Please reconsider the Lv. 60 and under DRK Experience

[Amun_]

As suggested by the title, I highly encourage the FFXIV development team at Square Enix to reconsider the 30-60 experience for new Dark Knights. Due to the lack of any in-depth mechanic, and only two different combos, the 60 (and especially below 60) DRK experience feels lackluster. It is bad enough where I, even as a new player, refuse to play my DRK in lvl 50 or below content due to the lack of abilities. The class feels hollow, as if the developers designed the class only to be whole at 70, rather than expanding and further defining its capabilities beyond 60. Given that the class can only be unlocked after completing ARR, it would make sense that the class is perhaps more complex than the other tank classes, as by the time players can unlock it, they would be well acquainted with how to play the game. But it seems to be the simplest tank class before 70.

With that said, I greatly enjoyed the class story for the DRK thus far, and I do find the class to be much more fun beginning around lvl 56. It would be great if the dev team could fill some of the holes in the DRK's skill suite, especially in terms of mitigation. My WAR feels much better for tanking bosses due to all the mitigation tools it has available, whereas I do feel a bit squishy at times on my DRK, due to lack of mitigation CDs.

Just to give a little background on my experience with FFXIV:

I am a relatively new player that began playing about a month before Stormblood's release. I played the WAR throughout ARR, until I reached HW, and unlocked DRK. Before I even began playing this game I had done a reasonable amount of research and found myself intrigued by the risk/reward mechanics of the DRK, and greatly looked forward to eventually trying it out. However, by the time I had unlocked the class, Stormblood had been released. I did not realize that the class would be changed as much as it has been. My only desire is to see some of that complexity added back to the class before Stormblood content.

TL;DR: Please add more mitigation and mechanics (such as another combo that applies a DOT) to the DRK's toolset that can be experienced before Stormblood content (i.e. 60 and below), so that even new players can enjoy the class.

Sorry for the long first post.

Edit: I notice I didn't really give any suggestions for what could be added, so here are some ideas:

-Instead of being forced to press Dark Arts for each ability only to increase DPS, what about adding different effects to each ability? For example, using Dark Arts on Blood Price makes it so that the Dark Arts effect will still last for 10 seconds, but will not disappear upon use of abilities. Or, when Dark Arts is used with Spinning Slash (while in Grit), perhaps a small but noticeable HP regen effect is applied. When Dark Arts is used with Dark Mind, the next magical attack is absorbed as HP. Some of these might be flawed ideas, but I am just trying to show that there are innumerable creative ways to add diversity to the DRK's abilities and make it more enjoyable at all levels.
-Returning the Low Blow + Reprisal proc facet of the class.
-Returning the Dark Dance ability.
-Reducing the cost of Dark Passenger to increase incentive to use it.
-Sole Survivor can be useful when soloing a group of mobs, but it would be nice if it had additional functions. As far as I can tell it is basically a worse version of Mercy Stroke (which was removed).

[ManuelBravo]

hmmmm odd when synced down to help my friends that just started the game seems fine as long as your well geared. Being your somewhat new you may just need practice? How often do you use your DRK at low levels or just doing daily? As long as your doing your rotations and people know their roles it really shouldn't be hard at all. Also with the role traits it has become easier.

[Elleia]

DRK really didn't seem all that complex prior to Stormblood, imo. The only additional things they had to worry about were keeping up scourge, a DOT that wasn't even part of a combo, and a bit more MP management to keep darkside from falling off.

In exchange for losing those they got the blood gauge, and with their new skills they feel very active still. I realize they lose these skills in synced content, however that's true of many classes. The devs simply didn't have lower level content in mind when changing around skills. Perhaps they can adjust some things, but I don't think they'll be putting in more complexity when their goal was to simplify classes (especially tanks and healers) to make them more accessible.

[Amun_]

snip

Oh, I see.. I guess it would be a different story if the blood gauge was implemented pre...62? The class really seems to come into its own after 60, unfortunately. But you are right. Their goal was to reduce complexity, not the opposite. I guess I should suck it up and just keep plowing ahead until I reach Stormblood.

snip

Ah, I have no doubt that I could use more practice with tanking on the DRK. What I meant to say is that the class feels lackluster and not fun below the late 50s, and I wish there was more to do. In contrast, the WAR feels very solid to me even at 50.

[bswpayton]

my only complaint on drk is the lack of df cool downs , they def needed their 70 ability at 60 in my opinion

[ManuelBravo]

Ah, I have no doubt that I could use more practice with tanking on the DRK. What I meant to say is that the class feels lackluster and not fun below the late 50s, and I wish there was more to do. In contrast, the WAR feels very solid to me even at 50.

Same could be said about PLD at low levels in my opinion, I use all 3 and so far DRK seems to be my personal favorite. War seems too squish for me even when well geared. That's my perspective though. So mainly use it if people request it or doing Relic for it. You could try practicing in PotD helps a lot if you solo.

[ManuelBravo]

my only complaint on drk is the lack of df cool downs , they def needed their 70 ability at 60 in my opinion

Yeah CD is about the only thing I see for it in terms of Dark Skin and Rampart. Once you hit 70 though its fine if you master the darkest night. If you can use gear and add skill speed it makes it easier specially at lower levels.

[DRKoftheAzure]

TL;DR: Please add more mitigation and mechanics (such as another combo that applies a DOT) to the DRK's toolset that can be experienced before Stormblood content (i.e. 60 and below), so that even new players can enjoy the class..

Used to have 3rd combo finisher which was good raid utility but lost that to make PLD buffs happen... same with our DoT which should be built into Souleater that also applies a regen like affect based on DoT damage...

[347SPECTRE]

DRK used to be fun at least from 50-60 pre-SB but it got hit with a nerf bat at the top of the nerf tree, hitting almost every nerf branch on the way down, at least in terms of utility.

[Xenosan]

How can DRK be your favorite @ low level? Unleashed is essentially as insignificant as Flash, just slightly less so, PLD at least gets TE before 50. Only silver lining is before learning Dark Arts, Dark Passenger is usable because DRK has fuck else to spend their MP on. Once you've got Dark Arts, it's just replacing Dark Passenger. And if not replacing (as in 1-3 mobs), you're got DP on 30 second recast, making it at a one and done, maybe twice, per pull. DRK 50 is a snooze. Better like that DASE,

WAR has Inner Beast and Rampart at low level, and everything in their kit short of RI/Equil. The only squish WAR should feel is just the fact healers may not have double HoTs & the other tools they get later on to take full advantage of Defiance's 25% stronger heals. WAR has their AOE too. DRK is in the worst place @ all intervals IMO.

I'm not a big taker on a third combo finisher for DRK though. I rather feel a fix for Dark Passenger where it is priority and something to manage our MP around, like C&S @ 60, would be a good start. Then I'd look at Blood Price, then Dark Mind for more productivity.

It would be nice if Unleashed's 'Enhanced Unleashed' proc'd from all spells, not just Unmend. And Enhanced Unleashed gave Siphon level MP, or 120 potency - something so it fit back into the rotation occasionally like Heavy Shot / Straight Shot proc'ing works for BRD. But with Quietus now doing what it does, it's not urgent or barely even QoL.

And AST have been begging SE since 3.0 to move Gravity to lvl 50 (swap it with Synastry).

Didn't happen..

So the likelihood of improvements to specifically aid lvl50 is a hard sell. But maybe #hope