Quote Originally Posted by Omskahn View Post
And the issue with DRK compared almost all other classes is that they usually have full systems that go in making their theme. WAR is quite not just about Wrath/abandon stacks, its also about having high dmg, high health, self-healing, Aoe dmg, and aoe enmity - as anyone familiar with the class could tell you. I could say similar things about any of the other classes you mentioned. DRK on the other hand doesn't have unique systems, It has an ability that gives other abilities different effects and it uses mana to use many of of those abilities on top of existing skill ideas present in the other tanks. These being the basically ONLY defining traits, with one literally just being resource management, do not give DRK its own theme.
I've come to notice the further you stray from straighforward, the weirder the design gets. WAR and PLD by design are straightforward, since PLD has Halone combo + cooldowns, WAR has enmity combos, some cooldowns, two (three if you count Fracture) debuffs to keep on the mob and Inner Beast.

DRK has...abilities that work a certain way except when you pop Dark Arts, lacking inherent mitigation because of how parries work (I'm surprised DRK was not given a "better parries" type trait that either gives them greater benefits from STR or allows them to parry magic or something), HP drains that are pretty much only worth while with DA, and a couple of mitigation things (though I'm of the belief that Dark Mind needs a redesign).

The more I look at it, the more I think that Dark Arts gating stuff the way it does (as in, most abilities are not worthwhile or don't have full effect unless DA is up) is part of the problem. If MP management is supposed to be a thing for DRK, then it should be tied entirely to Darkside and abilities used while under Darkside. Dark Arts looks more like an extra button to push for the sake of having an extra button to push.

There's two ways I can suggest to deal with this. One would be to can Dark Arts and give abilities with Dark Arts effects an additional MP cost when under Darkside. If the MP cost of popping Dark Arts is supposed to be a prohibiting factor, then add that big MP cost to those abilities. In tandem with this, trim the list of abilities with Dark Arts effects; Power Slash for one shouldn't have its enmity tied to Dark Arts.

The second way would be to change Dark Arts into a resource. Instead of something to click to activate, it becomes a buff that gives abilities an extra effect at an additional MP cost. So as soon as you hit Darkside you have the buff Dark Arts. Upon using a skill with a Dark Arts effect, the buff is consumed and is reapplied to you after 10 seconds. This would mimic the current design without the extra button to push, adding fluidity to combat.

As far as DRK having its own style of mitigation, there's also two suggestions I can give. One would be to grab Souleater and nerf/remove the heal, and instead have it prop up a barrier that absorbs damage determined by the damage Souleater dealt (yes, this is a copy of how Death Strike + Blood Shield work in WoW).

The second option would be removing the INT debuff from Delirium and instead have it give you a stacking buff (caps at 3 stacks, call it "Veil of Shadows", and can only be obtained while under Darkside) that does something. Either increases mitigation, or maybe increases defense from armor, or chances to parry; could be anything that adds to survivability. It'd be something that encourages you to keep the buff up (not unlike WAR's relationship with Maim) while being unique to DRK. I'd add it to Souleater but that would warrant nerfing the heal considerably.