2 years after its announcement, FF14's monster-taming Beastmaster job finally arrives this year, along with what looks like a Slay the Spire-esque roguelike mode

Final Fantasy 14’s next big patch, 7.5, will be dropping next month—and in subsequent updates will be adding Beastmaster to the game. Players have been waiting a long time for this’un. Given Square’s propensity to announce almost everything in an expansion before its launch, we’ve known about Beastmaster since (checks notes) two entire years ago. Twelve forfend.Some more details were announced in today’s live letter, and it’s a doozy (thanks to the Final Fantasy XIV Discord server for the fan translation).Beastmaster is a “limited” job like Blue Mage, meaning that it’s not something you can play in regular content—rather, it’s more of a side-activity you can plug some hours into whenever grinding out your relic weapons gets a bit much. Wielding an axe and a shield, players will be able to go out into the open world and snag various critters to assist them—both in acquiring more monsters for one’s pocket, and in what’s likely to be, similar to the Blue Mage, dungeons and duties leading up to level 50. You’ll be able to bring three of your tamed beasts with you to help at a time, and each will give you unique abilities to whap trash packs with. Also FF14’s apparently gonna have a roguelike mode—well, technically its second roguelike mode, next to Deep Dungeon.(Image credit: Square Enix (via the Final Fantasy XIV Discord).)Details on the new duty, dubbed Crucible of the Unbroken, are relatively slim, but I mean. C’mon, look at that. It’s a branching path with nodes.…

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