FFXIV 6.3 patch notes detail Paladin rework as next level cap revealed

The previously released FFXIV 6.3 patch notes get their customary update in line with the January 10 release date, allowing us a look at the job changes that have been introduced. Chief among these is the previously discussed Paladin rework, though tanks also get a nice quality of life change across the board and several other classes in the MMORPG are also getting some nice minor job buffs.

During the patch note reading stream (which took place in Japanese but was reported by Livedoor and translated by aitaikimochi), game director Naoki ‘Yoshi-P’ Yoshida confirms that the level cap for FFXIV 7.0 will be level 100, meaning that another ten levels will be added as usual in the next expansion. However, he comments that the team is currently scratching their heads to decide what to do after that, as simply going to level 110 or beyond “feels kinda half-assed.”

As for the job changes, Paladin sees by far the biggest overhaul. Yoshi-P previously spoke during Live Letter 75 about how the team wanted to adjust the class rotation in order to address issues with inconsistency of its burst damage and reliance on damage over time effects. In addition, Holy Sheltron now reduces damage rather than blocking, which should make it more useful against incoming damage over time. Finally, Bulwark returns in a new form allowing incoming attacks to be blocked for ten seconds.

Tanks across the board will now have a separate skill to turn off their tank stance (Iron Will, Defiance, Grit, or Royal Guard), rather than using the same skill that toggles it on. This should lessen instances where a player accidentally knocks the key mid-combat and disables it without realising, which can cause plenty of chaos if it isn’t quickly spotted.

Machinist sees some nice buffs to damage as it was feeling a little underpowered, and it also gets additional utility in the form of a new skill, Dismantle, which lowers the damage dealt by its target for ten seconds. Elsewhere, recast times are lowered for Dragoon, White Mage, and Sage to enable slightly more effective burst damage or healing. Monk’s Riddle of Earth no longer uses stacks, but also gets a gradual heal effect. Bard’s Nature’s Minne will now apply to all nearby party members rather than a single target, making it more useful to buff healing across the board.

FFXIV patch 6.3 notes – job adjustments

Gladiator/Paladin

Fight or Flight: The effect has been changed from “Increases physical damage dealt by 25%” to “Increases damage dealt by 25%.” The duration has been reduced from 25 to 20 seconds.
Riot Blade: Potency has been reduced from 170 to 120. Combo potency has been reduced from 300 to 280.
Iron Will: Recast time has been reduced from 3 to 2 seconds.
Sheltron: The effect has been changed from “Block incoming attacks” to “Reduces damage taken by 15%.”
Prominence: The amount of MP recovered has been increased. The combo bonus “Grants Divine Might” has been added.
Goring Blade: The effects of this action have been revamped. Goring Blade now functions as follows: “Delivers an attack with a potency of 700. This weaponskill does not share a recast timer with any other actions. Recast time has been increased from 2.5 to 60 seconds.”
Divine Veil: The effect has been changed from “Upon HP recovery via healing magic cast by self or a party member, a protective barrier is cast on all party members within a radius of 15 yalms” to “Creates a barrier around self and all party members near you.”
Royal Authority: Potency has been reduced from 130 to 120. Combo potency has been reduced from 420 to 380. The combo bonus “grants Divine Might” has been added.
Holy Spirit: Potency has been increased from 300 to 350. Requiescat potency has been increased from 600 to 650. Potency is increased to 450 while under the effect of Divine Might. The effect of Divine Might will be prioritized over Requiescat when under the effect of both.
Requiescat: Potency has been reduced from 400 to 300. Maximum stacks of Requiescat have been reduced from 5 to 4. The Requiescat effect has been changed from “Increases the potency of Holy Spirit and Holy Circle and spells will require no cast time” to “Increases the potency of Holy Spirit, Holy Circle, and all Confiteor combo actions and spells will require no cast time.” The additional effect “Grants Blade of Faith Ready when the effect of Requiescat ends” has been changed to “Grants Confiteor Ready.”
Holy Circle: Potency has been reduced from 130 to 100. Potency is increased to 200 while under the effect of Divine Might. The effect of Divine Might will be prioritized over Requiescat when under the effect of both.
Atonement: Potency has been reduced from 420 to 380.
Confiteor: Potency has been reduced from 1,000 to 400. Potency is increased to 900 while under the effect of Requiescat. Potency will be reduced 50% for the second and all remaining enemies. Effect of Requiescat no longer ends upon execution. Requirement for execution has been changed from “while under the effect of Requiescat” to “while under the effect of Confiteor Ready.”
Holy Sheltron: The effect has been changed from “Block incoming attacks.” to “Reduces damage taken by 15%.”
Expiacion: Potency has been increased from 420 to 450. Reduced potency for the second and all remaining enemies will be increased from 50% to 60%.
Blade of Faith: MP cost has been increased from 0 to 1,000. Potency has been reduced from 480 to 200. Potency is increased to 700 while under the effect of Requiescat. The additional effect “Restores MP” has been removed.
Blade of Truth: MP cost has been increased from 0 to 1,000. Potency has been reduced from 560 to 300. Potency is increased to 800 while under the effect of Requiescat. The additional effect “Restores MP” has been removed.
Blade of Valor: MP cost has been increased from 0 to 1,000. Potency has been reduced from 620 to 400. Potency is increased to 900 while under the effect of Requiescat. The additional effect “Restores MP” has been removed. The combo bonus “Damage over time” has been removed.
Divine Magic Mastery: The combo bonus “grants Divine Might” has been added.
Enhanced Prominence: Now acquired at level 72 (previously level 66). The combo bonus “grants Divine Might” has been added.
Enhanced Divine Veil: The healing effect of Divine Veil now applies upon execution rather than when the barrier is applied to targets.
New – Release Iron Will (level 10): Cancels the effect of Iron Will.
New – Bulwark (level 52): Block incoming attacks for 10 seconds.
New – Enhanced Requiescat (level 80): Grants the effect of Confiteor Ready.

Marauder/Warrior

Defiance: Recast time has been reduced from 3 to 2 seconds.
Shake It Off: Barrier effect duration has been increased from 15 to 30 seconds. The additional effect “Gradually restores HP” has been added with a cure potency of 100.
New – Release Defiance (level 10): Cancels the effect of Defiance.

Dark Knight

Grit: Recast time has been reduced from 3 to 2 seconds.
New – Release Grit (level 10): Cancels the effect of Grit.

Gunbreaker

Royal Guard: Recast time has been reduced from 3 to 2 seconds.
New – Release Royal Guard (level 10): Cancels the effect of Royal Guard.

Monk

Riddle of Earth: Recast time has been increased from 30 to 120 seconds. The effect “Grants 3 stacks of Riddle of Earth, each stack reducing damage taken by 20%.” has been changed to “Reduces damage taken by 20%.” Action charges have been removed. The additional effect “Grants Earth’s Reply upon taking damage” has been added, gradually restoring HP with a cure potency of 100.

Lancer/Dragoon

Life Surge: Recast time has been reduced from 45 to 40 seconds.

Bard

Nature’s Minne: Recast time has been increased from 90 to 120 seconds. The effect has been changed from “Increases HP recovery via healing actions for a party member or self by 20%” to “Increases HP recovery via healing actions by 15% for self and nearby party members.”

Machinist

Gauss Round: Potency has been increased from 120 to 130.
Hypercharge: Now grants 5 stacks of Overheated. Effect duration has been increased from 8 to 10 seconds.
Wildfire: The effect of Wildfire can now be stacked a maximum of 6 times.
Ricochet: Potency has been increased from 120 to 130.
Heated Slug Shot: Combo potency has been increased from 280 to 300.
Heated Clean Shot: Combo potency has been increased from 360 to 380.
Marksman’s Mastery: The increase of potency for Heated Clean Shot has been changed from 110 to 120.
New – Dismantle (level 62): Lowers target’s damage dealt by 10% for 10 seconds.

Dancer

Curing Waltz: Can now be executed while dancing.
Shield Samba: Can now be executed while dancing.

White Mage

Assize: Recast time has been reduced from 45 to 40 seconds.

Sage

Plegma: Recast time has been reduced from 45 to 40 seconds.
Plegma II: Recast time has been reduced from 45 to 40 seconds.
Plegma III: Recast time has been reduced from 45 to 40 seconds.
Addersting: Stacks of Addersting are now also granted when the barrier granted by Eukrasian Prognosis to self is completely depleted.

FFXIV patch 6.3 also re-enables player housing auto-demolition, so be sure you’ve logged in to check you won’t lose your free company estate. We’ve got guides to the FFXIV Reaper and FFXIV Sage if you’re yet to try the Endwalker jobs, and some more of the best single-player MMOs if you’re looking for something new that doesn’t require a group.