We (maybe) did it. DRK is being looked at.

[Mahrze]

I actually like the idea of a Magic version of TA for DRK.

Though the rotation of DRK will be interesting once its added in theory.

Even if WAR and PLD are better tanks, this would actually make some groups want a DRK over one of the others, solely because they might have friends who are casters in the group.

Exactly, not so much to "change the meta" but give an alternative would give a different approach for DRK. DRK+ PLD as tanks and if they ever decide to push MNK to better support casters with blunt also doing magic resistance down. You'd have MNK + BLM + SMN + RDM as DPS and all 8 would get magic synergy.

[Claire_Pendragon]

Um...so, I have a question. How is Dark Knight doing now currently after the update in comparison to the other two tanks?

Because of more times the boss is untargettable, WARs burst DPS makes them do even more, and with DRKs lack of burst, means PLD also does a bit more.

With TBN and Dark Mind, a DRK can handle most Tank Busters pretty well, due to most being magical. Except they lack fluff mitigation for the auto attacks, leading to nearly 50% more healing through out the whole fight.

And of course, DRKs struggle to hold hate w/o grit/powerslash, even with shirk, unless they have a NIN, just like in HW. (Mostly on SAMs)
(Also doesnt help PLD and WAR still have abilities to help cheeze mechanics and make fights easier. Supposedly the floors have all been solo tanked, but none of those solos were possible with a DRK.)

[Bourne_Endeavor]

On the subject of 'mandatory buffs', the common features for these abilities are that they either affect the gameplay of everyone in the party (i.e. Trick Attack, Balance), or they affect a subset of the group with 100% uptime (i.e. Slashing Resistance Down, Piercing Resistance Down). I very strongly would like to see a move away from both these types of buffs.

I think the solution is to merge the two concepts. For example, Trick and Slashing could and should very much be replaced with a short duration vulnerability up that specifically affects melee, with an immunity debuff to prevent reapplication. You could do something similar between Balance and Embolden for casters, or between Disembowel and Hypercharge for ranged. This makes the individual effects less game-changing, and also gets rid of those "flavour" 100% uptime buffs that conveniently shoehorn certain raid comps into happening.

There's still the issue of jobs with high burst having a strict dps advantage on low-uptime fights, but it would be a step in the right direction.

I would love to see a move away from these buffs, especially silly ones like Slashing and Piercing. They're just mindless considering only exceptionally awful players who have no idea how their job works won't apply them 100% of the time. Balance is a bit harder to work around as lessening the impact of its cards will make White Mage challenge it heavily. Granted, perhaps that would be a good thing.

[whiskeybravo]

(Also doesnt help PLD and WAR still have abilities to help cheeze mechanics and make fights easier. Supposedly the floors have all been solo tanked, but none of those solos were possible with a DRK.)

I hear biblio wrecks but I was able to tank both the adds quite easily in v3s because my Pld kept dying. With ghost cheese in v1s (we haven't been successful with it), I could also see that being solo-able, though I'd certainly miss my cover (Pld solo tank?). I don't see how you'd do that in v2s though because of the high damage OT is taking, maybe just superhuman healers lol

(reminds me of the drg that cross class'd Skull Sunder so he could tank one of the hands in a3s. I guess anything is possible!)

[Akasha_Carnelian]

For Sigmascape V2S, unless they changed something with the recent hotfix patch, if you only had one tank the Goddess Chardanook wouldn't do auto-attacks on anyone (MT included). The group I raid with tested this out week one but have since decided to do our weekly clears with both tanks. For those interested I did indeed solo tank it week one as DRK and did fine (though a bit oversafe with Grit).

[Galgarion]

If they're looking for a niche for Dark Knight tanks, what they ought to consider is making them reactive tanks like 2.0 warcraft paladins. It's a really fun playstyle! Reactive tanks do more damage and self healing depending on how many mobs are beating on them, aND they're great against bosses that deal fast damage, while being average against slower hitting targets.

[FallenWings]

If they're looking for a niche for Dark Knight tanks, what they ought to consider is making them reactive tanks like 2.0 warcraft paladins. It's a really fun playstyle! Reactive tanks do more damage and self healing depending on how many mobs are beating on them, aND they're great against bosses that deal fast damage, while being average against slower hitting targets.

DRK needs anything else but more fight designs catering to its comparatively dumpster ability set.

[MagiusNecros]

If they're looking for a niche for Dark Knight tanks, what they ought to consider is making them reactive tanks like 2.0 warcraft paladins. It's a really fun playstyle! Reactive tanks do more damage and self healing depending on how many mobs are beating on them, aND they're great against bosses that deal fast damage, while being average against slower hitting targets.

Doesn't help if you aren't MT or if your damage is shit or if your self healing is rather minimal. All problems DRK kinda has.

Wants to be hit so MT is best bet, damage is lower then other 2 and it isn't sustainable that much, and the self healing compared to the others is crap.

[Claire_Pendragon]

A unique thing to give DRK, Change Sole Survivor to target PT members, and its new effect "Cuts threat in half".

Thinking about how NINs threat control is so useful for DRK, and with good DPS, can darn near be a requirement for DRKs tanking out of grit/powerslashes.
So with this change, it might help open up some combos as well. (someone else suggested a magic vulnerability of 5% as well on enemies, for caster compositions.)

[Mahrze]

If they're looking for a niche for Dark Knight tanks, what they ought to consider is making them reactive tanks like 2.0 warcraft paladins. It's a really fun playstyle! Reactive tanks do more damage and self healing depending on how many mobs are beating on them, aND they're great against bosses that deal fast damage, while being average against slower hitting targets.

Reactive means it'll need to be MT or be proactive to trigger something. DRK is pretty reactive in that (mobbed by enemies) sense with blood price, but still, the MP/blood generation is paltry and the damage output is still pretty weak with self healing no fully sustained in the mid run. But that "reactive" essence you describe is not only already built in on PLD (blocking) and WAR (parry), but it's still better on PLD or WAR.