Thread: A DRK Rework Suggestion for 7.0 (or beyond)

Originally Posted by Aluja89

I personally still wouldn't make it a lifesteal tank. Simply because that was never in DRK's identity in FF. It did usually have a drain spell in its dark magic spell list but that's about it.

That's more because Dark Knight was never meant to be a tank in past FF games, not because of the presence or importance of lifesteal.
It wouldn't do to have a tank who sacrificed most of their HP dealing damage, after all.
Historically though, absorbing the life force of opponents was the only self-sufficient way Dark Knight had to recharge Darkside. XIV is the only case in the series to have Blood Weapon not even act as a healing effect, though this is probably as an artifact of once having an MP-consuming Drain spell.

Meanwhile if we are going on series precedent as you have, there's a sheer lack of barrier effects for Dark Knight due to that usually falling under White Magic, which is Paladin's domain. "TBN is what it's known for", and even its anti-magic bent, is unique to XIV.