DRK the least chunkiest or is it just me?

I feel like every other tank can take many many many more punches than DRK.
Am I playing it wrong?

DRK is the most tanky of them all, you need to play it right. :p

Is this your only/main account?

You only have DRK leveled, how do you even know that 'every other tank can take many many many more punches than DRK'?

Do you even use TBN?

What kind of bait is this thread?

TBN helps alot
but there are times where its gets a bit wonky

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ArianeEwah

Is this your only/main account?

You only have DRK leveled, how do you even know that 'every other tank can take many many many more punches than DRK'?

Do you even use TBN?

What kind of bait is this thread?

---

Because I've seen other tanks solo stuff that is impossible for me to solo. I don't have any way to survive without The Blackest Night and that isn't available until level 70 content.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Siete

Because I've seen other tanks solo stuff that is impossible for me to solo. I don't have any way to survive without The Blackest Night and that isn't available until level 70 content.

---

Better Gear, maybe? Or you're simply not that skilled in your job yet (compared to Tanks playing for years).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Siete

Because I've seen other tanks solo stuff that is impossible for me to solo. I don't have any way to survive without The Blackest Night and that isn't available until level 70 content.

---

Is your gear up-to-date? Staying on-top of armour is more important as a tank than any other role.

You need a lot of time to learn and get proper gear.

DRK is one of the tankiest jobs in the game thanks to the shield, other tank jobs only have additional 10-20% CD more in comparison to DRK.

But I'm talking about BEFORE getting The Blackest Night...
It's like, no mitigation or substain before that compared to other tanks.
I have some pop CDs but so do the other tanks.
I've seen a GNB heal himself through Nidhogg and as a DRK I can't do that, I don't have the buttons to keep myself alive and heal up that way.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Siete

But I'm talking about BEFORE getting The Blackest Night...
It's like, no mitigation or substain before that compared to other tanks.
I have some pop CDs but so do the other tanks.
I've seen a GNB heal himself through Nidhogg and as a DRK I can't do that, I don't have the buttons to keep myself alive and heal up that way.

---

You cant help about it, the game is balanced around lvl 80 and there are some glaring issues in between 1-80 that are impossible to solve.
If it may help, in role actions you have additional 3 damage reduction tools.
Arms length that reduces mobs attacking you attack speed by 20%, Rampart which reduces incoming damage by 20% and Reprisal which reduces mobs damage damage by 10%, use them with Shadowall which you get at lvl 38 and it should be enough for lvling dungeons/etc.
Stunning big mobs with Low Blow role action also helps a lot.

Also i could asure you that GNB will never outheal DRK on the same lvl and gear.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Siete

But I'm talking about BEFORE getting The Blackest Night...
It's like, no mitigation or substain before that compared to other tanks.
I have some pop CDs but so do the other tanks.
I've seen a GNB heal himself through Nidhogg and as a DRK I can't do that, I don't have the buttons to keep myself alive and heal up that way.

---

You are using Arm's Length and new Reprisal, correct?

The Soul Eater Combo regenerates some HP, though. Abyssal Drain as well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nedkel

You cant help about it, the game is balanced around lvl 80 and there are some glaring issues in between 1-80 that are impossible to solve.
If it may help, in role actions you have additional 3 damage reduction tools.
Arms length that reduces mobs attacking you attack speed by 20%, Rampart which reduces incoming damage by 20% and Reprisal which reduces mobs damage damage by 10%, use them with Shadowall which you get at lvl 38 and it should be enough for lvling dungeons/etc.
Stunning big mobs with Low Blow role action also helps a lot.

Also i could asure you that GNB will never outheal DRK on the same lvl and gear.

---

I already make use of all those skills, even reprisal before big burst attacks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Siete

I already make use of all those skills, even reprisal before big burst attacks.

---

Time then to lvl and gear yourself.

I look at you character profile here on lodestone and asuming is more or less updated to you current progress you are a lvl 75 DRK using crafting lvl 70 gear with the ilvl of 385 more or less, you gear is pretty low for you level so thats the primary problem i see, lvl 75 gear have a ilvl of 406.
If you are progressing on SHB main quest right now i recomend you to use all the coffer chest they give you on the quest rewards to properly progress with your gear and don't get behing, other option is use you old allagan tomestomes to buy ilvl 390 gear on Rhalgr's Reach to make everything more easy, if still with all that you feel you are like a paper tank despite DRK being incredible strong on the defensive department you should look at guides to properly mitigate, i hope all that helps ^^.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nedkel

Also i could asure you that GNB will never outheal DRK on the same lvl and gear.

---

He mentioned Nidhogg which is Lv60.

At Level 60, GNB's self-heals come in the form of the HoT that they get which I am fairly certain is Lv60 or lower, and also Brutal Shell which is the 2nd attack in a 3-button combo (if you wanted to focus on self-healing, and not care about DPS output, you could just do the first two buttons repeatedly and skip the 3rd).

Meanwhile, Souleater is the last button in a 3-button combo and, AFAIK, other than Abyssal Drain (which highly favors groups of mobs rather than one enemy), is the only heal button a DRK has at 60.

So I could understand the illusion that DRKs are softer (or at least have less self-heal) than GNBs (at that level), given those two points.

Also, GNB puts out way more damage. Way more. So if you kill the enemy faster, you'll obviously take less damage.

EDIT: I am really surprised, though, that the OP did not mention Paladin. I mean, if you're going to complain about a tank being underpowered, wouldn't you compare said tank to PLD? PLDs can solo some bosses at current level or at least could in Stormblood, dunno if they still can in ShB. I've seen the first boss of Ghimlyt Dark, and the 1st boss of Sirensong Sea being mostly solo'd by a capped PLD.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by shao32

I look at you character profile here on lodestone and asuming is more or less updated to you current progress you are a lvl 75 DRK using crafting lvl 70 gear with the ilvl of 385 more or less, you gear is pretty low for you level so thats the primary problem i see, lvl 75 gear have a ilvl of 406.
If you are progressing on SHB main quest right now i recomend you to use all the coffer chest they give you on the quest rewards to properly progress with your gear and don't get behing, other option is use you old allagan tomestomes to buy ilvl 390 gear on Rhalgr's Reach to make everything more easy, if still with all that you feel you are like a paper tank despite DRK being incredible strong on the defensive department you should look at guides to properly mitigate, i hope all that helps ^^.

---

^^
Also, this.

It's this ridiculous notion that people keep propagating that "Tomestone gear is fine until x7!"

Um, no.

No, it's not. Especially not for a tank, and I would say not for a healer either.

You should be replacing Tomestone gear at x5. x3 is... "eh."

x3 is better than Tomestone, but only barely.

Since you got trusts in ShB, go to Don Mheg, use Trusts, that way you're guaranteed to get all the drops to yourself and the Trusts can usually keep nearly anybody alive as long as you pull single groups. Just don't bring Urianger.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Maeka

EDIT: I am really surprised, though, that the OP did not mention Paladin. I mean, if you're going to complain about a tank being underpowered, wouldn't you compare said tank to PLD? PLDs can solo some bosses at current level or at least could in Stormblood, dunno if they still can in ShB. I've seen the first boss of Ghimlyt Dark, and the 1st boss of Sirensong Sea being mostly solo'd by a capped PLD.

---

I was in Grand Cosmos, the new expert dungeon, and because too many items were destroyed the healer and I died to the blue fire attack. The Paladin then kept himself and the other DD alive and they cleared the fight.


DRK is a wet noodle until he learns TBN at lvl 70. With that skill he becomes the most defensive tank. But in regards to self sustain he is really bad and needs a healer to survive.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Maeka

snip

---

DRK on 60 actually selfheals more than GNB because DRK doesn't have any other weaponskills besides the 1-2-3 combo, while GNB has extras in form of Burst Strike and Gnashing Fang. Aurora just makes it even. Their overall heal is pretty much the same.

And while GNB DOES more damage, it's only 'way more' in lower levels, but at 72+ they should be almost equal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Maeka

It's this ridiculous notion that people keep propagating that "Tomestone gear is fine until x7!"

---

Tomegear is actually 'fine' until x9/10 IF it is augmented! You don't need to fully upgrade your gear with HQ crafted or dungeon-gear every 2nd dungeon. You take what drops for you, you don't need to spam the same dungeon over and over to get a full set (unless you like glamour). SE did a great thing with guaranteed drops for your role/job.

I agree tho, if it's not augmented, it should be upgraded asap.

The problem why people start to cry about gear is because those tanks and healers don't make full use of their toolkit, and underperform heavily.

And I would like to add that DPS should not be excused either. Yes, we are not allowed to use DPS meters, that makes it easier for DPS to get away unnoticed. But the impact of thier out-dated gear or bad performance is noticeable and can't be out-healed or -tanked once you see that big pull just not dying. Those people lack self-awareness, and are going to blame the tank or healer, despite them being unable to deal acceptable damage. (<- experience fictional /s)

But I am drifting away from the topic, so back it.

@OP: I really don't know what you might or might not have seen about said GNB or whatever tank. You just can't compare situation A with situation B, and then say that you couldn't handle A while on DRK, but it was actually B. You are mixing apples and oranges, and compare them to berries and melons (or something like that).

I bet you also didn't check 1) gear, 2) level, 3) skill etc.

You will get better over time with practice, just watching a video doesn't make you a DRK master in a day.

Prior to lvl 70, DRK sucks in comparison to the rest of the tanks. Facts are facts, DRK essentially has the bare bone basics for mitigating damage up until that point. Can it get the job done? Obviously, but it's not going to be a pleasant journey.

Still, after 70 it's a whole different ball game. DRK is the most consistently tanky tank. The secret is to not use flood of shadows at all (unless you've activated both BW and Quietus), and instead just spam TBN and holding onto Abyssal Drain to use it in between cooldowns and TBNs when your health is around 75%.

DRK is actually the most clunkiest tank in the game, thanks to having a terrible rework this expansion and we are more than likely waiting yet another expansion to see if leveling gets better or gets worse for DRK...


I've listed a lot of problems in other threads and how to fix them but because of how they treat DRK after Heavensward, just expect DRK to get worse and worse with each expansion until the x.3 patches where the damage is already done to the class that makes people not want to play it/bring it into raids outside of roulettes or PF that don't lock DRK out...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by shao32

I look at you character profile here on lodestone and asuming is more or less updated to you current progress you are a lvl 75 DRK using crafting lvl 70 gear with the ilvl of 385 more or less, you gear is pretty low for you level so thats the primary problem i see, lvl 75 gear have a ilvl of 406.
If you are progressing on SHB main quest right now i recomend you to use all the coffer chest they give you on the quest rewards to properly progress with your gear and don't get behing, other option is use you old allagan tomestomes to buy ilvl 390 gear on Rhalgr's Reach to make everything more easy, if still with all that you feel you are like a paper tank despite DRK being incredible strong on the defensive department you should look at guides to properly mitigate, i hope all that helps ^^.

---

So, getting geared to 75 will help me be more tanky in below 70 roulette content?
Because that's what I'm talking about all along.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ArianeEwah

DRK on 60 actually selfheals more than GNB because DRK doesn't have any other weaponskills besides the 1-2-3 combo, while GNB has extras in form of Burst Strike and Gnashing Fang. Aurora just makes it even. Their overall heal is pretty much the same.

And while GNB DOES more damage, it's only 'way more' in lower levels, but at 72+ they should be almost equal.



Tomegear is actually 'fine' until x9/10 IF it is augmented! You don't need to fully upgrade your gear with HQ crafted or dungeon-gear every 2nd dungeon. You take what drops for you, you don't need to spam the same dungeon over and over to get a full set (unless you like glamour). SE did a great thing with guaranteed drops for your role/job.

I agree tho, if it's not augmented, it should be upgraded asap.

The problem why people start to cry about gear is because those tanks and healers don't make full use of their toolkit, and underperform heavily.

And I would like to add that DPS should not be excused either. Yes, we are not allowed to use DPS meters, that makes it easier for DPS to get away unnoticed. But the impact of thier out-dated gear or bad performance is noticeable and can't be out-healed or -tanked once you see that big pull just not dying. Those people lack self-awareness, and are going to blame the tank or healer, despite them being unable to deal acceptable damage. (<- experience fictional /s)

But I am drifting away from the topic, so back it.

@OP: I really don't know what you might or might not have seen about said GNB or whatever tank. You just can't compare situation A with situation B, and then say that you couldn't handle A while on DRK, but it was actually B. You are mixing apples and oranges, and compare them to berries and melons (or something like that).

I bet you also didn't check 1) gear, 2) level, 3) skill etc.

You will get better over time with practice, just watching a video doesn't make you a DRK master in a day.

---

Sorry but you failed on all your bets.
I feel like I'm getting trolled by most replies assuming whatever is good to be offensive or insulting?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Siete

Sorry but you failed on all your bets.
I feel like I'm getting trolled by most replies assuming whatever is good to be offensive or insulting?

---

Funny that all your posts seem like trolling, too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Siete

Because I've seen other tanks solo stuff that is impossible for me to solo. I don't have any way to survive without The Blackest Night and that isn't available until level 70 content.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RicaRuin

Better Gear, maybe? Or you're simply not that skilled in your job yet (compared to Tanks playing for years).

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Siete

I've seen a GNB heal himself through Nidhogg and as a DRK I can't do that, I don't have the buttons to keep myself alive and heal up that way.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Maeka

EDIT: I am really surprised, though, that the OP did not mention Paladin. I mean, if you're going to complain about a tank being underpowered, wouldn't you compare said tank to PLD? (...)

---

No tank on lvl 60 can acutally solo Nidhogg or any other trial boss. Dungeon bosses are another story, but since ShB, PLD is the only tank that can survive long fights thanks to clemency.

You also never mentioned whether 'said GNB' was synced, or unsynced, maxed or on same level. Tho, we can assume it was synced because you mentioned not having TBN. Nidhogg is the only example you posted, and it makes zero sense to the majority here. GNB is just as unable to solo Nidhogg as DRK is - as long as they are on the same level, period.

You can't expect us to believe you saw a GNB solo Nidhogg while synced to level 60!

If all this is real and no troll, you failed to draw a clear picture of your situation.

EDIT: Well, sorry if my posts seem insulting to you, but after the 1235324th thread about 'DRK is bad', 'DRK sucks', 'DRK too weak', 'DRK clunky' etc with opening posts that tend to look like written by 12-years-old with no clear statement, and only 'feeling' I can but raise an eyebrow.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Siete

So, getting geared to 75 will help me be more tanky in below 70 roulette content?
Because that's what I'm talking about all along.

---

i missed the post you mention is about under lvl 70, no, DRK without TBN won't have much more to dealt with it, SE have a unhealty obsesion to makes tanks and specially DRK feel awfully bad under lvls 70-72 on dungeons, DRK don't having TBN earlier it's saddly the worse.

DRK and WAR are both tankier than PLD and GNB. All have enough kit to get you through any content, though it is funny to see your character’s outright refusal to die as a DRK or WAR.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Conando

DRK and WAR are both tankier than PLD and GNB. All have enough kit to get you through any content, though it is funny to see your character’s outright refusal to die as a DRK or WAR.

---

Only once DRK gets TBN, which is still not the issue the OP is talking about :

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Siete

I don't have any way to survive without The Blackest Night and that isn't available until level 70 content.

---

Before that, it is definitely less durable than PLD or WAR. Not gonna talk about GNB, I don't have much experience with it.

No one cares about below 70 lvl content balance.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nedkel

No one cares about below 70 lvl content balance.

---

Apparently, someone does, and is completely free to create a topic to ask for advice. As you're completely free to ignore it you think it's not worth your time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DRKoftheAzure

DRK is actually the most clunkiest tank in the game, thanks to having a terrible rework this expansion and we are more than likely waiting yet another expansion to see if leveling gets better or gets worse for DRK...


I've listed a lot of problems in other threads and how to fix them but because of how they treat DRK after Heavensward, just expect DRK to get worse and worse with each expansion until the x.3 patches where the damage is already done to the class that makes people not want to play it/bring it into raids outside of roulettes or PF that don't lock DRK out...

---

Drk is hardly clunky right now, especially compared to 4.0 DRK. If anything its way too simple.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nedkel

No one cares about below 70 lvl content balance.

---

All what I know is that I have not enough cooldowns for Susano story or Chrysalis, and their tankbusters hurt. Of course you can survive them when the healer carries you, but I always feel bad when such fights pop in roulette.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tint

All what I know is that I have not enough cooldowns for Susano story or Chrysalis, and their tankbusters hurt. Of course you can survive them when the healer carries you, but I always feel bad when such fights pop in roulette.

---

Yeah, feels like I'm not tanking but being kept alive too much

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tint

All what I know is that I have not enough cooldowns for Susano story or Chrysalis, and their tankbusters hurt. Of course you can survive them when the healer carries you, but I always feel bad when such fights pop in roulette.

---

Wait, Chrysalis? DRK has at worst second-best cd set for this, because DM has lower cd than Thrill and don't even get me started on Camouflage. PLD is the only tank with their on-demand cd at 50(and they don't have any "extra" TB cd due to passive block for fluff), so lack of TBN isn't really unfair there.

Susano I could imagine due to physical busters, but I'm pretty sure it should be all right since they reduced cd on SW in 4.3, especially now that you have your "tank stance" mitigation permanently baked into a trait.

Honestly between addition of Tank Mastery, Arm's Length and Reprisal being now 10 second AoE, I don't see how even leveling dungeon trash should be an issue for DRK. If anyone's got trouble, it might just be the problem of not using their role kit effectively.

They should make Dark Mind worth something other than magical damage that way DRK will feel more tanky at lower levels.

I thought people were bored of the bloodspiller spam, guess not, I personally don't like pressing 1 skill 5 times in a row every few mins. Clunkiest ? is that a question ? or an answer ? just look at it, living dead, tbn, /gag

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Adventica6

I thought people were bored of the bloodspiller spam, guess not, I personally don't like pressing 1 skill 5 times in a row every few mins. Clunkiest ? is that a question ? or an answer ? just look at it, living dead, tbn, /gag

---

Chunkiest, not clunkiest.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Siete

I feel like every other tank can take many many many more punches than DRK.
Am I playing it wrong?

---

How about you edit your original post to include the true details of what you’re asking instead of this misleading first post that is tripping everyone up who reads it? Mention that you are asking for lv 70 and below content, before you get TBN.

I feel like if op communicated his/her issue better from the get go it would bring in less people tripping up over his/her post.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brightshadow

They should make Dark Mind worth something other than magical damage that way DRK will feel more tanky at lower levels.

---

When the first ppl played and tested GNB and the Camouflage ability during fanfest, I thought SE would've added a parry bonus to Dark Mind or as an additional ability with a shared CD or something (Dark Dance, anyone?).

They really should add the fully/30%/50% parry bonus to DM.

They definitely could and probably should do that. It will still make it kind of weak, but at least it could have more use in lower level content due to less magic damage coming out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Satarn

Wait, Chrysalis? DRK has at worst second-best cd set for this, because DM has lower cd than Thrill and don't even get me started on Camouflage. PLD is the only tank with their on-demand cd at 50(and they don't have any "extra" TB cd due to passive block for fluff), so lack of TBN isn't really unfair there.

---

Well I tried Dark Mind there and had the feeling it didn't mitigate anything at all. And without a proper way to tell if an attack is magical or physical (and I don't have a parser on PS4) I came to the conclusion that the tankbuster must be physical.

And when you have to use guess-work Dark Mind is maybe nice to have, but nothing you can rely on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nedkel

DRK is the most tanky of them all, you need to play it right. :p

---

If he is below level 70 DRK is the least tanky. Paladin gets shelltron early and has a built in block on top of parry. Gunbreaker has a heal/shield on its combo and aurora. Warrior has raw intuition and equilibrium. The order you get skills for Dark Knight is just completely screwed up. They don't get darkest night until 70. Heck, they don't get the second part of their AoE combo until 72. They don't pick up their class specific stuff until late and are kind of half a tank before 70.

If anyone says Dark Knight sucks as a tank, I would bet on them being below 70 at which point I agree they are weaker than all the other tanks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by IntrovertAnt

How about you edit your original post to include the true details of what you’re asking instead of this misleading first post that is tripping everyone up who reads it? Mention that you are asking for lv 70 and below content, before you get TBN.

I feel like if op communicated his/her issue better from the get go it would bring in less people tripping up over his/her post.

---

How's he supposed to know that DRK gets better at 70? If someone just picks up the class it would clearly seem like something is wrong with it. Really the DRK experts should know there is an issue below 70. I'm not a DRK main and I immediately knew he was below 70.