Dancer PvP Guide for FFXIV

FFXIV completely overhauled the small-scale PvP mode in Patch 6.1, removing the Feast and introducing a new 5v5 objective-based game mode: Crystalline Conflict. Along with the update, Dancer's PvP abilities have been updated to reflect these game mode changes. Dancer is a utility-heavy ranged DPS that shines in coordinated environments due to its Limit Break Contradance being the premiere skill in setting up team fight victories.

This document will mainly focus on the new Crystalline Conflict mode, so while portions of it may apply to other PvP game modes, it is intended to apply to Crystalline Conflict.

Strengths

• High mobility, allowing Dancers to pressure or escape easily
• Buffs a teammate offensively and defensively when bursting
• Strongest teamfight set-up Limit Break
• Loads of utility for a DPS
• Great AoE damage

Weaknesses

• Lacks true defensives as a ranged job
• Burst is slow and extremely telegraphed
• Dealing maximum damage requires Dancers to stay in melee range and channel
• Weak in non-coordinated lobbies

Dancer's core mechanic is Closed Position, designating an ally as their Dance Partner. This will share the effects of Saber Dance, Starfall Dance, Fan Dance, and Curing Waltz with their partner, the effects of which will be explained below.

Dancer's main combo is the Fountain combo. This is a two GCD combo that is changed after using En Avant to become Reverse Cascade or Fountainfall. Casting either of these grants a buff for 15 seconds, and casting either of them while the buff is active will change the combo to Saber Dance. This deals heavy AoE damage and grants a buff for 10 seconds that increases damage dealt for the Dancer and their Dance Partner.

Dancer has three strong AoE skills. Starfall Dance is a line AoE that increases attack speed for the Dancer and their Dance Partner. Fan Dance is a conal AoE that decreases damage taken for the Dancer and their Dance Partner. Dancer can buff up a bursting job with these skills, providing the extra damage needed to secure a kill. The third skill, Honing Dance, is a channeled AoE that deals AoE damage over time. This grants access to Honing Ovation, an AoE nuke that increases in damage as you hit targets with Honing Dance. This also grants yourself and allies nearby a barrier!

Dancer has two main utility abilities. Curing Waltz is an AoE heal around the Dancer and their Dance Partner. En Avant can be used as a repositioning tool while getting your combo to Saber Dance.

As a Dancer, you should be looking to weave in and out of fight range with En Avant, buffing your bursting teammates as well as doing damage with Saber Dance, Starfall Dance, and Fan Dance, in addition to following up on burst with Honing Dance.

Swapping your Dance Partner is essential to maximizing Dancer's potential. You can give Starfall Dance and Saber Dance to a bursting DPS, and potentially save a focused ally with the damage reduction from Fan Dance and the heal from Curing Waltz. Do not think too hard about it - if an ally is doing damage, give them the damage buffs, and if an ally is being focused, give them damage reduction and try to save them.

Honing Dance is the most dangerous part of a Dancer's kit, as it requires you to stay in the middle of a fight for four seconds to maximize the damage dealt. It does grant 20% damage reduction, so it can be used in a pinch as a defensive. Make sure you have defensives available and an escape option to ensure you are not bursted down during the channeling portion. The shield afterwards helps your team with survivability, so use Honing Ovation early if necessary.

Dancer's Limit Break, Contradance, is one of the strongest in the game. All enemies nearby within 15 yalms are snapshotted almost instantaneously, and then charmed after a short wind-up. This charm can be extended to 4 seconds if you damage them. With Dancer's AoE kit, it is easy to get the full duration on the charm every time.

Contradance is the de-facto strongest Limit Break for setting up allied burst. This has made Dancer a staple in competitive teams - the Contradance into Sky Shatter combo can easily win any team fight. It can be used to set up other AoE LBs as well, such as Afflatus Purgation or even just AoE damage to contest a point. Keep in mind it can be interrupted before it goes off, so hide your intention as much as possible before using it.

Due to how strong standard defensive options are in Crystalline Conflict, crowd control and burst is the way to secure kills, which allows your team to secure the objective. Dancer does not have the greatest burst, but it excels in setting your team up to burst with Contradance. Otherwise, it can do plenty of chip damage.

Your main burst combo when LB is not up consists of the following skills:

1. Saber Dance;
2. Fan Dance;
3. Starfall Dance;
4. Honing Dance;
5. Honing Ovation;

As a Dancer, you should be coordinating your burst with your Dance Partner. This will allow you to buff them with your damaging dances. While this combo does do plenty of damage (around 55,000), it takes fairly long and is not reliable. That being said, all of it is AoE damage, so if enemies are clumped up, you will be able to deliver high damage and pressure them greatly.

Your main burst combo when LB is up consists of the following skills:

1. Buff yourself and your Dance Partner with Saber Dance;
2. Contradance;
3. Honing Dance;
4. Honing Ovation;
5. Fan Dance;
6. Starfall Dance;

Honing Dance is used first to extend the charm duration. This ensures that all hits of Honing Dance will hit all charmed enemies as well. As always, Contradance should be coordinated with teammate Limit Breaks to guarantee a won team fight.