Getting Started

Welcome to the Dark Knight guide! This resource is designed to assist you in mastering the Dark Knight job in Final Fantasy XIV, providing core strategies, essential tips, and a detailed breakdown of your rotation.

Note: This guide isn't focused on advanced dungeons, trials, or raids; those will be left to their own specific guides. Instead, this guide introduces some foundational strategies for your job in FFXIV.

The goal is to help you grasp the mindset behind your job and to offer some useful approaches as you level.

Video Resources

These video resources from experienced players and content creators will provide additional perspectives on the Dark Knight playstyle.

Gear Recommendations

Keeping your equipment up-to-date is crucial. Insufficient gear can hinder your damage output/healing/survivability. Aim to have gear that matches your current level or is only slightly lower.

While progressing through the Main Scenario Quest (MSQ), you will frequently acquire gear upgrades and coffers to keep your setup competitive.

For leveling outside the MSQ, gear can be obtained through vendors (using Gil), the Market Board, or by trading Tomestones and Poetics earned through roulettes and other activities.

Gear Recommendations by Key Levels:

Level 50: Augmented Ironworks Gear (IL 130) – Obtain from Auriana in Mor Dhona or Rowena's Representatives in the main cities.
Level 60: Augmented Shire Gear (IL 270) – Available from Hismena in Idyllshire.
Level 70: Augmented Scaevan Gear (IL 400) – Obtainable from Enna in Rhalgr's Reach.
Level 80: Augmented Cryptlurker Gear (IL 530) – Purchase from Aymark in Eulmore.
Level 90: Augmented Credendum Gear (IL 660) – Obtainable from Cihanti in Radz-at-Han.
Level 100: Neo Kingdom Gear (IL 700) – Available from Zircon in Solution Nine.

Leveling Tips

This sections is for helping you understand how to level an alt job. If you are still doing MSQ this section can also help you catch up another job todo the MSQ with.

Before getting started it is good to make sure you have EXP buffs on. Some come from gear while others come from food or FC or being Rested.

Gear That Increases EXP Gain:

Gear Name	EXP Buff	Obtained From
Moogle Cap	20% level 10 and below	Pre Ordering ARR
Helm of Light	20% level 10 and below	ARR Collectors Edition
Friendship Circlet	20% level 25 and below	Recruit a Friend Campaign
Brand-New Ring	30% level 30 and below	Hall of Noivce
Ala Mhigan Earring	30% level 50 and below	Pre Ordering Stormblood
Aetheryte Earring	30% level 70 and below	Pre Ordering Shadowbringer
Menphina Earring	30% level 80 and below	Pre Ordering Endwalker
Azeyma Earring	30% level 90 and below	Pre Ordering Dawntrail

Other EXP Buffs

Food

Make sure to always have a Food buff up whiel leveling. Food Buff gives 3% increase to EXP and is very easy to obtain. I recommend buying Boiled Eggs from a merchant to use for the EXP Since they are cheap.

FC Buff

If you are not a trial player, you have the option to join or create and FC (Free Company). Free Companies are FFXIV's version of Guilds. An FC has the ability to have different Active buffs. Having Either Heat of Battle II or Heat of Battle III active will increase your EXP gained by 10% or 15%

Rested EXP

Make sure you are taking breaks! By taking breaks from the game and logging out in a safe zone with an Aetheryte or Inn you will get Rested EXP. You can store up to one and half levels worth of Rested EXP and you increase your EXP gained by 50% for all monster kills.

How to Level

If you job starts at level 1 the best way to level up is to do Fates and your Hunt Log.

Once you reach level 15 you can start doing dungeons! Running the highest level dungeon available to you is the fastest way to level up.

Dungeons List

Duty	Level Range	Unlocked Via
A Realm Reborn
Sastasha	15-18	It's Probably Pirates
The Tam-Tara Deepcroft	16-19	Fire in the Gloom
Copperbell Mines	17-20	Into a Copper Hell
Halatali	20-23	Hallo Halatali
The Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak	24-27	Into the Beast's Maw
Haukke Manor	28-31	Skeletons in Her Closet
Brayflox's Longstop	32-34	The Things We Do for Cheese
The Sunken Temple of Qarn	35-37	Braving New Depths
Cutter's Cry	38-40	Dishonor Before Death
The Stone Vigil	41-43	In Pursuit of the Past
Dzemael Darkhold	44-46	Fort of Fear
The Aurum Vale	47-49	Going for Gold
Heavensward
The Dusk Vigil	51-52	For All the Nights to Come
Sohm Al	53-54	Mourn in Passing
The Aery	55-56	Into the Aery
The Vault	57-58	A Knight's Calling
The Great Gubal Library	59	Forbidden Knowledge
Stormblood
The Sirensong Sea	61-62	Not without Incident
Shisui of the Violet Tides	63-64	The Palace of Lost Souls
Bardam's Mettle	65-66	In the Footsteps of Bardam the Brave
Doma Castle	67-68	The Die Is Cast
Castrum Abania	69	The Price of Freedom
Shadowbringers
Holminster Switch	71-72	The Lightwardens
Dohn Mheg	73-74	The Key to the Castle
The Qitana Ravel	75-76	The Burden of Knowledge
Malikah's Well	77-78	A Fresh Start
Mt. Gulg	79	Extinguishing the Last Light
Endwalker
The Tower of Zot	81-82	In the Dark of the Tower
The Tower of Babil	83-84	Gateway of the Gods
Vanaspati	85-86	Skies Aflame
Ktisis Hyperboreia	87-88	Caging the Messenger
The Aitiascope	89	Her Children, One and All
Dawntrail
Ihuykatumu	91-92	For All Turali
Worqor Zormor	93-94	The High Luminary
The Skydeep Cenote	95-96	Road to the Golden City
Vanguard	97-98	All Aboard
Origenics	99	The Resilient Son

Duty Roulette

Everyday you can do your Duty Roulettes for a large chunk of EXP.

Roulette	Min. Level Req.
High Level Dungeons	50
Leveling	15
Trials	50
Main Scenario	50
Normal Raids	60
Alliance Raids	50
Frontline	30

Wondrous Tails

The Wondrous Tails are one of if not the best weekly EXP you can get. No matter what level you are you will always get half of a level upon turning in the book.

Speak with the NPC Khloe Aliapoh in Idyllshire (X:5.7, Y:6.1) to receive a book

Once you have your book make sure to complete 9 of the task and then turn the book back end at the end of the week or when you get your job to half a level before levelcap to min max your EXP gain!

General Tips for Dark Knight

Tank Stance: Always ensure Grit is activated when tanking in dungeons or holding aggro in raids.

Resource Management: Balance your usage of Mana and Blood. Use Edge of Shadow to maintain Darkside buff and Bloodspiller to avoid overcapping on Blood.

The Blackest Night: This is your most powerful defensive tool. Use it frequently, especially during trash pulls or to mitigate tankbusters.

Living Dead: Coordinate with your healers when using this invulnerability skill. Remember, you need to receive healing equal to your max HP within 10 seconds after it triggers.

Offensive Cooldowns: Align Delirium and Living Shadow with raid buffs when possible for maximum damage output.

Rotation Overview

The Dark Knight's rotation revolves around maintaining threat, managing resources, and maximizing damage output while staying alive. The focus is on single-target and multi-target abilities, with special emphasis on Mana and Blood management.

Single Target Rotation

Start with Grit activated to maintain aggro.
Use Hard Slash → Syphon Strike → Souleater as your main combo.
Weave in Edge of Shadow to maintain Darkside buff and deal extra damage.
Use Bloodspiller to spend Blood, prioritizing use during raid buffs.
Activate Delirium every 60 seconds, using Scarlet Delirium → Comeuppance → Torcleaver .
Use Salted Earth followed by Salt and Darkness every 90 seconds.
Employ Carve and Spit every 60 seconds for additional damage and resources.
Summon your Living Shadow every 120 seconds for sustained damage.

Multi-Target Rotation

For 3+ targets, use Unleash → Stalwart Soul as your main combo.
Use Flood of Shadow to maintain Darkside and deal AoE damage.
Employ Quietus to spend Blood on AoE damage.
Use Abyssal Drain for AoE damage and healing.
When Delirium is active, use Impalement for AoE damage.
Continue using Salted Earth , Salt and Darkness , and Living Shadow as in single-target rotation.

Defensive Cooldowns and Utility

Use The Blackest Night frequently to mitigate damage and gain free Edge of Shadow/Flood of Shadow.
Rotate through Rampart , Shadow Wall , and Dark Mind for sustained mitigation.
Employ Living Dead for situations requiring invulnerability.
Use Reprisal and Dark Missionary to mitigate raid-wide damage.
Utilize Low Blow and Interject to stun and interrupt enemy abilities.