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

Cuz u changed gear and had more MP so it thinks you are low!

Edit: beat by Pertalee

They all have strict rules that adhere to HP/MP/Situation thresholds. They have a reason, but swapping gear can force certain behavior from Trusts:

Below 75%HP, you'll probably get paeons (one each from BRDs)
Below 75%MP, you'll probably get ballads (one each from BRDs)
Get hit with critical damage in one shot (>50%), Ulmia uses Scherzo
When neither of the above circumstances are met, uses: March, Minuet
When needs accuracy: use madrigals, sylvie uses entrust-precision (this includes swapping to a weapon briefly and swinging once)
Qultada - Uses fighters when you need acc, corsairs when dedication is up, Evokers assumed to be on the same rules as Ballad/Paeons

Interestingly enough, trusts can use an ability for apparently no reason, but it may be due to a gear swap that causes it's AI to behave accordingly. For instance, using Mantra and swapping to an HP build will force the trust to use Paeon if done when his AI reads HP. It can be annoying, or it can be used as a deliberate strategy. Forcing Qultada/Sylvie to use entrust precision/fighters gives you a bit of leeway for high acc solo fights.

so does jobs with no natural mp factor into this? cause it seems like even when im on a job with no natural mp ill get a ballad despite other trusts still being okay mp wise

Standard trusts aren't smart enough to read your job. They just do a lazy hp/mp/acc check when you've taken below a certain mark and apply the song accordingly, whether you're native MP user or not. Most ilvl gear has MP on it, but you'll lose it when you swap so you're going to get a half eventually unless all of your swaps maintain the same MP levels. Sylvie is the only buffing trust in aware of that will read your job and tailor her spell buffs based on that.

Thanks, that clears up a lot of confusion atleast, doesnt cure the frustration but I know why its happening now.

Ulmia/Most(?)rdm, all but KoH - know when you're ranger/corsair they buff for ranged accordingly... or detrimentally... tbh lol

Not about job or subjob they just see mp, purposeful for accidental they were programmed lazily. Same deal with Haste/II

I love KoH. He knows whats good. Dia III before you can even think about it and haste my melee COR (not like I need it with marches, but still) instead of this stupid flurry.

Rua made this really cool BLU lore video
i'm really hoping he makes a DRK one and mentions the awesome GS weaponskills like Torcleaver

Had this posted in a different thread but should also be in here.

Igoniminy Guantlets +2/3 : augment weapon bash effect = chain bound like Konzen-ittai/Wild Flourish

Weapon Bash needs to be executed first.
Kylos original post on it here

Great Sword:

Weapon Bash > Hard Slash = Scission
Weapon Bash > Power Slash = Transfixion
Weapon Bash > Frostbite = Induration
Weapon Bash > Freezebite = Induration
Weapon Bash > Shockwave = Fragmentation
Weapon Bash > Crescent Moon = Scission
Weapon Bash > Sickle Moon= Scission
Weapon Bash > Spinning Slash = nothing
Weapon Bash > Ground Strike = nothing
Weapon Bash > Herculean Slash = Induration
Weapon Bash > Scourge = nothing
Weapon Bash > Torcleaver = nothing
Weapon Bash > Resolution = Scission

Scythe:

Weapon Bash > Slice = Scission
Weapon Bash > Dark Harvest = Fragmentation
Weapon Bash > Shadow of Death = Induration
Weapon Bash > Nightmare Scythe = Compression
Weapon Bash > Spinning Scythe = Fragmentation
Weapon Bash > Vorpal Scythe = Transfixion
Weapon Bash > Guillotine = Induration
Weapon Bash > Cross Reaper = nothing
Weapon Bash > Spiral Hell = Scission
Weapon Bash > Catastrophe = none
Weapon Bash > Insurgency = Compression
Weapon Bash > Infernal Scythe = Compression
Weapon Bash > Quietus = nothing
Weapon Bash > Entropy = Fragmentation

Great Axe:

Weapon Bash > Shield Break = Fusion
Weapon Bash > Iron Tempest = Scission
Weapon Bash > Sturmwind = Fragmentation
Weapon Bash > Armor Break = Fusion
Weapon Bash > Keen Edge = Compression
Weapon Bash > Weapon Break = Fusion
Weapon Bash > Full Break = nothing
Weapon Bash > Fell Cleave = Scission
Weapon Bash > Upheaval = Compression

I am seeing mixed reports -- is Moonshade Earring better than Brutal for Cata?

lol what. Cata doesn't scale with TP Moonshade is useless.

Brutal/Ishvara or Double Lugra Earrings at night.

As for belts I actually went with Windbuffet+1, when Quad Attack procs on R15 Cata the numbers can be disgusting. To the point it makes up for the keep tp proc. Just imo though.

For example I seen 50k damage cata off hand(Niqmadu Proc?), while normally I'd average 29k or so. Seems like Quad/Triple Attack has a higher chance of proccing than the fotia belt.

Are there any other belts I should be using/that I overlooked?

Thanks for the kind words, didn't know -- but I will use Brutal/Ish.

Ioskeha(+1) is quite good and more consistent than Windbuffet +1.

Because of how MA works Fotia is very marginally better for avg damage but both ioskeha and windbuffet are very close. So juat depends what you want more - consistent or spike damage.

Can someone explain to me what means below text that you cna find under Liberator on bg wiki?

Augments Absorb spells V grants the following:
Adds an additional +50% potency for Absorb spells.
Does not stack with other Absorb enhancing gear such as Black Cuisses.

It has little sense to write that potency doesn't stack with duration... but idk maybe spaghetti code? XD

Does Pavor gauntles works with Liberator?
Does Chuparossa Mantle stacks with Liberator?
Does Ignominy head stacks with Liberator?
etc.

What's the max + stat absorbed with everything that stacks?

I know most people are on the Calad > all Train. But does anything change at R15? Was thinking of getting my liberator to R15 and was curious how much that helps. Think for now id rather R15 my apoc over my Calad.

I have r15 Cala and Apocalypse.

Cala is an absolute beast of a weapon. R15 just made it our best weapon better.

Apoc gains more at rank15 but still can’t pace with Cala from a shear DPS point of view.

Lib r15 was neck and neck with Cala when WSdmg was broken but since it’s fix it’s a notch behind.

Thank you for the info. I do plan on R15ing all 3 (not sure of other weapons a drk should have) But I do love the playstyle of Liberator over Cala. And that makes me not care about the notch behind.

That being said. Is the aftermath the reason Liberator has such low DMG compared to its delay? Just seems like if it had Anguta DMG it would be on another lvl.

Its really just that lib has bad mods and doesnt scale well til 2k+, the AM itself can be worked around fairly painlessly, calad starts strong and just gets stronger and its AM doesnt require any real tinkering, its just additional dmg at next to no cost.

I went head to head with my bis r15 cala dark against R15 bus liberator dark on Sinnister Reig. And the liberator was crushing my face in on the dps

I have tried disabling "Chuparossa"(back) & "Pavor gauntles"
while absorbing on trash and got +76 STR stat boost.
While both equiped i got 92 STR stat boost.
For sure then Absorb Augment stacks with liberator.

Regarding Absorb Duration, When DS/NV is not* on its obvious that you have to use "Ig. Burgonet +3" for that 20% duration. Otherwise if DS/NV is up you will have to absorb with "Fall. Burgeonet +3".

You get 6-7mins absorb-stat with DS/NV and "Fall. Burgeonet +3"
its 92 stat boost. when DS/NV down you will use "Ig. Burgonet +3".
Hope this answers most of your questions. I can tell you the potency does for sure stack with liberator.

Also when they mentioning Does not stack with other Absorb enhancing gear such as Black Cuisses. That whole set just adds duration(10s) each piece and no Potency +. No idea if theres a cap to potency but you got LIberator +50% / hands +10 /mantle 10% = 70%

How much +stat you get without DS/NV?

I don't know where that 92 is coming from too :/

bg wiki says Absorbs are Floor(3 + (Job Level÷5)) and that's 22 and it's what I'm getting without anything in game. What you get suggests that bonuses from Liberator and other equip is separate multiplier ( 76 * 1.2 = 91.2, so probably it takes 76 before rounding down and we get 92)

Now with +50% from Liberator and +85% from NV it should be ~61. even assuming you forgot about Erra pendant, it should be ~64. How you are getting 76 then?

The only idea I have is that Liberator is actually around +80% and community missed that additional upgrades?

Can you try with just Liberator WITHOUT NV and other gear?

Did a quick check, using fully upgraded Lib.
Potency pieces used = Chuparrosa, Pavor and Erra.

No potency = 33 stat
potency pieces above = 41 stat
NV + potency = 92

(keeping in mind, job points increase NV by 40%)

I always remember to check gifts but always forget about job points category. All clear now.

This is a late response, but both Dacnomania and Misanthropy give "Drain" and "Aspir" potency +20. Apocalypse and Father Time only give "Drain" potency +10% and +25%, respectively.

Liberator is the cats meow

When might SE raise the cap Augment cap? and would they just go to R20?

Well its SR so you miss out on so much damage in general not really shocked most of that stuff dies in 3 or 4 WS so you aren't getting max out of cala in the scenario.