DRK in Aby

[scaevola]

Does anyone have a good gear setup for DRK's playing in Aby. I noticed how incredibly weak DRK's are there. I'm watching THF, NIN, and MNK put up 1000-2000 damage vs my 200.

Back to (Abyssea) basics.

What Atma are you using? If you don't have at the very least Razed Ruins and another good DD atma (several have been mentioned here), you're going to be overwhelmingly disappointed in your throughput compared to anyone who does. Job, gear level, and "skill" don't even matter at that point.

"Get Razed Ruins and other good Atma" probably sounds facile but you really can't understand what a huge difference they make until after you get them.

[Leonlionheart]

WAR can hit 1000 retaliations on crits pretty commonly with Ukon, but it's hard to get over 900 normal crits.

[Rezeak]

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...lly-do-with-it.

Is a post i made about DRK and what we can do in abyssea.

I think the first tip and best tip is if ya focus on WS DMG or DMG in general it gonna end up losing not to say you can't pump out lots of DMG LR + haste + Crit setup is a insane thing

What i suggest is subbing MNK

DRK/MNK with a WHM is a really solid combo i mean to the point i'm a main tank for ls events or job that can split of the group and duo NMs for pop item/KIs to speed stuff up.

Either way as Atmas go you use Razed ruin/S.Scythe/Gnarled Horn
or swap Gnarled horn with VV depending on Difficulty of the mobs your tanking.

Anyway as far as i'm concerned DRKs that sub MNK in abyssea are an asset if geared correctly (DMG-% gear/HP gear) (we acully ask DRKs to sub MNK over /SAM now in my linkshell after seeing results lol /SAM is just a stagger job /MNK is a stagger job that is also one of the best tank in abyssea)

Using DRK/MNK you can kill/tank most NMs in abyssea with a few exceptions which is usually more to do with stuff that makes any tank struggle to tank it.

and in low main DRK/MNK + WHM is amazing for Red !! KI farming ^^ and great for yellow staggers on light/darks day (or just get a BLM in there)

If u get an emperyan /MNK all u do is get 300% TP for lvl 3 aftermath then pop LR + SE resort with haste on and u'll see 800-1000 crits (no ODD) 1300-1600 (ODD proc 50%) with counters in the 800 range ^^ (on harder stuff the numbers are 100-200 lower but you still wreck stuff this way ^^)

[Leonlionheart]

Either way as Atmas go you use Razed ruin/S.Scythe/Gnarled Horn
or swap Gnarled horn with VV depending on Difficulty of the mobs your tanking.

please don't sacrifice Apoc for anything ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever.

Unless you're using K club souleater+blood weapon zerg style. Then just use HP atmas. Doubt you'll ever do it in aby though.

[Rezeak]

please don't sacrifice Apoc for anything ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever.

Unless you're using K club souleater+blood weapon zerg style. Then just use HP atmas. Doubt you'll ever do it in aby though.

How do you mean ??

I know RR + S.Scythe are the best dual combo for /MNK

RR (i don't need to explain)
SS Has HP as well as a huge DMG boost on crits there makes this tons better for counter tanking on DRK

Now Gnarled horn >>>>> Apoc if ya tanking it basically reduces DMG taken from melee by around 20% (50% hit not countered --> 40% hits not countered) (Bonus : +50 AGI will reduce a mobs Tp gain too)

As for VV ok yea Apoc has a chance of beating VV hands down IF you were constantly meleeing but being able to bust out a lvl 3 aftermath as the start of the fight either way i find the DMG difference low between the 2 i do notice the boost in attack/STR on VV either way there close and since Regain helps between fights and with staggering i'll always VV > Apoc.

Please remember i'm talking /MNK here not /SAM if your /SAM it's a different setup entirely.

Either way RR/SS/Gnarled horn (or Roaring laughter) are the way to go on the harder stuff if you swap any of this out u'll lose DMG or make it easier for your self to be killed.

[Leonlionheart]

in terms of tanking, hitting faster keeps hate, and if you're with other good players you're probably going to have a hard time keeping it.

in terms of playing DRK, why the hell are you tanking.

[Neisan_Quetz]

Apoc helps TP gain and WS damage, and should easily beat SS in overall damage for your atma setup assuming you already have RR/GH.

[Rezeak]

in terms of tanking, hitting faster keeps hate, and if you're with other good players you're probably going to have a hard time keeping it.

in terms of playing DRK, why the hell are you tanking.

In terms of any job whats the harm in playing a job to it's full potential derp.

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Tanking in a large group

Ok when ur in a large group on 1 NM DRK/MNK prolly isn't the way to go for that 1 NM....

But say your killing glaviod being DRK/MNK to farm pops is useful for the large group because it only needs a WHM to surrport it so it helps the group split up.

/SAM can't do this to the same extent /MNK is a far better tank for holding> staggering then killing NMs.

Either way the point here is because u need less surrport and your more useful to the party.

It comes down to this when i consider DRK for events.

DRK/SAM DMG and staggering only

DRK/MNK Slightly less DMG, Staggering and being one of the best tanks.

Since DMG is covered so much better by crit WS jobs I usally choose the DRK/MNK.

In smaller groups

Even if ya in a smaller group with a MNK or NIN that can Tank why would you want to be less of strain a WHMs mp i mean in a small group if every DD can tank it's much more easier than a DD that will just pull hate and die or drain you WHMs mp.

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Either way this is all main DRK stuff i mean if ya have MNK and DRK at the same level u'd use MNK to tank over DRK but if your like me and you have all the best gear for DRK + Emperyan being able to tank only adds to that.

The last thing i want to mention i have duoed(or low man WHM DRK/MNK + yellow staggers) almost all the Emperyan weapon NM with just a WHM as surrport in most cases.

Mobs with charm can be kited,
Sobek you need a second tank cause of death,
HQ Hydra sux i have done it but it's not 100%,
The HQ Khimmy u need a second stunner (3 stunners to be safe)

I can't think of any others i have issues with.

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With Apoc again yes it beats SScythe but SScythe on /MNK you use for the HP as well if you can live with the loss of Counter DMG and survivabilty then by all means RR Apoc GH ^^

Either way my Atma choices are more based on my Gear ect.

I didn't mention RR/SS/Winged Gloom

Which with the right gear caps out -50% Physical/Magic DMG meaning if you have 4k HP you'll have 8k effective HP which for some mobs is great

Honestly atma choice is more to do with situation than one atma set for all case.

[Leonlionheart]

I enjoy DRK, but I have no idea why a group would invite you to tank as it.

I can see why, if it's your only job, you would want to put it in that position. But in the end, no one's going to put it in that position for you. Only if you're the group leader could I see it ever happening.

But DRK as one of the best tanks? Even with Apocalypse(the weapon) that's a stretch. I can't imagine it beating PLD, MNK, NIN, DNC, THF, or SAM. I can see it beating the other DDs, but that's not really saying anything.

Let's be honest, this is Abyssea we're talking about. DRK/WAR can replace WAR for red procs, but only if you have the Halloween polearm. Otherwise, good luck breaking free from the WAR NIN WHM BLM/BRD BLU lowman strategies.

Though, I agree DRK is useful on Apademak. All that stun... yum.

[Neisan_Quetz]

I've never had SS's HP seriously make or break a fight and I have the lowest base HP of any race so...

Even with CS up Apoc will still beat SS for overall damage.

Winged Gloom is pointless, get better support etc. also lolwiki states the atma has issues if you get cruor enhancements.