Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn – Marauder Tips Guide

At first glance, you might think that the class with the giant two-handed axe is a damage dealing class. However, in the case of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, the Marauder class has been called upon for tanking duties. If the Gladiator is the single enemy tank, the Marauder is the multi-enemy tank. It has several abilities that generate enmity and hit multiple enemies at once, as well as a ranged attack that generates enmity.

If you select Marauder as your starting class, you will begin the game in Limsa Lominsa. The main storyline quests will lead you to the Marauder guild, at which point you should begin your Marauder class quest. When you complete the level 10 class quest, you’ll be able to unlock other classes. When you eventually head to Ul’Dah through the storyline quests, stop by the Gladiator guild and speak to the receptionist to unlock Gladiator. You will need to get Gladiator up to at least level 15 if you have any desire to unlock the Warrior tanking job when your Marauder reaches level 30.

Early on, the Marauder gains abilities that help it deal damage and replenish lost HP. As you level up, you’ll learn more and more abilities that generate enmity and are primarily used for tanking mobs. Once you start tanking in the dungeons runs beyond level 15, you’ll see how these abilities come in handy. For instance, Bloodbath can only be used once every 90 seconds, but converts the damage of your next successful attack into HP. Use this after Heavy Swing, when Skull Sunder is active for a combo. The combo of Heavy Swing into Skull Sunder generates an attack with a potency of 200, higher than any other attack in the Marauder’s arsenal until you reach the mid-20s.

If you’re fighting multiple enemies, open the fight with Tomahawk, which is a ranged attack that generates enmity. Once the enemies are lined up, use Overpower. This attacks in a cone shape in front of the Marauder. It generates enmity with any mob it touches, which makes it ideal for tanking multiple enemies at once.

Keep a close eye on your TP as many of the Marauder’s best attacks are limited by the amount of TP you have. If you run low on TP, focus on attacks such as Heavy Swing and Skull Sunder because they require far less TP. This will give you time to regenerate some TP and get back to the more TP-heavy actions such as Overpower.

While a tank should focus on vitality (VIT) as an important stat, a Marauder already receives vitality bonuses as they level up. So while you want to find gear with vitality, strength (STR) is equally important. A Marauder is not a damage dealer in the general sense, but part of the way they maintain hate is by dishing out the damage in large quantities. They have several damaging attacks, and several abilities that replenish lost health, so having the highest HP isn’t always a necessity for Marauders. Don’t get us wrong, you want high HP, but it’s not the sole factor when it comes to finding the best gear and increasing your stats.

Stick with Prima Games as we bring you more Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn articles all this week, as well as video content coming your way following PAX Prime.