Most popular jobs in Final Fantasy XIV endgame in 2026

Final Fantasy XIV’s endgame – high-end trials, Savage raids, and Ultimates – tend to favor jobs that combine strong personal damage, reliable burst windows, and useful party utility.

While the game is well-balanced enough that every job is viable, clear popularity trends have emerged in the Dawntrail era.

DPS: The Core of Endgame Popularity

DPS is the most popular of the three roles, and some jobs appear consistently in all high level groups. These are the top picks.

First, Samurai is one of the most popular jobs thanks to its big burst damage inside of buff windows.

Dragoon provides strong consistent damage along with Battle Litany, one of the best raid buffs which increases the critical hit rate of everyone in the group.

Reaper is picked in many groups for its strong burst and a party buff Arcane Circle, which increases the group damage.

Black Mage offers the highest potential DPS, making it highly valued when played well, but also requires more knowledge of the fights to maximize the damage

Caster and ranged players who prefer consistency often choose Summoner, which has lower potential damage but is also one of the easiest classes to play, and provides combat resurrection, which is highly valued when learning the fight.

Across broader player trends, Samurai, Dragoon, and Black Mage remain among the most favored DPS choices in the Dawntrail meta.

Tanks: Balanced, but Gunbreaker Leads

Tank damage is close, meaning you can choose the one you’re comfortable on rather than chasing damage.

These are the most common raid tanks:

• Gunbreaker – Currently it’s the tank with the highest potential damage if played correctly
• Paladin and Dark Knight – Reliable choices with strong defensive kits and slightly lower damage
• Warrior – Extremely popular overall due to its simplicity and survivability

Recent trends also show a rise in tank participation, as more players level tanks for faster queues and raid demand.

Healers: Demand Over Popularity

Healers are always in demand, and endgame groups typically run the strongest and most consistent options.

These are:

• Sage – high damage for a healer and strong mitigation tools
• White Mage – straightforward, powerful healing
• Scholar – excellent for mitigation-heavy encounters

Overall, healer participation has increased slightly in preparation for high-end content, though the role remains less popular than DPS, so if you want to get invited to groups fast, learning a healer would be a good option.

Overall Endgame Trends

Across roles, popularity in endgame is driven by three factors.

These are:

• two-minute burst synergy (jobs that align well with raid buffs)
• high personal damage with low risk
• consistency and mobility during mechanics

This is why jobs like Samurai (pure damage) and Dragoon/Reaper (damage+utility) dominate raid compositions.

At the same time, the gap between jobs is small; Final Fantasy XIV is widely regarded as one of the most balanced MMORPGs, meaning player’s skill and group coordination matter far more than job choice.