Proposed Dark Knight Indentity and Skill Changes

[Chrono_Rising]

Part 1

Before I get into what I see as issues with dark knights, I would first like to thank the the developers for SB. I really enjoyed the story and game play elements, many of which felt new and creative.

I am primarily concerned with raiding and end game content. Having participated in the current ex primals I feel that dark knight is suffering from an identity crisis as well as being, in general, far less preferred than paladin. Paladin is bringing more to the table in general than either of the two other tanks, and at its heart this is the same imbalance than led to issues in the preference for War in 3.0. I believe the current theory crafters have hit the nail on the head, paladin is hitting harder, bringing more mitigation, have better self sustain, and more utility for the group than either warrior or dark knight. My excel spreadsheets of rotations also confirm this.

[Chrono_Rising]

Part 2

Here are some of the issues I see with dark knights currently:

(a) DPS burst phases are very mp demanding, and it is easy to mp starve between blood weapons.

(b) We have no self sustain for stance dancing against raid bosses, where as pld is not locked out of clemency if they choose to switch to Sword Oath for a bit.

(c) Our strongest mitigation has the lockout of sentinel, and less utility than vengence.

(d) Mitgating with the darkest night is a small dps loss.

(e) Our ultimate cd is extremely healer dependent and useless in solo combat.

(f) though we have a 100% uptime on our dps buff, pld and warrior are much further ahead of us in terms of self damage buffs overall. Dark arts closes this gap, but you will mp starve trying to reach the same level.

(g) in general we do feel like paladin lite.

[Chrono_Rising]

I would like to suggest the following changes, some mix of which may provide a more balanced tank experience, while staying true to the dark knight identity.

(1) all tanks need vit as part of their damage calulations or add strength to the fending right hand side.

(2) Dark Arts usage should add to blackblood gauge.

(3) Sole Survivor: I would like to see this changed to "converts dark knights damage to target to hp/mp/blackblood for 15 seconds" (2nd blood)

(4) Dark Wall: When struck enemies gain bleeding damage, 40 potency dot for 12 seconds. Dot damage is converted into dark knights hp (regen like).

(5) The darkest night: added effect: shield shatter targets the enemy which delivers the final blow to the shield, 10 potency dot for 12 seconds.

(6) Delirium: Dark Knight sacrifices 20% of maximum hp for 20 seconds, attack power doubles for duration. See Cecil.

(7) Living dead: damage taken by dark knight is converted into HP for 10 seconds.

[Falar]

If only we could all have our way for a day.

Has SE EVER taken an idea off the forums and put it into the game?

[Reynhart]

(b) We have no self sustain for stance dancing against raid bosses, where as pld is not locked out of clemency if they choose to switch to Sword Oath for a bit.
(d) Mitgating with the darkest night is a small dps loss.

Clemency is a bigger DPS loss than TBN, heals probably less than 20% on PLD's max HP...and, with its cast time, can be wasted if a healer heals you in the meantime.

Besides, with it's short recast, TBN can be applied on top on any other mitigation tool with no decrease in value, surpassing Sentinel paired with Sheltron.

(f) though we have a 100% uptime on our dps buff, pld and warrior are much further ahead of us in terms of self damage buffs overall.

WAR can indeed apply Maim and Eye 100% of the time, on top of Bersek. On the other hand PLD has a lower average damage buff, with FoF around 12% average physical buff, and Requiescat a 4% average magic damage buff...with an additionnal condition.

[Lannybaby]

I'd like to propose another addition, primarily to the blackest night. Using dark arts before TBN, while grit is off, will direct it's entirety to a single target as a dot over 10s.

Or maybe the amount of TBN that wasn't absorbed as damage, throughout it's duration, will return to drks as recovered hp after it's duration. (Hp recovered only if grit is active)

[Dalmacus]

Can SE somehow change the rampart effect when it is being used on DRK? That no darkness effect rampart is triggering me.

[Chrono_Rising]

Clemency is a bigger DPS loss than TBN, heals probably less than 20% on PLD's max HP...and, with its cast time, can be wasted if a healer heals you in the meantime.

I won't get into the game of what ifs, but you can spam clemency in an emergency, you cannot spam TBN, it only buys you 5 seconds at most.

Besides, with it's short recast, TBN can be applied on top on any other mitigation tool with no decrease in value, surpassing Sentinel paired with Sheltron.

Yes, the advantage to sheltron is having a faster recast time, it can be applied more frequently and does not bite into the mana/dps resource pool.

[Chrono_Rising]

WAR can indeed apply Maim and Eye 100% of the time, on top of Bersek. On the other hand PLD has a lower average damage buff, with FoF around 12% average physical buff, and Requiescat a 4% average magic damage buff...with an additionnal condition.

The condition is fairly easy to meet in typical runs. Also you didn't include Sword oath in your calculations of dps buffs, which when you math it out you will find that it is surprisingly good at a 12~15% buff to total dps. Taking into account all buffs paladin comes out ahead.

[Chrono_Rising]

Besides, with it's short recast, TBN can be applied on top on any other mitigation tool with no decrease in value, surpassing Sentinel paired with Sheltron.

One more thing to note, though there is something to be said about diminishing returns on mitigation, there is also something to be said for the total amount mitigated. Because TBN is based on tank HP and not a %-mitigated there is a tipping point at which sentinel + sheltron will surpass shadow wall + TBN. Some quick math shows that tipping point being around 37K damage. Susano EX tank buster will kill a tank unmitigated, therefore sentinel + sheltron will mitigate more than shadow wall + TBN.