Dark Knight Megathread

[RyuDragnier]

Maybe they should let DRK equip Axes too

It's a bloody shame it has become such a copy of WAR, considering it was completely unique back in HW. Now it's just...there.

It kind of hurts that the simplest way to fix DRK (balancewise for survivability) is to make it even more like warrior.

Sadly they'll have to for right now and then rework DRK so it is its own identity for 7.0. Because there's no way to really fix DRK at its current level short of an absolute rework.

[Kalaam]

If they make DRK even more like warrior on following patches for balance, but address it and say that it'll get reworked more thoroughly later I'd be fine with it. As long as we know what the devs are going for i'd be fine

[Rhais]

If they make DRK even more like warrior on following patches for balance, but address it and say that it'll get reworked more thoroughly later I'd be fine with it. As long as we know what the devs are going for i'd be fine

At that point why not just delete the job and let warrior use swords as well as axes? What is the point of multiple jobs when they all play the same?

I highly doubt the changes would be reversed were this to happen as well.

[RyuDragnier]

At that point why not just delete the job and let warrior use swords as well as axes? What is the point of multiple jobs when they all play the same?

I highly doubt the changes would be reversed were this to happen as well.

They've already turned DRK into WAR lite. At this point DRK needs a massive rework, but since they don't like doing those mid expansion, we're going to need something to shore up its glaring weaknesses temporarily.

[Rhais]

They've already turned DRK into WAR lite. At this point DRK needs a massive rework, but since they don't like doing those mid expansion, we're going to need something to shore up its glaring weaknesses temporarily.

It's glaring weakness is uninspired warrior-lite mechanics and lacking any unique compelling gameplay. How will further solidifying that help the job?

[Archwizard]

It's glaring weakness is uninspired warrior-lite mechanics and lacking any unique compelling gameplay. How will further solidifying that help the job?

What Ryu means is "glaring weaknesses" that cripple its performance, not appeal or playstyle; those would have to be addressed with a complete rework, which won't happen mid-expansion.

In the meantime the most we can expect is bandaids and very light reworking of specific mechanics that prove ineffective, such as LD, Dark Mind, LD, Oblation, the lack of any sustainability for trash pulls, and LD.

[YukikoKurosawa]

Magic defense is much too situational in this game for it to really matter. Very, very few enemies use magic attacks. Why not just give us flat damage reduction?

[RyuDragnier]

Magic defense is much too situational in this game for it to really matter. Very, very few enemies use magic attacks. Why not just give us flat damage reduction?

15% preferably, since that keeps its power.

[Shurrikhan]

What Ryu means is "glaring weaknesses" that cripple its performance, not appeal or playstyle; those would have to be addressed with a complete rework.

In the meantime the most we can expect is bandaids and very light reworking of specific mechanics that prove ineffective, such as LD, Dark Mind, LD, Oblation, the lack of any sustainability for trash pulls, and LD.

Sure, but that doesn't require us to copy Warrior.

By just generalizing our 60s defensive, giving a small bit of added flexibility to, say, C&S/AD, and just having the EW additions give some actual effect on DRK's sustain [Oblation actually having an impact and Salt and Darkness giving some actual healing in the vein of Divine Magic Mastery II and Enhance Equilibrium], we can patch all major holes without further turning DRK into a WAR-clone.

Straightforward changes, with no need for more WAR-lite:

1. Dark Mind now reduces damage taken by 15% and magic damage by a further 10%. (Why 15|25% instead of 10|20% physical|magic mitigation? Because magic damage is far less common and DM has lower uptime than Camo anyways.)
   
   
2. Oblation now does 10% mitigation for 8 seconds, with a further 10% mitigation for the first 4 seconds. (20% for 4, 10% for 4 more.) Recast time reduced to 40 seconds.
   
   
3. Salt and Darkness now also heals for damage dealt (500 for the first, 250 for all subsequent targets).
   
   
4. Carve and Spit and Abyssal Drain cooldowns reduced to 40 seconds and given a second charge (put 2 into each raid 120s raid window; 1 between), with free ppm kept as before. For instance, have them each cost 3000 MP instead of granting 600 MP; to match C&S's 510 ppm, C&S would then have to deal 800 potency (340 free potency per cast, down 2/3s of 510). Abyssal Drain, which already needed a slight buff regardless, could deal 270p (keeping its current power would place it at 260; this buff simply lets it faintly push ahead at 3 targets) and heal for damage dealt (->270n potency). Additionally, let C&S heal for half its damage dealt (->400 potency).

   EDIT: Per Archwizard's reminder -- Yes, C&S and AD would benefit from Dark Arts.

   With the two above changes alone, without borrowing from others' designs, DRK would already heal for ~933 additional potency per minute in ST and drastically more in AoE.
   
   
5. Living Dead revised just slightly. There's a decent bit of coding doubtless involved, but Living Dead is certainly by now owed at least that much effort.

Living Dead
Ability - 300s recast
Grants the effect of Living Dead, preventing most attacks from decreasing your HP below 1 and causing you to heal for 50% of your damage dealt. The first time Living Dead prevents your death, its duration is refreshed but you will be inflicted with Borrowed Time.
Living Dead Duration: 10s
Borrowed Time: Generates a barrier equal to 100% of your HP which absorbs incoming healing. Incoming healing reduces this barrier by the amount it would have healed. This effect fades after 20 seconds.

• As before, not getting enough healing will leave you vulnerable; but, it can no longer outright kill you. The added overall healing requirement (needing to heal for almost 200% of the DRK's HP to top it back off) is mostly made up for by the life-steal. Barriers can still be attached to the DRK even when the initial healing does not get through to the DRK's HP.

[Archwizard]

Sure, but that doesn't require us to copy Warrior.

Never said it did, and I absolutely agree that it shouldn't.

Living Dead revised just slightly. There's a decent bit of coding doubtless involved, but Living Dead is certainly by now owed at least that much effort.

Living Dead
Ability - 300s recast
Grants the effect of Living Dead, preventing most attacks from decreasing your HP below 1 and causing you to heal for 50% of your damage dealt. The first time Living Dead prevents your death, its duration is refreshed but you will be inflicted with Borrowed Time.
Living Dead Duration: 10s
Borrowed Time: Generates a barrier equal to 100% of your HP which absorbs incoming healing. Incoming healing reduces this barrier by the amount it would have healed. This effect fades after 20 seconds.

• As before, not getting enough healing will leave you vulnerable; but, it can no longer outright kill you. The added overall healing requirement (needing to heal for almost 200% of the DRK's HP to top it back off) is mostly made up for by the life-steal. Barriers can still be attached to the DRK even when the initial healing does not get through to the DRK's HP.

This is probably the most effective way to revise LD to have the same approximate limitations, without massively penalizing healers who Bene too early or who cannot overcome the tank's HP limit in time.
My only gripe is that Borrowed Time should probably be limited to 10 sec, since if any of it remains after 10 sec the tank is stuck at 1 HP anyway with no immunity.