Today we will look at the fourth and final (at least until Square Enix/Hobby Japan release more) pregen for the FFXIV TTRPG: the dragoon.

As iconic as the warrior is in terms of mechanics and tactics, few things are as tied to Final Fantasy’s aesthetic as the dragoon’s silhouette.

Let’s dig in!

The dragoon has the DPS role in FF XIV.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES

Like the white mage, the dragoon starts off with a +1, +1, +2, +3, +5 array for their primary attributes at level 30 and a more balanced set of defense stats. The dragoon’s speed is 5.

All attributes except for speed are increased by 1 at level 50 just like the other pregens included with the Starter Set.

The dragoon is also well balanced in terms of HP distribution, starting off with 26 HP at level 30 and then increasing to 34 at level 40, and 48 HP at level 50.

Just like very other pregen, the dragoon recovers 2 MP at the end of each Adventurer’s Step.

TRAITS & OTHER EFFECTS

With the dragoon we see the return of the combo! Another Final Fantasy staple, Drain, is an effect the dragoon has at their disposal. While Power Surge increases the damage the dragoon inflicts, Drain restores HP to the dragoon each time it damages an enemy.

PRIMARY ABILITIES

The dragoon’s base damage is 50% higher than the other pregens and the Direct Hits also average higher than the other pregens at level 30.

The dragoon’s mobility gives them more of a support role similar to the white mage – the warrior and black mage tend to stay rooted, and the white mage and dragoon move around to wherever they are needed most.

Depending on the circumstances, the dragoon may opt for the potentially lower output Direct Hit in exchange for Power Surge. For this reason I could see using True Thrust + Disembowel early in an encounter and Vorpal Thrust + Full Thrust as a late encounter combo.

SECONDARY ABILITIES

Based on my analysis thus far, to me the Secondary abilities are the most characterful for the pregens. And although they are called Secondary, many of them are in fact preparatory for the bigger Primary abilities, buffing you or debuffing your enemies and the dragoon is no exception.

The dragoon can inflict Stun on their enemies.

I would classify Stun as a harry tactic. Combined with the dragoon’s maneuverability, this can be used to great effect to forestall a boss AoE attack.

INSTANT ABILITIES

The dragoon’s instant abilities rival the white mage’s for versatility and power. One ability (Feint) reduces enemy damage until the end of their turn and the other (Second Wind) restores 1d6+2 HP.

Remember: instant abilities can be triggered multiple times in a round! This makes Second Wind perhaps the most versatile instant ability in the game so far.

CONCLUSIONS

I think the dragoon may be my favorite pregen of the bunch (spoiler — I played a dragoon for years in FF XI and XIV)! It’s not as complex as the black mage or warrior, but also not as static; it appears to have everything in good measure, provided its player understands how to play a support character.