close combat only between 5 and 8 yalms

4.

Skill Selection

Every job has access to a few common actions, but their utility differs between jobs.

Recuperate Standard-issue Elixir Guard Purify Sprint

3.1.

Recuperate

Recuperate – This is your most important healing ability. MP in PVP is only used for this ability. With a max of 10,000 MP, recup will consume 2,000 and heals you for 15,000 HP. The amount of healing received can be increased and reduced by healing up or down status effects, such as Summon Seraph to increase or Biolysis to decrease. You gain 500 MP per 3 seconds passively, something to keep in mind!

3.2.

Standard-issue Elixir

Standard-issue Elixir – This is your second-most important healing ability. Elixir allows you to gain back all your HP and MP, resetting yourself for the next fight! The listed cast time is 4.5 seconds, which means the cast is actually snapshotted as complete after 4 seconds, after which you can move and opponents can no longer cancel your Elixir. You'll see moments where you get hit, and the position will still finish.

When not under pressure, make sure to top up your resources for the next fight. As with the animations counted in the death timer, you will be out for 20~ seconds instead vs a 4 second Elixir!

3.3.

Guard

Guard – Grants 90% damage reduction and immunity to most crowd-control debuffs for up to 4 seconds. Using another action cancels this guard early. Damage over Time effects that have been applied before Guard will always tick for the full amount and wont be negated with Guard!

Per Patch 7.1, there have been multiple abilities added that work against Guarded targets. Where Shield Smite and Chain Stratagem half the defensive bonus of Guard (90% → 45%), there are also abilities that simply ignore guard when dealing damage; Drill, Assassinate, Enchanted Riposte, Disesteem, Wreath of Fire, Serpent's Tail and Chaotic Spring

Damage per ability is now tight to animations, compared to pre-7.1 where the damage would register when pressed. This means Guard is more reactive than it has been before, but it's also possible now to start ability animations that will hit the moment your Guard ends. Beware of your surroundings and what the enemy is doing!

3.4.

Purify

Purify – Cleanses all common crowd-control debuffs and provides a 2-second immunity to further crowd control, draw in and knockback effects. Use this to prevent yourself from getting CC-chained to death. As of patch 7.35 Purify is now a cost of 2500 MP with every use and can be recast every 4s.

With the amount of crowd-control abilities, try not to be trigger-happy when using Purify. Taking a stun with no follow up from the enemy team, doesn't bring you in danger! If you have no defensives ready against a crowd-control heavy enemy team, it's recommended to play defensively before making another engage.

3.5.

Sprint

Sprint – Toggle for increased movement speed. This is a GCD and using any other action cancels the buff, so be smart in using it. Sage is a fragile job, as it has the lowest HP out of any job. If you are using off-global abilities repeatedly while running away or chasing, you should try to late-weave them if you can afford to, to avoid cancelling too much of the Sprint duration.

Yukikaze, Gekko and Kasha are the Samurai's basic 3 part combo with a 5 yalm reach dealing 6,000 damage each. These are very important to learn by either name or by there icons as when combined with Hissatsu: Soten they upgrade into there Hyosetsu , Mangetsu and Oka variants.

Which actions you gain access to depends where you are within the rotation with Yukikaze being your most important one to keep track of as this allows you to dash in to bind all targets with a 6 yalm radius.

Ogi Namikiri is your 8 yalm cone AoE which deals 8,000 damage to all targets struck, however dealing damage to a single player this damage is increased to 12,000. As long as you strike 2 or more targets you will also obtain a 9,000 barrier.

Upon use of Ogi Namikiri you can follow up instantly with your Kaeshi: Namikiri sharing the same rules and damage of Ogi Namikiri the only difference is this second follow up is instant whereas Ogi Namikiri has a 1.3s cast timer.

Striking single targets is most time only worth the effort within Crystalline Conflict within Frontline aim for those large groups the best way to strike is right after your Hyosetsu as binding players before hand helps land a multiple strike for those shields, also using Meikyo Shisui before hand grants a much needed CC immunity.

Hyosetsu, Mangetsu and Oka are your Yukikaze, Gekko and Kasha upgrades which you gain access to following your dash with Hissatsu: Soten. These are AoE Variants dealing 6,000 damage for Hyosetsu and 8,000 damage for both Mangetsu and Oka to all targets struck with a shared 6 yalm AoE radius.

You need only keep track of Hyosetsu as this is your access to mass Bind which is amazing for large team fights and preventing players from fleeing and to even combo into your Limit Break. All Combo very well in Frontline with use of the Role Action Bloodbath to increase you damage by 10% and to sustain while dealing powerful AoE's.

Zanshin is your second Cone AoE with a 8 yalm radius dealing 6,000 damage to all struck with the added benefit of converting 100% of your Damage into HP. To gain access to to Zanshin you must first utilise Hissatsu: Chiten meaning you can use Zanshin in your aggressive pushes or during a retreat and even as extra AoE Burst damage during plays such as a Dark Knights Salted Earth.

Tendo Setsugekka and Tendo Kaeshi Setsugekka is your power two part single target abilities with a 8 yalm range dealing 10,000 damage to a single target. You gain access to this skill after using Meikyo Shisui and works the same way as the Namikiri combo.

Tendo Setsugekka has a 1.3s cast timer and used right after your Meikyo Shisui you have enough CC immunity to land the strike before going right into your Tendo Kaeshi Setsugekka which is your instant cast version. This 20,000 combined Burst combo pairs very nicely with Smite to catch a player of Guard.

Hissatsu: Soten is the Samurai's movement ability that ties into other actions with a dash reach of 20 yalms in which you can also hold up to 3 charges. Upon us you obtain Kaiten for the next 10s granting you access to your Hyosetsu, Mangetsu and Oka.

A good use of Hissatsu: Soten will allow you to rapidly engage surprising enemies giving you the opportunity to land your powerful AoE's with your Hyosetsu and Ogi Namikiri being your two most used follow ups depending on weather or not you are going for the self sustain or bind.

Hissatsu: Chiten is your most important ability in the Samurai's kit being the main combo action to your Limit Break. you first receive a 33% damage taken reduction alongside dealing a 4,000 counter attack every time you take damage over the next 4s. You will also receive a 25% damage boost for the next 4s and any player who strikes you will receive the effect of Kuzushi. The final bonus for the next 10s you will have access to your Zanshin.

Chiten is the requirement to one shot players with your Limit break and many players know this you can activate Chiten even as a means of escape most players will not dare attack during that 4s window. The damage reduction and damage increase allows to make a fast aggressive play working well with your Ogi Namikiri

Mastering Samurai means mastering your Chiten and there is no one correct way to use this action with the Limit Break play for example often times your aiming to force the enemies into attacking you before throwing Chiten into the mix to ensure you land Kuzushi.

Mineuchi is a quick 2,000 damage that afflicts your target with Debana increasing your damage to that target by 15% for the next 4s combine that with Hissatsu: Chiten for the extra 25% and you can jump a player dealing 40% more damage. You will also Stun your target and extend there Kuzushi timer by 4s up to a maximum of 6s extremely useful for focusing a single target whilst playing into CC spam.

Meikyo Shisui works as a extra Purify that is useful to close the gap on your targets while avoiding CC. Keep in mind while this works like Purify you want to pre pop the action before getting CC'd as you cannot activate during CC like with Purify. Meikyo is how you gain access to your Tendo Setsugekka.

Zantetsuken is both the most punishing and punishable Limit Break in all of PvP with a 20 yalm reach dealing damage within 5 yalms around your first target. This Limit Break deals a base damage of 24,000 however to players under the effect of Kuzuchi received from your Hissatsu: Chiten you deal damage equal to 100% of that players maximum HP even through the effects of Guard.

Zantetsuken has a charge time of 120s and is very easily punished failure to kill your targets lands you amidst the enemy team should your targets apply a barrier to themselves they will survive the one shot. Barriers are applied as extra health while the Limit Break only deals 100% of there original max HP not accounting for the extra Barrier HP.

One of the best results to Landing a big Group KO with Zantetsuken is to dash into the enemy team, bait out some damage before apply Hissatsu: Chiten before Binding your targets with your Hyosetsu clustering players together for a potential mass one shot.

Your Role Actions of choice are Bloodbath, Swift and Smite all of which are amazing choices to pair with the Samurai as there is no one pick better then the other two.

Bloodbath granting a 10% damage boost and 100% damage converted into HP for 10s allows you to dive in aggressively while dealing AoE damage made stronger with the shields generated through your Ogi Namikiri and even pairs well with your Limit Break as you will instantly hit 100% HP helpful for escaping just after landing your Limit Break.

Swift is amazing as that 100% speed boost and CC immunity allow you to become a pest for enemy players mixed with the CC immunity of Purify and Meikyo Shisui you can be very tough to catch. a Strategy i utilise with Swift is you run straight through the enemy team as the distraction as they all turn to engage you, you dash in Binding them with Hyosetsu as your team follow up on your opening.

And Finally you have Smite a solid pick if your aim is to focus on securing KO's dealing up to a quick 18,000 damage which you can weave into your Burst combo's getting more deadly as your grow in Battle High's.

This first rotation is how make best use of your shields generation which sets you up for further follow up.

1. Meikyo Shisui
2. Hissatsu: Chiten
3. Hissatsu: Soten
4. Ogi Namikiri
5. Kaeshi: Namikiri

This Second rotation focuses on a single target for some quick opening burst.

1. Meikyo Shisui
2. Hissatsu: Chiten
3. Hissatsu: Soten
4. Mineuchi
5. Tendo Setsugekka
6. Tendo Kaeshi Setsugekka

This third rotation is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to utilise your Limit Break.

1. Meikyo Shisui
2. Hissatsu: Soten
3. Hissatsu: Chiten
4. Guard
5. Hyosetsu
6. Zantetsuken

This fourth rotation is how you would utilise AoE damage at the cost of burning through your movement abilities.

1. Meikyo Shisui
2. Hissatsu: Soten
3. Hissatsu: Chiten
4. Ogi Namikiri
5. Kaeshi: Namikiri
6. Hyosetsu
7. Hissatsu: Soten
8. Mangetsu
9. Hissatsu: Soten
10. Oka

this final rotation is one I commonly use to rush and Burst into a singled out target.

1. Meikyo Shisui
2. Hissatsu: Soten
3. Hissatsu: Chiten
4. Mineuchi
5. Tendo Setsugekka
6. Zanshin
7. Tendo Kaeshi Setsugekka
8. Smite
9. Hyosetsu