These wyvern-commanding lancers are capable of not only dealing incredibly high amounts of damage with their Stardiver weapon skill, but also instantly removing all their enmity with Super Jump – and even healing themselves thanks to their winged companions. Because their subjobs also affect the mode of a wyvern, it can be difficult to decide which subjob to use. Here’s our list of the most useful ones!
5. Warrior
A warrior sub would be for a dragoon wanting to deal some damage. Since this puts the wyvern into offense mode, there will be no shortage of breath attacks coming every time a dragoon weapon skills. Granted this combo is not as popular for damage (especially compared to some others on this list). It’s limited in its uses when there aren’t many buffs going around, as you need high amounts of Haste, which this job doesn’t provide at all. But warriors offer a wide range of job abilities and traits that can be very attractive here. The Double Attack trait can be a large asset since your dragoon may lack it. This is most common for newer players, and it points them in a good direction for gear focus, allowing them to add up the trait and get some pretty large double attack rates. Warcry and the renowned Berserk ability go hand in hand, too. This allows dragoons to forego defense and just go all-out in attack. Conversely, they may also opt for a defensive approach by using Defender if the situation calls for it. Aggressor is also immensely helpful in situations where accuracy may be a concern.
4. Blue Mage
Simply put, the blue mage offers a multipurpose subjob for dragoons. They don’t really offer much in the way of offense due to this job turning wyverns into defensive mode. But picking blue mage does offer lots of healing and support backup with ways to remove status effects. Dragoons can set very low MP cost spells, such as Foot Kick or Cocoon, to trigger the wyvern’s healing breaths. Players can also set some utility spells like Head Butt to stun enemies, or Blank Gaze to dispel enemy buffs. It’s a rather technical subjob that varies based on the situation, and isn’t used too often. But it may still prove useful in situations where it matters. The main benefit of this job combo is in its potential as a way to change its spells based on the situation. Blue mage would be best suited for fights where defense becomes more important than offense.
3. Dark Knight
Interestingly enough, this subjob makes wyverns offer more of a multipurpose. While this sub is arguably rather niche, it still offers some great utility. Last Resort is a fantastic ability that grants 15% job ability haste. And while the Smite trait is overwritten by a dragoon’s own, the Attack Bonus trait will see to it that these draconic lancers will never be left short of attack – ever. It’s very easy for the wyvern to heal, too. As the dark knight job gives dragoons access to the spell Bio, which they can use at low HP thresholds to help them heal. Bio is highly recommended for its fast casting time and miniscule MP cost. Weapon Bash and Stun also give dragoons access to stunning capabilities, which can help control the difficulty of a fight considerably. In addition to this, you’d also gain access to Aspir, enabling your dragoon to replenish lost MP reserves if necessary.
2. Dancer
This job is a simpler form of a blue mage as a support job, and is mainly popular with newer players tackling older high level content solo. Interestingly, given the dancer’s multipurpose-like nature, this job actually turns the wyvern into pure offense mode. This means it’ll only use offensive wyvern breaths any time a weapon skill is used. To some, this may be optimal because it means that a wyvern will focus on dealing damage. Then a dragoon can take control of healing or status effect removal, due to the benefits from Healing Waltz, Curing Waltz, or Sambas. A dancer subjob also offers amazing traits for a dragoon, too. Skillchain Bonus grants a pretty sizable boost to a dragoon’s damage if they’re able to frequently weapon skill, as does the ability to apply steps such as Box Step, which lowers enemy defenses. And it’s true that a dancer’s abilities can cost copious amounts of TP, so it may also lower your dragoon’s DPS if they dance often. But it does create a safety net in situations where players are preparing for the worst.
1. Samurai
This is by far the best support job that a dragoon can use if their purpose is to deal damage. And let’s be honest, that’s what they’re here for! There are just too many good things that this job provides as far as attack (and even defense) is concerned. Specifically, this job combo will most often be replacing a warrior as a support job, because they operate in a similar way—both turning the wyvern offensive. But the samurai subjob does it considerably better. For starters, Hasso gives you a massive 15% job ability haste, in addition to a large strength, attack, and accuracy boost. These are things you just can’t live without. The valuable Store TP trait and Meditate (or Sekkanoki job ability) also let you weapon skill much more often—something that’s best exploited by dragoons looking to skillchain. And Zanshin will often allow you to attack again if you happen to miss the initial attack. Very handy. Seigan and Third Eye synergize very well in situations where a dragoon might be taking high amounts of damage by giving them ways to blink tank briefly. All of this combined with super jump, and this can be tactically used to mitigate high amounts of damage on the entire party by siphoning hard-hitting attacks, and then removing their enmity back onto the tank. With all these benefits in mind, I do think that a samurai subjob will be a dragoon’s choice for a majority of content in FFXI.
