Gunbreaker Job Critique – Final Fantasy XIV (Patch 7.2)
Summary:
Gunbreaker (GNB) is FFXIV’s high-octane, fast-paced tank, combining gunblade combos and burst windows into an aggressive playstyle that feels more like a DPS with tank durability. However, it suffers from low passive sustain, rigid burst alignment, and underwhelming regen utility that lags behind other tanks in self-sufficiency.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Suggested Improvements:
1. Increase Potency of Regen Skills:
This would help close the sustain gap between GNB and its tank peers without altering job flow.
2. Improve Camouflage Utility:
3. Smooth Out No Mercy Burst Windows:
Add a trait that:
4. Enhance Superbolide Interactivity:
5. QoL Fixes:
Conclusion:
Buffing its healing skills, updating Camouflage, and smoothing its burst execution would keep GNB sharp while giving it the staying power and adaptability expected of a top-tier tank.
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Summary:
Gunbreaker (GNB) is FFXIV’s high-octane, fast-paced tank, combining gunblade combos and burst windows into an aggressive playstyle that feels more like a DPS with tank durability. However, it suffers from low passive sustain, rigid burst alignment, and underwhelming regen utility that lags behind other tanks in self-sufficiency.
Strengths:
- High, consistent DPS: With Continuation, Gnashing Fang combo, and Double Down, GNB contributes top-tier damage in both burst and sustained scenarios.
- Good mitigation suite: Tools like Camouflage, Nebula, and Heart of Corundum provide strong defensive coverage.
- Best-in-class mobility: Rough Divide charges allow excellent repositioning without sacrificing uptime.
Weaknesses:
- Low self-healing: Despite Aurora and Heart of Corundum, GNB lacks meaningful self-sustain compared to Warrior or Paladin.
- Burst rigidity: Gnashing Fang and No Mercy rotations are tightly timed, punishing delays or mistakes.
- Fragile in solo or low-healing content: Without passive regen or healing-on-damage mechanics, GNB can feel brittle outside ideal party conditions.
Suggested Improvements:
1. Increase Potency of Regen Skills:
- Aurora: Increase total potency from 720 to 960 over 18 seconds.
- Heart of Corundum: Boost the regen from 600 to 900 potency total and make the regen duration scale with the full 8s of the mitigation.
This would help close the sustain gap between GNB and its tank peers without altering job flow.
2. Improve Camouflage Utility:
- Add a secondary effect: “While Camouflage is active, incoming healing is increased by 15%.”
- Encourages synergy with Aurora, HoC, and party heals.
3. Smooth Out No Mercy Burst Windows:
Add a trait that:
- Extends No Mercy duration from 20s to 25s, giving more breathing room for weaving oGCDs, especially in high-ping environments.
4. Enhance Superbolide Interactivity:
- Still the most punishing “cheat death” among tanks.
- Add a small AoE burst or shield on use (e.g., “Explodes on activation, dealing 300 potency to nearby enemies and granting a 100 potency shield to party members”).
5. QoL Fixes:
- Allow Continuation to queue between combo finishers for smoother weaving.
- Improve UI tracking of Gnashing Fang combo cooldown and expiration—especially in controller setups.
Conclusion:
Buffing its healing skills, updating Camouflage, and smoothing its burst execution would keep GNB sharp while giving it the staying power and adaptability expected of a top-tier tank.
Continue reading...