Priorities of 75 DRK

[Psylentcuda]

My DRK is just around the corner from dinging 75. I'm wondering what priorities I should have once it dings 75. Not really looking to gear it just for one thing, I'd prefer to have an all around good DRK rather than a DRK that's good for just one thing. What merits should I look at first? What gear would make the biggest difference that's easily attainable? Things of that nature...

 

[Raesvelg]

That depends on what you're doing with your DRK, really.

If you're actively pursuing endgame endeavors, I'd mostly focus on a zerg build. Acquire a Merc. Kris, build your haste/hp set, and proceed from there. My DRK rarely gets actually called on for much more than that in endgame. I can fill the generic DD role as well, obviously, but the zerg is where the job shines, really.

For merits... In the pure DRK zerg, they're all mostly meaningless, sadly. For straight DD, I'd probably focus on Desperate Blows and Last Resort. Souleater generally won't make you any friends in a merit party, so putting merits into it is, in my opinion, probably a waste of time. Diabolic Eye can also be useful, but it'll be a lot of work to get the time down far enough. Dark Seal is arguably useful for the zerg role, but I generally find the time required to cast Drain II to be excessive relative to the damage you'll be doing if you just run straight in once the zerg starts, at least in fights where your ability to set up in advance is somewhat limited.

 

[LadyKiKi]

Make sure you put all merits possible into Arcane Circle to protect against raptors.

...

Otherwise:

Algol/Nürburgring Naglering/Buster Sword Subduer/Tredicim Scythe/Perdu Sickle
Homamamama feet leg hand
AF+1 hands

And because of the above. AF+1 feet for Arcane Circle Guilliotine. :hiding:

 

[Rappa]

Start with Limbus for AF+1 and Homam.

 

[etchdog2000]

Exactly what Rappa said. First thing I tell any new DRK is LIMBUS LIMBUS LIMBUS. Really after limbus all other end game activities are bonus. With the exception to Aces helm and E.Body, you can come close on all other items

As far as job specific merits I went. (and in this order)
5 Desperate Blows
5 Last resort recast
5 Souleater Recast
1 Dark Seal
4 Muted Soul (not actually finished with this one)

I find those merits to be the best for all around. Depending on what you do, you can switch around your tier 2 merits.

 

[Zoner]

If you have homam,4/5 Desperate Blows is all you need to hit the haste cap, 5/5 DB is a waste.

 

[etchdog2000]

If you have homam,4/5 Desperate Blows is all you need to hit the haste cap, 5/5 DB is a waste.

*Only if you /SAM and using Hasso.

And anyways if you are capped on haste during that time switch out homam legs for Black cuisses for instance.

 

[Nakoa]

Exactly what Rappa said. First thing I tell any new DRK is LIMBUS LIMBUS LIMBUS. Really after limbus all other end game activities are bonus. With the exception to Aces helm and E.Body, you can come close on all other items

As far as job specific merits I went. (and in this order)
5 Desperate Blows
5 Last resort recast
5 Souleater Recast
1 Dark Seal
4 Muted Soul (not actually finished with this one)

I find those merits to be the best for all around. Depending on what you do, you can switch around your tier 2 merits.

I preferred 5/5 last resort recast/effect for tier 1 and 4/5 DB, 5/5 DE, and one in dark seal for t2. I never really used SE enough to warrant meriting recast down.

 

[Lyall]

If you have homam,4/5 Desperate Blows is all you need to hit the haste cap, 5/5 DB is a waste.

*Only if you /SAM and using Hasso.

And anyways if you are capped on haste during that time switch out homam legs for Black cuisses for instance.

With 5/5 merits you can /drg instead of sam, which gives an Accuracy Bonus greater than the Hasso bonus (if I'm remembering my Hasso bonuses correctly) and enables you to SE-Jump-High Jump. It adds a little more damage than just riding hasso during SE.

 

[Arthur]

With 5/5 merits you can /drg instead of sam, which gives an Accuracy Bonus greater than the Hasso bonus (if I'm remembering my Hasso bonuses correctly) and enables you to SE-Jump-High Jump. It adds a little more damage than just riding hasso during SE.

I'm pretty sure these are big reasons why drg sub is used.

Wyvern Earring Rare
[Ear] All Races
Latent effect: Haste+5%
LV 30 All Jobs

Wyvern Targe Rare
[Sub] All Races
DEF:4 Latent effect: Haste+1%
LV 30 All Jobs

Still depends on your other gear though and zerg weapon. Hasso is 5 haste and wyvern earring is 5 haste.

 

[Tyrath]

Hasso is 5 haste and wyvern earring is 5 haste.

Isn't Hasso 10%?

 

[bootz]

Isn't Hasso 10%?

Not when /sam.

 

[Ravic]

The only part of Hasso that scales with level is the STR boost. The 10% haste and 10 accuracy are static regardless of level.

 

[Gannon]

It is 10% haste. Only the STR is affected by level.

 

[Nakoa]

Hasso is 10% haste but JA haste caps at 25% regardless so 5/5 DB is kinda pointless.

 

[rampagesama]

Hasso is 10% haste but JA haste caps at 25% regardless so 5/5 DB is kinda pointless.

if you are subbing SAM for zerging*

 

[etchdog2000]

I dunno about you guys but I go /NIN 90% of the time, 5% of the time /SAM and the other 5% im zerging. As much as I like doing the /SAM thing its not really applicable most of the time. Thats why I went 5/5 DB.

 

[rampagesama]

I dunno about you guys but I go /NIN 90% of the time, 5% of the time /SAM and the other 5% im zerging. As much as I like doing the /SAM thing its not really applicable most of the time. Thats why I went 5/5 DB.

This, right here, is the answer.

 

[chinis]

It depends on the situation really. In most cases I can /sam as long as I don't overdo it. Stun, Drain, Drain 2; use them. Seigan+Third Eye before ws, not after. Little things like that make /sam doable for most things. I always /sam to einherjar and the /nins require just as much healing as I do, so I don't see the point of it really. As far as gear goes though, yeah get Homam asap. Best armor you can get.

 

[Dejavu]

if you /sam in einherjar i would kick you from my shell... there are so many mobs that have AOEs that can be blocked completely by having a couple shadows up that on teir 3s even our bards /nin so that they can keep up songs without fear.

On the subject at hand... i /nin 90%, zerg as /drg, and /sam ... when i know im gonna get raped on a parse anyways. It would be different if i had an apoc because then i would /sam most of the time (however still not in einherjar) but thats not happening anytime soon.

Homam is the single biggest thing that you can do for yourself as a drk... ares legs are nice... justice torque, hauby+1 askar head, perdu and some heca pieces if u can get them of course.

I basically just use my a mixture of my thf and samurai gear with perdu and assault earring when im on drk and i do just fine.

here's my setup on my drk... its not perfect by any means but it does fine for me.