I'm not sure if I should come back and play(a few pointers to SE)

[Madawc]

All right, let me start explaining why I quit 1 year ago.

Since the release I was always plauged by SE that refused to implement simple functions like, expanding number of macro lines, losing target lock after gear change, swing delay reset after magic cast and many more. This frustration has accumulated over a long period.

The game is too much team play oriented, you can never do anything with a low-man group as DRK. You always need 3-5 people to do anything at all. But I have componsated by playing two computers at once with a PL always following me. Also I have Apocalypse that helps draining some HP. But still DRK takes an awful lot of damage, Dread Spikes can only do so much.

After the Lv75 cap was lifted and relic trials I found my gear that I have strived to get obsolete. Armada Hauberk, HQ gear for WS and much more. Even the Apocalypse is not on top anymore.

And why has SE never bothered to fix our elemental/enfeeble magic? It is just sitting there wasting space unbalancing the job. SE prob thinks they can't boost DRK becuase we already have elemental magic, pfff.

If SE wants me back as a paying costumer I want to see the following changes:
-Make sure you don't lose target-lock after gear change
-Don't let magic casting slow down melee delay(Fast Cast/MP reduction/Magic Stance)
-Allow DRK to fight more formidable foes solo or duo by extending the length of Dread Spikes, defence bonus, more drain potency/endrain
-A huge damage boost to "Catastrophe", I want to drain 2000 HP in one WS.
-The aftermath haste effect should not be restriced by 25% gear cap
-Let me AUGMENT my 75 gear so it is not wasted(Evoliths??)
-Either remove elemental magic and attribute other stats or give DRK a boost (Fast Cast/MP reduction/MAB) or a type of Magic Stance
-Magic Stance suggestion: Imbue weapon with an element by casting a spell, DRK can stand at a ranged distance and hurl magic bolts from the weapon as it swings
-Add Colosseum (PvP 1on1, 2on2, ect) (instanced area)

Add these features and SE will have +1 costumer.

[Kagato]

All right, let me start explaining why I quit 1 year ago.

Since the release I was always plauged by SE that refused to implement simple functions like, expanding number of macro lines, losing target lock after gear change, swing delay reset after magic cast and many more. This frustration has accumulated over a long period.

The game is too much team play oriented, you can never do anything with a low-man group as DRK. You always need 3-5 people to do anything at all. But I have componsated by playing two computers at once with a PL always following me. Also I have Apocalypse that helps draining some HP. But still DRK takes an awful lot of damage, Dread Spikes can only do so much.

After the Lv75 cap was lifted and relic trials I found my gear that I have strived to get obsolete. Armada Hauberk, HQ gear for WS and much more. Even the Apocalypse is not on top anymore.

And why has SE never bothered to fix our elemental/enfeeble magic? It is just sitting there wasting space unbalancing the job. SE prob thinks they can't boost DRK becuase we already have elemental magic, pfff.

If SE wants me back as a paying costumer I want to see the following changes:
-Make sure you don't lose target-lock after gear change
-Don't let magic casting slow down melee delay(Fast Cast/MP reduction/Magic Stance)
-Allow DRK to fight more formidable foes solo or duo by extending the length of Dread Spikes, defence bonus, more drain potency/endrain
-A huge damage boost to "Catastrophe", I want to drain 2000 HP in one WS.
-The aftermath haste effect should not be restriced by 25% gear cap
-Let me AUGMENT my 75 gear so it is not wasted(Evoliths??)
-Either remove elemental magic and attribute other stats or give DRK a boost (Fast Cast/MP reduction/MAB) or a type of Magic Stance
-Magic Stance suggestion: Imbue weapon with an element by casting a spell, DRK can stand at a ranged distance and hurl magic bolts from the weapon as it swings
-Add Colosseum (PvP 1on1, 2on2, ect) (instanced area)

Add these features and SE will have +1 costumer.

Firstly, oh dear god. It's Madawc.

Secondly, those are petty reasons to quit and there are ways around that. Also, our elemental skill is fine. We just need spells that are good enough. As far as low-mans, I do fairly low-man stuff with people all the time as a DRK. The gear you strived "so hard for" lasted several years. You got the good stuff out of it and now it's time to move on rather than cling to the past. Still, SE is being nice and already announced they will allow Magian trials for those pieces of gear so people who can't let go of them will be able to keep them.

Thirdly, oh dear GOD. It's Madawc!

[vedder]

zomg he hath found us!

[Cruentus]

You quit for all the wrong reasons. Man up and get your bale armor.

[Urteil]

He has a very good point about our enfeebling / elemental magic, if we aren't going to get any good elmental spells can they please just:

• invert the skill caps already?
  
• Or give us Tier IV so our B+ rating which is the second highest in the game (scholar in stances matches) has some damn use?

The thing I really agree is that as Dark Knight: A PLATE MAIL WEARING CLASS, should be able to solo better or have more self sufficiency. Many classes possess this and still bring team play elements to the table.

Our Defense and VIT is amongst the highest in the game but we need a form of damage mitigation through magic (because we don't posses Ochain which to be honest is utterly ridiculous in how game breaking it is in PvE).

Boosting dread spikes and our drains would be a great boon in this direction and is sorely needed.

I would like our solo ability to be vastly increased, look at BLU and RDM for christ-sakes. I'm not even saying I want to be that good, but I certainly think we need a boost.

[Therin]

Are you SERIOUS?

Just so you know, as a skilled DRK with Apoc you can solo (and I mean SOLO, not dual box) all the NMs that drop your AF3+1 items, which is all much better than your level 75 gear. The only difficult one is the body. And if you really don't want help, you can brew your way to +2s.

[Glamdring]

He has a very good point about our enfeebling / elemental magic, if we aren't going to get any good elmental spells can they please just:

• invert the skill caps already?
  
• Or give us Tier IV so our B+ rating which is the second highest in the game (scholar in stances matches) has some damn use?

The thing I really agree is that as Dark Knight: A PLATE MAIL WEARING CLASS, should be able to solo better or have more self sufficiency. Many classes possess this and still bring team play elements to the table.

Our Defense and VIT is amongst the highest in the game but we need a form of damage mitigation through magic (because we don't posses Ochain which to be honest is utterly ridiculous in how game breaking it is in PvE).

Boosting dread spikes and our drains would be a great boon in this direction and is sorely needed.

I would like our solo ability to be vastly increased, look at BLU and RDM for christ-sakes. I'm not even saying I want to be that good, but I certainly think we need a boost.

I've seen a fair number of good darks, and they solo fairly well. One of the best I've ever seen is in my Dynamis shell and he solos stuff all the time, and not just weak stuff, but big NMs. The biggest problem with the solo dark that I see in action isn't your magic, or your generally pathetic Def in comparisson to other DD of comparable accomplishment, or your miserable acc compared to Sam or War... it's the tremendous delay on your melee damage!

Yes you have spells, and they are there for a reason and SHOULD be part of your play, but the lion's share of your damage is gonna come from your weapon. Now, it would help if more darks were willing to change weaps to exploit prey weaknesses (Gaxe might work better than a scythe on some prey as an example), but I understand your scythe is your baby and you probably have relative garbage for the rest, but you've made an effort on the scythe. However, if you gameplan your battles with the strengths and weaknesses of the job in mind drk can be VERY effective (well, undead is a pain since half your spell arsenal is dark based and they are only weak to damage you don't generally use, as well).

Alot of the above weaknesses I don't see getting adjusted due to balance issues. The other problem facing darks is that they are frequently passed over-even for roles they can fill-because other jobs come to mind more quickly to most leaders. Of course, your enemy here isn't SE, but quite frankly bad dark players. School your lesser-skilled dark brethren; they're giving you a bad rep. I personally like working with darks, and only pass them over when low-manning in Abyssea when I have access to a job that can exploit more !! triggers, or when I don't have access to a healer (rare is the dark who will consider healing important when choosing Atma, even when there is no healer). But top-flight darks are 1-2 shotting normal mobs and still doing amazing damage against NMs, they just do it SLOWLY...

Oh, just out of curiosity, is there a reason I never see you guys using Drain/Aspir/Drain Acc/Drain TP? Because they seem tailor-made to prolonging your survival...

[Madawc]

One of the best I've ever seen is in my Dynamis shell and he solos stuff all the time, and not just weak stuff, but big NMs.

Oh, just out of curiosity, is there a reason I never see you guys using Drain/Aspir/Drain Acc/Drain TP? Because they seem tailor-made to prolonging your survival...

This is totally not what I have experienced. I could solo a dynamis mob drk75/nin with full buffs ready from a team, yes. But that is not "solo", and even after the fight you expect a big cures.

And how exactly does Drain help you solo(not EP)? while you are finished casting you are back down to where you started from but you are down one swing. These spells in solo are only to "open" with. No DRK in their right mind will stop mid-fight to cast abs-vit. Abs-TP works, but it's kinda broken, enemy still has TP after you cast and you will get hurt by their WS.

Dread Spikes II: 2min duration, 25% effective would be great with EnDrain

My reasons for quitting are valid and I won't return until SE fix DRK.

[Glamdring]

Dark is 90 now, Dynamis mobs are a joke to this guy. Only the NMs provide any challenge. In Abyssea, dark with 1 refresh Atma and the rest DD or possibly mounted champion and VV is able to solo normal mobs quite easily. NMs are more of a struggle with dark's speed.

as to spell casting, 1st off, I rarely have spells interrupt my melee attacks on any casting job, including dark. I just pop the macro at the beginning of a swing, and with dark's delay the cast is finished before the next swing comes up. Seems to me lead with Absorb ACC, use your dread spikes when u can, Drain and Aspir 2 as needed. with most stuff going down in a low number of whacks it isn't that much of an issue. As always, if you do have a party, your healers will love you if you at least CONSIDER a bit of defense.

[StingRay104]

My reasons for quitting are valid and I won't return until SE fix DRK.

On behalf of Dark Knights all across vana'diel we thank you for leaving. Nuff Said.