Dark Knight Megathread

[jetfire117]

DRK could definitely use a rework but if we can't have that I'd at least want two changes:

- Oblation grants a regen effect
- Blood weapon has 5 stacks for 30 secs, heal for each GCD used

Very doable and simple changes that would make it better than it is now.

[Axxion]

Seeing people ignoring drk's issues because SE buffed our damage is so depressing. It's like in ShB when people say "At least we have TBN" and now it's "At least we have high dps" because TBN isn't even that much better now but they gotta cope somehow.

simple damage trumps over everything else. tbn? you mean more damage /s

[Mekhana]

I'm just waiting for the eventual and unavoidable damage nerf bat that is sure to come while not changing anything else.

[WhyAmIHere]

Seeing people ignoring drk's issues because SE buffed our damage is so depressing. It's like in ShB when people say "At least we have TBN" and now it's "At least we have high dps" because TBN isn't even that much better now but they gotta cope somehow.

Across rDPS, aDPS, and nDPS, DRK is ahead in terms of damage. This is okay, and a static-mate of mine pointed out the seeming dichotomy: WAR/PLD have good sustain, therefore they're doing lower damage, vice GNB/DRK having less, so higher damage to make up for it.

I get the sentiment, but I'm glad I said I wasn't gonna be tanking this tier. Damage is good and all but for a non-speedkill / high-end focused static, fun should win out over pushing DPS; and when your damage comes with the cons of 1) no sustain in single target outside of Souleater and preventative TBN usage, 2) overwhelming oGCD doubleweaving for burst windows, and 3) no meaningful changes to gameplay outside of a new oGCD, added to not changing at all from one expansion to the next, and I can't but be baffled.

Who at SE thought this was good enough?

[Duskane]

new AF good,damage good but gameplay stuck in Shadowbringer
big feels bad

[Mekhana]

new AF good,damage good but gameplay stuck in Shadowbringer
big feels bad

Yeah that's a good, simple way to put it tbh.

[Shurrikhan]

DRK could definitely use a rework but if we can't have that I'd at least want two changes:

- Oblation grants a regen effect
- Blood weapon has 5 stacks for 30 secs, heal for each GCD used

I honestly don't see a need for a regen effect.

I suppose if our budget of incoming prevented/recovered were too skewed towards prevention, which is simply objectively better so long as it's granular enough or allotted duration enough not to go to waste (a problem we already see with TBN), we'd end up OP when used as a well-healed prog tank. But, for now... that's not really the case, mostly due to the practical constraints of TBN. We could afford to either first deemphasize those constraints or buff our mitigation before we'd necessarily have to draw in regens.

Moreover, if we were to get more self-sustain, I'd slightly prefer have it separate from the mitigation itself and/or come from more traditional / thematic sources, such as within a revised Abyssal Drain, Souleater, or even our Bloodspiller.

[Keagian]

I would prefer if they removed some oGCDs and lowered the CD on Bloodweapon, Delirium, Salt&Darkness, CnS/AD, and Shadowbringer to 30sec, and lower Living Shadow to 60sec just so DRK doesn't feel so boring and empty for such a prolong period of time.

And if they won't give us HP Sustain then at least go full in on the Barrier Tank and allow DRK to build up a Barrier.

[Evos]

@keagian
I agree, and the reason for me is simple. We have scholar in a dungeon with not co-healer...do you leave because "omg they have shields" and shields are not good.

No you stay and in fact if you use a regen on the Dark Knight while they are in TBN or using shields, they basically heal while negating damage. It's a win win. In addition they still have all the basic defense tools as the other tanks. Rampart and oblation is probably sufficient for alot of things and it has 2 charges.

I'm going to go out on a limb (sarcasm) and day Drk and Gnb are your shield tanks hence, they are not bad at sustain, but are negating damage throughout a fight. If any regen is out from any source then your fine. Plus we still have soul eater being grudgingly used repeatedly.

All we need more of is increased healing potency for abyssal drain to be relevant. If CnS is the damage CD make abyssal the healing CD and skew it as lower damage but higher heal. And I would prefer the mp gain to remain on both but higher on abyssal. If however this change was to reduce ogcd burden, please revert it lol and find another way.

I don't want what the other tanks have all the time. I think that's how we go here in the first place.

[Absimiliard]

GNB isn't bad at sustain. DRK very much is. They've got strong mitigation tools, but they very much do need to be babysat by healers pretty much constantly during wall to wall pulling and boss fights with hard-hitting mechanics. The trade off is high damage.

At any rate, it's unlikely anything will change significantly before the end of Endwalker. SE has clung so steadfastly to their current iteration of DRK that one might be forgiven if they were as impressed by it as they are confused or dismayed. I would love to know why they're so adamant about it, though.