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

Also, you can hit most things in game with a base of 1150acc+food + buffs. You can run your lowest TP sets on WoC/Kirin for example if you are hitting 1150 before any buffs.

So, the Floor is 1150 acc, after that provided you do not need more acc, what do you stack, Qa/Ta/Da Store tp? Lots of Att? Once acc is under control what is next to focus on? Obviously its based upon what you are fighting and doing but Some NQ darks are better than others with Higher quality gear choices

acc > haste > sTP (for xhit) > multi-hit

Here is my lowest acc Apoc Set.

-- 1137ACC - 63stp - 33DA 2TA 5QA (/sam)
sets.engaged.Apocalypse = {
ammo="Ginsen",
head=Arg_HQ_head, body=Val_QA_body,
back=Ank_STP, neck="Ganesha's Mala",
hands="Argosy Mufflers", waist="Windbuffet Belt +1",
legs=Arg_HQ_legs, feet=Arg_HQ_feet,
ring1="Petrov Ring", ring2="Pernicious Ring",
ear1="Cessance Earring", ear2="Brutal Earring"}

And I don't want to hear ***about "no defense" GO BIG OR GTFO (Learn to DT)

Ank_STP = { name="Ankou's Mantle", augments={'DEX+20','Accuracy+20 Attack+20','DEX+10','"Store TP"+10',}}
Arg_HQ_head = { name="Argosy Celata +1", augments={'DEX+12','Accuracy+20','"Dbl.Atk."+3',}}
Arg_HQ_legs = { name="Argosy Breeches +1", augments={'STR+12','Attack+25','"Store TP"+6',}}
Arg_HQ_feet = { name="Argosy Sollerets +1", augments={'HP+65','"Dbl.Atk."+3','"Store TP"+5',}}
Arg_NQ_hands = { name="Argosy Mufflers", augments={'STR+15','"Dbl.Atk."+2','Haste+2%',}}
Val_QA_body = { name="Valorous Mail", augments={'"Mag.Atk.Bns."+12','"Dbl.Atk."+3','Quadruple Attack +1','Accuracy+18 Attack+18',}}

And here is an example of my High Acc set while still maintaining the correct STP amount for Apoc.

-- 1201ACC - 63STP - 35DA 1QA
sets.engaged.Apocalypse.MidAcc = {
ammo="Ginsen",
head=Arg_HQ_head, body=Val_QA_body,
back=Ank_STP, neck="Lissome Necklace",
hands="Sulevia's Gauntlets +1", waist="Ioskeha Belt",
legs=Ody_STP_legs, feet=Arg_HQ_feet,
ring1="Ramuh Ring +1", ring2="Ramuh Ring +1",
ear1="Cessance Earring", ear2="Telos Earring"}

Ody_STP_legs = { name="Odyssean Cuisses", augments={'Accuracy+21','"Store TP"+7','STR+4','Attack+12',}}

And here is the *** IT I CANT HIT ***SET!!!

-- 1276ACC - 45STP - 16DA
sets.engaged.Apocalypse.HighAcc = {
ammo="Seething Bomblet +1",
head=Arg_HQ_head, body=Val_DA_body,
back=Ank_STP, neck="Lissome Necklace",
hands=Val_Acc_hands, waist="Ioskeha Belt",
legs="Carmine Cuisses +1", feet=Val_STP_feet,
ring1="Ramuh ring +1", ring2="Ramuh ring +1",
ear1="Dignitary's Earring", ear2="Telos Earring"}

Val_DA_body = { name="Valorous Mail", augments={'Accuracy+23 Attack+23','"Dbl.Atk."+1','VIT+4','Accuracy+12','Attack+11',}}
Val_Acc_hands = { name="Valorous Mitts", augments={'Mag. Acc.+20','Accuracy+28','Accuracy+16 Attack+16',}}
Val_STP_feet = { name="Valorous Greaves", augments={'Accuracy+20 Attack+20','"Store TP"+6','MND+6','Accuracy+11',}}

Can review my Lua for more acc sets and breakdowns based on weapon type etc. (Anguta, Apoc, and Rag is otw)

Ahh, nice catch. In this case, Desperate Blows effect merits don't seem to be as mandatory as I've stated it was. I suppose LR + Hasso can work for Great Sword, as well. However, I have mixed feelings on that, so what do you do in that instance?

I'll slap that little detail in, thanks for the insight.

This, although haste applies more for the Sulevia+1 set when you need to not die. We already get tremendous amounts of attack so no point in worrying about that.

As for Desperate Blows, that one I've been back and forth about for a while now. Afterglow Apoc makes them less valuable, but with any of our other weapons it still has use. Conversely, if /SAM you have your choice of riding Hasso or not. I don't know. Just gonna chuck that into personal choice column. :/

If you are using a Great Sword, Hasso +LR no merits would be cap yes; and you would be down 15% for the 1 min that LR is not up. (and this would still apply with capped LR at 25%, still down for 1 min)

And like Brahmsz said, This is kind of a personal choice; and will just be helpful for maximizing your weapon of choice.

The 1 min doesn't bother me; but anything I would use GS on should be dead in under 4min; and would likely be in escha anyways, so Super Revit for the win!!!

My desperate blow merits are 5/5, I just thought it might be important to discuss the different choices a person could have; I am also 5/5 Dark Seal - I always get 1 shot anytime I try to use Diabolic Eye, lol like less than 2k hp with it.

Desperate Blows starts to shine when you sub WAR and are using any of the other weapons (Anything not Apoc)

Then you are reaching your 25% JA haste for 4 min with no JA haste for 1 min.

There is no reason not to have Desperate Blows merited because our other merit options aren't worth it

1 in Dark seal
4 in DE
4 in DB

Then it's what's more important +5 acc or +2% haste.

Really, nothing else to put your merits into.

I don't think I can disagree with this more. Subbing war is normally a death sentence. A dead DD is not a DD at all.

You become an mp sponge assuming you over lap your buffs at any point, just so happens to be very likely without it being coded in your lua. Leaving you vulnerable to 2k+ crits if not more.

Subbing war greatest benefit is Double Attack followed with the 25 acc from aggressor. Drk takes little benefit from attack gain now with the smite bonus being so large. There is no point in berserk, there is no point in attack food.

You literally have to weigh the options,

Pro's of /sam
hasso gives +10% ja haste when LR is down
hasso gives +10 acc without losing eva
hasso gives +10 str
meditate
sekkinoki
free 15 sTP
Seigan/3eye

Con's of /sam
Hasso is 15 lower acc than aggressor (penalty of -25 eva)
no berserk (minimal loss at best)
no double attack (the greatest loss of not /war)
no provoke if needed (can code tons of enmity in your ja/spells through lua without provoke)

The only real benefit to subbing war is 10% double attack and 15 less acc with aggressor.

The last time drk/war was a good idea was during voidwatch, as soon as seekers came out people moved to drk/sam, the survival options are much higher subbing sam as well as there are much more benefits now after smite.

It is a personal preference for each player, I just wouldn't recommend using /war.

As for merits, I almost never use diabolic eye anymore which has made me consider taking D/E merits down, however the lack of a recast change in dark seal merits for the JA really doesn't give me a reason to add more to dark seal.

Dark seal can extend the duration of Absorb spells with Augmented Relic +50% with 5 merits in Dark seal. I rarely use Diabolic eye too because the -hp% is asking for a mob to kill you.

I still switch from DRK/SAM to DRK/WAR and see Berserk have a decent effect it really depends on what your fighting and your support.

As for staying alive if you can't be killed quicker than the healer can react you should be fine, ofc this might involve using stun, dread spike or Drain III with some fast macroing of DT gear it's not that hard to stay alive. As for being a Mp sponge unless ur mage is lacking gear/skill it's extremely hard to tap out a good healer. That said, if you're distracting the healer from the tank then that is an issue.

The only real thing that allows /SAM to beat /WAR is the store tp allowing you to tp in better gear or even have an extra hit off your build and if you're rolling with a COR (pun intended) Sam roll can allow /WAR to Tp in the best gear and at capped Acc it will always beat /SAM because of the 10% DA alone and if berserk has an effect it'll destroy /SAM.

Don't take me the wrong way, I'd say in most cases /SAM => /WAR but saying /WAR is useless all the time is wrong, imo.

Yeah it boils down to preference and how much you trust your tanks/healers.

I just have personally been hit for 2k enough times running /war that I gave up on it and no longer recommend it.

I only have Diabolic Eye merits because I could use the extra accuracy I'm currently missing, lol <.<;

Yeah, I've been on /SAM much more often than /WAR. /WAR is only ideal for when you're feeling really suicidal & your healers are on point. Plus, it's hard for me to ever pass up on Store TP from /SAM.

Dark Seal also boosts duration of Drain III giving you a 4min30s Duration. Could almost full-time Dark Seal + Nether Void this way. Right now with Kishar and 534 Skill I'm over 6min with Dark Seal. So you'd also be able to utilize this with Nether Void if Accuracy is deficient as well.

Yeah I sometimes use ds/nv absorb acc for 60+ acc, that is near full time as well. That is a huge gain for drk's lacking acc

Sorry Thorv, but I sub WAR nearly all the time. Honestly if you can't take the 4 seconds to Drain 2/3 (when it's not being resisted or NM is immune) then yeah you deserve to eat dirt.

That said... I still see a difference in my damage as /SAM when I do sub it compared to /WAR. Berserk does seem to make that much of a difference for me personally. /SAM I will see nearly twice the WS's but the damage is nearly half that of /WAR.

Not to derail, just me debating /WAR. Yes, I am a suicidal DRK. But honestly I'm so used to getting hit for high numbers I don't notice it anymore.

"How do you know where the edge is if you haven't gone off it?"

So again it's just personal choice.

Swing Hard or Die Trying my friends.

If that is the case i'll be switching to Dark Seal 5/5 then I know it didn't stack with Drain II and I presumed it didn't with Drain III.

In any real situation, you should be attack capped from proper buffs. At least for me and my melees. We always have access to idris frailty and honor march. Attack shouldn't even be an issue, so it really comes down to Double Attack/Aggressor vs Hasso/Seigan/Meditate/STP, in which case you would still pick /SAM over /WAR probably all the time.

Yea if you have access to an idris geo /SAM is the best but if you don't there is still a lot of content LR + Smite won't cap attack alone if you don't have an idris Geo.

Basically, when both subs can utilise everything there are very close to each other /SAM winning basically from the down time of LR.

But if a fight is short (attack isn't capped) or you can't take a hit off your build with the stp then /WAR will beat /SAM which for me still happens plenty.

Like when i'm playing DRK as a DPS i'm like /SAM 70%-80% of the time and /WAR 20-30% of the time.

If you wanna have a real sub discussion tho the soloing/tanking subs for DRK are much more interesting
/RDM - Haste access when no trusts are available
/DNC - Skillchain bonus (used this in VW to kill mobs in one skillchain ^^)
/SAM - Siegen :D and Hasso for LR down time when not using Apoc.
/NIN - Blink tanking
/RUN - Negating negative status and reducing the chance of being one shot by certain stuff :D

Well that goes back to what both of us stated, personal preference.

I do use drain 2/3 for 4k+ hp on anything that doesn't get resisted, I just don't like needing cure 6 every whm cast. I don't trust enough mages for that, hell half the time I don't trust anyone to do their job right anymore, even more so, half the time I am not even playing right....

Skipped RR a few times lately and it cost me pretty bad, I have been playing like crap on rdm with bufffing pt, all kinds of stuff. I may need a break from 11 for a while.

Anyway.... back to personal preference, I like to use my DS/NV with acc or str, really like it with str huge gain on reso. If I am in escha/reisenjima I like to super buff as the fight starts, pop revit, ds/nv a 2nd stat and I have all my timers ready so I can run 8 minutes of LR have 2 sekkinoki, 2 meditate, weapon bash etc.

I wouldn't tell people not to play /war ever, I used to love it, just not a thing for me.


Used them all, I have them all coded into my lua, even have /pld.
Set them up for enmity toggles, sc dmg toggles, the whole deal.

Food for thought. You said /sam you do half the damage but twice as often. That means you are ending up doing about the same amount of damage regardless.

Heh I know this post helped me a lot ^^ http://www.ffxiah.com/forum/topic/49707/up-to-date-simple-drk-gear-swap/#3175045 for help ^^, Thank you for that :). as well as Azagarth's post ^^

:-( even with my max acc set only getting 1078 acc with gear.. Good news is I get 271 tp per swing in my TP set lol Need to find some better options i think.

I have big number syndrome. I'd rather see bigger WS damage than have to WS twice as often. I'm a weirdo. Carry on.

Really depends on your support around you, even with bad support if you use ds/nv your reso numbers will really get up there. But support is more important than anything, it can make a terrible player good, good player great, a great player untouchable.



This was the fight that I broke 8k dps before he switched to kouryu and started spamming invincible about 4 months ago now. All my reso broke 50k on that fight and it was my first fight that I broke 60k and I did it 3 times. Fight ended after numerous invincible, and I ended the fight with 4.6k dps. After that I continued to upgrade my gear, I started seeing more and more 60k+ reso as /sam.

The reason I saw so much dmg on that specific fight was the buffs, I had idris geos, mythic brds, barataria cor, ds/nv absorb str, brd boosting str, geo boosting str, attack was well over 7k (before smite) I think my reso set with all those buffs had more than +400 str. I was capped on every level you could imagine.

After drk got all 5 tiers of smite, and then SE doubled the effect of smite for drk, it was much easier to cap attack, which mean less buffers to get that +400 str.

At this point, I think it only takes a single idris geo to get you to cap attack as /sam. After that a brd can give you acc/str, geo entrust str, blu can MG and a whm can haste 1. Throw a cor in there for sTP and fighters (not chaos, 2hd DD don't benefit from chaos like dual wielders do)

Not trying to say you are wrong for using /war at all, I am just saying you can still hit those numbers as /sam, really depends on your support.

BH I'll be on today and will go over sets with you, we could even farm some stuff in reis and get you some more pieces to lose Gil on lol

I'd imagine you wanna gear for dracnomania right?
How many ambu capes are you willing to make is another question since you might want dec/acc30/atk20/10stp(or DA, that's the question)

The niht mantle you had was nice but better suited for drain/aspir then tp/ws as ambu capes will trump it

I have it 8dark 24 potentcy but I have 5-6 dif ambu capes too

I really like this line.
I really hate this line.... damn random augment crap.

Vedder, you can PM me or tell in game silly Galka.

Yo, is there an up to date spreadsheet for DRK?

Don't mind adding gear, just need mechanics updated like smite etc.