DRK lost a lot of things. Missing skill animations and lost skill interaction for sure. But I still fundamentally stand by the current direction that DRK is taking in the realm of more controlled bursts. The decision making is not as busy or frantic like it was in previous editions but that works out for me personally since I enjoy controlled actions (aligning bursts etc) over a bland "sustained dps" that only focuses on not tripping over themselves and hardly interacts with their party.

The lack of synergy, among other things is a step backwards. But overall the skeleton of the job is what I prefer over it's previous incarnations. And that is the problem with DRK right now. Compared to PLD who only evolves and becomes more complete, DRK as is is but a skeleton of a job. Lacking distinctive kit synergies and large differing playstyles from the new tank cookie cutter that SE has settled with. But that is fine because it is a result of a job rework and opens up DRK to more evolution should SE maintain their course for once and expand on ShB DRK.

The alchemic interaction with Blood and MP was really isolated only between 2 skills. TBN and Delirium. The former was interesting due to the GCD shifting nature of Bloodspiller but that was really it. You converted Dark Arts into a Bloodspiller which was a "gain" on very specific situations. The current direction of TBN storing a free Edge/Flood(oGCD) is much more coherent within mana and simply further enforces the more controlled, battery DRK playstyle I personally prefer. Delirium was a capstone offensive skill that had the most minor effect in terms of a button press. It didn't *feel* like it did anything because what it did do was spend a Bloodspiller button into a little longer Blood Weapon button.

However, DRKs dungeon toolkit and the further expanded interaction with Quietus and Abyssal drain was the peak of DRK gameplay. The issue was that it was tuned down or removed because SE wants to make dungeon tanking more uniform which achieves a balance, as hollow as it is. Dungeon being a minor portion of my interest meant that it had no real impact on me but I can understand the anguish for those who have a bit more focus on that type of content. For the most part this also means that generally, every tank's answer to AoE situations is more inline with eachother, rather than previously WAR just instawinning whilst PLD pathetically spammed Total Eclipse as their only option.

DRK being shifted from being a sustained with very minor burst to a more burst orientated class is always going to come as a shock to players because that's just what will happen to an older fanbase used to a previous identity.

Previously we were pressing buttons more spread out through the minute. You can still do that but not to the degree as it was before. But currently optimal DRK is just preparing and building up every minute for the quad double weave sequence. For the sake of comfort and accessibility; that is very good and why DRK is regarded as the most comfy tank.

A burst orientated DRK meant a more team reliant DRK. DRK truly thrived in party buffs and due to the flexible nature of Edges meant that it really gained alot from them. Optimal DRK with an optimal team pre nerfed TA was sitting at second tank DPS, which was a great motivator for job perfection. That imo is much more interesting overall than being an isolated sustained DPS that only functions on its own but that's a pet peeve more than anything and with the direction of balance as well as past stigma, co-ordinated burst has fallen to the wayside so that the selfish DPS can dominate all levels of play, for whatever reason. An unfortunate state where the tank with the most controlled burst is coming into a meta where party buffs are at their weakest.

The opener looking the same GCD wise to WAR is a no brainer because they have a similiar GCD skeleton. But DRK has the biggest opener with the strongest burst potential along with the longest double weave sequence.

All the individual skills being changed from their previous incarnation will come as a shock. But frankly I couldn't care less from what they were previously. Equally uninteresting buttons that are overglorified now simply to validate anti DRK views.
Scourge? It's just Bloodspiller without the nuisance of being a DoT. Abyssal Drain? Dungeon content button. Delirium the GCD? What Storm's Eye is now. A maintenance button.

By all means, add more kit interaction. Add more oGCDs. Bring back OG Reprisal. Bring back Low Blow procs. Let me continue the current piano like roation of DRK. Let me press a sequence of buttons in flow that makes bursting more interesting and filled with adrenaline and give me a short break inbetween these highs.

DRK is an oGCD tank and still is. (I structured my sentence incorrectly earlier and meant that DRKs identity was always a "oGCD Tank".)

Delirium sucks. It can always be better and could've been more interesting instead of throwing more weight into spillers, a skill that even animation wise doesn't flow correctly. But atleast, it is balanced, as easy as it is so my distaste of it is more tempered than most and I enjoy TBN and the oGCD bursts more to care. But that is all tanks. No PLD *wants* to break their requiscat to heal, but it is an option. HS spam is just as uninteresting but PLD is still riding it's high and people don't care enough to complain.

Don't get me started on current Blood Weapon, otherwise known as Infuriate with extra steps.

Other than the overall tank problems. The majority of the playerbase enjoys DRK as is. DRK is still very much fast but not in the GCD manner that people seem to think that only matters. DRK can be expanded and I am hopeful for its future.

It certainly is better than holding onto a bygone past and whinging about it in every single thread.