So hows SAM doing? Still fun?

[Vulkiel]

Just came back from a year's hiatus, and the first thing I've noticed is how MNK and BLM are now the most OP thing since...well, original BLM. Before i only seriously played Scholar and a bit of Warrior, so i thought i'd give a DPS a proper try.

I'm thinking SAM, but all i've heard so far are differing opinions about how Shadowbringers neutered it and that the level 80 skill is garbage, or its as OP and fun as it was back in Stormblood.

What do you guys think? I'm generally looking to play this one somewhat seriously.

[Pepsi_Plunge]

It still plays nearly "the same" but I found it lacking. While they are still powerhouses in the personal dmg-department, ranked by rDPS Monks and Dragoons do more DMG now.

But if the job is fun for you just play it. There is nothing really wrong with it.

[Naryoril]

If you found it fun before, you'll still find it fun, since not much has changed. Yes, the lvl 80 skill garbage and only situational, it's not what you are looking for in your final and thus supposedly ultimate, skill. In the last live letter they said they plan to do changes in 5.1 (they didn't make it for 5.05) to make it less situational. You need to charge it up using meditation, the skill that gives you kenki but automatically stops if you do ANYTHING (even turning). They said they want to add other ways to charge up the skill.

[HumanNinjaToo]

I am only level 55 on SAM, but this being the first melee DPS that I've gotten into, I absolutely love it. Super fun job IMO. And that's what I'm looking for in a job, how much fun I have playing it. To me, SAM seems to have it all: high dmg single target, aoe, gap closer, range skill, self-sustain. It reminds me of my ESO build that revolved around high dmg and self-sustain, which allowed me to solo A LOT of ESO group content. And while I realize these games are highly different when it comes to group content, I still love what SAM brings to the table. I don't see how someone could not have fun playing this job.

[Vulkiel]

I should point out I never played SAM before now, I'm only going by what other people have said about it.

I'm wondering if the damage it does over most DPS is worth the complete lack of support it provides.

[Kabooa]

Tsubame Gaeshi is kind of boring, but it's basically the same job from Stormblood. Hagakure just needs a meaningful boon for the Sen reset and it'll be solid. (Cough, Meditate)

[armandojc3]

Stormblood samurai pretty much.

[wereotter]

My opinion, the job is less enjoyable than it was in Stormblood.

It's almost like if you look at Samurai, Dark Knight, and Warrior they looked at them and thought "oooh you like this one big move we gave you? What if you did it like 14 times in a row??"

So they took away Hagakure (and reintroduced it in a much weakened state) to replace it with being able to do two midares back to back sometimes. The job is a lot slower and less engaging than it used to be, and I lost all interest in playing it at all before I even got it to level 80, but finished leveling it anyway to get the extra striking gear out of my armory chest.

[Remus]

Samurai is basically SB but removed the hagakure usage so less shintens while now making it more midares. As for how they are right now well as a pure dps they do less than both MNK/DRG who both have utility but still do more. If you just looking for fun then you will most likely find it fun if not bothered that gonna do less shintens and less sen manipulation than before.

[SupremeRoot]

I love the SAM, it's a lot of fun and everything flows together really well. SAM's damage is a little lower than it should be (DRGs and MNKs do as much or more personal DPS but also provide raid utility) but the Devs mentioned buffing it next patch I believe.