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

It's not far behind Bereaver on fodder currently (people who interpret single digit percents as 'tremendously behind' aside), and is indeed somewhere between them on anything Tier 1 Delve NM or harder, but after massive skill bonuses get added to everything else from SoA it'll be bottom of the barrel.

And please, everyone, for the sake of not looking like a total moron: Please change the "Over-TP Rnds:" field in your spreadsheets. Nobody should be wasting a whole TP round every other WS at the default 0.5 value. 0.05 is a more appropriate value for 'high-end' players, that's screwing up one in twenty. What are we, console players? One-handing daggers? This has a huge effect on the value of hitbuilds.

I don't have Ogier's helm for any damage reduction but
Evren on valefor got me this augment on a Shadow helm.



Wonder what augments besides refresh and now this on HQ piece gives.

Preach, idk why that's default.

updated some sets, namely Apocalypse sets and HQ PDT/MDT

Can anyone confirm which of the following TP sets would be best assuming 3/5 hits of resolution land after update.
6hit LR down:
ItemSet 310003
LR up:
ItemSet 310005

OR

5hit LR down:
ItemSet 310004
LR up:
ItemSet 310006


Armada has 6Stp, 2DA, 6Subtle blow.

I'd recommend switching Archon to Engulfer on the MDT.

Gah, yeah, why do I keep thinking Archon was Magical damage?

fixed!

DEF:72 HP+15 STR+6 DEX+20 VIT+22 INT+13 MND+17 CHR+13 Attack+13 Evasion+11 Magic Evasion+19 Haste+4%

So

DEF:72 HP+15 STR+16 DEX+20 VIT+22 INT+13 MND+17 CHR+13 Attack+28 Accuracy+10 Evasion+11 Magic Evasion+19 Haste+4%

Or

DEF:72 HP+15 STR+6 DEX+30 VIT+22 INT+13 MND+17 CHR+13 Attack+23 Accuracy+15 Evasion+11 Magic Evasion+19 Haste+4%


Definitely go Attack(STR) path and yes they are good for TP and WSing.


Cizik will be really nice TP hands (RIP Ogier's)
DEF:84 HP+20 STR+8 DEX+23 VIT+26 INT+7 MND+20 CHR+15 Attack+8 Evasion+15 Magic Evasion+21 "Store TP"+5 Enmity+3 Haste+3%

DEX path is fine for Feet since there is whirlpool for STR. Feet are pretty much for Xhit builds.

So I was rebuilding my TP/WS builds based on the recent updates, and I've got it all figured out but Catastrophe. Will Phorcys body and ogier legs still beat rank 15 miki body/legs, or have the added stat boosts on them turned the tables? I can see Phorcys/Ogier still maybe winning vs trash, but what about higher end stuff?

Best alternatives to Ares +1 for LR sets?

Figures this might be a good hybrid set now, utulizing new haste belt (NQ)
Full haste
ItemSet 311216

At what point should I replace Phorcys Body/Hands with Mikinaak rank 15s? Wait until I have both Mikinaak, or immediately for either is good? And which would be the best upgrade to do first, Body/Hands/Legs order? Currently using Phor/Phor/Ogiers. Apoc/Cata, Bereaver/Reso(Using Bale Legs +2 on reso).

I had stopped playing for a little bit, so I'm way behind on the Plasm chart.

You can start upgrading them all at once and then work towards 15ing them all. The upgrades are progressive so its better to have all 4 at rank 10 then 2 at rank 15.

Legs > Feet > Hands > Body

Legs are the biggest upgrade, feet for Xhit, Hands double for TP and WS once they are up in rank and body is best for Resolution but Phorcys for Cata.

Any of the new Gorney stuff any good?

I guess Gorney feet are good for WS over Karieyh? But what about the rest of them?
Not got Mekira body or Ogiers head for Damage taken set, would Gorney head be alright til then?

cizin pants look pretty sweet for entropy

Just blows the gorney doesn't have store tp on them...

so people give up the other stats just for that lil bit of store tp?????

Depends if it makes a xhit build that can be sustained with the ws...

Need 29 stp for a 6 hit and 54 stp for a 5 hit build factor in sam sub at 15 then need 14 or 39 stp for gear not factoring in all hits on the ws. I use the feet to keep me at 6 hit even if unlucky.

http://www.heckdesigns.com/demos/ffxi-calculators/stp.php

Looking at the new gear-

Legs and Hands look nice for an alternate X-Hit setup.

I'm not seeing results on Cizin head's fast cast yet, but the haste on it makes it look worth using for precast.

Not feelin' it with the body.

Anyone also notice that the legs and feet are both called "Greaves?" lol

yeah, thats going to get a name change.

Hey, shouldn't Xbalanque be added to the list of Scythes by now? Even post-skill update it's made out very well for an intermediate weapon prior to Bereaver--and given its relative ease of obtainability, seems to work as a decent stepping stone to Bereaver while farming Plasm--it even seems to beat out Dimmet in the same scenarios. (Could even warrant an Entropy gearset?)

Besides, most of the weapons you cite on the current list were already made obsolete by Adoulin anyway. =\

Gah, that's right, I totally forgot to do that, it seems. I'll write up a small article to it soon.

As for weapons made obsolete...meh. Why not inform with history on what was the best?

edit: Xbalanque added to weapons section

Think you should removed all the pre-adoulin weapons as it just adds to the clutter.

OK, you can keep the REM.

Also, with how easy delve and skirmish is easy to get gear should probably re-look the "No Phorcys Gear, "Accessible" Mid-End Setups" type sections.

How about a section for those who dont have mega boss delve wins? I ain't done any yet, and here are my sets so far after getting some of the Cizin equipment.

Recently began working on a Damage taken- set, to go with my Idle (Regen/Refresh) and Dark Magic sets. Needless to say, I don't have a lot of space.

Cizin appears to be decent equipment for those looking to get into Delve and have yet to do so. It also has very high values of Defense and VIT, along with possible PDT- augments.

Bearing in mind I still have not have done Tojil or Daqu, so no Yaoyotl, K'ayres or Whirlpool.
Mikinaak Ranks: Feet (13), Body (10) Legs (6) Hands (0)
Bereaver is Rank 15.

ItemSet 280988

Getting Miki feet to 15 is a priority for this TP set. The Store TP on Cizin hands are pretty valuable, but become less so if you can get hold of more STP from other sources (Armada, K'ayres) and get Mikinaak hands to 15.

ItemSet 281005

Once again, Cizin greaves enter the set due to a lack of Mikinaak upgrades. As for Gorney Sollerets, I am not actually sure whether the lack of STP (Karieyh gives +5 STP) is effecting me, but it feels like STP is not as important nowadays due to being much more likely to overflow with TP on Double/Triple/Quad attacks. Gorney has more STR, Attack and Accuracy.

Miki hands would go over Phorcys after sufficient upgrades.

As for Mekira +1, I only use this full time because I do not use Spellcast, and I do not wish to make a separate macro (and having to check the day all the time), just to make sure I get that marginal boost from Quauhpilli Helm.

ItemSet 311654

Had this set for a while, and would take quite a bit to upgrade. I suppose I could try for a Dark Earring? Nevertheless, this set serves me well for Endark, Drains, Absorbs (Absorb TP brings in hands) and Dread Spikes (Bale+2 body comes in).

Edit: I have the abjuration for Blood Finger Gauntlets, which would give +1 more dark magic skill, DRKs should farm sky while the login campaign is on for Blood equipment.

495 Dark Magic Skill

ItemSet 311655

This is a definite work in progress, so don't shoot me.

-Dark Rings are PDT-5 MDT-5 and PDT-6 Breath-4.
-Black Earring and Darkness Earring have PDT-1 each (Gave up trying for -2 on these after repeating this quest for many hours!)

I do not have Mekira body from Kaggen, or Ogier's Head from Kalasutrax. Unlucky on those drops.
I like this set to have some haste and accuracy in it, which is why I am using Buremte here. Also the cure effect is a bonus.

Do not have any PDT on the Cizin equipment yet, but when I do, it will have a much better place in this set. The defense, VIT and PDT are pretty unique for a complete set.

Also I am 4/5 Phorcys, not having the feet means I have to use Gorney until Cizin feet are augmented.

ItemSet 311656

Just upgraded this a little lately. Wiglen and Gram are pretty cheap on my server.
Gram loses you TP when ya bring it in. If I don't seriously need that extra refresh, I can put the Gram into my Sack for when I do need it. Also great for those situations where you know death is imminent and you have no RR.

8 HP Regen, 4 MP Refresh. Bale Choker can be brought in for more Refresh.

Also I made a set for high accuracy. For the occasion where I could end up fighting Tojil. How does it fair?

ItemSet 311658

You're right, rewording the old entries makes more sense. XD

Also, it's worth noting that Xbalanque is the most accessible Delve-ready weapon a DRK can obtain, as after killing Hurkan and Yumcax you can get it as your Celennia Memorial Library T2 Naakual pick. So basically for 140K Bayld plus the price of some quests and missions (and off-the AH stuff like NQ Pak Corselet), a skillful non-RME pre-Adoulin DRK can start participating in Delve.

Matsui has even said there are plans to have another avenue for Naakual rewards, making Xbalanque (and Quauhpilli Helm, and Tchakka's feet which I forget the name of) even more accessible.

Now all we need is a Naakual GS for the last two areas--

Yeah, I'll have to remind myself to get on that once I'm on my off-day from work.