Dark Knight Discussion

[Voyage1970]

DRKs magic attacks still scale off attack power. Unmend and Hard Slash have the same average damage and share the same potency. It's a similar deal to NIN's Ninjutsu where it's technically magic damage but scales with DEX/Attack Power as well.

Foe Requiem probably enhances the damage though, not that it would make that big of a difference.

[Eanae]

60 DRK, defense over all seems pretty good even for shitty gear. Haven't really been parsing yet. No idea if parser even works well for the new jobs yet. It really does feel like a jack of all trades master of none so far though unless you count AOE tanking...

[Nexxus]

I'm 56.

Tanking is really fun but sometime it's get a bit messy with all that skills to use.
i've tried the "Living Dead" skill on CT3, never again... probably a skill to use whenever you're on a t'chat vocal group.

I had no problem holding hate, enmity is really easy to grab and you can enhance it with Dark Arts + Power Slash (probably dont need tho, better keep your mana for Dark Arts + Dark Dance/Mind).


As for AoE, it's is easy to hold hate, pop up Blood Price then Unleash multiples time (i haven't set Flash, it cost less MP but deal no damage).

I did set all y point into STR yet, with VIT Jewel (one is STR) for leveling purpose, but with Dark Arts + Dark Dance it is a great addition to damage mitigation, can wait to see theorycrafting on it, especially if Dark Knight is an off tank.

[Tsuki]

So I haven't had the pleasure of dealing with too many DRKs yet in queue, but someone told me that DRK is really good at dealing with multiple mobs (trash). I asked because I had a DRK in party who couldn't keep hate on adds. I am a summoner though, so I'm not sure how much more dps I put out vs other classes just yet. Can someone tell me about DRK enmity on multiple mobs? like what is their ideal rotation there, does it use tp/mp? Just something I can mention to any more I come across that can't keep mobs off me in the future. I ended up dying a few times even with quelling... Thanks

[Nexxus]

So I haven't had the pleasure of dealing with too many DRKs yet in queue, but someone told me that DRK is really good at dealing with multiple mobs (trash). I asked because I had a DRK in party who couldn't keep hate on adds. I am a summoner though, so I'm not sure how much more dps I put out vs other classes just yet. Can someone tell me about DRK enmity on multiple mobs? like what is their ideal rotation there, does it use tp/mp? Just something I can mention to any more I come across that can't keep mobs off me in the future. I ended up dying a few times even with quelling... Thanks

As i said: "pop up Blood Price then Unleash multiples time" , it's require ton of mp, so dont burn it before the pull (defensive skills/dark arts), Blood Price will resplenish your mp really really fast (the more you have adds on you, the more the mana regen) you can then use some defensive skill with Dark Arts, also, i like to use the combo Dark Arts + Dark Passenger + Dark Arts + Dark Dance (Blind + Increase Evasion/Parrying is pretty good).

[Kiarax]

So I haven't had the pleasure of dealing with too many DRKs yet in queue, but someone told me that DRK is really good at dealing with multiple mobs (trash). I asked because I had a DRK in party who couldn't keep hate on adds. I am a summoner though, so I'm not sure how much more dps I put out vs other classes just yet. Can someone tell me about DRK enmity on multiple mobs? like what is their ideal rotation there, does it use tp/mp? Just something I can mention to any more I come across that can't keep mobs off me in the future. I ended up dying a few times even with quelling... Thanks

DRK can very easily hold hate just by spamming Unleash (which costs MP), just like a Paladin can with nothing but Flash and a Warrior with nothing but Overpower. The only time things can get flaky is if you jump in to a pull with absolutely no MP. If you happen to have burned the last of your MP at the end of one pack of mobs you'll often start the next pull with no way to generate any AoE threat. DRKs will typically keep Darkside (the silly looking red glowy aura) on at all times, which constantly drains your MP. Out of combat you'll regen a little more than the drain of Darkside, but it makes it extremely slow. If you're moving quickly through a dungeon it's real easy to start the next pack with only enough for a single Unleash, sometimes not even enough for that. It can make establishing initial threat a bit of a pain (especially if a healer immediately heals or throws a HoT on them) and whenever that happens it becomes very easy for any DPS worth their salt to start ripping hate off them. It's very easy to just pause for a moment before a pull if you do find yourself in that situation though, but ideally it's not something that should ever really come up much at all.

[Odin'sLaw]

People are whining that DRK is squishy on reddit. It's mostly a case of being used to tanks that are >20 levels over the dungeons and now being ~= with the dungeons though, so it should get better.

Did bismarch normal last night had a healer tell me to use my cd's more because I'm softer then a war, war is the softest tank atm but its annoying how many bad healers there is out there right now (I wouldn't waste my cooldowns because neither healer was trying to heal me and I died from tanking both adds (the sperpents)

[FHT]

So I haven't had the pleasure of dealing with too many DRKs yet in queue, but someone told me that DRK is really good at dealing with multiple mobs (trash). I asked because I had a DRK in party who couldn't keep hate on adds. I am a summoner though, so I'm not sure how much more dps I put out vs other classes just yet. Can someone tell me about DRK enmity on multiple mobs? like what is their ideal rotation there, does it use tp/mp? Just something I can mention to any more I come across that can't keep mobs off me in the future. I ended up dying a few times even with quelling... Thanks

As explained by me in the last page and above by Nexxus, Blood Price really make a difference allowing us to spam Unleash in order to raise enmity. On top unmend give a 30% proc for a free Unleash (similar system to BLM's Pyrostarter, but 10% less chance) so if you ever encounter a new DRK who can't hold hate you can give them our advises.

As for the damage mitigation, DRK gets similar tools to WAR on top of having a straight -20% Damage Taken from Grit, and the possibility to cross class stuff from WAR (Foresight) giving you an additional Defensive CD.

Finally, Abyssal Drain helps the Damage Mitigation (it leech the life of the enemies which are hit by it) recast is 2.5 so you get the picture, Salted Earth is an Area of effect DoT similar to burning Arrow (75 damages 21 sec duration) and Dark Passenger get 250 PTC (potency) with an additional "Blind" effect when used under Dark Arts. This is why Blood Price is really important in the DRK's rotations.

All this in a nutshell really improve the DPS on trash mobs when running a 4 man dungeon, and for big mobs like Primals (older content) depending your role you can take Grit down for a little while & go 2x Power Slash combo with Dark Side/Dark Art > Go with Delirium/Soul Eater combo twice rinse & repeat, seemed to work for me.

But really, it seems to be pretty solid.

Off topic; I tanked Ravana HM yesterday and I don't know if he's weak or what, but with iLv115 gears (lol) & just Grit/Shadow Skin I was getting hit for 700 damages each time during his Omnislash-like weaponskill.

Did bismarch normal last night had a healer tell me to use my cd's more because I'm softer then a war, war is the softest tank atm but its annoying how many bad healers there is out there right now (I wouldn't waste my cooldowns because neither healer was trying to heal me and I died from tanking both adds (the sperpents)

That or ppl in party telling you that their main is PLD & how they can see DRK filling the purpose of Off tank only to do it less reliably than WAR, just ignore them, if that parry thing get enhanced they'll all want a DRK in their group.

[Odin'sLaw]

I haven't had the honor of 8 maning with a pld yet but I can easily out tank a war in defience as "OT" DRK, its pretty strong just hope it doesn't get nerfed to hard

[Taim Meich]

DRK can very easily hold hate just by spamming Unleash (which costs MP), just like a Paladin can with nothing but Flash and a Warrior with nothing but Overpower. The only time things can get flaky is if you jump in to a pull with absolutely no MP. If you happen to have burned the last of your MP at the end of one pack of mobs you'll often start the next pull with no way to generate any AoE threat. DRKs will typically keep Darkside (the silly looking red glowy aura) on at all times, which constantly drains your MP. Out of combat you'll regen a little more than the drain of Darkside, but it makes it extremely slow. If you're moving quickly through a dungeon it's real easy to start the next pack with only enough for a single Unleash, sometimes not even enough for that. It can make establishing initial threat a bit of a pain (especially if a healer immediately heals or throws a HoT on them) and whenever that happens it becomes very easy for any DPS worth their salt to start ripping hate off them. It's very easy to just pause for a moment before a pull if you do find yourself in that situation though, but ideally it's not something that should ever really come up much at all.

Regarding that, can't you guys deactivate Darkside between pulls? I guess there's a big cooldown on it, because otherwise it seems like the easiest solution to get a bit of a breathing room in a fast paced dungeon. Anyway, the only DRK I've been in a party with, in Dusk Vigil, managed everything perfectly, from normal pulls to bosses. So my experience has been positive so far.

[Neisan]

Darkside is 5 second recast, could unclick?

[Odin'sLaw]

You can but you'd end up using 9x the mp reactivating it

[Niiro]

I haven't had the honor of 8 maning with a pld yet but I can easily out tank a war in defience as "OT" DRK, its pretty strong just hope it doesn't get nerfed to hard

....huh?

If you mean you're pulling hate then you're using the wrong combo....also the WAR probably sucks.

Power slash combo is less damage than Delirium (or DA + Souleater) and doesn't have any helpful effects.

[Kalima]

So far I've been enjoying the job as I'm just hitting 56. My only minor problem is that the animations and effects are much...flashier than PLD, so I sometimes get blinded and can't see all of the aoes that I have to dodge when trash tanking.

As compared to other tanks, I pretty much agree with everyone else that its basically right in the middle of PLD and WAR which seems to be what most people are having problems with. With introducing a new job, do people really want it to be better than existing ones? Yes DRK could probably use a couple of unique abilities but so far I think it would be a fine stand in for either tank in either role.

As far as MP management goes..again not 60 yet but I haven't had many problems with it. Obviously you can't go all out with Dark arts all the time, but as a former DNC in XI, I find the stance dancing and resource managing to be fun and familiar.

So what are people doing so far as optimizing rotations both single and multi targets? I think I have a decent idea at my level but would like to see what others are doing, especially at 60.

[Shuichi]

So far I'm Lv.54. Switching from PLD main to DRK was quite a change. I see DRK as more of an "advanced" tank class, if you will. There's a lot to juggle and you have to be smart about your usage of Dark Arts. I got Plunge last night and enjoy seeing my Lala leap across to the enemy. Personally, I feel that Dark Arts is probably a little too high on the MP cost. Also, I would like to see the cooldown for Blood Price reduced to 30s instead of 40s. Tanking is pretty fun on DRK and I'm planning on making it my main at this point.

Pre-50, of course any Fate you did it was like nothing but DRKs, but now post 50 it's starting to thin out now and I am back to insta-queuing for dungeons. All is right with the world.

[Sho]

I'll finish DRK, but play WAR for the time being. I wanna see how well DRK does in Alexander. If they turn out to be indeed very good, I see no reason for not switching between WAR and DRK depending on circumstances. There isn't much incentive to playing DRK over the other two tanks, however.

If nothing else, the Moogle i95 great sword being an oversized pink lightsaber looks glorious as fuck.

[kisada]

pics plz

[FHT]

Power slash combo is less damage than Delirium

http://i59.tinypic.com/j8oeoj.png

No, you use Powerslash as your main source of enmity generation for single target alike Butcher Block, which is/was the highest PTC WAR combo & Highest enmity generation. DA + Souleater is 400 PTC but you don't get much HP back unless you get an incredibly good gear.

[Voyage1970]

He was saying he was pulling hate from a WAR MT as an OT DRK which should not happen, ever. Also you fail to account for the fact that Syphon Strike is 250 potency compared to Spinning Slash's 220.

Simple math: 150+220+300 < 150+250+280

If you are OTing as DRK you will never use Power Slash. It's all DA Souleaters unless you lack the MP then you use Delirium.

[Clash Perez]

You're not taking into account Spinning Slash vs. Siphon Strike, or the context in which that comment was made, i.e., off-tank DPS. The Delirium combo is more damage and less enmity, which is what would be appropriate for the situation.

Edit: beaten, lern2refresh