Community Dancer Guide

From FFXI Wiki

General Information


This Guide is an amalgamation of various insights from FFXIAH community members who happen to talk passionately about Dancer in this game.

Tis the beatin' of the heart what lays the foundation. Ye embrace it with yer whole body, and then e'er so gently start tappin' out the steps. Yer blood gets t'bubblin' an' ye can hear it percolatin' about in there. An' then ye might stick a twirlin' turn and send it rushin' t'all yer extremities. Shimmies straight up the spine and sends a shudder clean through ye, it does. After that, then she's mine an' no mistakin'. Haven't the faintest where I be or how I got there, I just am. An' everyone around fuels me, each of 'em offerin' up their own—a symphony o' souls. An' that's yer rhythm. Ye cannot help but dance. — 'Laila Brillioth'

Roles

Dancers (DNC) are front-line hybrid class that can benefit the party, enfeeble monsters and deal a lot of DPS if utilized properly. Not only are they competent fighters, but the TP they accumulate is used to fuel their various abilities. They execute Waltzes and Sambas to heal and create beneficial effects, and perform Steps to inflict negative effects upon the enemy. A touch of customization is added with Flourish, which allows a step to be completed with a variety of bonuses to aid the Dancer's party. Obtained by completing the Lakeside Minuet quest.

Abilities and Traits

Job Traits

The following table lists the Job Traits of a level 99 Dancer and their effects at that level alphabetically. For more information about these Job Traits, e. g. its tiers (if any) and at which level they are attained, they are linked to their BG Wiki pages.

Trait Effect
Accuracy Bonus Accuracy +35
Closed Position Accuracy +3 and Evasion +3 per merit level when facing the target
Conserve TP Cuts down the TP cost of weapon skills 25% of the time
Critical Attack Bonus Critical hit damage +11%
Dual Wield Combined delay -30%
Evasion Bonus Evasion +48
Resist Slow Increases resistance against Slow
Skillchain Bonus Skillchain damage +23%
Subtle Blow Reduced TP fed to enemies by 20%
Tactical Parry 50 TP per parry


These Job Traits define Dancer's base capabilities: a fast-hitting and evasive front-line job with a lot of accuracy and bonuses to both white damage and weapon skills when you close Skillchains with them.

Gifts from Job Points

Gift Cumulative Bonus
Capacity Point Bonus 320%
Physical Defense Bonus 42
Physical Attack Bonus 42
Physical Evasion Bonus 64
Physical Accuracy Bonus 64
Magic Evasion Bonus 36
Magic Accuracy Bonus 36
Subtle Blow Effect 13%
Critical Damage Bonus 8%
Skillchain Bonus 6%
Superior 1 Enables the player to equip items marked as Superior 1 (Su1)
Superior 2 Enables the player to equip items marked as Superior 2 (Su2)
Superior 3 Enables the player to equip items marked as Superior 3 (Su3)
Superior 4 Enables the player to equip items marked as Superior 4 (Su4)
Superior 5 Enables the player to equip items marked as Superior 5 (Su5)
Dual Wield Effect 5% Delay Reduction
Maximum Finishing Moves Bonus 4 added "Finishing Moves" with a total of 9/9

★Master! Grants the designation "Master Headliner."

Decreases the recast time of one-hour abilities by 15 minutes.


Job Abilities

Dancers have a multitude of Job Abilities, many of which can be found in different "groups". Job Abilities within the same group share recast timers, so using an ability will lock out all other abilities in that group.


Steps & Presto

Steps inflict status ailments on the target by applying a "Daze" status to them. The first Step of a Daze effect sets its duration to 1 minute, and each subsequent Step applying the same Daze effect increases its remaining duration by 30 seconds, capping at 2 minutes. You have to spend 100 TP for each Step you perform and their shared recast timer is 5 seconds for all steps.

Action Effect Potency
Box Step Lowers target's defense 3% + 2% * (Sluggish Daze level)
Feather Step Lowers target's critical hit evasion (increases player critical hit rate) Macu. Toe Sh. +3 gives 6% + 1% * (Bewildered Daze level) for a total of 16%.
Quickstep Lowers target's evasion 4 * (Lethargic Daze level + 1)
Stutter Step Lowers target's magic evasion 3 * (Weakened Daze level)
Presto Enhances the effect of the next Step and grants an additional Finishing Move. 15 seconds
  • Unless the Daze effect level has reached the cap (level 10) already, each successful Step grants you 2 Finishing Moves. Wielding a Terpsichore adds 1 Finishing Move on top of that for a total of up to 3 Finishing Moves per Step. However, if the Daze effect was already capped, you will gain only 1 Finishing Move, no matter what.
  • You must successfully hit the target with a physical attack to apply a Daze, so Step "success rate" caps at 99% since you have a 1% guaranteed miss rate. Each Step gets an innate Accuracy +10 bonus (and a level 99+ Terpsichore adds another +60 to that.) Gear that specifically enhances "Step Accuracy" is a waste of inventory space without another purpose, because there are other items that give you more "normal" accuracy instead.
    • Steps can't be resisted. If you can hit the target, you can apply Dazes. However, the Daze can be removed by effects that remove status ailments, like Erase.
  • Most of the time, you are going to use either Quickstep or Box Step. Having both at level 10 and maintaining that level lowers your target's defense by 23% and evasion by 44, effectively increasing attack by (at least) 29.8% and accuracy by 44 for everyone attacking your target. Box Step is especially useful for parties with fewer players and more Trusts where you have fewer/weaker attack buffs.
  • In party situations, the rise of GEO means that you often have absurd amounts of defense reduction and attack enhancing effects up, so ratio is more likely to be capped, except for fights that puts penalty on GEO bubbles. Here, it might be more useful to use Feather Step instead, providing a comparatively unique critical hit rate buff.
  • Stutter Step is broadly useless. Its only real purpose is to increase the accuracy of critical Stun effects, whether from Violent Flourish or another party member... and there's not a lot of content you want to Stun these days, and the main offender (Zerde) needs to be stunned on pop, without the time to build up 10 stacks of Daze first.
  • Using a Step with Presto up gives it an accuracy bonus of +50, as well as adding two levels to the Daze effect associated with the Step, if possible. Presto also grants you 5 additional Finishing Moves, but you'll still only get one Finishing Move when applying a Step that is already capped at 10/10.
Steps  
  Also high Accuracy

Try your best to use Steps at start of battle and right after WS! This minimizes the loss in attack DPS (and TP gain) and exploits the WS animation to gain as many Steps as possible.

Waltz

The abilities that other people think when they think Dancers. Waltzes are split into three groups (with different effects) that each have a distinct recast timer.

  • Similar to Steps, you have to spend TP to use Waltzes, but the TP cost is different for each Waltz. Think of them like Cure spells and you won't be far off.
Ability Recast TP cost
Curing Waltz 6 seconds 200
Curing Waltz II 8 seconds 350
Curing Waltz III 10 seconds 500
Curing Waltz IV 12 seconds 650
Curing Waltz V 16 seconds 800
  • Curing Waltzes are single target Cures for any target within casting range.
  • Waltz Potency caps at 50%. Waltz Potency Received caps at 30%. Once you hit this cap, any remaining slots can be filled with pieces that boost CHR, if you truly care that much, which you shouldn't really.


Waltz  
  Potency Capped

Waltz 3 will be the most HP/TP efficient once you hit potency cap. Curing Waltz 4/5 are also comparably HP/TP efficient now, but only when you're not overhealing (which wastes TP) Higher tier Waltzes end up being used less frequently, so they indirectly cost you less DPS.

Ability Recast TP cost
Divine Waltz 13 seconds 400
Divine Waltz II 20 seconds 800
  • Divine Waltzes are the Curaga equivalent for Waltzes. They can target anyone within your party who is in range of you.
  • Since Divine Waltzes and Curing Waltzes don't share a recast timer, you can slam two quick heals back-to-back in a pinch (even if this likely costs as much TP as a WS...)

Divine Waltz II is your most efficient option if you're going to hit 3+ targets for the full amount (~900HP).

Ability Recast TP cost
Healing Waltz 8 seconds 200

Healing Waltz is our (almost) all-purpose Erase. It can get rid of pretty much any status ailment that a WHM can remove with Erase or their -na spells.

Ability Recast Effect
Contradance 5 minutes Enhances your next Waltz.

If Healing Waltz is your Erase, then Contradance is your Divine Seal.

Flourishes I

Flourishes I consume Finishing Moves to inflict an effect on your target.

Flourishes I Recast FMs consumed Effect
Animated Flourish 30 seconds 1 or 2 Provokes target.
Desperate Flourish 20 seconds 1 Weighs target down with a low rate of success.
Violent Flourish 20 seconds 1 Stuns target with a low rate of success.
  • The purpose of this group in 2026 is Dynamis and Voidwatch The chance of seeing drop is increased after procing white abilities on the monster. procs. Rarely will you use any of these for their intended purposes.
    • Animated Flourish is a claiming tool at best. Weaker than Provoke, and you're not here to tank anyway.
    • Desperate Flourish will only be used as a Voidwatch proc. You're not here to land Gravity, but even if you were, Rudra's Storm is much better at doing that.
    • Violent Flourish on the other hand comes with a high accuracy bonus, but that's limited to the physical hit. The Stun effect unfortunately is resisted by many targets, but at this point there are some fairly beefy Magic Accuracy options to land it when the target isn't resistant:
Violent Flourish  
  (Magic Accuracy)


Flourishes II


Flourishes II Recast FMs consumed Effect
Building Flourish 10 seconds 1-3 Enhances the next weapon skill
Reverse Flourish 30 seconds 1-5 Converts Finishing Moves to TP
Wild Flourish 20 seconds 2 Readies target for a skillchain


Reverse Flourish is one of the most valuable of all Flourishes II. By converting your remaining Finishing Moves into TP, you can get instant TP to perform back-to-back weapon skills for a self-Skillchain or to close a Skillchain off of someone else's weapon skill. Along with No Foot Rise, it also can be used as a source for starting TP, letting you being fights with a good amount of TP. The maximum amount of TP if 5/5 RF and 20/20 JP with Max Cape is:

TP Return = (95 + Reverse Flourish Bonus) × (Finishing Moves) + (Square Mod+Empyrean Hands Bonus)×(Finishing Moves)^2 + 30×(Merit Level)

This will yield if we have the maximum Reverse Flourish Bonus (70) and 5/5 RF Merits

RF of (1FM)=332 TP RF of (2FM)=548 TP RF of (3FM)=798 TP RF of (4FM)=1082 TP RF of (5FM)=1400 TP

The amount of TP restored is calculated using this formula:

TP Return = (95 + Reverse Flourish Bonus) × (Finishing Moves) + (Square Mod+Empyrean Hands Bonus)×(Finishing Moves)^2 + 30×(Merit Level)

Reverse Flourish  


The effect of Building Flourish depends on the number of Finishing Moves available when using it. The maximum number of Finishing Moves it consumes is 3.

Number of FMs Effect
1 Accuracy bonus
2 Accuracy bonus, attack +25%
3 Accuracy bonus, attack +25%, critical hit rate bonus



Weapon Skill Resulting Skillchain
Dancing Edge Scission
Evisceration Transfixion
Exenterator Scission
Pyrrhic Kleos Scission


Flourishes III

Our most devastating Abilities!!!

Flourishes III consume Finishing Moves in exchange for offensive buffs.

Flourishes III Recast FMs consumed Effect
Climactic Flourish 90 seconds 1-5 Enforces a Critical hit for the first hit of a certain number of attack rounds.

Adds a base damage bonus of 50% CHR to those hits.

Striking Flourish 30 seconds 2 Enforces a Double attack for the next attack round.

Adds a base damage bonus of 100% CHR for the first hit.

Ternary Flourish 30 seconds 2 Enforces a Triple attack for the next attack round.

Adds a base damage bonus of 100% CHR for the first hit.


Climactic Flourish enforces a critical hit for the first hit of one attack around per consumed Finishing Move. A perfect match with Rudra's Storm, your premier single-hit WS. Performing back to back critical Rudra'ses to make a Darkness skillchain can deal devastating amounts of damage very fast. Maculele Tiara +3 is crucial for Climactic Flourish. Wearing it upon activation adds another critical hit, and wearing it during the actual hits grants you a 25% critical attack bonus, which is a huge boost to weapon skills that deal the majority (or all) of their damage on the initial hit.

It's a little bit complicated to create a solo Skillchain involving Climactic Flourish, because it consumes all Finishing Moves. You can perform a Step, preferably with Presto, after activating Climactic Flourish and before your weapon skill and/or use No Foot Rise after your weapon skill. Stepping before the first weapon skill means you have more TP towards your second weapon skill. For the same reason, No Foot Rise is used after your first weapon skill, because it also grants you TP when used with an augmented Horos Casaque +4.

An easier way to perform solo Skillchains with Climactic Flourish is using Sekkanoki when using a Samurai sub job.

Striking Flourish and Ternary Flourish on the other hand are best used with Dancer's multi-hit weapon skills, especially Pyrrhic Kleos. When using Fotia Belt and Fotia Gorget for this weapon skill, each extra hit adds another 1.95 fTP to damage calculation.

The CHR bonus works exactly like Sneak Attack and Trick Attack: It is added to the base damage outside the fTP term:

Quote: WS damage = ((DMG + fSTR + WSC) * fTP + (CHR bonus)) * pDIF


SP Abilities

Ability Effect
Trance Reduces the TP cost of all Job Abilities to 0 and reduces recast timers for all Waltzes.
Grand Pas Grants 5 Finishing Moves.

Resets recast timers for Flourishes to 0 while active and Flourishes don't consume Finishing Moves.


Trance used to be your emergency button for when you really need to spam Waltzes in quick succession. Thanks to Job Points, it now grants you up to 2,000 TP when using it too, turning it into another source of instant TP.

Grand Pas also can be used for that purpose by repeatedly using Reverse Flourish. Most of the time, Grand Pas is used as a zerg tool by chaining multiple weapon skills, possibly stacked with Climactic Flourish, in short order.

The best way is to use these two SP's simultaneously and perform devastating Climactic Rudra's back-to-back in a very short window. Have your steps ready, prepare 3,000 TP, and:

Outside of Escha: Climactic > Rudra > RF > Grand Pas > Rudra > RF Rudra > Trance > Rudra > RF Rudra > RF Rudra > engage, generate TP > Climactic > Rudra > generate TP > Rudra = a total of 8 Climactic Rudras

In Escha: Climactic > Rudra > RF > Grand Pas > Rudra > RF Rudra > Trance > Rudra > RF Rudra > RF Rudra > Revitalizer > Climactic > RF Rudra > Lucid Wings II Rudra > Daedalus Wing Rudra - 9 Climactic Rudras without TPing (could go for 10 with TPing before Revitalizer)

Merits

Group I Effect
Building Flourish effect Increases Building Flourish accuracy by 2, attack by 1%, and critical hit rate by 1% per merit level each.
Haste Samba effect Adds 1% Job Ability Haste to Haste Samba per merit level.
Reverse Flourish effect Increases TP returned by Reverse Flourish by 3 TP per merit level.
Steps accuracy Increases the accuracy of Steps by 3 per merit level.

Dancer's group I merits are pretty clear: 5/5 Haste Samba effect and 5/5 Reverse Flourish effect. Steps don't need any extra help with accuracy between their innate accuracy bonus of +10 and Presto. As for Building Flourish... can be easily used when CF timer is down for WS.

Group II Effect
Closed Position Increases accuracy and evasion by 3 per merit level when face-to-face with the enemy.
Fan Dance Reduces physical damage taken and gives "Enmity +15".

Reduces Waltz recast timers by 5% for each merit level past the first one. Renders Sambas unusable.

No Foot Rise Grants 1 Finishing Move per merit level.
Saber Dance Increases Double Attack rate. Increases Samba duration by 5% for each merit level past the first one.

Renders Waltzes unusable.

The recast timers on Fan Dance, Saber Dance and No Foot Rise are all 3 minutes.

The group II merits used to be more complicated and the "right" setup has changed many times during the last few years. These days, the most common setup is this one after Relic +3 Upgrades:

3/5 No Foot Rise feels like the right number, because it caps Finishing Moves from scratch with just one extra Step. It also provides enough TP by itself to get to 1,000 TP with Reverse Flourish after a WS and 1-2 attack rounds for a self-Skillchain (when used with Horos Casaque +4.)

Support Jobs

Based on your play style and/or the Content you're participating in, along with what REMA you're using, Support Jobs may vary:

  • Warrior is usually the go to option if you wanted to maximize your DPS, especially with Twashtar (Level 119 III) since your white Damage will gain a major boost from the Double Attack traits.
  • Dragoon has the usual attractive aspects for melee DPS jobs - 7% Weapon Skill Damage (that actually works on multi-hit WS) and Super Jump/High Jump to shed enmity.
  • Dark Knight is also a valid option and can add extra power to your DPS, rarely used though due to capped attack situations these days from support jobs in your party.
  • Samurai is another attractive option for DPS and becomes a great candidate if you're a Mythic wielder due to its native Store TP trait and how Terpsichore (Level 119 III) works.
  • Ninja and Rune Fencer are great for physical and magical defensive purposes respectively, if you truly need survivability.
    • These are mentioned for completeness. Frankly, if you can't survive something with 50% DT in your engaged set and Dancer's existing tools, you likely shouldn't bother to solo it. But Utsusemi is still incredible when it actually works on whatever you're fighting.

Weapons

Dancers are super proficient at wielding daggers... and super non-proficient at wielding other weapons. They're not even on Naegling, so their only relevant non-piercing damage type option in Odyssey is Karambit.

Let's talk Daggers:

  • Generally, the Terpsichore (Level 119 III) + Twashtar (Level 119 III) combination is preferred for maximum DPS in situations where Accuracy is also needed.
    • With this combination you don't have to worry that much about WS order in fights with other DPS members and will definitely cause severe damage overall, also it will make life easier on steps and tanking without losing that much of your overall DPS with AM3 up.
    • However, especially in situations where you have lots of buffs from other party members, Centovente's 1000 TP Bonus augment is also very popular. Just note that it doesn't have any Dagger Skill or Accuracy on it, so you'll have to make up that 250+ Accuracy loss in gear and buffs.

Terpsichore (Level 119 III):

  • Dancer's Mythic Weapon. Requires a lot of time and also 30,000 Alexandrite and so on.
  • Allows you to use the weaponskill Pyrrhic Kleos without completing Unlocking a Myth (Dancer) and substantially boosts its damage (At maximum (R15) augment, +49.5% damage.)
  • Aftermath 3 from a 3,000 TP WS gives "Occasionally Attacks Twice (40%) or Thrice (20%)" for 3 minutes, generating lots of TP. You know you love TP.
  • Gives one extra Finishing Move per Step.


Twashtar (Level 119 III):

  • Dancer's Empyrean Weapon. Get ready to make friends with Glavoid.
  • Afterglow gives a 5% Critical Hit Rate boost to your whole party. The harder-hitting among your allies will particularly enjoy this.
  • Aftermath 3 from a 3,000 TP WS gives a 50% chance to deal triple damage on all regular melee hits (not WS). This makes a lot of white damage happen.


Aeneas:

  • Dancer's Aeonic Weapon.
    • Relatively easier to get than the other REMAP options, and while weaker than the other options it's certainly not useless.
  • Enables you to perform an Ultimate Skillchain. You'll have difficulty making Light Skillchains without this or Mpu Gandring (Level 119 III).
  • Allows you to use the Merit Point weaponskill Exenterator at full "Rank 5" strength regardless of the actual number of merit points invested in it.
  • The TP Bonus from this weapon is not applied to weapon skills unless it's being wielded in the MAIN hand. (Magian Trial weapons have TP Bonus augments, which are the only exception to this rule.)


Earlier Weapon Options:

Tauret:


Centovente:

  • See the Dagger Trials of the Magians page.
  • You're aiming for the +1000 TP Bonus augment from the path ending in Trial 3201.
  • This weapon is level 99 - meaning you're giving up aout 250 accuracy relative to even a Kaja Knife - but in return, this TP Bonus augment does work in the offhand, supercharging your weaponskills.
  • A great tool any time you have the accuracy to hit what you're fighting, and likely to become your best friend sooner rather than later.


For players brand new to 99 with no other levelled jobs:

Job Specific Equipment

Artifact Armor

Maxixi Attire Set
Item Upgrade? Notes

Maxixi Tiara +4366px link=
No, +1 This is primarily useful for the Samba duration, which is maxed out at +1. Step Accuracy is largely unnecessary.

Maxixi Casaque +4366px link=
Yes, +3 Take this to +3. This is a critical piece for Waltz abilities.

Maxixi Bangles +4366px link=
Yes, +4 Incredible WSD piece - competitive with Nyame in situations where -damage taken isn't needed and much easier to get. Max this out.

Maxixi Tights +4366px link=
No Don't even bother. Skillchain Bonus may sound decent on paper, but realistically you should make Horos Tights +4 instead.

Maxixi Toe Sh. +4366px link=
No, +1 Utility piece for Jig Duration and Waltz Potency. If you need the Waltz Potency, reforge this beyond +1. If you don't, you don't. (See the math discussed briefly above.)

Relic Armor

Horos Attire Set
Item Upgrade? Notes

Horos Tiara +4366px link=
Enhances "Trance" effect (80s duration)
Maybe, +1 Swap piece for Trance, and a Waltz Potency piece. If you don't want Anwig Salade for -2 seconds recast on Waltz, take this to +3 and adjust your Waltz Potency sets accordingly. Otherwise, leave it at +1.

Horos Casaque +4366px link=
Enhances "No Foot Rise" effect (+50 tp/merit)
No, +1 A swap piece for No Foot Rise, and thus it can stay at +1.

Horos Bangles +4366px link=
Enhances "Fan Dance" effect (+1% min -PDT per merit)
No They have to be worn to maintain the effect. Not worth making unless you're exploring DNC tanking... in which case, honestly, you should try to make Regal Gloves work instead despite its +20% Damage Taken.

Horos Tights +4366px link=
Enhances "Saber Dance" effect (+1% min DA per merit)
Yes, +4 Priority piece. Incredible WSD pants that compete with R25 Nyame, and are much easier to get. Jig Duration as a bonus.

Horos Toe Sh. +4366px link=
Enhances "Closed Position" effect (+3 STP per merit)
Yes, +3 Prior to Empyrean +2/+3 pieces, these were the go-to TPing boots. They are still an overall higher value for STP, assuming Closed Position is in effect, but Empy boots are have -DT% and are much safer to wear. They're still worth making, but are lower priority than they used to be, and will largely be for the Steps discount.

Empyrean Armor

Maculele Attire Set
Item Upgrade? Notes

Maculele Tiara +3366px link=
Yes, +3 High priority. An incredible WSD piece, a good TP piece, and the Climactic Flourish modifier is extremely valuable.

Macu. Casaque +3366px link=
Maybe A niche body for TPing at low haste values, as well as a high -DT piece for idling. Alternatively you can simply wear Nyame for its superior Magic Evasion values, given the broad availability of -DT gear.

Macu. Bangles +3366px link=
Yes, +3 Essential swap piece for Reverse Flourish. Worth upgrading to +3, but extremely potent even at +1.

Maculele Tights +3366px link=
Eventually, +3 +10% PDL has huge potential, but its value is going to depend on the rest of your gear and how often you play in attack capped situations. Worth upgrading to +3, but not urgent.

Macu. Toe Sh. +3366px link=
Yes, +3 High priority. Your go-to TPing shoes when -DT is needed and you can't benefit from Closed Position. Additionally, another 6% crit rate for Feather Step.

Equipment Sets

For fancy best-in-slot sets, see the All Jobs Gear Sets/Dancer page to give you something to aspire to.

  • Also possibly go a few revisions back so you don't see nothing but Su5 Limbus gear, if that grind isn't your style.
TP Starter Set  
Starter Rudra's Storm  
Starter Evisceration  

Utilities:

  • Fast Cast Set:
FC  
  • Enmity:

Can use Senuna's Mantle with Enmity +10.

Enmity