EDIT 12.02.26 - Change made to #3 and #7

Hello! 

I've been playing Awakening DK since forever and I feel the class needs some balancing changes to become more relevant in PvP, considering the state of the game with all the new classes being released. I don't consider myself an expert, but having played the class for a long time I'd like to give my opinion.

I'd like to propose some minor balance changes so the class won't become super overpowered or meta, but might become more playable in smallscale content like AoS, Guild League and even largescale like nodewar and siege. This would also give us more options when choosing our Core, and making our current useless skills more usable.

1. Spirit Satiation: Rework into a burst heal skill

Spirit Satiation is currently healing 30 HP and 90 MP per tick when channeling the skill, unprotected. If you want to heal with this skill you need to stand unprotected and channel for 30-60 seconds to get back to full HP. Dark Knight is one of the squishiest classes in the entire game and will take significant damage very easily. I suggest to rework the skill into a simple heal skill similar to that of Awakening Maegu's Twirling Crane: Unprotected, +2000 HP self-heal on a 16s CD and 250 MP cost. The CD and MP cost can be discussed to be higher if needed to keep it balanced.

2. Trap of Vedir: Add a lingering effect to the Forward Guard

Trap of Vedir is DKs main evasion shred, which is it's main use. You can also use it in a movement chain when kiting, flowing into Dark Nebula, but you often get caught inbetween the skills as there is a gap between the two. Adding a lingering effect on the Forward Guard on Trap of Vedir might solve this problem, while still leaving you vulnerable to CCs from the back.

3. Flow: Spirit Blaze: Add Forward Guard  EDIT: This has been added to the game as of 12.02.26

Awakening DK's version of Kamasylvia Slash from pre-awakening, only this one is completely unprotected. The part before the Flow is useless because its fully unprotected (unless you use the core which adds a FG - still useless), but since the Flow is available through quickslot, it would be nice to at least have it as a FG. This still leaves the opponents able to CC you from behind, so I'd say it is still balanced as a FG considering its melee range.

4. Core: Shattering Darkness: Rework the core

Shattering Darkness with it's two flows is Awakening DKs main damage skill, and main re-cc in a combo with Flow: Darkness Outpouring. The problem is the skill is quite recognizable with its relatively long animation, and the CC at the second flow (3rd skill in chain) is completely unprotected. Opponents already have a good opportunity to CC you during Shattering Darkness and Flow: Bombardment since it's both FG and somewhat long animation. My suggestion is to change the Core to give Super Armor to Flow: Darkness Outpouring. This will change it into a protected knockdown which is very powerful, but to access it you need to go through the two FG skills beforehand which is the opponents opportunity to CC you. You would also pick this instead of Core: Seed of Catastrophe, so in reality you would sacrifice Super Armor on one CC skill for another.

5. Dark Nebula and Flow: Root of Catastrophe: Move +AP

The +12 AP from Dark Nebula is weird to activate in PvP, considering Nebula is almost always used towards the end of a combo, flowing off either Spirit Legacy or Spirit Hunt, rarely after Trap of Vedir. Moving it to the flow of Seed of Catastrophe; Root of Catastrophe will give you access to the +12 AP buff in a more natural manner, while also forcing you to use your ranged float beforehand. 

6. Spirit Legacy and Flow: Bombardment: Move -DP or move downsmash

Spirit Legacy is Awakening DKs main DP debuff, making it technically essential to start off a combo with. The only problem with this skill is that it also has a Down Smash effect on it, giving you a 30% chance to down smash the opponent. The problem with the down smash is that it literally sabotages an entire combo if the enemy is KD'd. My suggestion would be to move the -DP from Spirit Legacy and add it to Shattering Darkness' flow; Flow: Bombardment. The other option would be to keep the -DP and move the Down Smash from Spirit Legacy to Dark Nebula instead.

7. Grip of Grudge: Add a 20% FG Shred EDIT: PA removed % based FG shreds as of 12.02.26

This skill has a long and unprotected animation, and has 0 critical hit rate, making it quite useless in PvP. Adding a 20% FG shred on it would at least make it usable against classes that just sit in SA FG Q blocks. It would still leave you completely unprotected, making it a risk and reward choice.

These minor changes would, in my opinion, not make Awakening DK overpowered. It would simply just make the class more useful in smallscale PvP while still being quite unprotected, being mostly forward guard, compared to 80% of all classes in the game which is permanently SA if they wish. There is probably more changes that could be done as well, but these are the changes I personally would like to see the most.

remove awk dk class hasnt been even remotely fun to play for 4 years now

Disagree with you there. DK is still fun to play. 

Yes if you don't do any pvp and ignore that you are below avarage in pve, it is a fun class.

EDIT: Or you play succession, then everything is good too.

The awakening kit could do with some adjustments, but I think its mostly down to mobility and just how bad forward guards are in modern bdo.

I've played this spec since its release in (I believe) late 2016 in december and have recently come back to the game.
I have noticed very quickly, that the class struggles to keep up with other classes, which is a huge problem, because I mostly rely on others to land engages and ccs, which is where our damage shines above most other classes... when they're on the ground.

Trying to match their engage is inconsistent, since the opportunity will arise at such a distance that our chance at getting there properly is not looking too good, paired with the fact that twilight dash acts as both a big part of our mobility, but is also one of our decent trading/damaging skills on a 9s cd, it's a bit of a pain in the ass but it is what it is.

I've played both deadeye and awk dk back to back and I have noticed some great comfort in playing deadeye in comparison and that mostly comes down to the availability of super armours and not getting an anyerism that some invisible-high mobility dashing class comes and bypasses any of my fg skills at any given moment in time.

Overall good suggestions Asperitas, they would certainly help, but I honestly believe our main problems are the ability to make plays with ccs, mobility and the unreliable nature of forward guards in 2026 (this is an all-class problem, but we rely on it very heavily to be useful).

revisiting this thread to say pa youre sad and lazy at balancing the game,this balance is pathetic