Ideas for Dark Knight in 6.0

These are some ideas that I've been thinking about for dark knight. They're not perfect and feedback would be much appreciated

Changes to the current Kit

1. Delirium rework

Hopefully third times the charm. What delirium does now, overlooking it's lack of originality, is just boring and out of place in drk's kit. It will become a toggle action like the old darkside stance pre-ShB that causes the darkside timer to count down twice as fast. In return, you gain 5% reduction to all gcd recast time including spells and a 10 potency increase to all actions for as long as its active.(Maybe it halts natural mp regen as well.)

This would hopefully bring back how drk used to feel with some small tweaks to the playstyle. So instead of short bursts of rapid gameplay with the old bloodweapon, drk will be slightly faster at all times and make it so that darkside is something we actually need to manage.

2. OGCDs

This should be the defining feature of drk that seperates it from the other tanks. Having a wide range of ogcds that feels interactive and impactful to your entire kit.

Edge/Flood of Shadow

Edge and Flood will only extend the darkside timer by 20 seconds instead of 30. This would make keeping up darkside less mindless and hopefully a little more thoughtfull.

Abyssal Drain, Carve and Spit, and Salted Earth

I want to make these three play more into the resource management of drk.

Abyssal drain will have its cd lowered to 45 seconds and increase healing and damage potency by 100. It will now cost 1000mp while filling the blood gauge by 20.

Carve and spit will restore 1200mp instead of 600mp and extend darkside by 10 seconds.

Salted earth will cost 15 or 20 seconds of darkside. It increase you natural mp regen and fills the blood gauge by 10 every 3 seconds as long as you're in combat.

Add a new trait in Endwalker where everytime you get a dark arts, the cd of abyssal drain and carve and spit get reduced by 10 seconds.

These changes might be even more important than the delirium rework as this will define how drk would play at max level. Having more ways of gaining and spending resource with these three abilities all feeding into the rest of the kit. The dark art change would bring back elements of HW drk while introducing a risk vs reward factor as correctly using TBN would be more rewarding while risking losing darkside and delirium if misused.(I was thinking about making carve and spit cost blood but you learn it right before you unlock the gauge.)

3. Blackblood

This is our second resource introduce in SB and it feels underwhelming. It should also play into our kit as a whole and effects our other resource.

Bloodspiller and quietus will restore mp by default, 400mp and 600mp respectively. Spending enough blood gauge will grant a dark arts just like breaking TBN. Maybe around 200 to 250 blood spent.

*Continuing in comments due to word limit

4.Living Shadow

This is such a cool looking ability, but it's honetly very bland gameplay wise.

The duration now changes depending on the the darkside timer like mch's queen and can only be summon when you have darkside. It will be 15, 20, and 25 seconds if the darkside timer is between 1-20,21-40, and 41-60 seconds respectively. Each attack will also have their corresponding effect at 50%. When esteem attack with abyssal drain, you get healed for 150 potency. When it uses edge or flood, your darkside timer increase by 10 seconds. When it uses carve and spit, bloodspiller, and quietus, you gain 600mp, 200mp, and 300mp repectively.

The level 90 skill in Endwalker should be related to it as well, either a ogcd that you can use after every hit esteem does like contiuation or a gcd spell that you cast in unison that increase in damage with every hit that esteem does.

5. Living Dead

The bane of all drks and healers alike. I have no idea why square still haven't change this ability.

It will now end in two ways. One is requiring up to 75% max hp healing instead of 100% and increase healing recieved by 20% for the duration. The other is when walking dead ends, it will consume all remain darkside time and heal you up to 20% to 50% max hp depending on how much was consumed.(Maybe you die if you have no darkside active at the end of walking dead.) I originally had an idea back in SB that involved sole survivor where the effect of walking dead ends if you get healed by sole survivor during that time but it got removed so here we are.

6. Other Issues With the Job

Pre-TBN Tanking

This problem isn't exclusive to drk, as gnb and war doesn't learn their short mitigation until level 62 and 56. But drk is the worst case since their unique mitigation requires fight knowledge as well as being encounter specific. I want to add shadowskin back as a early level mitigation that cost 1000mp and reduces damage taken by 15% for 7 seconds on a 15 second cd. It will change into TBN at level 70.

I've also seen suggestions of giving reprisal back to drk but I'm not sure if it should be like old reprisal or remain as is. The old verison wouldn't work too well since drk no longer have any way to increase parry and it might be too strong when it does work as it could be a semi-permanent damage reduction. The one we have now might need its cd reduced to 45 seconds instead of 60.

Lack of Variety in gcds

This has been an issue since SB after the removal of scourge and delirium blade and now with the removal an entire combo.

The simplest and best solution is adding back scourge either as a stand alone dot that you can refresh whenever or as a combo action after hard slash and into souleater. I'm not sure what else we can add besides maybe a second dot but that might be too much. Adding a new spell might be good since it feels completely negalected outside of aoe. (Maybe reprisal becomes a gcd with a 30 second cd that reduces the damage dealt by the target?)

Magic Tank

This is less of an issue but more of a random idea. I think drks being the magic tank is no longer a joke after they fixed dark mind in SB and they are still the best when it comes to magic heavy fights. I'm just thinking maybe let drk be able to parry magic attacks like pld's block.

Conclusion

This is the end of my long list of changes. Hopefully I haven't miss anything too important and you can get a clear idea of what I'm going for. I'm sure most of these won't happen but I really do hope this is the kind of direction square is going with this job.

It's great that you all are still fighting for DRK changes. For me i've given up the job after 5 years of it.

I'll break these down 1 by 1

1. This would be better suited to the original dark side rather than bringing up a new animation as delirium. That said the concept is completely sound
2. Salted earth is probably not the best for this as its ground placement. However if Scourge was broguht back, that would fill the niche quite well
3. I think these mp restores will need a boost considering no inner release spam. In addition, quietus needs a serious damage buff, it just tickles.
4. no thank you, I'd rather have my duration max and also have its timer fixed. I also think it needs its attack range upped because moving bosses it struggles with
5. i think the healing received is a bit weak. The drk must be able to recover from his own invul like the other tanks.
6. TBN is rightfully earned at 70, its a shield made out of love. That being the case Rampart should be replaced by shadowskin. This was a completely unneccesary change SE did in shb.

We desperately need more combos. A branching combo system like we had in HW would go a looooong way to alleviating the boredom in the job

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Recon1o6

We desperately need more combos. A branching combo system like we had in HW would go a looooong way to alleviating the boredom in the job

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1)I would love to bring back enmity combos because enmity is WAY too passive, though I think DRK and WAR would need this the most.
2)Bring back Scourge have it be a third middle combo button (can still be a DoT) and re-work Delirium as Scourge's combo ender with some kind of debuff effect.
3)Balance Plunge as a single target combo starter that becomes Dark Passenger while under the effect of Dark Arts that's also burst cone AoE combo starter(still a gap closer) that combos into Quietus(still PBAoE) and Flood of Shadow(still line AoE) with their inital potencies the same(except Dark Passenger which is base 600 potency) and and potency is boosted by 400 when using a Dark Arts stack
4)Bring back the PVP skill Tar Pit, re-work it for PVE and have it be the middle combo button for Unleash and make Stalwart Soul combo after Tar Pit(stronger AoE combo outside of AoE burst combo
5)Bring back the PVP skill Carnal Chill, re-work it for PVE and have it be the target AoE combo starter, re-work Salted Earth into the middle combo button(applies Scourge DoT to all enemies hit by it and leaves a separate DoT puddle) and re-work Abyssal Drain as the combo ender(weakest damage dealing AoE combo but generates most enmity)
6)Make Edge of Darkness, Bloodspiller, and Carve and Spit basically the single target equivalent of number 3(including Edge of Darkness upgrade into Edge of Shadow via Dark Arts)

And just for the combos idea, active mitigation needs to take a back seat unless they plan to buff the duration of active mitigation skills to be half as long as the cooldown which I am down, and more focus on passive mitigation via Bloodbath(A.K.A. lifesteal) mechanics and some damage down debuff mechanics as well have most of these changes available as late as level 50 so that way leveling past 50 and playing through the story becomes WAY more enjoyable and fun. Because if it's not fun, you're doing it wrong...

EDIT: Also Delete Living Shadow if I can't maintain it and if it can't take hits for me, re-work Darkside into an MP Draining Toggle again and re-work Dark Arts into the demonic love child of GNB cartridges and RDM Balance gauge while bringing back the Dark Arts button(requires Darkside active first). And FOR THE LOVE OF EMET-SELCH AND ELIDIBUS PLEASE MAKE LIVING DEAD GO INTO A 10 SECOND PURE INVULN SHOULD IT FALL AND MAKE WALKING DEAD STATE NOT SUCK BY MAKING IT HEAL YOU TO 100% AND GIVE YOU PURE INVULN FOR 10 SECONDS WHICH MORE THAN JUSTIFIES A 5 MINUTE COOLDOWN!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jakulo

These are some ideas that I've been thinking about for dark knight. They're not perfect and feedback would be much appreciated

Changes to the current Kit

1. Delirium rework

Hopefully third times the charm. What delirium does now, overlooking it's lack of originality, is just boring and out of place in drk's kit. It will become a toggle action like the old darkside stance pre-ShB that causes the darkside timer to count down twice as fast. In return, you gain 5% reduction to all gcd recast time including spells and a 10 potency increase to all actions for as long as its active.(Maybe it halts natural mp regen as well.)

This would hopefully bring back how drk used to feel with some small tweaks to the playstyle. So instead of short bursts of rapid gameplay with the old bloodweapon, drk will be slightly faster at all times and make it so that darkside is something we actually need to manage.

2. OGCDs

This should be the defining feature of drk that seperates it from the other tanks. Having a wide range of ogcds that feels interactive and impactful to your entire kit.

Edge/Flood of Shadow

Edge and Flood will only extend the darkside timer by 20 seconds instead of 30. This would make keeping up darkside less mindless and hopefully a little more thoughtfull.

Abyssal Drain, Carve and Spit, and Salted Earth

I want to make these three play more into the resource management of drk.

Abyssal drain will have its cd lowered to 45 seconds and increase healing and damage potency by 100. It will now cost 1000mp while filling the blood gauge by 20.

Carve and spit will restore 1200mp instead of 600mp and extend darkside by 10 seconds.

Salted earth will cost 15 or 20 seconds of darkside. It increase you natural mp regen and fills the blood gauge by 10 every 3 seconds as long as you're in combat.

Add a new trait in Endwalker where everytime you get a dark arts, the cd of abyssal drain and carve and spit get reduced by 10 seconds.

These changes might be even more important than the delirium rework as this will define how drk would play at max level. Having more ways of gaining and spending resource with these three abilities all feeding into the rest of the kit. The dark art change would bring back elements of HW drk while introducing a risk vs reward factor as correctly using TBN would be more rewarding while risking losing darkside and delirium if misused.(I was thinking about making carve and spit cost blood but you learn it right before you unlock the gauge.)

3. Blackblood

This is our second resource introduce in SB and it feels underwhelming. It should also play into our kit as a whole and effects our other resource.

Bloodspiller and quietus will restore mp by default, 400mp and 600mp respectively. Spending enough blood gauge will grant a dark arts just like breaking TBN. Maybe around 200 to 250 blood spent.

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1, about Delirium / I think that current Delirium should be thrown out, and either reverted back to HW version, reverted back to SB version, or given a effect that at least fits the definition of the word "Delirium". your idea of turning Delirium into a toggle stance is sort of interesting, and could align with my third either, I suppose...

2, about oGCDs / I can more than just agree with this, as my own Dark Knight ideas also go heavy into double-weave design being a core part of Dark Knight, but having various different oGCDs to rotate between, not boring, dull, and redundant Edge of Darkness/Shadow weave.

3, about Edge and Flood of Darkness/Shadow / I would reduce them to grant only 15 seconds, put them on CD(no more spam), and make other oGCDs also maintain DarkSide's duration, personally.

4, about Abyssal Drain, Carve and Spit, and Salted Earth / I can agree with making them more interesting, and your Abyssal Drain and Carve and Spit ideas look. Salted Earth... needs at the bare-bones least, a potency buff. perhaps also a CD reduction. then we can debate special effects, after(if) Salted Earth would at least be made more of use.

5, about BlackBlood Gauge / I can agree that the resource is a problem. still in debate how I myself would improve it and make it more of interest, though...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jakulo

4.Living Shadow

This is such a cool looking ability, but it's honetly very bland gameplay wise.

The duration now changes depending on the the darkside timer like mch's queen and can only be summon when you have darkside. It will be 15, 20, and 25 seconds if the darkside timer is between 1-20,21-40, and 41-60 seconds respectively. Each attack will also have their corresponding effect at 50%. When esteem attack with abyssal drain, you get healed for 150 potency. When it uses edge or flood, your darkside timer increase by 10 seconds. When it uses carve and spit, bloodspiller, and quietus, you gain 600mp, 200mp, and 300mp repectively.

The level 90 skill in Endwalker should be related to it as well, either a ogcd that you can use after every hit esteem does like contiuation or a gcd spell that you cast in unison that increase in damage with every hit that esteem does.

5. Living Dead

The bane of all drks and healers alike. I have no idea why square still haven't change this ability.

It will now end in two ways. One is requiring up to 75% max hp healing instead of 100% and increase healing recieved by 20% for the duration. The other is when walking dead ends, it will consume all remain darkside time and heal you up to 20% to 50% max hp depending on how much was consumed.(Maybe you die if you have no darkside active at the end of walking dead.) I originally had an idea back in SB that involved sole survivor where the effect of walking dead ends if you get healed by sole survivor during that time but it got removed so here we are.

6. Other Issues With the Job

Pre-TBN Tanking

This problem isn't exclusive to drk, as gnb and war doesn't learn their short mitigation until level 62 and 56. But drk is the worst case since their unique mitigation requires fight knowledge as well as being encounter specific. I want to add shadowskin back as a early level mitigation that cost 1000mp and reduces damage taken by 15% for 7 seconds on a 15 second cd. It will change into TBN at level 70.

I've also seen suggestions of giving reprisal back to drk but I'm not sure if it should be like old reprisal or remain as is. The old verison wouldn't work too well since drk no longer have any way to increase parry and it might be too strong when it does work as it could be a semi-permanent damage reduction. The one we have now might need its cd reduced to 45 seconds instead of 60.

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1, the Living Shadow concern / I see this come up in a lot of Dark Knight threads, and yeh.. it is just a mere DoT, and aught to be so much more, while your idea is not so bad.

2, about Living Dead / I have posted my thoughts on this pitiful thing in other threads, that were threads titled specifically about it.

3, about The Blackest Knight / the ability is a nice idea, I will give it that... but.. eh. I feel the need to "improve" it, remove any connection that it has to damage(lousy design), and make it a proper pure-defensive ability, with the "if broken" nonsense made into either a defensive bonus, a HP-related bonus, utility bonus, or just some not-related-to-damage effect.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jakulo

Lack of Variety in gcds

This has been an issue since SB after the removal of scourge and delirium blade and now with the removal an entire combo.

The simplest and best solution is adding back scourge either as a stand alone dot that you can refresh whenever or as a combo action after hard slash and into souleater. I'm not sure what else we can add besides maybe a second dot but that might be too much. Adding a new spell might be good since it feels completely negalected outside of aoe. (Maybe reprisal becomes a gcd with a 30 second cd that reduces the damage dealt by the target?)

Magic Tank

This is less of an issue but more of a random idea. I think drks being the magic tank is no longer a joke after they fixed dark mind in SB and they are still the best when it comes to magic heavy fights. I'm just thinking maybe let drk be able to parry magic attacks like pld's block.

Conclusion

This is the end of my long list of changes. Hopefully I haven't miss anything too important and you can get a clear idea of what I'm going for. I'm sure most of these won't happen but I really do hope this is the kind of direction square is going with this job.

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about GCDs / I agree that Dark Knight needs to have GCD variety again, and bring back old GCDs to accomplish this. and about "magic tank" / more like magic-using tank, as Dark Knight is also still a physical damager-Tank, of course... Dark Knight was and should return to being a physical damager-Tank that also uses Dark magic and Blood Magic.