Warrior PvP Guide for FFXIV

The Warrior is one of four Tanks whose speciality focuses around heavy Brawling and self sustain. Providing powerful AoE damage a good Warrior is capable of going in full offence into large groups, if that is not your play style you can backup any other role including the other tanks to maximise on their opening.

Ever since 7.1 the buffs and fixes to animations have placed Warrior high within the meta for both Frontline and Crystalline Conflict. The Warriors Limit Break to this day remains extremely powerful shutting down the guards of every player struck whilst Warrior gains CC immunity allowing you to go on a true Rampage.

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

• Extremely powerful AoE damage that can be converted into healing for self sustain through Bloodwhetting
• Limit Break not only Shuts down Guards but powers up your abilities damage whilst making you invulnerable to CC
• The ability to reduce multiple targets damage dealt by 10% with Orogeny
• A powerful Single target Drawn-in with Blota to single out targets and to drag enemies out of the high ground
• Warrior has flexibility capable of being the engaging role or to equally provide just as effective follow-up
• Your dash Onslaught will increase that target's damage taken by 10% allowing to powerful coordinated attacks

Weaknesses

• Limit Break while powerful, leaves you defenceless locking you out from using Guard for 15s
• Your ability to fight effectively requires Bloodwhetting when on cooldown you will have no means to sustain in large fights
• No defensive abilities meaning making the wrong move you will be KO'd instantly with no time to react
• Lack of Mobility having only one Dash to Target ability can leave you trapped if you over commit to a push
• Weak to CC spam as your Bloodwhetting only lasts for 10s Stuns, Binds and Knockback can prevent you from making any play

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 2,500 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 canceling too much of the Sprint duration.

A Warriors most basic combo consist of Heavy Swing, Maim and Storm's Path sharing the same 5 yalm reach you deal 5,000, 6,000 and 7,000 damage in sequence. These are Weaponskills meaning they can benefit from the healing effects provided under Bloodwhetting.

However Warrior is not big on Defensive plays and you would typically not engage without Bloodwhetting at the ready and even then you would utilise your AoE ability to maximise on the healing, meaning your Heavy Swing rotation is often times only used when you have no other abilities remaining.

Primal Rend is one of the strongest elements in your kit with a 20 yalm range that deals damage in a 5 yalm radius. Upon activation you dive onto your target dealing 8,000 damage to all within range, Under the effect of Inner Release provided by your Limit Break Primal Scream the damage is increased to 12,000.

The secondary effect is a Mass Stun lasting 2s which is why the Warrior is so powerful weather you engage first or simply follow up. Your third effect is Primal Ruination which unlocks your Primal Ruination whilst under the effects of your Limit Break.

Primal Rend is also a Weaponskill which allows for healing with the effect of Bloodwhetting which does not share cast timers with your strongest AoE abilities, this allows you to close the gap opening with a powerful stun into even more AoE damage all whilst self sustaining.

Orogeny is an instant ability with a 6 yalm radius. Ability actions will not provide healing during Bloodwhetting. Orogeny’s base damage is 1,000 which will increase up to 10,000 as your own health reaches maximum. Upon use you consume 10% off of your own HP with the benefit of all targets struck dealing 10% less damage for the next 10s.

Orogeny is your gap-closer typically following Primal Rend as this allows for you to engage with max health as part of your Burst Damage rotation with enemies now dealing 10% less damage for 10s this also plays into Warrior's self sustaining.

In very fast engagements such as backing up a Dark Knight grouping players together with their Salted Earth, Primal Rend and Orogeny combo will be you got to play within Frontline as this not only Benefits the team during your 2s stun and enemy damage reduction, this will guarantee instant damage so you will not miss out on building your Battle High.

Fell Cleave is your main action during Limit Breaks with a 5 yalm range dealing 10,000 damage to your target that converts 25% of that damage into HP. The main purpose to Fell Cleave is to obtain stacks of Burgeoning fury whilst in your Limit break to unlock you Primal Wrath since Fell Cleave is a Weaponskill.

Primal Ruination is your AoE follow up to Primal Rend also being a weaponskill you can receive the healing effects from Bloodwhetting dealing 10,000 damage to all targets in a 5 yalm radius of your first target. During your Limit Break this damage is boosted to 14,000.

After using Primal rend you will need to wait for the 2.4s recast time before use. Meaning you weave this into the Burst Rotations once of cooldown and should always be used when going for the Limit Break play as Primal Rend and Primal Ruination together land a extra 8,000 damage.

Inner Chaos Is a very Simple 12,000 damage action which is boosted to 16,000 during your Limit break, once again a Weaponskill able to receive healing from your Bloodwhetting.

Inner Chaos is unlocked following your action Blota allowing you to draw a single target in, apply light CC with Heavy to follow up once again with some decent single target damage.

Chaotic Cyclone is an AoE Follow up unlocked after using Bloodwhetting dealing 8,000 damage which is boosted to 12,000 during your Limit Break within a 6 yalm radius, once again a Weaponskill allowing for healing with Bloodwhetting active.

Primal Wrath is your damage and CC combo in one ability dealing 6,000 within a 10 yalm radius apply a 3s bind to all struck. Primal Wrath is only accessible during your Limit Break after using any 3 Weaponskills in a row which can be done multiple times during the same Limit Break.

During your Limit Break using the typical Blood-whetting and AoE damage combos you will on average gain access to Primal Wrath at least once only going for a second one should you be safe enough to do so.

Onslaught is your 20 yalm gap closer, not really utilised for damage as the damage scales from 500 up to 5,000 as your HP reaches maximum. Your target will take 10% more damage from all sources for the next 10s.

In combination with your Primal Scream and the role action Rampage you can place yourself in the ideal spot for these actions before going into your Burst Damage rotations.

Blota is your 15 yalm reach single target draw in effect launching a chain you pull the target to your side whilst applying a +75% Heavy. Blota is also how you gain access to Inner Chaos.

Blota allows you to get creative for example you can jump from high ground to pull your target with you, you can even make plays such as pulling a Limit Breaking Dancer away from your team including stopping players from escape. Never be in a rush to throw out this ability take the time to look for valuable opportunities.

Bloodwhetting is your most important ability as this is your means to sustain during battle converting 100% of your Weaponskill damage into HP over the next 10s. You will also obtain a barrier which absorbs damage totalling 20% of your maximum HP. Bloodwhetting also converts into your Chaotic Cyclone.

As Warriors hold no defensive actions Bloodwhetting is the one skill you must play around essentially being your uptime. Without access to Bloodwhetting you can be very easily overwhelmed as you also do not have access to a escape ability.

Primal Scream is your Limit Break with a 12 yalm cone AoE reach with a charge time of 90s. Upon activation you scream towards your enemies in a cone all struck cannot activate Guard and those with Guard active have it removed.

For the next 15s the power of Primal Rend, Primal Ruination, Inner Chaos and Chaotic Cyclone is increased.

You will also move 25% faster along side becoming immune to the following CC actions, Stun, Heavy, Bind, Silence, Half-asleep, Deep Freeze, Knockbacks and Draw in effect. the Limit break CC effects of Monk, Dancer and Reaper will still take effect.

For the same 15s you yourself cannot active the effect of Guard you instead have your maximum HP increased by 25% which is instantly restored by the amount increased for the next 30s.

With any Weaponskill used you will obtain 1 stack of Burgeoning Fury upon 3 stacks you can then utilise your action Primal Wrath.

The Warriors Limit Break can be used aggressively to mix with your own Burst damage creating the openings for your party whilst you run it down in full rampage mode and thanks you the removal of Guards you can combo of with any other job and there Limit Breaks. It is important to keep track of your Bloodwhettings 10s of healing as once that time is up with Limit Break active you cannot use Guard and are very easily burst down.

Your Role Actions consist of Rampage, Rampart and Full Swing full swing can be a fun pick due to its 30 yalm knock back and the ability to remove Guard from players under its effect. The best use requires high ground with maps such as Secure and Shatter and can be rather difficult to land as the Warrior using your draw in or stun before hand to line your target up is often met with Purify preventing you from landing a successful knockback.

Secondly is your Rampart which will reduce damage taken by 50% while increasing healing via actions by 25% for 15s. This is the perfect choice for the beginner Warrior increasing your already amazing self sustain even further. For a more experienced Warrior Rampart is the role action you would switch too when your team fail to back you up.

the Third and best option is your Rampage with a 10 yalm radius you increase all targets damage taken by 25% for the next 10s, this combined with the Warriors already explosive AoE capabilities you become a one man army able to deal 60-70% of most players HP within seconds. Once your Battle High in Frontline builds both your damage and healing increase meaning you would have less need to use Rampart.

One final note for Warriors choosing between Rampage and Rampart, the 25% bonus healing via actions from Rampart with only effect your Recuperate since Rampage also means you deal 25% more damage. This means for example with your Bloodwhetting healing active the results are the same if you did 5,000 to a target Ramparts 25% extra healing would heal for 6250, whereas dealing 25% more damage to a 5,000 hit would also be a 6250 heal with the bonus payoff then enemies take more damage from all sources Rampart for the Warrior is solely a defensive boost.

The first rotation is a great way to draw back a fleeing target or a hard to kill role such as Gunbreakers allowing you to deal a junk of damage whilst setting up your team, while using Blota be sure to walk backwards to pull your target further.

1. Blota
2. Orogeny
3. Inner Chaos

This second rotation is the most common way to engage from range diving in with your Stun dealing some quick damage before retreating.

1. Bloodwhetting
2. Primal Rend
3. Orogeny
4. Chaotic Cyclone

This third rotation is one of the best ways to implement Rampage into your opener by gap closing first for max results.

1. Onslaught
2. Rampage
3. Bloodwhetting
4. Primal Rend - Then follow up with other abilities

This 4th rotation allows you to Limit Break and combo of in attempts to shutting down a specific target with tough to kill Roles such as Vipers and Gunbreakers who become even harder to kill with high battle highs.

1. Onslaught
2. Primal Scream
3. Blota
4. Rampage
5. Inner Chaos
6. Primal Rend

My final rotation is for when you hold nothing back during your Limit break your going in max damage and self sustain.

1. Primal Scream - from range to hit as many as possible
2. Onslaught - dash into the group
3. Rampage
4. Orogeny
5. Bloodwhetting
6. Primal Rend - slam as many as you can
7. Primal Ruination
8. Blota
9. Chaotic Cyclone
10. Primal Wrath