DRK - Soul Survivor/Living Dead feedback:

http://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/wiki/Sole_Survivor
http://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/wiki/Living_Dead

These two abilities, I think in general for DRK are needed of a serious revamp. Let me explain why.

Sole Survivor isn't fun to use, it is only good for trash and useless anywhere else in the game. So in response to that, it is useless to begin with because you don't need it for trash, and its cool-down is way too long anyways for it to be useful on it. So why even have it? I understand perfectly that not all abilities have to be useful for everything, but really when will this be useful when you get it? This would be a great ability when you start out, but when you get it: Level 58, your already almost done grinding, you have no need for this ability.

Living Dead is cool on paper, useless in concept. I think after using it 19 times, its only saved me once. The other times its been unhelpful or didn't trigger. When it finally did trigger I died immediately because what killed me went through and killed me anyways. Special attacks and damage over time effects will still kill you anyways. They ignore the zombie rule. Most attacks just kill you anyways. So - again: cool on paper, useless ability in reality.

Changes I would do to them:

I would change Sole Survivor to be like Guard in SWTOR. It also fits the Dark Knights quest perfectly since the main character in it is always protecting someone, it also pretty much explains the Knight's code of honor... however honorable that may be.

Sole Survivor:
Guards the target while it remains within 20y. While active, the target takes 5% less damage and generates less enmity. Requires Grit. Cannot be used on players using Grit Stance, Shield Oath, or Defiance.
Cool-down: 120 seconds.
Duration: Forever.
Cast Time: Instant.

If the target dies you gain a buff called "Vengeance" which increases damage done and reduces damage taken substantially whilst also increasing enmity gain. Duration: 15 seconds.

Living Dead
Grants the effect of Living Dead. When HP is reduced to 0 while under the effect of Living Dead, instead of becoming KO'd, your status will change to Walking Dead. Living Dead Duration: Forever

While under the effect of Walking Dead you will be healed and slowed by 50%, most attacks will not lower your HP below 1. If, before the Walking Dead timer runs out, HP is 100% restored, the effect will fade. If 100% is not restored, you will be KO'd. Walking Dead Duration: 10s

As a zombie you appear completely different, with glowing eyes.

Recast: 12 minutes

Did... did you not see the translation change to Sole Survivor?

Are you just being sensationalist?

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Originally Posted by Zyph

Did... did you not see the translation change to Sole Survivor?

Are you just being sensationalist?

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Huh? Translation change?

Regardless of what you think I can't know and check every detail about the game.

^
He/she does know about the tooltip bug and the ability's actual functionality as far as I can tell since it is referenced in the feedback.
The point that they are trying to make is that Sole Survivor is useful for trash packs, but has no use for boss fights, which is sort of although not entirely true. In a boss fight with no adds, yes it has no use. In a boss fight with adds it is a nice little top up on HP and MP. Really depends on the situation. Great for trash though.

Honestly what you done with sole survivor pretty much fits what the level 58 quest is about and what it means to be a dark knight. Plus I would prefer your version since currently it does not have much use other than using it on trash mobs during dungeons. Or if bosses have an add phase.

So does Living Dead bypass auto-kill mechanics like the massive AoE in Keeper (i.e. It kills you, but you survive as a Zombie)? I haven't had a chance to test.

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Originally Posted by Syfer22

So does Living Dead bypass auto-kill mechanics like the massive AoE in Keeper (i.e. It kills you, but you survive as a Zombie)? I haven't had a chance to test.

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No, it just kills you anyways.

Poison and other damage over time effects seem to bypass this as well.

I would't say sole survivor is totally useless in boss fights, as long as there's adds. I would like to see a dark arts effect to it, that makes it viable on bosses/single targets. The range cast of the skill is pretty large, so you can easily change target and slap it on an add far away from the boss without having to move.

Living dead to me is ultra sexy. I realize the negative behind it, but in a sense it forces healers to use a large heal on you (obviously unless you mistakenly hit it, you are at very low hp anyways). The amount of time I've lasted with this skill is very insane. Even if you take damage after you are healing heavily, the debuff still wears off.

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Originally Posted by Xyphon

I would't say sole survivor is totally useless in boss fights, as long as there's adds. I would like to see a dark arts effect to it, that makes it viable on bosses/single targets. The range cast of the skill is pretty large, so you can easily change target and slap it on an add far away from the boss without having to move.

Living dead to me is ultra sexy. I realize the negative behind it, but in a sense it forces healers to use a large heal on you (obviously unless you mistakenly hit it, you are at very low hp anyways). The amount of time I've lasted with this skill is very insane. Even if you take damage after you are healing heavily, the debuff still wears off.

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Living Dead is terrible, it has never worked for me in any time I've used it. Cool, really cool ability on paper. Useless in the field.

Yeah, except while its cool on paper its useless in practice. Sole Survivor isn't big enough to warrant the effect in raid. 20% health and mana gain is literally nothing. Its not worth running up and casting on an add when your main tanking because if you go do that you have a chance to screw up the raid. If your OT. If you kill the mob, sure you may get healed. However you have a healer on you, so what is the point? You get some mana back too, however that mana is nothing, you can turn off grit and go to blood weapon since the mobs dead and your not tanking anymore.

Many abilities, can look really nice when you make them. However in actual use, they are proven to be inefficient and pointless.

In translation to what I said in short term: You get it when you don't need it.

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Originally Posted by Nektulos-Tuor

Living Dead is terrible, it has never worked for me in any time I've used it. Cool, really cool ability on paper. Useless in the field.

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A countdown should appear over the player's head a la Death Sentence from previous FF games.

Ninja has a Rabbit pop on their head. I don't think it's an impossibility for SE to add a similar effect to Walking Dead. Zombie is cool too, maybe a tad extreme lol.

( Though really it's still not of much help beyond PUG )

As I said, you shouldn't have to run up and cast it. I've almost casted it across the entire map without moving from tanking the boss lol. I can see what you mean though about diminishing returns, and its kinda "meh" in terms of the results.

I'd have to do a timer on next time I use living dead, but it sure feels longer than hallowed ground. Now the instances I've used it have been when I see my hp reach a certain dangerous threshold and prepare for big hits. Typically if I'm under 2k hp, I hit it regardless. The situations I've used it in is when the healer is dancing through mechanics, and is unable to get off decent enough heals, and I take a big hit.

Two dungeons I've used it in was Fractal and Neverreap on the final bosses. Mind you when people know the fights, this probably never happens. I'm all for buffing these abilities, I'm in no way stating they shouldn't be improved. Just my experience is different than yours in that I've had living dead save me from dying. Sole survivor is nice only when adds are present, otherwise yea completely useless.

If either was changed, such as what you suggested I'm all for it.