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

If you got the Kaja axe this month.
Smash axe > Decimation > Decimation
Makes fragmentation then light and actually does a lot of damage and also a lot of fun to dual wield as a drk. I was off handing ternion dagger +1 for the triple attack etc since drk can't use digirbalag

Perhaps you've forgotten but I don't use gearswap either, just plain old equipsets. A spell getting off faster is still a good thing. Also, swapping over to your potency/skill/augment+ set without gearswap is completely feasible.

Also, I never said "must," I said "boon" as in it would be an advantage. A simple <wait1> in your macro line is all you need.

Actually you can

/Equipset fc <wait 1>
/Ma "Spell" <x>
/Equipset midcast

You can do any spell this way. You start casting the spell in fc set and then immediately swap it to mid. You cast at a one second delay but it's negligible for the most part. With this macro string, there's no reason to NOT use a fc set on dark.

You can use this even with vanilla macros or Windower macros.

Input gear as you start casting, change set mid cast, spell resolve with the second set.

It's not about your situation being bad, it's about making it even better effortlessly. There is really no reason not to use FC, it's easy enough to setup.

/equipset [number here]
/ma "Spell name" <me> <wait1>
/equipset [number here]

Ehh feels like I had a mental block on this for a while. Like .. I should've known this, but something was stopping me from realising it. Like I said, I was looking for small improvements, so I'll do this for Endark II/Dread Spikes. Not Drain 3 though, I don't want to find myself not casting in the Dark Seal head by mistake.

Thanks for the answer!

Oh ***, I might just do that, I can make one last weapon.

What to use as offhand though? I guess Ridill/KC will be acc starved. I haven't dual wielded an axe since like 2007 haha.

Raetic/Berrylium/Blurred +1, I'd assume.

Anything more accessible? This kind of stuff is rarer than a Fusenaikyo over here.

This doesn't work for spells that can cast faster than one second. It's an archaic way of writing your macros and you'll find that for quick spells like absorbs or drains you aren't going to get all of your gear equipped in time. You are much better casting at a delay and guaranteeing you get all of your fc great equipped. This also applies to using snapshot sets

Yeah that's why I'd only do it for Endark and Dread Spikes. Too risky with drains, and pointless for absorbs.

<sigh> I just said on the previous page it works fine for spells that don't cast too quickly (ie: Absorbs). Also, I have an equipset specifically just for fast casting Drain 3 so that won't happen.

Vampirism with good augments and Tanmogayi +1 are probably your best bets.

Vampirism has STR+25, ATT+23, FC+1 and Delay-40. Along with the unreliable absorb effects.

Tanmogayi has ACC+36, CRIT+4 and DMG+35.


Non-crafted axes might as well as not exist for DRK.

Got both Vampirism and Tamnogayi +1, I'll give it a shot.

Reikiko? Looks to be an ideal offhand for dark.

For Savage, yeah.

For Decimation? Unlikely. Unless I'm massively underestimating the regain.

I will do my best to explain what I do/why.

Starting with Ratri+1. While its true it can get you killed, it also normally doesnt. I also use apoc (cata puts you at 5k hp+ while in it so... there is no difference in surviving) and not lib, though I think my next point will prove it doesnt matter the scythe.

Generally I am on ball enough to know when a mob is about to ws, and if that ws is chance of aoe, and if that aoe ws can actually do dmg to kill me. Seeing that CR scales well with tp overflow, I am really not worried waiting 1-2 seconds to not get caught in ratri+1. I know most players are probably less aware, but again if your really worried about being caught in ratri, dont use it. However it is BiS and I have no issues using it.

As for FC, etc. I use all these sets. I love my FC set and wouldnt trade it ever. I also use react so meva, resist X effect, cure received etc all are handled by that. You would not be able to do this manually really, so if you do not use react its porbably not worth going overboared on.

The reason I value a FC highly is that I like spells, if I didnt I would be a drg, sam, war, etc. Stuff that doesnt cast spells.

I also use drk more than a 30 sec zerg fight where you wont cast spells. I use mine in ambu, dyna, omen, aeonics, basically anything. In these places you are losing dps the more time you are spent casting, you also run the risk of interupts. As a very, very common example. I might be engaged with mob X, something happens and I am tanking the mob and cant rely 100% on the healer. I know I can A- not do anything, B- try to live so that the next 2-5 mins I am not useless. I normally opt for option B. However in living this can oftentimes mean going beyond slapping on a DT set (which I do also). Dread spikes is extrememly slow and you will generally get interupted if your trying to use it mid fight. This however is lessened to very low chance if you use it in a FC set (pre, end in hp+, then swap to tp gear). If timed right you can with nearly any mob cast your dread spikes while fighting and get the even bigger bonus from FC that you will be cutting the recast by 70% which is huge for being able to reapply if oten with hasso up.

I know that its not dps directly and people get over fixated on 99k DMG!!!! however this game has got to be so easy with the power creep, dmg is generally not the issue in any content, its people going the extra step and doing something special, like casting a spell at the right time, or swapping to the right gear set.

Again, your first sets any dps needs to concentrate on is a tp then ws set. After that your just adding tools to your toolbox, so why not get the best tools for any job :D

I also use gearswap, if you dont the FC, or any niche set probably seems less appealing since you have to micro manage to much. I would also agree to be a bit lazier here for enjoyment haha. I am not that OCD.

If you don't have a FC set X up so I can make sure you don't end up in one of my parties thanks

Thanks Azagarth! That cleared things up. I don't use gearswap or react, so I'll shy away from all the other sets as it'd be too much to do manually. Your Dread Spikes description is perfect though, and there are times I wish I could ride it more (like if a tank dies and I need to take over).

As for Ratri, I'm like you in the way I can usually tell when a WS/AGA spell is coming. On the other hand, I get distracted sometimes from outside sources, so I can't always be focused on what the target is doing. With that in mind, I think I'll shy away from purchasing Ratri +1 (which is near impossible on this server anyways ..) and stick to alternatives with better defensive stats. That way I won't feel bad if I get caught out, as I'll be more likely to survive to carry on. Cheers man.

Well dont discount all Ratri+1. I would still say go for the head/hands/feet. That is only +24% dt, this shouldnt kill you because you can put -10pdt on cape (normally magic isnt what kills you on the endgame content, its powerful physical based aoe.

That would set you at +14 dt technically, not a huge deal when we are at 4k-5k hp nearly always. And if you wanted to make it even less you could replace the hands with a well augged ody hands (5 wsd 10 str) and that would set you back on 1 wsd for a gain in -10 dt, or an effective +4 dt now.

if you could count the number of times you died by +4dt, I would be surprised.

If that Still is bugging you then swap the feet out and now you at an overall negative -9 pdt.

This basically should boil down to your mind that you should get ratri+1 head as nothing atm really competes in my mind (a perfect odys is way below it). Then make adjustments to your liking, dont write it all off.

If its a gil issue then I understand considering we have very similar stats off technically free gear (ambu feet, ody hands, dyna legs), and each is only -1 wsd and a few stats.

Dolichenus:
DMG:200 Delay:288 DEX+15 INT+15 MND+15 Accuracy+40 Attack+30 Magic Accuracy+40 "Magic Atk. Bonus"+16 Magic Damage+217 Axe skill +250 Parrying skill +250 Magic Accuracy skill +250 Main hand: "Decimation" "Decimation" damage +120% Increases weapon skill damage based on skillchain length

Calamity/Rampage > Decimation > Smash Axe > Decimation > Decimation = fun times

Yeah it's not a gil issue more than it is an availability issue. No Ratri +1s have ever been sold on AH here.

That does suc for availability for sure. I still highly suggest getting head (not bad idle for tp) and feet (duration is important). For how much the head offers its a must have in the ws set in my opinion. rest can be replaced by the mentioned gear.

Yeah I got my eye on things for Rune Fencer at this point, so looking hard for a ratri+1 head is pretty low priority. It'd be nice of course, if it were sold frequently (like it is there) I'd save up for it. Not a big deal, I'll work with the alternatives. Got the nqs at least .. lol.

ignored as usual. lol

Ignored? By who?

Does anyone think Ullr may be decent for resolution/cross reaper and or spells? Trying to decide if it's worth making the bow as it does have 15 str/dex and macc+40

It's very good for magic accuracy (whether that's for Absorbs or Armor/Weapon/Full Break), but not for WSs unless you don't have any good ammo items.

Why not for WSs? What is better ammo/ranged for Resolution on DRK? Nothing I know will beat +15STR for Reso. Cross Reaper is different story, because Knobkierke is way to strong for WSs with high fTP on first hit, but for Reso and Decimation, that bow might be bis. The problem is that you won't be able to use any ammo for TP or casting, so overall it might be not worth it.

Knobkierrie beats Resolution when not attack capped (which, given our new traits and neck, as well as more NMs that resist geo bubbles, is harder to do now). Resolution is also basically the only WS where the bow is even competitive.

In addition, it means you can't put any TPing stats in that slot, either, which is a notable downside.