FFXIV Stormblood Job Guide: Samurai

The primary source of damage for Samurai, the new job from the FFXIV Stormblood expansion, is stored in the melee sword combos that can be activated to unleash powerful blows upon your enemies. There are a couple of gauges attached to Samurai that coordinate these combos and weapon skills.

This guide will help you manage these gauges in the most efficient way, since their proper management will increase your chances of winning in every combat scenario. (Of course, you’ll first have to unlock the Samurai job for Stormblood first.)

How to Manage Gauges as Samurai in FFXIV Stormblood

Sen Gauge

The Sen gauge consists of three symbols of different colors that may be used either separately or in combination for activating certain combos. The top blue gauge is Setsu, the left purple is Getsu, and the right red is Ka.

In order to accumulate each of the three Sen gauges, you need to accomplish the following combos:

• Setsu: Hakaze + Yukikaze
• Getsu: Hakaze + Jinpu + Gekko
• Ka: Hakaze + Shifu + Kasha

The corresponding Sen weapon skills then can be activated:

• If you have only one Sen gauge activated (Setsu), you can execute the Higanbana skill that deals long-term damage.

• If you have two gauges activated (Setsu + Getsu) at the same time, the Tenka Goken AOE effect can be executed.

• Finally, if you have all three gauges activated, you can execute a powerful single blow — Midare Setsugekka.

Kenki Gauge

This gauge is represented by the katana sword on the screen. This particular type of energy is accumulated after the Sen weapon skill combos have been successfully executed, or with the help of the Hagakure ability that transforms Sen energy into Kenki.

Another way of accumulating Kenki is to activate the Meditation ability that will gradually increase its levels.

According to each level of accumulation, the Kenki gauge will allow you to execute especially powerful blows known as Hissatsu.

The most significant Hissatsu are:

• When the Kenki gauge reaches level 52, you will be able to activate Kaiten — a powerful 150% boost to any other combo.

• At level 54 you will get the chance of executing Gyoten that brings you so much closer to your target in an instant.

• At level 56 there is another enhanced mobility skill — Yaten.

• And lastly, at level 70 you get to experience Guren — an AOE effect that smashes all the enemies in one line with immense power.

How to Melee as Samurai in FFXIV Stormblood

With all the abundance of powerful abilities and weapon skills, new players may find themselves puzzled by the sequencing of all these actions during the combat.

Fortunately, there is a particularly powerful opening that should set you on the right track during the combat. Here it is:

1. You always want to start by activating any of the Sen gauges through a series of combos mentioned above.
2. As soon as you have over 50 points on your Kenki gauge, you can activate the Kaiten skill that will further increase the potency of your combos.
3. If you managed to go above 70 on Kenki, then prioritize the Guren skill that is much more effective against multiple enemies.
4. In case there isn’t enough Sen and/or Kenki energy on your gauges, then activate the Meikyo Shisui ability that allows you to execute up to three combos without meeting their demands.
5. Finally, when you’re done, you can reduce the cooldown of your next skills with the help of Starry Eyes, and heal yourself up by activating Merciful Eyes that are both available through a single Third Eye ability.

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In time you will be able to figure out your own combo rotations for Samurai. But for now, these skills are more than enough to make Samurai the most powerful DPS job in the game — overthrowing such beasts as Monk, Ninja and Dragoon.

If you’re looking for more FFXIV Stormblood guides, then check them out below:

• FFXIV Stormblood Job Guide: Red Mage
• How to Access Stormblood and Unlock Red Mage and Samurai
• How to Dive Underwater
• Changes to Jobs in the Stormblood Expansion