DRK changes from Prelim notes

[InfiniDragon]

I'm very pleased with the Dark Mind and Shadow Wall change. A lot of busters are magic, and this means Dark Mind is basically Vengeance for them -- strong enough to use as a CD on its own now without a DPS loss from DAing it.

Sole Survivor should have been instant heal for 20% and then you still get the 30% for killing to make up for the long CD, but still a welcome change.

Does the DA on Plunge now make it a DA priority like Carve? Sure looks like it, that's a hell of a lot of OGCD potency. Also, not a fan of having to double weave it, but do keep in mind that this is the new, presumably no clip Plunge so it's not as bad.

[TouchandFeel]

Does the DA on Plunge now make it a DA priority like Carve? Sure looks like it, that's a hell of a lot of OGCD potency. Also, not a fan of having to double weave it, but do keep in mind that this is the new, presumably no clip Plunge so it's not as bad.

I would say "sort of". The potency increase is just the standard DA single target boost of +140 so that doesn't make it any better than DAing something else, however you do get the added enmity as a bonus. Since the self-heal for SE is still locked behind Grit (seriously change this SE!), DAing other abilities such as Soul or Syphon provides no extra bonus over the +140 potency which gives DA Plunge a slight edge from the additional enmity generated.

[347SPECTRE]

One thing I'd like to see down the line, especially if they're insistent on having us DA the crap out of everything. Maybe have Dark Arts Chargers stack up, allowing us to front-load DA, reducing the need to double-weave a little bit. 3 to 4 stacks of Dark Arts sound reasonable?
Either that or have Dark Arts last 10 seconds instead of expiring once DA-able ability is used.
Just spit balling a couple ideas to reduce the double weave clunk, not really relevant to the current patch.

[Duskane]

just turn dark arts into Huton and blood gauge attacks increase the count down ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[InfiniDragon]

I would say "sort of". The potency increase is just the standard DA single target boost of +140 so that doesn't make it any better than DAing something else, however you do get the added enmity as a bonus. Since the self-heal for SE is still locked behind Grit (seriously change this SE!), DAing other abilities such as Soul or Syphon provides no extra bonus over the +140 potency which gives DA Plunge a slight edge from the additional enmity generated.

I follow you, yeah.

And agree on Souleater needing to heal out of Grit, it's the one glaring thing I was disappointed about. The rest of the changes were honestly better than I expected (especially Dark Mind). But hey, at least we have Sole Survivor now as a self heal... finally.

[Xenosan]

One element though is that DRK's AOE oGCDs have to compensate for the lack of a Berserk or FoF that buffs Global AOEs. Other than +50 potency from DA-Quietus, DRK does not buff their AOE potencies like PLD/WAR can. Putting DP on 60sec recast, I might start to miss that 30sec because I like to try using it 2x in trash pulls (and that's not likely to happen now since trash will probably be dead before a 2nd).

[mrt617]

I'm a Paladin main, but I do play DRK in O6s right now because that second last kiss is rough on Paladin and DRK has mitigation options galore in the fight. In my opinion even before this update DRK was in a pretty good place especially on bosses that deal magic damage. The only thing it was lacking and sadly still lacks is raid wide mitigation options like a divine veil or shake it off. There is a lot of raid wide damage this tier so I would still have DRK 3rd for Kefka and God Kefka, but if we do have any raids with more single target things to mitigate and magic damage busters DRK will be the preferred tank.

Every time my sheltron gets taken off by an auto right before a tank buster I am so jealous that DRK's have Blackest Night.

[Xesh]

Many people here are missing the point of the plunge change. First of all, you will NOT dark arts more often than now. DA plunge is the same as DA syphon strike or soul eater, but instead of using it on one of those two it goes on the plunge. Same amount of dark arts.
Secondly, they didn't add this potency increase for the potency itself, but just to make up for the mp you lose on a a plunge dark arts for the enmity.
Tldr you have the same amount of dark arts with the same potency regarding plunge.
Dark passenger is a great change as well, although you still lose some damage compared to a dark arts due to slashing so I really only see DP being useful for 2 enemies or more or to get a bigger enmity boost when picking up adds.

[Tint]

Many people here are missing the point of the plunge change.

you can JUMP on the enemy with a 340 potency attack with enmity bonus! that's awesome enough as a point \^^/

and you can use it every 30 seconds. i am curious what the enmity modifier is... Dark Arts > Unmend > Plunge > Hard Slash > Dark Passenger > Dropping Grit - who needs enmity combos anymore?

[Otorinth]

you can JUMP on the enemy with a 340 potency attack with enmity bonus! that's awesome enough as a point \^^/

and you can use it every 30 seconds. i am curious what the enmity modifier is... Dark Arts > Unmend > Plunge > Hard Slash > Dark Passenger > Dropping Grit - who needs enmity combos anymore?

People without a static, friends, or an FC, like me. Better off with just using the new JOHN MADDEN Dark Arts POWER Slash and saving Plunge/Dark Passenger for raid buffs.