FFXIV’s Black Mage job is losing its ‘flare’ among players as Pictomancer paints a bright future for itself

As a seasoned gamer with countless hours logged in Final Fantasy XIV, I must say that the introduction of Pictomancer has been nothing short of revolutionary. Coming from someone who once held Black Mage as their go-to magic DPS job, I can’t help but feel a tinge of nostalgia as I watch the former heavyweight take a backseat to this newcomer.


Whenever a fresh expansion lands in Final Fantasy XIV, the intricate dance among the game’s numerous combat roles consistently shifts and transforms to preserve harmony, and that’s true for Dawntrail as well. I’ve found myself thrust into the thick of things with newcomers like Viper and Pictomancer. While the double-edged DPS Viper is stirring up some debate, the enchanting Pictomancer has skyrocketed in both potency and player favor in the skies of Eorzea.

Actually, Pictomancer has demonstrated such impressive power that the long-standing magic Damage Per Second (DPS) leader, Black Mage, is facing a concerning future in terms of content for Final Fantasy XIV. Introduced as one of the earliest mage jobs during A Realm Reborn, Black Mage built a solid reputation as one of the most potent damage dealers, second to none. They were capable of snatching “attention” from tanks effortlessly and usually led the DPS charts, irrespective of the type of battle content.

FFXIV’s Black Mage job is losing its ‘flare’ among players as Pictomancer paints a bright future for itself

The long-standing reputation, proven in every expansion, now reveals some signs of weakness due to the arrival of Pictomancer, an exceptional mage from Final Fantasy 6 who uses a combination of aether and a paintbrush instead of a staff. Since its debut with Dawntrail, the Pictomancer job has been warmly welcomed by countless players in FFXIV and shows strong potential to endure for several reasons.

Players are excitedly embracing the arrival of Red Mage (Stormblood) and the option to master Pictomancer, as these magical damage-dealing classes offer a diverse skill set that combines both ranged and melee capabilities. In simpler terms, they provide mobility and adaptability. Furthermore, the unbridled DPS power of Pictomancer is outperforming nearly every other DPS class in the game, to such an extent that Black Mage has essentially been relegated to the sidelines.

Blackmage vs Pictomancer
byu/Biorockmanx inffxiv

A Reddit poll posted by user ‘Biorockmanx’ recently questioned fellow Final Fantasy XIV players about their preferred magical DPS job during Dawntrail, and the results showed a striking trend. The role of Pictomancer significantly outperformed Black Mage with 153 votes in contrast to just 36 for Black Mage (48 voters opted for ‘Neither’).

As a long-time player of Final Fantasy XIV, I have to say that the recent Arcadion Savage Raids are quite intriguing. From my personal experience and observations within the game, it seems that Pictomancer players are dominating these raids while Black Mage ones are largely absent. To be specific, out of all groups who have cleared the initial tier of Arcadion Savage, only two single Black Mage players can be found at the very bottom of the DPS rankings. This is quite surprising to me, as I’ve always found the Black Mage class to be a powerful and versatile option in combat. It’s possible that there are strategies or tactics that Pictomancers are utilizing more effectively than Black Mages, but it would be interesting to see if this trend continues as more players tackle these new raids. Overall, I think this is an issue worth keeping an eye on for developers and players alike.

FFXIV’s Black Mage job is losing its ‘flare’ among players as Pictomancer paints a bright future for itself

Additionally, the July 30th update (as per The Lodestone) introduced further modifications to multiple combat roles, notably a decrease in attack power for Black Mage. However, Pictomancer remains unchanged, which is unexpected given that Viper has undergone some changes, albeit positive or negative. Remarkably, it’s even been the first to receive new weapons from Ultimate Raids.

In the world of FFXIV, the future for Black Mage is quite unpredictable, whether it’s casual or challenging content. If at any point Pictomancer experiences a decline in its damage output, the advantage could shift back to Black Mage. Currently, though, players are stepping away from their staffs as magic combat keeps evolving within the game. For now, Y’shtola must fight alone.

Don’t forget to explore the most recent news and tutorials on Final Fantasy XIV at GamerTop, including the guide on how to access Cenote Ja Ja Gural in FFXIV and obtain all the rewards.

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2024-08-02 15:22