Overview
Gunbreaker (GNB) is a Tank job released with the Shadowbringers (5.0) expansion. It is unlockable at level 60 and does not have a base class.
Unlock and Guild Information
- Unlock: Prerequisite: The player must have purchased the Shadowbringers expansion and be level 60 or higher Disciple of War or Magic
- Unlock: Quest: Speak to Gods' Quiver Bow in New Gridania (X:11.5 Y:11.9) to obtain the quest The Makings of a Gunbreaker.
Equipment
The gunbreaker is a disciple of war and wears armor and accessories "of Fending". They use gunblades as weapons.
History & Lore
The art of the Gunbreaker originates from the Hrothgar of Bozja, a nation on the southern continent of Ilsabard. The gunblade itself is a testament to Bozjan ingenuity—not a firearm that shoots bullets, but a blade that uses a controlled detonation of aetherically charged cartridges at the moment of impact to devastate an opponent’s guard and internal organs. This technique turns every slash and thrust into a concussive, armor-piercing attack.
Historically, Gunbreakers were elite bodyguards, their entire martial discipline built around the singular concept of shielding a specific person, known as their "charge." This duty went beyond mere combat; it was a profound oath of devotion. A Gunbreaker would study their charge’s habits, personality, and vulnerabilities to anticipate any threat, becoming an unbreakable shield through intimate understanding and unwavering focus. This tradition made them legendary protectors within Bozjan society.
The fall of Bozja to the Garlean Empire scattered its people and nearly erased the Gunbreaker tradition. The knowledge survived in fragments, preserved by Hrothgar descendants and a few dedicated outsiders. In the Shadowbringers narrative, the Scion Thancred Waters—seeking a new way to protect the young Oracle of Light, Ryne—rediscovered and mastered this lost art. Having lost the ability to manipulate aether, Thancred found in the gunblade’s mechanically-assisted techniques a perfect tool for his renewed vow as a guardian. Through him, the legacy of the Bozjan protectors was reborn on the First Reflection, embodying the job’s core theme: the strength found in fighting for someone else.
Current Mechanics
- Job Gauge: Powder Gauge
Key Combos
- Keen Edge -> Brutal Shell -> Solid Barrel
- : Recovers HP while also granting a damage-nullifying barrier to self and adding a Cartridge to your Powder Gauge.
- Demon Slice -> Demon Slaughter
- : Hits multiple enemies while also adding a Cartridge to your Powder Gauge.
- Gnashing Fang -> Jugular Rip -> Savage Claw -> Abdomen Tear -> Wicked Talon -> Eye Gouge
- Continuation
- Reign of Beasts -> Noble Blood -> Lion Heart (PvE action)
- Bloodfest
Trivia
- The Gunbreaker’s weapon, the gunblade, is a direct homage to Squall Leonhart’s weapon from Final Fantasy VIII. The sound effect for triggering the firing mechanism is famously the same "blade click" sound from that game.
- Thancred is the first and primary Gunbreaker depicted in the MSQ, and his adoption of the job symbolizes his character arc from a carefree spy to a dedicated father-figure for Ryne.
- While the job originates from Bozjan Hrothgar, player characters learn the basics from a Hrothgar NPC named Radovan in Gridania, who is himself a refugee from the occupied south.
- The Gunbreaker’s artifact armor sets include the Outsider set (level 70) and the Reverence set (level 80), reinforcing the "unbreakable protector" aesthetic.
- In early job development, the team considered having the gunblade function as an actual ranged weapon but settled on the melee-enhanced style to better fit the tank role and its unique fantasy.
