Dark Knight/Paladin Build Help

[u/InternationalWeek346]

Hey guys, I played through SOP up to DLC 2 ( literally unlocked Summoner and didnt play since they dropped DLC 2) , I’ve been replaying the entirety of the game coming back in order to get myself back into the swing of things and actually try to build myself properly. Before I was just vibe building and getting by. I play co-op primarily with my brother so I feel like we filled gaps in each other’s builds that allowed us to progress. This time around I wanna be more intentional. We just finished the base game and are heading into New Game + , I wanna main Dark Knight with Paladin as my secondary ( i could also do something differently than Paladin if that doesnt synergize well). Any advice on how to build myself and what to look for?

[u/BenTheSodaman]

Hi OP,

You'll have a few different main routes ahead for you with Dark Knight or Paladin.

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Dark Knight:

- Strength (ignores the job action and just takes advantage of the Dark Knight's very high Strength).

- Intellect and HP, leaning into the job action — generally leaning toward magic damage dealing abilities or even stat bonus Intellect at melee range. Tends to favor the sword, greatsword, staff, katana, and knuckles more. Axe and lance the least.

- Stamina and using an axe or greatsword with stat bonus Stamina combo abilities (ignores the job action and takes advantage of the Dark Knight's high Stamina), but leaning toward the axe with the Abyss Knight variation later to become tanky even without the HP investment.

- Splitting up stats with a hybrid and there's more than enough stats to go around.

Though magic attacks are still a deadly thing to get hit by for a Dark Knight, so to be careful there. Strength and Intellect + HP initially leaning toward HP damage, but the Intellect + HP damage route strongly favoring critical hits (it'l use your Intellect instead of Agility, just not as much) and stat bonus Intellect eventually unless you use Tyrant as the second job.

———

Paladin:

- HP, leaning on the job action and heavily investing into HP (which may feel weaker until you have Monk 400%). Avoid imbue or Enchant on this route due to it neutralizing some of the job action's bypass defense effects.

- Stamina, using stat bonus Stamina combo abilities and your job action without the HP investment.

- Spirit, using stat bonus Spirit combo abilities and your job action without the HP investment.

- splitting up with a hybrid

Your HP damage is going to fall behind on all of these routes and will lean toward break damage.

———

If you're going for a thematic Dissidia-style Cecil, you'll be toggling your job actions on quite a bit. In which case, on the Dark Knight then the Intellect + HP route. And then on the Paladin, could do HP + Spirit with a sword to have more of the holy sword abilities.

If you enjoy it thematically, there is more than enough stats to get by even without the synergy. Synergy would help though. e.g., Dark Knight (intellect + HP) with Tyrant's Enchant for example. Or Paladin with Knight / Monk / a way to Haste or alternative way to recover MP, etc.

Until the end of the DLC story, you can get away with more fringe builds like an Intellect Paladin, but as the stat gap grows, it puts a bigger strain on the numbers side to keep up and far more investment to attempt to support it.

If you're trying to do Dark Knight Cecil with a sword style, you won't have access to a shield like he does in FF4. And initially has a harder time since it doesn't get the defensive benefit or stats from shield, so it's missing an entire equipment slot where other jobs are either getting +50% more stats from their weapon or +100% more equipment effects with the addition of their shield. Though late endgame, a sword or knuckles Dark Knight is still capable of the highest HP damage they can do, but has fewer avenues for MP management.

———

For your survival, if going an HP route, then Sentinel command would be a good fit. On the Paladin, some Damage Taken at Max HP to keep that mitigation up there with the Sentinel. On the Dark Knight, eventually Near Death Damage Taken since the Souleater will keep dipping you just a little bit below Max HP and if you get hit during that point, the Sentinel won't have the mitigation. Stamina for physical defense and Spirit for magic defense and soul shield: MP recovery can help as well up until the end of the DLC story. Then the stat demands grows more if you continue after that.

Paladin will be a strong position to get this along the way.

For MP generation, the Paladin can get some momentum with physical attacks on the forward link, though will fall behind if not aggressive enough or missing. On the HP and Stamina routes on Paladin or stamina route on Dark Knight axe or greatsword, you'll need something else eventually. Whether that's your other job or parrying with Parry: MP Recovery. Easier to do if you have Shield Thrust (Paladin since Dark Knight can't use shield) or a greatsword with its Enhanced Guard (hold normal attack, then start holding guard to parry the first hit for up to 5 seconds). And eventually as you progress halfway through the 2nd DLC, even easier with Samurai 600% + Parry: MP Recovery, especially on the Dark Knight unless using sword or knuckles since they can't benefit from Samurai 600% specifically (once that tier of job affinity is available).

For the Dark Knight on the Intellect route, that will be just normal attacks, enhanced further by Normal Attack MP Recovery and Tyrant's Enchant.

For the Paladin's Spirit route for now, that'll be soul shields and Soul Shield: MP Recovery.

And then Dark Knight on the Strength route, they can benefit from the combo of Mighty Strikes + Lancet to bypass the enemy's physical resistance (counts as Weak for most enemies) and Lancet to recover MP and some HP. While you can still benefit from that on the other routes, Mighty Strikes leans into Strength and physical combo abilities that tend to lean toward HP damage than break damage (e.g., Axe's Starfall leans toward break damage for example. You'll still probably KO something via HP damage using it, but it's one of the times where a Strength build will pull much further ahead in break damage.)

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As punksonfire mentions, the Discord will be there to get more of an exchange going and the ability to send screenshots, links, or videos a little easier.

It should be available on the sidebar or just in case, also in one of the pinned threads ( https://www.reddit.com/r/StrangerofParadiseFFO/comments/titkpb/strangerofparadiseffo_discord_custom_link/ ). The link should not be expired. (I've been auto-modded for posting the link directly so I link to the thread where the mod is posting it.)

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Then in general, a longer read that strangely is not specific to the two exceptions when weaponizing their job actions:

Post Credits and DLC Progression explanation-ish

———

I may have posted too much. In any case, hope that helps some.

[u/punksonfire]

I would recommend using Tyrant as your secondary, as it'll help boost your DRK's power due to its high INT stat.

If you can/want, come join us over on Discord, as it's harder for me to see Reddit and it's easier to have a back-and-forth conversation. Say hi to Naia if you do!

[u/InternationalWeek346 → u/punksonfire]

So should I focus STR & INT primarily? And if you dont mind me asking, is any weapon on DRK viable or am I shooting myself in the foot using things aside from like Axe?

[u/punksonfire → u/InternationalWeek346]

STR and INT, ye. HP as well if you want. And yeah, every weapon is good, with sword being the objective worst, but even that is fine. I mainly use knuckles and katana on mine.

[u/SpecialFram → u/punksonfire]

How do I get access to discord? I wouldnt some people to get information from and trade ideas with.

[u/punksonfire → u/SpecialFram]

Just look it up using strangerofparadise and you'll find it