Some jobs in Final Fantasy 14 come with complex rotations or steep mechanical demands. Arcanist stands out as a rare exception. It is a starting class that offers simplicity for beginners and long-term value for veterans. At level 30, it branches into both Summoner, a magical DPS, and Scholar, a healing support job. Players who level Arcanist get access to both roles without having to grind them separately.
This dual progression makes the Arcanist in Final Fantasy 14 a smart and efficient choice. It allows players to test out two completely different playstyles while enjoying one of the most accessible job kits in the game.
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Arcanist in Final Fantasy 14’s Origins and Lore
Arcanists trace their magical practices to geometric formulas developed across the southern seas. These formulas, recorded in grimoires, shape the user’s aether into spells. One of the first techniques Arcanists learn is how to focus that energy through special gemstones. This gives them the power to summon Carbuncle, a gleaming familiar that assists in combat from the very beginning.
The Arcanist’s connection to Carbuncle sets it apart from other base jobs. It gives players early access to a pet system that remains relevant across both advanced roles. Summoner enhances this by focusing on powerful Primal creatures, while Scholar uses faeries for healing and support.
Carbuncle can be customized visually in later levels, and even Scholar users can revert their fairy to a Carbuncle appearance if they prefer.
Final Fantasy 14 Summoner Became Truly Iconic
Summoner was once one of the most difficult jobs in Final Fantasy 14. The original design required players to maintain multiple damage-over-time effects, command different summons with unique roles, and juggle a complex rotation across several hotbars. This made the class challenging for controller users or anyone new to MMO-style combat.
More recent updates have made Summoner significantly easier to play. Players now rotate through iconic summons like Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda, each bringing specific abilities into a predictable loop. The animations are large and dramatic, capturing the grandeur seen in games like Final Fantasy 10, where summoners were key narrative figures. Players who find the visual clutter distracting can enable settings to shrink summon sizes in party content.
Summoner now delivers on the core fantasy that players expect from the name. It is simple, visually stunning, and thematically satisfying, especially for longtime fans of Eidolons, Espers, and other summon types across the Final Fantasy series.
Many of Summoner’s design choices in Endwalker were inspired by how previous Final Fantasy titles portrayed summoners, especially horned summoner characters and summon cutscenes.
Scholar in Final Fantasy 14 Is A Tactical Healer
Scholar’s roots go back to the city-state of Nym, an ancient civilization that used magic to support front-line fighters. Nymian scholars were both healers and strategists, commanding faeries to provide assistance while analyzing battle conditions to deploy tactical spells. That same philosophy continues in Final Fantasy 14, where Scholars use shields and mitigation tools to keep parties alive.
Earlier versions of Scholar involved manually managing two different faeries, each with unique abilities. Now, players control a single autonomous faerie and can focus more on spell timing and positioning. The result is a cleaner interface and fewer barriers for new players, without sacrificing the job’s identity. Scholars can also glamour their fairy into a Carbuncle, offering visual consistency for those who prefer the original Arcanist companion.
Scholar has ties to other Final Fantasy games as well. Its visual focus on books and study mirrors the Scholar job in Final Fantasy 5. Some fans also see a spiritual connection to characters from Final Fantasy 11, who used knowledge of lost arts and mythical beings to aid their parties. Scholar appeals to players who enjoy precision, planning, and support roles with a cerebral edge.
Final Fantasy 14 Honors the Series Legacy
Arcanist and its two evolutions are among the most faithful homages to classic Final Fantasy jobs. Summoner allows players to command powerful Primals in the same way characters like Yuna did in Final Fantasy 10 with Aeons. Scholar gives players the option to heal through strategy rather than speed, using knowledge and timing rather than pure reaction.
For players drawn to characters like Yuna, who bridged healing and summoning in her journey, the Arcanist path offers a rare chance to channel that fantasy. It also introduces new players to both DPS and healer roles without extra grinding or job switching. It remains one of the game’s most accessible and versatile classes even a decade later.
Final Fantasy 14
- Released
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August 27, 2013
- ESRB
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T for Teen – Language, Mild Blood, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Engine
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Originally the Crystal Tools engine, but currently it’s a custom engine using parts of the Luminous Engine.
- Multiplayer
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Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
