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

Spreading misinformation such as, "the deeps arnt as bad," is one thing. Especially for time sensitive fights. Promoting Apoc/Lib as being only slightly behind Rag is totally misleading too.

It's up to them and the group they're with. If the group is confident or patient enough to carry lower dps, so be it. Sometimes people can play what they enjoy or see just how much they can close the gap against real dps jobs.

Why promote Anguta if that very same DRK you play with has Ragnarok?

Nothing in this game has ever been so hard that if you didn't min/max 100% optimize you'd fail, so it shouldn't really matter!

But you are correct in if you are trying to optimize and speed run/kill stuff fast you better use what's best! Also right about spreading misinformation being a nono! I am glad when experienced players come in and share their information on maximizing damage/jobs/etc. I really appreciate it!

The thing is that this is a dps discussion, in a dps job thread, not a "how do you have fun" thread.

Thus the discussion should focus on playstyles that increase your dps, not how each individual have fun with their scythe.

Bringing WAR to discussion is irrelevant, this is a DRK guide afterall.

Yeah I know, that's why I said all that stuff! About it being good correcting people, and you should optimize and use what's best in situations that call for it.

I like asking questions and discussions because I learn a lot and this game is a huge knowledge check and has lots of depth so learning is fun.

There's a difference between max DPS out of everything, and max DPS from a specific job.

Just because one job isn't the best, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to be the best at it.

Warrior is very powerful, yes, but I doubt DRK is behind by any significant margin.

EDIT: Apologies for any misunderstanding.

No no I think you're misunderstanding me.
I'm sorry, I'll remove the question from my posts.

Well there is a very specific situation that it's good, CR spam with Warcry up. It's still not quiet as powerful as Resolution in that same situation but it's close enough to be competitive. Outside of that, all the Scythe's fall way behind Resolution.

It's the WS's, entropy needs it's WSC changed, Insurgency needs it's WSC raised to 60/60, CR needs it's fTP raised at 1000~2000, and Quietus needs higher fTP and TP to mean something.

From what I can tell SE made the WS's weaker due to Scythe having much higher base DMG. That only works if we don't min/max gear and exploit varuous builds.

It won't update at all unless you load guildwork. the LCS is no longer in service

wow, I went to bed and theres two pages to read through... I will switch to my rag for this month on all content and see how it goes

Enlighten me on your point, this was a quick run with apoc on VD ambuscade


I am not sure what part you guys aren't getting, everyone knows Rag beats scythe. That has been made abundantly clear many times over.

Doing lower parse and adding a few seconds to a 4 minute fight, hell adding a minute to a 10 minute fight, oh no! What ever will we do, we did a 10 minute fight and it took 11 minutes. No fight in this game is taking 60 minutes. The longest is schah and people are putting him down in 20 with a 30 minute time limit. Plenty of time to allow someone with Mythic Scythe to come in and still deal solid dmg.

I don't know what is so complicated to understand, ALL DRK WEAPONS ARE VIABLE This crap about bashing someone for picking Lib, a very noteworthy weapon, instead of Rag needs to end.

Keep in mind, I heavily favor Rag in zerg fights. Don't get it twisted and think I only use Apoc.

The elitism mentality crap gets old, and the child like pettiness that Seavel brings to this forum every time he feels the need to post something about people that play drk gets old too. Stupid petty jabs, that is crap spicyryan did, don't dip down to his level, I expect better out of you.

Instead of bashing people for busting their *** to make a mythic, put in the time and effort to make builds around it, why don't you stop bitching because it isn't Rag and help them improve their Liberator sets instead?

Insurgency is pants compared to reso for sure, but with the AM running and my 4 hit build I gain a higher frequency of ws during longer fights as per WoC then I would with my ragnarok. However I understand I need the points made and will make changes

This is true for battles like ambuscade or HTBF.
For Unity, Reisen , Escha NMs, Lib DRKS start with AM3 up, so there isnt the 3WS loss, and start with full potency.
Either more, they start with +43 to any stats they want, and over 6k HP.

@Thorva Promoting playstyle that's better for dps or pointing out getting 3000 tp lowers dps in a dps discussion isn't elitism though.


Elitism =
1) Shout for Ragnarok DD only
2) Kick people out of pt after they join
3) Verbally attack people for doing low dps

The point of forum discussion is to explore better solutions that exists, not to discussion personal circumstances. If you guys want to promote scythe, why not just list the situations that scythe is a objectively superior choice(such as SC).

But no, so far Im seeing people promote scythe because
1) It's fun
2) Better dps doesn't matter
3) The more dps you do the more you pull hate

None of them are objectively a better dps decision.

Commencal pretty much summed up my point


Also have to point out time sensitive fights DOES exist in FFXI. Even in fights that's not time sensitive, there are no real objective reasons to make choices to deal less dps, outside of personal circumstances.

Again, there are new people that may be reading forums and seeking information. They could ended up making an objectively inferior dps choice due to misleading info.

This discussion of GS vs Scythe is getting so old, it's been pointlessly argued so many times in the forum already. Yes, Rag has better DPS. Yes, Scythes are not a waste of time to make, since they are of course fun to play with, and have their uses in certain situations. It's like saying Tizona isn't worth making since Almace will win in short fights. Of course Tizona is still worth making, as its a great mythic, just as Apoc and Lib are worth making too.

If a new DRK reads this forum and happens to misread and come to the conclusion that Scythe has a better DPS than Rag, that's their own fault. There are pages on pages of this discussion already.

Can we move on?

Good summary.
Yes, people should move on already.

I don't feel welcome here, every time I try to share my experiences and add questions it ends up in an argument. I don't have this issue elsewhere, usually my opinions are respected (even if they totally disagree) and my questions are answered, if not right away then eventually. I feel like I'm walking on egg shells, like I can't say anything without someone coming along to dissect my every word and accuse me of spreading misinformation.

Sometimes I write and go off on tangents, that's just what I do, that's what I do as a job, I'm guilty of writing too much. But I didn't come here to argue about DPS and whether Reso is better than everything else, I wanted to chime in with what others said before me and reassure other DRKs that making a scythe is not a waste of time. Kiaru's comment about feeling like they shouldn't make a mythic worried me, because it tells me some are very motivated to stop other players enjoying the game the way they like.

It's like .. trying to tell my Dad to dump his AG Bravura and AG Conqueror in his storage and make Rag instead. No matter what I say to him it's never going to happen, so when he does play WAR I know we have a DPS loss .. but we work around it. If we still can't win with his job mastered AG Relic and Mythic WAR then something is wrong.

I played with Ragnarok for years. While I do admit I hate Rags model and Reso's animation, I didn't make my first and only relic to let it gather dust. I will use it again and find situations to use GS and Scythe so I can be versatile.

I'm going to move on and forget about posting in this forum as I don't feel welcome and any time I visit it ends up like this. I appreciate everyone who gives us feedback and answers questions in a respectful manner, that's why I kept coming back. I miss Taint .. we used to have the best conversations and we were always respectful and showed our love for the job and what it can do.

This is not me being overly sensitive and not being able to handle criticism, I deal with that on a daily basis .. I just haven't enjoyed the overall tone for the past year or so. I'm always up for saying sorry when I've caused trouble. I am really sorry for unintentionally causing arguments. I believe everyone should play the game how you like, when you like, with who you like. Show up with an Afterglow Redemption and I'll take you, not because I'm a DRK and love Scythe so much I could cosplay with one .. but because you tried to be different in a video game.

I've been coming to these forums for years, I remember when I contributed to the THF forums with a NM hunting list. I remember being appreciated for adding things like a map on how to get to Ra'Kaznar Inner Court. I might not be on the windower team or maintaining a job guide, but I like to think I have contributed well. Thanks to Bloodlusty, Thorva, and others for help in the DRK forums. Thanks to Sehachan and Afania (although we don't seem to get along, I still appreciate the help) in the COR forum. See ya guys and girls. Sorry if this causes any further negativity.

This, THIS is a problem.

This is a guide thread people, no need to argue. If someone is being thick-headed, just ignore them and let them learn for themselves instead of blasting them. All relevant advice is welcome and encouraged but if you get so frustrated that you feel the need to insult, perhaps you should let someone else give the advice.

Secondly we all have our issues, there are some things that are blatantly obvious that I don't understand just because I overthink them. There's really no need for hostility, try to have an open-mind.

We need Apoc and Lib badges of shame.

j/k. C'mon guys, Rag and Lib advocates can get along. Look at Saevel and Bloodlusty. It can happen!

In all seriousness though, if someone is making wrong claims, by all means counter their points and correct them for the better good. But I highly doubt that someone looking to build the absolute "best dps" weapon for DRK would somehow miss the memo that Rag reigns supreme.

I made both Rag and Apoc back in the day. Since I often go on extended breaks (2013-2016 was my last), and don't play as much or as efficiently as some other people (aka with mules), every time I come back I only have the resources to upgrade one weapon only. Since I'm a realist, I always upgrade Rag. My Apoc has been 95 (lol) ever since, collecting dust in storage. I've had my fun using it to farm dynamis and all but that's it. Why? Because Rag theoretically opens up more content options for me. A practical decision. If I only wanted to *** around and solo farm and never intend to do high-end content (which I probably won't be doing anytime soon anyways), I'd be fine upgrading Apoc or Lib. And I dare anyone try and tell me I'm making the wrong decision!

Saevel made an excellent post a couple months ago comparing scythe and GS weaponskills and giving notes on why each one performs the way it does (it's just a nice compilation of info that's readily available on BG wiki). If I could I'd just sticky that post and Lothoro's and call it a day.

In my search for my Saevel's post, I came across this post. Forget about Saevel's, this is best post in this whole thread hands down.

what using a great sword feels like:



what using a scythe feels like (so much utility!):

if I had a scythe id prolly do my front lawn like that, ***looks satisfying as ***

The second video needed Yakety Sacks playing in the background when it went into speed up mode. Thanks for making me want that Berserk game even more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnHmskwqCCQ <---Yakety Sacks music

That pretty much sums up elitism out of what you have defined it and said.


I am hardly considered a scythe drk at all, I mostly use Rag.

However, I really am fed up with the way people want to shame scythe drks. I do what I can to defend the people that want to play using scythe because I know scythe is still a noteworthy DPS option.

Just because it does less than rag doesn't magically make them a crappy DD.

Find me one point I have ever said one weapon type will always beat the other, you will find me talking about GS beating Scythe. Look through all my sets on here and everything I have posted, I have talked mostly about GS sets.

I know for a fact scythe can hammer out great numbers, I have done it. People that play with me know for a fact scythe can deal out great numbers, they have seen me do it. Can I hit 4.8k+ DPS on Apoc like I can with Rag? No, I tend to cap out at about 3.6k dps, average 3.2k. Find me someone that thinks 3.6k dps is low.

Don't come off putting words in my mouth acting like I am promoting one weapon or another. Read my post thoroughly, I said many times over all weapons are a viable option on drk. The only thing I am promoting is for people to make the weapon they want and for others to stop trying to bash them for not making the weapon they want someone to make instead.

In fact on page 89 I said, and I quote, "Ragnarok is one of the strongest weapons in the game, as for choice of scythe vs GS. That is up to you. I have seen impressive numbers with both weapon types. GS will win in dmg, but scythe is no slouch."

Only difference is I support people making their own choice, and I don't bash them. I do what I can to help them. I get irritated as ***when people come in and try to shame or push people around because they chose a different weapon, so you can damn well better believe I will stick up for them.

People need to stop bitching and playing the elitism crap, yes complaining someone has liberator, redemption, or apoc instead of the golden child (rag) is elitism. That person just spent serious gil/time on a weapon they wanted. The fact that this is a MMO and people make it harder to get along over pettiness like this is what makes it more difficult for people to get the gear/items they want and need.

You make a scythe, you gear your drk, you come ready to go, you WILL deal good dmg. No, you won't beat a rag drk, but you will still put out some great numbers and be worth having as a DD.

If people are still having issues with scythe dps, message me. I will take time out of my day to go figure out some dps options for your scythe. No more dealing with being bashed for your effort on another weapon.

@Thorva Just FYI, none of my post actually bash or attack anyone choose to play with low dps weapon. I only expressed disagreement with people saying "who cares about dps" in a dps discussion. Because I don't understand the reason to even start a dps discussion if the input is "more dps doesn't matter"

Again, it's one thing to prefer certain playstyle or weapon due to personal preference, and it's another to promote personal preference in a job guide then claim whoever disagrees are elitist.

Then you have completely ignored the bases of what has been said, nobody has said scythe wins, only that scythe isn't as bad off or obsolete as so many people are trying to make it seem.

The misleading info in this discussion is a lot more than scythe v.s GS.

I would love to see the part that is so misleading. I see a bunch of information on the past few pages that favors Rag as the higher DPS weapon. I see that scythe is no slouch. What is hard to grasp and what can be contorted as misleading?

Was it the fact that a career drk with apoc or lib can still do serious numbers? Or was it that someone didn't put "but rag will beat it" in every single post to clarify things?

The thing is that in this entire discussion Ive been focusing on ffxi dps mechanics instead of weapon choices to begin with. For this entire discussion I only expressed disagreement toward someone claiming "more dps doesn't matter" and "whm isn't happy to cure people"

I find claim like this in a dps discussion faulty, since in a dps discussion we ARE supposed to discuss ways to improve dps. And whms job is to cure people to begin with. I also find people's claim of "it doesn't take very long to get 3000 tp" misleading as well.

So imagine a new player came to this thread seeking information to improve, only to obtain information such as "getting 3000 tp doesn't lose much dps", "as a dps we need to take as little dmg as possible, even if it sacrifices our own dps massively", how's he gonna improve?

For some reason it turned into weapon choice debate but my goal has been the same, which is In a dps discussion, we are supposed to discussion ways to improve dps, not personal preference. It's one thing to enjoy certain playstyle, it's another to try and convince others to do it.

I didn't make assumption about your weapon choice in game at all, nor I care. I only care about the content posted on the forum and accurate information, and that somehow make me an elitist, ok.

Then instead of complaining about people using scythe and getting lower DPS, do the community a favor and find a way to increase their DPS output with the weapon they just spent a metric *** ton of gil/time on.
In a dps discussion, we are supposed to discussion ways to improve dps, not personal preference. Ok, find a way to do that without putting people down for making a scythe.

I repeat, for probably the 45th time. If you make a scythe weapon, you will still do noteworthy damage.

On a final note, most end game content you will be in escha, if you aren't starting with max tp there is an issue. Minimal instances in which you won't be able to max tp in a zone before you kill something in today's content. There are both temp items and enemies nearby to build tp before a fight. So you can drop that topic.

I read 2 pages of my post again and I can't find anything that I wrote that bashes anyone with scythe, nor make any comment regarding scythe weapons. The only thing that I wrote that's remotely close to scythe bashing is when you claim it's possible to win every single parse or parse top with scythe then I posted a parse to prove it's not true.

But even then I didn't say a thing about the weapon nor te player, I just linked a parse.

Someone else bashed the weapon in this thread, but it wasn't me.

For this entire discussion I only talked about readers expectation in a dps discussion. Which is people should focus on information to improve dps, not selling personal preferences.