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Ok, this here is just some information to shed some light on the Drg/Drk combo, (or The Dark Dragoon, as I like to refer to myself). This is just ment as information from what i've learned to anyone who might be wanting to try out this combo. And please, no flames, I know and acknowledge that Drg/War is the best combo, this is just a bit of information from someone who took Drg/Drk 56 levels. (Drg/Drk Soul Eater info gained from using a friends 61 Drg/Drk when I was at his house.)
First we'll look at the abilities. Subbed, Drk will give us the following Job Abilities...
~Arcane Circle (5)
~Last Resort (15)
~Weapon Bash (20)
~Souleater (30)
...and the Job Traits of
~Resist Paralyze (20)
~Arcana Killer (25)
~Attack Bonus (30)
Since the level cap is currently at 75, you will not get the Resist Paralyze and Attack Bonus from levels 40 and 50 when Drk is subbed.
The Multi-Purpose Wyvern
The Dragoon's Wyvern will also be the multi-wyvern, meaning it will use it's Elemental Attack Breath during Weapon Skills, and will use Cure Breath (I, II, II) when you cast a spell but only when your life is at 25% (1/4, usually in the red). After you get the AF Helm, it will heal you when your life is apporiximatly 33% (1/3, Yellow just before red).
The Loss of Provoke
Drg/War is the most common sub (and best) so we're gonna use most comparisons vs that combo. The main thing lost with the Drk sub is Provoke. I'm sure I don't have to go into the reason why Provoke are usefull, so I wont. Ok, so the lack of provoke could mean life or death for one of your party members, and thats a big risk to take for using this combo. One thing that works though, but is not a huge hate builder, is Last Resort. If hate is weak around the tank and the mobs running (Assuming it's not going after a benedicting mage or any huge hate building ability), Last Resort will usually generate just enough hate to bring the mob to you, it's not a lot of hate, and sometimes a simple cure or hit by another party member can take the mob right off of you, but it's enough to usually make the mob change it's mind and come for you. This will give your tank the few extra seconds to regain hate, but again, this is not a 100% guarentee to work, but about 75% of the time it does.
Accuracy and Damage Output
Now for reason I'm still unsure of, having Drk subbed does seem to make you a bit more accurate. This has been noted by myself, people i've partied with, and posters in this forum as well as a few other forums. How or why I don't know, but the improved accuracy of a Drg/Drk over a Drg/War is there. Damage output is debatable. I have out damaged Drg/War of the same level with close to and similar equipment, even with them using Berserk at times. And at other tiems Berserk has out damaged me. But the Drg/Drk still has the same output no matter what when the Drg/War's Berserk run out, so in the end it's not as big a difference as it might seem. Add in the Last Resort (all 30 seconds of it... lol.) and I'd say (without mathematical proof, just observasional) that the two are pretty close with Drg/Drk being more consistent damage over the long run and Drg/War making higher damage/lower damage at times. Just a note, Double Attack might give Drg/War the higher damage output depending on how much it goes off. Sometimes I've seen Double Attack go off a lot, sometimes bearly ever. Another thing to take into account is that Soul Eater, and the ability to get rid of any hate you might get, could put Drg/Drk very close to the Drg/War damage output.
Defense
Drg/Drk take damage like little school girls. They have no way to change that like a Drg/War would. Being two of the classes with terrible defense, combining the two make you extremely shitty in the defense department. Not saying one hit will wipe you out, but you'll be taking more damage then a Drg/War. This has to be taken into account as well when PTing. You do have the ability to get rid of hate if you get it so it's not that big of a deal if you just pay attention and adjust to whats going on in the battle.
Magic
Drg/Drk don't have a lot of MP. The most usefull spells Drg/Drk get is...
~Poison: Since it has a fast casting time, it can be used to activate the cure breath if you're low on life.
~Drain: Doesn't drain a lot of HP but it's something to help you if you're really low on life.
~Aspire: Same as Drain, doesn't give back a lot of MP but it can be used to replenish MP for Poison and stuff.
I usually carry a few juices on me just incase for some reason I need my MP. With what little MP you have, you won't be casting too many spells, mostly I use it as a way to get my life back when things go wrong. That seems to be the most effective way to use it in my opinion. Everything else is just too weak to make a big difference in battle. Sometiems Bind and such can help but thats only if you can get them to stick.
Soul Eater
Even nerfed, Soul Eater gives Drg/Drk a lot more damage output. Soul Eater is also on the same timer as Super Jump so if things go bad you can get rid of the hate. The ability to get rid of the hate helps when you compare the damage between Drg/War and Drg/Drk. Also, Soul Eater will only take about 5% life with each swing instead of the normal 10% (15% with helm) that a Drk would take. I've done SE and never gained hate even for all the damage i've done, and I've also done SE and gotten a lot of hate with it. If you have a good tank, and you wait for the right time to use SE (usually halfway through the battle when the tank has gained enough hate) then you should have no worries about stealing hate. People will tell you even with a good tank you'll draw hate and they're wrong. I have people in my linkshell who by the time the mob is at half life, nothing will get it off of them, not vokes, not benedicting cure's, nothing. So it does depend on what kind of tank you have. So that always needs to be taken into account when you decide when to use SE.
In conclusion, overall damage during a fight will have to go to Drg/War, it's still the best sub for the job. But Drg/Drk gives you a few other options when in battle, as well as a pretty close damage ratio to Drg/War. It just takes a different playing style then Drg/War.
First we'll look at the abilities. Subbed, Drk will give us the following Job Abilities...
~Arcane Circle (5)
~Last Resort (15)
~Weapon Bash (20)
~Souleater (30)
...and the Job Traits of
~Resist Paralyze (20)
~Arcana Killer (25)
~Attack Bonus (30)
Since the level cap is currently at 75, you will not get the Resist Paralyze and Attack Bonus from levels 40 and 50 when Drk is subbed.
The Multi-Purpose Wyvern
The Dragoon's Wyvern will also be the multi-wyvern, meaning it will use it's Elemental Attack Breath during Weapon Skills, and will use Cure Breath (I, II, II) when you cast a spell but only when your life is at 25% (1/4, usually in the red). After you get the AF Helm, it will heal you when your life is apporiximatly 33% (1/3, Yellow just before red).
The Loss of Provoke
Drg/War is the most common sub (and best) so we're gonna use most comparisons vs that combo. The main thing lost with the Drk sub is Provoke. I'm sure I don't have to go into the reason why Provoke are usefull, so I wont. Ok, so the lack of provoke could mean life or death for one of your party members, and thats a big risk to take for using this combo. One thing that works though, but is not a huge hate builder, is Last Resort. If hate is weak around the tank and the mobs running (Assuming it's not going after a benedicting mage or any huge hate building ability), Last Resort will usually generate just enough hate to bring the mob to you, it's not a lot of hate, and sometimes a simple cure or hit by another party member can take the mob right off of you, but it's enough to usually make the mob change it's mind and come for you. This will give your tank the few extra seconds to regain hate, but again, this is not a 100% guarentee to work, but about 75% of the time it does.
Accuracy and Damage Output
Now for reason I'm still unsure of, having Drk subbed does seem to make you a bit more accurate. This has been noted by myself, people i've partied with, and posters in this forum as well as a few other forums. How or why I don't know, but the improved accuracy of a Drg/Drk over a Drg/War is there. Damage output is debatable. I have out damaged Drg/War of the same level with close to and similar equipment, even with them using Berserk at times. And at other tiems Berserk has out damaged me. But the Drg/Drk still has the same output no matter what when the Drg/War's Berserk run out, so in the end it's not as big a difference as it might seem. Add in the Last Resort (all 30 seconds of it... lol.) and I'd say (without mathematical proof, just observasional) that the two are pretty close with Drg/Drk being more consistent damage over the long run and Drg/War making higher damage/lower damage at times. Just a note, Double Attack might give Drg/War the higher damage output depending on how much it goes off. Sometimes I've seen Double Attack go off a lot, sometimes bearly ever. Another thing to take into account is that Soul Eater, and the ability to get rid of any hate you might get, could put Drg/Drk very close to the Drg/War damage output.
Defense
Drg/Drk take damage like little school girls. They have no way to change that like a Drg/War would. Being two of the classes with terrible defense, combining the two make you extremely shitty in the defense department. Not saying one hit will wipe you out, but you'll be taking more damage then a Drg/War. This has to be taken into account as well when PTing. You do have the ability to get rid of hate if you get it so it's not that big of a deal if you just pay attention and adjust to whats going on in the battle.
Magic
Drg/Drk don't have a lot of MP. The most usefull spells Drg/Drk get is...
~Poison: Since it has a fast casting time, it can be used to activate the cure breath if you're low on life.
~Drain: Doesn't drain a lot of HP but it's something to help you if you're really low on life.
~Aspire: Same as Drain, doesn't give back a lot of MP but it can be used to replenish MP for Poison and stuff.
I usually carry a few juices on me just incase for some reason I need my MP. With what little MP you have, you won't be casting too many spells, mostly I use it as a way to get my life back when things go wrong. That seems to be the most effective way to use it in my opinion. Everything else is just too weak to make a big difference in battle. Sometiems Bind and such can help but thats only if you can get them to stick.
Soul Eater
Even nerfed, Soul Eater gives Drg/Drk a lot more damage output. Soul Eater is also on the same timer as Super Jump so if things go bad you can get rid of the hate. The ability to get rid of the hate helps when you compare the damage between Drg/War and Drg/Drk. Also, Soul Eater will only take about 5% life with each swing instead of the normal 10% (15% with helm) that a Drk would take. I've done SE and never gained hate even for all the damage i've done, and I've also done SE and gotten a lot of hate with it. If you have a good tank, and you wait for the right time to use SE (usually halfway through the battle when the tank has gained enough hate) then you should have no worries about stealing hate. People will tell you even with a good tank you'll draw hate and they're wrong. I have people in my linkshell who by the time the mob is at half life, nothing will get it off of them, not vokes, not benedicting cure's, nothing. So it does depend on what kind of tank you have. So that always needs to be taken into account when you decide when to use SE.
In conclusion, overall damage during a fight will have to go to Drg/War, it's still the best sub for the job. But Drg/Drk gives you a few other options when in battle, as well as a pretty close damage ratio to Drg/War. It just takes a different playing style then Drg/War.
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