Highlights

  • The Pictomancer is a new Caster DPS Job in FF14 starting at level 80 in the Dawntrail expansion.
  • Inspired by Final Fantasy 6's Relm Arrowny, the Pictomancer uses a paintbrush and palette.
  • Pictomancer's spells utilize Dawntrail's new graphics, mixing aether with paintbrush attacks.

Initially revealed at the 2024 Tokyo Fan Fest, the Pictomancer will be the new Caster DPS Job added to Final Fantasy 14 with the launch of Dawntrail. As the fourth Caster DPS Job that can reach maximum level, the Pictomancer will bring more than just a new coat of paint to Final Fantasy 14, as it is a Job that is deeply ingrained with the roots of the Final Fantasy franchise.

Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail will take players to the land of Tural, also called the New World. With each expansion launch in Final Fantasy 14, new Jobs are added to the game for players to test out. Since Stormblood, new Jobs have started 20 levels below the level cap of the expansion, with Samurai and Red Mage starting at level 50 and going up to 70. In the Dawntrail expansion, the Pictomancer will be joined by a new Melee DPS Job called the Viper, the poster Job for the expansion. The Viper and the Pictomancer will start at level 80, and go up to Dawntrail's level cap of 100.

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FF14's Pictomancer Paints A Picture Of Pain

While both new Jobs are intended to deal damage, their abilities and inspirations are completely different. The Viper is designed to fight at close range with its dual swords, but the Pictomancer will take the opposite approach and weave its magic from range. The Pictomancer's weapon is a large paintbrush that includes a color palette, and it will share armor and accessories with Black Mage, Red Mage, and Summoner.

Aside from what was briefly shown at the Tokyo Fan Fest, the only known Pictomancer spells are shared within the Caster DPS role, such as Surecast, Swiftcast, and Addle. Unlike the Summoner and the Red Mage, the Pictomancer will not have access to a resurrection spell. Though their damage output is not expected to rival the Black Mage's devastating power, prospective Pictomancers must wait and see what will make them stand out compared to other FF14 Jobs.

  • The Pictomancer is a Caster DPS Job that starts at level 80 and requires Dawntrail.
  • Pictomancer uses a paintbrush and palette and shares armor with Black Mage, Red Mage, and Summoner.
  • Final Fantasy 6's Relm Arrowny heavily inspires the Pictomancer.

The Pictomancer's Spells Make Use of Dawntrail's New Graphics

From a graphical perspective, the Pictomancer was tailor-made for Final Fantasy 14's first major graphical update. As one of the biggest features of the expansion, the graphical update is just one step that Square Enix stated will go a long way toward keeping Final Fantasy 14 relevant for the next decade.

With the ability to mix the surrounding aether with their magic paintbrush, the Pictomancer's color palette is reminiscent of other games like Splatoon. The Pictomancer's ability to paint various environments and creatures as attacks allows the new graphics to stand out.

Final Fantasy 6 Gave Rise to the Pictomancer

Unlike the Viper, the Pictomancer's first appearance was not in Final Fantasy 14. In 1994, Final Fantasy 6 was launched for the SNES and is considered by fans to be one of the top entries of the Final Fantasy franchise. Among the ensemble cast of playable characters was a 10-year-old girl named Relm Arrowny, a Pictomancer who could paint her enemies as pictures and turn their attacks against them. During the story of Final Fantasy 14 Patch 6.55, Relm's name was mentioned by the Scion called Krile as the founder of Sharlayan's lost magic called Pictomancy. Krile will be a Pictomancer in Dawntrail.

While the Sketch ability was the subject of some glitches that could be exploited in early versions of Final Fantasy 6, that has not stopped it from becoming one of the top games of the 90s. Between the Pictomancer and the appearance of Valigarmanda, how many more references from the 1994 classic will appear in Dawntrail remains to be seen.