(Don't) Fear The Reaper: A Dark Knight Guide

If you have an attentive WHM that pays attention to who has hate, Caladbolg is likely going to keep you alive more often than Apoc on Wave 3 due to the 105 defense it grants you.

I respectfully disagree. If you are having to resort to Apoc it means you are already more or less in the tanking role, and should be playing in a way that mitigates getting oneshot. White mages (Presuming they are not a bot) have to first see you take damage, then react to either immediately curaga, or target you for a single target cure, and then cast. Catastrophe is as close to instantaneous as you can get. And if your healer is a bot, that gets into extra layers of unreliable.

Apocalypse doesn't mitigate getting oneshot at all unless your WHM is slow to heal you after you're hit; it doesn't give Max HP, PDT, defense, or VIT (the stats that help prevent you from getting killed from 100% to 0%), and the heals you get from Catastrophe don't give you Stoneskin, unlike WHM cures.

A good White Mage can easily react fast enough between mob attacks if they're paying attention to who has hate. Caladbolg's 105 defense basically reduces the physical damage you take by ~8% (assuming you're not using Minnes), and the 70 VIT by itself reduces crit damage you take as well.

It can give defense if you are playing defensively. AM means capped haste without hasso or LR, which means you aren't dealing with the 25% def penalty on Last Resort. As for white mages, they are often busy with other things such as being caught single-target curing someone else, or arising someone that got flattened like a pancake. If the White Mage is free to focus on you, I agree with you, but Dyna wave3 is messy. Anything you can do to keep yourself alive, you should be doing.

You don't have to have capped haste at all if your primary focus is survival to the expense of all else, which means you can just have LR off while using Caladbolg as well. Cata Haste doesn't quite cap you without Hasso/LR, as well. Plus, if you're in full tank mode, you're not going to be WSing quickly enough to be even remotely reliable at keeping your HP near capped, leaving you vulnerable to being oneshot (especially without the 105 defense Caladbolg gives you).

In the scenario we're talking about (the DRK has solid hate so the mob isn't spinning between mobs), a good white mage won't be busy doing other stuff; they're focusing specifically on the player that has hate (since Curagas heal everyone anyway), and all other concerns can be left until healing isn't needed.

Emboldened the two real big ones in my book. But, its time that support jobs who can cure to be serious about +potency sets, etc. Just because you're GEO/RDM or BRD/WHM doesn't mean you can't cure, have respectable +potency sets, capped fastcast, etc. This should allow that Yagrush WHM to be throwing out those AoE -na spells and "save the day" with big cures, but there's no reason that GEO or BRD who otherwise is sittin' pretty after singing their songs or droppin their bubbles to help out.

I'm sorry to post this on DRK forum, but I do think its ok to expect a higher caliber support job to allow the DDs to be what they're supposed to be- heavy damage dealers. By the same line of thinking, we need to be smart enough to have those Hybrid/DT sets for when we rip hate and know to back off in DPS and allow the Tank to get the mob's attention back...its just expecting a higher level of attention when its needed vs a support job dropping their buffs and then going to take a piss or a DD engaging and WS'ing every 1k TP while watching pirated Star Wars movies.

Apoc has additional effect: Blind. Clear winner.

At this point in the game if you plan on playing any job at that high of a caliber, you should be fully prepared. The amount of geo I have seen that do absolutely nothing once the bubbles are cast are insane.
But the amount of people that don't utilize every aspect of drk is just as high. Drk needs to have dt set, raetic bangles, the domain invasion "earring" (necklace thanks typo) you should have a strong drain set, utilize dread spikes, weapon bash/stun if you see a move coming or you just need half a second, or a very undervalued item... last resort fert.
Cele hit the nail, no 1 job should be expected to do everything. Maybe in low man zerg, but most people in events go jobs to fill a role, not necessarily because they enjoy the job or even are good at it. Which means EVERYONE should be doing their best to help out everyone.
I.e. don't complain about silence or para when you could have bought meds.
Geo help heal, brd help heal, sch regen, dd use meds. Utilize -enm gear and domain neck or raetic bangles.

I mentioned in my post I was being a little less cautious than usual. I do agree with you, a live DD is much better than a dead one.

The problem with Fomors, and the reasoning for my post, is that Fomors in particular seem to WS you back instantly after you WS them (if you pull hate). They dont even give gearswap enough time to get you back into your Hybrid/DT build. This PDT-WS set would be specifically for T3 Dyna.

I do like the idea of draining the Pets instead of the Fomors. That's something I haven't thought of that would greatly improve my HP in wave 3.

I think you're noticing the Fomors respond with a WS right after you do is because you're likely WS'ing while the mob is sitting around 75-80%, and then a GROUP of DD's all have built up enough TP by that point to hit it with strong WS's at near the same time, dropping it below the threshold that their AI tells them to use TP moves @1k TP vs 3k TP, and your WS happens to be the strongest/pull the most hate.


Say you have TP and engage a Fomor in wave3 and START with a WS (not recommending lol!), do they WS right after you? If so, I dunno any more^^ but if you don't get an immediate response of a TP move right back at you, I'm gonna wager its what I'm guessing is going on.

Between the regal captain's gloves, AM haste, and 81 ish accuracy advantage of Apoc over Calad, I can still maintain a solid TP rate, even in full turtle.
I have had many runs where I had to take over the primary tank role, and I trust that you have too. I'm more comfortable with Apoc, if you are more comfortable with Calad that is fine too.

Ah, sorry I misread your post, I thought you mentioned you were being MORE cautious than usual.

I play the same game on my DD jobs in W3. You could have the COR swap to gallant’s role for that extra def, or sing a scherzo. Overall it’s a time attack so as we agree upon, frequent dead DDs suffers more DPS loss than a defensive song/roll.

Last Saturday’s Jueno we went straight attack and we had to play the don’t die to Fomors game. I agree with many above posts that (I’m assuming you are) a completed DRK so you will/could have nonstop 6kHP(min) HP and plenty of ways to mitigate dmg. Know which fomor you’re on which what WS they may use on you, maybe throw out a wb or stun just before you torc smash if they’re on meaner jobs.

Overall if you’re topping the parses (all/boss/etc) then maybe dying is such a bad thing. Keep tweaking and let us know any cool strats you come up with!

Hi DRK army. I'm gearing DRK just to mess around with it, since I already had a good bit of gear from other jobs (WAR, DRG, SAM, RUN, etc.) and DRK is pretty much the only physical DPS job that I didn't already play.

I don't have a DRK RMEA and don't really plan to get one, so is there an up-to-date consensus on what weapon(s) I should be using as the next best alternative? I already have Montante +1, Zantetsuken X, and Zulfiqar. Now that we've had the Scythe update, is there any practical reason I might want a Scythe these days (and if so, any recommendations for non-RMEA/Su5 options)?

Any other non-RMEA weapons besides GS/Scythe that are useful for serious content? In particular, I have a Naegling... worth using for SB spam on DRK?

Sorry if this was buried somewhere in the thread, but I didn't see it and especially with the recent Scythe update I thought it would make sense to just ask the question again. But please feel free to point me to where this might have been discussed already if I overlooked it. Thanks!

Montante +1 isn't a bad option, but an Apoc is ridiculously easy to acquire and is a must have for DRK's IMO. The utility of that weapon is unlike no other weapon for us.

Biased opinion, but I largely favor scythes. If no plans to do a REMA, I would say that FatherTime is a solid option for scythe however Anguta only costs you time, and Apoc is dirt cheap (Currency + AG probably still cheaper than Su5) has tons of utility use, and is still a well rounded scythe. In terms of great swords, I'd say your current options are just fine if not building Calad.

I reeeeeealy don't want to spend hundreds of millions of gil on any RMEA/Su5, since DRK is like... my 16th-18th priority job between my two characters :P

Even a relatively "cheap" RMEA weapon like Apoc is not the price range I'm looking for once you account for the 10k Pluton stage and any detritus for augments. Similarly, Father Time is also a bit beyond what I'd be wanting to spend on DRK (I kinda had my eye on it before the Scythe update in case they made Scythe REALLY powerful, but that didn't happen)... but Su4 is a potential option for me if it's significantly better than the other non-RMEA choices (and once I get enough JP to even use the thing). Anguta is also off the table, since I have several other higher priority Aeonics that it would need to get in line behind.

For serious stuff, I'm not lacking a strong melee "heavy DD" option since I have a top tier geared R15 Masa SAM - so DRK for me is truly just a messing around for fun kind of job that I'm only bothering to gear semi-competently since it's the only physical DD I don't already have set up (and I already have most of the relevant non-JSE gear that's used on other DPS jobs). Really just looking at putting together something as respectable as possible without RMEA/Su5 weapons. I'm OK investing in like, a few AF+3/Relic+3/Ratri pieces - but that's about the extent of what I want to spend on DRK for my casual use of the job.

I get some good use out of Montante +1 on WAR zergs (obviously stronger on WAR for that use case thanks to Mighty Strikes/Warcry), and figured that was probably the most likely DRK non-RMEA option for most situations... but my questions are more along the lines of:

• Is there any general consensus on situations where Zantetsuken X is preferable to Mon+1?

• Is Zulfiqar useful at all these days?

• Should I be putting in effort to get a Drepanum or Dacnomania? (as in, are they significantly better than my existing choices). I could go make a Kaja Scythe right now, would just need a shiny weapon to upgrade that to final stage - I just don't know if the Ambu Scythe is even worth using over my existing Great Swords.

• Is a less traditional weapon type like Naegling/Savage Blade build (or Ambuscade 1h Axe) possibly worthwhile for DRK like it is on some other jobs? I have strong SB sets for other jobs that don't typically use a lot of 1h Sword (WAR, NIN, RNG, etc.), which sadly beat some of the more 'conventional' approaches.

If you plan to use DRK casually, then I suggest to try this build (with Zantetsuken offhand if you have it). It's really fun.
Ambuscade Scythe and Great Axe are also very good options. Great Axe with Drain III can reach TP Bonus +1000 (requires 5000HP), which probably makes it even better Upheaval spamming weapon than Chango (outside of skillchaining ofc) and let you also use Armor Break for debuff and Steel cyclone is really good with +30% damage and TP bonus +1000 and can be used for good skillchains (Steel > Upheaval > Steel is good 3 step darkness).
Steel Cyclone has also big Attack Bonus (+50%), so it's very nice even when you are not buffed to the roof.

Good call on Lycurgos, I wouldn't be surprised if it beats most other non-REMA options, probably Redemption and Ragnarok too.

As for having fun in a uniquely DRK way, I recommend picking up a raetic algol or raetic algol +1, along with a generic scythe. kaja scythe would be fine, just make sure you have a point into Entropy. Proceed to spam the hell out of Torcleaver or Resolution until your MP runs dry, swap to scythe, pop Entropy to refill MP, then grab Raetic again and go to town.
Also phone keyboards are horrible.

+1 for Zantetsuken X, it's surprisingly versatile given it has haste on it-- useful for high hp hybrid sets (i.e hjarrandi set) if you can't get drain 3 off on targets and huge accuracy right off the bat. I've been using it lately in wave3 dynamis runs and it is higher performance than people give it credit for

Problem is really having a points in merit WSs.

If he has SAM main, then I'm assuming he has 5/5 Shoha
He also said about doing Resolution on WAR, so he has 5/5 Resolution too probably. That doesn't leave much room for all those good WSs for other jobs that he can also have and/or some utility WSs.

Its only a merit WS. It costs at most 50 merits to unmerit something, put a point into Entropy, and then return the point to a 5/5 skill later. Content pretty much bleeds merit points these days. If you cant swap a point out, even temporarily, you probably have other things to worry about than playing around with a new DD job.

Well true. My problem wouldnt be points, but to remember to change it lol

TBH, as a Masa SAM I have pretty limited use for Shoha and only have it 1/5. I do keep 5/5 Blade: Shun for my NIN, have 1/5 in a bunch of other WS, and sometimes bump a particular WS like Reso/Last Stand/Stardiver up to 3/5~5/5 as needed or when I'm playing a lot of a particular job. I'm sure I could find room for a 1/5 Entropy for something fun like the suggestion (and it does sound pretty fun).

But yeah, raising/eliminating that 15 point cap on merit WS... yes please.

How you main SAM and not use Shoha that much?

FUDOFUDOFUDOFUDOFUDOFUDOFUDOFUDOFUDOFUDOFUDO?

Nah I'm not THAT simpleminded. It's more like FUDOFUDOFUDOagehaFUDOFUDOFUDOFUDOFUDOFUDOFUDOFUDO
;)

Generally, Shoha on R15 Masamune SAM is used a lot if you use SAM for multistep self skillchaining. If you avoid lowman and mostly play your SAM in groups and mostly in zergs setups, then you won't use Shoha a lot or at all, so I kinda understand it.

You'll have way less fun on a non-REMA DRK than you will on your R15 Masa in general. Can live with zulf or mon+1 otherwise for GS, but you'll more than likely go SAM to anything you'll want to do real damage to since you won't be tossing 50K Torc with those on anything hard.

This is very subjective. First you suggest that he will have way less fun only because WS damage will be lower? I think there is more things about having fun than just WS damage.

Now secondly, Torcleaver damage is kinda overrated. Especially when you spam it. You need 2000TP to actually reach that 50k damage. Assuming you wont hold TP, you will have similar or higher WS avg with Ambu Gaxe keeping 5000HP+. You will also have higher WS avg with Ambu Axe. What makes Caladbolg setup competitive is not higher WS damage, but combination of good WS damage and great white damage.

>:[