TL;DR
- Master the 2-minute burst window by pairing Technical Finish with Devilment exactly on schedule
- Keep Standard Step rolling every 30 seconds—never hold it unless boss invulnerability forces it
- Manage Esprit and Feathers proactively to avoid overcapping during dance windows
- Target SAM or your highest-performing melee with Closed Position for maximum raid value
- Build Crit-first gear for Arcadion (Savage) and optimize substats for FRU’s 735 sync
Dancer excels as a physical ranged DPS delivering exceptional raid utility through partner buffs and party-wide damage amplifiers. Your core strength lies in maintaining mobility while executing precise Standard Step and Technical Step sequences that synchronize with team cooldowns. The job’s elegance comes from its simple combo foundation paired with high-impact resource spenders that shine brightest during party buff windows.
Snapshot
| Pillar | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Role | Physical ranged DPS with party buffs and mobility. |
| Burst cadence | Every 120s around Technical Finish + Devilment. |
| Core kit | Standard/Technical Steps, procs, Esprit/Feather spenders. |
| Party tools | Shield Samba, Curing Waltz, Improvisation/Improvised Finish. |
| Default GCD | ~2.50s for clean alignment in Dawntrail tiers. |
I approach Dancer as a mobile buff amplifier—every action should either enhance party damage or prepare for the next major window. This mindset transforms chaotic encounters into rhythmic opportunities.
While 7.3 brings no fundamental DNC rework, the endgame context shifts significantly. Arcadion remains the premier Savage tier, and FRU (Futures Rewritten Ultimate) enforces a strict item level 735 sync, making certain older pieces surprisingly viable when scaled. Most importantly, Shield Samba’s enhanced 15% mitigation with Dawntrail traits provides ranged players with meaningful defensive options during progression.
7.3 Impact
| Change | Practical impact |
|---|---|
| 7.3 content drop (no DNC rework) | Your rotation and windows remain the same. Keep the 120‑second loop tight. |
| Ranged defensives at 15% at high levels | Samba lines up cleanly with raidwides and doesn’t stack with Troubadour/Tactician. Coordinate it. |
| FRU sync 735 | High‑ilvl gear scales down; substats and set choices still matter inside the duty. |
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I follow simple gearing principles: prioritize primary stats above all else, then focus on Crit scaling. If a curated BiS set suggests breaking these rules, trust the optimizer’s calculations. Otherwise, use the table below as your foundation.
Priority (highest → lowest)
| Priority | Notes that actually help |
|---|---|
| Weapon Damage → Dexterity | Always trumps substats. Don’t chase tiers at the cost of WD/DEX. |
| Critical Hit | Best scaling for ranged burst windows. |
| Determination ≈ Direct Hit | Keep these close; lean DET if you’re unsure. |
| Skill Speed | Only enough to hit the target tier of your set. Otherwise skip it. |
Melding & Consumables
| Slot | Safe meld approach (until a BiS sheet says otherwise) |
|---|---|
| Weapon / left side | Crit XII first; then DET/DH XII per set math. Avoid SkS unless your set wants it. |
| Accessories | Push Crit, then balance DET/DH to land tiers. |
| Potion | Highest‑grade Dexterity Tincture. Time it for your opener and your second Tech window. |
| Food | Use the specific food on your BiS set. If you lack that, pick Crit‑forward, then DET/DH. |
A flawless opener sets the tone for your entire performance. This sequence maximizes buff alignment and ensures your strongest abilities land within party damage amplifiers.
Timeline (Pre‑pull to 10s)
| Time | Action |
|---|---|
| ‑15s | Standard Step → hit the two steps (hold the finish). |
| ‑1s | Pre‑pot (Dex Tincture). |
| Pull | Standard Finish → Technical Step (4 inputs) → Technical Finish + Devilment (weave) → Tillana → Flourish → Dance of the Dawn → Fan Dance IV → Last Dance → Fan Dance III → Finishing Move → Saber Dance, then normal filler. |
Why It Works
| Reason | Effect |
|---|---|
| Pre‑pull Standard | Puts Standard Finish and Last Dance inside the party’s opening buff pile. |
| Technical + Devilment together | Doubles down on crit/DH and funnels team damage into a fat 2‑minute window. |
| Flourish after Tillana | Lights up procs and Dance of the Dawn, letting you dump power without overcapping. |
I avoid drifting the opener unless the boss becomes invulnerable early. If mechanics interrupt my steps, I stutter-step between inputs rather than rushing—precision beats speed every time.
Between dance windows, follow a clear priority system that maintains resource flow while preparing for the next burst. This structured approach keeps performance consistent even during progression.
Single‑Target Priority
| Priority | Press this |
|---|---|
| 1 | Standard Step on cooldown; always spend Last Dance. |
| 2 | Technical Finish + Devilment on time every 120s; cram Tillana, Dance of the Dawn, Finishing Move, Starfall Dance inside party buffs. |
| 3 | Spend Esprit on Saber Dance (don’t cap). Spend Feathers via Fan Dances when lit. |
| 4 | Filler combo: Cascade → Fountain, using Reverse Cascade/Fountainfall procs as they appear. |
AoE Priority
| Pack Size | What changes |
|---|---|
| 3+ targets | Swap to Windmill → Bladeshower. Spend Rising Windmill/Bloodshower procs. Use Fan Dance II. Keep dances on cooldown if mobs live long enough to matter. |
Mastering resource management prevents damage loss. Two gauges, one simple philosophy: never waste potential.
Gauge Flow
| Resource | How you get it | Best spend |
|---|---|---|
| Esprit | Combo hits, party actions, and dance windows feed it. | Saber Dance, preferably in buffs. Don’t cap before your dance windows. |
| Feathers | Proc actions (Reverse Cascade line and AoE cousins). | Fan Dance I/II/III/IV as procs pop. Don’t sit at 4. |
Decision Hints
| Situation | What I do |
|---|---|
| Mechanics incoming | Hold one proc to weave during movement. |
| 95+ Esprit, Tech soon | Spend a Saber Dance early to avoid capping; you’ll refill during Tech. |
| 3+ feathers, Flourish in 5s | Spend down to 1–2 before Flourish so you don’t waste new procs. |
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Partner selection requires tactical awareness based on team composition and individual performance. While default targeting high‑burst melees works well, adapting to your group’s strongest performer typically yields better results.
Partner Priority (Default, 7.3)
| Tier | Jobs |
|---|---|
| Top | SAM |
| Great | PCT / RPR / VPR / MNK / NIN |
| Good | DRG / BLM |
| Okay | RDM / SMN |
| Fallback | MCH / BRD / DNC |
When I Swap
| Trigger | Why I move the partner |
|---|---|
| The “top” melee keeps dying | They lose uptime, so the partner buff loses value. |
| A caster outperforms every pull | Give it to them for the next window and test the delta. |
| Two melee equal on logs | Give it to the player who aligns best with your Tech window. |
Community consensus reinforces this approach: prioritize the strongest burst performer and remain flexible to swap when circumstances change. Performance matters more than job labels.
Arcadion’s Babyface Champion’s raid gear and Augmented Historia tome equipment form the foundation of optimal gearing. Armor caps at i760, while the Babyface weapon reaches i765. Prioritize Crit scaling, then balance DET/DH to hit optimal breakpoints. Use gear planners to finalize melds and food selections for your specific configuration.
Representative BiS Layout (Adjust melds per sheet)
| Slot | Target piece | Why it’s here |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Babyface Champion’s Glaives (i765) | Highest ilvl for DNC; strong substats. |
| Head | Babyface Goggles of Aiming (i760) | Crit‑forward split. |
| Body | Augmented Historia Bliaud of Aiming (i760) | Tome body often wins set math. |
| Hands | Augmented Historia Gloves of Aiming (i760) | Easy Crit melds. |
| Legs | Babyface Brais of Aiming (i760) | Big primary stat and favorable subs. |
| Feet | Babyface Boots of Aiming (i760) | Helps finish Crit tiers. |
| Ears | Aug. Historia Earrings of Aiming (i760) | Balanced subs for planner math. |
| Neck | Babyface Gorget of Aiming (i760) | Strong sub spread. |
| Wrist | Aug. Historia Wristband of Aiming (i760) | Clean Crit/DET balance. |
| Rings | Mix Babyface + Aug. Historia (no dupes) | You can’t double‑up; mix to hit tiers. |
Melding Cheatsheet (Arcadion)
| Piece type | Default meld plan |
|---|---|
| Weapon, Body, Legs | Crit XII then DET/DH XII per set math. |
| Head, Hands, Feet | Crit XII, then fill with DET/DH XII. |
| Accessories | Crit XII first; choose DET or DH to land tiers. |
When comparing similar gear sets, import both into a gear planner and select the one with better potion/food availability for your server’s economy.
Futures Rewritten (Ultimate) enforces a strict item level 735 synchronization, fundamentally altering gear scaling dynamics. Two primary gearing paths emerge: utilizing the Ultimate weapon or maximizing scaled high-ilvl raid/tome equipment.
FRU Gear Paths
| Path | Weapon | Armor & accessories |
|---|---|---|
| Have the Ultimate weapon | Ultimate Edenmorn Chakrams | Mix level‑appropriate Dawntrail pieces that scale well at 735 (common picks include early Dawntrail tomes/raid options that hit Crit/DET tiers). Use a planner to confirm. |
| No Ultimate weapon | Dark Horse Champion’s Tathlums (i735) | Same logic as above. Focus substats that survive sync best. |
FRU Rules of Thumb
| Rule | Reason |
|---|---|
| Build for 735 sync first | Anything above 735 gets scaled, so substat spread matters more than raw ilvl. |
| Keep Standard/Technical on time | Ultimate fights punish drift more than Savage. Your buff windows carry your team. |
| Road‑test on a dummy | Check that your second potion lands in your second Tech in the synced timeline. |
Your defensive toolkit can save attempts when used strategically. Plan utility usage with the same precision as your damage rotation.
Raid Tools
| Situation | Button | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Big raidwides | Shield Samba | Coordinate with other ranged. These do not stack. Call it. |
| Stacks and frequent chip | Curing Waltz | Stand near your partner for “double” value. |
| Pre‑damage downtime | Improvisation → Improvised Finish | Channel briefly, then Finish for a barrier that scales with stacks. |
| Forced movement | En Avant + held proc | Weave between dodges. Don’t rush dance inputs. |
Dungeon vs Raid Use
| Content | What changes |
|---|---|
| Dungeons | Spam Samba on large pulls. Waltz after each wall‑to‑wall. |
| Raids | Time Samba for busters/raidwides on timers. Save Improvised Finish for planned bursts of damage. |
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Most performance issues stem from resource mismanagement and timing errors. Address these fundamentals first for immediate improvement.
Mistake → Fix
| Mistake | What I change |
|---|---|
| Sitting on Standard Step | Treat it like a DoT timer. Press it on cooldown unless downtime looms. |
| Overcapping Feathers/Esprit | Spend before dances; don’t hit 4 Feathers or 100 Esprit. |
| Late Devilment | Pair it with Technical Finish every time. Don’t greed extra GCDs. |
| Wrong partner target | Use the priority list, then adjust to your group’s best performer. |
Mastering Dancer requires focus on three core principles and a solid plan. Keep Standard Step cycling consistently. Synchronize Technical Finish with Devilment precisely every two minutes. Spend Esprit/Feathers proactively to prevent waste. Layer Samba, Waltz, and Improvised Finish thoughtfully to enhance raid survival. Optimize Arcadion gear with Babyface and Historia pieces, then construct a specialized 735‑sync configuration for FRU. Execute this strategy and you’ll deliver consistent burst, fluid movement, and meaningful raid contribution in every encounter—whether tackling Savage or Ultimate content.
Action Checklist
- Import optimized 7.3 Arcadion BiS set (Aug. Historia + Babyface) and configure appropriate food buffs
- Apply Closed Position to your group’s highest-performing melee and confirm the assignment in party chat
- Practice the complete opener sequence on a training dummy until execution becomes muscle memory
- Configure comfortable keybinds for Samba, Waltz, and Improvisation for emergency access
- For FRU progression, prepare a 735-sync optimized gear set (Ultimate weapon or i735 alternatives)
- Verify potion availability and confirm second potion timing with your 2-minute Technical windows
No reproduction without permission：Tsp Game Club » FFXIV Dancer Guide 7.3: Rotation, BiS, Arcadion & FRU Master FFXIV Dancer in Patch 7.3 with expert rotation tips and BiS gear strategies