Dragoon

job · DRG

The Dragoon is a polearm fighter who leaps on the enemy, fights alongside its own wyvern, and trades its wyvern's strength for a burst of power.

DRG · two-hour Spirit Surge · 18 job abilities · 30 trait ranks · 122 spells · 36 weapon skills

What the job does:
Dragoon is two fighters at once. You carry a polearm and your attacks are high-damage polearm weapon skills; beside you is a wyvern that fights, heals, and breathes. The two feed each other: your Spirit Link heals the wyvern, the wyvern's breath scales with its own HP, Healing Breath and Restoring Breath cover the party, and Spirit Surge merges the wyvern into you for a minute of much higher strength.

On top of that the Dragoon jumps. Jump, High Jump, Spirit Jump and Soul Jump are short, strong attacks with their own recasts, and Super Jump lets you leave the monster's attention entirely. Jumps keep Dragoon damage steady between weapon skills, and they are also how you manage hate.

What it is good at: sustained physical damage, excellent polearm weapon skills (Stardiver, Drakesbane, Camlann's Torment and Geirskogul, all of them skillchain starters or finishers), a free pet that heals, and quick hate control. What it is bad at: it depends on a wyvern that can die and costs 20 minutes to call again, it has no magic, and its defense is middling.

From the Dragoon's seat the fight is a loop of jumps and TP. Call the wyvern first. Jump and High Jump as they come back, weapon skill at 1,000 TP or on the party's chain, keep the wyvern's HP up with Spirit Link, and when the fight is the one that matters, Spirit Surge.

Role in a party:
Damage with a bit of healing. A Dragoon is expected to deal good, steady melee damage and to take part in chains. The wyvern adds a second source of damage and healing, which makes the Dragoon a useful extra pair of hands in a small party or a Trust party.

What it brings that nothing else does:

- Restoring Breath at level 90: your wyvern heals everyone in range of it (14 yalms).
- Ancient Circle and Dragon Breaker against dragons.
- Spirit Jump and Soul Jump, which attack while lowering your hate, so the Dragoon can be a high-damage fighter that rarely pulls from the tank.
- Super Jump, which clears your hate on every monster you have it on.
- Angon, a thrown spear that lowers a monster's defense.

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 | Lasts | Recast | Notes |
Spirit Surge | start | 1 min | 1 hour | Merges your wyvern into you |
Call Wyvern | 1 | until it dies | 20 min | Summons your wyvern |
Dismiss | 1 | instant | 5 min | Sends your wyvern away |
Ancient Circle | 5 | 3 min | 5 min | Party defense and attack against dragons |
Jump | 10 | instant | 1 min | Damage scales with your VIT |
Spirit Link | 25 | instant | 1.5 min | Spends your HP to heal the wyvern |
High Jump | 35 | instant | 2 min | Stronger jump |
Super Jump | 50 | instant | 3 min | Clears your hate on every monster |
Spirit Bond | 65 | 3 min | 1 min | You take damage for the wyvern |
Angon | 75 | 15 s (+15 s a merit) | 3 min | Lowers defense. Needs an Angon in the ammo slot |
Deep Breathing | 75 | 3 min | 5 min | Strengthens the wyvern's next breath |
Spirit Jump | 77 | instant | 1 min | Jump that lowers enmity |
Soul Jump | 85 | instant | 2 min | High Jump that lowers enmity |
Dragon Breaker | 87 | 3 min | 5 min | Weakens a dragon |
Restoring Breath | 90 | instant | 1 min | Wyvern heals the party |
Smiting Breath | 90 | instant | 1 min | Wyvern uses its best attack breath |
Steady Wing | 95 | 5 min | 5 min | Stoneskin on the wyvern |
Fly High | 96 | 30 s | 1 hour | Jump recasts become shorter |

The wyvern.

- Call Wyvern as soon as you arrive. It takes 20 minutes to come back after it dies or is dismissed.
- Spirit Link is your wyvern's heal: it takes 25% to 35% of your current HP, gives the wyvern twice that back plus a Regen for 90 seconds, and gives you half of the wyvern's TP. Use it when the wyvern is at half HP or less, and when you are healthy; the more job points you put into Spirit Link, the less it costs.
- Spirit Bond (level 65) makes you take some of the damage meant for the wyvern, and Healing Breath then heals both of you.
- Steady Wing (95) puts a Stoneskin on the wyvern; use it at the pull of a hard fight.
- Deep Breathing, then a breath: Restoring Breath to heal the party, Smiting Breath to attack. Breath damage depends on the wyvern's current HP, so a healthy wyvern hits hardest.

Jumps. Fire them off whenever they are ready. Jump and High Jump are your steady damage. Spirit Jump and Soul Jump (the same strikes, with lower hate; stronger with a wyvern out) are the right choice when you are standing beside a tank. Super Jump is an emergency exit: if the monster turns on you, i [cut off]

Working with other jobs:
Skillchains. Use the Skillchains page: close at least 3 seconds after the opener and inside 10 seconds. Dragoon chains:

- Level 1: Double Thrust (Transfixion) then Penta Thrust (Compression) makes Compression. Penta Thrust then Raiden Thrust makes Transfixion.
- Level 2: Double Thrust then Sonic Thrust (Transfixion, Scission) makes Distortion. Impulse Drive (Gravitation, Induration) then Camlann's Torment (Light, Fragmentation) makes Fragmentation.
- Level 3: Wheeling Thrust (Fusion) then Camlann's Torment makes Light. Drakesbane (Fusion, Transfixion) then Camlann's Torment makes Light. Wheeling Thrust, Stardiver, Geirskogul makes Gravitation, then Darkness.
- Stardiver (Gravitation, Transfixion) is an Aeonic weapon skill: with Trishula and its Aftermath it gains Darkness, and a level 4 Darkness closed after 2 to 4 weapon skills becomes Umbra. See the Skillchains page.

Partners (you open).

- Stardiver or Impulse Drive (Gravitation): a Samurai closes with Tachi: Shoha, or a Monk with Dragon Kick, for Fragmentation.
- Wheeling Thrust or Drakesbane (Fusion): Dragon Kick, Shark Bite, Tachi: Shoha or Camlann's Torment close it as Light.
- Geirskogul (Light, Distortion): follow with Impulse Drive for Darkness.

Partners (they open, you close).

- After a Samurai's Tachi: Kasha (Fusion), close with Camlann's Torment for Light.
- After a Warrior's Upheaval or a Monk's Shijin Spiral (Fusion), close with Camlann's Torment for Light.
- After a Thief's Evisceration (Gravitation), close with Camlann's Torment for Fragmentation.

Magic bursts. Light chains burst with Light, Fire, Wind and Thunder; Darkness with Dark, Earth, Water and Ice; Fragmentation with Wind and Thunder.

Bards and Corsairs. March (haste) and Minuet (attack) raise your damage. Fighter's Roll and Chaos Roll help too.

What it needs from the healer. Haste and Cure. Your wyvern can be cured like any party member, but Spirit Link usually covers it, so the healer's attention can stay on the people.

Tanks. Use Spirit Jump and Soul Jump when you are beside a tank. Use Jump and High Jump when you are holding the monster yourself and want your hate to stay.

Trusts. Ark Angel GK is a Samurai-Dragoon Trust; Flaviria (UC) is a Dragoon without a wyvern, and Shikaree Z uses High Jump when she holds hate.

Levelling it:
Level | What you get |
start | Spirit Surge |
1 | Call Wyvern, Dismiss |
5 | Ancient Circle |
10 | Jump, Attack Bonus |
20 | Strafe |
25 | Spirit Link, Dragon Killer |
30 | Accuracy Bonus, Damage Limit+ |
35 | High Jump |
40 | Smite, Strafe II |
45 | WS Damage Boost, Conserve TP |
50 | Super Jump |
55 | WS Damage Boost II |
65 | Spirit Bond, WS Damage Boost III |
75 | Angon, Deep Breathing, Empathy, WS Damage Boost IV |
77 | Spirit Jump |
85 | Soul Jump, WS Damage Boost V |
87 | Dragon Breaker |
90 | Restoring Breath, Smiting Breath, Damage Limit+ III |
95 | Steady Wing, WS Damage Boost VI |
96 | Fly High |

- 1 to 25: call the wyvern and let it fight alongside you; jump on cooldown. A healer Trust (Ygnas, Kupipi) and a tank (Curilla) keep both of you alive. Flaviria (UC) and Ark Angel GK show the job's weapon skills at work.
- 25 to 50: Spirit Link and High Jump. Use Spirit Link; the wyvern's HP is your budget.
- 50 to 75: Super Jump gets you out of trouble; Spirit Bond at 65.
- To 99: your level cap starts at 70. Win Shattering Stars from Maat in Ru'Lude Gardens (level 66 or higher) to open level 99. 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: Ancient Circle, Jump, High Jump, Super Jump and Spirit Link recasts (10, 2, 4, 6 and 3 seconds shorter a level).
- Group 2: Deep Breathing (a stronger breath), Angon (+15 seconds a level), Empathy (Spirit Link copies your buffs on to the wyvern, and lets you use it at full HP) and Strafe (wyvern accuracy).
- Weapon skill merits: Stardiver, Shattersoul and Requiescat for a Dragoon, at 20 to 30 merits a level.

Job points. Master the job at 2,100 job points. Gifts to aim at:

- 10: Attack +10. 30: Accuracy +9. 80, 405, 980 and 1,805: Critical Damage +2.
- 100 and 1,200: Wyvern attribute increase. 125, 450, 1,050 and 1,900: wyvern physical accuracy and evasion. 150, 500, 1,125 and 2,000: wyvern magic accuracy and evasion.
- 550: Restoring and Smiting Breath recast shortened.
- 2,100: Spirit Surge and Fly High come back 15 minutes sooner.
- Spend category points on Wyvern Breath effect, Wyvern max HP, Jump effect and High Jump effect.

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 (with Trusts); against dragons, Ancient Circle and Dragon Breaker make a Dragoon a strong pick. Sortie, Nyzul Isle, Einherjar, Salvage and Assault do not allow Trusts, so bring players there; a wyvern's Restoring Breath is a handy extra heal for them.

Gear to aim for:
Band | Weapons | Armor and accessories |
1 to 30 | Spear, Platoon Lance | Rajas Ring |
30 to 49 | Mythril Lance | Keep your earlier accessories |
50 to 74 | Gae Bolg, Skystrider | Drachen Brais (52), Drachen Greaves (54), Drachen Mail (58), Drachen Armet (60), Fortitude Torque |
75 to 98 | Gae Assail, Gungnir, Rhongomiant, Ryunohige | Brutal Earring, Mars's Ring |
99 | Trishula, Gae Buide, Hebo's Spear, Geirrothr, Areadbhar (made by Oboro in Port Jeuno) | The sets below |

- Artifact: Pteroslaver Mail and the rest of the Pteroslaver set.
- Relic: Vishap Armet, Vishap Mail +3, Vishap Brais +3.
- Empyrean: Peltast's Mezail +1, Peltast's Earring (wyvern level and Subtle Blow).
- Ammo: Angon.
- Accessories: Moonshade Earring, Cessance Earring, Brutal Earring, Chirich Ring, Petrov Ring, Fotia Gorget, Fotia Belt.
- Weapon skill weapons: Gungnir (Geirskogul), Rhongomiant (Camlann's Torment), Ryunohige (Drakesbane), Trishula (Stardiver).

Common mistakes:
- Letting the wyvern die and waiting. Call Wyvern recasts in 20 minutes. Spirit Link, Steady Wing and Spirit Bond keep it alive.
- Spirit Surge without a plan. It dismisses the wyvern. Use it on a boss, with jumps ready and the wyvern's TP worth giving.
- Super Jump instead of a Spirit Jump. Super Jump wipes your hate on everything; Spirit Jump and Soul Jump only lower it. Use the right one.
- Spirit Link at a low HP. It costs 25% to 35% of your current HP. Do not use it when you are low.
- No Angon in the ammo slot. Angon needs one each time.
- Pulling hate with a high-damage jump beside a tank. Use Spirit Jump or Soul Jump there.
- Not telling the healer about the wyvern. The wyvern's HP matters; Healing and Restoring Breath depend on it being in range.
- Calling Wyvern after Spirit Surge too soon. If the Call Wyvern recast has not finished, the button will not work.

Job abilities: Spirit Surge (SP, recast 1h): Adds your wyvern's strength to your own. | Call Wyvern (Lv 1, recast 20 min): Calls a wyvern to fight by your side. | Dismiss (Lv 1, recast 5 min): Sends your wyvern away. | Ancient Circle (Lv 5, recast 5 min): Grants enhanced resistance, defense, and attack against dragons to party members within area of effect. | Jump (Lv 10, recast 1 min): Delivers a short jumping attack on a targeted enemy. | Spirit Link (Lv 25, recast 2 min): Sacrifice HP to heal your wyvern. | High Jump (Lv 35, recast 2 min): Delivers a high jumping attack on a targeted enemy. | Super Jump (Lv 50, recast 3 min): Jumps out of targeted enemy's perception range. | Spirit Bond (Lv 65, recast 1 min): Enables the dragoon to take some damage on behalf of their wyvern. Using Healing Breath also restores the wyvern's HP. | Angon (Lv 75, recast 3 min): Expends an angon to lower an enemy's defense. | Deep Breathing (Lv 75, recast 5 min): Enhances effect of next wyvern breath. | Spirit Jump (Lv 77, recast 1 min): Delivers a short jumping attack on a targeted enemy which suppresses enmity. Effect enhanced when wyvern is present. | Soul Jump (Lv 85, recast 2 min): Delivers a high jumping attack on a targeted enemy which suppresses enmity. Effect enhanced when wyvern is present. | Dragon Breaker (Lv 87, recast 5 min): Lowers accuracy, evasion, magic accuracy, magic evasion, and TP gain for dragons. | Restoring Breath (Lv 90, recast 1 min): Orders the wyvern to heal with its breath. | Smiting Breath (Lv 90, recast 1 min): Orders the wyvern to attack with its breath. | Steady Wing (Lv 95, recast 5 min): Creates a barrier that temporarily absorbs a certain amount of damage dealt to your wyvern. | Fly High (Lv 96, recast 1h): Reduces the recast time of jumps.

Traits: Attack Bonus (Lv 10), Strafe (Lv 20), Dragon Killer (Lv 25), Accuracy Bonus (Lv 30), Damage Limit+ (Lv 30), Smite (Lv 40), Strafe II (Lv 40), Conserve TP (Lv 45), WS Damage Boost (Lv 45), WS Damage Boost II (Lv 55), Conserve TP II (Lv 58), Accuracy Bonus II (Lv 60), Damage Limit+ II (Lv 60), Strafe III (Lv 60), WS Damage Boost III (Lv 65), Conserve TP III (Lv 71), Empathy (Lv 75), WS Damage Boost IV (Lv 75), Accuracy Bonus III (Lv 76), Smite II (Lv 80), Strafe IV (Lv 80), Conserve TP IV (Lv 84), Crit. Def. Bonus (Lv 85), WS Damage Boost V (Lv 85), Dragon Killer II (Lv 86), Damage Limit+ III (Lv 90), Attack Bonus II (Lv 91), Crit. Def. Bonus II (Lv 95), WS Damage Boost VI (Lv 95), Conserve TP V (Lv 97)

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

Weapon skills: Wasp Sting (Dagger 5; Scission), Shadowstitch (Dagger 70; Reverberation), Gust Slash (Dagger 40; Detonation), Energy Steal (Dagger 150; ), 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; ), Double Thrust (Polearm 5; Transfixion), Thunder Thrust (Polearm 30; Transfixion/Impaction), Raiden Thrust (Polearm 70; Transfixion/Impaction), Leg Sweep (Polearm 100; Impaction), Penta Thrust (Polearm 150; Compression), Vorpal Thrust (Polearm 175; Reverberation/Transfixion), Skewer (Polearm 200; Transfixion/Impaction), Wheeling Thrust (Polearm 225; Fusion), Impulse Drive (Polearm 240; Gravitation/Induration), Drakesbane (Polearm; Fusion/Transfixion), Sonic Thrust (Polearm 300; Transfixion/Scission), Camlann's Torment (Polearm; Light/Fragmentation), Stardiver (Polearm 357; Gravitation/Transfixion), Shining Strike (Club 5; Impaction), Brainshaker (Club 70; Reverberation), Starlight (Club 100; ), Skullbreaker (Club 150; Induration/Reverberation), True Strike (Club 175; Impaction/Detonation), Heavy Swing (Staff 5; Impaction), Rock Crusher (Staff 40; Impaction), Starburst (Staff 100; Compression/Reverberation), Shell Crusher (Staff 175; Detonation), Full Swing (Staff 200; Liquefaction/Impaction), Spirit Taker (Staff 215; ), Retribution (Staff 230; Gravitation/Reverberation), Shattersoul (Staff 357; Gravitation/Induration)