Gunbreaker PvP Guide (2024)

FFXIV completely overhauled the small-scale PvP mode in Patch 6.1, removingthe Feast and introducing a new 5v5 objective-based game mode: CrystallineConflict. Along with the update, Gunbreaker's PvP abilities have been updated toreflect these game mode changes. Gunbreaker is an extremely versatile tank thatcan play a variety of roles due to its core ability, Draw and Junction.

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

Gunbreaker in PvP plays similar to Gunbreaker in PvE, with a medium GCD andplenty of oGCD weaving. Gunbreaker's basic combo is the Solid Barrel Combo,which is essentially a four GCD combo as Solid Barrelgrants access to Burst Strike. Their other combo is the15-second cooldown Gnashing Fang combo. Every skill in the combo allows you touse another Continuation ability, which allows Gunbreakerto output obscene amounts of steady damage to a target. Finally, Double Down is an AoE nuke that is used as a part of yourburst combo, and it is available every 20 seconds.

Gunbreaker has one gap closer, Rough Divide. Not onlydoes it have two charges, it also grants No Mercy, a damage, healing, andmovespeed buff for a short duration, aiding your burst window or survivability.

Draw and Junction is the core mechanic of Gunbreaker inPvP. Every 30 seconds, a Gunbreaker can junction an enemy player to receivea buff based on their role. This buff will buff all Continuation abilities aswell as allow you to cast Junctioned Cast, which changesdepending on what buff you gained. It will also give you Powder Barrel, allowingyou to cast Burst Strike and Hypervelocity.

Junction Tank gives you the frontline power you need to survive enemyaggression. Continuation abilities give you a shield, and Junctioned Cast turnsinto Nebula, a strong damage reduction cooldown withthorns damage.

Junction Healer gives you teamwide utility at the cost of personalsurvivability. Continuation abilities heal yourself and allies around you, andJunctioned Cast turns into Aurora, a strong heal coupledwith a heal over time effect.

Junction DPS increases your damage. Continuation abilities have2000 increased potency, and Junctioned Cast turns into Blasting Zone, a 10,000 potency single target nuke.

Choosing which role to Junction is the fundamental decision that Gunbreakershave to make when entering combat. In addition, if you Junction too early,enemies can notice your buff and realize your intent during the fight, whichcan lead to them playing in a way that counters you. Whenever you Junction a role,you are stuck with that buff for the next 30 seconds, so choose wisely.

Due to how the matchmaking works, sometimes there will a role missing on theenemy team which locks you out of a specific Junction for that match.

Junction Tank is Gunbreaker's "intended" role, as it does have a blue icon.You are fairly sturdy with it, and thus it should be taken when the enemy teamwill focus you, you are frontlining in the fight, or you are engaging fromneutral. Tank Continuation's shields as well as Nebula's reflect damage are bothbuffed by No Mercy, so Junction Tank does a deceptively high amount of damage,though most of it is filler as it is being spread out towards an entire team.Use this when you need to fight and stay in the fight.

Junction Healer is definitely the weakest of the three, but it does have itsuses. It is very good when the entire team is contesting the crystal in overtime,as the AoE heal will increase the whole team's survivability, not only your own.Aurora is also a strong regen to put on an ally that is being focused or is inGuard, though it will not save them from a well-timed burst or LB combo.

Junction DPS allows you to play like a melee DPS skirmisher. You sacrificethe shielding and damage reduction from Junction Tank to gain access to BlastingZone, a monstrous 14,000 nuke under No Mercy. Junction a DPS to burst prioritytargets or finish enemies off, and use standard defensives to retreat, similarto how a melee DPS plays. Like Junction Tank, you can use DPS when engagingfrom neutral, but will be prone to being CCed and bursted down much more easily.

Gunbreaker's Limit Break, Relentless Rush, is a strongAoE tool that deals heavy damage, increases enemy damage taken, and stuns at theend, with the caveat that it is extremely telegraphed. It is one of the few 60-secondLBs, and is excellent when pressuring the crystal whether pushing ordefending a push.

As there is a wind-up to the stacks of Relentless Shrapnel, should you waituntil the cast is finished before casting Terminal Trigger? The answer isusually no, as because it is extremely telegraphed and the enemy team can easily CCyou or use a mobility skill to move out of it. Therefore, use Terminal Triggeras soon as the priority target takes a stack and is able to be stunned, or youhave the most amount of enemy players in your AoE ready to be stunned.

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 tosecure the objective. Gunbreaker's burst is relatively simple to pull off, but it isfairly reliable and hard to react to. Due to Relentless Rush being on a 60-secondcooldown, it can be used to burst fairly often, and you should look for windowsof opportunity where you can do a huge AoE burst on the crystal.

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

1. Junction DPS beforehand;
2. Rough Divide to gap close onto a target and gainthe No Mercy buff;
3. Double Down;
4. Blasting Zone;
5. Wicked Talon or Burst Strike;
6. Eye Gouge or Hypervelocity;

This is a two GCD combo that deals 42,800 damage. Of course, the enemy canRecuperate after the first two hits as you have no low cooldown CC, but 28,400damage in one GCD (Double Down + Blasting Zone) is nothing to scoff at. This isable to be used every 20 seconds and can easily pressure Guard or secure kills.

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

1. Junction DPS beforehand;
2. Rough Divide to gap close onto a target and gainthe No Mercy buff;
3. Relentless Rush;
4. Terminal Trigger at the right time;
5. Double Down;
6. Blasting Zone;
7. Wicked Talon or Burst Strike;
8. Eye Gouge or Hypervelocity;

Again, a two GCD combo, but with the stun from your LB you are able to get allhits off without retaliation - unless they burn Purify, a net positive for you.With two stacks of Relentless, which is the earliest you can Terminal Trigger,the LB, Double Down, and Blasting Zone will do 53,856 damage. The combo finisherand Continuation will increase this to 69,408 damage.

When not bursting, use the Gnashing Fang combo with the appropriate Junction,and if that is off cooldown use the Solid Barrel combo.