DRK Adjustments via Manifesto

[Minsc]

I've honestly given up on the idea of Insurgency becoming a Critical-Damage WS the moment I saw that Vorpal Scythe is already one. Guillotine isn't that bad now that we have Last Resort at a 3-minute duration, and It's okay for Normal Monsters and Lower-Tier NMs. We can easily cap Accuracy, now we just need to push our Attack stat further.

Though, whatever happened to the idea of using Spinning Slash for Bigger NMs? I'm pretty sure some vets already know this, but *GASP!* Spinning Slash ignores level penalties in the same way Flashy Shot does! Try it with either Stout Arm/Razed Ruins/Apocalypse or Alpha&Omega/RazedRuins/Apocalypse. I had some passable numbers with it while it lasted for me.

If it doesn't, well...either find a gear set to improve it, or suck it up and work for an Empyrean Weapon (or WoE Weapon depending on how much you play).

Except that other weapons have multiple crit-hit WSs...

Polearm: Vorpal Thrust, Skewer, Drakesbane
Great Axe: Raging Rush, Ukko's Fury
H2H: Backhand Blow, Stringing Pummel, Ascetic's Fury, Victory Smite
Sword: Vorpal Blade, Chant du Cygne

So in other words, not exactly unheard of for a weapon to have more than one crit-hit WS.

[Unctgtg]

I like where this is going

[Ophannus]

Always figured that DRK's damage was supposed to stem from raw base damage like Spiral Hell(at 300%), Spinning Slash, Ground Strike, Torcleaver. Basically instead of low fTP, multiple hits with crit potential, thought DRK's philosophy of DD was supposed to be high fTP/high WSC. Should crit WS be the end all be all to WS? They do good damage only due to Abyssea things but on future mob that have crazy def/evasion a multihit crit ws will probably suck. For example, unless heavily debuffed and myself heavily buffed, a Drakesbane on Kirin/Sky Gods/TOAU Kings would do like 500-800 on average just because of their high def and level differences at 75. Of course by the same token a Spinning Slash or Steel Cyclone would do 1000-1400 just because of the +Att% multiplier on those WS. For future mobs which are going to be multiple levels above us with higher eva/def, I can see WS like Victory Smite/Drakesbane and others not doing so well. Ukkos and Hi might be spared since they're fewer hits, although I can see Hi's damage dropping significantly just because of the pDIF rape of a NIN's att vs a future HNM's def unless with Curry and Berserk up and dia3/angon on the mob.

[Minsc]

Always figured that DRK's damage was supposed to stem from raw base damage like Spiral Hell(at 300%), Spinning Slash, Ground Strike, Torcleaver. Basically instead of low fTP, multiple hits with crit potential, thought DRK's philosophy of DD was supposed to be high fTP/high WSC. Should crit WS be the end all be all to WS? They do good damage only due to Abyssea things but on future mob that have crazy def/evasion a multihit crit ws will probably suck. For example, unless heavily debuffed and myself heavily buffed, a Drakesbane on Kirin/Sky Gods/TOAU Kings would do like 500-800 on average just because of their high def and level differences at 75. Of course by the same token a Spinning Slash or Steel Cyclone would do 1000-1400 just because of the +Att% multiplier on those WS. For future mobs which are going to be multiple levels above us with higher eva/def, I can see WS like Victory Smite/Drakesbane and others not doing so well. Ukkos and Hi might be spared since they're fewer hits, although I can see Hi's damage dropping significantly just because of the pDIF rape of a NIN's att vs a future HNM's def unless with Curry and Berserk up and dia3/angon on the mob.

And what's the problem with having both? Never said crit-hit WSs should be the end all be all WS, would just be nice to see DRK get a good one too. You reference Steel Cyclone, but when's the last time you've seen WAR use that in Abyssea? Just saying it'd be nice for DRK to be on par with a lot of the other DDs out there when it comes to variety of WSs.

[Quetzacoatl]

Except that other weapons have multiple crit-hit WSs...

Polearm: Vorpal Thrust, Skewer, Drakesbane
Great Axe: Raging Rush, Ukko's Fury
H2H: Backhand Blow, Stringing Pummel, Ascetic's Fury, Victory Smite
Sword: Vorpal Blade, Chant du Cygne

So in other words, not exactly unheard of for a weapon to have more than one crit-hit WS.

I understand that, but it seems like at this this point of the game, there's no intent for DRK to have big-hitter critical damage Weapon Skills in SE's eyes. It would help, but for how long now that we're almost done with Abyssea? Unless that "adjustment of weapon skills" note at the end of the manifesto is giving us a hint of the possibility. We'll just have to see.

[Quetzacoatl]

I like all of these, like +1.

Maybe we could sacrifice our hp to force a critical? "Dire Strike".

The Catastrophe nonsense that is going on now I don't understand either, if Aegis can boost the -mdt cap why doesn't our aftermath get 'helped'? Its totally worthless due to a Job Trait we possess.

Good ideas, especially the Dark Magic nukes because I don't understand why Holy is in the game and "Dunkelheit" "Darkness" is not.

I figured someone would suggest that about Dire Strike. It seems like that would just get sand kicked in THF's face if it were forced critical hit, so ignoring cRatio is where I believe we should start focusing instead. Jar may have acted like a douche at times, but he was onto something.

Yeah something needs to be done about Catastrophe's Aftermath; no question about it.

Having Dark Magic nukes would be nice too, considering that we're now getting an ability that converts part of our MP into Magic Attack.

[Bubeeky]

admittedly, I don't play drk, and I prolly wouldn't even check this thread if it wasn't for Camate posting manifesto info here, but I like the parry thing....parry sucks to skillup and I'm thrilled to hear that they are going to revamp it

As a side note, being a whm, I'd totally support any increase to DRK's ability to heal themselves through drains lol

[Gotterdammerung]

Does "Revamping the difficulty of skilling parry" mean its going to be easier or harder to skill parry?

[Quetzacoatl]

admittedly, I don't play drk, and I prolly wouldn't even check this thread if it wasn't for Camate posting manifesto info here, but I like the parry thing....parry sucks to skillup and I'm thrilled to hear that they are going to revamp it

As a side note, being a whm, I'd totally support any increase to DRK's ability to heal themselves through drains lol

Definitely. Faster and more potent Drains would give the job more individuality.

[Korpg]

Does "Revamping the difficulty of skilling parry" mean its going to be easier or harder to skill parry?

Knowing SE, it will be harder.