This powerful and self-sustaining Dark Knight build is ideal for players who want to solo level effectively in Ravendawn while also being a valuable asset in group settings. The Dark Knight excels at dealing both high single-target DPS and AoE damage, with the added flexibility to transition into a Tank role when needed. As a Tank, the Dark Knight focuses on melee damage and boasts life leech abilities, allowing it to heal itself through damage, while also offering strong survivability and crowd control.

The Dark Knight is particularly effective in new content like Aether Echoes, where it can simultaneously fulfill both Tank and Damage Dealer roles. This dual capability makes the Dark Knight a versatile choice for future content such as dungeons, world bosses, and raids. With its ability to combine damage output with tanking prowess, the Dark Knight is poised to become one of the top choices for players looking to tackle challenging PvE content.

Recent updates have significantly improved taunting and aggro mechanics, further enhancing the viability and effectiveness of tanking roles within the game.

Primary Attributes

For this Dark Knight build, you should allocate your attribute points with 75% into Might and 25% into Dexterity, with some additional focus on Vitality when selecting your gear:

• Might: Increases Weapon Power and Weapon Defense. This attribute boosts your damage output, helping to maintain aggro and contribute to group DPS.
• Dexterity: Enhances Haste, Spell Defense, and Weapon Defense. Haste improves your attack speed, reduces global cooldowns, and decreases casting times, while additional defences increase your survivability.
• Vitality: Provides Max Health, Health Regeneration, and boosts both Spell and Weapon Defense. Vitality is crucial for enhancing your survivability and durability in tough encounters.

Balancing these attributes ensures you can effectively deal damage but also be an effective Tank.

Secondary Attributes

When optimizing your gear, focus on acquiring the following secondary stats Weapon Defense, Weapon Power and Impact. Spell Defense and Precision can also be used depending on your needs and available gear options.

While it may not always be possible to obtain the best-in-slot gear, aim for equipment that maximizes these key stats to enhance your performance as a Dark Knight.

Consumables

Using the right consumables can significantly enhance your performance. Consider the following options:

• Baked Goods: Increase Attack Power with items like Pie. For lower levels, consider Deluxe Cake, Cake, Deluxe Cookies, or Cookies. When facing tough bosses, switch to items that boost Defensive Power if needed.
• Drinks: Boost Mana and Health Regeneration with drinks like Strawberry Whiskey at max level. Lower-level options include Banana Vodka, Boozemelon, Rum, or Whiskey to sustain longer battles.
• Meals: Enhance your Primary Attributes with meals that focus on Might, such as Firered Chicken Kebab or Frozen Sweet Berries. If you require more survivability, opt for Vitality-focused food instead.
• Whetstones: Increase Attack Power by using the highest level Whetstones available. As a Tank, you can apply one to both your Sword and Shield, maximizing your damage potential.

Weapons

For this Dark Knight build, choose your weapons based on your role:

• Greatsword: Ideal for solo play, the Greatsword is a powerful damage-dealing weapon. It grants access to the weapon skill Power Surge, which significantly increases the damage output of your skills. However, be mindful that it also increases the damage you take, so use it strategically.
• Sword: In tanking scenarios, the Sword is an excellent choice due to its weapon skill, Blade Warding (R). This skill provides a valuable Damage Shield, enhancing your ability to withstand attacks and maintain your defensive stance.
• Tower Shield: Pair your sword with a Tower Shield to further enhance your defensive capabilities. The Tower Shield offers substantial protection against incoming damage, making it essential for tanking in group content.

Armor: Plate

Opt for full Plate Armor as it offers significant benefits for a tank:

• Increased Health: Provides higher survivability during intense encounters.
• Healing Received: Enhances the effectiveness of any healing you receive, crucial for sustaining through battles.
• Weapon Defense: Improves your ability to absorb and mitigate physical damage.

Jewellery & Trinket

Purchase jewellery and trinkets from the Rangers Company shop that enhance your primary attributes:

• Prioritize items that boost Might, Dexterity and Vitality to strengthen your core tanking attributes.
• Look for Amulets and Trinkets that increase Attack Power and Defensive Power to increase offense and defense effectively.

Enchantments

Enhance your gear with the following enchantments:

• Might Enchants: Apply these to maximize your damage output and threat generation.
• Vitality Enchants: Consider these as an alternative for boosting your health and survivability.
• Weapon Enchantments: Use Attack Power enchants on your weapons to further increase your damage potential.

To create a powerful and versatile Dark Knight build, combine the following three archetypes: Warfare, Protection, and Shadow.

• Protection: This is the primary Tank archetype, providing crucial defensive abilities and skills to maintain aggro and shield yourself and your allies from damage. It ensures you can withstand heavy attacks and control the battlefield as a reliable tank.
• Shadow: The Shadow archetype offers valuable utility, such as snares, interrupts, and the ability to dodge damage. It also generates Aether, enhancing your resource management and increasing your damage output. Shadow skills add a layer of tactical flexibility, allowing you to adapt to various combat situations.
• Warfare: Focused on melee damage, area-of-effect (AoE) attacks, and health leeching, the Warfare archetype adds significant versatility and offensive capabilities to your Dark Knight build. It ensures you can deal substantial damage while maintaining survivability through self-healing.

By blending these archetypes, you create a Dark Knight that excels in both damage output and tanking effectiveness, making it a formidable choice for any PvE scenario.

When playing solo or leveling up your Dark Knight, prioritize maximizing your offensive capabilities to streamline your progress:

• Attribute Points: Initially, allocate all your points into Might. This boosts your damage output, enabling you to efficiently tackle solo content and speed up the leveling process. A higher damage output helps you clear quests and defeat enemies more quickly, making solo play more effective.
• Skill Points: Focus all your skill points on Warfare skills and passives at the beginning. These enhance your melee damage and area-of-effect (AoE) attacks, allowing you to defeat multiple enemies quickly and improve your efficiency in combat.

By concentrating on Might and Warfare skills, you’ll be able to deal significant damage while maintaining enough survivability to handle early-game challenges. This focus allows you to progress smoothly through the initial stages of the game, preparing you for more advanced content.