Dark Knight Megathread

[Ryskim]

Here's what I think the DRK needs. Not sure if someone will ever read this. Whoever reads it, I think it's way beyond the point of receiving interesting changes for 7.0 at all.

• Abyssal Drain: should be a spell that costs 3000 MP, no CD, stronger effect, and 3s spellcasting time.
• Scorched earth: should last longer, have a shorter CD, deal more damage, and drain a small part of that damage as HP.
• Add spell: Absorb-ACC - reduces accuracy of the target and all enemies nearby it. 3s spellcasting time, 3000 MP cost.
• Add spell: Absorb-MP - Absorbs target's MP. 3s spellcasting time. 20s recast.
• Add spell: Absorb-HP - Absorbs target's HP. 3s spellcasting time. 3000 MP cost.
• Remove skill: Living Shadow. This skill is pathetic and should be removed entirely or replace. Making it have the appearance of Fray instead of the player character makes it even worse.
• Rework skill: Flood of Darkness/Shadow: the animation is one of the most hideous and ugliest I've seen in this game. Remake the animation entirely.
• Carve and Spit: remove this skill entirely.
• Dark Mind: remove entirely or make it reduce physical damage as well.
• Souleater: replace with Power Slash.
• DRK's standing still fighting stance should not have the sword pointing towards the ground, but pointing forward, similar to when the DRK is moving with the weapon drawn. I would change it.

[Zairava]

• Abyssal Drain: should be a spell that costs 3000 MP, no CD, stronger effect, and 3s spellcasting time.
• Scorched earth: should last longer, have a shorter CD, deal more damage, and drain a small part of that damage as HP.
• Add spell: Absorb-ACC - reduces accuracy of the target and all enemies nearby it. 3s spellcasting time, 3000 MP cost.
• Add spell: Absorb-MP - Absorbs target's MP. 3s spellcasting time. 20s recast.
• Add spell: Absorb-HP - Absorbs target's HP. 3s spellcasting time. 3000 MP cost.

As a DPS, sure, add some spellcasts, but we're playing a tank. They should be sparse if in the kit at all, think of Reaper.

Moreover...a 3 second spellcast would feel incredibly clunky with DRK in modern XIV. Dark Arts was shortened to 2s recast in Heavensward, Abyssal Drain as well was a GCD with a recast.

• Remove skill: Living Shadow. This skill is pathetic and should be removed entirely or replace. Making it have the appearance of Fray instead of the player character makes it even worse.
• Rework skill: Flood of Darkness/Shadow: the animation is one of the most hideous and ugliest I've seen in this game. Remake the animation entirely.
• Carve and Spit: remove this skill entirely.
• Dark Mind: remove entirely or make it reduce physical damage as well.
• Souleater: replace with Power Slash.
• DRK's standing still fighting stance should not have the sword pointing towards the ground, but pointing forward, similar to when the DRK is moving with the weapon drawn. I would change it.

• Living Shadow is actually a lot of potency, but it hilariously is a completely forgettable ability in actual encounters because you press it and...that's it, like pretty much every other oGCD in its kit.
• There's reasons for reworking or even grounds for removing edge/flood (especially if we were to get DA back) but the animations ain't it, even if I think flood is underwhelming as hell. The bottom line is they're boring as sin damage ogcd's that require no thought since you just dump them in burst windows (like, again, basically every other oGCD DRK has).
• ...Why? How would removing Carve and Spit even remotely help Dark Knight compared to actually doing something more with the ability?
• Same as before, how would removing Dark Mind help DRK even remotely, even if they were to not give it +flat mit%? In places where it can be used it's invaluable.
• I don't think many of us will argue wanting Power Slash over Souleater. Souleater feels like a wet noodle to press, and it feels completely criminal they didn't just let us keep Power Slash and shift the HP restore onto it.
• IIRC, it is an actual stance, but I don't remember specifically what. Plus, the bigger issue is the running, not sprinting, stance while holding the weapon. Which while I would like to see modified, DRK has much more pressing issues then merely how it looks while holding it running.