Thread: 4.11+ DRK Suggestions/Balance Changes from a "Hardcore" Player

Originally Posted by Zykor

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It's an improvement. Let's take a look at what the absolute values correspond to.

A9S:
PLD: -272
DRK: -79

A10S:
PLD: -230
DRK: -59

A11S:
PLD: -99
DRK: +9

A12S:
PLD: -224
DRK: -26

O1S:
PLD: -67
DRK: -287

O2S:
PLD: +1
DRK: -202

O3S:
PLD: -138
DRK: -202

O4S (Exdeath):
PLD: -82
DRK: -153

O4S (Neo):
PLD: -118
DRK: -230

You can make arguments either way on which is more significant. There is some hidden nuance to this as well. A9S and A12S both have lots of adds which can be used to pad your dps, which generally favours DRK. This tier has relatively fewer adds. It also doesn't tell the story of what is happening defensively. There are a lot of fights in HW where DRK offers higher dps, although at a defensive disadvantage. A7S is a very clear example of this, where PLD was widely preferred in prog, but DRK was preferred for speedruns. There are some fights where PLD is at a disadvantage at both, like A12S, which affects pick rates.

Either way, there's only one running theme in common. PLD and DRK are fighting over scraps.

Let's take a look at usage rates for a second.

Usage Rates:
A9S:
PLD: 2404 (27% of total)
DRK: 2162 (25% of total)

A10S:
PLD: 2019 (25% of total)
DRK: 1947 (26% of total)

A11S:
PLD: 1520 (24% of total)
DRK: 1658 (26% of total)

A12S:
PLD: 485 (10% of total)
DRK: 1900 (40% of total)

O1S:
PLD: 6494 (42% of total)
DRK: 3655 (23% of total)

O2S:
PLD: 6065 (42% of total)
DRK: 3408 (24% of total)

O3S:
PLD: 5294 (42% of total)
DRK: 2927 (23% of total)

O4S (Exdeath):
PLD: 6447 (43% of total)
DRK: 3357 (23% of total)

O4S (Neo):
PLD: 3659 (44% of total)
DRK: 1906 (23% of total)

Here's something interesting. While PLD had a relative disadvantage in terms of DPS in HW, pick rates were similar outside of fights where PLD was at a double disadvantage (i.e. A12S). In some cases, PLD had higher pick rates. Fast forward to SB, and there's a consistent gap. That's because DRK is generally at a disadvantage at all areas. You're putting in more effort for less, regardless of whether the fight is physical or magical.

Just as a bonus:

Shinryu:
PLD: -258 (90%), 10411 runs (44% of total)
DRK: -325 (88%), 4976 runs (21% of total)

My concern isn't about who suffered the most historically. My concern is about the impact of balance decisions on present pick rates. That's why I take issue with the way that you chose to represent your data.