FFXIV Machinist (MCH) Basics Guide & FAQ – Shadowbringers Updated!

Shadowbringers Updated! A guide on the basics of Machinist! MCH unlocking & requirements, why play a Machinist, and other FAQ’s

DAWNTRAIL Guides! Dawntrail L90-100 Miner Leveling, Botanist Leveling
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See:
Viper STARTER Guide / Rotation | Pictomancer Starter Guide / Rotation


 

Motivated to try Machinist? You can muse on material on the MCH job here! Basic information and FAQs in our Machinist Basics Guide. Read on if you’re expecting to learn about unlocking MCH, Machinist Job Identity, trait and skill list, crafters and gatherers related to MCH, and link to other important Machinist info!

Machinist is a Ranged Physical DPS job, and was one of the three jobs released in 3.0 Heavensward (with Dark Knight and Astrologian). Until MCH came out, there was only one other job who shared its role – Bard.

How to become a Machinist? Unlocking MCH:

The quest to unlock and become an Machinist is called “Savior of Skysteel”, located at The Pillars 15:10 given by the NPC Jannequinard. The only OFFICIAL requirement is having ANY level 50 Disciple of War or Disciple of Magic class leveled. 

The UNOFFICIAL “unspoken” requirement is actually being able to walk into Ishgard. Do not attempt to unlock AST if you don’t even have Ishgard in your map (Heavensward content).

Note that, upon completing the quest you MUST EQUIP the “Soul of the Machinist” to actually formally BECOME a MCH.

Rushing to or want to know how to unlock a certain class? Learn more:
FFXIV Job Unlock & Requirements Guide.

Machinist Playstyle & MCH Job Identity

If you’ve asked yourself, “Why play, try, or choose Machinist?” – here’s my attempt at selling you the MCH class.

It’s kinda hard to explain what exactly the MCH does… But if you wanna use a Flamethrower here it is. Tracking a heat gauge and battery gauge? Cramming as many skills into a Wildfire? Lag messing up your Heat Blasts? Machinists are uhhh… a lot of things – which I guess represents the class well…

Historically and meta wise, Machinists have gone through quite a bit of changes (Remember Gauss Barrel?). Currently, they’re a “greedy” DPS with almost zero raid utility. The rotation is a little “wild”, as there’s quite a bit to track. Thankfully, being ranged really helps tone down the stress. 

Aesthetically and thematically, the FFXIV Machinist is a mashup of “steampunk”, “gunner”, and pays serious homage to FFVI’s Edgars tools (He’s a bit of a Machinist now that I think about it). Overall, there’s quite a lot going on with the MCH job, while a little “out there”, it certainly is exciting.

DISCLAIMER

DISCLAIMER: This is not meant to be a blurb that aligns with the current meta. That changes from patch to patch. Our goal here is to provide you with an idea of what the job is trying to be, getting cues from both the Developers’ concrete decisions on job design, as well as our own feedback.

What Crafters & Gatherers should Machinist level?

While it’s common in MMORPG’s to think you want to craft your own gear as you level up your MCH… I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT.

Leveling up your DoH and DoL jobs should be thought of as a different activity completely. To be honest, if you’re a newer player, simply ensure that you DO NOT OVERCAP Levequests (always have less than 100).

The only relation a combat job has to a crafter or gatherer class is “which classes do you need to repair your gear”? My advice, ultimately, is pretty much all or nothing – level up all DoH classes in tandem. As a separate project, level up all DoL classes in tandem (with the optional Fisher).

What’s the best race for Machinist?

Racial stats are (was?) a thing. However, I highly recommend not caring about it. The difference in performance between the “best” and “worst” race for you is not even 0.1%.

My advice? Pick for aesthetics. Will you stay the same job forever? If you change mains, will you race change? Ultimately, the difference is so microscopic that I cannot in good faith tell you that racial stats are an integral part of your character.

I won’t even link the Racial Stats Guide, as I haven’t checked up on this in a while – and I don’t want to cement the idea that the “best race” really matters.

Related Machinist Guides – Read More!

Here are a few useful links for you:

Upcoming Odds and Ends

Here’s a few things we’ll be adding on here in the near future:

  • Adding a “links to further resources”, we’re doing a site restructure so once those links are set, they’ll go in here.
  • Human-readable, newbie-friendly skill and trait list.
    > I used to have the in-game skill list here, but I found it useless as the in-game one is better… I’d rather have a new player friendly rundown.
  • More descriptive job identity? Pics?
    > I dunno… pictures of the job gauges? A gif of some flashy skills?
  • Feel free to suggest anything else via comment or socials!

Summary & Outro

Well that’s about it for a really, really basic guide that hopefully points some lost souls in the right direction, or answers some of your questions regarding Machinist.


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