Final Fantasy 14 just got its first new tank class in years! The Gunbreaker is an explosive new Job inspired by Squall Leonhart and his iconic gunblade. But, despite the deadly new class of weapon, this is very much still a defensive class. And the Gunbreaker is a perfect place to start if you’ve never played a tank before. So let’s dive right into our Shadowbringers guide to the Gunbreaker in FF14. There’s no time like the present!

Gunbreaker Role – FF14 Shadowbringers Guide

Despite having a literal gunblade — which includes both the words “gun” and “blade” — the Gunbreaker is not a DPS Job in FF14. They’re tanks! And they get all the advantages that every tank in FF14 does. That means they wear heavier armor, get access to damage mitigating skills, and can become temporarily invincible.

Less directly, they also benefit from the relative rarity of tank players in FF14. Gunbreakers can often get “Hero in Need” XP and gil bonuses by participating in daily roulettes. This makes Gunbreakers (and any other tank for that matter) somewhat easier to level up than DPS Jobs and even healers in Final Fantasy. They can also be quite complicated to play, however, as most dungeons, raids, and trials have unique (and complicated) mechanics exclusive to tank players. There’s a lot of responsibility on your broad shoulders!

Tanks received some across-the-board changes in Shadowbringers, as well. Whereas the role previously had two stances — one that increased damage output and one that lowered the damage you take — each tank now only has a defensive stance. The reworked modes don’t decrease damage, either. They only increase enmity generation. The upside is that defensive stances no longer reduce the damage you do, either.

Gunbreaker Abilities & Job Actions – FF14 Shadowbringers Guide

Gunbreaker is more-or-less the platonic ideal of a tank in FF14. They have a three-hit damage combo, an AoE combo, and some strong damage cooldowns. Both combos then build up charges that let them use even more powerful single-target strikes. That’s basically it! Even at higher levels, you’re just unlocking more powerful additions to your existing combos.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. Tanking in FF14 can be damn hard — maybe the hardest role overall. It’s so daunting that Square Enix gives out tank-exclusive rewards for playing as these demanding Jobs. Since the Gunbreaker doesn’t demand a lot of attention, you can instead focus on raid, trial, and dungeon mechanics. Playing a Gunbreaker in FF14: Shadowbringers seems like a fantastic way to get into the role for the first time.

You can read a full account of every Gunbreaker ability in FF14: Shadowbringers here.

Gunbreaker FF14 Shadowbringers Guide

Gunbreaker Tips – FF14 Shadowbringers Guide

Gnash before you Burst. When they start at level 60, the Gunbreaker only has access to two moves that expend their Job Gauge: Gnashing Fang and Burst Strike. Both abilities are nearly identical; they do 450 or 500 potency damage to a single target, respectively. That might make you think that Gnashing Fang is worse than Burst Strike. You’re wrong! Gnashing Fang also combos into two more moves that do increasingly higher damage — without requiring Cartridges. Gnashing Fang also has its own cooldown, so you can always use it as soon as it becomes available. Do that, and only use Burst Strike when you don’t have the other skill available.
Save Heart of Light for AoE attacks. Tanks have tons of abilities that mitigate damage. Far fewer of them protect the entire party. Heart of Light is one such skill. Don’t waste it on just yourself, when Rampart or Nebula will do just fine! Your allies have far less armor and HP than you do. Instead, make sure you always use Heart of Light when a boss hits with AoE attacks — such as their unavoidable ultimate. It’s the tank’s responsibility to know mechanics better than anyone else, and protect less informed players whenever possible.
Save Heart of Stone for right after you Brutal Shell. Speaking of protecting allies, Heart of Stone will help you defend a single friendly target. And it’s even stronger when you use it right after Brutal Shell. Not only will it reduce incoming damage against your friend, the Brutal Shell bonus will also apply a barrier that blocks it entirely. This is especially useful if one healer goes down in a Full Party. You often need to keep your last healer standing long enough to Limit Break or resurrect their less fortunate partner.

How to Unlock the Gunbreaker Job – FF14 Shadowbringers Guide

Unlike most Jobs in FF14, the Gunbreaker isn’t accessible at the outset. Instead you need to play through the game as any normal combat Job for a while. Once you reach level 60, however, the Gunbreaker becomes available in New Gridania (the capital city of The Black Shroud). Just accept the quest “The Makings of a Gunbreaker.” Finishing “The Makings of a Gunbreaker” will unlock the Gunbreaker in FF14. And unlike base game classes, the Gunbreaker begins at level 60. You do not need to start Shadowbringers content to start this quest, but you do need to own the expansion.

That’s all for now, folks! Thanks for taking the time to read our guide to the Gunbreaker in FF14: Shadowbringers. We hope it helps you master this edgy tank to the best of your ability. Until then, good luck learning the new reworks, abilities, and intricacies of the Gunbreaker going forward.

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