Energy Drain (Final Fantasy XIV)

Energy Drain
(エナジードレイン, Enajī Dorein?, lit. Energy Drain)
Icon
Availability
Required	Arcanist 10 Summoner 10
Classification
Type	Ability
Skillset	Class action
Effect	Deals single-target damage
Additional effect	Grants 2 Aetherflow Gauge units Level 62: Grants Further Ruin
Element	Unaspected
Status	Aetherflow II Level 62: Further Ruin
Specifications
Cast time	Instant
Recast time	60 seconds (oGCD)
Range	25 yalms
Duration	Further Ruin: 60 seconds
Potency	200
Icon
Availability
Required	Scholar 45
Classification
Type	Ability
Skillset	Job action
Effect	Deals single-target damage
Additional effect	Absorbs a portion of damage dealt as HP Increases Faerie Gauge by 10
Element	Unaspected
Specifications
Other cost	1 Aetherflow Gauge unit
Cast time	Instant
Recast time	1 second (oGCD)
Range	25 yalms
Potency	100
Icon
Availability
Obtained	A Pup No Longer
Required	Summoner 30
Classification
Type	Spell
Skillset	Job action
Effect	Deals single-target damage
Additional effect	Grants 1 Aetherflow Gauge unit
Element	Unaspected
Status	Aetherflow
Specifications
Cast time	Instant
Recast time	2.4 seconds (GCD)
Range	25 yalms
Potency	800
Related pages
Recurring appearance	Energy Drain

Energy Drain is an Arcanist, Summoner and Scholar ability from Final Fantasy XIV that deals damage and replenishes the user's resources. The Arcanist/Summoner and Scholar versions of the spell were for many years aesthetically and statistically identical, but have evolved into distinct abilities.

Mechanics

Arcanist/Summoner version
Base mechanics	Deals unaspected magic damage with a potency of 200 to a single target Grants 2 Aetherflow Gauge units, represented on the job gauge and by the Aetherflow II status Shares recast timer with Energy Siphon
Traits	Level 20: Maim and Mend increases damage by 10% Level 40: Maim and Mend II increases damage by 30% Level 62: Enhanced Energy Siphon causes Energy Drain to grant Further Ruin for 60 seconds, allowing the use of Ruin IV
Formulae	Base damage formula: $Damage = \lfloor 200 * f(Intelligence_{DMG}) * f(Determination) \rfloor * f(Magic Damage) \rfloor * Trait \rfloor$ Where Trait can be 1 initially, 1.1 with Maim and Mend, or 1.3 with Maim and Mend II.
Scholar version
Base mechanics	Deals unaspected magic damage with a potency of 100 to a single target Heals user for an amount equal to one third the damage dealt Grants 10 Faerie Gauge units
Traits	Level 40: Maim and Mend II increases damage by 30%
Formulae	Base damage formula: $Damage = \lfloor 100 * f(Mind_{DMG}) * f(Determination) \rfloor * f(Magic Damage) \rfloor * 1.3 \rfloor$
PvP version (Summoner only)
Base mechanics	Deals unaspected magic damage with a potency of 800 to a single target Grants 1 Aetherflow Gauge unit, represented on the job gauge and by the Aetherflow status Activates the global cooldown (GCD)

Use

Arcanist/Summoner version

Energy Drain is the main source of Aetherflow Gauge for Arcanists and Summoners. It is preferred over Energy Siphon against one target, whereas Energy Siphon performs better against three or more, with Drain and Siphon sharing their recast timer. However, neither spell is a significant source of DPS due to their middling potencies and lengthy 60 second cooldown. Energy Drain's main contribution is instead the Aetherflow it generates. A single Energy Drain or Siphon will grant the maximum of 2 Aetherflow, which is used to cast the more powerful Fester and Painflare. As a single-target ability, Energy Drain generally pairs better with Fester.

Energy Drain is an instant cast ability that is off the global cooldown (oGCD). This allows players to weave it between global cooldowns after using instant cast spells such as Summon Ruby, and is best saved for these situations in order to maximize DPS.

Scholar version

Energy Drain consumes the Aetherflow Gauge to deal single-target damage, while also restoring HP equal to roughly a third of the damage it deals. As with all Aetherflow Gauge abilities it will also fill the Scholar's Faerie Gauge by 10. Energy Drain has a low potency, and its HP restoration effect is underwhelming. It should not be relied upon for self-healing as other Gauge abilities such as Lustrate provide far superior healing. It is generally recommended to prioritize the use of other Gauge abilities over Energy Drain.

Energy Drain is an instant cast ability that is off the global cooldown (oGCD). This allows players to weave it between global cooldowns after using instant cast spells such as Ruin II, and with only a 1 second recast it can potentially be used twice in a single GCD. It is also both the Scholar's only damaging oGCD and only damaging Aetherflow Gauge ability, so if healing isn't a concern it can provide a valuable DPS boost despite its low potency. It is also recommended to use any unused Aetherflow Gauge on Energy Drain before using the Aetherflow ability, as they will go to waste otherwise.

PvP

Energy Drain is only available to Summoners in PvP. Here it is an instant cast spell, placing it on the GCD but allowing the weaving of oGCD abilities between casts. Energy Drain's cast and recast times, and lack of MP cost, make it highly spammable in the movement-heavy PvP environment, but it provides little in the way of damage.

Energy Drain continues to be the main source of Aetherflow Gauge, as there is no PvP Energy Siphon and the only other source, Tri-disaster, has a long recast time. It now provides only a single Aetherflow Gauge, but has a normal cooldown allowing for an overall faster accumulation of Aetherflow. Aetherflow is in turn used more frequently, as Bane, Dreadwyrm Trance, and Firebird Trance all now require it in addition to Fester and Painflare.

Patch history

Arcanist/Summoner version

Version	Changes
A Realm Reborn	Added as a level 8 ability with 150 potency and a 3 second recast, and would absorb 50% of the damage dealt as HP while restoring 5% base MP Could only be used under the effect of the Aetherflow status granted by the Aetherflow ability; using Energy Drain consumed the status Was available to Arcanists, Summoners, and Scholars Level 36 trait Energy Siphon doubled MP restored
Heavensward	Granted Aethertrail Attunement stacks to Summoners, needed to use Dreadwyrm Trance
Stormblood	Aetherflow Gauge added, serving the same purpose as the Aetherflow status, though the status remains as a separate visual indicator HP absorbed reduced to roughly one third of damage dealt Now increased Faerie Gauge by 10 for Scholars Required level reduced to 6 Energy Siphon trait removed No longer available in PvP; new PvP exclusive version added; see below for its patch history
Shadowbringers	Potency reduced to 100 Recast time increased to 30 seconds No longer restores HP or MP No longer grants Aethertrail Attunement Now grants Aetherflow II No longer requires Aetherflow to cast Required level increased to 18 No longer available to Scholars
Patch 5.05	New Scholar exclusive version added; see below for its patch history
Endwalker	Potency increased to 200 Recast time increased to 60 seconds Required level reduced to 10 Level 62 trait Enhanced Energy Siphon added, causing Energy Drain to grant Further Ruin for 60 seconds

Scholar version

Version	Changes
Patch 5.05	Added with 150 potency and a 3 second recast Had the additional effects of absorbing roughly one third of damage dealt as HP, restoring 500 MP, and increasing the Faerie Gauge by 10 Was in effect identical to how the pre-Shadowbringers Arcanist version worked for Scholars, aside from now requiring level 45
Patch 5.4	Potency reduced to 100
Endwalker	No longer restores MP Recast time reduced to 1 second

PvP version

Version	Changes
Stormblood	Added with 1000 potency, 1 second recast, 100% damage absorbed as HP, and 1000 MP restored Granted Aethertrail Attunement Required 1 Aetherflow to use Only available to Summoners
Patch 4.1	Recast increased to 3s
Patch 4.25	Potency reduced to 750
Shadowbringers	Potency increased to 800 Recast reduced to 2.4 seconds No longer restores HP or MP No longer grants Aethertrail Attunement Grants Aetherflow No longer requires Aetherflow to cast
Patch 5.1	Potency reduced to 600
Patch 5.2	Potency increased to 800