Bugs causing live match crashes and collision issues have been fixed.

What you need to know

• Call of Duty: Warzone is a free-to-play battle royale title that ties into the yearly premium Call of Duty releases.
• Season 2 content was delayed to give developers more time to work on stability crashes.
• Collision issues, match crashes, and screen flicker, among issues, have been fixed. However, invisibile operator skins are still a problem.

Raven Software, the development studio responsible for supporting Call of Duty: Warzone, announced a laundry list of new bug fixes for the free-to-play battle royale shooter. Recently, the season two battle pass and free content launch for both Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific and Call of Duty: Vanguard was delayed to allow for the development team to have extra time to work on the variety of issues. That delay seems to be paying off, as this recently released patch is the second in just a week's time.

The following fixes were added to the Jan. 26 patch notes for Warzone Pacific:

• Collission issues with various elements across Caldera that allowed players to peek or otherwise shoot through them.
• An issue causing instability when players press the Xbox home button twice while in-game.
• An issue causing instability when typing non-ASCII characters such as ©, ®, or ™ in the chat.
• Issues causing screen flicker.
• Issues that allowed players to buy back a squadmate at a buy station, and that squadmate would spawn in with all or part of their original loadouts.
• Issues where placeholder images appeared in Store bundle previous or purchases.
• Issues that caused live matches to crash abruptly.
• Issues where players who attempted to swim in the pool would fall into a bottomless pit.
• Issues where the second loadout event would not occur during Battle Royale modes.

One pressing bug for Warzone Pacific, however, is the issue with Operator skins that glitch and become invisible, allowing players to move about the map without being seen by others. This particular bug is known by Raven Software, having been added to its bug tracker on Trello back on Jan. 10. There's been no mention of a fix nor has it been addressed in any recent patch notes. A fix for a bug that allows a specific throwing knife blueprint to have unintended benefits, however, is scheduled for a future patch.

Warzone Pacific players were also hassled by an issue plaguing the buy stations scattered throughout the map. Players must access buy stations to purchase weapon loadouts, killstreak rewards, and to respawn previously eliminated squad mates. However, interacting with these stations would cause the game to freeze for many players. A hot fix for this particular issue was deployed earlier in the day on Jan. 26, but instances of freezing still persist for many. This bug and others continue to be investigated by the developers.

The update comes after striking Raven Software QA workers announced they were coming back to work last week. This coincided with the announcement they would be forming a union called the Game Workers Alliance.

The SanDisk Extreme 1TB microSDXC memory card is down to $159.99 at Amazon. That's $15 off the price it has been selling for the last couple months. It has only hit this low once before, and that was on Black Friday. The card actually normally sells for a lot more and jumped as high as $240 in December. Before the holidays, it was selling regularly for around $220. Today's deal is huge savings compared to all that.

Before you use this card, you'll need to make sure you're using it on a device that is compatible with microSDXC, which indicates its enormous 1TB capacity. The card itself might be physically tiny, but that space is huge and can be used in a variety of ways. You'll be able to record some super high-quality video on this thing. Plus you get great data transfer speeds up to 160 MB/s, which lets you move tons of photos and images in just a few minutes.

Many of the more common uses for a microSD card might not work here as often security cameras and dash cams and drones have a maximum capacity they can support. You'll want to use this card with a laptop or a Nintendo Switch or something that can handle the size. Of course, when you have this much space you don't need to buy a dozen cards so one will be enough for quite a while.

It's so small you can keep it with you wherever you go, too. These are very durable cards, and the SanDisk Extreme is designed to be temperature proof. It's also resistant to water, dust, and X-rays so you can even take it through airport security if you have it in your carryon.

The series will be separate from, but similar to, the core Halo franchise canon.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has explained that the Halo TV series will take place in a "Silver Timeline" that's similar to, but separate from, the core Halo canon.
• There is potential for these two timelines to intersect, and everything from objects and equipment to characters and events from the TV show could appear in future Halo games.
• The Halo TV series is expected to premiere in 2022 exclusively on Paramount+.

Ahead of its expected premiere later this year, 343 Industries has released a new "Silver Debrief" blog post that breaks down some of what fans can expect from the upcoming Halo TV series. We finally got a first look at it during The Game Awards 2021, and to hold us over as we eagerly await the arrival of the Halo TV series' official trailer during the CBS broadcast of the AFC Championship football game on Jan. 30, Franchise Creative Director Frank O'Connor has provided details about the show's "Silver Timeline."

According to O'Connor, this timeline will be very similar to the core Halo canon that players have experienced in the franchise's video games and novels. However, it will deviate from the core canon in situations where it's necessary for the show's story.

"The TV show timeline – the 'Silver Timeline' – is grounded in the universe, characters and events of what's been established in core canon, but will differ in subtle and not so subtle ways in order to tell a grounded, human story, set in the profoundly established Halo universe," said O'Connor. "Where differences and branches arise, they will do so in ways that make sense for the show, meaning that while many events, origins, character arcs, and outcomes will map to the Halo story fans know, there will be surprises, differences, and twists that will run parallel, but not identically to core canon."

According to O'Connor, there's also potential for the main timeline and the Silver Timeline to intersect. "The show certainly is built on the shoulders of Halo's canonical giants. The history, the aesthetic, the narrative underpinnings, and so on, are all directly aligned with, inspired by, based on, or aligned with existing Halo stuff, O'Connor explained. "Of course, there are tweaks ... but story differences create great opportunities to make new things that could potentially feature in future games – not just objects or effects, or designs, but people, events, inventions, and more."

Whether or not 343 Industries has actual plans to weave elements of the show's timeline into Halo's core canon remains to be seen, but it's fun to think about regardless. The show itself is expected to debut later this year exclusively on Paramount+, and according to 343 Industries' Head of Transmedia Kiki Wolfkill, the show's producers are "deep in post-production and finishing on the show." In the meantime, why not try out the Halo Infinite campaign? It features an excellent story and gameplay that's an absolute blast, making it one of the best Xbox shooters available.

Master Chief's next adventure

Halo Infinite Campaign

$60 at Best Buy (Xbox & PC) $60 at Microsoft (Xbox & PC) $60 at Steam (PC)

A new Great Journey awaits

Halo Infinite's campaign has a great story, incredible gameplay, and breathtaking presentation. It's everything a Halo fan could want, and we can't recommend it enough.

Big Tech is, by and large, taking the EPA's side on this one.

What you need to know

• West Virginia is taking on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in court.
• The issue at hand is whether the EPA has the authority to cap CO2 emissions via the Clean Air Act.
• Microsoft and a multitude of major tech companies have filed a brief in support of the EPA, asking that the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) not side with West Virginia.

Microsoft is once again putting its feet in the political pond, alongside an assortment of its peers and rivals, including Meta, Google, and Amazon. They've all banded together to file a brief in support of the EPA, asking that there not be new limitations placed on the agency's greenhouse gas emissions regulatory powers.

To really boil it down: Microsoft and some of the biggest players in Big Tech want the EPA to retain its power to issue limits on greenhouse gas emissions, despite West Virginia's petitions.

In the brief, Microsoft outlines its personal commitment to sustainability. "Microsoft is committed to shifting to a 100% supply of renewable energy by 2025 and being carbon negative by 2030 for all scopes of its emissions," states Redmond's opening line. "By 2050, Microsoft will remove from the environment all the carbon that the company has emitted either directly or indirectly by electrical consumption since it was founded in 1975."

The full statement is a bit longer, so it's worth checking the brief for the entire quote as well as to find out what other companies had to say.

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise Microsoft is taking this stance given the company's recent emphasis on eco-friendly tech and projects. It's been investing in geo-exchange fields to combat carbon emissions, experimenting with energy-efficient server cooling methods, and loads more.

On the software side, Microsoft is also helping other companies reach their sustainability goals via offerings such as the Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability.

Laptops are amazing tools for people on the go, and the best laptop docking stations can help remove some of their flaws when it comes to acting as a desktop PC. As the best Windows laptops get thinner, so does port selection. That's where the docks we're highlighting here come into play. Whether you're looking for a standard USB-C docking station, the best Thunderbolt 3 dock, or want to move up to Thunderbolt 4, we've put together a list of the best overall docking stations available today.

Best overall: CalDigit TS3 Plus

Thunderbolt 3 is slowly being taken over by Thunderbolt 4, but unless you have a laptop released in the last year or so, chances are you're still using the older technology. The CalDigit TS3 Plus has been available for a few years, and it's still the best laptop docking station for most people. It's made from a solid piece of aluminum and has 15 ports that you can use to connect your peripherals, including dual 4K displays, keyboard, mouse, SD card, Ethernet cable, and more.

The dock itself has a small footprint — it can stand up vertically or sit horizontally — and it weighs in at just over 1 pound. The aluminum case is built strong, too.

It can even deliver up to 85 watts of power to your laptop, and the cable here is 0.7 meters in length for easier connectivity. If needed, you can get a dock with a 2-meter cable for more money. It's nice knowing that your laptop will always be charged when you have to unplug it and hit the road. As long as your laptop has a Thunderbolt 3 port, this dock will eliminate the need for most other adapters and hubs you have lying around. Set it up on a desk, plug in a single cable, and watch your laptop become a full-fledged workstation.

The popularity of this docking station has it currently backordered at most major retailers. We've seen this before, and hopefully more stock will arrive soon. Check back often if you're opting for this dock.

Pros

• 15 total ports
• Up to 85W of power
• Handles dual 4K displays at 60Hz
• UHS-II SD card reader
• Sturdy build and small footprint

Cons

• Laptop requires Thunderbolt 3
• Cheaper options available

Best overall

CalDigit TS3 Plus

See at Amazon

See at B&H

Most ports and best performance

For laptops with a Thunderbolt 3 port, the TS3 Plus should be at the top of your list. It has a ton of ports and offers charging.

Best Thunderbolt 4: Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma

The best Thunderbolt 4 docking station right now is the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma. Just like most Razer products, it's a high-performance piece of hardware with baked-in RGB lighting. If you can't stand to have something on your desk without a customizable underglow, this is where you want to look.

Razer's Chroma RGB can sync with compatible accessories through the Synapse app, offering up 16.8 million colors for you to enjoy. The black aluminum chassis looks great just about anywhere, and it's not bulky at all.

You connect to the dock via the Thunderbolt 4 port on your laptop, which then opens up three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports, a UHS-II SD card reader, three USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2) ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. With the dock connected to your PC, you can get up to 90W of power delivery to keep the laptop charged. Dual 4K monitors at 60Hz are supported.

The Kensington SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 dock is another top option if you'd rather have no RGB lighting. The CalDigit Element Hub is perfect if you'd like something a lot smaller, though it only offers USB-A and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity.

Pros:

• Fancy RGB underglow lighting
• Three downstream Thunderbolt 4
• Black finish might be better suited to some desks
• Dual 4K @ 60Hz display support
• Up to 90W charging power to host

Cons:

• One fewer USB-A port than other picks
• Expensive

Best Thunderbolt 4

Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma

$330 at Amazon

$330 at Razer

Best for laptops with Thunderbolt 4

Want a powerful Thunderbolt 4 dock to match the rest of your gaming gear? Leave it to Razer to add RGB lighting.

Best value: Plugable UD-3900H

Most of the best laptop docking stations come at a high price, though the performance upgrade is worth the money. But what if your laptop doesn't have a Thunderbolt or USB-C port? Enter Plugable's UD-3900H USB-A 3.0 docking station, a relatively affordable alternative that is ideal for older laptops with only USB-A connectivity.

There's no 4K monitor support, but it will handle dual 1080p external displays, allowing you to set up a workstation at home or the office. Other than HDMI and DVI ports, this dock includes four USB-A 2.0, Ethernet, and two USB-A 3.0. That's enough for a keyboard, mouse, external storage, and more. It's all wrapped up in a package that sits horizontally.

Pros:

• Ideal for laptops without USB-C or Thunderbolt 3
• Affordable price
• Plenty of ports
• Supports two external monitors

Cons:

• No 4K support
• No charging

Best value

Plugable UD-3900H

$99 at Amazon

$99 at Walmart

A cheaper dock that only requires a USB-A port

Those with laptops without USB-C or Thunderbolt can take advantage of this relatively affordable dock from Plugable.

Best USB-C: CalDigit USB-C Pro Dock

CalDigit's USB-C Pro Dock brings the same build quality as our top TS3 Plus pick, but it doesn't absolutely require Thunderbolt 3 to run. You will get the most out of the dock connected with the Thunderbolt 3, with support for dual 4K displays at a 60Hz refresh rate. Connected with USB-C, you get support for dual FHD displays or a single 4K display with a 30Hz refresh rate. Connected with either port, you get up to 85W of charging power back to your device.

The docking station offers two DisplayPort 1.2, three USB-A 3.2, USB-C 3.2, a UHS-II SD card reader, Ethernet, and 3.5mm audio. You can even connect with USB-A and still get connectivity through USB ports, SD card reader, Ethernet, and audio jack. The aluminum case is built strong and dispels heat well, though it does sit horizontally.

Pros

• Durable aluminum chassis
• Generous port selection
• Removable host cable
• Works with Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, and USB-A
• Up to 85W charging

Cons

• Fewer overall ports than top pick
• No downstream Thunderbolt 3

Best USB-C

CalDigit USB-C Pro Dock

$260 at Amazon

$260 at B&H

No need for Thunderbolt 3

CalDigit's USB-C Pro Dock is a high-performance solution compatible with USB-A, USB-C, and Thunderbolt 3.

Best security: Kensington LD5400T

Kensington's LD5400T brings Thunderbolt 3 connectivity and a level of security the other docks don't offer. Instead of the dock sitting apart on your desk, you place your laptop in its retractable arms to secure it in place. The dock itself can be fastened down with screws or with an included 6-foot tether. A fob to unlock the dock can be carried around on a key ring, and the entire thing is built from sturdy materials to resist tampering.

There's no HDMI or SD card reader included here, but you do get four USB-A 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt 3 (one for the host cable), DisplayPort 1.2, RJ45 Ethernet, and 3.5mm audio. It can handle dual 4K displays at a 60Hz refresh rate or single 5K display at 60Hz, and when connected, it delivers up to 85W of charging power back to your laptop to keep it topped up.

Pros

• Durable construction
• Lots of ports
• Up to 85W charging
• Easy, robust security

Cons

• No HDMI or SD card reader

Best security

Kensington LD5400T

$76 at Amazon

Keep your laptop where you left it

Get up to 85W of charging power back to the host laptop, eight total ports, dual 4K display support, and robust security features.

Bottom line

The best laptop docking stations can effectively turn the best Windows laptops into fully fledged workstations, and as long as your laptop has a Thunderbolt 3 port the CalDigit TS3 Plus remains the best overall pick.

It offers excellent performance across the board and a wide selection of ports — including five USB-A 3.1, two USB-C 3.1, DisplayPort 1.2, two Thunderbolt 3, Ethernet, and an SD card reader — that will turn your laptop into a future-proof workstation. You can even connect dual 4K displays and enjoy a 60Hz refresh rate, or a single 5K display with the same 60Hz refresh rate.

Your laptop will remain charged when connected thanks to 85W of power, allowing you to unplug and walk away without your AC adapter. It's all wrapped up in a durable and compact aluminum chassis that can sit flat or stand vertically to save space.

Those who have upgraded to a laptop with Thunderbolt 4 will want to check out the best Thunderbolt 4 docks and hubs. For quick reference, the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma is our top docking station pick from the bunch. It has all the high-end features you expect from a TB4 connection, and it also has customizable RGB lighting built right in.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Cale Hunt is a staff writer at Windows Central. He focuses mainly on PC, laptop, and accessory coverage, as well as the emerging world of VR. He is an avid PC gamer and multi-platform user and spends most of his time either tinkering with or writing about tech.

Rich Edmonds is a staff reviewer at Windows Central, which means he tests out more software and hardware than he cares to remember. Joining Mobile Nations in 2010, you can usually find him inside a PC case tinkering around when not at a screen fighting with Grammarly to use British words. Hit him up on Twitter: @RichEdmonds.

Play Astria Ascending on the go without the need for a controller.

What you need to know

• Astria Ascending is a 2D JRPG with breathtaking visuals, varied gameplay and turn-based combat, and more.
• The title is already available through Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming, but can now be played on the go without a controller.
• As part of a new patch update rolling out on all platforms, Astria Ascending now supports touch controls through Xbox Cloud Gaming.
• Astria Ascending's gameplay and visuals are a perfect match for mobile play on Xbox Cloud Gaming, making touch controls a great addition.

Astria Ascending released last year as a day one Xbox Game Pass addition, and paired beautiful graphics and design with 2D platforming, turn-based combat, and more. It was already easy to jump into Astria Ascending anywhere through the power of Xbox Cloud Gaming, but a recent patch update rolling out to all platforms on which Astria Ascending is available also brings support for touch controls.

Astria Ascending is now playable with touch controls via cloud gaming for @XboxGamePass Ultimate members. Jump in right now with your phone, tablet, or favorite touch screen device. pic.twitter.com/KQIvzhKKDS

— Astria Ascending | NOW AVAILABLE! (@AstriAscending) January 26, 2022

Astria Ascending is a great 2D JRPG available on a variety of platforms, including Xbox Game Pass. The game at launch suffered slightly from an overwhelming number of mechanics and the need for quality-of-life improvements, but today's patch update resolves plenty of issues and adds a brand-new feature making it even more seamless to play the game wherever you are.

You can now take advantage of touch controls if you play Astria Ascending through Xbox Cloud Gaming. Astria Ascending's overall design and gameplay is the perfect match for touch controls, and negates the prior need to lug a controller around whenever you wanted to play. The title joins the growing list of touch-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming games, which utilizes the power of Xbox Series X hardware to enable players to take full-fledged console games on the go.

If you enjoy using Xbox Cloud Gaming to play Xbox titles on your phone or tablet, Astria Ascending is one of the best Xbox Game Pass games thanks to the addition of touch controls. On the other hand, players looking for something new can check out all the recent additions to Xbox Game Pass.

A catalog of games

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

From $1/month at Xbox $45 at Amazon (3-month subscription) $15 at Amazon (1-month subscription)

All your gaming needs, in one subscription

Is the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate the best value in all of gaming? It's possible. Ultimate bundles your Xbox Live Gold subscription, Xbox Game Pass for Xbox consoles and PC Game Pass for Windows devices, and Xbox Cloud Gaming for on-the-go fun. That means access to hundreds of games, with more added all the time, for a single monthly subscription cost.

The Corsair K70 Champion Series RGB tenkeyless mechanical keyboard is on sale for a brand new low price of $89.99 at Amazon. The K70 normally sells for as much as $140, so this is a $50 savings. Even during the holidays when it was dropping in price, it was only going as low as $100. Today's sale is an all-new deal and a great value. This keyboard hasn't even really been around all that long, less than a full year. If you've been interested in a mechanical keyboard, this would be a nice one to pick up.

The Champion Series from Corsair is especially designed for competitive gamers and even esports professionals. It's meant to be a keyboard you can take to tournaments or use to focus on the game at home. That means it's going to be durable, and responsive, and fast. The tenkeyless form factor that lacks the numpad on the side also means it's a lot more compact than a full-size keyboard and can be carried with you anywhere. The detachable cable only adds to the portability.

The K70 is made with an aluminum frame that's highly durable. The keycaps are precision molded PBT and designed to resist fading and the wear and tear of button mashing. Your keys will last as long as the keyboard does.

You also get per-key RGB backlighting you can customize and even add effects to as it is fully programmable. Or, if you really want to win the match you're playing you can flip the tournament switch. This sets the keyboard to a static backlight that's not distracting and disables accidental macro activations. No mistakes when the game is on the line!

Learn all about the major Job changes in Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker.

The arrival of an expansion to a long-running MMORPG is always a time of excitement and anticipation, and that rings true for Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker. This expansion will feature new locations to explore, new dungeons and raids to battle in, new mounts to obtain, and new races to roleplay as. However, the most anticipated addition is the changes to player Jobs. These range from simple quality-of-life improvements to drastic reworks which completely change how they played from previous expansions.

On Sept. 18, 2021, Square Enix broadcasted a Letter from the Producer livestream that previewed these changes along with a Job Action trailer. Then later in October 2021, Square Enix invited players to test out these changes in the Endwalker Media Tour, and showcased more detailed descriptions to the public over the course of the month. On Dec. 2, 2021, Square Enix released patch notes for Endwalker, detailing the final Job changes for the official release of Endwalker.

We have compiled all the biggest changes during these times to help you decide which Job to take now that the latest expansion for one of the best multiplayer games on PC is available for purchase, after fully launching on Dec. 7, 2021. We will also update this article with future Job changes that will be made in post-launch patches.

Final Fantasy XIV Job changes: All jobs

• Primary actions will have their recast timers standardized to 60- or 120-second timers.
• Using Limit Breaks will no longer cancel action combos.

Final Fantasy XIV Job changes: Tanks

All Tanks

• Activating defensive buffs at optimal times will yield more significant benefits.
• Ranged attacks will no longer break melee combos.
• Weapons of the same item level will have parity between their physical and magical attributes. Action potencies will change to accommodate this adjustment to the weapons.
• All Tanks' invulnerability abilities (Holmgang, Hallowed Earth, Living Dead, and Superbolide) now have a duration of 10 seconds.

Paladin

• The duration of Sword Oath stacks has increased to 30 seconds.
• Requiescat's damage no longer scales on remaining MP and has a flat potency of 400. It grants five stacks of Requiescat, and each stack increases magic damage by 100%, and spells will not require cast times. The duration of these stacks is 30 seconds.
• Spirits Within's attack power no longer scales off max HP and instead has a flat damage potency of 250.
• Clemency's healing potency is reduced to 1,000.
• Intervention's additional damage reduction increases if Rampart or Sentinel is active has been reduced to 10%.

• At Lv. 82, Paladins will gain the Enhanced Intervention trait. This trait will increase the duration of Intervention to eight seconds and grant the targeted party member the Knight's Resolve and Knight's Benediction buffs. Knight's Resolve reduces damage by 10% for four seconds and Knight's Benediction will gradually heal the target for 12 seconds with a healing potency of 250.
• At Lv. 82, Sheltron upgrades into Holy Sheltron thanks to the Sheltron Mastery trait. It will blocking incoming damage for eight seconds and grant the user the Knight's Resolve (with a 15% damage reduction instead of 10%) and Knight's Benediction buffs. This ability costs 50 Oath Gauge points to use.
• At Lv. 84, Paladins gain the Melee Mastery trait, which increases the damage potency of Fast Blade to 200, Riot Blade to 170, Royal Authority to 130, Holy Spirit to 270, and Atonement to 420.

• At Lv. 86, Holy Spirit and Holy Circle now restores the user's HP with a healing potency of 400 thanks to the Divine Magic Mastery II trait.
• At Lv. 86, Spirits Within will upgrade into Expiacion thanks to the Spirits Within Mastery trait. This is an AOE attack that deals 300 damage potency to the main target and 50% less damage to nearby enemies. It also restores the user's MP and has a recast timer of 30 seconds.
• At Lv. 88, Divine Veil can heal all nearby party members with a healing potency of 400 thanks to the Enhanced Divine Veil trait.
• At Lv. 90, the Confiteor ability becomes a four-part combo attack. When Confiteor is used, it becomes Blade of Faith, which deals unaspected damage with a damage potency 250 on the main target and 50% less damage on nearby enemies. It also restores the user's MP as a combo bonus. Blade of Faith then becomes Blade of Truth, which has the same effects but with a damage potency of 350. And finally Blade of Truth becomes Blade of Valor, which deals the same effects with an increased damage potency of 420. In addition, Blade of Valor inflicts a damage over time effect with a damage potency of 80 to the main target and 50% less for all remaining enemies. Blade of Valor's damage over time effect cannot be stacked with Goring Blade.

Patch 6.08 changes

• The damage potency of Spirits Within has been increased from 250 to 270.
• The damage potency of Expiacion has been increased from 300 to 340.
• The damage potency of Blade of Faith has been increased from 250 to 420.
• The damage potency of Blade of Truth has been increased from 350 to 500.
• The damage potency of Blade of Valor has been increased from 420 to 580.

Warrior

• The Storm's Eye damage buff has been renamed to Surging Tempest and has a new icon.
• Inner Release has been reworked to grant three stacks of Inner Release instead of a 10-second damage window of using Beast Gauge actions for free. Each stack allows the use of a Beast Gauge action with no Beast Gauge cost and guarantees that all attacks will be critical and direct hits. The duration of each Inner Release stack will last for 30 seconds and will extend the duration of Surging Tempest by 10 seconds up to a maximum of 60 seconds. The charge timer is 60 seconds.
• Mythril Tempest now grants the Surging Tempest buff if you complete the AOE melee combo.
• Raw Intuition's damage reduction has been reduced 10%. It will grant the additional effect of restoring HP with every weaponskill you successfully land with a healing potency of 400. It shares a recast timer with Nascent Flash.

• Nascent Flash will grant the Nascent Flash buff to the user and the Nascent Glint buff to the targeted party member. The Nascent Flash buff will restore HP with every successfully landed weaponskill with a healing potency of 400 for eight seconds. Nascent Glint will provide the party member with 100% restored HP equal to the amount gained by Nascent Flash and provide a 10% damage reduction.
• At Lv. 76, Shake It Off can now heal nearby party members with a healing potency of 300 thanks to the Enhanced Shake it Off trait.
• At Lv. 82, Nascent Flash will grant the targeted party member the Stem the Flow and Stem the Tide buffs thanks to the Enhanced Nascent Flash trait. Stem the Flow reduces damage by 10% for four seconds, and Stem the Tide nullifies damage equal to a healing potency of 400 for 30 seconds. It shares a recast timer with Bloodwhetting.
• Upheaval no longer costs Beast Gauge meter.

• At Lv. 82 Raw Intuition upgrades into Bloodwhetting thanks to the Raw Intuition Mastery trait. It retains the abilities of Raw Intuition while applying to the Stem the Flow and Stem the Tide buffs onto the user instead of a targeted party member. It shares a recast timer with Nascent Flash.
• At Lv. 84, Warriors gain the Enhanced Equilibrium trait. This grants Equilibrium an additional HP Regen status effect with a healing potency of 200 over the course of 15 seconds.
• At Lv. 84 Warriors gain the Melee Mastery trait, which increases the damage potency of Heavy Swing to 200, Maim to 130, Storm's Eye to 120, and Storm's Path to 120.
• At Lv. 86, Warriors gain a new ability called Orogeny. It is an AOE attack that deals 150 potency damage to all nearby enemies. It has a recast timer of 30 seconds, which is shared with Upheaval and costs no Beast Gauge points.
• Onslaught no longer costs Beast Gauge points; it gains two charges for consecutive usage. At Lv. 88, Onslaught gets a third charge thanks to the Enhanced Onslaught trait.
• At Lv. 90, the Warrior learns a new ability called Primal Rend. This attack launches the user toward an enemy within 20 yalms to deal a guaranteed critical direct hit to the target and all nearby enemies. It has a damage potency of 700 to the main target and deals 70% less damage to remaining enemies. This attack can only be activated under the effect of Primal Rend Ready, which is granted by Inner Release. Do note that Primal Red does not consume Inner Release stacks, and it cannot be used while bound.

Patch 6.08 changes

• The damage potency of Tomahawk has been increased from 100 to 150.

Dark Knight

• Delirium now grants three stacks of the Delirium status. Each stack will allow the use of Quietus and Bloodspiller without any Blood Gauge cost, each restoring MP when either of these weaponskills successfully hits a target. The charge stack for each stack is 30 seconds and the recast time is now 60 seconds.
• Abyssal Drain now restores additional MP, has a range of 20 yalms, and shares its recast timer Carve and Spit.
• Salted Earth is now placed at the Dark Knight's feet when cast instead of being required to be targeted at the ground.
• At. Lv. 82, the Dark Knight gains the Oblation ability. Oblation can be cast on yourself or a party member and reduces damage by 10% for 10 seconds. This ability has two charges, and each charge has a charge timer of 60 seconds.

• At. Lv. 84, Dark Knight will gain the Enhanced Mended trait, which reduces the recast time of Plunge by five seconds when activating Unmend.
• At Lv. 84, Dark Knights gain the Melee Mastery trait, which increases the damage potency of Hard Slash to 170, Syphon Strike to 120, and Souleater to 120.
• At Lv. 86, Salted Earth gains a new combo action called Salt and Darkness. Salt and Darkness is an AOE attack that deals unaspected damage with a potency of 500 to all enemies standing in the area created by Salted Earth. This ability has a recast timer of 20 seconds.

• At Lv. 88, the Dark Knight's Simulacrum will have all of their attacks' damage potency increased to 300 thanks to the Enhanced Living trait.
• At. 90, the Dark Knight gains a new ability called Shadowbringer. Shadowbringer deals unaspected damage to all enemies standing in a line in front of you. The first enemy hit takes damage with a potency of 600, and all the remaining enemies take 50% less damage. This ability has two charges and each has a charge timer of 60 seconds. Shadowbringer can only be activated when under the effects of Darkside.
• At Lv. 90, the Simulacrum's Flood of Darkness attack will upgrade into Shadowbringer thanks to the Enhanced Living Shadow II trait. The Simulacrum's Shadowbringer functions the same as yours except it has a damage potency of 450 for the first enemy hit and deals 25% less damage for all remaining enemies.

Gunbreaker

• The Gnashing Fang combo has been combined into a single button instead of being spread out across three buttons to free up space on the hotbar. Gnashing Fang will become Savage Claw, and then into Wicked Claw while allowing the use of Continuation in between each attack.
• At Lv. 82, Aurora will gain two charges to spend instead of one thanks to the Enhanced Aurora trait.
• At Lv. 82, the Gunbreaker's Heart of Stone ability will upgrade into Heart of Corundum. This ability can be targeted on the user or a party member, and it will reduce damage taken by 15% for eight seconds. When using Heart of Corundum while under the effects of Brutal Shell on a party member, they will also receive the benefits of Brutal Shell for 30 seconds. In addition it will also grant the Clarity of Corundum and Catharsis of Corundum buffs. Clarity of Corundum reduces damage taken by 15% for four seconds and Catharsis of Corundum restores HP when the target's HP falls below 50% or when the effect's 20-second duration ends.

• At Lv. 84, Gunbreakers gain the Melee Mastery trait, which increases the damage potency of Keen Edge to 170, Brutal Shell to 120, and Solid Barrel to 120.
• At Lv. 86, the Gunbreaker gains the Enhanced Continuation trait, which grants the Ready to Blast state after executing Burst Strike. When under the effects of Ready to Blast, you can execute a new attack called Hypervelocity which has a damage potency of 180.
• At Lv. 88, the Gunbreaker will gain the Cartridge Charge II trait, which adds a third cartridge slot to the Powder Gauge, and executing Bloodfest will load all three cartridges into it.
• At Lv. 90, Gunbreakers will learn a new AOE weaponskill called Double Down. It deals damage to the first enemy hit with a damage potency of 1,200, and 20% less damage to all remaining nearby enemies. It costs two cartridges to use.

Final Fantasy XIV Job changes: Melee DPS

All Melee DPS Jobs

• The Feint ability now reduces physical damage dealt by an enemy by 10% and their magic damage by 5%.
• Ranged attacks will no longer break melee combos.
• Weapons of the same item level will have parity between their physical and magical attributes. Action potencies will change to accommodate this adjustment to the weapons.

Reaper

Patch 6.05 changes

• Arcane Crest's cure potency from the Crest of Time Returned effect has been reduced from 100 to 50.

Dragoon

• Blood of the Dragon is now a trait a separate ability. It increases the damage potency of Jump to 320 and Spineshatter Dive to 250. Also, all the original effects granted to certain abilities by the previous version of Blood of the Dragon have been removed.
• Lance Charge's damage increase has been reduced to 10%, and its recast timer has been reduced to 60 seconds.
• Battle Litany's recast timer has been reduced to 120 seconds, and its duration has been reduced to 15 seconds.
• The 10% damage buff Dragoons receive upon executing Disembowel, which lasts for 30 seconds, is now called Power Surge. You can also gain the Power Surge after executing Sonic Thrust within the AOE combo.
• At Lv. 76, Dragoons gain the Lance Mastery II trait. This increases the damage potency of True Thrust to 230, Vorpal Thrust to 130, and Disembowel to 140. In addition, this grants the user the Draconian Fire buff when Fang and Claw is used after Wheeling Thrust and vice versa. While under the effects of Draconian Fire, True Thrust is converted into Raiden Thrust, effectively replacing the Raiden Thrust Ready buff. The damage potency of Raiden Thrust has been reduced to 260.

• At Lv. 82, Dragoons gain the Enhanced Coerthan Torment trait, which grants them the Draconian Fire buff after completing a combo with Coerthan Torment. While under the effects of Draconian Fire, Doom Spike is converted into the new Draconian Fury attack. It is an AOE attack that damages enemies in a 10-yalm line in front of the user with a damage potency of 130.
• At Lv. 84, Spineshatter Dive gains two charges for consecutive usage thanks to the Enhanced Spineshatter Dive trait.
• At Lv. 86, Full Thrust and Chaos Thrust get upgraded into Heavens' Thrust and Chaotic Spring respectively, thanks to the Lance Mastery III trait. Heavens' Thrust has an increased combo potency of 430. Meanwhile, Chaotic Spring's upgrades include an increased combo potency of 240, a rear combo potency of 280, and its damage over time effect has a higher damage potency of 45 for 24 seconds.

• At Lv. 88, Life Surge gets two charges for consecutive usage with a charge timer of 45 seconds thanks to the Enhanced Life Surge trait.
• At Lv. 90, the Dragoon gains Lance Mastery IV trait, which increases the damage potency of Geirskogul to 250 and Nastrond to 350. In addition, it unlocks new effects for Draconian Fury and Raiden Thrust where upon execution, they will generate a point towards the new Firstminds' Focus gauge, up to a maximum of two points.
• The Firstminds' Focus gauge is used to perform the new Lv. 90 Dragoon ability, Wyrmwind Thrust. This AOE attack costs 2 Firstminds' Focus points to use and damages enemies in a straight line in front of the user with a damage potency 370 for the first enemy hit, and 50% less damage for all remaining enemies.

6.05 changes

• Wyrmwind Thrust's damage potency has been increased from 370 to 420.
• Geirskogul's damage potency has been increased from 250 to 260.
• Nastrond's damage potency has been increased from 350 to 360.

Patch 6.08 changes

• The range of Dragon Sight has been increased from 12 yalms to 30 yalms. The targeted party member is no longer required to remain within 12 yalms of the Dragoon who cast Dragon Sight in order to receive the effects of Left Eye. The Channeling between the Dragoon and the affected party member has been removed.
• The damage potency of Raiden Thrust has been increased from 260 to 280.
• The damage potency Stardiver has been increased from 500 to 620.
• The combo damage potency of Heavens' Thrust has been increased from 430 to 480.
• The combo damage potency of Chaotic Spring has been increased from 240 to 260 and its Rear combo damage potency has been increased from 280 to 300.

Monk

• The Fist Stances have been removed.
• Bootshine, Dragon Kick, Twin Snakes, and True Strike will have their positional requirements for extra damage removed.
• Meditation is now learnt at Lv. 15 instead of Lv. 54.
• At Lv. 15, Monk gains the Steel Peak attack. This attack deals damage to a single enemy with a damage potency of 180 and can only be executed while under the effects of the Fifth Chakra. The Fifth Chakra is spent upon usage. It also shares a recast timer of one second with Howling Fist. Steel Peak gets upgraded into Forbidden Chakra at Lv. 54, and its damage potency increases to 370.
• Shoulder Tackle has been removed and replaced by the new Thunderclap ability at Lv. 35. Thunderclap allows the user to dash towards a targeted enemy or ally within 20 yalms. It has two charges (three at Lv. 84 due to the Enhanced Thunderclap trait) to spend with a charge timer of 30 seconds.
• At Lv. 40, Monk gains the Howling Fist AOE attack. Howling Fist deals damage to all enemies in a straight line in front of the user with a damage potency of 100 and can only be executed while under the effects of the Fifth Chakra. The Fifth Chakra is spent upon usage. It also shares a recast timer of one second with Steel Peak/Forbidden Chakra. Howling Fist upgrades into Enlightenment at Lv. 74 with a damage potency increase to 170.

• At Lv. 60, Monk receives a new attack called Masterful Blitz called. This gives the Monk access to a variety of new attacks after generating Beast Chakra when executing certain weaponskills under the effects of Perfect Balance. As a result, Perfect Balance has been reworked to accommodate this mechanic.
• Perfect Balance now grants 3 stacks of the Perfect Balance buff, each stack allowing the use of a weaponskill without any form requirements for 10 seconds. Perfect Balance will also grant the following Beast Chakra types depending on the weaponskill you use and what form they normally require during this buff: Opo-opo Chakra, Coeurl Chakra, or Raptor Chakra. In addition, you now get two charges of Perfect Balance for consecutive usage with a charge time of 40 seconds.
• After generating the aforementioned Beast Chakras, Masterful Blitz will turn into one of the following attacks: Elixir Field, Celestial Revolution, Flint Strike, and Tornado Kick. Do note that any buffs associated with these attacks will apply.
• The AOE attack Elixir Field can now only be executed after generating three of the same Beast Chakra types. Its damage potency has been increased to 600 for the main targeted enemy, and it now deals 70% less damage for remaining nearby enemies. This attack will grant the user the Formless Fist buff, allowing them to perform weaponskills without form requirements for 30 seconds. Elixir Field will generate a Lunar Nadi.

• Celestial Revolution is a new attack with damage potency of 450 dealt to a single target. It can only be executed after generating any three Beast Chakra types. This attack will grant the user the Formless Fist buff, allowing them to perform weaponskills without form requirements for 30 seconds. Celestial Revolution will generate a Lunar Nadi; however if you already have one, it will generate a Solar Nadi instead.
• Flint Strike is a new AOE attack with damage potency of 600 for the main targeted enemy, and it now deals 65% less damage for all remaining enemies. It can only be executed after generating three different Beast Chakra types and grants the user the Formless Fist buff, allowing them to perform weaponskills without form requirements for 15 seconds. Flint Strike will generate a Solar Nadi upon execution.
• Tornado Kick is now an AOE attack and can only be executed after generating three Beast Chakras of any type, a Lunar Nadi, and a Solar Nadi. It has a damage potency 850 for the main targeted enemy and deals 65% less damage for all remaining enemies. This attack will grant the user the Formless Fist buff, allowing them to perform weaponskills without form requirements for 15 seconds.
• At Lv. 72, Monk gains the new Riddle of Wind ability which reduces auto-delay by 50% for 15 seconds.

• At Lv. 82, Arm of the Destroyer is upgraded into Shadow of the Destroyer. Its damage potency is increased to 110 and is guaranteed to deal a critical hit while under the effects of the Opo-Opo Form.
• At Lv. 86, Flint Strike upgrades into Rising Phoenix thanks to the Flint Strike Mastery trait. Its damage potency is increased to 700 for the main targeted enemy, and it deals 70% less damage for remaining nearby enemies. Its Formless Fist buff duration has been increased to 30 seconds.
• At Lv. 90, Tornado Kick upgrades into Phantom Rush thanks to the Tornado Kick Mastery trait. Its damage potency is increased to 1,000 for the main targeted enemy, and it deals 50% less damage for all remaining enemies. Its Formless Fist buff duration has been increased to 30 seconds.

Patch 6.05 changes

• Arm of the Destroyer now grants Raptor Chakra while under the effects of Perfect Balance, even when missing a target.
• Rockbreaker now grants Opo-opo Chakra while under the effects of Perfect Balance, even when missing a target.
• Four-point Fury now grants Coeurl Chakra while under the effects of Perfect Balance, even when missing a target.
• Shadow of the Destroyer now grants Raptor Chakra while under the effects of Perfect Balance, even when missing a target.
• Elixir Field now generates a Lunar Nadi and grants Formless Fist when executed, even when missing a target.
• Flint Strike now generates Solar Nadi and grants Formless Fist when executed, even when missing a target.
• Rising Phoenix now generates Solar Nadi and grants Formless Fist even when missing a target.

6.06 changes

• The damage potency of Phantom Rush has been increased from 1,000 to 1,150.

Samurai

• Merciful Eyes and Hissatsu Seigan have been removed. As a result, the effects of Third Eye have been changed. It will no longer grant the Eyes Open effect; instead the user will generate 10 Kenki Gauge points when they get attacked during Third Eye's three-second duration.
• The 13% damage increase buff granted by Jinpu is now called Fugetsu. In addition, Mangestsu now grants Fugestu instead of only extending the duration.
• Shifu's buff that grants the user a 13% reduction to auto-attack delay, recast timers, spell cast timers, and weaponskill cast timers is now called Fuka. In addition, Oka now grants Fuka instead of only extending the duration.
• The combo potency of Mangetsu and Oka has been reduced to 110.
• When under the effects of Meikyo Shisui, Gekko will grant the user Fugetsu, and Kasha will grant Oka when both skills successfully hit the target.
• Hissatsu: Guren now has a damage potency of 500, deals 50% less damage to all remaining enemies after the first target hit, and now only costs 25 Kenki points to use.
• Shoha's Meditation stacks gained from Tsubame-gaeshi are instead gained from the new weaponskill, Ogi Namikiri.

• At. 82, Samurai learn Shoha II, which is an AOE version of Shoha. This attack targets all nearby enemies with a damage potency of 200 for all targets hit. It can only be performed after accumulating three stacks of Meditation by executing Iaijutsu, Meditate, or Ogi Namikiri during combat. It also shares a recast timer with Shoha.
• At Lv. 84, Tsubame-gaeshi gains two charges for consecutive usage with a charge timer of 60 seconds thanks to the Enhanced Tsubame-gaeshi trait.
• At Lv. 86, Samurai gain the Fugo Mastery trait, which upgrades Fugo into Fuko. This attack damages all nearby enemies with a damage potency of 100 for all enemies hit and generates 10 Kenki Gauge points.
• At Lv. 88, Meikyo Shisui gains two charges for consecutive usage with a charge timer of 55 seconds thanks to the Enhanced Meikyo Shisui trait.

• Ikishoten's recast timer has been increased to 120 seconds. As a trade-off, Ikishoten gains a new effect at. Lv. 90 thanks to the Enhanced Ikishoten trait. Upon landing Ikishoten, the user is granted the Ogi Namikiri Ready buff, which will allow them to perform the new Lv. 90 abilities, Ogi Namikiri and Kaeshi: Namikiri.
• Ogi Namikiri is an AOE attack that damages enemies in a cone in front of the user with a damage potency of 800 for the first enemy hit, and 75% less for all remaining nearby enemies. In addition, this attack generates a stack of Meditation upon landing, up to a max limit of three. Ogi Namikiri can only be performed while under the effects of Ogi Namikiri.
• After successfully landing Ogi Namikiri, this attack changes into Kaeshi: Namikiri. This AOE attack damages enemies in a cone in front of the user with a damage potency of 1,200 for the first enemy hit, and 75% less for all remaining nearby enemies. Do note that Kaeshi: Namikiri triggers the cooldown of weaponskills upon casting, and it cannot be performed during the cooldown of weaponskills.

Patch 6.05 changes

• The range of Higanbana, Kaeshi: Higanbana, Midare Setsugekka, Kaeshi: Setsugekka has been increased from 3 yalms to 6 yalms.

6.08 changes

• The damage potency of Hakaze has been increased from 150 to 180.
• The combo damage potency of Jinpu has been increased from 250 to 280.
• The combo damage potency of Shifu has been increased from 250 to 280.
• The damage potency of Ogi Namikiri has been increased from 800 to 900.
• The damage potency of Kaeshi: Namikiri has been increased from 1,200 to 1,350.

Ninja

• The Shadowfang ability has been removed.
• The Huton Gauge's max duration has been reduced to 60 seconds.
• At Lv. 60, Ninjas gain a new weaponskill, Huraijin. It deals damage to a single target with a damage potency of 200 and grants the user the Huton buff for 60 seconds.
• Assassinate is now learnt at Lv. 40 and upgrades into Dream Within a Dream at Lv. 56, essentially combining the once-separate skills into one. Also, they no longer require the Assassinate Ready buff to be executed and can be performed whenever you want, so long as their 60-second recast timer is complete.

• At Lv. 82, Ninjas gain the Phantom Kamaitachi ability, which can only be activated while under the effects of Phantom Kamaitachi Ready, granted by Bunshin. This ability commands your shadow clone to execute an AOE attack dealing wind damage to a targeted enemy and all enemies near it. It has a damage potency of 550 to the main target and deals 50% less damage to all the remaining enemies. In addition, it extends the Huton buff's duration by 30 seconds up to a maximum of 60, and generates five Ninki points.
• At Lv. 84, Ninjas gain the Melee Mastery trait, which increases damage potency of Spinning Edge to 200, Gust Slash to 140, Aeolian Edge to 120, and Armor Crush to 120.
• Ninjas gain another trait at Lv. 84 called Shukiho III. Upon completing a combo with Aeolian Edge or Armor Crush, you generate 15 points towards the Ninki Gauge.
• At Lv. 86, the Doton Ninjutsu gets augmented with the Hollow Nozuchi ability. Whenever you place a Doton patch and finish a combo with Hakke Mujinsatsu, all enemies standing within it take extra damage. Hollow Nozuchi has a damage potency of 50.
• At Lv. 88, Ninjas gain the Enhanced Muisui trait. While under the effects of Muisui, the damage potency of Bhavacakra is increased to 500.

• At. Lv. 90, Raiton gets upgraded with a three-part combo thanks to the Enhanced Raiton trait. When executing Raiton, it will grant a stack of the Forked Raiju Ready buff for 15 seconds up to a maximum of three stacks. These stacks convert Raiton into a new attack called Forked Raiju. Be warned performing any melee weaponskill will cancel the Forked Raiju Ready buff.
• Forked Raiju has the user rush towards an enemy within a range of 20 yalms to deal lightning damage with a damage potency of 400 and generates five Ninki Gauge points. After executing Forked Raiju, the user will be granted the Fleeting Raiju buff for 15 seconds, which will allow them to perform Fleeting Raiju.
• Fleeting Raiju is a more powerful version of Forked Raiju with a damage potency of 450. Except the only extra effect Fleeting Raiju grants is five points towards the Ninki Gauge. Do note that both Forked Raiju and Fleeting Raiju cannot be cast while bound.

Patch 6.05 changes

• The status effect granted upon executing Raiton has been changed from "Forked Raiju Ready" to "Raiju Ready," and its duration has been increased from 15 to 30 seconds.
• The "Phantom Kamaitachi Ready" status effect granted by Bunshin no longer expires when the effect of Bunshin ends. This action now changes to Phantom Kamaitachi upon execution and the "Phantom Kamaitachi Ready" status effect now has a duration of 45 seconds.
• Executing Phantom Kamaitachi no longer consumes a stack of Bunshin and the increase to the Ninki Gauge has been changed from 5 to 10. Prior to Patch 6.05, both the execution of Phantom Kamaitachi and the effect of Bunshin increased the Ninki Gauge by 5, resulting in a total increase of 10. The above adjustment ensures this increase to the Ninki Gauge remains unchanged when executing Phantom Kamaitachi.
• The damage potency of Forked Raijuhas been increased from 400 to 560. The additional effect "Grants Fleeting Raiju Ready" has been removed. The requirement for execution has been changed from "while under the effect of Forked Raiju Ready" to "while under the effect of Raiju Ready."
• Players will no longer rush to the target upon executing Fleeting Raiju. Its range has been reduced from 20 yalms to 3 yalms and its damage potency has been increased from 450 to 560. The requirement for execution has been changed from "while under the effect of Fleeting Raiju Ready" to "while under the effect of Raiju Ready."

6.08 changes

• The damage potency of Spinning Edge has been increased from 200 to 210.
• The damage potency of Gust Slash has been increased from 140 to 160, and its combo damage potency has been increased from 300 to 320.
• The damage potency of Aeolian Edge has been increased from 120 to 140, and its rear damage potency has been increased from 180 to 200. The combo damage potency has also been increased from 340 to 360 along with its rear combo damage potency increase of 400 to 420.
• The damage potency of Armor Crush has been increased from 120 to 140, and its flank damage potency has been increased from 180 to 200. The combo damage potency has also been increased from 320 to 340 along with its flank combo damage potency increase of 380 to 400.
• The damage potency of Hyosho Ranryu has been increased from 1,200 to 1,300.

Final Fantasy XIV Job changes: Physical Ranged DPS

All Physical Ranged DPS Jobs

• Weapons of the same item level will have parity between their physical and magical attributes. Action potencies will change to accommodate this adjustment to the weapons.
• The cooldown of party-wide defensive abilities will be changed to 90 seconds.

Bard

• The recast timer for Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon, and The Wanderer's Minuet is now 120 seconds, and the duration of their respective effects now lasts for 45 seconds. They now have an 80% chance to the Reportoire buff and no longer require the damage over time of Caustic Bite or Stormbite to trigger it. In addition, their effects now apply to the Bard who performed each respective song.
• The damage over time effects for Caustic Bite and Stormbite now lasts 45 seconds.
• The duration for the Straight Shot Ready buff now lasts for 30 seconds.
• Raging Strikes' recast timer is now 120 seconds and grants a 15% damage increase to the user.
• Barrage's recast timer has increased to 120 seconds, and it increases the damage potency of Shadowbite to 270.
• The recast timer for Battle Voice has been reduced to 120 seconds, the duration has been reduced to 15 seconds, its effects now apply to the user.
• Shadowbite is now a weaponskill and its recast timer has been reduced to 2.5 seconds.
• Sidewinder no longer gains a damage boost when attacking a target under the damage over time effects of Caustic Bite and Stormbite. It now has a simple damage potency of 300.

• The Enhanced Quick Nock trait is now learnt at Lv. 72 and its effects have completely changed. It now grants Quick Nock a 35% chance of granting the Shadowbite Ready buff.
• At Lv. 82, Quick Knock upgrades into Ladonsbite thanks to the Quick Nock Mastery trait. This weaponskill attacks all enemies in a 12-yalm cone in front of the user with a damage potency of 130. It also has a 35% chance to grant the Shadowbite Ready Buff.
• At Lv. 84, Bloodletter and Rain of Death gain a third charge for consecutive usage with a charge time of 15 seconds thanks to the Enhanced Bloodletter trait.
• At Lv. 86, Bards obtain the Enhanced Apex Arrow trait. After performing Apex Arrow while having 80 Soul Voice Gauge points saved up, the user will be granted the Blast Arrow Ready buff for 30 seconds.
• The Blast Arrow Ready buff will allow the Bard to fire a new AOE attack called Blast Arrow. This damages enemies in a straight line of 25 yalms in front of the user. It has a damage potency of 600 for the first enemy hit and deals 60% less damage for all remaining enemies.

• At Lv. 88, Troubadour's recast timer is reduced to 90 seconds thanks to the Enhanced Troubadour trait.
• At Lv. 90, Bards obtain the Minstrel's Coda trait. Performing Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon, and The Wanderer's Minuet will grant the user the Mage's Coda, Army's Coda, and Wanderer's Coda buffs respectively. These Codas are required to trigger a new ability called Radiant Finale.
• Radiant Finale grants all nearby party members a damage bonus based on the number of different active Codas in the Song Gauge. One Coda, increases damage dealt by 2%, two Codas adds 4%, and three Codas add 5%. This ability can be activated with at least one Coda stored up.

Machinist

• At Lv. 82, Scattershot gets upgraded into Scattergun due to the Spread Shot Mastery trait. It has a damage potency increase of 150, and it generates 10 Heat Gauge points now.
• At Lv. 84, the Machinist gains the Marksman's Mastery trait. This increases the damage potency of Heated Split Shot to 200, Heated Slug Shot to 120, and Heated Clean Shot to 110.
• At Lv. 84, Reassembled gains two charges for consecutive usage with a charge timer of 55 seconds thanks to the Enhanced Reassembled trait.

• At. Lv. 86, the Automation Queen gets a new attack called Crowned Collider, thanks to the Queen's Gambit trait. After performing Pile Bunker, the Automation Queen will follow up with Crowned Collider. It has a base damage potency of 750, and it can be increased depending on the amount of Battery Gauge used to summon the Automation Queen beyond the required amount. The Automation Queen will shut down after performing Crowned Collider. If Crowned Collider is not activated manually before the end of the Automation Queen's duration, it will perform the attack automatically before shutting down.
• At Lv. 88, the recast timer on Tactician will be reduced to 90 seconds thanks to the Enhanced Tactician trait.
• At Lv. 90, the Machinist gains a new AOE attack called Chainsaw. This attacks enemies in a 25-yalm line in front of the user. It has a damage potency of 550 for the first enemy hit and deals 65% less damage for all remaining enemies. Chainsaw also generates 20 Battery Gauge points upon being successfully landed. It has a recast timer of 58.56 seconds, and it is not shared with any other actions.

6.08 changes

• The damage potency of Drill has been increased from 550 to 570.
• The damage potency of Air Anchor has been increased from 550 to 570.
• The damage potency of Chain Saw has been increased from 550 to 570.

Dancer

• Windmill will change into Emboite while dancing.
• The effects of the Espirit trait have been completely changed. It now grants the Esprit buff to yourself and nearby party members when performing Standard Finish or Technical Finish. Whenever you successfully land Cascade, Reverse Cascade, Fountain, Fountainfall, Windmill, Rising Windmill, Bladeshower, or Bloodshower, you gain five Esprit Gauge points. When party members perform a weaponskill or cast a spell, they have a chance of giving you 10 Espirit Gauge points. The chances of each party member giving your Espirit depends on their Job.
• When executing Standard Step or Technical Step, your AOE attacks will now turn into Steps alongside single-target attacks.
• The requirements for executing certain attacks following single-target and AOE combos have been changed. For example, after performing either Cascade or Windmill, they have a 50% chance of granting the user the new Flourishing Symmetry buff. This will allow you to perform either Reverse Cascade or Rising Windmill.
• This change is also applied for Fountain and Bladeshower, both of which have a 50% of granting the user the Flourishing Flow buff. This will allow you to execute either Fountainfall or Bloodshower. These changes will allow the Dancer to freely mix and match different attacks without being forced into certain AOE or single-target combos for the desired attack.
• As a result of these changes, Flourishing Symmetry has replaced the Flourishing Cascade and Flourishing Fountain buffs, and Flourishing Flow has replaced the Flourishing Windmill, Flourishing Shower buffs.
• The Flourish ability has been tweaked to accommodate these changes. It will now grant the user Flourishing Symmetry, Flourishing Flow, and Threefold Fan Dance for 30 seconds. At Lv. 86, Flourish will also grant the user Fourfold Fan Dance for 30 seconds thanks to the Enhanced Flourish trait.

• The Improvision ability has received significant changes to its effects. Improvision will grant the user the Rising Rhythm buff. For 15 seconds, you will heal all nearby party members over time with a healing potency of 100. In addition, you will generate Rising Rhythm stacks every three seconds, up to a max limit of four stacks. Improvision ends when the duration ends or if you perform an action or move during the dance. Auto-attacks are cancelled during the duration of Improvision.
• While Improvision is active, you gain access to a new ability called Improvised Finish. This ability creates a barrier on all nearby party members, which absorbs damage based on the amount of Rising Rhythm Stacks you have saved up. At zero stacks, the barrier absorbs damage up to 5% max HP, one stack absorbs 6%, two stacks absorb 7%, three stacks absorb 8%, and four stacks absorb 10%.
• At Lv. 82, executing Technical Finish will grant the user Flourishing Finish thanks to the Enhanced Technical Finish trait. Flourishing Finish will allow Dancers to perform the new Tillana attack.

• Tillana is an AOE attack that damages all nearby enemies with a damage potency of 360 for the first enemy hit and deals 50% less damage for all remaining enemies. Tillana also grants the user and a party member designated as their Dance Partner with the Standard Finish and Esprit buffs. Standard Finish increases the damage you deal by 5% for 30 seconds. Do note that Tillana will trigger the cooldowns of weaponskills, step actions, and finish actions when activated. Also, Tillana cannot be used during the cooldown of weaponskills, step actions, and finish actions.
• At. Lv. 84, performing Reverse Cascade, Fountainfall, Rising Windmill, or Bloodshower will generate 10 Esprit Gauge points thanks to the Enhanced Esprit trait.
• At Lv. 86, Dancers gain a new attack called Fan Dance IV. Fan Dance IV damages in a 15-yalm cone in front of the user with a damage potency of 300 for the first enemy hit and deals 50% less damage for all remaining enemies. This attack can only be performed while under the effects of Fourfold Fan Dance.

• At Lv. 88, Shield Samba's recast timer gets reduced to 90 seconds thanks to the Enhanced Shield Samba buff.
• At Lv. 90, Dancers gain the Enhanced Devilment trait. After performing Devilment, the user will be granted the Flourishing Starfall buff for 30 seconds, allowing them to perform a new attack called Starfall Dance.
• Starfall Dance is an AOE attack that deals a guaranteed critical direct hit to all enemies in a 25-yalm line in front of the user. The damage potency is 600 for the first enemy hit, and all remaining enemies take 75% less damage.

Patch 6.05 changes

The action category for Standard Finish, Technical Finish, and Tillana has been changed from "ability" to "weaponskill."

6.08 changes

• The damage potency of Cascade has been increased from 180 to 220.
• The combo damage potency of Fountain has been increased from 240 to 280.
• The damage potency of Reverse Cascade has been increased from 240 to 280.
• The damage potency of Fountainfall has been increased from 300 to 340.
• The 4 Steps damage potency of Technical Finish has been increased from 1,080 to 1,200.

Final Fantasy XIV Job changes: Magical Ranged DPS

All Magical Ranged DPS Jobs

• The Addle ability now reduces magic damage dealt by an enemy by 10% and their physical damage by 5%.
• Sleep is no longer a Thaumaturge/Black Mage spell, it is now a role action that all Magical Ranged DPS Jobs can perform.

Black Mage

• The Aspect Mastery trait is now learnt at Lv. 1 instead of Lv. 72 and its effects have changed. Casting certain fire or ice spells will grant the user a stack of the Astral Fire or Umbral Ice buffs respectively for 15 seconds. While under the effects of either of these buffs, casting a spell of the opposite element will cost no MP. This effect does not apply to Flare.
• At Lv. 20, Black Mages gain the Aspect Master II trait, which will allow them to accumulate a second stack of Astral Fire and Umbral Ice.
• At Lv. 35, Blizzard II will now grant Umbral Ice III, and Fire II will grant Astral Fire III thanks to the Aspect Master III trait. In addition, this trait will allow a third stack of Umbral Ice and Astral Fire.
• To accommodate these changes, the Main and Mend traits have their Astral Fire and Umbral Ice stack granting effects removed. They will only now grant the damage and HP restoration increases as before.
• Blizzard III is now learnt at Lv. 35, and Freeze is learnt at Lv. 40.
• Enhanced Freeze is now learnt at Lv. 58 and grants three Umbral Hearts instead of one Umbral Heart upon casting Freeze.
• Enochian is now a passive trait instead of an ability you activate manually. It increases the user's mage damage by 5% while under the effects of Umbral Ice or Astral Fire. In addition, this trait now grants the user the Enhanced Flare buff after performing Fire II while under the effects of Astral Fire. The Enhanced Flare buff ends when the Astral Fire buff ends.

• At. Lv. 80, Black Mages gain the Enhanced Foul trait, which turns the Foul spell into an instant cast spell.
• At. Lv. 82, Fire II will upgrade into High Fire II. This will deal fire damage to all enemies near it with a damage potency of 140, grant Astral Fire III for 15 seconds and remove Umbral Ice. In addition, it will grant two charges of Enhanced Flare for 30 seconds. This buff will increase the damage of the next Flare you cast.
• At. Lv. 82, Blizzard II will upgrade into High Blizzard II. This will deal ice damage to all enemies near it with a damage potency of 140, grant Umbral Ice III for 15 seconds and remove Astral Fire.
• At Lv. 84, Manafont will have its recast reduced to 120 seconds thanks to the Enhanced Manafont trait.
• At Lv. 86, Black Mage will learn the Amplifier ability. This ability grants a Polyglot stack and can only be cast while under the effects of Umbral Ice or Astral Fire.

• At. Lv. 86, Black Mage will gain the Enhanced Enochian III trait, which increases Enochian's magic damage buff to 20%.
• At Lv. 88, Swiftcast will gain two charges for consecutive uses thanks to the Enhanced Sharpcast II trait.
• At Lv. 90, Black Mage learns a new spell called Paradox and is accompanied by Aspect Mastery V trait. Aspect Mastery V adds Paradox marker to the Elemental Gauge. Whenever you reach Astral Fire III then switch to Umbral Ice III or switching from Umbral Ice III while stocking three Umbral Hearts into Astral Fire III, the Paradox marker becomes active and allows you to cast Paradox.
• The Paradox spell deals unaspected damage to a single target with a damage potency of 500. While under the effects of Astral Fire, Paradox refreshes Astral Fire's duration and has a 40% chance to grant Firestarter. For 30 seconds, the Firestarter buff ensures that the next Fire III cast will cost no MP and is cast instantly. Conversely, if Paradox is used while under the effects of Umbral Ice, it will cost no MP to cast and refreshes the duration of Umbral Ice.

6.08 changes

• The damage potency of Fire III has been increased from 240 to 280.
• The damage potency of Blizzard III has been increased from 240 to 260.
• The damage potency of Blizzard IV has been increased from 300 to 310.
• The damage potency of Fire IV has been increased from 300 to 310.
• The damage potency of Xenoglossy has been increased from 660 to 760.

Red Mage

• Manafication has received changes in its effects. It will now add 50 Black and White Mana points instead of doubling what amount you currently had. Manafication will grant six stacks of the Manafication buff thanks to the Enhanced Manafication trait learnt at Lv. 90. This will increase the Red Mage's magic damage by 5% for 15 seconds. Do note that all combos will be cancelled when activating Manafication.
• The Red Mage's full melee combos now cost 50 Mana points instead of 80 points.
• Engagement is now learnt at Lv. 40 instead of Lv. 72.
• Engagement, Displacement, and Acceleration gain a second charge for consecutive usage. The charge timer for Displacement and Engagement is 35 seconds and Acceleration's charge timer is 55 seconds.
• Engagement and Displacement now share the same damage potency of 180 at Lv. 72 thanks to the Enhanced Displacement trait.

• Embolden will now increase all damage dealt by nearby party members by 5% and your magic damage by 5%.
• Enhanced Contra Forte has been renamed into Red Magic Mastery and is learnt at Lv. 74 instead of Lv. 78.
• Enhanced Manafication is now learnt at Lv. 78 instead of Lv. 74.
• Verholy, Verflare, and Scorch are now AOE attack spells instead of single-target spells. These deal unaspected damage to all enemies near those spells. Verflare and Verholy will have a damage potency of 580 and 60% less to all remaining enemies. Whereas Scorch's damage potency will be 680 and 60% less to all remaining enemies.

• Red Mages learn the new Mana Stack trait at Lv. 68. Whenever you land an Enchanted weaponskill, it will add a Mana Stack to the Balance Gauge up to a maximum of three stacks. Once you have three Mana Stacks, Verthunder and Verthunder II will become Verflare and Veraero, and Veraero II will turn into Verholy (once you learn both Verholy and Verflare).
• At Lv. 82, Red Mages gain the Red Magic Mastery II trait. This upgrades Verthunder into Verthunder III and Veraero into Veraero III. Verthunder III deals lightning damage with a damage potency of 380, increases Black Mana by six points, and has a 50% chance of granting Verfire Ready for 30 seconds. Veraero III deals wind damage with a damage potency of 380, increases White Mana by six points, and has a 50% chance of granting Verstone Ready for 30 seconds. In addition, Verthunder III will turn into Verflare, and Veraero III will turn into Verholy after gaining three Mana Stacks.

• At Lv. 84, Red Mages receive the Red Mastery III trait. This increases the damage potency of Verthunder II to 140, Veraero II to 140, Verfire to 330, Verstone to 330, Jolt II to 310, Impact to 210, and Enchanted Reprise to 310.
• At Lv. 86, Red Mage learns a new utility spell called Magick Barrier. This reduces magic damage taken by the user and nearby party members by 10% and increases the amount of HP recovered through healing actions by 5% for 15 seconds. It has a recast timer of 120 seconds.
• At Lv. 90, Red Mage obtains a new attack spell called Resolution, which can only be executed after landing Scorch. This attack deals unaspected damage to all enemies in a straight line in front of the user with a damage potency of 750 for the first enemy hit, and 60% less damage for all remaining enemies. It also accumulates four Black and White Mana points.

Summoner

• The Summoner has received an overhaul so extensive that it could be considered a new Job entirely. For starters, Bio, Bio II, Bio III, Miasma, Miasma II, Egi Assault, Bane, Aetherpact, and all Egi-pet actions have been removed.
• Fester has been changed into an attack spell that costs one Aetherflow Gauge point and has a damage potency of 300 without reliance on Bio or Miasma for extra damage anymore. It is also now learnt at Lv. 10 instead of Lv. 18.
• Tri-Disaster also no longer relies on Bio or Miasma and has flat damage potency of 120. Its lower-level incarnation, Outburst is now learnt at Lv. 26 as an Arcanist.
• Painflare is now learnt at Lv. 40, it has an increased damage potency of 150, and its recast has been reduced to one second.
• Energy Siphon and Energy Drain now grant the Summoner the Further Ruin buff, allowing them to use Ruin IV. Energy Drain is now learnt at Lv. 10 and has an increased damage potency of 200.
• Ruin IV is now an instant AOE spell that deals unaspected damage to all enemies near it with a damage potency of 430 for the first enemy hit and 60% less damage for all remaining nearby enemies.

• At Lv. 6, Summoners will learn the new Aethercharge ability. This ability will grant the user the Aethercharge buff, which will increase the damage potency of Ruin and Ruin II by 50 and the Outburst by 20 for 15 seconds. At Lv. 15, this ability grants access to the Ruby Arcanum, Topaz Arcanum, and Emerald Arcanum, which will allow you to activate the elemental summons. This ability can only be used during combat and only while Carbuncle is summoned.
• At Lv. 6, Summoners will learn Precious Brilliance and Gemshine. These abilities will allow you to execute single-target (Gemshine) or AOE attacks (Precious Brilliance) based on your currently active elemental attunement.
• While Fire Attunement is active at Lv. 6, Gemshine will become Ruby Ruin, which has a damage potency of 300 and costs one Fire Attunement point. At Lv. 30 Ruby Ruin upgrades into Ruby Ruin II with a damage potency of 340. At Lv. 36, Ruby Ruin II upgrades into Ruby Ruin III with a damage potency of 360. At Lv. 72 Ruby Ruin III upgrades into its final form, Ruby Rite, which has a damage potency of 430.
• At Lv. 26, Precious Brilliance becomes Ruby Outburst, which has a damage potency of 140 to all enemies near the main target and costs one Fire Attunement point. At Lv. 72, Ruby Outburst upgrades into Ruby Disaster with a damage potency increase of 170. Then at Lv. 82, Ruby Disaster upgrades into its final form, Ruby Catastrophe with a damage potency of 180.
• While Earth Attunement is active at Lv. 15, Gemshine will become Topaz Ruin, which has a damage potency of 240 and costs one Earth Attunement point. At Lv. 30, Topaz Ruin upgrades into Topaz Ruin II with a damage potency of 270. At Lv. 36, Topaz Ruin II upgrades into Topaz Ruin III with a damage potency of 300. At Lv. 72, Topaz Ruin III upgrades into its final form, Topaz Rite, which has a damage potency of 330.
• At Lv. 26, Precious Brilliance becomes Topaz Outburst, which has a damage potency of 110 to all enemies near the main target and costs one Earth Attunement point. At Lv. 72, Topaz Outburst upgrades into Topaz Disaster with a damage potency increase of 130. Then at Lv. 82, Topaz Disaster upgrades into its final form, Topaz Catastrophe, which has a damage potency of 140.
• At Lv. 86, casting either Topaz Rite or Topaz Catastrophe will grant the user Titan's Favor.
• While Wind Attunement is active at Lv. 22, Gemshine will become Emerald Ruin, which has a damage potency of 160 and costs one Earth Attunement point. At Lv. 30 Topaz Ruin upgrades into Emerald Ruin II with a damage potency of 170. At Lv. 36, Emerald Ruin II upgrades into Emerald Ruin III with a damage potency of 180. Then finally at Lv. 72, Emerald Ruin III will become Emerald Rite, which has a damage potency of 230.
• At Lv. 26, Precious Brilliance becomes Emerald Outburst, which has a damage potency of 70 to all enemies near the main target and costs one Wind Attunement point. At Lv. 72, Emerald Outburst upgrades into Emerald Disaster with a damage potency increase of 90. Then at Lv. 82, Emerald Disaster will become Emerald Catastrophe with a damage potency increase of 100.

• The Summoner's pets (the Gem Carbuncles, Egis, and later Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda) are now reworked into summon spells that grant the user elemental attunement upon activation. These summon spells are Summon Ruby (Lv. 6), Summon Topaz (Lv. 15), and Summon Emerald (Lv. 22). Summon Ruby upgrades into Summon Ifrit at Lv. 30, Summon Topaz upgrades into Summon Titan at Lv. 35, and Summon Emerald upgrades into Summon Garuda at Lv. 45. You can summon any of these three summons in any order you wish.
• Summon Ruby summons forth Ruby Carbuncle and executes Glittering Ruby upon its entry. Glittering Ruby has Ruby Carbuncle rush forward and deal fire damage to all nearby enemies with a damage potency of 300 for the first enemy hit and 60% less for all remaining enemies. It grants two stacks of Fire Attunement for 30 seconds. This spell can only cast while Fire Arcanum is active and cannot be cast while the other two elemental attunements are active. Also, it can only be cast while Carbuncle is summoned.
• Summon Topaz summons forth Topaz Carbuncle and executes Glittering Topaz upon its entry. Glittering Topaz has Topaz Carbuncle rush forward and deal Earth damage to all nearby enemies a damage potency of 300 for the first enemy hit and 60% less for all remaining enemies. It grants four stacks of Earth Attunement for 30 seconds. This spell can only cast while Earth Arcanum is active and cannot be cast while the other two elemental attunements are active. Also, it can only be cast while Carbuncle is summoned.
• Summon Emerald summons forth Emerald Carbuncle and executes Glittering Emerald upon its entry. Aerial deals wind damage to all enemies near it with a damage potency of 300 for the first enemy hit and 60% less for the remaining enemies. It grants four stacks of Wind Attunement for 30 seconds. This spell can only cast while Wind Arcanum is active and cannot be cast while the other two elemental attunements are active. Also, it can only be cast while Carbuncle is summoned.

• Summon Ifrit summons forth Ifrit-Egi and executes Inferno upon its entry. Inferno has Ifrit-Egi rush forward and deal fire damage to all enemies in a frontal cone with a damage potency of 600 for the first enemy hit and 60% less for the remaining enemies. It grants two stacks of Fire Attunement for 30 seconds. This spell can only cast while under Fire Arcanum is active and cannot be cast while the other two elemental attunements are active. Also, it can only be cast while Carbuncle is summoned.
• Summon Titan summons forth Titan-Egi and executes Earthen Fury upon its entry. Earthen Fury has Titan-Egi rush forward and deal earth damage to all enemies with a damage potency of 600 for the first enemy hit and 60% less for all remaining enemies. It grants four stacks of Earth Attunement for 30 seconds. This spell can only cast while Earth Arcanum is active and cannot be cast while the other two elemental attunements are active. Also, it can only be cast while Carbuncle is summoned.
• Summon Garuda summons forth Garuda-Egi and executes Aerial Blast upon its entry. Aerial deals wind damage to all nearby enemies with a damage potency of 600 for the first enemy hit and 60% less for all remaining enemies. It grants four stacks of Wind Attunement for 30 seconds. This spell can only cast while Wind Arcanum is active and cannot be cast while the other two elemental attunements are active. Also, it can only be cast while Carbuncle is summoned.

• At Lv. 2, Carbuncle learns a utility ability called Radiant Aegis. Radiant Aegis creates a barrier around the user that absorbs damage up to 20% of their max HP for 30 seconds. It has two charges for consecutive uses with a charge timer of 60 seconds at Lv. 88 thanks to the Enhanced Radiant Aegis trait.
• At Lv. 66, Carbuncle gains another utility ability called Searling Light. Searing Light increases damage of the user and nearby party members by 3% for 30 seconds.
• Aethercharge will upgrade into Dreadwyrm Trance at Lv. 58 thanks to the Aethercharge Mastery trait. During a 20-second duration, Ruin III changes into Astral Impulse and Tri-Disaster changes into Astral Flare. Astral Impulse has an increased damage potency of 430 and Astral Impulse deals unaspected damage to all enemies near it with a damage potency of 180.
• At Lv. 60, Summoners will learn Astral Flow, which changes into a special attack based on the user's active trance or elemental attunement. Dreadwyrm Trance turns it into Deathflare, Firebird Trance turns it into Rekindle, Ifrit's Favor turns it into Crimson Cyclone, Titan's Favor turns it into Mountain Buster, and Garuda's Favor turns it into Slipstream.
• Dreadwyrm Trance will upgrade into Summon Bahamut at Lv. 70 thanks to the Enhanced Dreadwyrm Trance trait, and Dreadwyrm Trance's effects will become a trait while Demi-Bahamut is summoned. Demi-Bahamut will attack the target on its own with Wyrmwave without following the Summoner around anymore.

• At Lv. 80, Summon Bahamut will change into Summon Phoenix after the Demi-Bahamut summon duration is expired thanks to the Enhanced Summon Bahamut trait. Summon Phoenix will have the Summoner enter Firebird Trance and summon Demi-Phoenix to battle for 20 seconds. During Firebird Trance, Ruin III will turn into Fountain of Fire and Tri-Disaster will turn into Brand of Purgatory. Both of these abilities have the same damage potency increases as Astral Impulse and Astral Flare.
• At Lv. 82, Summoners gain the Outburst Mastery II trait, which enhances Precious Brilliance to grant Ruby Catastrophe, Topaz, Catastrophe, and Emerald Catastrophe.
• At Lv. 84, Summoners gain the Ruin Mastery IV trait, which increases the damage potency of Ruin III to 310, Ruby Rite to 430, Topaz Rite to 330, and Emerald Rite to 230.
• At Lv. 88, Summoners learn the Elemental Mastery trait, which grants Ifrit's Favor when summoning Ifrit, Titan's Favor when casting Topaz Rite or Topaz Catastrophe, and Garuda's Favor when summoning Garuda.
• At Lv. 90, Summoners will gain the Ascended Summoning trait, which upgrades Summon Ifrit to Summon Ifrit II, Summon Titan to Summon Titan II, and Summon Garuda to Summon Garuda II.

• Summon Ifrit II summons forth Ruby Ifrit and executes Inferno upon its entry. Inferno deals fire damage to all enemies near it with a damage potency of 700 for the first enemy hit and 60% less for the remaining enemies. It grants two stacks of Fire Attunement for 30 seconds and grants Ifrit's Favor. This spell can only cast while Fire Arcanum is active and cannot be cast while the other two elemental attunements are active. Also, it can only be cast while Carbuncle is summoned. Ifrit's Favor ends when executing certain actions.
• When under Ifrit's Favor, Astral Flow becomes Crimson Cyclone, which has the user charge towards an enemy within 25 yalms to deliver a melee fire attack with a damage potency of 430 and deals 65% less damage to any nearby enemies. After Crimson Cyclone ends, it turns into a combo follow-up called Crimson Strike, which deals a melee fire attack with a damage potency of 430 and to the main target and 65% less damage to all nearby enemies.

• Summon Titan II summons forth Topaz Titan and executes Earthen Fury upon its entry. Earthen Fury deals earth damage to all enemies near it with a damage potency of 700 for the first enemy hit and 60% less for the remaining enemies. It grants four stacks of Earth Attunement for 30 seconds. This spell can only cast while Earth Arcanum is active and cannot be cast while the other two elemental attunements are active. Also, it can only be cast while Carbuncle is summoned.
• When under Titan's Favor, Astral Flow becomes Mountain Buster, which deals earth damage to all enemies near it with a damage potency of 150 to the main target and deal 70% less damage to all remaining enemies. Titan's Favor ends when executing certain actions.

• Summon Garuda II summons forth Emerald Garuda and executes Aerial Blast upon its entry. Aerial deals wind damage to all enemies near it with a damage potency of 700 for the first enemy hit and 60% less for the remaining enemies. It grants four stacks of Wind Attunement for 30 seconds and grants Garuda's Favor. This spell can only cast while Wind Arcanum is active and cannot be cast while the other two elemental attunements are active. Also, it can only be cast while Carbuncle is summoned. Garuda's Favor ends when executing certain actions.
• When under Garuda's Favor, Astral Flow will turn into Slipstream, which deals wind damage to all enemies near it with a damage potency of 430 to the main target and deals 65% less damage to all remaining enemies. This attack leaves a small tornado centered around the main target, damaging any enemies standing within it. It has a damage potency of 30 and lasts for 12 seconds.

Patch 6.05 changes

• The damage potency of Fountain of Fire has been increased from 430 to 520.
• The damage potency of Brand of Purgatory has been increased from 180 to 240.

6.08 changes

• The damage potency of Astral Impulse has been increased from 430 to 440.
• The damage potency of Ruby Rite has been increased from 430 to 450.
• The damage potency of Fountain of Fire has been increased from 520 to 540.

Final Fantasy XIV Job changes: Healers

All Healer Jobs

• The casting time for offensive spells will now be shortened to approximately 1.5 seconds.
• The range of their limit breaks' area of effect will be extended by 50 yalms.

White Mage

• Fluid Aura has been removed.
• Thin Air's charge timer has been reduced to 60 seconds and has two charges to spend. It also no longer grants zero MP costs to all spells within a 12-second duration. Instead, it only grants the next spell used zero MP cost.
• At Lv. 82, Glare gets upgraded into Glare III thanks to the Glare Mastery trait. Its damage potency gets increased to 310.
• At Lv. 82, Holy gets upgraded into Holy III thanks to the Holy Mastery trait. Its damage potency gets increased to 150.

• At Lv. 85, White Mages gains the Enhanced Healing trait. This increases healing potencies of Cure is to 500, Medica to 400, Cure II to 800, Regen to 250, Cure III to 600, Medica II to 250, Medica II's HP Regen to 150, Afflatus Solace to 800, and Afflatus Rapture to 400.
• At Lv. 86, White Mages gain the Aquaveil ability. This reduces damage taken by the user or a targeted party member by 15% for eight seconds and has a recast timer of 60 seconds.
• At Lv. 88, Divine Benison will receive two charges for consecutive usage with a charge timer of 30 seconds thanks to the Enhanced Divine Benison trait.

• At Lv. 90, White Mage will learn how to conjure the LIturgy of the Bell spell. You place a healing blossom at the desired location and gain five stacks of the LIturgy of the Bell buff for 15 seconds. Every time you take damage, the healing blossom with spend one Lillybell stack to heal every party member within a 20-yalm radius. The healing potency of each stack is 400 and can only be triggered once per second. The healing blossom will vanish when the duration ends or when every Lillybell stack is used up. If the duration ends before every Lillybell stack is spent, the healing blossom will consume all remaining stacks for a big AOE healing effect with a healing potency of 200 for every stack used.

Astrologian

• Nocturnal Sect and Diurnal Sect has been removed in Endwalker. As a result, many of the Astrologian's abilities have reworked from the ground up to compensate for the removal of Sects.
• Aspected Benefic now heals a target with a healing potency of 250 and grants an additional HP Regen effect with healing potency of 250 for 15 seconds.
• Aspected Helios will now heal yourself and all nearby party members with a healing potency of 250. It will also grant a HP Regen effect to all affected party members with a healing potency of 150 for 15 seconds.
• Celestial Opposition now heal the user and all nearby party members with a healing potency of 200. In addition, it will grant a HP Regen effect to all affected party members with a healing potency of 100 for 15 seconds. This HP Regen effect cannot be stacked.

• The effects of Collective Unconsciousness have also been reworked. This ability erects a giant magic sphere around the user and reduces incoming damage by 10% for any party member standing within the barrier. This ability also grants the Wheel of Fortune effect to all affected party members, which regenerates HP with a healing potency of 100 for 15 seconds. Collective Unconsciousness ends upon the end of the duration or if you take another action or moving. This ability also cancels auto-attacking for the duration of the spell.
• Celestial Intersection's Sect bonus effect can now be triggered by any additional Sect. In addition, it gains a second charge for consecutive usage with a charge timer of 30 seconds at Lv. 88 thanks to the Enhanced Celestial Intersection trait.
• Neutral Sect has been tweaked to grant Aspected Helios and Aspected Benefic the ability to erect shields while under its effects. Aspected Helios' barrier will nullify damage equal to 250% the amount of restored HP, and Aspected Benefic's barrier will nullify damage equal to 125%.

• The Astrologian's card system has received major retooling as well. For starters, the Draw ability now restores 5% MP and has two charges for consecutive usage with a charge timer of 30 seconds. Also, whenever you use Draw, it will grant the Clarifying Draw buff that allows the one-time use of Redraw, which consumes the buff upon activation.
• Redraw can now only be used while under the effects of Clarifying Draw.
• Divination no longer requires cards to activate and grants a flat 6% damage increase to the user and all nearby party members for 15 seconds.
• The level requirement to learn Minor Arcana has been moved from Lv. 50 to Lv. 70. Instead of converting one of your cards into the Lady of Crowns or Lord of Crowns, Minor Arcana will draw either card at random from your deck and store it. That card can then be activated with the new Crown Play ability learnt at Lv. 70.
• The Lady of Crowns and Lord of Crowns cards have received new effects. Lady of Crowns will now restore HP of the user and nearby party members with healing potency of 400. While Lord of Crowns will deal unaspected damage to all enemies near it with a damage potency of 250.

• To fill the spot once taken up by Minor Arcana, Astrologians will gain a new ability called Astrodyne at Lv. 50. Astrodyne grants the user buffs based on the astrosigns read from your cards. This ability can only be activated after accumulating three astrosigns and the buffs gained will depend on the amount of different astrosigns read.
• One astrosign type grants Harmony of Spirit, two astrosign types grants Harmony of Spirit and Harmony of Body, and three astrosign types grants Harmony of Spirit, Harmony of Body, and Harmony of Mind.
• Harmony of Spirit gradually restores MP with a healing potency of 60. Harmony of Body which reduces spell-cast, recast time, and auto-attack delay by 10%. Harmony of Mind increases the user's damage and healing potency by 5%. Each of these buffs last for 15 seconds and can be stacked on top of each other.
• At Lv. 50, Draw will grant a Solar Sign, Lunar Sign, or a Celestial Sign according to the cards you Play thanks to the Enhanced Draw II trait.

• At Lv. 82, Malefic gets upgraded into Fall Malefic with a damage potency increase to 250 thanks to the Malefic Mastery IV trait.
• At Lv. 82, Gravity gets upgraded into Gravity II with a damage potency increase to 130 thanks to the Gravity Mastery trait.
• At Lv. 86, Astrologians learn a new ability called Exaltation. This reduces damage dealt to you or a targeted party member by 10% for eight seconds. By the end of the spell's duration, it will restore the target's HP with a healing potency of 500. It also has a recast timer of 60 seconds.
• At Lv. 90, Astrologians gain the Macrocosmos ability. This is an AOE attack that deals unaspected damage to all enemies near it with a damage potency of 250 to the first enemy hit and 40% less to all the remaining enemies. It all also grants the Macrocosmos effect to yourself and nearby party members for 15 seconds. During this duration of this effect, the Macrocosmos button is replaced by Microcosmos and 50% of all damage taken is compiled. By the end of the buff's duration or activating Microcosmos, all effected party members will have their HP restored equal to compiled amount of damage taken. The amount of restored HP cannot exceed the target's maximum HP.

Scholar

• Aetherflow restores 20% maximum MP instead of 10%.
• Fey Blessing no longer costs Fairy Gauge.
• Energy drain no longer restores MP.
• At Lv. 82, Art of War gets upgraded into Art of War II with an increased damage potency of 180 thanks to the Art of War Mastery trait.

• At Lv. 82, Scholars gain the Broil Mastery II trait. This trait upgrades Broil III into Broil IV, increasing its damage potency to 295 and increases the damage potency of Ruin II to 220.
• Lv. 85 sees the Scholar gain the Enhanced Healing Magic trait, which increases the healing potencies of Physick to 450, Embrace to 180, and Seraphic Veil to 180. In addition, the barrier potency of Adloquium has been increased to 180% the amount of restored HP and Succor's barrier potency increased to 160% the amount of restored HP.
• At Lv. 86, the Scholar gains the Protraction ability. This spell that can be cast on the user or a party member to restore their HP and increase their max HP by 10% for 10 seconds. It also increases HP recovery via healing actions by 10% for 10 seconds.

• At Lv. 88, Deployment Tactics' recast timer gets reduced to 90 seconds thanks to the Enhanced Deployment Tactics trait.
• At Lv. 90, the Scholar learns the Expedient ability, which grants the Expedience and Desperate Measures buffs to all nearby party members for 20 seconds. Expedience boosts movement speed and Desperate Measures reduces incoming damage by 10%.

Patch 6.05 changes

The range of Fey Union has been increased from 15 yalms to 30 yalms. The range which players must stay within Fey Union has been increased from 15 yalms to 30 yalms.

What Job changes are you most excited for?

As you can see, there are a lot of changes to adapt to for your favorite Job in Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker. The rework to Summoners might be among the more intriguing Job changes. Being able to call summon and command the true forms of Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda on top of Demi-Bahamut and Demi-Phoenix looks and sounds truly epic. And it makes the Job's gameplay feel more faithful to the classic Summoner Class from previous Final Fantasy titles.

Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is now available for purchase on PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5, after initially launching on Dec. 7, 2021.

The Final Days must be stopped

Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker

$40 at Square Enix $40 on GMG

Do you have what it takes to prevent the end of the world?

The Garlean Empire is pulling out all the stops to bring the land of Eorzea to ruin. Even going as far invoking the apocalyptic event known as The Final Days, which is said to bring about the end of the world. As the Warrior of Light, it is up to you and your fellow Scions of the Seventh Dawn to finally end the war with the Garlean Empire and save the world one more time.

We wish to give a special shoutout to YouTubers Larryzaur, Mrhappy1227, and Shenpai for information regarding the Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker Job changes at the Endwalker Media Tour.

Get Microsoft's security outlook on phishing and Outlook.

What you need to know

• The Microsoft 365 Defender Threat Intelligence Team (what a name!) has published another report on security threats Windows users should be aware of.
• This time around, the findings relate to advancements in the phishing space.
• Microsoft's security team has identified a new phishing campaign with a novel twist that involves "joining an attacker-operated device to an organization's network."

Everytime security teams and the general public get wise to a phishing scheme's tricks and traps, it falls on the schemers to cook up a more elaborate twist on the formula to keep the swindle going. Enter: The latest evolution of phishing, as reported by Microsoft.

The Microsoft 365 Defender Threat Intelligence Team has a hefty security blog post analyzing a multi-phase phishing campaign that packs a fresh danger in the form of binding an attacker-operated gadget to the network of an organization it wants to get inside, thereby enabling speedy lateral expansion of the campaign's target pool.

"The first campaign phase involved stealing credentials in target organizations located predominantly in Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand," Microsoft's report says. "Stolen credentials were then leveraged in the second phase, in which attackers used compromised accounts to expand their foothold within the organization via lateral phishing as well as beyond the network via outbound spam."

Phase two of the aforementioned campaign can be combated with multifactor authentication (MFA). Organizations without MFA enabled, however, were susceptible to the lateral spread of credential theft and criminal maleficence. And don't assume all organizations have MFA enabled, because that'd be far from accurate. For example, plenty of organizations with Microsoft 365 fail to use its security tools, even though they're actively paying for them.

In its technical breakdown of how the phishing campaign phases are carried out, Microsoft examines a situation wherein Outlook is used to facilitate the spread. Once an attacker gets into a user's account, the mailbox gets abused, and it's all downhill from there. It's worth reading Microsoft's post if you want all the technical details behind what the attackers are up to.

When it comes to storing files and games, it's hard to beat the value proposition of the classic hard disk drive (HDD). Sure, it's old technology at this point, but with SSDs still costing significantly more in some cases, it's no wonder that HDDs have stuck around. These are the best internal hard drives (HDD) you can buy right now.

Best overall: Seagate FireCuda

Not quite a hard drive, not quite an SSD, the Seagate FireCuda blends both storage types into one unit, an SSHD, if you will. It features an embedded 8GB NAND along with up to 2TB of traditional storage to create an enhanced drive. The flash unit speeds up read/write speeds. With SATA 6Gb/s support onboard, Seagate promises a 140MB/s read speed. At 5400 RPM, the drive itself is quieter and generates less heat.

The benefits of the 8GB NAND aren't always readily apparent since the drive effectively learns your most used applications and loads them faster. For games, it might help with initial load times after you've launched the game a few times. It's easy to get excited about the possibilities with this drive, but even a SATA SSD will still outpace it by a considerable margin.

The whole point of the FireCuda is to enhance the traditional mechanical hard drive. You can still get higher capacities without breaking the bank, all while experiencing improved performance that is noticeably better than even a 7200 RPM HDD.

Pros:

• Great value
• Faster than traditional HDDs
• Five-year warranty

Cons:

• Still outclassed by SSDs
• Flash-acceleration results don't always appear immediately
• Not as many storage options

Best overall

Seagate FireCuda

• From $80 at Newegg
• From $66 at Amazon

Faster than an HDD

The FireCuda is the perfect option if you want an inexpensive storage option that blends HDD and SSD technology into one package.

Runner-up: Western Digital Black

Western Digital's cream of the crop, the Black line, represents some of the best the company has to offer with traditional mechanical hard drives. While not the fastest performer, outdone by both the FireCuda and WD VelociRaptor, the Black drives are trustworthy and reliable. They're great for game storage, especially for titles that don't need to load super quick like singleplayer games.

In a world where the FireCuda SSHD doesn't exist, the WD Black would be my top choice, not only for its performance and reliability but also for its price. More expensive than its Blue cousin — which we'll get to in a bit — the Black still represents a tremendous performance-to-value ratio.

Thankfully, Western Digital dropped the "Caviar" moniker, opting for just naming its HDD lines by their respective colors. You can start at as little as 500GB or get up to 6TB, depending on your budget. These are the drives I run in my rig, and I've never had a problem. If you're worried, WD throws in a five-year warranty.

Pros:

• Great value
• Reliable
• Five-year warranty

Cons:

• Can get loud
• Outpaced by the FireCuda

Runner-up

WD Black

From $40 at Amazon

A solid performer

Western Digital's flagship HDD line, the Black, is an excellent drive for storing games and other media.

Best storage: Seagate BarraCuda Pro

In a similar vein to the WD Black, we have the Seagate BarraCuda Pro series of mechanical hard drives. Sporting Seagate's most robust reliability claims and a higher warranty than the regular BarraCuda — again, we'll get to that shortly — the Pro series aims to last for years to come.

The BarraCuda Pro features a 300TB/year workload maximum, so like the WD Black, it's best left for things like games where you're not going to be moving them back and forth. It's a 7200 RPM drive that supports SATA 6Gb/s for that fast transfer speed.

Where the BarraCuda Pro outclasses the WD Black is the storage options available. You start at 2TB and can climb up to a ludicrous 14TB. You'll pay a pretty penny for that much space, though.

Pros:

• Excellent performance
• Plenty of storage options
• Five-year warranty

Cons:

• Not as good of a value as the WD Black or FireCuda
• Beaten by the FireCuda for speed

Best storage

Seagate BarraCuda Pro

From $46 at Amazon

Another great HDD

Seagate's BarraCuda Pro features more storage options than the WD Black but comes in at a higher price.

Best performance: Western Digital VelociRaptor

If you're looking for best-in-class HDD performance, then look no further than the WD VelociRaptor. Western Digital is a massive name in the hard drive market, best known for various product categories, including internal hard drives. There are several different WD options — Blue for budget, Red for NAS, Black for performance, Purple for surveillance — but the 10000 RPM VelociRaptor is the king among hard disk drives.

However, this drive is pricy and comes in lower storage sizes, not to mention the SSDs still outclass it. The 2TB Kingston A400 SSD, for example, is roughly the same price and runs laps around this drive at double the space. There's no longer a place for a drive like this.

But, I suppose if you're set on sticking with HDDs, and don't want to go with an SSHD, then the VelociRaptor is the best you'll get in terms of performance. Western Digital also includes a five-year warranty in case anything goes wrong.

Pros

• Fast 10000 RPM
• Five-year warranty
• Highly reliable

Cons

• Still outclassed by SSDs
• Questionable value
• Limited storage options

Best performance

WD VelociRaptor workstation hard drive

• From $38 at Amazon

High-performance at a price

The fastest HDD available, the WD VelociRaptor, is neat, but it's a questionable value when you consider similarly priced SSDs.

Best value: Seagate BarraCuda

If you want to save money, then the Seagate BarraCuda is it. The value here is nothing to sneeze at. Undercutting its own Pro cousin, the regular BarraCuda packs in the same 7200 RPM rotational speed, SATA 6Gb/s, and generous storage options.

There isn't too much else to say here. Frankly, you can't beat the value of the BarraCuda, and word has it that the reliability of this drive has improved drastically in recent years. One of its most significant downsides from all reports is that it lacks robustness when it comes to random read/write speeds — arguably a better indication of real-world use.

The BarraCuda HDD starts at 1TB and goes up to 8TB, with the value proposition getting better and better at the higher capacities.

Pros:

• Incredible value
• Plenty of storage options
• Two-year warranty
• Generally, a quiet drive

Cons:

• Sketchy reliability in the past
• Lower random read/write speeds
• Shorter warranty than the Pro

Best value

Seagate BarraCuda internal SATA hard drive

• From $46 at Amazon
• From $50 at Best Buy

Best bang for your buck

If you need to add storage to your PC and want to keep the price down, the Seagate BarraCuda is the best option.

Most reliable: Western Digital Blue

Coming in hot behind the BarraCuda is the WD Blue, Western Digital's budget line of HDDs. They're essentially comparable to the BarraCuda but generally run for a few bucks more on average. Western Digital has typically had a better reputation for reliability.

The WD Blue is to the Black like the BarraCuda is to the Pro. Essentially, it's the same drive with a shorter warranty and a few performance tweaks left off to keep costs down. That's fine, but Western Digital needs to keep an eye out on Seagate and drop its prices a tad to stay competitive beyond simple brand loyalty.

Pros:

• Great value
• Several storage options
• Two-year warranty

Cons:

• Slightly more expensive than Seagate
• Some trouble reported with the warranty
• Shorter warranty than the Black

Most reliable

WD Blue

• From $41 at Amazon

Reliable and affordable

The WD Blue line is second only to the BarraCuda in terms of value.

Best for a NAS: Seagate IronWolf

What if you're not looking for game storage but rather something for all of your important files? That's where a NAS (network-attached storage) comes in. Whether you're building your own or buying one ready to go, you'll need some hard drives to keep everything backed up. And my pick for that is Seagate's IronWolf.

I run these personally in my own NAS, and they're great. NAS drives are a bit different than desktop-class HDDs because they're designed to run 24/7 while maintaining a higher level of performance. According to Seagate, the IronWolf comes in storage sizes ranging from 1TB up to 16TB with a three-year warranty. There's also the IronWolf Pro line, but that's aimed more at the business and otherwise professional level.

If you opt for the 3TB or above, you'll get Seagate's IronWolf Health Management, which works well with some NAS manufacturers to ensure that the drive is running at its best. Also, bear in mind that the 4TB drives and below run at 5,900 RPM rather than 7,200 RPM. The 1TB and 2TB models lack the vibration sensing features. The Pro line doesn't feature these disparities, but you pay a bit more of a premium to compensate.

Pros:

• Excellent value
• Multiple storage options
• Three-year warranty
• Solid reliability

Cons:

• Lower capacity drives lack some features
• Shorter warranty than the IronWolf Pro

Best for a NAS

Seagate IronWolf

From $60 at Amazon

Great NAS performance

If you're building a NAS or expanding your existing one's storage, the Seagate IronWolf is the best drive for the job.

Best enterprise HDD: Seagate Exos X

Once again, Seagate has come out with a drive that matches Western Digital's offering and beats it on price. Above the IronWolf, and even the IronWolf Pro, is the Exos X. These enterprise-grade HDDs are meant for servers and are a bit outside the scope of the consumer market unless you're a "prosumer" who's running a home lab or just want some of the best and most reliable performance you can get.

The Exos X ranges from 1TB to 16TB, with the top-of-the-line X16 models sporting 14TB and 16TB capacities. It's much easier to find the X16, though the X10 model (a few steps down) and X14 are available, too. All told, the Exos X16 can handle 550TB of workload per year and has a Mean Time Before Failure (MTBF) of 2.5 million hours. That's pretty awesome. Seagate also includes a five-year warranty.

Whether you go with a Seagate or a Western Digital — or even HGST — enterprise drive depends on your brand loyalty and what's on sale when you're shopping; the performance is nearly identical between the brands. Keep in mind that these enterprise-grade drives come at quite a cost over NAS or desktop HDDs.

Pros:

• Good performance
• Five-year warranty
• Power efficient

Cons:

• Pricey
• Lacks some of the IronWolf features
• Fewer smaller storage options

Best enterprise HDD

Seagate Exos X (4TB)

From $115 at Amazon

Enterprise grade

Seagate seemingly one-upped Western Digital again with the Exos X enterprise hard drives. These go all the way up to 16TB capacities, but they're a premium.

Bottom line

Long gone is the heyday of HDDs and in most cases, one of the best SSDs will be better, but they're still a great option if you want the best GB-to-dollar ratio. Seagate and Western Digital remain the big players in this space. Yet, ultimately, our recommendation for the best HDD for your money isn't an HDD at all, but the SSHD FireCuda. It packs a great value with some extra performance, outpacing the next runner-up.

A SATA SSD will still outclass each of the drives mentioned on this list, even the FireCuda and VelociRaptor. While you don't get quite the spacious storage options, you can pick up an SSD as a boot drive for pretty cheap these days. Assuming you want to just bulk up your storage for your games library without breaking the bank, then the Seagate FireCuda is the way to go.

And if you want to move beyond desktop-class drives for a NAS or home server rack, Seagate's got the IronWolf and Exos X drives to do what you need them to.

If you've been looking to invest in the Oculus Quest 2 VR headset recently, you may have run into some difficulties even finding it in stock. You probably haven't seen a whole lot of deals on it, either. Well, Amazon has an awesome Oculus Quest 2 bundle that's going to come out next week, and you can pre-order it today for just $249. This is a refurbished Oculus Quest 2 128GB VR headset. The new version of the headset goes for $299, so you're already saving $50 there. Plus, the bundle includes a carrying case and a face cover that helps make headset more comfortable, adding even more value to the package. The bundle doesn't release until Feb. 1, but you should get it quickly after that and ordering now guarantees you get it for this price as it could jump up after release if there's a large demand.

Amazon has sold refurbished products for a long time, but this deal listing is the start of something new called "Renewed Premium." This is more than just a refurb. Amazon promises the VR headset is certified to work and look like new. It will even come with a brand new battery and brand new packaging. It's even covered by a one-year warranty, which is huge because Amazon's regular refurbs are only covered by a 90-day warranty.

If you've ever wanted to get into virtual reality before, the Oculus Quest 2 is the way to go. For one thing, it's a standalone VR headset so you don't need a fancy computer to run it if you don't want one. You'll still have full access to the Oculus content library and be able to play games without being tied to a machine somewhere. Of course you can connect to a PC if you want some more power behind your system (and access to more content like the SteamVR library).

The headset has its own super fast processor and a high-resolution display that greatly improves on the original generation headset. You still have backwards compatibility as well, so if you want to play an original generation game you can. You can also view tons of entertainment and custom workouts and things like that, so it's not all about video games.

Microsoft clarifies it's for Insiders in the U.S.

What you need to know

• Android apps on Windows 11 have arrived for Insiders in the Release Preview Channel.
• Microsoft's announcement specifies this is for U.S. Insiders.
• Microsoft also recently announced Android app support will be coming via public preview in February.

If you're an Insider in the Dev Channel, then today's scoop is old hat. But for those in the Release Preview ring, good news: Android apps on Windows 11 are here.

Announced on the official Windows blog, as of January 26, 2022, "the preview of Android apps on Windows 11 is now available for Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel in the U.S." Notice that little disclaimer at the end. Anyone outside the U.S. will have to wait for more updates.

That's not all the Android-centric news Microsoft has dropped, either. Android app support is getting a public preview in February. And lest you think this early Christmas' worth of Android news is over, it gets better: The age-old question of "when will Surface Duo get Android 11" has also been answered, since Microsoft recently released that update.

In other words, if you're excited about Microsoft giving Android-related content its time in the sun, now's the time to break out the tanning lounger.

All this news comes hot off the tail of Microsoft's better-than-anticipated FY22 Q2 earnings report. Though, given that most of their recent quarters have been better than anticipated, it's hard to say whether they're not anticipating outdoing their own expectations. Most areas of Microsoft's business endeavors are thriving, including the proliferation of Windows. Did you know that over 1.4 billion devices now have either Windows 11 or Windows 10 on them? Or that Windows 11's product satisfaction ratings are the highest of any version of Windows? It's a good time for Microsoft.

Dell is killing it with the great deals lately, and today is no exception. The amazing New XPS 13 touchscreen laptop has dropped to $1,832.59 through the Dell online store. While that's still a decently expensive price, this configuration would normally cost you around $2,270. That's a great discount, and it's a value that won't last long as Dell tends to rotate what's on sale quite frequently. The deal also includes free next-day shipping, so you could be reading this on your phone right now and reading something else on your brand-spankin-new laptop tomorrow.

The New XPS 13 is loaded with powerful internal parts. You get an 11th-generation Intel Core i7-1195G7 processor with up to 5.0GHz speeds, 32GB RAM for fantastic multi-tasking, and a 1TB M.2 solid state drive with NVMe technology for both incredibly fast read/write times and plenty of capacity. It also has Intel Iris Xe graphics, two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports for fast data transfer speeds, and a built-in 720p webcam. Wireless connectivity options include both Killer Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.

Of course the best feature on this laptop is the screen. You already know it's a touchscreen, which is awesome and opens up a lot more functionality. The 13.4-inch display also uses an OLED panel and has a pixel resolution of 3456 x 2160. That's 4K resolution with some insane color accuracy. Everything is going to look good on this laptop.

If you're looking for something in a slightly more affordable price range, check out the best cheap Windows laptops for even more ways to save on machines that don't sacrifice awesome features.

The first wave of orders will be shipping out next month.

What you need to know

• The Steam Deck is Valve's handheld gaming console, designed to let players enjoy PC games on the go.
• The first wave of games was recently verified for the Steam Deck.
• The Steam Deck now has a release date of February 25, when the first batch of orders will begin shipping out.

The first wave of Steam Deck units is slated to launch on February 25, Valve confirmed on Wednesday. Valve had previously confirmed that the Steam Deck would be launching at some point in February 2022, following a delay out of the holiday 2021 period.

On February 25, Valve will begin sending out the first wave of email invites to the first group of reservations. After receiving an email, anyone with a reservation will have 72 hours to finalize their purchase of a Steam Deck. Emails are being sent out in the same order as the reservations were originally made, so you may have to wait a bit before checking your email to find the invite.

The first batch of verified Steam Deck games recently showed up thanks to data being scraped off of Valve servers. Some of the games that are sure to run on the device include Dark Souls 3, Death Stranding and Hades.

The Steam Deck specs are fairly beefy for a handheld, with a quad-core AMD APU and 16GB of RAM. Some models include an SSD, while every Steam Deck supports expanded storage through SD cards.

An ultimate PC handheld

Steam Deck

From $400 at Steam

Play your Steam library anywhere

Wanted more places to play your Steam library? Now you'll be able to with the Steam Deck. This machine comes in three configurations, each allowing you to play your games locally and portably.

Take out your wallet and kick it across the floor, Tux.

What you need to know

• Ransomware and Windows go together like bread and butter.
• Though Windows is the primary recipient of ransomware efforts, Linux is getting more and more strains of the threat itself.
• Now LockBit, an irksome danger on the Windows side of computing, has made its Linux debut.

First, they came for Windows. Then, for Tux. As cool as Linux is, it's increasingly becoming a target for ransomware-friendly cyber criminals intent on ruining people's days.

Linux isn't beating out Windows anytime soon in market share, but it's still popular enough to attract bad guys. Case in point: LockBit has hopped ship, no longer content to torment just Redmond. Based on a report from Trend Micro Inc., Linux users who encounter the ransomware can expect the variant tailored to their OS to log the following information:

• Processor information
• Volumes in the system
• Virtual machines (VMs) for skipping
• Total files
• Total VMs
• Encrypted files
• Encrypted VMs
• Total encrypted size
• Time spent for encryption

You can check out Trend Micro's full report for the ins and outs of what LockBit for Linux is made of, but the overall point is that though Windows is a magnet for ransomware, fewer safe havens exist in general these days.

The rise of ransomware means cybercriminals are coming for everyone no matter what operating system they prefer. Though, for now, some are choosing Chrome OS to avoid threats as much as possible.

Malware's always been a problem, but ransomware especially has been a hot commodity in recent memory, so much so that the U.S. government has elected to eyeball sanctions on cryptocurrency to stem the flow of successfully facilitated ransomware schemes. Hide your e-wallets, hide your penguins; they're holding everybody for ransom out here.

You can now message people outside of your organization through Teams, even if they're using a personal account.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Teams now supports chatting with people outside of an organization, even if the other person has a Teams personal account.
• Teams already supported commercial users chatting with other commercial users outside of an organization.
• Admins can control external access to ensure the security of communication.

Microsoft Teams users can now chat with more people outside of their organization. Teams already supported commercial users chatting with commercial users from other organizations. A newly announced capability allows commercial users to message individuals outside of an organization, even if the other person is using a Teams personal account.

To get started, you can enter the full email address or phone number of the person you're trying to connect with to start a 1-to-1 or group chat. Microsoft highlights that you don't need to switch tenants to message in this way, which should streamline communication. If the person you try to connect with is not on Teams, they will receive an email or text message that invites them to set up a personal account.

Despite the use of the word "personal" in "Teams personal accounts," many small and medium businesses use these accounts for communication. The new capability for Teams should help professional users connect with a wider range of people using Teams for business use.

IT admins can control external access within an organization. The admin center has a couple of options for Teams accounts that are not managed by an organization, both of which are outlined by Microsoft:

• Outbound chat: enable/disable users in the organization to initiate a chat with external Teams personal accounts users (e.g. users who are not invited guests through Azure AD B2B collaboration). (Enabled by default)

• Inbound chat: enable/disable external users with Teams accounts not managed by an organization to initiate a chat with your users. (Enabled by default)

The new functionality is available starting today.

The Surface Duo 2's January update is now available, coming in at 559MB with a ton of fixes and improvements.

What you need to know

• Microsoft's Surface Duo 2 is receiving its January 2022 update.
• The update is 559 MB and brings the build number to 2021.1116.111.
• The update brings many fixes, camera improvements, touch responsiveness, and more.
• Those with the Surface Slim Pen 2 can also customize the button to launch specific apps and take a screenshot with one click.

The Microsoft Surface Duo 2 last had a significant update back in early December, but now the expected January update is rolling out and it's a big one.

The update, which is now available for all Surface Duo 2, brings with it bug fixes, optimizations to the touch driver, January security update, and more.

Surface Slim Pen 2 is starting to give us magic wand vibes with this month’s Surface Duo 2 update. One-click to screenshot? Yes please. https://t.co/GdzB77WPyY pic.twitter.com/5CyXW0wRBa

— Microsoft Surface (@surface) January 26, 2022

Here is the full changelog:

• Enabled pen shortcut preferences in settings for Surface Slim Pen 2. It requires Surface Slim Pen 2 to be paired with Surface Duo 2.
• With the Your Phone app, you can use Android apps on your PC. For more information on using Surface Duo with your PC see Link Surface Duo to your PC.
• Addresses scenarios outlined in the Android Security Bulletin—January 2022.
• Improves camera usability of night mode, 4k video recording, and auto focus.
• Improves charging reliability with 3rd party chargers.
• Improves system reliability and stability.
• Improves touch responsiveness.

In addition to fixing a few things, Microsoft is also adding some new abilities, including configuring the Surface Slim Pen 2 to align with how it behaves on Windows devices. Specifically, users can configure the pen's Bluetooth button for single-click, double-click, and press-and-hold to launch specific apps or even take a screenshot. This feature improves upon the December update, allowing that button to default to opening OneNote.

The new "Apps" feature lets you run multiple Android apps directly on your PC.

Another new feature is "Apps" in Microsoft's Your Phone PC application. Previously, Surface Duo 2 users only had access to "Phone screen," which streamed the Duo's display to your PC. With this update, users can now launch Android apps individually (and multiple instances), giving a more native experience. Previously, this feature was only available on Samsung smartphones.

One of the fixes we can confirm is the ability to automatically open links on the opposite display (when not occupied). While this feature was built into Surface Duo on Android 10, it was lost going to Android 11, and Microsoft has now fixed it, making multitasking much more natural again.

To grab the update on Surface Duo 2, follow these instructions:

1. Connect to a Wi-Fi network.
2. Select Settings on your Surface Duo 2's home screen.
3. Select System.
4. Select System Update.
5. Select Check for update.
6. Select Restart now.

The update is 559 MB, so it may take time to download depending on your current internet speeds.

See the above video for a walkthrough of the new features.

Some people have mixed feelings about shopping features being built into Edge, but the tools have saved shoppers a lot of money.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Edge's coupon and price comparison features have saved people more than $800 million since they launched.
• Edge can automatically apply coupons to help people save money when shopping online.
• Some of Microsoft Edge's shopping features have received criticism for being integrated into the browser.

Microsoft Edge includes a variety of features to save you money while shopping online and to simplify the shopping experience. The browser can automatically apply coupons, display customer ratings for products, and autofill information for express checkout. These features appear to have proven popular, as Microsoft shared that people have saved over $800 million by using the Edge browser.

That figure comes from an earnings call by the company to discuss FY22 Q2. Microsoft explained that people have saved more than $800 million using Edge's coupon and price comparison features since those tools launched last year.

Microsoft's total advertising revenue, which also includes LinkedIn, surpassed $10 billion over the last 12 months (excluding taxes).

While Edge's shopping features have saved people money, they have also drawn criticism. Microsoft announcing buy now, pay later support for Edge last year sparked a discussion around the web about what should be built into a browser. In response to our poll about shopping features in Edge, over 55% of participants said that shopping features should not be built into the browser. Almost a third of voters said that they would be okay with shopping features in Edge if those features were optional.

Head over to Lenovo's website and you can get the Lenovo Yoga 7i Windows laptop on sale for $699.99. That's a huge discount and nearly $300 off Lenovo's regular price and one of the best prices around for any iteratrion of the Yoga 7i. This deal is even $50 better than a similar one we shared during Black Friday. You'll also get free shipping from Lenovo.

The Yoga 7i is built on the Intel Evo platform so you know you're getting a fast computer with great battery life. The internals include the 11th-generation Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor with up to 4.20 GHz speeds on Turbo Boost. It also has 8GB DDR4 RAM and a 256GB PCIe solid state drive for both speed and storage. The integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics should be enough for some basic gaming, too, if that interests you.

The laptop's 14-inch display has a pixel resolution of 1920 x 1080 and is a full touchscreen on an IPS panel. Other features include a built-in 720p webcam, a fingerprint reader for added security, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for wireless connectivity, and more. You get two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports and a USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port for some super fast data transfer speeds. It even has Amazon Alexa built in so you can talk to the voice assistant and control your smart home from your laptop.

This is one of several great cheap Windows laptop deals we've spotted recently, and you should check out the full list for plenty of other ways to save.