The Armoury System is FFXIV's class system.
- Start the game as a Class.
- Class is based on equipped weapon - Gladiator/Sword - Marauder/Axe - Lancer/Lance - Pugilist/Fist Weapon - Archer/Bow - Conjurer/Staff - Thaumaturge/Rod - Arcanist/Book -
- Traits are for the class you currently are only.
- Classes can use cross-class abilities from other classes. As you level up, you gain more ability slots for cross-class abilities (10 slots at level 50).
- Classes can use certain abilities from every other class. For example, you can equip the Pugilist's "Internal Release" and Lancer's "Blood for Blood" as a Gladiator.
- Your class can be changed in the field by changing your weapon once you unlock the Armoury System at level 10.
- Gathering and Crafting classes are also determined by the equipped tool.
- At around level 30 you unlock the ability to use jobs, which are the specializations for classes.
- Jobs do not level up - they use the level of their base class. You will never be a level 50 paladin. You will be a level 50 gladiator who is using the paladin soul crystal.
- To use a job, first you equip the weapon for its class and then you equip the job's soul crystal. To become a monk you'd equip a fist weapon and then the monk soul crystal.
- Jobs restrict the use of cross-class abilities. They can only draw abilities from specific classes and only get 5 cross-class ability slots at level 50.
- Jobs gain new abilities by completing quests. There is also job-only gear.
The gladiator uses powerful sword and shield techniques to keep the attention of his or her enemies and survive blows that would devastate lesser beings. Gladiators act as tanks and disruptors, blinding, stunning, and disabling enemies while holding their attention with sword combos. A Shield Bash at the right time can greatly raise the party's Limit Gauge. An important skill for gladiator players is prediction, since most of their skills are focused on preventing damage, rather than reacting to it. Gladiators begin their journey in Ul'dah and fight for glory in the Coliseum. In parties, Gladiators have access to the tank limit breaks.
Gladiator Combos, Magic, and Weapon Skills:
- Fast Blade → Savage Blade (+enmity) → Rage of Halone (+enmity, reduces target's STR)
- Fast Blade → Riot Blade (restores MP)
- Shield Bash - Stuns the target and deals damage.
- Shield Lob - Tosses your shield at the enemy with an enmity bonus.
- Shield Swipe - Deals damage and applies the Pacification debuff. Can only use after blocking.
- Flash - Causes a flash around you that adds enmity and blinds enemies. Uses MP.
Gladiator Abilities:
- Rampart - Reduces incoming damage by a percentage for the duration. (Low reduction, low cooldown)
- Fight or Flight - Increases damage dealt for the duration.
- Convalescence - Increases healing received for the duration.
- Provoke - Instantly places you on top of the target's enmity list.
- Awareness - Reduced chance to be critically hit for the duration.
- Sentinel - Reduces incoming damage by a percentage for the duration. (High reduction, high cooldown)
- Tempered Will - Removes Bind and Heavy, and then makes you immune to knockback and draw-in for the duration.
- Bulwark - Increases Block Rate for the duration.
- Circle of Scorn - Deals damage in an AOE and applies a damage over time effect.
When using the paladin soul crystal, gladiators gain new abilities at the cost of some of their cross-class skills. The paladin job is focused on tanking.
Paladin Job Actions
- Sword Oath - Adds a second, lower-damage strike to all of your auto attacks. Cannot be used at the same time as Shield Oath. - Effect lasts until canceled.
- Cover - Takes physical damage in place of a party member for the duration.
- Shield Oath - Increases enmity generated and decreases damage dealt and taken. Cannot be used at the same time as Sword Oath. - Effect lasts until canceled.
- Spirits Within - Delivers a high-potency attack and briefly silences the target. Potency decreases as HP decreases.
- Hallowed Ground - Renders you impervious to most attacks.
Paladins can equip skills from conjurer and marauder. Recommended cross-class abilities for paladin: Foresight, Bloodbath, Mercy Stroke, Fracture, Raise
Marauders use axes to cleave a path through the enemy's front line and protect the more fragile members of the party. Marauders tank primarily by smashing their foes' faces in and bathing in their blood. By doing so, they restore their own HP. Instead of preventing a large amount of damage like gladiators, marauders react to incoming damage by refilling their large HP pools via weapon skills and abilities. Marauders begin their journey in Limsa Lominsa and sharpen their axes in The Coral Tower. In parties, Marauders have access to the tank limit breaks.
Marauder Combos and Weapon Skills:
- Heavy Swing → Skull Sunder* (+enmity) → Butcher's Block* (+enmity)
- Heavy Swing → Maim* (+damage dealt for 10s) → Storm's Path* (absorbs a portion of damage dealt as HP)
- Heavy Swing → Maim* (+damage dealt for 10s) → Storm's Eye* (decreases enemy slashing resistance and HP recovery from magic for 12s)
- Overpower - Deals damage in a cone and generates bonus enmity.
- Tomahawk - Deals damage at range and generates bonus enmity.
- Fracture - Deals damage and adds a damage over time effect to the target enemy.
Marauder Abilities:
- Foresight - Increases defense for the duration.
- Bloodbath - Successful offensive actions will restore a portion of their damage dealt as HP for the duration.
- Brutal Swing* - Deals damage and stuns the target.
- Berserk* - Increases attack power by a percentage for the duration, but leaves you unable to use weapon skills for 5 seconds after the effect ends.
- Mercy Stroke - Deals heavy damage to a target, and restores a portion of your maximum HP if it is a killing blow. Can only be used on targets that are below 20% HP.
- Thrill of Battle* - Temporarily increases maximum HP and restores the amount increased.
- Holmgang - Binds the marauder and the target.
- Vengeance* - delivers a low-potency attack every time physical damage is taken.
When using the warrior soul crystal, marauders gain new abilities at the cost of some of their cross-class skills. The warrior job is focused on tanking, and has a new mechanic added to it. While using the level 30 ability Defiance, warriors are capable of generating Wrath when certain abilities are used. Wrath increases your critical hit rate and healing received, and stacks up to five times. At five stacks of Wrath, the warrior is infuriated and can use one of their other job actions. Marauder abilities with an asterisk next to them generate Wrath.
Warrior Job Actions:
- Defiance - Increases maximum hit points and enmity generated. Decreases damage dealt. Allows for the generation of Wrath. Effect lasts until canceled.
- [WS]Inner Beast - Deals damage and restores HP based on damage dealt. Ignores the Defiance damage penalty. Consumes all 5 stacks of Wrath on use.
- Unchained - Nullifies the damage penalty from Defiance for the duration. Consumes all 5 stacks of Wrath on use.
- [WS]Steel Cyclone - Deals damage in an area around the warrior. Ignores the Defiance damage penalty. Consumes all 5 stacks of Wrath on use.
- Infuriate - Instantly grants five units of Wrath.
Warriors can equip skills from gladiator and pugilist. Recommended cross-class skills for warrior: Flash, Provoke, Convalescence, Internal Release, Second Wind, Featherfoot, Mantra
Lancers use all manner of two-handed pole arms to deal critical blows to their enemies. Lancers is a straightforward damage class, sacrificing defense for attack power to deal heavy damage. Lancer is a straightforward damage dealer that fights while moving around the target in order to gain access to combo bonuses. They have the most accessible AoE attacks of any melee class, and have some powerful utility in their attack speed slow. Lancers begin their journey in Gridania hone their skills at the Wailing Barracks. In parties, Lancers have access to the melee limit breaks.
Lancer Combos and Weapon Skills:
- True Thrust → Vorpal Thrust → Full Thrust
- [rear] Impulse Drive → Disembowel (lowers piercing resistance) → Chaos Thrust (adds DoT)
- [side] Heavy Thrust (+10% damage for 15s) → Ring of Thorns (AoE)
- Feint - Deals damage and applies an attack speed slow.
- Piercing Talon - Deals damage at range.
- Phlebotomize - Deals damage and applies a damage over time effect.
- Doom Spike - Deals damage to all enemies in a line in front of you.
Lancer Abilities:
- Keen Flurry - Increases parry rate for the duration.
- Leg Sweep - Deals damage and stuns the target.
- Life Surge - Causes the next non-magic action used to be a critical hit and restores HP based on damage dealt.
- Invigorate - Instantly restores TP.
- Blood for Blood - Increases damage dealt by 20% and damage suffered by 25% for the duration. Improved when the trait is learned.
While using the dragoon job crystal, lancers gain new abilities at the cost of some of their cross-class skills. The dragoon job is focused on damage dealing.
Dragoon Job Actions:
- Jump - Delivers a jumping attack and returns you to your original location.
- Elusive Jump - Backflips to safety and reduces enmity.
- Spineshatter Dive - Delivers a jumping attack that stuns the enemy.
- Power Surge - Increases the damage of your next Jump or Spineshatter Dive.
- Dragonfire Dive - Delivers a jumping attack that deals fire damage in an area around the target.
Dragoons can equip skills from marauder and archer. Recommended cross-class abilities for dragoon: Mercy Stroke, Bloodbath, Raging Strikes, Quelling Strikes, Hawk's Eye, Straight Shot
Rather than traditional combos, Pugilists utilize stance changes that give them flexibility in their combo chains. Pugilists have a snowball mechanic in Greased Lightning, a buff that is the result of some of their weapon skills. Greased Lightning increases attack speed and damage while lowering the global cooldown, allowing Pugilists to unleash attacks faster than most classes. Though slightly lacking in AoE damage, pugilist has a good amount of offensive and defensive utility. Pugilists begin their journey in Ul'dah and work as enforcers for the Platinum Mirage casino. In parties, Pugilists have access to the melee limit breaks.
Pugilist stance changes and Weapon Skills:
[required stance] WS name → resulting stance (effect)
- [any]Bootshine → raptor (in opo-opo: crits from behind)
- [any]Arm of the Destroyer → raptor (AOE, in opo-opo: inflicts Silence)
- [raptor]Truestrike → coeurl (+crit% from behind)
- [raptor]Twin Snakes → coeurl (increased damage from flank, damage+5% for 12s buff)
- [coeurl]Snap Punch → opo-opo (increased damage from flank, grants Greased Lightning)
- [coeurl]Demolish → opo-opo (damage over time, grants Greased Lightning)
- Haymaker - Deals damage and inflicts slow. Can only be used after evading an attack.
- Touch of Death - Deals damage and inflicts a damage over time effect.
Pugilist Abilities:
- Featherfoot - Increases evasion chance for the duration.
- Second Wind - Instantly restores some HP to self.
- Internal Release - Increases critical rate for the duration.
- Fists of Earth - Decreases the damage you take by a percentage. Cannot be used at the same time as Fists of Wind or Fire.
- Fists of Wind - Increases movement speed. Cannot be used at the same time as Fists of Earth or Fire.
- Steel Peak - Deals damage and inflicts stun.
- Mantra - Increases healing taken by nearby party members for the duration.
- Howling Fist - Deals damage in a line in front of you.
- Perfect Balance - allows use of any Weapon Skill regardless of stance
When using the monk soul crystal, pugilists gain new abilities at the cost of some of their cross-class skills. The monk job is focused on dealing damage. Monks gain three new Weapon Skills, expanding their combo options, as well as a powerful damage dealing stance and range closer.
Monk Job Actions:
- [coeurl]Rockbreaker → opo-opo (Cone AOE, grants Greased Lightning)
- Shoulder Tackle - Rushes target and deals damage while stunning. Has a minimum range requirement.
- Fists of Fire - Increases damage dealt. Cannot be used at the same time as Fists of Wind or Earth.
- [raptor]One Ilm Punch → coeurl (Removes 1 beneficial effect from target)
- [any] Dragon Kick → raptor (increased damage from side, in opo-opo: reduce target's blunt resistance by 10% for 15s)
Monks can equip skills from lancer and gladiator. Recommended cross-class abilities for monk: Invigorate, Blood for Blood,
Archers in a realm reborn fire off arrows from afar, causing status effects and dealing damage from a safe distance. Archers have access to debuffing Weapon Skills and utility skills, like a group movement speed increase and a backstepping attack. Archers do not use melee-class combos, and instead rely on procs that enhance their shots. A good damage-dealing and supporting class for those who like to watch for procs and cooldown resets. Also, for those wondering, archers do not have to buy arrows in this game. Archers begin their journey in Gridania and protect the forest with their comrades at Quiver's Hold. In parties, Archers have access to the healer limit breaks.
Archer Weapon Skills and proc effects:
- Heavy Shot - Deals damage. Chance on hit to cause next Straight Shot to be critical.
- Straight Shot - Deals damage and increases critical strike chance for a duration.
- Venomous Bite - Deals damage and poisons target. Chance on poison crit to reset Bloodletter recast time.
- Repelling Shot - Deals low damage and causes you to backflip a short distance.
- Quick Knock - Deals damage in a cone in front of you.
- Windbite - Deals wind damage and applies a wind DoT effect. DoT crits have a chance to reset Bloodletter recast time.
- Wide Volley - Deals damage to the target and enemies near it. Has a chance to cause the next Rain of Death (Bard Only) to have no TP cost.
Archer Abilities:
- Raging Strikes - Increases damage dealt for the duration.
- Misery's End - Deals damage. Can only be used when the target is below 20% HP.
- Shadowbind - Deals damage and binds the target. Cancels auto-attack on use.
- Bloodletter - Deals damage. Your DoT crits have a chance to instantly reset the recast time.
- Swiftsong - Increases the party's movement speed. Effect ends upon entering combat.
- Hawk's Eye - Increases physical accuracy and dexterity for the duration.
- Flaming Arrow - Causes the ground to burn in an area, causing damage over time. Ground-targeted ability.
- Barrage[ - Increases the number of strikes per auto-attack for the duration.
- Blunt Arrow - Deals damage and briefly silences the target.
- Quelling Strikes - Reduces enmity generated for the duration.
When using the bard soul crystal, archers gain new abilities at the cost of some of their cross-class skills. The bard job is focused on support. Bard remains a fairly potent damage dealer, but its powerful songs and debuff are the real reason to want one in a party.
Bard Job Actions:
- Mage's Ballad - Lowers your own damage and increases nearby party members' MP regeneration. Drains MP. Lasts until effect is canceled or out of MP.
- Army's Paeon - Lowers your own damage and increases nearby party members' TP generation. Drains MP. Lasts until effect is canceled or out of MP.
- Foe Requiem - Reduces the elemental resistances of nearby foes. Drains MP. Lasts until effect is canceled or out of MP.
- Rain of Death - Deals damage to the target and surrounding enemies and lowers the damage they deal for a duration. Has a chance on use to make the next Quick Nock cost no TP.
- Battle Voice - Doubles the effectiveness of songs other than Swiftsong for the duration.
Bards can equip skills from lancer and conjurer. Recommended cross-class abilities for bard: Blood for Blood, Invigorate, Cure, Raise, Stoneskin, Protect.
Conjurers invoke elemental spirits to damage their enemies and protect their allies. Wind and earth are used mainly for offense, while the water element is used for defensive maneuvers and healing. Conjurers also have access to the Sleep status effect for crowd control. As a primary healer they are obviously a welcome addition to any party, but a great Conjurer knows how to find the perfect balance of nuking, crowd control, and healing. Conjurers begin their journey in Gridania and commune with the elementals at Stillglade Fane. In parties, Conjurers have access to the healer limit breaks.
Conjurer Magic:
- Stone - Deals earth damage and inflicts heavy.
- Cure - Restores some of the target's HP. 15% chance that your next Cure II will cost no MP with trait.
- Aero - Deals wind damage and inflicts a damage over time effect. Instant cast.
- Protect - Increases nearby party members' defense. Increases magic defense as well with trait.
- Medica - Restores the HP of nearby party members.
- Raise - Revives a target from KO. Can be cast in combat with trait.
- Esuna - Removes a detrimental effect from the target. 20% chance next Esuna will cost no MP.
- Stone II - Deals earth damage.
- Repose - Inflicts sleep on the target.
- Cure II - Restores a large portion of the target's HP. 15% chance your next Cure III will restore critical HP with trait.
- Stoneskin - Shields a target for a percentage of their maximum HP.
- Cure III - Restores HP to the target and party members near it.
- Aero II - Deals wind damage and inflicts a damage over time effect.
- Medica II - Restores the HP of nearby party members and adds a regen effect.
Conjurer Abilities:
- Cleric Stance - Swaps current INT and MND ratings, while increasing attack magic potency and reducing healing potency.
- Fluid Aura - Knockback and bind the target.
- Shroud of Saints - Reduces enmity and adds an MP regeneration effect.
When using the white mage soul crystal, conjurers gain new abilities at the cost of some of their cross-class skills. White mage is a job focused on healing. It's a fairly straightforward extension of conjurer, but single-target regen and Holy are good additions to its arsenal.
White Mage Job Actions:
- Presence of Mind - Increases spell speed for the duration.
- Regen - Adds a regen effect to the target.
- Divine Seal - Increases healing potency for the duration.
- Holy - Deals damage to and stuns nearby enemies.
- Benediction - Restores all of the target's HP. Long recast.
White Mages can equip skills from thaumaturge and arcanist. Recommended cross-class skills for white mage: Swiftcast, Surecast, Thunder,
Arcanists summon their trusty companion Carbuncle to aid them in combat. With an offensive and defensive form, Carbuncle can either deal damage or hold the enemy's attention to keep its master safe. Meanwhile, arcanists can sling their damage over time spells like Bio to weaken enemies. Arcanist is a pet-based damage dealer with two soul crystals that allow it to further its damage dealing abilities or become a healer.
Similar to White Mages, Scholars play a AOE (Area of Effect) heavy support role. This means alot of group healing. White Mages are probably alot better at healing Tanks, while Scholars excel at group healing.
Succor and Succor II are your main heals that even give a shield effect. Leeches is better than the WHM Esuna, with a much shorter cast time. Sacred Soil is great for mitigating unavoidable damage in raids. Lustrate is a decent single target heal, but not always available.
as a ranged magical DPS class, Summoners deal tons of Damage Over Time. Maximizing summoner DPS revolves around packing the biggest punch you can with Fester. Having all three of your DoT’s up (Bio, Bio II and Miasma) makes fester stronger. Being a summoner unlocks an offensive pet. While having 100% DoT uptime and having fester off-cooldown is a must for max DPS, don’t forget about managing your other sources of Damage. The combo of Rouse+Spur should be used as often as possible!
Summoners have some pretty awesome utility skills in the form of Tri-Distater (AoE CC), and Enkindle – which brings out your pets “ultimate”.
Thaumaturges deal in death. They control the elements of fire, lightning, and ice in order to wipe out enemy parties. Each element has its own properties associated with it. Fire deals the most direct damage, ice tends restricts enemy movement, and lightning deals damage over time. Thaumaturges have great crowd control with the ability to inflict AoE sleep. Thaumaturges begin their journey in Ul'dah and learn their magics at the Arrzaneth Ossuary. In parties, Thaumaturges have access to the caster limit breaks.
Astral Fire and Umbral Ice:
The most important part about playing a thaumaturge is understanding Astral Fire and Umbral Ice. These are buffs that you get while using fire and ice elemental spells, respectively. Astral Fire increases the damage and MP cost of your fire spells and stops MP regeneration. Umbral Ice rapidly regenerates your MP. These two buffs are mutually exclusive, as using a spell of one element cancels the effects of the other. They initially can only be stacked once, but by level 50 you can have three stacks of either buff. The key to dealing damage as a thaumaturge is to maximize your time in Astral Fire while making the most out of your time in Umbral Ice.
Thaumaturge Magic:
- Blizzard - Deals damage and inflicts the target with heavy. Removes Astral Fire or adds Umbral Ice.
- Fire - Deals damage. Removes Umbral Ice or adds Astral Fire. With trait, has a chance to make your next Fire III instant cast.
- Thunder - Deals damage and adds a damage over time effect. With trait, DoT ticks have a chance to make your next Thunder line instant cast and deal increased initial damage.
- Sleep - Inflicts sleep on the target. With trait, inflicts sleep on enemies near the target as well.
- Blizzard II - Deals damage and binds enemies in the area around you. Removes Astral Fire or adds Umbral Ice II.
- Scathe - Deals neutral damage to the target. Instant cast. With trait, has a chance to inflict double damage.
- Fire II - Deals damage to the target and nearby enemies. Removes Umbral Ice or adds Astral Fire II.
- Thunder II - Deals damage and adds a damage over time effect. With trait, DoT ticks have a chance to make your next Thunder line instant cast and deal increased initial damage.
- Fire III - Deals damage. Adds Astral Fire III, regardless of previous elemental state.
- Blizzard III - Deals damage. Adds Umbral Ice III, regardless of previous elemental state.
- Thunder III - Deals damage and adds a damage over time effect. With trait, DoT ticks have a chance to make your next Thunder line instant cast and deal increased initial damage.
Thaumaturge Abilities:
- Transpose - Swaps Astral Fire with a single Umbral Ice, or Umbral Ice with a single Astral Fire.
- Surecast - Next spell is cast without interruption. Chance of no recast time with trait.
- Swiftcast - Next spell is instant cast.
- Manaward - Nullifies magic damage equal to a percentage of your max HP.
- Lethargy - Inflicts slow and heavy.
- Aetherial Manipulation - Rush to a target party member's side.
When using the black mage soul crystal, thaumaturges gain new abilities at the cost of some of their cross-class skills. Black mage is a job focused on area of effect skills. Black mage is an interesting job in that it doesn't necessarily put out more damage than thaumaturge on a single target. It gains a massive boost to its crowd control in the form of Freeze and a good amount of AOE damage with Flare.
Black Mage Job Actions:
- Convert - Sacrifice HP for MP.
- Freeze - Deals damage and binds targets in an area. Ground-targeted ability. Removes Astral Fire or adds Umbral Ice.
- Apocatastasis - Increases target party member's fire/ice/lightning resistances by 30% for the duration.
- Manawall - Nullifies two physical attacks against you.
- Flare - Deals fire damage to the target and nearby enemies at the cost of all remaining MP. Removes Umbral Ice or adds Astral Fire.
Black Mages can equip skills from archer and arcanist. Recommended cross-class skills: Raging Strikes, Quelling Strikes,
- Heavy - Lowers movement speed.
- Bind - Prevents movement.
- Slow - Lowers attack speed.
- Stun - Prevents all actions and movement.
- Petrify - Prevents all actions and movement. Can be cured with Gold Needle.
- Sleep - Prevents all actions and movement. Fades upon taking direct damage. Can be cured with smelling salts.
- Amnesia - Prevents usage of abilities.
- Pacify - Prevents usage of weapon skills.
- Silence - Prevents usage of spells. Can be cured with Echo Drops.
- Paralysis - Occasionally delivers a brief stun. Can be cured with Spine Drops.
- Blind - Greatly lowers accuracy. Can be cured with Eye Drops.
- Poison - Deals damage over time. Potency varies. Can be cured with Antidote.
In ARR you can raise a Chocobo Buddy who can fight alongside you. Your chocobo can fill the basic party roles of Tank, Damage Dealer, or Healer. It also gets neat armor to equip! Use Gysahl greens to call your buddy and go fight stuff! Earn choco points for new skills by fighting along side your chocobo. More information is coming.
F.A.T.E. (Full Active Time Event) is a system similar to public quests in other games. F.A.T.E.s will appear on the map, along with a popup telling you that one is nearby. Joining is as simple as entering an area or talking to an NPC. Join up for some quick casual content and earn experience, gil, and Grand Company seals. Your level can be scaled down with level sync so you can participate even at high levels.
Free Companies are ARR's player guilds. Free Company chat channel, housing, and crest all available. Crest can be put on some equipment. Free Company traits exist but we haven't seen them yet. You can only belong to one Free Company. Linkshells are still in the game but function as private chat channels only and do not grant the benefits of FCs.
Combat in ARR has been changed greatly from 1.0. The closest game to compare it to is World of Warcraft, as it is a hotbar-based tab-targeting MMORPG.
Animation lock has been eliminated entirely. Move freely while executing weapon skills and abilities. Combos are performed by using weapon skills in a specific order. Some combos have positional requirements such as front, side, or rear, and some combos have multiple branches. TP begins at full and regenerates quickly. TP management comes into play during mid-level boss fights and will be important later in the game. Crowd Control has diminishing returns on multiple casts, but is an important element to many fights. Magic is as it is in many MMORPGs - some spells have cast times, others do not. They require MP which starts full and regenerates slowly. Enemy Attacks come in a wide variety, from weak stuff you can just take on the chin to powerful attacks that you need to dodge. PvP will have its own abilities and has its own stat (Morale), so as to avoid interfering with PvE balance.
They come in four flavors, depending on your role: Tank, Melee Attacker, Magic Attacker, Healer/Ranged. There are three levels of Limit Breaks, which are used by filling up the Limit Gauge. One of the limit gauges is locked until you engage a boss. The Limit Gauge is shared by the entire party and can be filled up faster by "fine play" (performing actions like healing a critical HP party member or interrupting enemy spells.) You get an audio cue when getting a Limit Gauge bonus from fine play. The Limit Break used depends on the role of the party member who activates it and the number of full limit gauges.
Tank limit breaks increase the party's defense. (Shield Wall - Mighty Guard - Last Bastion) Melee limit breaks deal heavy single-target damage. (Braver - Bladedance - Final Heaven) Magic limit breaks deal heavy AoE damage at the target location. (Skyshard - Starstorm - Meteor) Healer/Ranged limit breaks cure and, at level 3, raise the party. (Healing Wind - Breath of the Earth - Pulse of Life)
Limit Breaks are very potent and can turn the tide of a boss fight. Bladedance regularly takes off nearly 20% of a boss's HP.