Overview
Scholar (SCH) is a Disciple of Magic job unlockable at level 30 as an upgrade from the Arcanist class and is a Healer job. It is considered a "barrier" healer, along with Sage, specializing in reducing incoming damage using shields and mitigation abilities. The two jobs branching off Arcanist were the only ones added at the release of A Realm Reborn.This was due to the need to be able to form a full party of eight players each with unique jobs. FINAL FANTASY XIV Letter from the Producer LIVE Part VII (Youtube).
Unlock and Guild Information
- Guild: The Scholar's unlock quest is accessed through Murie in the Arcanists' Guild, located in Limsa Lominsa Lower Decks (x4.5, y11.3).
- Guild: Arcanists must specialize into scholar (or summoner) once they reach level 30, and complete the quests Sylph-management and Sinking Doesmaga.
Equipment
The scholar is a disciple of magic and wears armor and accessories "of Healing." They use codices as weapons. Prior to level 50, Arcanist, Summoner, and Scholar all share the same weapons with few exceptions.
History and Lore
Ancient Nym and the Marines
The Scholar tradition originates from the Fifth Astral Era and the maritime city-state of Nym, located in what is now western La Noscea. Nym was renowned for its advanced magical scholarship and formidable military, the Nymian Marines. Unlike other nations that relied on brute force or elemental might, Nym emphasized tactical genius and magical innovation. Among their ranks were healer-strategists—early Scholars—who served as officers and medics. These individuals were trained not only in curative magic but also in military strategy, using their intellect to outmaneuver foes and minimize casualties.
These Nymian tacticians developed a unique symbiotic bond with fairies, magical constructs born from concentrated aether and the user’s own essence. The fairies, most commonly Eos and Selene, acted as autonomous assistants on the battlefield, extending the Scholar’s reach and allowing them to heal and support allies while focusing on broader tactics. This partnership was a hallmark of Nym’s approach to warfare: efficient, intelligent, and compassionate.
The Fall of Nym and the Lost Art
Nym’s prosperity ended in tragedy during the War of the Magi, a devastating conflict between Nym, Mhach, and Amdapor. Mhachi black mages, in a catastrophic act of magical warfare, unleashed the “Green Death” upon Nym—a virulent, transformative plague that turned its victims into mindless, immortal creatures known as Tonberries. The plague ravaged the city-state, and Nym fell into ruin, its knowledge seemingly lost to time.
For millennia, the Scholar’s art remained dormant, preserved only in ancient tonestones and the soul crystals that survived the calamity. It was not until the modern era, when adventurers allied with the Arcanists’ Guild in Limsa Lominsa uncovered these relics, that the Scholar’s techniques were revived. By attuning to a Scholar’s soul crystal, an Arcanist can access the accumulated wisdom of Nym’s tacticians, learning to summon a fairy and wield the strategic magic that once defined Nymian warfare.
The Fairy Companions
Scholars do not “summon” their fairies in the same manner as primals or egis; rather, they manifest a semi-autonomous familiar from their own aether. The two most common forms are Eos, associated with nurturing and healing, and Selene, linked to support and enhancement. Though they present as distinct personalities—Eos being gentle and caring, Selene more brisk and focused—both are expressions of the Scholar’s will and aether. They are not independent beings but extensions of the Scholar’s own capabilities, acting on pre-programmed logic and direct commands.
This connection underscores the Scholar’s theme of intellectual mastery: the fairy is a tool, but one that requires understanding and strategic direction to use effectively.
Current Mechanics
- Job Gauge: Aetherflow & Faerie Gauge
Trivia
- The Scholar’s artifact armor sets often feature nautical and officer-themed designs, reflecting the job’s origins in the Nymian Marines.
- In early FFXIV iterations, Eos and Selene had more distinct roles—Eos was geared toward healing, Selene toward support (like cleansing debuffs or boosting attack speed). Modern iterations have streamlined their differences.
- The Tonberry enemies, iconic to the Final Fantasy series, are directly tied to the Scholar’s lore—they are the cursed remnants of Nymian citizens transformed by the Green Death.
- Scholar is the only healer job that begins as a DPS class (Arcanist), allowing players to level both Scholar and Summoner simultaneously since they share a base class.
- The job’s limit break, Angel Feathers, manifests as a shower of healing light—a rare example of a healer-specific limit break animation.
