Dancer
job · DNC
The Dancer is a dual-wielding fighter who weakens the enemy with steps, turns finishing moves into big hits, heals the party with waltzes, and keeps skillchains going.
DNC · two-hour Trance · 44 job abilities · 35 trait ranks · 123 spells · 24 weapon skills
What the job does:
Dancer fights with a dagger in each hand and spends TP on dances instead of saving every point for a weapon skill. Each dance has a job:
- Steps (Quickstep, Box Step, Stutter Step, Feather Step) weaken the monster and give you finishing moves, up to five at a time.
- Flourishes spend those finishing moves: bigger weapon skills, guaranteed critical hits, extra attacks, an instant skillchain window, or conversion into TP.
- Waltzes heal the party, using TP.
- Sambas put a damage-over-time or haste effect on the next monster you hit.
- Jigs and Dances (Saber Dance, Fan Dance) change how you fight for five minutes.
It is a busy job. You manage three things at once: TP, finishing moves, and the monster's debuffs. What it is good at: sustained dagger damage, skillchains (it has four levels of Skillchain Bonus, plus Wild Flourish), and being a second healer. What it is bad at: low HP and defense for a front-line job, and it has no magic.
From the Dancer's seat the fight is a loop: step, step, spend the finishing moves on a flourish that helps the next weapon skill, weapon skill, and waltz whenever someone is hurt.
Role in a party:
Damage and support. A party expects a Dancer to put out steady damage, to keep the monster weak with steps, to heal with waltzes, and to join skillchains. It is a very good friend to a party with no dedicated healer, because Curing Waltz IV and V heal for real and Divine Waltz heals the whole party.
What it brings that nothing else does:
- Wild Flourish: readies the monster for a skillchain for 10 seconds, so the next weapon skill, yours or anyone's, closes a chain with no opener.
- Steps: lower the monster's evasion, defense, magic resistance or critical hit evasion for 60 seconds, and stack up to 10 times (5 when Dancer is your subjob).
- Sambas: Haste Samba hastes everyone fighting the monster you hit; Drain Samba and Aspir Samba return HP and MP to anyone attacking it.
- Divine Waltz: heals everyone close to you.
- Fan Dance: lets the Dancer tank for a while.
Subjobs:
Subjob | Use it for | What it gives |
Ninja | The standard choice | Utsusemi shadows, and the Dual Wield trait earlier than Dancer's own |
Thief | Hate and drops | Treasure Hunter, Sneak Attack, Trick Attack, Flee |
Warrior | Damage | Berserk, Aggressor, Double Attack |
Samurai | TP | Third Eye, Meditate, Sekkanoki |
White Mage | Healing | Cure to pair with your waltzes |
Start with Ninja or Thief. Both give you shadows or a SATA while you build up your own kit. As a subjob, Dancer gives other jobs Waltzes, Samba and Steps (to 5 stacks, 1 finishing move each), which makes it a favourite subjob for Thief, Ninja and Warrior.
How the abilities work together:
Base recasts and durations as the server has them. Job ability recasts on Vanadreams are 15% shorter than shown.
Ability | Level | TP cost | Lasts | Notes |
Trance | start | free dances | 1 hour recast | Dances and steps cost 0 TP |
Drain Samba / II / III | 5 / 35 / 65 | 100 / 250 / 400 | 2 min | Everyone attacking the target you hit drains its HP |
Curing Waltz / II / III / IV / V | 15 / 30 / 45 / 70 / 87 | 200 / 350 / 500 / 650 / 800 | instant | Heals one person |
Quickstep | 20 | 100 | 60 s | Evasion down |
Animated Flourish | 20 | 1 finishing move | | Provoke |
Aspir Samba / II | 25 / 60 | 100 / 250 | 2 min | The same, for MP |
Divine Waltz / II | 25 / 78 | 400 / 800 | instant | Heals everyone near you |
Spectral Jig | 25 | free | 3 min | Sneak and invisible |
Box Step | 30 | 100 | 60 s | Defense down |
Desperate Flourish | 30 | 1 finishing move | | Weighs the monster down |
Healing Waltz | 35 | | instant | Removes one ailment |
Reverse Flourish | 40 | all finishing moves | | Turns them into TP |
Stutter Step | 40 | 100 | 60 s | Magic resistance down |
Haste Samba | 45 | 350 | 2 min | Haste to everyone fighting that monster |
Violent Flourish | 45 | 1 finishing move | | Stuns |
Building Flourish | 50 | 1 or more finishing moves | 1 min | Makes your next weapon skill stronger |
Contradance | 50 | | 1 min | Your next waltz heals more |
Chocobo Jig / II | 55 / 70 | | 1 min | Faster movement |
Wild Flourish | 60 | 2 finishing moves | 10 s window | Readies a skillchain |
Fan Dance | 75 | | 5 min | Less physical damage, more hate; sambas unusable |
No Foot Rise | 75 | | | Gives you finishing moves |
Saber Dance | 75 | | 5 min | Double Attack up; waltzes unusable |
Presto | 77 | | 30 s | Your next step gives you five finishing moves |
Climactic Flourish | 80 | 1 or more finishing moves | 1 min | Your next weapon skill is a critical hit |
Feather Step | 83 | 100 | 60 s | Critical hit evasion down |
Striking Flourish | 89 | 2 finishing moves | 1 min | Twofold attack |
Ternary Flourish | 93 | 3 finishing moves | 1 min | Threefold attack |
Grand Pas | 96 | | 1 hour recast | Flourishes need no finishing moves |
The core loop.
- Steps. Each step costs 100 TP and gives a Dancer two finishing moves (one as a subjob). Repeating a step adds a stack and 30 seconds, up to 120. Use Box Step and Quickstep on a tough monster; Stutter Step before the mages cast; Feather Step against a monster that crits.
- Spend the moves. At five finishing moves, pick a flou [cut off]
Working with other jobs:
Skillchains. Use the Skillchains page: close at least 3 seconds after the opener and inside 10 seconds. Dancer chains:
- Level 1: Gust Slash (Detonation) then Viper Bite (Scission) makes Scission. Viper Bite then Shadowstitch (Reverberation) makes Reverberation. Viper Bite then Cyclone makes Detonation.
- Level 2: Evisceration (Gravitation, Transfixion) then Exenterator (Fragmentation, Scission) makes Fragmentation. Evisceration then Aeolian Edge makes Distortion.
- Level 3: Evisceration then Pyrrhic Kleos (Distortion, Scission) makes Darkness. Rudra's Storm (Darkness, Distortion) then Evisceration makes Darkness. Evisceration, Exenterator, Pyrrhic Kleos makes Fragmentation then Distortion.
- Wild Flourish. Use it instead of an opener: the next weapon skill closes a chain if its properties match a level 1 chain (Liquefaction, Induration, Reverberation, Impaction or Compression). A Dancer can set up for the party, or open for itself and close.
Partners.
- You open with Evisceration (Gravitation): a Samurai closes with Tachi: Shoha, a Dragoon with Camlann's Torment, or a Monk with Dragon Kick, all for Fragmentation.
- They open with a Fusion weapskill (Tachi: Kasha, Shijin Spiral, Wheeling Thrust, Mandalic Stab): close with Shark Bite or Exenterator (Fragmentation) for Light.
- Skillchain Bonus. Dancer's traits (levels 45, 58, 71 and 84) and the Maculele Earring raise skillchain damage; when you close the chain, the closer's damage counts.
- Aeneas gives Exenterator the Light property while you hold its Aeonic Aftermath, and a level 4 Light closed with enough weapon skills becomes Radiance. See the Skillchains page.
Magic bursts. Darkness chains burst with Dark, Earth, Water and Ice; Light with Light, Fire, Wind and Thunder; Distortion with Water and Ice. Ask a Black Mage, Red Mage or Shantotto to burst.
Bards and Corsairs. March, Haste spells and Haste Samba all raise attack speed, and share the same limit (80% off your weapon delay). Rogue's Roll (critical hit rate) pairs well with Climactic Flourish, and Chaos Roll adds attack.
The healer. A Dancer can fill a missing healer's gap with waltzes, but waltzes cost the same TP as your weapon skills, so tell the party when you are healing. A White Mage still does the big fixes: Raise, Esuna and strong Cures.
Tanks. Fan Dance lets a Dancer take a monster for a while (it costs enmity: you gain 15). Use it when your tank is down, not as a plan.
Trusts. Lilisette waltzes when two or more are hurt and keeps [cut off]
Levelling it:
Level | What you get |
start | Trance |
5 | Drain Samba |
15 | Curing Waltz, Evasion Bonus |
20 | Quickstep, Animated Flourish, Dual Wield |
25 | Aspir Samba, Divine Waltz, Spectral Jig, Subtle Blow |
30 | Box Step, Curing Waltz II, Desperate Flourish |
35 | Drain Samba II, Healing Waltz |
40 | Stutter Step, Reverse Flourish, Dual Wield II |
45 | Curing Waltz III, Haste Samba, Violent Flourish, Skillchain Bonus |
50 | Building Flourish, Contradance |
58 | Skillchain Bonus II |
60 | Wild Flourish, Aspir Samba II, Dual Wield III |
65 | Drain Samba III |
70 | Curing Waltz IV, Chocobo Jig II |
75 | Fan Dance, Saber Dance, No Foot Rise, Closed Position |
77 | Presto, Conserve TP, Tactical Parry |
78 | Divine Waltz II |
80 | Climactic Flourish, Dual Wield IV |
83 | Feather Step |
87 | Curing Waltz V |
89 | Striking Flourish |
93 | Ternary Flourish |
96 | Grand Pas |
- 1 to 20: daggers and a healer Trust; Drain Samba keeps you topped up. Lilisette and Mayakov are Dancer Trusts you can call.
- 20 to 45: Quickstep and Box Step start the finishing move loop. Reverse Flourish at 40 fixes your TP.
- 45 to 75: Haste Samba, Building Flourish, Wild Flourish. By 60 you can open and close your own chains.
- To 99: your level cap starts at 70. Dancer's own limit break fight, A Furious Finale, opens level 99 (a character who has already won Shattering Stars from Maat on another job has it already). Levelling uses standard experience, Records of Eminence and Trusts. Classic mode keeps you at 75, then 90; Moogle Mode runs at faster rates.
At 99 and endgame:
Merits (five levels each):
- Group 1: Step accuracy (+3 a level), Haste Samba effect (+1% haste a level), Reverse Flourish (+30 TP a level), Building Flourish effect.
- Group 2: Saber Dance, Fan Dance, No Foot Rise (more finishing moves) and Closed Position (+3 accuracy and evasion a level).
- Weapon skill merits: Exenterator.
Job points. Master the job at 2,100 job points. Gifts to aim at:
- 100 and 1,200: maximum finishing moves +2 each, from five to nine.
- 125, 450, 1,050 and 1,900: Critical Damage +2. 150, 500, 1,125 and 2,000: Skillchain Bonus +2.
- 550: Dual Wield effect +5. 80, 405, 980 and 1,805: Subtle Blow.
- 2,100: Trance and Grand Pas come back 15 minutes sooner.
- Spend category points on Trance, Grand Pas, Step duration, Waltz potency and Flourish effects first.
Master levels. Maat or the Nomad Moogle in Ru'Lude Gardens gives Job Breaker at 99, and Master Breaker on a mastered level 99 job.
Where it shines. Omen, Odyssey, Ambuscade, Vagary, Dynamis - Divergence and Limbus all allow Trusts, so a Dancer can heal and chain with its own Trust party. Sortie, Nyzul Isle, Einherjar, Salvage and Assault do not allow Trusts, so bring players there; a Dancer who waltzes and chains is welcome in all of them.
Gear to aim for:
Band | Weapons | Armor and accessories |
1 to 30 | Federation Knife, Kris | Rajas Ring |
30 to 49 | Bone Knife | Keep your earlier accessories |
50 to 74 | Harpe, Azoth | Dancer's Bangles (52), Dancer's Tiara (54), Dancer's Toe Shoes (56), Dancer's Tights (58), Dancer's Casaque (60) |
75 to 98 | Batardeau, Terpsichore, Twashtar | Charis Tiara (85), Charis Casaque (89), Suppanomimi (72), Brutal Earring |
99 | Aeneas, Twashtar, Mpu Gandring, Acrontica, Polyhymnia (made by Oboro in Port Jeuno), Gleti's Knife, Chocobo Knife | The sets below |
- Artifact: Maxixi Tiara, Maxixi Casaque.
- Relic: Horos Tiara +3, Horos Casaque +3, Horos Tights +3.
- Empyrean: Maculele Tiara +3, Maculele Tights +3, Maculele Earring (Skillchain Bonus).
- Accessories: Moonshade Earring, Eabani Earring, Sherida Earring, Telos Earring, Chirich Ring, Petrov Ring, Fotia Gorget, Fotia Belt.
- Weapon skill weapons: Terpsichore (Pyrrhic Kleos), Twashtar (Rudra's Storm), Aeneas (Exenterator).
Common mistakes:
- Spending all your TP on dances. Steps and waltzes cost TP; weapon skills still need 1,000. Reverse Flourish and Trance exist to fix this.
- Waltzing under Saber Dance. Waltzes are off while Saber Dance is up. Use Fan Dance or neither if you need to heal.
- Sambas under Fan Dance. The same, the other way round.
- Forgetting to spend finishing moves. They cap at five (nine with job points). A step that lands at the cap is wasted.
- Wild Flourish with a partner who is not ready. The window is 10 seconds. Tell the party first.
- Fighting with one dagger. Dual Wield is the Dancer's baseline damage, and it comes at level 20.
- Healing with every TP. Weapon skills still come first when the party is fine.
Job abilities: Trance (SP, recast 1h): While in effect, lowers TP cost of dances and steps to 0. | Drain Samba (Lv 5, recast 1 min): Inflicts the next target you strike with Drain daze, allowing all those engaged in battle with it to drain its HP. | Sambas (Lv 5): These dances imbue melee attacks with special enhancements. | Curing Waltz (Lv 15, recast 6s): Restores target's HP. | Waltzes (Lv 15): These dances cure and remove ailments from the target. | Animated Flourish (Lv 20, recast 30s): Provokes target. Requires at least one finishing move. | Flourishes I (Lv 20): Powerful dance steps that can only be used after earning finishing moves. | Quickstep (Lv 20, recast 5s): Lowers a target's evasion. If successful, will earn you a finishing move. | Steps (Lv 20): These dance steps enfeeble enemies while granting access to finishing moves. | Aspir Samba (Lv 25, recast 1 min): Inflicts the next target you strike with Aspir daze, allowing all those engaged in battle with it to drain its MP. | Divine Waltz (Lv 25, recast 13s): Restores the HP of all party members within a small radius. | Jigs (Lv 25): These dances enhance your own abilities. | Spectral Jig (Lv 25, recast 30s): Allows you to evade enemies by making you undetectable by sight or sound. | Box Step (Lv 30, recast 5s): Lowers a target's defense. If successful, will earn you a finishing move. | Curing Waltz II (Lv 30, recast 8s): Restores target's HP. | Desperate Flourish (Lv 30, recast 20s): Weighs down a target with a low rate of success. Requires one finishing move. | Drain Samba II (Lv 35, recast 1 min): Inflicts the next target you strike with Drain daze, allowing all those engaged in battle with it to drain its HP. | Healing Waltz (Lv 35, recast 8s): Removes one magic-induced ailment from a party member. | Flourishes II (Lv 40): Powerful dance steps that can only be used after earning finishing moves. | Reverse Flourish (Lv 40, recast 30s): Converts remaining finishing moves into TP. Requires at least one finishing move. | Stutter Step (Lv 40, recast 5s): Lowers a target's magic resistance. If successful, will earn you a finishing move. | Curing Waltz III (Lv 45, recast 10s): Restores target's HP. | Haste Samba (Lv 45, recast 1 min): Inflicts the next target you strike with Haste daze, increasing the attack speed of all those engaged in battle with it. | Violent Flourish (Lv 45, recast 20s): Stuns target with a low rate of success. Requires one finishing move. | Building Flourish (Lv 50, recast 10s): Enhances potency of next weapon skill. Requires at least one finishing move. | Contradance (Lv 50, recast 5 min): Increases the amount of HP restored by your next Waltz. | Chocobo Jig (Lv 55, recast 1 min): Increases movement speed. | Aspir Samba II (Lv 60, recast 1 min): Inflicts the next target you strike with Aspir daze, allowing all those engaged in battle with it to drain its MP. | Wild Flourish (Lv 60, recast 20s): Readies target for a skillchain. Requires two finishing moves. | Drain Samba III (Lv 65, recast 1 min): Inflicts the next target you strike with Drain daze, allowing all those engaged in battle with it to drain its HP. | Chocobo Jig II (Lv 70, recast 1 min): Increases movement speed of party members within area of effect. | Curing Waltz IV (Lv 70, recast 12s): Restores target's HP. | Fan Dance (Lv 75, recast 3 min): Reduces physical damage taken and increases enmity but renders sambas unusable. Physical damage reduction gradually decreases with each hit taken. | No Foot Rise (Lv 75, recast 3 min): Instantly grants additional finishing moves. | Saber Dance (Lv 75, recast 3 min): Increases Double Attack rate but renders waltzes unusable. Double Attack rate gradually decreases. | Presto (Lv 77, recast 15s): Enhances the effect of your next step and grants you an additional finishing move. | Divine Waltz II (Lv 78, recast 20s): Restores the HP of all party members within a small radius. | Climactic Flourish (Lv 80, recast 2 min): Allows you to deal critical hits. Requires at least one finishing move. | Flourishes III (Lv 80): Powerful dance steps that can only be used after earning finishing moves. | Feather Step (Lv 83, recast 5s): Lowers a target's critical hit evasion. If successful, will earn you a finishing move. | Curing Waltz V (Lv 87, recast 15s): Restores target's HP. | Striking Flourish (Lv 89, recast 30s): Allows you to deliver a twofold attack. Requires at least two finishing moves. | Ternary Flourish (Lv 93, recast 30s): Allows you to deliver a threefold attack. Requires at least three finishing moves. | Grand Pas (Lv 96, recast 1h): Allows flourishes to be performed without finishing moves.
Traits: Evasion Bonus (Lv 15), Dual Wield (Lv 20), Resist Slow (Lv 20), Subtle Blow (Lv 25), Accuracy Bonus (Lv 30), Dual Wield II (Lv 40), Damage Limit+ (Lv 45), Evasion Bonus II (Lv 45), Skillchain Bonus (Lv 45), Subtle Blow II (Lv 45), Resist Slow II (Lv 55), Skillchain Bonus II (Lv 58), Accuracy Bonus II (Lv 60), Dual Wield III (Lv 60), Subtle Blow III (Lv 65), Skillchain Bonus III (Lv 71), Closed Position (Lv 75), Evasion Bonus III (Lv 75), Accuracy Bonus III (Lv 76), Conserve TP (Lv 77), Tactical Parry (Lv 77), Crit. Atk. Bonus (Lv 80), Dual Wield IV (Lv 80), Resist Slow III (Lv 81), Skillchain Bonus IV (Lv 84), Tactical Parry II (Lv 84), Evasion Bonus IV (Lv 86), Subtle Blow IV (Lv 86), Conserve TP II (Lv 87), Crit. Atk. Bonus II (Lv 88), Damage Limit+ II (Lv 90), Tactical Parry III (Lv 91), Conserve TP III (Lv 97), Tactical Parry IV (Lv 97), Crit. Atk. Bonus III (Lv 99)
Spells by level: Shantotto 1, Naji 1, Kupipi 1, Excenmille 1, Ayame 1, Nanaa Mihgo 1, Curilla 1, Volker 1, Ajido-Marujido 1, Trion 1, Zeid 1, Lion 1, Tenzen 1, Mihli Aliapoh 1, Valaineral 1, Joachim 1, Naja Salaheem 1, Prishe 1, Ulmia 1, Shikaree Z 1, Cherukiki 1, Iron Eater 1, Gessho 1, Gadalar 1, Rainemard 1, Ingrid 1, Lehko Habhoka 1, Nashmeira 1, Zazarg 1, Ovjang 1, Mnejing 1, Sakura 1, Luzaf 1, Najelith 1, Aldo 1, Moogle 1, Fablinix 1, Maat 1, D. Shantotto 1, Star Sibyl 1, Karaha-Baruha 1, Cid 1, Gilgamesh 1, Areuhat 1, Semih Lafihna 1, Elivira 1, Noillurie 1, Lhu Mhakaracca 1, Ferreous Coffin 1, Lilisette 1, Mumor 1, Uka Totlihn 1, Klara 1, Romaa Mihgo 1, Kuyin Hathdenna 1, Rahal 1, Koru-Moru 1, Pieuje (UC) 1, I. Shield (UC) 1, Apururu (UC) 1, Jakoh (UC) 1, Flaviria (UC) 1, Babban 1, Abenzio 1, Rughadjeen 1, Kukki-Chebukki 1, Margret 1, Chacharoon 1, Lhe Lhangavo 1, Arciela 1, Mayakov 1, Qultada 1, Adelheid 1, Amchuchu 1, Brygid 1, Mildaurion 1, Halver 1, Rongelouts 1, Leonoyne 1, Maximilian 1, Kayeel-Payeel 1, Robel-Akbel 1, Kupofried 1, Selh'teus 1, Yoran-Oran (UC) 1, Sylvie (UC) 1, Abquhbah 1, Balamor 1, August 1, Rosulatia 1, Teodor 1, Ullegore 1, Makki-Chebukki 1, King of Hearts 1, Morimar 1, Darrcuiln 1, AAHM 1, AAEV 1, AAMR 1, AATT 1, AAGK 1, Iroha 1, Ygnas 1, Monberaux 1, Cornelia 1, Matsui-P 1, Excenmille [S] 1, Ayame (UC) 1, Maat (UC) 1, Aldo (UC) 1, Naja (UC) 1, Lion II 1, Zeid II 1, Prishe II 1, Nashmeira II 1, Lilisette II 1, Tenzen II 1, Mumor II 1, Ingrid II 1, Arciela II 1, Iroha II 1, Shantotto II 1, Dispelga 99
Weapon skills: Combo (Hand-to-Hand 5; Impaction), Shoulder Tackle (Hand-to-Hand 40; Reverberation/Impaction), Backhand Blow (Hand-to-Hand 100; Detonation), Spinning Attack (Hand-to-Hand 150; Liquefaction/Impaction), Wasp Sting (Dagger 5; Scission), Viper Bite (Dagger 100; Scission), Shadowstitch (Dagger 70; Reverberation), Gust Slash (Dagger 40; Detonation), Cyclone (Dagger 125; Detonation/Impaction), Energy Steal (Dagger 150; ), Energy Drain (Dagger 175; ), Dancing Edge (Dagger 200; Scission/Detonation), Shark Bite (Dagger 225; Fragmentation), Evisceration (Dagger 230; Gravitation/Transfixion), Pyrrhic Kleos (Dagger; Distortion/Scission), Aeolian Edge (Dagger 290; Scission/Detonation/Impaction), Rudra's Storm (Dagger; Darkness/Distortion), Fast Blade (Sword 5; Scission), Burning Blade (Sword 30; Liquefaction), Flat Blade (Sword 75; Impaction), Shining Blade (Sword 100; Scission), Circle Blade (Sword 150; Reverberation/Impaction), Spirits Within (Sword 175; ), Exenterator (Dagger 357; Fragmentation/Scission)