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

keep in mind endark is tiered every 20level so unless youre hitting 520. Which i believe celoria's and current max, outside of darksday bonus, is 519?(i am alittle drunk will review when sober enough to stay awake...)

as far as absorb you might be better sticking MACC in. I havent put together any sets for awhile now.

That I am currently using for my precast and Absorb:

FC:
ItemSet 335144
Yorium has MACC and FC

Absorb:
ItemSet 335142

Drain/Aspir:
ItemSet 335143

Could probably use some tweaks, but I am okay with them for now.

Hey all, does anyone have any up to date liberator sets,
I just got mine last night, not been on drk since before SoA came out thanks

This is what I'm using.

ItemSet 332115
ItemSet 332116

I have another pair of acro hands with haste+2 on them for when AM3 is up. If you have LR + haste/march up they're not needed.

You can substitute otomi helm + acro leggings in the first set without much dps loss.

augs you want to aim for are str/dex+7 acc/atk+20 stp+6.

Cool thanks

correct me if i am wrong but shouldnt you use the AF2 reforged head for dark magic precast? iirc it was like 10% or more FC for dark magic

Yes, believe you are correct. Good catch, Thanks.

The May update has some well needed changes for DRK. I like how they made scythe more appealing with this new JA. It's pretty smart.


If I had to guess, the new JA will work along the same lines as Souleater, but perhaps be a little weaker, and have a slightly shorter recast. Either way, Entropy will have another use.

No idea what they did to LR. Wish I knew.

It should be noted that reciting the Papa Roach lyrics while on party chat in your Last Resort macro will increase the bonus by 10%.

drk need a better scythe ws, wtf we need.that much atk for.

Another WS would be cool, but I am pretty happy with the scythe WS arsenal we have now. We have HP/MP replenish, we have a super strong 2hit(CR), and two decent 4hits (Entropy/Insurg). Even Quietus has its uses (limited but yes). Cata/CR/Entropy/Insurgency are all pretty consistent performers.

I am excited for this update, any increase in dmg is a plus!

CR is abysmal when compared other 2H WS's and is sh!t when compared to the 1H ones.

60% STR / MND, 3.5 fTP across both hits @1000TP with moonshade. If the fTP copied then it would be a much better WS but it doesn't so it's kind of sh!t. It doesn't even have a L3 Light / Dark property to use to self SC like Ukko's does. Entropy is 4.3 fTP under similar circumstances but 85% INT mod makes it kinda ~bleh~.

For GS's we have

Resolution, 5.55 fTP @1000TP and 85% STR, most powerful WS but doesn't make self SC's.

Torcleaver, 5.43 fTP @1000TP, 80% VIT, stronger then Scyth WS's and makes self light.

Then for comparison, Sword and Dagger

Chant du Cygne,
9.8 fTP, 80% DEX, critical hit WS. Each additional hit is another 2.45 fTP so some DA/TA really makes it silly. BLU/WAR gets something like 11 or 12 fTP average on this.

Savage Blade, 7.5 fTP, 50% STR/MND, has silly scaling with TP. If LR worked while single wielding then we'd be going /WAR and Sword + Shield spamming Savage Blade.

Vorpal Blade
7.87 fTP (dual wielding) 60% STR critical hit WS, which again if LR worked for 1H / DW then we might see /NIN make a comeback with this.

Axes

Rampage, 7.2 fTP (DW), 50% STR, can critical, each hit is 1.2 fTP .

Decimation, 7.8 fTP (DW), 50% STR, acc bonus and each additional hit is 1.95 fTP so it gets silly fast though not as silly as CDC.

Daggers

Rudras Storm, 7.29 fTP (DW), 80% DEX, one ***and typically stacked with an 100% crit JA. Makes self dark

Evisceration, 8.6 fTP (DW), 50% DEX, critical hits and each hit has 1.45 fTP .

Pyrrhic Kleos, 9.75 fTp (DW), 40% DEX/STR, each hit has 1.95 fTP and this gets almost as silly as CDC. Gets really stupid when DNC use's that JA that makes all it's hits critical.

When faced with those kinds of numbers, Scyth's suddenly look really really sad. In fact, Scyth's, Polearms and Great Axes all look weak when compared to those other silly WS's. Great Sword is barely holding on but only because Reso and Torc are both extremely useful in their own right. Great Katana would be sucking mud except it's married at the hip to SAM and that job is pretty broken when spamming SC's.

SE needs to f*cking update Scyth, Polearm, Great Axe and Great Sword WS's already. Make Quitus a 7.0 fTP WS that has 30/50/70 defense ignored (for obscenely high defense targets) and then have CR copy fTP with something like 3/4/5 fTP . Update UK to be something like 5 or 6 fTP on first hit or make it copy fTP and 2.5/3.5/5. Stuff like that needs to happen to really balance out the jobs.

All valid and true points. I was mainly speaking on versitility for our ws's. I do agree that scythe definitely needs some boost to balance with said ws's above. They perform well, but the best? No. But I have no issues with damage alternating through cata and CR.

Cata is even worse off, functionally 3.85~4.0 fTP (40% boost but 2.75 fTP to start) with 40% STR/INT. That's a really weak WS. It's only use is if your soloing something or have an absolute trash PUG WHM, in which case your probably going to fail eventually because they can't do erase / stona / paralya / ect.

A WAR/<something> using Sword / Shield and doing Savage Blade or Mistral Axe will put out more damage then you on Scyth.

To illustrate, a WAR with Emp +2 pants, Moonshade and gifts will have +900 Tp Bonus at 1000. Both Savage and Mistral have really silly TP scaling, further Savagery Warcry is 60 seconds of another +700 Tp Bonus that is done every five minutes.

Savage (two hits, first having high fTP)
1000TP (1900)
10.625 fTP, 50% STR/MND

Warcry Up
1000TP (2600)
13.35 fTP, 50% STR/MND

Mistral Axe (single hit high fTP)
1000TP (1900)
9.85 fTP, 50% STR

Warcry (2600)
12.37 fTP, 50% STR

Savage is generally regarded as the better WS, but Mistral is good if you need Fusion for some reason. If the WAR wants to self SC, they could do Requiescat -> Savage for Fragmentation, not as good as light but it's an option. The only reason you don't see Sword + Shield WAR in high buff situations is that Hasso's 10% JA haste is enough to overcome the WS difference, but only with all the other haste values present (capped gear and magic). If Last Resort worked for 1H or DW weapons then we'd see a lot more DRK/WAR Sword + Shield or DRK/NIN DW sword or axe, just because of how lopsided it is.

In either case, your better off using GS and spamming Reso (w/o SC) or Torc (SC's present). The only possible use for Scyth, as of now, is to have Cata for that really sh!tty WHM or to go solo stuff without a healer.

I am aware of this information, but I am rather confused on why we shifted from DRK to WAR. I don't need an illustration of war with moonshade. I really don't need an illustration what so ever.

I am also aware that I could switch to GS and spam Reso/TC to increase my overall dps if I wish. I enjoy scythe, and I intend to use mine. Doesn't mean I don't use GS, I just love my scythe. If those are the only two uses you get out of your apoc or scythe in general then that sucks. I run with a great group of people and my LS has enough confidence in my play style and dps output to allow me to come with scythe, and if I or they ever felt I was falling behind I would obviously change my strat or job.

its ok to be mediocre for my team because I don't give a *** about me taking a party slot. I refuse to believe scythe sucks because you all are blinded playing with numbers.

Did I once say I didn't acknowledge that scythe has less dps output then GS? No. I understand full well that it is below GS. And yes I am fully aware of how numbers, spreadsheets, math, fTP all works, thanks. Does that mean I have to play with GS all the time? Maybe you missed the entire last part of my post(you know the part about me changing if its an issue). Whether some troll believes I am taking up a slot in my ls's pt means very little to me. But please, go right on posting what you think I was saying (which is incorrect).

What you were saying was this: Scythe is great to scythe is decent to I can do event with a scythe because I got a kick *** group of friends that allow me to bring drk+scythe, But the start of the argument was scythe need a goddamn boost in ws dmg when it pale in comparison to everything else out there. No one is forcing how to play your $11.99 character but please stop spewing out nonsense like scythe is great because I love to play it ***. We are talking about scythe WS dmg here not your personal fantasy.

Don't understand the personal fantasy comment, but whatever. If that is what you have gathered from my post then so be it.

Because that's what you posted. That you didn't care that you were deliberately contributing less and were a burden to your friends. DRK is already punished enough for it's unbalanced JT's and poor WS access, no need to trash it even further.

I used WAR just as an example of how bad Cata was in relation to other things. WAR and DRK share practically all the same gear, most of the same weapons and do exactly the same job in a party event, and thus WAR makes a relevant comparison.

Now thankfully absorbs don't deteriorate over time, so a DRK can give themselves a decent acc boost or not needing that a decent stat boost for two minutes out of every five with DS + NV. Absorbs still being calculated as level 99 is bullsh!t, hopefully SE eventually allows them to be calculated as iLevel instead. Also there needs to be more enhances absorb potency / duration gear, the base is too low to be worth wasting the time casting and the resultant 3s pause in your attack rounds. DS + NV is the only time it's really worthwhile to cast an Absorb spell.

I agree with the absorb issues.

But burdening my pt and trashing it further?

I am well aware that I could change to to GS and spam TC/reso. I am also well aware I could change to a job that could parse higher. But if I (and my group) are okay with me coming with scythe sometimes, and still perform well, why in the hell do you care? I don't need examples of things that will do more Dps, I know that will do more dmg already. But I am happy with using scythe and my personal output is fine with me (and my group). And again, if anyone in my group had a major problem with it I would change jobs or strat.

On the same token, I do agree scythe could use an update to bring balance to the job in relation to other jobs. Hell I have said that for a while now. Look at past posts of mine on this and other threads. If you gather that I am burdening or trashing the job further that is you, not me.

So how about those drk updates? I wonder what kind of buff drain 2 is getting? I am also very curious about our new ja and new atk+ traits. I doubt it will make us as strong as sam, but I hope we can be used for the new end game.

10% increase to LR's defense penalty, whoosh!

Huh what? As in LR is now -35% defense or is it -15% defense?

I still can't get on but -35% is what I'm reading from the update notes.


So -35% including merits.

So does Convert Mana or whatever its called actually convert all your MP into direct damage on your next attack 1:1? If so, it's not "bad" but a better ratio would be better, says 1:3 or something, given it cripples your drains/stuns/endarks/dreadspikes for a while (unless you have some elixirs or potions or you're fighting trash to aspir).

If it stacks with WS, could be a good chunk of 1k+ damage tacked on.

Or you are using a Scythe with Entropy

Oh true!

I Do not know exact numbers and i have not tested this much but from just an auto attack with it, It is pretty awful. I did this a few times and every time i watched as my dmg increased by 200 to a W.ranf mob at the cost of 750mp.

Now if this is multiplicative depending on how much mana you use to the amount of dmg you do then this could end up being good for Weaponskills similar to THF's SA > WS combo or even if the extra dmg is added on each hit of a WS making multi hit WS's stronger.

Alot of things to really test for with this and something i havn't done so don't go off my word for this but from what i seen so far it slows my DPS more by hitting that ability.