In FFXI, ninjas can tank, debuff, buff, deal damage of various types, and magic burst. While they don’t particularly excel in any area, their strength lies in their ability to seamlessly adjust and react to the flow of battle. As of late, Ninjas have shown a very high capability as damage dealers, often creating their own skillchains, and subsequently magic bursting from them for even higher numbers.
8. Blade: Teki
This is a ninja’s hybrid water-based physical/magical weapon skill. Being a hybrid attack, it benefits greatly from both physical and magical stats! It only possesses the Reverberation skillchain property, so it doesn’t see much use as a skillchain tool, and is usually triumphed by other hybrid weapon skills rather easily. But it’s still capable of offering respectable damage especially if an enemy’s weak to water.
7. Blade: To
Here’s another hybrid weapon skill, this time of the ice element. Like Blade: Teki, this one is best used in situations where an enemy’s physical and magical defenses are low. Since it’s ice-based, it works great against enemies who happen to be vulnerable to it too! However, it possesses the inflexible Induration and Detonation skillchain properties, not seeing much usage as a tool for them. But its strength is in its simplicity to be repetitively used for large chunks of damage for the duration of a foe’s weakened defenses.
6. Blade: Ei
Blade: Ei is a dark-element magical weapon skill, meaning it benefits from magical stats such as intelligence or magic attack bonus, or equipment that directly enhances elemental damage like the pixie hairpin. Moreover, if it’s used at 3000 TP, this attack will also see a considerable boost in damage due to its considerable fTP modifiers. It doesn’t really have great skillchain modifiers, only bearing Compression. But a capable ninja will be able to incorporate this into a rotation of multi-steps if necessary. Its true power comes from its magical nature, best exploited on enemies weak to darkness, and its ability to bypass an enemy’s utsusemi or blink buffs! Similarly to hybrid weapon skills in this list, this attack is best used when an enemy’s magical defense is reduced considerably, and a player has geared appropriately.
5. Blade: Metsu
Blade: Metsu is a physical attack that sees to some respectable damage, capable of pulling ahead of the next few weapon skills in this list. But it suffers from only truly shining when paired with its relic weapon, Kikoku. If a player happens to have one, then this attack is capable of great damage. Namely due to Kikoku’s Blade: Metsu Damage +40% and its resulting aftermath, offering a hefty 10% Attack and +10 Subtle Blow. It also has lovely skillchain properties, Darkness and Fragmentation, making it flexible for skillchains.
4. Blade: Chi
Blade: Chi offers a hybrid earth and physical/magical attack. While considerably strong on its own (because it also delivers two hits), this weapon skill’s damage will get the most benefit from reducing an enemy’s defense or magical defenses. It’s capable of hitting incredibly hard in that kind of scenario. It also bears the Impaction and Transfixion skillchain properties, making it somewhat awkward to use in skillchains. But like other hybrid weapon skills, this sees pleasant results from being used rapidly in succession.
3. Blade: Hi
Blade: Hi is a ninja’s long-time partner in crime, being one of the best weapon skills in the game during the abyssea era – but still retaining a high damage output during the current age FFXI. This weapon skill is best paired with the empyrean weapon Kannagi, but can deal respectable damage without it. It bears the Darkness and Gravitation skillchain properties, making it a dream come true for darkness-based skillchains, and magic bursting frequently from it becomes a commodity. Due to its somewhat obscure stat modifier AGI, in addition to its requirement to critical hit, this weapon skill may see some inconsistent numbers if players don’t possess critical hit rate or critical hit damage gear. However, its wonderful skillchain properties (combined with its potential to spike from a critical hit) means that it’s still going to be a very reliable choice for damage.
2. Blade: Shun
This stylish looking weapon skill might see use simply because of how it looks. But it’s an incredibly capable attack to boot! Since it’s a merit weapon skill, Blade: Shun works best used with merits allocated to it. And it really shines alongside its respective aeonic weapon, Heishi Shorinken. Shun has incredible properties, bearing Fusion and Impaction. And if you’re using the aeonic weapon then it gains the Light modifier. This means that ninjas will have a great time magic bursting skillchains using this weapon skill. It also has fantastic attack modifiers based off TP thresholds, making it great for enemies with high defense. Lastly, it’s also fTP replicating, making the Fotia Gorget and Fotia Belt boost its damage monumentally. Its downside is in its 5 hits, meaning accuracy may be a concern compared to other weapon skills on this list. Some situations like low player accuracy or high evasion monsters might result in this attack falling behind slightly.
1. Blade: Ten
Blade: Ten is a ninja’s strongest physical weapon skill, and will often be the most used in zerg scenarios. It does require some maintenance to achieve its true damage. But due to its ridiculous fTP values at 2000 and 3000 TP thresholds—a staggering 11.5 to 15.5—ninjas can really dish out the pain once they can properly accommodate this weapon skill. Players will definitely want to focus on TP bonus and weapon skill damage gear, as well as its modifiers—30% strength and dexterity—to maximize its damage. It also bears the rather simplistic Gravitation skillchain property, so this sees occasional use for multi-step darkness skillchains. Depending on the situation in battle, players may find themselves switching between Blade: Ten, Blade: Shun, and Blade: Hi the most often.
