FFXIV Dark Knight (DRK) Basics Guide & FAQ – Shadowbringers Updated!

All you need to know about the Dark Knight job in FFXIV! How to unlock DRK, what skills, stats, and other supporting info. Also links to advanced guides!

MIN & BTN Leveling Guides updated. Other notes...

Botanist Leveling to 90, as well as Miner Leveling to 90 are updated for the Endwalker tier. Older tiers needs some fixing, although I modernized what I could quickly – I placed the important notes on the top of the aforementioned guides reflecting the major things that you need to take note of.

I will post a personal update soon, for those that are curious…

Daring to learn about Dark Knights? Discover all about the DRK job, basic information and FAQs in our Dark Knight Basics Guide. Read on if you’re expecting to learn about unlocking DRK, Dark Knight Job Identity, trait and skill list, crafters and gatherers related to DRK, and link to other important Dark Knight info!

Dark Knight is a Tank job released in 3.0 Heavensward, alongside Astrologian and Machinist. DRK was the first “new” tank job implemented after the original duo of Paladin and Warrior.

How to become a Dark Knight? Unlocking DRK:

The quest to unlock and become a Dark Knight is called “Our End”, located at The Pillars 13:8 given by the NPC Ishgardian Citizen. The only OFFICIAL requirement is having ANY level 50 Disciple of War or Disciple of Magic class leveled. 

The UNOFFICIAL “unspoken” requirement is actually being able to walk into Ishgard. Do not attempt to unlock DRK if you don’t even have Ishgard in your map (Heavensward content).

Note that, upon completing the quest you MUST EQUIP the “Soul of the Dark Knight” to actually formally BECOME a DRK.

Rushing to or want to know how to unlock a certain class? Learn more:
FFXIV Job Unlock & Requirements Guide.

Dark Knight Playstyle & DRK Job Identity

If you’ve asked yourself, “Why play, try, or choose Dark Knight?” – here’s my attempt at selling you the DRK class.

Dark Knights are edgy, in more ways than carrying a Greatsword. The jack of all trades tank that almost feels OP. Their weird job design history kind of worked out for them in the end…

Historically in the meta, DRKs are a little confused. Initially designed as magic tanks… they’ve gotten a couple reworks here and there in terms of identity. Certainly, though, they shine in defensive raid utility (like a reverse, “Dark Paladin” I suppose) – notably with their trademark targeted shield, “The Blackest Night” (I know, I know). They also have a great history of DPS.

Aesthetically and thematically, DRK does a good job representing what you’d expect from the job in look and feel, and for some players that’s enough to try ‘em out. The Dark Knight MECHANICS, however, seem a little “in the grey” – but it’s GOOD more often than not.

DISCLAIMER

DISCLAIMER: This is not meant to be a blurb that aligns with the current meta. That changes from patch to patch. Our goal here is to provide you with an idea of what the job is trying to be, getting cues from both the Developers’ concrete decisions on job design, as well as our own feedback.

What Crafters & Gatherers should Dark Knight level?

While it’s common in MMORPG’s to think you want to craft your own gear as you level up your DRK… I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT.

Leveling up your DoH and DoL jobs should be thought of as a different activity completely. To be honest, if you’re a newer player, simply ensure that you DO NOT OVERCAP Levequests (always have less than 100).

The only relation a combat job has to a crafter or gatherer class is “which classes do you need to repair your gear”? My advice, ultimately, is pretty much all or nothing – level up all DoH classes in tandem. As a separate project, level up all DoL classes in tandem (with the optional Fisher).

What’s the best race for Dark Knight?

Racial stats are (was?) a thing. However, I highly recommend not caring about it. The difference in performance between the “best” and “worst” race for you is not even 0.1%.

My advice? Pick for aesthetics. Will you stay the same job forever? If you change mains, will you race change? Ultimately, the difference is so microscopic that I cannot in good faith tell you that racial stats are an integral part of your character.

I won’t even link the Racial Stats Guide, as I haven’t checked up on this in a while – and I don’t want to cement the idea that the “best race” really matters.

Related Dark Knight Guides – Read More!

Here are s a few useful links for you:

Upcoming Odds and Ends

Here’s a few things we’ll be adding on here in the near future:

  • Adding a “links to further resources”, we’re doing a site restructure so once those links are set, they’ll go in here.
  • Human-readable, newbie-friendly skill and trait list.
    > I used to have the in-game skill list here, but I found it useless as the in-game one is better… I’d rather have a new player friendly rundown.
  • More descriptive job identity? Pics?
    > I dunno… pictures of the job gauges? A gif of some flashy skills?
  • Feel free to suggest anything else via comment or socials!

Summary & Outro

Well that’s about it for a really, really basic guide that hopefully points some lost souls in the right direction, or answers some of your questions regarding Dark Knight.


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FFXIV Tank Role Actions: Guide & FAQ (Shadowbringers UPDATED)

All you need to know about the Tank Role Actions introduced in Stormblood!

Welcome to our quick dirty guide on Tank Role Actions! Shadowbringers has brought yet another update to the Role Actions system (previously the cross-class skills system). This time around, we no longer have to choose – and have access to all Role Actions!

What Jobs get the Tank Role Actions?

Dark Knight (DRK)
Gunbreaker (GNB)
Paladin (PLD)
Warrior (WAR)

– base classes –
Gladiator (GLD)
Marauder (MRD)

Tank  Role Actions – Navigation:
Tank Role Actions List | Role Actions Uses & Discussion

Tank Role Actions List

Rampart

Low Blow

Great for soloing and dungeons, rare for raids. a 5 second stun works wonders for mass dungeon pulls.

Provoke

Integral for raids, and important for dungeons. Puts you at the top of your targets enmity list, BUT YOU NEED TO FOLLOW UP or else you’ll lose it again. No tank worth their salt should ever fumble their Provokes!

Interject

Interrupts are rarely used in raids, but very important when they are. It’s usually tanks or ranged that “silence” things. Don’t sweat binding to a useful button, as it doesn’t come up very often.

Reprisal

Amazing for raids. Use it to help mitigate tank busters, or other AoE nukes. Coordinate with your co-tank and healers for a cooldown rotation!

Keep in mind it has a very short duration, and the timing can be weird for some boss mechanics.

Arm’s Length

A niche skill that’s rarely comes up in raids. Anytime there’s a knockback in an encounter try to imagine how this skill would be best utilized to mitigate its effect on your positioning, or to ease up the mechanics.

Shirk

INTEGRAL for many if not all raids. Allows for smoother tank swaps, used directly after your co-tank Provokes.

LevelActionDescriptionCastRecastDuration
8RampartReduce damage taken by 20% for 20s.Instant9020
12Low BlowStuns Target for 5s.Instant255
15ProvokeGain top enmity of a target.Instant30-
18InterjectInterrupts cast bar of your target.Instant30-
22ReprisalLowers target's damage dealt by 10% for 5s.Instant605
32Arm's LengthIgnore most position altering effects for 5s. Cause Slow +20% for 15s when struck.Instant1206(15)
48ShirkDiverts 25% of enmity to target party member.Instant120-

Tank Role Actions: Quick Strategy & Discussion

Servers are up so uhh… I’ll add this later.

Tank  Role Actions – Navigation:
Tank Role Actions List | Role Actions Uses & Discussion

Well, that’s about it for Tank Role Actions! FOR NOW! I’ll be adding to this soon.

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