Difference between revisions of "Undercon's Shadow Knight Guide"

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	To avoid death and the long corpse recoveries that come with it, don't rely on Feign Death alone. Instead, make good use out of what few melee skills you have at your disposal. When attacking mobs that cast, make an effort to identify specific spells by their color/pattern and then bash interrupt at the last second so the mob has even less time to recast. A well-timed bash can save your healer's mana since resist buffs aren't the most reliable against mobs within your group's level range. Bash is especially important against heal and gate spells because a casting mob will cast and recast one of the two spells when its hitpoints are low. If you can interrupt it even momentarily, one or two extra seconds can be enough for the DPS to finish the mob off. In instances where you will encounter more than a few casters, always opt for a one-handed weapon and shield instead of a two-handed weapon unless you already have your epic, the sole two-handed weapon that allows its wielder to bash. It cannot be stressed enough just how valuable the ability is, especially for Shadow Knight who don't have access to the stun spells that Paladins do. There is nothing more demoralizing than to have a mob complete heal itself at low health or to have a mob gate back to its spawn point and bring adds along with with it for a second round. Bash sparingly throughout the start of fights versus casters and then not at all until it is absolutely necessary. The damage that bash contributes is too negligible to use constantly in fights except when attacking melee-only mobs, and even then it helps to be ready and bash right as the mob turns to flee, halting its movement for a second or two and allowing the DPS time to readjust. All too often bash goes ignored when it should be thought of as the cornerstone of Shadow Knights and Paladins alike, the skill itself being a good indicator of the design behind both classes—low damage dealing, highly armored, and all about the timing required in order to prevent potential incoming damage. Knights can train in the skill as early as level 6 and should expect to start encountering mobs that cast right around that level, and it only will increase in usefulness as the incoming spells become more detrimental. Preventing a double digit direct damage spell might not seem amazing, but it's good practice for later on when you will be able to instantly interrupt a 1,000 damage Ice Comet, especially when that Complete Heal definitely isn't going to land in time.		To avoid death and the long corpse recoveries that come with it, don't rely on Feign Death alone. Instead, make good use out of what few melee skills you have at your disposal. When attacking mobs that cast, make an effort to identify specific spells by their color/pattern and then bash interrupt at the last second so the mob has even less time to recast. A well-timed bash can save your healer's mana since resist buffs aren't the most reliable against mobs within your group's level range. Bash is especially important against heal and gate spells because a casting mob will cast and recast one of the two spells when its hitpoints are low. If you can interrupt it even momentarily, one or two extra seconds can be enough for the DPS to finish the mob off. In instances where you will encounter more than a few casters, always opt for a one-handed weapon and shield instead of a two-handed weapon unless you already have your epic, the sole two-handed weapon that allows its wielder to bash. It cannot be stressed enough just how valuable the ability is, especially for Shadow Knight who don't have access to the stun spells that Paladins do. There is nothing more demoralizing than to have a mob complete heal itself at low health or to have a mob gate back to its spawn point and bring adds along with with it for a second round. Bash sparingly throughout the start of fights versus casters and then not at all until it is absolutely necessary. The damage that bash contributes is too negligible to use constantly in fights except when attacking melee-only mobs, and even then it helps to be ready and bash right as the mob turns to flee, halting its movement for a second or two and allowing the DPS time to readjust. All too often bash goes ignored when it should be thought of as the cornerstone of Shadow Knights and Paladins alike, the skill itself being a good indicator of the design behind both classes—low damage dealing, highly armored, and all about the timing required in order to prevent potential incoming damage. Knights can train in the skill as early as level 6 and should expect to start encountering mobs that cast right around that level, and it only will increase in usefulness as the incoming spells become more detrimental. Preventing a double digit direct damage spell might not seem amazing, but it's good practice for later on when you will be able to instantly interrupt a 1,000 damage Ice Comet, especially when that Complete Heal definitely isn't going to land in time.
−	All in all the Shadow Knight is a self-involved tank class that requires a moderate amount gearing and patience to level up. If you thoroughly enjoy dungeon-crawling, group tanking, and pulling mobs into camp. If you want to group but also have the ability to solo. If you aren't interested in being asked for buffs all of the time. Or if you simply want to roleplay as a vampiric soldier or a chaotic-evil misanthrope. If any of the above fits in with your playstyle, than definitely give the Shadow Knight class a try.	+	Overall the Shadow Knight class is a self-sustaining tank-puller that isn't as dependent on gear or groups as pure melees and isn't as susceptible to death as pure casters. If you thoroughly enjoy dungeon-crawling, group tanking, and pulling mobs into camp. If you want to group but also have the ability to solo outdoors. If you want to roleplay as a vampiric soldier or a chaotic-evil demon knight. Or if you simply want to avoid being asked for buffs, while still having the ability to cast spells. If any of the above fits in with your playstyle, than definitely give the Shadow Knight class a try.
	''Note: Information was compiled from various forums and Allakhazam posts, as well as personal experiences. The bulk of this guide pertains to the PvE (Blue) Server, although a section for PvP (Red) might be included at some point. Edits are welcome, otherwise read on.''		''Note: Information was compiled from various forums and Allakhazam posts, as well as personal experiences. The bulk of this guide pertains to the PvE (Blue) Server, although a section for PvP (Red) might be included at some point. Edits are welcome, otherwise read on.''

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Revision as of 15:57, 22 August 2019

Contents 1 Overview of the Class 2 Strategies 3 Class-defining Spells 4 Getting Geared

Overview of the Class

Welcome to the Shadow Knight...a heavily armored, reviled, and penalized class. As one of only four hybrid classes, Shadow Knights have to endure a hefty experience penalty until the release of the Scars of Velious expansion. This penalty was originally intended to serve as a way of balancing out different class-types, because it was believed by the developers that hybrids would be overpowered when in fact the opposite turned out to be more true in many aspects of gameplay. As was seen in the relatively low number of hybrids among the general population, the supposed pros of a multi-classed character did not necessarily outweigh the one painfully obvious con. It also didn't help that hybrids were not fully understood or appreciated by most players back then. And so the hybrid experience penalty acted as a deterrent, resulting in less demand for the classes in a group setting.

Shadow Knight / Paladin / Ranger / Bard (40% Experience Penalty)

Note: Class experience penalties are no longer in effect on Project1999 as of 9/21/15.

Now that the design of each class is better understood after all these years, groups are much more inclined to have a hybrid tanking than in the past. The desirability of this particular class stems from the low mana cost spells that practically guarantee the rest of your group will go untouched by mobs, allowing them to play their role to the fullest extent without hesitation. And while other tank classes can achieve a similar effect, what sets Shadow Knights apart is their ability steal HP, AC, ATK, STR, and, most importantly, AGGRO. This is their true underlying strength and the main reason they are sought after by groups.

But for all of the stats that can be stolen from mobs and tacked onto your character, those numbers are not as essential for Shadow Knights as they are for other classes. You are a derivative of two other classes and what you get out of your skill set as well as your spellbook will reflect that. Aside from maintaining a minimum of 75 agility, your stamina, intelligence, strength, and dexterity are the attributes worth focusing on, and in that order. That being said, there are plenty of stat-increasing items and buffs in Norrath that will eventually max out most, if not all, of your primary attributes. Below is a chart of each race as their starting stats relate to the class. It's important to note that while there are arguments to be made in favor of a different distribution of starting points, overall a well-rounded build is more ideal for those who don't know where they're going with the character.

Race	Str	Sta	Agi	Dex	Wis	Int	Cha	Recommended
Dark Elf	70	70	90	75	83	109	65	+10 Strength +10 Stamina
Erudite	70	75	70	70	83	117	75	+10 Strength +5 Stamina +5 Agility
Human	85	80	75	75	75	85	80	+5 Strength +15 Stamina
Iksar	80	75	90	85	80	85	60	+5 Strength +15 Stamina
Ogre	140	127	70	70	67	70	42	+5 Agility +15 Intelligence
Troll	118	114	83	75	60	62	45	+20 Intelligence

Keep in mind that no amount of high-end items or buffs are going to turn you into the DPS machines that Rogues are; it's a sobering reality but it's reality nonetheless. As a hybrid tank you will want to first focus on how much damage you can take before you start thinking about how much damage you can put out. One part Necromancer and three parts Warrior, the Shadow Knight is not a damage dealer but, over time and with a bit of finagling, it is a class that can solo decently. Early on in raid situations you will be asked to fear/snare when needed and let the Enchanter steal from your mana pool with Theft of Thought. Accept their duel and /wave goodbye to your mana. You may also be expected to assist Monks with pulling, tagging singles out, and training away adds or what is commonly referred to as "goalying". Your one other role during raids will be to off-tank trash and on rare occasion act as the main tank, but generally speaking the Warriors will be doing most of the heavy lifting.

It might sound simple enough but hybrid tanking isn't all about hitting auto-attack and spamming the same spells over and over mindlessly. Positioning of the mob is just as important as taking into account how much push your group has. You want the other group members, especially the rogue players and pets, to have access to the back/side of the mob until it's dead. This has to do with the frontal cone of NPCs, wherein they can potentially parry, block, or riposte an attack, and where they are not vulnerable to backstabs. There are times when this tactic is not employed however, particularly in smaller groups that lack the utility spells and physical "push" to interrupt NPC casters. In such cases, players will need to push from the same side and the same angle before the target's health dips below 40%, and continue on through until 0%, stepping forward in increments while swinging their fastest weapons. But even in those smaller unconventional groups, make sure that the Rogue(s) can at least pivot around and work the angles to sneak in a backstab here and there. Also, when needing to push a mob that's casting Gate or Complete Heal, always push with the pets if there are any; pets are typically hasted and can easilt counter-push several group members, keeping the target still and at its initial casting location, where it will be able to successfully channel its spell.

Snaring mobs that flee is also a must, especially since you have no innate way of healing group members or crowd controlling adds. The majority NPCs will flee at low health, unless there are allied members of its race nearby. Undead NPCs typically don't flee but, as with anything else in Norrath, there are exceptions. Those exceptions aren't nearly as important to keep in mind as the one pertaining to NPC classtypes. When it comes to snare, only cast it on mobs that don't cast. This advice becomes more of a guideline higher in levels when targets start casting Ice Comet, Gate, and Complete Heal.

Mistakes are a given, but Shadow Knights often get to live with those mistakes thanks to Feign Death, while other players can only run in terror, Root and camp out, or attempt to Gate. More often than not, their efforts only delay the inevitable. While it is slightly exhillerating to witness the carnage of a massive train as it devours groups or entire raids, you have very little to offer towards the recovery which means you will be waiting a long time. Rather than lay there AFK or staring at the mobs in camp, do the one thing you can manage and ask for /consent from the dead. This will allow you to drag their corpses into a safe corner or over by the zoneline, wherever a Cleric, Paladin, or Necromancer can be found. Corpse dragging as a Shadow Knight is not so easily done in zones with NPCs that can see through Invisibility. Rogues and Monks have an easier time of it, but when using Feign Death in tandem with Invisibility (CoS) and Invisibility Versus Undead, Shadow Knights can manage just fine. And at higher levels there is the option to summon corpses, a spell that requires one per death as its reagent. Necromancers also receive this spell, along with a superior version that consumes tiny stackable coffins.

To minimize corpse drags and coffin purchases, do not snare mobs that cast (even if you think they're out of mana); it's a bad habit to develop and isn't worth the risk. Why? Because a snared caster behaved as though it is rooted, except without proximity aggro. This means that, since the caster is still attempting to flee, its offensive spells aren't on the table, only the beneficial spells are, provided it has the mana. Worse still, since the caster is snared,zoneline it will be more difficult to push. If you absolutely need to stop a caster in its tracks, bash from behind, call out for stuns, or use Harm Touch. But don't snare! In terms of newb mistakes, it is the equivalent of casting Disease Cloud on a mezzed target or Darkness on a kited mob that summons; mobs that can will summon if they've received damage beyond a certain threshold and that threshold is 97%. The Protector of Sky and its triggering azarack are both perfect examples here. The special azarack is often kept mezzed until all other azaracks are dead and, if not, the Protector of Sky is kited around. Unless they are resisted by these targets, Disease Cloud and your Darkness line will work against your best intentions here, so it is best to not use them.

To avoid death and the long corpse recoveries that come with it, don't rely on Feign Death alone. Instead, make good use out of what few melee skills you have at your disposal. When attacking mobs that cast, make an effort to identify specific spells by their color/pattern and then bash interrupt at the last second so the mob has even less time to recast. A well-timed bash can save your healer's mana since resist buffs aren't the most reliable against mobs within your group's level range. Bash is especially important against heal and gate spells because a casting mob will cast and recast one of the two spells when its hitpoints are low. If you can interrupt it even momentarily, one or two extra seconds can be enough for the DPS to finish the mob off. In instances where you will encounter more than a few casters, always opt for a one-handed weapon and shield instead of a two-handed weapon unless you already have your epic, the sole two-handed weapon that allows its wielder to bash. It cannot be stressed enough just how valuable the ability is, especially for Shadow Knight who don't have access to the stun spells that Paladins do. There is nothing more demoralizing than to have a mob complete heal itself at low health or to have a mob gate back to its spawn point and bring adds along with with it for a second round. Bash sparingly throughout the start of fights versus casters and then not at all until it is absolutely necessary. The damage that bash contributes is too negligible to use constantly in fights except when attacking melee-only mobs, and even then it helps to be ready and bash right as the mob turns to flee, halting its movement for a second or two and allowing the DPS time to readjust. All too often bash goes ignored when it should be thought of as the cornerstone of Shadow Knights and Paladins alike, the skill itself being a good indicator of the design behind both classes—low damage dealing, highly armored, and all about the timing required in order to prevent potential incoming damage. Knights can train in the skill as early as level 6 and should expect to start encountering mobs that cast right around that level, and it only will increase in usefulness as the incoming spells become more detrimental. Preventing a double digit direct damage spell might not seem amazing, but it's good practice for later on when you will be able to instantly interrupt a 1,000 damage Ice Comet, especially when that Complete Heal definitely isn't going to land in time.

Overall the Shadow Knight class is a self-sustaining tank-puller that isn't as dependent on gear or groups as pure melees and isn't as susceptible to death as pure casters. If you thoroughly enjoy dungeon-crawling, group tanking, and pulling mobs into camp. If you want to group but also have the ability to solo outdoors. If you want to roleplay as a vampiric soldier or a chaotic-evil demon knight. Or if you simply want to avoid being asked for buffs, while still having the ability to cast spells. If any of the above fits in with your playstyle, than definitely give the Shadow Knight class a try.

Note: Information was compiled from various forums and Allakhazam posts, as well as personal experiences. The bulk of this guide pertains to the PvE (Blue) Server, although a section for PvP (Red) might be included at some point. Edits are welcome, otherwise read on.

Strategies

Fear-Kiting

This is the most reliable means for gaining solo experience as a Shadow Knight and it's typically restricted to outdoor zones, however there are a few exceptions such as in the Hole, particularly the area after the first ledge below the Observation Tower. Keep in mind that two-handed weapons are generally better suited for fear-kiting, given the fact that a feared mob can turn suddenly and move out of range thereby causing you to lose out on chances to swing at the mob—the faster the weapon the more this is likely to occur. The tactic is straightforward. Cast snare and fear the mob, reapply both when necessary. Have a pet summoned and use various DoTs to speed up the process. Turn auto-attack on/off as you keep pace with the mob until you get a feel for it. Strafing alongside the mob also helps with adjusting to any sudden changes in its movement while staying in melee range.

Decreasing Downtime

In many zones, even at high levels, there will be low level green con mobs in the vicinity. Open your spell book and load up Vampiric Embrace and your newest Lifetap. Also, if you have a weapon with the proc Soul Bond than wield it. Steal as many hitpoints as needed from all those little empty calorie green cons. Once you're out of mana, sit and med up. Regaining mana will be much quicker than all that HP would have been. It's such an obvious option but many SKs, including ones without innate regen, do not take advantage of it.

Pulling

The simplest and earliest method of pulling requires you to make use of Numb the Dead, your first undead lull spell, beginning at level 15 which will allow you to minimize adds—ideal for zones like Befallen and Unrest. Simply cast Numb the Dead on each potential add and then aggro the mob(s) you want. Pull to a safe distance and kill. Most every undead will not flee when they are low on health but remember that lull merely decreases the range of a mob's aggro, so keep your distance.

Unlike the Paladin line of lull spells, the effectiveness of undead lull is not contingent on a character's charisma stat. Critical resists will occur at the same rate whether your CHA is maxxed out or below zero.

Once you reach level 30 you will receive Feign Death. This spell opens up a lot of possibilities, allowing you to avoid trains and dungeon crawl hassle-free. It also allows you to pull semi-effectively. Two-spawn locations like the West Commonland's Tollbooth and North Karana's Guard Tower are great places to practice split pulling.

In full groups split pulling will often be left to other, more capable classes. With as many Monks and Bards as there are on this server, each group is bound to have at least one present and accounted for, both of which have better skills to get the job done and quicker (and the same could be said for Rangers in outdoor zones). But if the Monk needs to go AFK or the Bard's fingers cramp up, that's when you step in. Zone knowledge is crucial. If you don't know the layout, speak up. Likely someone in group can indicate which mobs and where to pull from/what to avoid. Remember to use your and/or Invis vs. Undead with Undead Lull spells whenever necessary. These are the few advantages/safeguards you have when pulling, put them to use and die less often as a result.

The difficulty of pulling increases significantly with each caster mob involved because of the delayed cast and recast time of Feign Death. Trying to get a two-pull out of five clustered mobs is very doable if the mobs are all non-casters, but trying to split up multiple casters requires patience, making use of line of sight with high MR and good FD timing. With its 1.5 second cast time and 15 second recast, the window for FD success is very small. Thankfully, on the PVE (Blue) server, you can duck to interrupt your spells including Feign Death. Wait and then recast, watching for NPC cast animations/messages. Also, regardless of whether your FD is successful or not, if there are any pathing mobs involved you will most likely have to /q out (/quit) in order to lose that aggro, otherwise automatically assume that any nearby pathers will be part of the pull. Pathers take considerably longer to return to their spawn point or "reset". This is particularly true in outdoor zones. A pather can/will make a beeline for you from the other side of the zone (bringing friends along) even if you've been FD for 10-15 minutes. However, since "leashing" has been implemented on the server, there is a distance in which mobs will forget you to an extent. Be sure to check that no other mobs remember you and, when in doubt, /quit out.

When scouting out areas beforehand make use of all camera angles. This is extra helpful for pulling, when feign deathed, as the mobs are pathing back to their spawn location. Also, if the mobs are all pathing back at the same time, use your "darkness" snare and FD again. Once you have a few stragglers, wait until the other mobs have returned to their spawn point, then stand up and cast on one of the stragglers. Do a quick headcount and start strafing back to your group, if need be, to avoid being hit or stunned from behind. How many you can bring to group depends on the size and makeup of your group. With the average group generally two or three mobs per pull is ideal. Just have an incoming message hotkeyed so your group mates are prepared for what's on the way.

If you have a bad pull and FD fails, die far enough away from the rest of the group unless told otherwise. Training your group is a good way to end the xp session. You will know when Feign Death is unsuccessful when you read the message "You have fallen to the ground". This is the worst message to see and it will almost definitely mean that you're as good as dead because the recast timer on FD is 15 seconds, more than enough time for a train of mobs to kill you. Shadow Knights do get an upgrade to FD in the Velious expansion called Death Peace which decreases the cast time to 1 second and recast time to only 4 seconds, but it is a level 60 spell.

Harm Touch

With a 72 minute timer it's important to always keep Harm Touch on reserve. It's not as amazing as Paladin's Lay on Hands ability but it still has its uses. However, just like Lay on Hands, Harm Touch does have a range limit. The distance is slightly farther that what is required to open a trade window or emote at a target. There are a few instances where using Harm Touch can save the day, often without others noticing. If, for instance, a mob is gating and the DPS classes aren't pushing from the same direction, Harm Touch should move the gating mob over enough to interrupt the cast, even if it gets resisted. If a dying group member has aggro, use Harm Touch on the mob that's attacking them. Again, even if it gets resisted you should be able to get aggro, thereby saving the group member. And while it isn't as visually pleasing as Lay on Hands, you'll still have the satisfaction knowing that you saved a party member. Unlike Lay on Hands, Harm Touch can be resisted completely or partially. Single digit Harm Touches have been known to happen. While it is by no means a reliable ability, at level 60 a Shadow Knight can Harm Touch for 1501 damage with the use of the Unholy Aura Discipline.

For all of its shortcomings, there is one instance where Harm Touch is superior to Lay on Hands and that is when camping a named mob. Why? For the simple reason that, if another player attempts to steal your camp, you have a form of burst damage available. All that's needed is to dish out more than 50% of the damage and the loot is yours. You are still vulnerable to kill stealers but you stand a better chance than your extended family, the Warrior and Necromancer.

Pets

The first thing you'll notice is your skeleton pet will be lacking in more places than one. This is painfully obvious from levels 35-48 but it does get better, eventually. Until eventually happens you will have to make do though, which isn't all that hard because the pet's weaknesses do have a silver-lining. For example, before engaging a Shadow Knight mob send your pet into battle so it takes the Harm Touch instead of you. By doing so all you lose are two bonechips and a flimsy but loyal companion. This tactic is useful against Lizard Crusaders when farming decayed armor for the Darkforge Quest. Even though NPC Harm Touch is significantly weaker than that of a player character it still takes its toll.

Other than that, think of your pet as an additional DoT, one that can at any time aggro other nearby mobs due to it being much lower in level. Early on buy/loot rusty two-handed weapons and give them to your skeleton pet for added damage. After level 52, after you mem Malignant Dead, switch to the x2 for the lifetap proc which hardly ever gets resisted. Give your Malignant Dead pet one death stick at first and see if it procs because sometimes the pet summons below level 30. As an added bonus, death sticks weigh next to nothing so you can carry as many as you want, unlike those Rusty Halberds you lugged around before.

It should be mentioned that your level 39 pet, Animate Dead, is virtually useless. With a negligible increase in HP and Attack, it might not even be worth purchasing the spell at all. Summon him only for the occasional bash stun and very minimal damage output. Your final pet is received at level 58 in the form of Cackling Bones. This pet actually does a noticeable amount damage and even has a small built-in lifetap proc. It's still a warrior class pet but, unlike the other versions, it can actually take a few hits without dying. Summon it when factioning, farming mats, standing afk in EC Tunnel, or needing to check if any nameds are up in a zone before clearing out the placeholders. To check if a named mob is up, enter the command "/pet attack" followed by the mob's name. If your pet reports back to you, the mob is up somewhere in the zone. If your pet does not report back, you either misspelled the mob's name or the mob is not currently up.

Class-defining Spells

Though Shadow Knights receive a variety of buffs, lifetaps and summoned pets, the spells mentioned below are ultimately what define the class.

Disease Cloud and Shadow Vortex: Holding Aggro

When grouping you will undoubtedly get more mileage out of these two spells than any of the others available to you. Disease Cloud is a staple of the class and a liability at the same time. Be ready to commit to whatever mob you cast Disease Cloud on unless a group member roots it because the mob is now basically 100% mez-resistant, that is, every time the Damage Over Time ticks mez will break. And Disease Cloud lasts for a looong time. So have plat ready to help pay for the Enchanter's res and remember to blame lag, always blame lag spikes. The good news is that Shadow Knights get a spell equal in power to Disease Cloud without all of the risk.

Shadow Vortex. While Shadow Vortex is a late addition to your spell book, you'll eventually find yourself using it in tandem with Disease Cloud so as to maintain aggro versus recast timers. The convenience of Shadow Vortex really should not be overlooked because while it may have a higher mana cost than Disease Cloud it's actually the more superior spell, providing you with a fail-safe way to generate aggro. Whether a mob is mezzed or bouncing between group mates, one cast of Shadow Vortex will likely put you at the top of the hate list. As a precaution, if the mob has been mezzed, it is best to taunt first, then cast Shadow Vortex, and then follow up with Disease Cloud before making an attack. And since Shadow Vortex does not break mez, you can cycle through whatever mobs are mezzed in camp after you've established aggro with the current target. Shadow Vortex will make you slightly more synergistic with Enchanters, but still nowhere near as much as Paladins.

Do not neglect either of these spells. They are the truest and most tried method of generating aggro and you will need to use both since they have a 6 second recast time, especially in full groups with lots of DPS.

Darkness and Fear: Soloing Effectively

Different combinations of the Darkness and Fear line of spells are a must for soloing as a Shadow Knight. It is because of these two spells that you are much more capable at soloing than Paladins. It's very straightforward, though the tactic of fear-kiting itself will have you running around in sporadic circles like a headless cockatrice. Because of this fear-kiting is only recommended in outdoor zones where you have room to avoid other mobs. Lead off by casting snare, in this case we'll say Engulfing Darkness as it is around this spell level that fear-kiting comes into its own, and Engulfing Darkness decreases a mob's movement speed just enough to keep it relatively contained. Once the mob is snared, back away and begin casting the best version of fear that's in your spellbook. After the mob is feared move into melee range and attack. To maximize damage output always have a pet summoned and cast whatever dots you have available. You will need to reapply fear and/or darkness, so make sure you manage your mana bar accordingly.

Your darkness spells are also useful in groups, needed not only to generate hate but also to prevent runners. To do so, once the mob is at or around half health, you'll want to cast darkness on it. This is especially true in dungeons when your lacking another snarer and keep getting resisted. It's important to note that your darkness line of spells does not stack with Druid/Ranger snare. If either of these classes offers to snare runners than let them but still keep some form of darkness slotted just in case. If you are on snaring duty than you'll want to give yourself enough time to recast darkness in case of resists, otherwise the mob will flee at full speed and you'll have adds and a less-than-amused Enchanter on your hands. Incoming passive aggressive comments in group chat. Don't mouthe off too much, unless you're fine with having Breeze instead of Clarity. Just remember, ensuring that your group doesn't wipe is worth more than the mana used up. So snare, snare, snare!

Feign Death: No Res Sickness

The spell's name says it all. Remember to turn auto-attack off before casting Feign Death otherwise, even if it's successful, the surrounding mobs won't believe you're dead and will continue beating on you. Also, use duck to interrupt the cast if needed and be prepared for survivor's guilt. When used in tandem with your , Feign Death can be a game changer and allow you to have an easier time with pulling and tagging mobs off the Monk. Pulling a named/placeholder from one part of the zone to another, with a bunch of mobs in the way? Cast on the mob, invis up with Circlet of Shadow, run through the (non-undead) mobs and wait. When the train comes, Feign Death and have someone else tag. There are a few other tricks you can perform as well, which will become obvious to you while gaining and losing experience. In Velious we get the upgrade "Death Peace" which has a 1 second cast time and 4 second recast. This will mean less dying, yay! Add a pair of hip-hugging to your inventory and never die again, except when eating Death Touches. The greaves may have a long cast time but, with no recast time, they are the perfect alternative when low on mana and needing to drag multiple corpses to a dungeon zoneline.

Getting Geared

Armor

After reaching the soft cap Knights, both Holy and Unholy, can expect a 33% return from AC which is second only to Warriors' 45%. However, from parses and discussions, the consensus about AC on Project1999 is that after the 800 threshold there will be very little return. That may be subject to change (for the better) in future patches, especially with Velious, but so far that remains to be seen. Starting off you'll want to incorporate banded armor into your equipment slots. Check the area merchants, especially near forges, as lazy blacksmithers will often just sell multiples to the merchants while skilling up. If you're lucky you can get a full set of visible banded for a small sum of plat. Once you've gotten yourself armored up with a few levels under your , you'll want to start saving up for gear that adds HP without sacrificing AC. , , , , and a pair of s aren't too expensive and will go a long way towards increasing your survivability, giving the healer more room for error.

Haste

Worn haste items, while undeniably helpful for Shadow Knights, aren't at all necessary if you plan on grouping most, if not all, of the time. If you have the platinum pieces to spare, investing in a or would be sufficient as both are well worth the cost. For Shadow Knights who intend to solo and duo a lot, haste is a worthy investment and should not be ignored. Once you are of level to raid in the Plane of Sky, snag a and start collecting the needed drops for the . One of the needed pieces, a , can occasionally be purchased in East Commonlands for 6,000 platinum on average. ____ auctions will save a lot of time as that particular globe is a rare drop on island three. The real bottleneck is two islands up from there however. The Spiroc Lord, who drops the needed , has an extra-large loot table, but guilds tend to farm him for this reason. The pure upgrade to this belt can be found in Temple of Veeshan and, while it is much heavier, the also happens to be one of the best forms of haste a Shadow Knight can hope to obtain. All things considered, are even better if you're able to then obtain a which has much-needed raw hitpoints, as well as a worn regen/atk effect.

Resists

Gear with added resists will take on a more important role as you level up, so start collecting resist pieces when you see them. , , and the are fairly cheap and easy to obtain examples while in pick up groups. Save for specific raid targets, magic is by far the most important resist and you'll want to have yours at or around 150, unbuffed. At the higher end of resist gear that also doubles as everyday tank gear, the will take a bit of luck to obtain since rights to the turn-in NPC are randomed on, but as part of a serverwide agreement, the force is always there to slay the necessary mob in order to complete the quest. Not winning the /random is to be expected, but stick around and help whoever won. Eventually the dice will roll favorably. In the meantime, keep a couple of s bagged for raid encounters.

1H Blunt

The is a good early investment as it is a magic weapon which you'll need to farm willowisps for Greater Lightstones. is one of the first weapons to save up for—perfect for large races lacking INT. It will likely be a long time before you can upgrade from the MoSS to the which is the weapon Kunark-era min-maxers swear by, but it is also much more expensive and only slightly superior to the Noctivagant Blade. As for endgame sluggers, the and are both solid options to look forward to. If you care at all about looks you'll definitely want one of the two over the other Temple of Veeshan drop. Also known as "the ice cream cone of doom", the doesn't look very intimidating but you might not care when you're doling out that much damage. Bad for role-playing, good for ass-kicking, probably unattainable by most, but reason enough not to neglect your one-hand blunt skill.

1H Slashing

The is cheap and ugly but useful before the first damage cap is lifted which is well before its AoE effect begins to proc. For those who are given to vanity, the has a distinct carved-from-bone look to it, being slower and arguably more ideal as it allows for more time to cast in between swings. The is the standard sword for Shadow Knights in Kunark and it's hard to beat for the cost—looks sharp and has the stats to back it up. The revamped version of Plane of Hate offers a very respectable and stylish sword by the name of which has a rare chance of dropping off second-floor knights. Be prepared for disappointment however, as the zone drops a plethora of other, less impressive Shadow Knight weapons, being a cruel but aptly named example of that (for those wondering, it has the appearance of an ordinary broad sword). Looking towards Velious itself, , , and also make the sword and board approach much more appealing, especially given that one-handed weapons are more effective against mobs with a high armor count, most of which can be found roaming across the icy continent.

1H/2H Piercing

Given the limited number of piercers available to Shadow Knights in Kunark, it's easy to neglect this skill and focus on the heavy hitters. _____ capped _____ skill, _____; oddly enough, Paladins do not ___ the same penalty. However, if you're thinking about the long-term, with RNG and loot-table possibilities in mind, than seriously consider maxing out the skill. For now, start off with a and wield it while grouped. No one should complain about the lack of damage output, you're not a DPS class anyway. Later you'll want to pick up a as it does decent enough damage while earning you those skill points. With Velious comes other options as well with the and . Also, the revamped version of Chardok offers up the , a rare but not unobtainable raid-tier weapon. When equipped, the shard has the appearance of an ordinary dagger but ____. Off-hand equip or and ______.

2H Blunt

The is a standard go-to weapon for Shadow Knights on a budget, while the is one of the most stylish weapons in game, black with a crescent-shaped sickle on either end. Its Soul Bond proc steals approximately 100 hit points over time. For maximum effectiveness, switch out to a heavy hitter after each proc then, once the duration ends, switch back. Used often by Shadow Knights trying to put out extra damage, the is an affordable Kunark weapon to use when someone else is acting as the tank. Despite having negative stats, being large race only and no longer dropping, the is also a decent weapon but you'll probably never see one for sale. The is another weapon that no longer drops. As the pre-nerf version of the , it is easily one of the best Kunark weapons for Shadow Knights, for the damage output, the push from its proc, along with the stun effect which is great versus caster mobs. The best in slot for this category comes out Temple of Veeshan in the form of 41% worn haste and equally impressive stats, freeing up another slot that would otherwise be used for haste. To give an idea of how good it is, has put Shadow Knights at or near the same amount of parsed damage as mid-50s raid monks.

2H Slashing

is a very cheap, large race only weapon. Used primarily in PvP jousting, though similar tactics can be applied to NPCs. For decent starter try the . One step up from that is the which has great stats and, due to it being SK-only, the average asking price is relatively low. Underrated and somewhat underprice, the is great all-around if you can't afford a haste belt. is another very decent weapon with positive stats that outweigh the negatives, should able to afford one by the time you're level 40ish. is a follow-up to the Soul Binder with a later proc level. Soul Bond is useful for soloing or if you're lacking sufficient heals when duoing. However, the aggro generated from it is hardly noticeable and should not be relied on in place of actual spells. will have random passersby inspecting you. With stats tacked onto it, this is one of the better weapons from Kunark but not worth the price unless all other equipment slots are satisfactory for your level. makes a very decent alternative to the SK epic. However, obtaining an Efreeti War Axe to complete the quest is going to cost a lot. The Shadow Knight Epic, , looks like something straight out of Final Fantasy and, just like the Paladin Epic, allows its wielder the ability to bash, presumably with its stylish hilt. It's worth noting that the SK Epic Quest becomes significantly easier after Velious since the three golems in Plane of Fear all have a chance of dropping . And even though Innoruuk's Curse isn't nearly as epic as the two-hand slashing weapons from Temple of Veeshan, comparatively speaking, it still retains its usefulness considering just how much HP is stolen per proc. In many ways it is still superior to weapons with better ratios because of this, as you will be able to farm continuously without using up mana to lifetap. The proc also lands regularly on most high-level raid targets which helps counter any AoE damage you'll be taking. But with all of those considerations set aside, there are much easier to obtain two-hand slashing weapons in Velious, with and being within the grasp of smaller raid guilds. would also be another option, except that the other rewards from the quest are much better for other classes who will most likely take priority over an off-tank. Triplets are within reach of the less dominant raid guilds and this means there's a relatively decent chance of wielding some day. However, having best in slot in this category requires one or more slain Vulaks who may or may not drop . Apparently, early on in Velious it was a very common drop on Project1999, but Vulak's loot table has since been fixed. The look is not as intimidating as the epic, but the damage cannot be beat and its proc still provides a decent amount of survivability with an 80 hitpoint direct lifetap that coincides with Boon of the Garou and Vampiric Embrace/Shroud of Death/Shroud of Undeath. The only other two-hand slashing SK weapon that's in the same league happens to drop off of Tunare herself, who currently only drops one item upon death. This is subject to change in the future, but getting one's hands on a is not in the cards any time soon for most Shadow Knights.

Situational Weapons

The works well for solo SKs wanting to conserve mana, use it in tandem with BE Gloves for maximum effectiveness. The is an overpriced toy to most, but does have its uses in dungeon zones like KC, LGuk and HS. It swings like a two-hand slasher and it's damage/delay ratio isn't outstanding. However, having the ability to root undead helps to conserve mana by making use of proximity aggro, a tactic you will only have to resort to if you are lacking even the weakest form of mana regen. That said, unless you intend to grind XP in Lower Guk, HS and KC, save your platinum and wait until Velious to get yourself a which has a stronger root proc for all mobs, living and undead alike. Also consider getting a for extra Magic Resists, even though the HP does not add up as a heal per proc. Mainly a Monk offhand weapon, the SoS is still useful to SKs and more so than to Paladins as Major Shielding doesn't stack with Yaulp. would be the ideal sword for Shadow Knights wanting to add one more attribute they can steal from opponents, that attribute being raw mana stolen through its proc, however it is highly unlikely more than a handful of players will ever wield one as it comes at the cost of a Sleeper's Tomb key. The last situational weapon worth mentioning is the , a Velious sword that procs a hp/mana conversion spell that is otherwise only available to Necromancers. When swapped out with your Epic, you can keep your HP up while regaining mana with the added bonus of skeleton illusion.

Shields

The is a good starter shield for weaker races, especially Dark Elves who need all the extra carrying capacity possible. The looks like a rib-cage when equipped and is cheaper alternative to most other Enduring Breath items. If you're into role-playing that's probably your best choice other than the which has excellent resists for how easy it is to obtain, but with AC that low you might as well wield a for the deathly white concentric shimmer it gives off. If however you are more interested in stats than the can best be seen as a middle-of-the-road board. That said, if you're patient, it is possible to obtain looting rights for a much better shield in Kithicor as General V`Ghera, who drops the , is killed somewhat regularly on this server. Ask whatever parties are involved and wait until daylight hours to loot. Normally players will let you loot it for free and the General's corpse takes much longer to rot (30+ min) than the average NPC corpse. The shield however does not have a skeletal appearance but one that is as unique as it is complimentary to most of the armor Shadow Knights can wear. The next shield you will want is the which is the standard shield of most twinks / mid-high level Shadow Knights. Plane of Fear's revamp offers Shadow Knights a long overdue upgrade with the . and are much harder to come by for casual raiders, but either one can be obtained for a low amount of DKP since there aren't a whole lot of raid-level hybrids on the server.

Clickies

As one the best items available to Shadow Knights the grants unlimited instant invisibility from your inventory. The value of this item far exceeds its cost so purchase one as soon as you're level 20 and enjoy going unnoticed in most corners of Norrath. If you don't mind trading a bag slot for added convenience, put your CoS in one of the eight inventory slots and make a hotkey for it. Be sure not to confuse the insta-invis pre-nerf version with its lesser replacement, the which is a decent alternative until you can afford the real thing. A nice trick that comes with having insta-invisibility is you can single pull mobs without having to feign death. To do this, be sure that all the mobs between the desired mob and the pull spot are green cons. Move to the mob with invis up, bash it from behind, and reinvis immediately. If bash hits, it will stun the mob for a second. That second allows you enough time to reinvis and put distance between you and the mob at which point you can run/strafe freely to the pull spot. If you time it right, you can even do this with other mobs in close proximity. A good zone to test this out is in Skyshrine, specifically between the fountain room and Wakening Lands zoneline, where there are three rooms occupied by a drake and a guardian. If you are level 60, all of the mobs in this area will be green cons and therefore will not social aggro while you invis pull. Just be sure not to sit down while waiting for the mob to reach you at the pull spot or pathing mobs will add.

are expensive, so expensive that they are more of a luxury item even for all of the utility they provide. Given the ease their clicky effect creates for those who like to pull, it isn't rare that a Shadow Knight will use them, remaining closer towards camp, saving themselves the hassle of taking spell damage while trying to split pull. The beads have an additional use of creating unlimited passive (Eye of Zomm) targets to use your on. Those same eyes can also be lifetapped and doing so will greatly reduce the downtime for Shadow Knights who solo. For those who don't have hundreds of thousands of platinum to spend, a can offer nearly the same options but to a lesser extent, costing only 50 platinum in auction and approximately 15 platinum to recharge at a vendor. Siren's Grotto is one zone that both of these items work well in. If you need to get beyond the seahorses, move through the first room (invised) and turn left, going down the ledge along the water as far as possible, then click summon the Eye of Zomm and Feign Death. Move the Eye into the water and quickly towards the seaweed on the opposite side where two static swordfish spawn. Once by there, pivot in between and around the seaweed to avoid being attacked by the swordfish. This will also cause the seahorses to path the long way around each time. After a few seconds of that, your eye will likely be cornered and killed. Immediately stand up and jump in the water if the tunnel is clear. It may take multiple tries as the seahorses path back immediately. Also, know that there will be one seahorse towards the end of the tunnel, but that's it. Be sure to reinvis once you've made it up out of the tunnel and then swim onto the ice. Nothing between that point and the zoneline will see through invisibility.

While not entirely necessary, are a quality of life item that can save your life when out of mana and running for the zoneline; strafing isn't always enough to get out of range of certain mobs and having the instant click effect can serve as a counter against casters that dispel. Players sell the MQ for the boots for approximately 6,000 platinum pieces and there are only two known zones in Norrath where the needed Ancient Cyclops can be found. If you want to avoid the long line in Ocean of Tears and the nighttime FTE (first to engage) nonsense in South Ro, can be purchased directly from a merchant but come with a 1.5 second version of the click effect, making them significantly inferior. The only other viable alternatives for increased movement speed come from and the for those who have a . is another quality of life item that makes travel much easier. provides a better form of levitate, which Shadow Knights receive at level 55, but the clicky itself is level-restricted, only clickable at level 49+ and it drops deep within in the revamped version of Chardok.

If you can't run or float away to safety, than you can simply stop whatever's chasing you in its tracks with charges of a . These can be bought in auction for roughly 500 platinum each and they cost approximately 20 platinum to recharge. Having a is another good backup option, but it costs about 100 platinum to recharge each time. For those with more coin to spend, an can be spam-clicked for a total of 900 stolen hitpoints if the mob doesn't resist any of the 6 charges. With it you can heal yourself up within seconds and potentially finish the mob off at the same time. It's a very underrated item outside of raid situations, one that cannot be recharged and has been nerfed in a roundabout way due to guilds tapping raid targets down with each member spam-clicking their hoop.

As for class-specific Kunark armor, Shadow Knights don't get the best clickable effects. Still, you can get use out of most of the armor pieces, even ones like which have a painfully long cast time. To do so involves a bit of legwork but it's worth trying if you solo a lot and have mana issues. After snaring a mob, move to max casting range and right-click your boots ASAP otherwise you will be attacked and probably interrupted before the cast completes. The boots work well enough with , especially when duoing with a DPS class. It's a big mana saver if you can handle the extended cast times. For the price though, are arguably the most useful piece of the Kunark set. offer a backup feign death in case the first one fails, however, they are expensive and, like the other pieces, must be equipped in order to click.

Lastly, consider getting a and/or a if you plan to raid as they are standard insta junk buff items that will occasionally prevent other, more important buffs from being dispelled. And if you plan on raiding extensively, , , , will go along way towards keeping you alive.