What it is
Akhmorning (akhmorning.com) is an FFXIV theorycraft site maintained by anonymous contributors (some identified, others not). Around since Heavensward (~2015) and has been maintained patch after patch as a technical reference.
It covers:
- Damage formulas: how to calculate DPS per job. Skill Speed → GCD → DPS relationship explained with math.
- Stat tiers: what's the next Crit/DH/Det breakpoint for each stat, with exact calculations.
- Speed breakpoints: what SkS or SpS gives you the GCD you want (2.40, 2.50, 2.45, etc.).
- Job-specific docs: dedicated pages with specific math per job (BLM rotation analysis, SMN burst windows, etc.).
- Substat priority: derived from sims or mathematical analysis.
It's text-heavy, dense, no animations. "Academic paper" style UI.
What problem it solves
For players who don't settle for "Crit > DH > Det", but want to understand why:
- Independent verification: The Balance recommends X build. Why? Akhmorning gives you the math that backs that recommendation.
- Edge cases: parties with unusual compositions where the default meta doesn't apply. You need to recalculate stat priority manually.
- Custom builds: experimentation with non-standard builds requires understanding stat formulas.
- Your own theorycraft: if you want to contribute to community theorycraft, Akhmorning is the reference material to start from.
For casuals, this is overkill. For theorycrafters, indispensable.
How it differs from The Balance and XIVAnalysis
- Akhmorning: math and formulas. Static academic reference.
- The Balance: practical application of theorycraft with community discussion. Where math becomes "canonical opener".
- XIVAnalysis: application to your specific log. Takes Akhmorning formulas and tells you "you did X wrong".
All three are complementary. The Balance recommends; Akhmorning explains why; XIVAnalysis verifies your execution.
What people actually use it for
Understand stat tiers: considering a Crit vs DH meld. Akhmorning gives you the exact formula and you calculate which is better for your setup.
Verify Balance recommendations: the lead says "Crit > DH for BLM in patch X.Y". Why? Akhmorning shows you the math.
Build custom sims: if you build a personal sim or spreadsheet, formulas come from Akhmorning.
Job rework analysis: after a job rework, Akhmorning publishes technical analysis (sometimes before The Balance updates its guide).
Education: if you want to learn how FFXIV works under the hood, Akhmorning is where it's documented.
Who it's NOT for
- Casual players: if you just want "which rotation do I use for BLM", go to The Balance. Akhmorning is for understanding why.
- Anyone wanting quick answers: pages are dense. Not good for fast Q&A.
- Visual learners: content is 100% text + tables + formulas. No videos or gifs.
- Anyone looking for step-by-step tutorials: Akhmorning assumes basic FFXIV combat math knowledge. Not for beginners.
- Mobile users: site is responsive but large tables are tedious on small screens.
How it's actually used
Go to www.akhmorning.com.
Top menu: General (stat formulas, damage formulas) or Jobs (deep dive per job).
Typical pages have: explanation prose + formula breakdown + tables with specific values.
For stat tiers: find a "Crit % → DPS multiplier" table or similar. Look up your current value.
For job-specific: go to your job's page (e.g., BLM). Find analysis of rotation, damage windows, opening sequences.
Cross-reference with The Balance: Akhmorning gives you the math, Balance gives you the practical translation.
Honest limitations
Updates can lag: after major patches, Akhmorning can take weeks to update formulas. Meanwhile, The Balance usually has preliminary guidance.
Bus factor: few anonymous contributors maintain the site. If it loses contributors, content goes stale.
No direct community engagement: no forum, comments, or direct Discord. It's read-only. Discussion happens on The Balance or Reddit.
Minimalist to austere UI: functional but not engaging. If you're not motivated by content density, you'll get bored.
Focus on deep theorycraft, not broad: covers what the contributor decided to cover. Some jobs have exhaustive pages; others, stubs.
No interactive calculators: unlike Etro, you can't "input your gear and get output". Akhmorning gives you the formula, you do the math.
How to get started
Go to akhmorning.com. No login required.
If new, read the General → Damage Formulas page. That's the base. Get familiar with the language.
For your specific job, go to Jobs → your job. Read top to bottom.
Cross with The Balance: if Balance says "use rotation X", search Akhmorning for the math of why X > Y.
For stat tiers in practice: when you're about to meld materia, open Akhmorning to verify the next breakpoint. If your current DH is 12.5%, the next tier might be 12.6% or 12.8% depending on the item — Akhmorning tells you exactly.
If you find bugs or outdated info, reporting is harder because there's no official Discord. Some contributors are in The Balance's Discord.
For deeper involvement, consider contributing directly. The site accepts serious theorycraft; reaching out via The Balance Discord is usually the channel.
