buttbaron's Dark/Dark Defender Build & Guide

[Wiseguy]

Introduction

 

Hey all. This is the first written out guide I'm submitting to the forums. Please keep in mind that the builds I make are usually focused on optimal self sufficiency for speedrunning high-end content. This means things like softcapping defenses will be prioritized over maxing recharge. As for the guide itself, I will be going over some nuances in specific abilities, but I will not be giving an extensive overview of every single ability. With this in mind, any criticism or suggestions are more than welcome! Now, onto the guide.

 

 

Guide: The Dark/Dark Defender

 

The Dark/Dark Defender can be an invaluable aspect of most any team composition, and you can build it to be incredibly self-sufficient and durable. While Dark/Dark really shines in the mid-game, you'll hopefully find through this guide that it can hold its own in the late game as well. The Dark/Dark Defender is arguably the pinnacle of debuffing, with a plethora of debuffs available through your primary and seconary powerset. The main debuff you specialize in dealing is -tohit; though you are also capable of delivering -damage, -resistance, -speed, -regen, and controls.

 

Simply, -tohit reduces the chance for enemies to hit you or your team. -resistance increases the damage enemies take, -speed reduces the rate at which targets move and -regen reduces the health enemies recover - mostly effective versus Arch-villains. Controls are categorized as abilities that hinder or outright prevent a target from acting. The controls available to your Dark/Dark Defender are fear, hold, and immobilize.

 

A look at some abilities.

 

 Howling Twilight

Howling Twilight is perhaps one of the most commonly misunderstood and misused skills in your toolkit. While it can be used as a resurrection ability, it can also be used very effectively as an offensive skill. When used as a rez, it's important to note that you need to target an enemy and then stand nearby your defeated allies. The ability will debuff a cluster of targets and proceed to try to resurrect any defeated friends nearby you. To reiterate, the actual rez is centered on you, even though you need to target an enemy to use it. Now, the real power of Howling Twilight comes when you use it offensively - with or without any allies dead around you. Howling Twilight stuns and delivers a massive AOE -regen debuff. You should be using this skill regularly against pesky AV's, using your judgement to call if a teammate is going to drop dead or not in the near future. If things are going relatively smoothly, always debuff with Howling Twilight rather than saving it as a rez. It is also an effective group crowd control tool, if your team bites off more than they can chew.

 

 Twilight Grasp 

Twilight Grasp is your main method of healing wounded allies. To use Twilight Grasp, you must target an enemy, hit it, and be standing next to whoever you want to heal. To use this heal effectively, I highly recommend a few things: 1) Take flight, hover, or mystic flight as a travel power. 2) Target a wounded ally, and use F to follow, which will automatically have you fly over to your hurt friend. 3) Assuming they are fighting, they will already be targeting a viable opponent to use Twilight Grasp on when you get there. Go ahead and use the ability, and they'll soon be healed. It's important to realize that Twilight Grasp also applies a -regen debuff, though not as large as the one from Howling Twilight. Your Dark Servant will also use Twilight Grasp. Twilight Grasp is a slow heal, and whiffing with it at a critical moment has likely resulted in more than one player shelving their Dark Miasma character. Hang in there!

 

 Tar Patch

Tar Patch is going to be one of your bread-and-butter 'openers' in high-end content. It applies a 30% -resistance debuff to targets in its radius. While you can apply it only to the ground, the ability actually effects a small sphere going upward and downward; it will also ground anything flying directly above it. I'm only detailing this ability because of how valuable it is. In a lot of endgame scenarios, the unfortunate reality is that a lot of people will have their defenses capped through themselves or other members on the team, so while the -tohit you bring to the table is important, the reality is that things dying faster is going to be much more desired usually.

 

A look at your openers.

 

An opener is an ability you use to initiate combat on a group of enemies. You have three main abilities you can be using as an opener, though the potential to use more than these three is more than viable. The three abilities I'm going to talk about here are Darkest Night, Tar Patch and Fearsome Stare.

 

If your group is light on +def buffs or there are squishies among you, please consider using Darkest Night or Fearsome Stare to initiate combat for your team. Both of these abilities will substantially debuff a group's tohit, and Fearsome Stare has the added  benefit of fearing targets. Keep in mind that prematurely using AOE controls like fear or immobilize before enemies have been rounded up will occasionally result in a slower time to kill for a group; but if you are in a situation where you need to press on and either solo a pack yourself or tank the alpha strike of a pack, nobody is going to fault you for using Fearsome Stare.

 

If things are going smoothly, try opening with Tar Patch instead. It will speed up the mission greatly.

 

What do I do when a group has been engaged?

 

Use your judgement. If things are going alright, slap down a Tar Patch, get in there to use Blackstar and Moonbeam to dish out some damage. If people are struggling, debuff more! Darkest Night, Fearsome Stare, etc. It's important to add that your Dark AOE blasts like Tenebrous Tentacles, Night Fall and especially Blackstar also apply notable -tohit to a group.

 

 

The Build

 

Download here!

 

Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.0.7
https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Secondary Power Set: Dark Blast
Power Pool: Sorcery
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- TchoftheN-Acc/Heal(A), TchoftheN-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(3), TchoftheN-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(3), TchoftheN-Heal/HP/Regen/Rchg(5), ThfofEss-Acc/Heal(50)
Level 1: Dark Blast -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(5), Thn-Dmg/Rchg(7), Thn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(9), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9)
Level 2: Tar Patch -- PcnoftheT-Acc/Slow(A), PcnoftheT-Dmg/Slow(11), PcnoftheT-Acc/EndRdx(11), PcnoftheT-Rng/Slow(13), PcnoftheT-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(13), PcnoftheT--Rchg%(15)
Level 4: Mystic Flight -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A)
Level 6: Howling Twilight -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(50)
Level 8: Shadow Fall -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(17), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(17), LucoftheG-Def(19)
Level 10: Dark Pit -- Acc-I(A)
Level 12: Fearsome Stare -- CldSns-ToHitDeb(A), CldSns-Acc/ToHitDeb(19), CldSns-Acc/Rchg(21), CldSns-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(21), CldSns-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(23), CldSns-%Dam(23)
Level 14: Darkest Night -- DscWrd-ToHitDeb(A), DscWrd-ToHitDeb/Rchg(25), DscWrd-ToHitDeb/Rchg/EndRdx(25)
Level 16: Tenebrous Tentacles -- OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg(A), OvrFrc-End/Rech(27), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End(27), OvrFrc-Dmg/End/Rech(29), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(29)
Level 18: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 20: Night Fall -- SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg(A), SprDfnBst-Dmg/Rchg(31), SprDfnBst-Rchg/Heal%(31), SprDfnBst-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33), SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33)
Level 22: Kick -- Acc-I(A)
Level 24: Tough -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(34), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(34), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(34), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(36)
Level 26: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(36), LucoftheG-Def(36), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(37)
Level 28: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 30: Moonbeam -- ExcCnt-Acc/Dmg(A), ExcCnt-Dmg/EndRdx(37), ExcCnt-Dmg/ActRdx(37), ExcCnt-Dmg/Rng(39), ExcCnt-Dmg/Rchg(39), ExcCnt-Stun%(39)
Level 32: Dark Servant -- TchoftheN-Acc/Heal(A), TchoftheN-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(33), TchoftheN-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(50)
Level 35: Life Drain -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(40), Thn-Dmg/Rchg(40), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), Thn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42)
Level 38: Blackstar -- Obl-Dmg(A), Obl-Acc/Rchg(42), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(43), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43), Obl-%Dam(45)
Level 41: Scorpion Shield -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(45), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(45), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 44: Petrifying Gaze -- Lck-Acc/Hold(A), Lck-Acc/Rchg(46), Lck-Rchg/Hold(46), Lck-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(48), Lck-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(48), Lck-%Hold(48)
Level 47: Spirit Ward -- Heal-I(A)
Level 49: Rune of Protection -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Vigilance 
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(15)
Level 1: Quick Form 
Level 50: Agility Core Paragon 
------------

 

The highlights of this build are softcapped ranged and s/l defense with a 51.3% global recharge bonus.

 

Modifications to this build I might suggest are removing the extra recharge in Howling Twilight and putting that slot anywhere else; such as sticking a Shield Wall resist proc into Shadow Fall. If you crave more damage, I would also suggest taking Gloom over Life Drain for higher DPS at the cost of some light loss in survivability. You could quite easily also replace a thunderstrike or something else with a purple set, since you are S/L and ranged overcapped.

 

Accolades: I would suggest picking up the Atlas Medallion at a minimum, as you can run into some endurance issues if you're going real hard.

 

Incarnates: I'd advise picking up T3 Clarion for status protection and Agility for endurance/recharge/defense help.

 

As always, I'd suggest getting as many attuned enhancements as you can - allowing you to more easily participate in lower level content.

 

If you have any questions regarding anything I've mentioned or want additional details about playing a Dark/Dark defender I'll be watching this thread. Thanks for reading and checking this out, and good luck out there!

 

Edited November 24, 2019 by buttbaron

[krj12]

I remember back on live, people using Dark/Dark on Lambda iTrial to effectively ground Marauder, so you don't have to keep chasing him around.   Just curious how much recharge is needed though to apply multiple instances of Tar Patch to achieve this, and if other archtypes with access to Dark powers can achieve the same thing?  

 

[Wiseguy]

26 minutes ago, krj12 said:

I remember back on live, people using Dark/Dark on Lambda iTrial to effectively ground Marauder, so you don't have to keep chasing him around.   Just curious how much recharge is needed though to apply multiple instances of Tar Patch to achieve this, and if other archtypes with access to Dark powers can achieve the same thing?  

 

At minimum, you need about 50% global recharge (no hasten) to start overlapping Tar Patch. If you want a consistent double tar patch I think you'd need somewhere over around ~160% recharge (with hasten). I made some quick edits to the build above that gives you a double tar patch with an ~8 second down time, though it is notably more expensive than the build I posted. Check it out here.

 

As far as I am aware, anyone with that amount of recharge could apply double tar patch and achieve the same desired effect.

[krj12]

I thought you needed a triple patch to stop Marauder in his tracks, but it's been years - I could be remembering it incorrectly.  It may not even be possible to achieve that.

 

[Schenkopp]

Going to necro this post since I haven't seen too many good posts on Dark/ builds for defenders. The build you posted looks pretty inexpensive which is good. Going to give the above a shot. I only see one 6x of purples in the build. If I want to dip heavier into purples (maybe 300-500mil inf budget) any suggestions / alternate builds?

[Darkir]

On 5/7/2020 at 6:22 PM, shaded said:

Going to necro this post since I haven't seen too many good posts on Dark/ builds for defenders. The build you posted looks pretty inexpensive which is good. Going to give the above a shot. I only see one 6x of purples in the build. If I want to dip heavier into purples (maybe 300-500mil inf budget) any suggestions / alternate builds?

I tried to make this as cheap as I could while keeping softcapped defenses, capped s/l res, and as much recharge as possible. This can double stack tar patch and it has perma hasten+perma souldrain.

 

Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.0.7
https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Natural Defender
Primary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Secondary Power Set: Dark Blast
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Dark Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(3), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(3), Prv-Heal/Rchg(5), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(5), Prv-Absorb%(36)
Level 1: Dark Blast -- Dcm-Acc/Dmg(A), Dcm-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Dcm-Dmg/Rchg(13), Dcm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(15), Dcm-Build%(15)
Level 2: Tar Patch -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(17)
Level 4: Gloom -- SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg(A), SprVglAss-Dmg/Rchg(11), SprVglAss-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11)
Level 6: Moonbeam -- StnoftheM-Acc/Dmg(A), StnoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx(7), StnoftheM-Dmg/ActRdx/Rchg(19), StnoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), StnoftheM-Dam%(21)
Level 8: Shadow Fall -- RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFrt-EndRdx/Rchg(9), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(9), RedFrt-Def(42), RedFrt-EndRdx(42), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(43)
Level 10: Howling Twilight -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 12: Fearsome Stare -- DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb/Rchg(A), DarWtcDsp-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(13), DarWtcDsp-Rchg/EndRdx(25), DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(25)
Level 14: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(17), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(33), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(33), Rct-ResDam%(36), Ksm-ToHit+(40)
Level 16: Tenebrous Tentacles -- SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(A), SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(21), SprVglAss-Rchg/+Absorb(37), Dmg-I(46)
Level 18: Petrifying Gaze -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold(A), BslGaz-Rchg/Hold(37), BslGaz-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(37), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(40)
Level 20: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 22: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(23), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(23), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(31), GldArm-3defTpProc(31)
Level 24: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(43), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(43)
Level 26: Tactics -- GssSynFr--ToHit(A), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg(27), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(27), GssSynFr--Rchg/EndRdx(29), GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx(29), GssSynFr--Build%(31)
Level 28: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 30: Super Speed -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A)
Level 32: Dark Servant -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold(A), BslGaz-Rchg/Hold(34), BslGaz-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(34), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(34)
Level 35: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(42)
Level 38: Blackstar -- SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg(A), SprDfnBst-Dmg/Rchg(39), SprDfnBst-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39), SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), SprDfnBst-Rchg/Heal%(46)
Level 41: Dark Consumption -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 44: Dark Embrace -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(45), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(45), UnbGrd-Max HP%(45), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(46)
Level 47: Soul Drain -- Obl-Dmg(A), Obl-Acc/Rchg(48), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(48), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50), Obl-%Dam(50)
Level 49: Vengeance -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Quick Form 
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Clr-Stlth(A)
Level 1: Vigilance 
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Pnc-Heal/+End(33), Mrc-Rcvry+(50)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-End%(36)
Level 50: Agility Core Paragon 
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[Schenkopp]

Nice, thanks!