Drk Today

Hello, im thinking of returning to the game afther some years and id like for some drks to let me know what are optimal playstiles today.

Last time i was here it was all about Greatsword and Resolution but iven seeing lately a lot of Scythe talk (wich i love) and Cross Reaper?!?!

Anyways as i said id like to know what is optimal for drk these days, Scythe or GreatSword? wich WS is ruling wich weapon? Sam sub? War Sub? i mean i know subs depend on what content you do on some things but is there a different sub ppl use these days? or has one gotten way bether than the other for X reason?

And finally if i could learn of a 5 Tier weapons for each type (Scythe and GreatSword) id apreciate it so i know what to aim for.

(Drk was always my fav job at all times dint mather the patch and if i return ill be drk or wont be anything)

Thanks

I hope you get the answer you're looking for, but don't hold your breath. The milk has gone bad around here.

They are all good, it just depends on what you want to do. Great sword is good with torcleaver, and resolution at super high buffs. Scythes are also good for completing content, and yea cross reaper is the ***. Sub is content dependent. If you plan to be drk only, you aren't going to progress and should just plan on playing solo; unless you have top of the line gear. This is a multi job game, and it is pretty expected of you to have support and dd. No one is dropping their top of the line DD for a non geared one; just the way it is. DRK also requires a ton of gear to be competitive and excel. The gear forum has a pretty good list of scythes/great swords outside of REMA.

Instead of complaining you should have at least told him to check out some of the threads on the ffxiah drk section.



Main drk thread, it is stickied so it will always be near the top.

High end gear and gearset stuff, this is the forum you want to check out to get ideas for stuff to shoot for down the road.

They gave some helpful tips for new drks or returning players, worth a read because it is short.

He's not likely to link threads he can't post in.

Cross Reaper is really good. Insurgency has potential with Anguta and Liberator.

Torcleaver and Resolution are your go to for Great Sword. Torcleaver is easier to gear for.

I can say that Insurgency with Liberator is incredible fun and with the right buffs .. awesome damage. I'll have afterglow Ragnarok soon so I'll be gearing for Reso and Torcleaver on that.

I think GS benefits most with tons of buffs (GEO, BRD, COR, Haste 2 etc), whereas Scythe benefits more with less buffs (E.G. just a GEO with 3000tp to start for AM3). Lib also gives an incredible amount toward dark magics .. so it should be used for that at the very least.

Don't choose one option .. choose both! Be ready for any situation .. have Scythe and Great Sword available.

/WAR has not been great since the Voidwatch era. What really killed it was the recent addition of the "Smite" job trait. DRK gets so much attack you only need to worry about Accuracy (and Store TP for Scythe AM3). /SAM is the main subjob most of the time. /NIN makes it if you don't have a tank and need to share hate with other melee DDs (Tenzen v2 for example)

As for Cross Reaper .. it's only good if you don't have Liberator. At that point you're probably going to consider gearing for Great Sword instead. Anguta is a good scythe .. but there's better Aeonics to pick from if you have other jobs and can't farm 'em up whenever you like. I picked Aeneas for my THF over Anguta, and I'd pick Fomalhaut (Gun) over it too.

As a career DRK I've never expected to go DRK for everything. It is essential to get what I like to call '*** jobs', which (no offense to those who love these) are jobs you don't mind playing to better suit a party for the content you're doing. My current other jobs include Thief, Corsair and Scholar. If I really need it.. I can bring Beastmaster out to play as well.

Gonna disagree on Cross Reaper. Very powerful weaponskill, Especially with Anguta, which has fairly lenient 3-hit build potential other scythe don't.

I guess if there's no other Aeonics you like and don't want to make a Mythic .. it's a decent choice. Otherwise, I think Liberator and Ragnarok are the weapons to get first (if you don't use Lib for damage it's best for dark magic casting unlike Anguta), but everyone's different and by no means am I saying Cross Reaper is bad. Apoc is good but only in niche circumstances.

The OP asked what they should consider building, and I think it'd be easier and accessible to solo a Mythic/Relic than to work through Aeonic NMs. You don't need anyone to farm gil .. unlike Aeonic path where you'll need a good group of people or a ton of gil to have someone merc it. Evlkairi looks like a returning player from the Abyssea days .. so it looks unlikely they'll get an Anguta anytime soon.

I know one thing is certain.

Don't make a redemption. That scythe is utter rubbish.

Quietus is a pretty bad weaponskill . But all of the two hand empyreans have a great deal of potential.

I got one just because I love scythes. The white damage was pretty sweet back in the Aby days, but it's easily replaced. Caladbolg is better, but we could argue Rag vs. Calad all day long. Rag is easier and cheaper to make for most people. As for Quietus, it's great for darkness skillchain. Awesome if you want to solo Drain III Magic Burst at the start.

Each weapon is as optimal as you're willing to make it.

Great Sword is usually for raw DPS (Torcleaver, Resolution), and Scythe has a lot of skillchain utility going for it (Cross Reaper, Insurgency, Catastrophe, Entropy).

As for Cross Reaper, TP Modifiers on plenty of weaponskills got adjusted, due to a change to how the TP Bar operates and calculates WS damage. Cross Reaper and Savage Blade are among them.

I would say DRK is doing fairly well- in fact, the best we've seen it in years. I suggest you check the guide if you want further details about what playstyle you want to adopt.

I am going to completely disagree with this statement. The Empy ws itself sucks, but the AM3 of AG 119 empy weapons with the ability to ride Cross Reaper with an added str/mnd +35 bonus makes it a stronger dps option than apoc.

Your dps options on drk weapons are actually in the air.

We are seeing,

#1 Caladbolg with torcleaver is most likely the #1 dps option you can get.

#2 Ragnarok with resolution is probably your second highest dps

#3 this is where things become a toss up, you are looking at a multitude of things that have yet to be fully tested for this spot. This can be Empy scythe, Mythic Scythe, or Reisenjima T2 augment greatsword. Aeonic scythe fits in here as well, but as so few people have all these weapons it is making it difficult to figure out what will win at what point.

(since #'s 3-6 are taken)
#7 Apoc, The benefit of apoc is the hp replenish of catastrophe, but don't get it in your head that apoc CAN'T deal damage. That would be a huge misconception, apoc drk geared right is still a beast.

There are a few of us making and testing various weapons and finding out huge damage potential for weapons that have been under the radar for a while now.

As for scythe weapons skills, if you have mythic, insurgency will be your bread and butter, otherwise you will most likely stick with Cross Reaper and blend in str with wsdmg

You should make a Calad or Redemption first before giving this advice.
I'd suggest making a Ragnarok also, not because of his DPS, but because its cheaper/faster to get.

Contradictory statements.

Perfecting the job means getting the best of the best. Caladbolg is absolutely the better great sword.

Multi-class usability is a great argument until you start talking about best in slot for a specific job.

Anguta is an amazing weapon, if you have access to it...GET IT. It's free if you have the group or will and push to actually achieve it.

A properly geared/buffed Anguta DRK is incredible to see. Coupled with D3/Dreads you are decently hard to take down as well. I'm not much for a 3-hit, as doing so would mean I make massive sacrifices in other areas (Due to Oseem being an asshat on certian pieces). I currently run a set w/ about 57% DA that I am pretty happy with. CR numbers skyrocket when your able to abuse the tp overflow and TP bonus from the weapon/moonshade/SMN/WAR warcry.

Edit: Also, I do use Apoc pretty regularly for Omen and a few other things. I find that on Kin with turning and Holding, and being able to ride AM3 is great. Self cures are a plus, but I run with some pretty dope healers. My sets would be similar to Azagarth's. Only difference would be Argosy +1 body for me.

I see Gungir.

And why does Primex always get topic banned for hitting back at people who take shots at him? This isn't the Religion and Politics thread where we have to suffer bigotry and discrimination towards other ethnicities.

At least he's willing to back up what he says with proof and I find his videos to be both entertaining and interesting. I checked the LS he rolls with. I can see many many decked out members in that LS, and some who even contribute to windower plugins and addons. so I would assume when he parses he's not doing it against Gungir DRGs with 1 relic claim to fame.

I don't see any definitive proof that Calad is superior to Rag. Just that Torc has its niche. You can access Torc with Ragnarok by the way.

I think people just cry to the mods when he puts them in silence with tests, proof and relevant data and we all know how many white knights lurk these forums, i see the "if i cant troll him, ill cry
so they silence him" behavior happening a lot but lets face it, the crybabies are probably teenagers or something.

I bet if we counted how many times insults went back and forth, you'd be surprised on the results but hey, its easier to ban 1 person and please 10 than hear the constant moaning of pro-drgs.

ALLAHU AKBAR PRIME!

When you start getting 8k+ regular hits on Dark with Rag please let me know. I mean seriously these are mini ws for some jobs. I made Calad with a lot of people who don't have or just hear ***say you are wasting time and money, which since I have gotten there's literally no comparing. The weapon is a beast.

I just want to make sure I'm understanding this right - your average hit on Calad is 8k DMG?
I don't have Calad but I do run with a decked out Ukon Warrior who did a lot of testing last year when they introduced AG R/E/Ms and he didn't come up with anything remotely close to 8k averages. 8K spikes, sure. I've seen 12k spikes from a Ukon with AM3 up and crits. But 8K average... going to need some proof. As I said before, this place is rampant with claims and little to nothing to back it up. And when you do, you get topic banned.

Congrats on completely moving off topic. Get out.

Let's not act like 8K hits are normal. A max crit roll with capped fSTR and triple damage proc barely breaks 5.5K, not even 6K with max JPs. So you're either lying about the numbers or leaving out important variables such as Arcana Killer and Souleater.

This is the "i do 30k savage blades on the secondary party as rdm/sch with 0 buffs" troll bait again, please post those 8k regular hits with calad (and with regular i mean every hit, you sounds as if every hit is 8k 8k 8k lol) and then you'll have your claim, other than that this is all waa waa make calad because "reasons".

Someone kill this thread already .. it has ran its course and we helped the OP well enough. Let's wait to see if Evlkairi responds .. and if not, please let the thread die before it becomes yet another argument for the sake of argument.

All the weapons are awesome .. get 'em and love them all. The End.

It is funny you talk about troll bait when you do the exact same thing, especially after the 30k savage was proven, as well was the rdm is a dd, as rdm was on par or beating many "better" DD jobs with rema weapons.

There is a bigger problem than someone coming in and saying they can do something that nobody else can do.

It is the fact very few people can replicate it, so other players act like little children with their "pic or it didn't happen" then ignore any and all evidence that proves it is possible. The childish mentality of "I can't do/see it, means it can't happen." Needs to just die out already.

People argued with me for months trying to say reso/rag was the best dps option, people argued with me saying scythe can't DD, now.... months later people are doing the very same thing I was saying long ago. Congrats, you are more behind the curve than they were.

The 8k hits is very possible, really not a far reaching concept, it wouldn't be 100% of the time, if anything you might be able to get a 15-20%

Assuming you have sam roll from a half decent cor you can lower your sTP in gear during tp phase and change it out for more crit rate gear.

For the sake of argument lets say you have 20% crit rate gear, stacked with AM3 on empy weapon, which is triple damage 50% of the time AND it procs on multi-hit. That means 10% (not likely, but possible) of your hits can deal triple dmg crit gear. No it won't happen all the time, but a few is enough to make a difference.

With yetshila and valorous feet alone that is an additional 9% crit Dmg.

I really don't see how this isn't a possible concept, especially when so many people in the past have already dealt this dmg. Then again... it looks like you are still on the bluwagon so I can see why you don't believe anything anyone would tell you differently.

On a final note, don't praise someone that subs /war and pops all ja with a human geo and 5 tiers of smite to hit a whole 38k spike dmg reso. That is pretty average for drk right now. You want context on what some of us are doing? we are testing on crabs in the lowest possible attk+/mob-def situations so we can get a base line of what drk is capable of.

If for some dim witted reason you think you need to /war and burn every ja you have for -55% def (depending on merits and if you kill your own dps by using reforge feet) when you are already capping attack on drk/sam very easily, at least ds/nv drain 3 and dread spikes so you don't get 3 shot by a lvl 129 crab.

As for schah? Drk is the clear winner all day long on schah, arcane circle/crest. A drk will keep up with if not beat a war all day long. No top geared war will ever mop the floor with a top geared drk. Even during mighty strikes a drk can run soul enslavement and keep solid pace with a war. Tack on 9k hp, souleater/bloodweapon, not only are you better defensively but you will surpass that war.

Just because someone post a video of themselves doesn't mean it is a great video or even good evidence. It means they hit record. That is it. Videos and pics are garbage information, all it is, petty *** swinging where everyone can see your flaws as you toot your own horn on how great you think you are because apparently you play with bad players that for some terrible reason can't beat you. I *** hate using pics/videos, but it seems little kids think that is the only way to prove anything, even then they get butt hurt and ignore the information when you post it, instead they follow trash videos barely staying alive against a 129 crab thinking that is amazing dps and a great way to play.

Want real data, parse everything, parse against everyone you play. Beat people with lesser buffs than they have, beat people on lower jobs, go spend hours each week tweaking your gear. NEVER under any circumstances think you are the best or you have the best gear or nobody can beat you or that you can't do better. That is the moment you stop getting better and begin to decline.

Having both, I can as a first hand user tell you calad wins (if 90%+ acc). Whats more accurate than that? I have what most would consider a perfect reso set too, so its not like im some drk "gearing-up". Hell even w/o calad torc with rag is massive dmg too and under 2k tp will out dmg reso. If you would like, go test like I have and draw your own conclusion instead of fighting it.

Get a high end torc set and high end reso and you will start to realize torc is just much more useful and better dmg unless for some reason you are having to save to 2k+ tp consistently (certain mobs like kin I always use rag for this reason, kyou too depending setup). The best part is my reso set being at the best it can be, I know what #'s its capable of and thus its max potential, my torc set is still missing like 20~ vit AND 7 wsd (no dm augs) which is going to be around a 2500 dmg avg increase. So since my torcs are already winning at 1k by a long shot, and about equal at 2k.... AND dot is 2x what rags is... you can see its not a little deal, it quite a huge deal for 1 slott of gear. 8k hits do happen but are not super common (require bonuses and SE, or crits), what is 50% of the time common (am3) is 4-5k hits, which when you have an avg round of 1.7~ hits that basically gets close to every round. You really cant believe rag outside of when acc is needed will outdo calad....

Math wise look in the main drk thred, its been mathed to hell that torc > reso until you get to that 2k mark (debatable then). Honestly using it too it performs basically same dps wise at 2k too with a slight edge to me, thats what the massive wsd we get does (im at 50% gear alone).

if you dont want to make calad, dont. Its a game and rag is more than adequate to perform well on drk and out DD most dd. You will not be the best drk you can be, nor can you cry when someone who has put in the time for a 350m weapon beat you.

Calad is best if you have brd buffs with moonbow/plus 1, idris doing indi torpor/frailly and a rdm for distract and rolls. If you are lacking acc use rag. There is a certain point of over capping acc. Like with honor March mad x2 from a good brd, distract 3 and a bolstered torpor no need for anymore acc even on tumult or woc.

2004 called. It wants your attempt at invalidating my argument back.

Caladbolg

Ragnarok
Now, you may be thinking "But all of that accuracy!" and back in January, you would have had a point. But this isn't Janurary and the necessity isn't there anymore.

Also, Torc has niche uses? How about it's superior to Resolution, even without Caladbolg's 50 VIT.

As a heads up, the Reso set is with Argosy +1 and things of that tier. Torc set is with non-DM augmented Odyssean, meaning the damage potential is significantly higher. Also, non-DM augments means it's cheaper than Argosy +1 and it performs better.