DRK Adjustments via Manifesto

[Alhanelem]

I really wish square would stop forcing us to buff our magic, when we hardly use it the first place.

They're buffing your magic because they want you to use your magic. Magic would get used if it was better than it is now.

[Dauntless]

They're buffing your magic because they want you to use your magic. Magic would get used if it was better than it is now.

Alright, well then buff them to the point that they make up for the lack of physical buffs we get that results in us getting outdamaged by anything that can melee.

Oh, and while they're at it, give us some sort of refresh so we don't run out of MP after every spell.

While we're on the subject, we should probably get some better spells as well.

Or we could do the rational thing and improve what's inherently our forte, big damage and dark magic, as those are the things we're best at and the things we're seriously lacking.

[Zoner]

They're buffing your magic because they want you to use your magic. Magic would get used if it was better than it is now.

If they want us to use magic how about giving us some unique fast-casting hard-hitting DRK ONLY spells, not some gimp spell other jobs had access to 30 levels ago.

[Dauntless]

Something else you can add to the list. Bio I'd say we should have it, bio 2 is one of our most used dark magic spells

[Coldbrand]

I would have to agree Dark Knight should get access to more DRK only spells and, who would of thought, be the specialist on dark magic.

[Seriha]

Alright, well then buff them to the point that they make up for the lack of physical buffs we get that results in us getting outdamaged by anything that can melee.

Over-exaggerate much? STR is tied with WAR. Highest base ATK with the ability to buff LR beyond Berserk with merits. A lot of the highest damage weapons currently in the game. Another JA on top of that to boost damage based on your HP, that only got better with recent attention. Capping equipment haste with decent x-hit builds are also possible.

While the lack of crit WS not Rampage hurts in Abyssea, outside everyone else loses all those delicious buffs. Even inside, it's possible to gird yourself with the means to deal consistent 2k+ WS mere seconds within each other (...and they're elemental! *gasp*), while Guillotine can fluctuate wildly based on misses or DA/TAs.

I won't throw a tantrum over Insurgency being made a crit WS, if that's on the plate, but saying DRKs are outdamaged by anything else that melees is folly.

[Leonlionheart]

I won't throw a tantrum over Insurgency being made a crit WS, if that's on the plate, but saying DRKs are outdamaged by anything else that melees is folly.

This is where I come in to the thread to say Ukko's Fury says hi.

But Ukko's Fury says hi to everyone I guess...

[Zatias]

The only spells really worth using are Stun, Endark, Drain/II, Aspir/II, Dread Spikes, and in some cases, Absorb-TP. Bio is situational. These are all Dark Magic, the main magical DRK weapon. Casting a shitty nuke for 80% of your MP pool is not worth it. 20 seconds of non-melee no thanks(exaggeration...)

Ability
Soul Tap: Gradually reduces MP for a significant damage increase.
Recast:10min
Duration:5min or until MP reaches 0.

This will increase your damage per swing (and all weaponskills) by maybe 15-20%. Was thinking along the lines of 10mp/tic to upkeep this.

See, now we know we have an MP pool!

^
This would support use of Dark Magic in some ways due to low mp cost for most of the spells, and Aspir to drain the mana needed to keep this ability working. This ability also tells us not to waste our MP on shit nukes. This is where most DRKs go wrong: it is better to "forget" you have an MP pool than waste time on worthless nuking when you could be meleeing. Yes, permanently silenced DRKs do annoy me. No, I don't think that you should pretend to know the function of DRK by nuking.

While I know some fights require kiting, or absorb certain damage types (magical, physical) where nukes may be required, they are too few and far between nowadays.

These are my opinions on DRK which some may find to be factual.

Would also like to see a "Terror" spell as some have suggested. Could function as a secondary stun.

[Seriha]

I won't deny WAR is in an overall better position for damage. Even without Ukko's, RR isn't shabby.

Figure my earlier points stand, though, in that DRK isn't bottom tier and that the only reason people have trouble with the magic side is it wasn't good enough from the start. Those that play the job as a WAR with Stun will never be happy, as that ultimately ignores a chunk of its concept.

[Zoner]

Example Adjustments
A new ability that sacrifices TP gain to make attacks more powerful.
A new ability that raises the amount of damage the dark knight takes, but also raises the amount of magic and elemental weapon skill damage it deals.

The only way i could see this working is if they made this into a "stance", using this hypothetical stance would open up the ability to use previously unavailable physical spells that are "weaponskill-like" complete with skillchains(think like BLU spells). Base the accuracy and destructive potential of these imaginary spells off of a combination dark magic skill, base dmg of weapon equipped, skill of weapon equipped, and gear equipped.

Of course I doubt this would be satisfying to Relic/Mythic/Empyrean holders, so what if they add something to those weapons that would bypass the TP penalty of the stance, or add regain on the lvl 95 upgrades so they could still use weaponskills?

Unfortunately I doubt SE would do all this work for us dark knights, the black sheep of the FFXI family...