The Definitive Dark Knight Guide

[Reynhart]

No problem
I'll do what I can to make Dark Knight shines...well, darkens...as much as possible

[Rbstr]

IMO in no situation is the MP cost of Dark Art's justified for Dark Dance's +Evasion. A waste. Dodging means no Blood Price returns, and using that Dark Arts instead for Dark Passenger will Blind opponents but also deal damage (hate and deeps <3).

Beyond that, tanks haven't been able to dodge anything in any turn of BCOB yet, featherfoot or not. If Alexander is the same the evasion is completely useless. In that case, they need to change something up there.

All told, though, I think the DRK has a pretty decent CD suite. As a Main tank having Reprisal + Storms Path from a War OT up could be amazing.

[Zyph]

When should I use Dark Passenger? It's an OGCD skill which makes me feel like I should weaving it into my rotation, but it's so expensive to use I feel like it's not worth it, maybe when you're OT and trying to pump out the damage but not MT.

Also, I'm not 60 yet, but it seems to me that Carve and Spit is one of those things that if you're MT you should save for when you get low on MP and need more right away because you don't have the enmity to keep doing Syphon Strike combos. Am I correct with this?

Also I should note that from what I've experienced, Dark Arts + Power Slash generates PHENOMENAL enmity, so much so that I'm good to go with Syphon Strike rotations for a good 4-5 combos afterwards before considering using another enmity booster. This will probably change in endgame as people start knowing how to completely unload upon the first pull but that just makes DA + PS even more worth as an opener to me.

[Xenosan]

All told, though, I think the DRK has a pretty decent CD suite. As a Main tank having Reprisal + Storms Path from a War OT up could be amazing.

Yay a positive comment And I expect it get's better as we get more familiar with CDs/oGCDs/MP management

When should I use Dark Passenger? It's an OGCD skill which makes me feel like I should weaving it into my rotation, but it's so expensive to use I feel like it's not worth it, maybe when you're OT and trying to pump out the damage but not MT.

It's a better version of Steel Cyclone. Page 1 I wrote my opener rotation, and it uses a Dark Arts > Dark Passenger.

This may change at 60 when we get Carve & Split. I'm anticipating that with situations with 3+ mobs put first Dark Arts on Dark Passenger (C&S for MP regen), but single target situation like Boss, open with Dark Arts > C&S instead, using nekkid Dark Passenger just for it's vanilla potency.

[Giantbane]

Beyond that, tanks haven't been able to dodge anything in any turn of BCOB yet, featherfoot or not. If Alexander is the same the evasion is completely useless. In that case, they need to change something up there.

All told, though, I think the DRK has a pretty decent CD suite. As a Main tank having Reprisal + Storms Path from a War OT up could be amazing.

I think they're missing one strong mitigation tool vs. physical (20%ish, ~2min cooldown). If dark arts + dark dance provided flat physical reduction instead of evasion, or made the parry rate much higher (70-100%) for the duration, such that you could count on parrying incoming damage moves, then this would be sufficient.

Other than that, there are only a few minor nuisances with the class so far. Reprisal's cooldown vs. effect duration. Salted earth as a ground target. And the darkside effect is really fugly.

Well, I guess it's also a concern that there doesn't seem to be much OT utility for the DRK. PLD has heals, stoneskin, + rage of halone debuff. WAR has storm's path/storm's eye. DRK only has delerium, which is completely useless if there's a MNK in the party.

[Docfiord_Fowling]

When should I use Dark Passenger?

Use DP whenever it is on cooldown and you have 2 or more enemies, even if it is not paired with Dark Arts. No matter how you slice it, it is more powerful than if you were to use that same amount of mana on a DA/SE single target.

it seems to me that Carve and Spit is one of those things that if you're MT you should save for when you get low on MP and need more right away because you don't have the enmity to keep doing Syphon Strike combos.

S&C is amazing. I thought it would be a DPS move, but 99% of the time, I'm using it for MP. I'm NEVER holding on to it. Trust me, you can never have too much MP

This will probably change in endgame as people start knowing how to completely unload upon the first pull but that just makes DA + PS even more worth as an opener to me.

The DA/PS opener is still that way in the endgame. I'm about i155 now and doing the expert dungeons and it still holds true.

[Docfiord_Fowling]

If dark arts + dark dance provided flat physical reduction instead of evasion, or made the parry rate much higher (70-100%) for the duration, such that you could count on parrying incoming damage moves, then this would be sufficient.

The Evasion is obviously not meant for endgame content. However, in large dungeon pulls, it is godlike. I'll usually pair a DA+DD and then blind the pack with DA + DP. Strangely, this combo seems to be the biggest form of mitigation I've noticed for trash.

[Rbstr]

Well, I guess it's also a concern that there doesn't seem to be much OT utility for the DRK. PLD has heals, stoneskin, + rage of halone debuff. WAR has storm's path/storm's eye. DRK only has delerium, which is completely useless if there's a MNK in the party.

I agree with this. War gets two good debuffs, 20% damage from maim and now 5% damage deliverance and 500pot Fell Cleave pretty often and Zerk for huge burst. DRK has only Delerium, and that will often just be overwriten by a monk. Nothing so far would proc Reprisal reliably when you're OT. Kinda Lame.

However, I think DRK might really bring the DPS as OT. Darkside is only a 15% bonus, but they have very strong attacks. Scourge for 500pot (Fracture is only 300!), 525 from Salted Earth (though that has downtime). And 400 from a DAed Souleater. As OT they're Siphoning constantly and can use Blood Weapon toreally crank out the Dark Arts. Even without DA, the Delirium and Soul combos have War-equivalent (SE/SP) potency. Hard to call now.

[Syfer22]

It's weird, because Dark Passenger feels so... Blegh, for the mana cost, and the Blind mechanic doesn't feel like it does much. If you feel it's noticeable, though, then maybe I need to test more.

[Pure-Power]

Which cross-class abilities does DRK need?