Leveling Dark Knight with Great Axe?

[Obev]

Figured since I don't have more than one job at 75 I'll make a post in this section.

Going to level my Red Mage to 75 at some point. I'll need my Dark Knight subjob to 37. My experience leveling up my Great Sword and Scythe with my 42 Warrior is that the weaponskills seem to suck. I'm talking huge amounts of suck here; barely breaking 100 on the Too Weak monsters in Valkurm Dunes as WAR42 with the Great Sword skill of a DRK17.

So my question to you, oh mightily leet population of the Blue Gartr forums, is this:

Would going DRK/WAR all the way to 37 with a Great Axe (Axe belt @ 30!)be a decent amount of damage, or should I resign myself to sucky weaponskills for 37 short levels?

[Mufferino]

I used great axe from sturmwind > rampage, you are right there is nothing else you can use that will put out any sort of damage. You can try dual axes and /nin but raging axe isn't all that wonderful either

[Fen]

I used Gaxe the whole way. It kinda sucked until getting Sturmwind but you can drop some jaws after that.

Bring along a GS in case people want you to do Distortion though.

[Thevaultdweller]

DRK skill in Great Axe is about 5 less than WAR, and for a few levels when you can equip Axe Belt (level 30 belt that gives +5 Great Axe skill with /WAR sub) it's actually a few levels above WAR. The WS's for Great Axe are a whole lot better than Great Sword/Scythe, so it's the better choice until ~50. However, make sure to at least keep a scythe on you, since some parties are anal about making skillchains and plan on DRKs having scythes.

[Obev]

That's a relief. Thanks! :D

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

Ok here is Max's Patented Weapon Suggestions(tm).

Level 1-23: Scythe, just because. Its your bread and butter. There is also the possibility of Gswd, this is pretty hot and opening distortion 33+ can be useful with THFs: http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/494
23-49: GAxe IF you are willing to keep scythe capped. Otherwise scythe, its solid but no sturmwind.
49-5?: Scythe. Some may suggest GAxe up here, but not me. Why? http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/494 It with /WAR will out DoT pretty much anything assuming you have the acc to back it up.
5?-60: Axe or Scythe. The barb scythe is still damn hot but if you have some axe merits by all means rampage away.
60-66: Scythe scythe scythe. Do not do ANYTHING but scythe. Guillotine is that damn good. Its better than rampage by FAR.
66-70: Gswd and Scythe. These levels you might overcamp your level and do some hard ITs. If you do, go ahead and go /THF spinning slash. Its extremely solid and can make nice light chains. Otherwise stick with guillo.
70-75: Its all about the scythe. No reason to do anything else for exp situations really.

Aside from the level you learn rampage to 60 do NOT go /NIN dual axe. /WAR is always going to be just plain better.

[Obev]

Ok here is Max's Patented Weapon Suggestions(tm).

Level 1-23: Scythe, just because. Its your bread and butter. There is also the possibility of Gswd, this is pretty hot and opening distortion 33+ can be useful with THFs: http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/494

So you'd rate Scythe over Great Axe at the lowest levels? I'd have thought shield break would be good for something at least. Oh well, inventory space -3, I'll just cap 'em on WAR and carry all three around.

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

Ok here is Max's Patented Weapon Suggestions(tm).

Level 1-23: Scythe, just because. Its your bread and butter. There is also the possibility of Gswd, this is pretty hot and opening distortion 33+ can be useful with THFs: http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/494

So you'd rate Scythe over Great Axe at the lowest levels? I'd have thought shield break would be good for something at least. Oh well, inventory space -3, I'll just cap 'em on WAR and carry all three around.

It honestly doesnt matter. It should be all about the same. It was really a 'when in doubt scythe' thing.

[Mufferino]

I used rampage until 60, Even while over camping my rampages were still doing good damage, If you have your skills capped anything other than rampage will suck until 60.

[Xavier]

I subbed nin and used axes predominantly from 56-70, at which point I switched over to axe/ridill.

Why? Because I hate being an mp sponge for the party. Its true that drk/war w/ guilitone will probably hit higher ws dmg, at the cost of a ton of mp when they take hate.

DRK/NIN w/ good gear and 2 axes will parse a few % under a similarly equipped WAR/NIN, trailing behind from no double attack but staying competitive as long as you souleater rampage every 6 minutes for the extra 500-700 dmg on your ws.

[Elcura]

Erm, he did say he was just going to 37... if you have no plans to play DRK seriously just use Gaxe. Or whatever, it's just a subjob WHO CARES?!

[Obev]

I cares.

I don't like to feel that I'm gimping myself or my party's exp, no matter what level I'm playing at.

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

I subbed nin and used axes predominantly from 56-70, at which point I switched over to axe/ridill.

Why? Because I hate being an mp sponge for the party. Its true that drk/war w/ guilitone will probably hit higher ws dmg, at the cost of a ton of mp when they take hate.

DRK/NIN w/ good gear and 2 axes will parse a few % under a similarly equipped WAR/NIN, trailing behind from no double attack but staying competitive as long as you souleater rampage every 6 minutes for the extra 500-700 dmg on your ws.

All the MP you saved from not pulling hate was used by the souleater guillotine. Unless your tanks completely suck ass DRK/WAR is just plain better. DRK/NIN with 2 axes is just not worth it. Honestly I'd prefer DRK/NIN with scythe over it. Taking a few hits isnt the end of the world in any case.

[Eulore]

I used GAxe on my level 28 drk sub. Sturmwind is hot. I cap scythe every time I level though in case someone needs me to use scythe. Overall I like GAxe more though.

[Not Kuno]

My drk is 49 right now and the only weapon I've used so far is axes. Sushi makes up for the lower skill and less acc.

[Judai]

Use whatever you enjoy, without being stupid. Using a sword or dagger would be gimping your exp party. Using one of 4 weapons that your job has a good skill rating in isn't. So use w/e you want, you don't have to be perfect, just bring your weight in the party and have fun.

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

My drk is 49 right now and the only weapon I've used so far is axes. Sushi makes up for the lower skill and less acc.

Not when you could be doing a lot more with a Scythe...

I honestly don't know what the fear of scythes is. You could be doing so much more with them. If you are doing decent damage with axes you'd be doing good damage with a scythe. If you're doing good damage with axes you'd be doing great damage with a scythe. The exception is Rampage level until Guillo level.

Use whatever you enjoy, without being stupid. Using a sword or dagger would be gimping your exp party. Using one of 4 weapons that your job has a good skill rating in isn't. So use w/e you want, you don't have to be perfect, just bring your weight in the party and have fun.

Axe is as gimp as sword. Gaxe is only good because of sturmwind.

EDIT: Kuno, don't forget THIS. If you can handle the acc loss of axes you can definately handle the -5 acc from this which will be a lot better damage over time. Its 31 atk and 1 acc over the dual axes, before all the great atk+ gear is available too.

[Ishido]

Axe gets rampage 6 levels before sword gets Vorpal blade, that's about the only difference.

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

Axe gets rampage 6 levels before sword gets Vorpal blade, that's about the only difference.

I'm saying before rampage. By 60 guillotine will be a lot better than vorpal blade or rampage on DRK, not counting merits (where guillo will probably still be better but not dramatically.)

[Ishido]

Axe gets rampage 6 levels before sword gets Vorpal blade, that's about the only difference.

I'm saying before rampage. By 60 guillotine will be a lot better than vorpal blade or rampage on DRK, not counting merits (where guillo will probably still be better but not dramatically.)

True. After 48 you get Vikings though, which are nice to make up some lost skill, but before that there isn't a huge difference.