DRK/NIN Tanking...

[Zosi]

DRK doesn't have shield skill, even tho we can use the bestest shields (duh).

Doh, that's what I get for posting as I run out the door for work. You're right, a DRK/NIN would have zero native shield skill.

Edit: To reply to Bladewind, there simply isn't a replacement for a shield set. DRK has E parrying, 200 cap at 75. Even with capped skill and parrying gear, it's not something that you're going to be able to rely on.

[Thorny]

I'm leveling DRK currently, in the hopes of replacing my Pld for certain events, T4 ZNM comes to mind as i don't do HNM. I'm pretty confident about DRK being just as effective as PLD, while being able to do constant damage (although with atonement pld isn't as useless as it used to be). The only thing i can't think of a replacement for is a shield set, for casting Ichi, would stacking parrying be helpful? or just rely on stun lasting long enough to cast utsu?

stun will never last long enough for ichi unless someone else stuns while you ichi, weapon bash is on a long timer, you lose shield and gain jack shit compared to a pld with atonement

[Tulun]

There are a lot of things DRK *could* tank sub nin, simply by the fact that simple shadow swapping can prevent most damage.

DRK has access to a lot of decent defensive gear (Odin's, Iron Ram set, etc). I'd say they are slightly more magic defense friendly than a NIN.
They could easily spell spam for the same type of hate as NIN too.

Overall, though, they don't really offer much advantage over RDM, NIN or PLD. I'm sure you could do it if you are short a tank. You would probably need extremely good gear to do it.

[Brill Weave]

Jesus Drk only get 200 parrying at 75? That's even lower than Paladin. Just tank shit as Sam/Dnc

[drewbixcube]

drk/nin is like rdm/nin without cures pretty much, the fun thing about drk/nin is when you have dread spikes up you can let shadows go down and do a free 1k damage or so . had a drk/nin i tanked faf with and he did that often

[Ahnuld]

You would use basically the same gear a pld does. I know a few drk's who have had some success tanking, but when it comes down to it, they don't have the survivability of a paladin. Those same drk's usually end up leveling paladin, and then you never see them tanking on drk again. If your shell is this hardup on tanks, I would suggest just leveling paladin instead. Drk is a superb melee DD, and a mediocre tank.

Just so you know, NS didn't level PLD because his DRK/NIN tanking lacked in any way. With the right support he performed very well.

[Nightsage]

I tank quite a bite on drk. and have done all hnm's except faf/beh. the gear u listed is just fine cause its the set-up i use and i macro in my terr's staff for bashes. i dont have a apoc or id focus on dd'ing for hate, so i spam spells just as rdm/nin tanks do. as long as the support jobs u have arent complete morons u can tank anything in this game. And im in the same ls as wraith and im sure hes reffering to me when he spoke about the drk who ended up lvln pld. and the reasons behind that was A) i had a hauty id like to put to more use B) pld was gonna b taken to 75 anyway.

[Anira]

I tank quite a bite on drk. and have done all hnm's except faf/beh. the gear u listed is just fine cause its the set-up i use and i macro in my terr's staff for bashes. i dont have a apoc or id focus on dd'ing for hate, so i spam spells just as rdm/nin tanks do. as long as the support jobs u have arent complete morons u can tank anything in this game. And im in the same ls as wraith and im sure hes reffering to me when he spoke about the drk who ended up lvln pld. and the reasons behind that was A) i had a hauty id like to put to more use B) pld was gonna b taken to 75 anyway.

And we still use DRK/NIN tanks on Tiamat. In terms of getting and holding hate there isn't a job that's equal to it other then NIN/DRK. But you'll need good support to survive :D *lets NS die*

[Meat]

I've done Drk\nin on timmy, albeit with apoc. Since most of pld's fire gear is easily interchangeable it's a breeze in the air and the pure melee damage cuts down the fight time a good chunk

[Cloudius]

Jesus Drk only get 200 parrying at 75? That's even lower than Paladin. Just tank shit as Sam/Dnc

How would a Sam/Dnc keep hate on anything vs any1?

I've done Drk\nin on timmy, albeit with apoc. Since most of pld's fire gear is easily interchangeable it's a breeze in the air and the pure melee damage cuts down the fight time a good chunk

I wanna try tanking big stuff QQ need to get back into endgame..

[SamanosukeShiva]

how you manage tia hidden counter?

[Meat]

overrated, at best it's like 5%

[WraithLakshmi]

I tank quite a bite on drk. and have done all hnm's except faf/beh. the gear u listed is just fine cause its the set-up i use and i macro in my terr's staff for bashes. i dont have a apoc or id focus on dd'ing for hate, so i spam spells just as rdm/nin tanks do. as long as the support jobs u have arent complete morons u can tank anything in this game. And im in the same ls as wraith and im sure hes reffering to me when he spoke about the drk who ended up lvln pld. and the reasons behind that was A) i had a hauty id like to put to more use B) pld was gonna b taken to 75 anyway.

Lol, I actually was thinking of you when I said that, <3.

I didn't say Drk can't tank, I just think it would be harder than pld/nin. I know for sure that nin/drk is harder than pld/nin, since on pld I don't have to stress about getting hit much when shadows go down because of shield blocks.

[Arthars]

depend what scale of difficulty is the NM

i have no problem tanking shits like salvage bosses DRK/SAM

also tanked omega ultima with DRK/NIN(mainly got hate. not like i plan to tank 90% of it...BUT IT WORKED), with apoc tho.........25% gear haste really helps in utsusemi, and stun when u need to recast. dread spike also helps when your ichi is ending and Ni is not up etc etc

long list but its possible and really fun. apoc can drain HP back too......

*Advertising* Apoc changes game play, make one today *

Also tried in ZNM Tyger, normal cerb etc, with PLD co-tanking of course

but if your talking about SOLO tanking.....then i wouldnt recommend because i doubt your LS will wanna risk losing an NM

if your talking about co-tanking with PLD or NIN, sure go for it

[Syntex]

I disagree, I've seen some great DRKs tank stuff and they gear nowhere how you would have done it. One of the major parts about them being able to hold hate is them being able to deal damage in order to maintain hate. A big part of the DRKs I've seen tank stuff is the fact that they have Apoc as well, which totally changes what the job can do.

Personally I think there's things they shouldn't attemp to tank, as some LS's fight mobs differently, my LS does not throw DD's at stuff as Khim/Tia so I think in that situation a DRK wouldn't be able to hold hate very well. For shit like Nid/Faf/Aspi/Cerb, mobs where we have no problems throwing melee at it, I think they could do a great job as long as they could output good melee dmg.

That is so wrong on so many levels.

That may HELP them hold hate but the real reason DRK would be holding hate is their spells which work the same way a RDM/NIN and even NIN/DRK tank.

Damage is like 10% of why a DRK would be able to hold hate its the CE of blind, sleep, and stun.

You should read the guide about NIN/DRK from Belkins LJ which have the same things apply to DRK/NIN in a lot of ways.

belkinator

[Valyana]

DRK doesn't get Blind. And you're underestimating how much hate you can get with DD: on a L88 enemy (say, Fafnir), doing 240 damage matches the CE of Sleep, and 320 damage matches the VE of Stun. A DRK tank can certainly cast spells for additional hate, but if they aren't going to DD for hate there are other jobs with better survivability...

[Neoex]

That is so wrong on so many levels.

That may HELP them hold hate but the real reason DRK would be holding hate is their spells which work the same way a RDM/NIN and even NIN/DRK tank.

Damage is like 10% of why a DRK would be able to hold hate its the CE of blind, sleep, and stun.

You should read the guide about NIN/DRK from Belkins LJ which have the same things apply to DRK/NIN in a lot of ways.

belkinator

I agree 100% with this comment