Confused about DRK complaints

[Timat]

Yeah, I haven't gotten Dark Arts yet. So far, a simple Unleash, maybe two, then rotate between targets and pop a little aggro on each is usually pretty sufficient to tank most trash mobs. Boss fights aren't much more difficult. So far, holding aggro is almost boring. I do relatively decent damage even with grit but putting on Darkside without having Dark arts is just a MP drain that may prevent me from using Unleash when something happens. Shrug. That's how it seems so far.

You are still in the lower levels overall...so yea its going to seem simple. But again you have yet to get a key skill in the DRK kit.

in addition as was said Darkside should always be on. In fact if its so simple there should be no problem with you keeping it up no?

[Zolentus]

Dark Arts with Dark Dance - adds 20% evasion to the 30% extra parry - great mitigation in big packs
Dark Arts with Souleater - 400 potency instead of 260, bigger self heal, more damage
Dark Arts with Dark Passenger - adds blind effect - enemies more likely to miss - more mitigation
Dark Arts with Abyssal Drain - absorbs AOE damage as HP

Don't forget:

Dark Arts with Dark Mind = Increase from 15% to 30% damage reduction against magical attacks.

This particular combination turns the Tankbuster (a series of rays following the move Discord) in the final phase of Alexander - Burden of the Father from a horrific juggling match for healers into a manageable speed bump. And its 60 second cooldown fits in perfectly with the rotation for this move, so it's up every time. There's a few other fights where it finds use, but here's where it presently shines. It also emphasizes the importance of MP management and combat awareness for Dark Knights.

[Allyrion]

Yeah, I haven't gotten Dark Arts yet. So far, a simple Unleash, maybe two, then rotate between targets and pop a little aggro on each is usually pretty sufficient to tank most trash mobs. Boss fights aren't much more difficult. So far, holding aggro is almost boring. I do relatively decent damage even with grit but putting on Darkside without having Dark arts is just a MP drain that may prevent me from using Unleash when something happens. Shrug. That's how it seems so far.

Do you have Blood Price?
After you get Blood Price, but before you get Dark Arts then you should able to Unleash as much as you want.
Why deny the 15% damage anyway? Like you said, holding hate doesn't take much so it's not like you need to conserve your mana at that stage.
Besides the damage, as has been said, you can't use Dark Dance and a few other CDs without Darkside up.

If you want to use Unleash, you're tanking multiple mobs. So Blood Price should refund that mana and having Darkside is just a boost (CD access, damage and Dark Arts later on).
You get Blood Price at only 35.

Also, I think you're overstating how much Darkside actually drains. It's very minimal, what it mostly does is stop your natural regen.
The fight would have to last a while for you to even get an extra Unleash from not having Darkside on (compared to it being on). So it's not really taking that much away in combat.

[Lazka]

i think its better to not using Dark art for high combo (souleater or carve and spit) if u MTin with DRK
and i think u will not running out MP if u just using Dark Art just for CD skill... (dark mind and dark dance)
so... darkside is possible to up all the way till boss die...
and if u OT.. i think its imposible to run out MP too.. u can use blood weapon for MP regen...
so maybe... ppl complain because not used be a tank with DRK...

[Kiteless]

i think its better to not using Dark art for high combo (souleater or carve and spit) if u MTin with DRK
and i think u will not running out MP if u just using Dark Art just for CD skill... (dark mind and dark dance)
so... darkside is possible to up all the way till boss die...
and if u OT.. i think its imposible to run out MP too.. u can use blood weapon for MP regen...
so maybe... ppl complain because not used be a tank with DRK...

By not using DA to buff Soul Eater, you're missing out on a massive amount of damage output, healing, and threat generation.

[Bustaperizm]

I was of the idea to not keep darkside on all the time too for awhile. But with proper aggro management. You can keep it up nearly the whole fight. Im talking about current raid content and not dng. You should take off darkside during long dodge mechanics (ravana charges) to let your mo regen naturally.

Pull the boss however you like and make sure you get in a DA powerslash. You should be so far ahead you can DE combo and DA soul eater when you have mana to burn. All with darkside up. Throw in a DA powerslash combo when you feel someone is getting close and watch em drop back down.

[Shards]

I love how Darkside works although I am still learning how to manage my MP pool properly. Maybe because I am still new, but I feel that Dark Arts might need a slight cost reduction.

[Bustaperizm]

XD. I dont think you'll find any drk to go against that suggestion. <_<

[Syfer22]

Basically, you haven't played DRK yet.

Pretty much this.

[Wintersandman]

Some people say mana management is a joke for Dark but I have only seen two from 30-51 in dungeons that actually knew what mana management was.