The FFXIV Samurai Rotation Guide

The FFXIV Samurai is a fantastic DPS Job to switch to. If you started FFXIV as a tank or healer, and want yourself a high-level DPS, this might be the top pick. The Samurai starts at level 50. FFXIV samurai's rotation is pretty simple at level 50 since you don't have access to your Kenki gauge yet. It's just the Sen gauge and keeping your buffs, slashing debuff, and DoT up. By following this FFXIV Samurai Rotation Guide, you will know how to unlock FFXIV Samurai and find this rotation to be simple.

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How to Unlock FFXIV Samurai

Before you follow this FFXIV Samurai Rotation guide, you should unlock FFXIV Samurai first, below are the requirements that you should meet:

1. You have Stormblood.
2. You have a level 50 Disciple of War or Magic.

Then go to Ul'dah. In the Steps of Nald, near the main Aetheryte, you will have a new quest. Talk to the Ul'dahn Citizen and he will lead you.

Go to the Gladiator's Guild in Ul'dah. Once there, go into the back room to find an old man on the floor. Speak with him and after a lengthy conversation he will make you a Samurai in FFXIV!

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FFXIV Samurai Rotation & Skills

The absolute basics of the FFXIV Samurai rotation is that it revolves around generating three fancy orbs (called Sen - Samurai’s Primary Resource) “Getsu, Ka, and Setsu” and then expending these using Iaijutsu.

Start off your haste buff with the Kasha combo: Hakaze -> Shifu -> Kasha.

Afterward, use (Hakaze -> Jinpu) to get damage buff running, but don't finish with Gekko quickly! Use Iaijutsu to refresh your DoT (Higanbana). This won’t interrupt your combo, so you can use Gekko to immediately get one Sen again.

Finally, rotation between your three combos (Hakaze -> Yukikaze) (Hakaze -> Shifu -> Kasha) and (Hakaze -> Jinpu -> Gekko) to keep all your buffs up and generate each Sen. When you get all the three Sen filled, you should use Iajutsu to dump them on Midare Setsugekka which is big damage nuke. Do this until your DoT is about to fall off, and then re-apply your DoT (1 Sen) again. Try not to clip the timer too much.

You may also use Meikyo Shisui as often as possible, which can be used to generate Sen and NOT to refresh your buffs. It allows you to do three weapon skills without combo requirements.

As for AoE rotation, the only buff that you keep up is your damage buff (Jinpu). Use your two AoE combos (Fuga -> Mangetsu) and (Fuga -> Oka) to generate two Sen, and then dump the two Sen on Iajutsu for a cone AoE (Goken). This rotation will do more damage than your single target rotation at 3 or more monsters, but the TP costs are very high, so make sure you've always got Invigorate on your Role Actions.

And one more important thing to remember is that ALWAYS be pressing the next skill in your Samurai rotation and do not waste your GCDs.

At level 52, you will gain the Kenki gauge which only increases on Gekko (rear positional), Kasha (flank positional), Yukikaze, Oka, Mangetsu, and Enpi. Kenki will be used with Hissatsu: Kaiten to boost the next weaponskill you use, which will always be used on Iaijutsu and that'll be the only thing you use most until level 62.