Dark Knight Megathread

[Lyth]

You can't actually take anything for granted, actually. As an example, we know that IR is 60 second recast for 3 Fell Cleaves and likely uses a stack system. They went out of their way to show this. Delirium has likely changed in some capacity as well because it's also down to 60 seconds, but it's difficult to tell what else has changed because it's not really used in a way that I would expect. I don't see a series of Bloodspillers/Quietus being used. Likewise, why is it important that Living Shadow can use the new Flood 2.0 action if all Shadow actions are the same potency? Has that changed? Why is there a new TBN? That's somewhat intriguing given the fact that the only actions that are left unaccounted for that could be pruned are defensive ones. With pretty much every tank gaining a new defensive move (we saw examples of new defensive moves shown for PLD, WAR, and DRK), are we going to see an entire category of defensive moves be removed?

There are other things that are unaccounted for as well. Resource generation and consumption rates have made or broken DRK on previous expansions, and without information on that it's difficult to tell how the job will feel to play. With everything moving to 1-2 minute timers, that's going to change the flow of the job as well.

Most people just look at the flash in these videos and blindly react because thinking is hard. If you have the capacity to look critically, you'll find yourself with more questions than you have answers. And I suspect that part of the reason why some of these things are left vague ('using defensives at opportune moments gives you advantages') is because some of this is still being finalized.

[Ignimortis]

Unless there are major mechanical and numerical shifts in MP generation/spending and ability effects, it is very unlikely DRK will change to a state I am pleased with, because I have a pretty fixed idea of what DRK should play like regardless of general tank changes. Therefore, my bounded expectations range from "it's not gonna play very differently from ShB DRK" to "it's gonna play even worse (read: less pleasant for me personally) than ShB DRK". Most of the stuff you listed does not really impact my enjoyment of the job — Delirium can use the stack system or even become like Ten Chi Jin in a way, defensive moves can stay or go, flow of burst windows doesn't bother me nearly as much as general pace of the job, and I honestly don't think Flood 2.0 on LS is gonna matter much.

The only way for SE to overturn that would be to deliberately conceal very major changes (completely new effects, mostly — though dropping EoS to 1k MP cost and reducing potency appropriately might make me blink) to how abilities work and show it later. I'll wait till the Media Tour to make a final verdict, but I doubt very much that things are gonna improve (again, in my perception, not necessarily in general) majorly. If I'm wrong, I'll be happy. If I'm right, maybe it's time for me to don a longcoat and load some aether bullets.