Dark Templar
From AoCWiki
A class of the soldier archetype, the Dark Templar combines heavy armor, martial prowess and blood-thirsty magic with an all consuming desire for triumph. They can efficiently fulfil a variety of different roles in raids and teams, including tanking, DPS and healing. These damned soldiers have sold their humanity for unholy might - the power to feed upon the life of their enemies, spells that can reflect enemy attacks and unnatural powers of rejuvenation that have a darker, nightmarish twist to them.
[edit] Overview
Dark Templars wear heavy armor into battle, have lethal offensive capabilities, and conjure vile sorcery. Their spells can leech life to enable them to heal themselves or their allies, conjure protective wards and unleash occult energies against enemies around them. They can even sacrifice their own life-force to power their invocations.
In the harsh reality of Hyborian life, many people turn to higher powers – the Gods – for guidance and understanding. Some turn to Mitra seeking hope and support, while others turn to Crom for savage inspiration. Some even turn to Set in order to tap into the powers he provides, but the Dark Templar will go as far as to trade his very humanity to any dark being who will offer him a piece of the corrupted power that they possess.
By going into a pact with such a dark being – be that an evil god, a wrathful demon or any other source of twisted power – the Dark Templar is able to draw upon immense strength and vitality. This power, however, certainly comes at a price as it binds the Dark Templar into painful worship demanded by the dark entity in return for their approval.
In essence, the Dark Templar is an evil fighter. By drawing upon these powers rooted in death and darkness, they are able to stand at the forefront of battles and take punishment that may have crippled a fighter of more ordinary skill. Whereas other members of the soldier archetype usually believe more in the importance of tactical fighting styles and the mastery of weapons in order to survive a fight, the Dark Templar has no qualms about tapping into dark, supernatural powers in order to secure victory for him and his team.
Taking punishment is a big part of the Dark Templar’s job and mastering light, medium and heavy armor is crucial to his success. By being able to equip some of the most protective armor available, he is able to fulfill his role as one of the members of the group most likely to be put in the front where the enemy’s damage can be directed at him.
Of course, having traded his very humanity to the forces of evil, his greatest asset will not be man-made equipment but rather the dark powers he can call upon. At level thirteen he will gain access to the 'Drain Life' ability that will turn some of the damage he deals to his enemies into health for himself. The much higher-level 'Blood Pact' will intensify this ability, converting all damage the Dark Templar deals into valuable health that he needs to stay alive as he stands on the forefront of the battle, taking all the punishment.
All these powers do, however, come at a high cost. Tapping into the abilities possessed by the dark beings that dwell far beyond the plane of mere mortals, is something that the Dark Templar will also struggle with notably. For the source of this immense power will demand a tribute for the effort they put into supporting him -- a pact is a pact after all!
As such, many of the Dark Templar’s abilities will have detrimental effects that can harm him. 'Pestilential Body' gained at level forty, for instance, will trigger a poison that will drain the life out of enemies around him, but it will also restrict the Dark Templar’s movement as poisonous gases and toxic sludge slowly takes over his body. Other powers will outright damage him and possibly kill him as he calls upon them!
Most probably inspired by the nature of the dark forces of this world (and beyond), the Dark Templar is also quite a sadist. Whenever members of his own group – his own companions – suffer in combat, the Dark Templar will himself gain power. When others are inflicted with pain, he will receive bonuses to his abilities making him more potent! This ability is called Sadism.
Still, the Dark Templar is a good adventuring partner to have for any group traveling the expanses of Hyboria and who faces the challenges this dangerous world provides. If you can manage to look past his dubious ways, having a member on the team with affinity for the dark side can be a valuable thing. For instance, the Dark Templar’s 'Martyrdom' ability will actually heal his companions while also damaging himself.
As those Hyborians who can suffer the pain and commit to a pact with darkness will see, the Dark Templar is, in short, a more than capable fighter. Being able to master combination moves for many edged, blunt and thrown weapons – and even crossbows – he proves himself as a fighter that can use the more earthly tools of death and at the same time having the ability to call upon the evil forces beyond Hyboria and use their destructive powers as well!
[edit] Frenzy
When in Frenzy mode, the Dark Templar gains an additional 50% more damage. However, damage received is increased to double the normal amount. For this reason, timing is crucial while in Frenzy mode.
[edit] Tips
- Fight to your advantage, a Dark Templar is more than capable of fighting multiple enemies, if you find yourself the right camp you can pull 4 enemies at a time and have no downtime between pulls.
- When fighting large groups of enemies be sure to position yourself properly, put your back to a wall so all of your enemies are in your attack range, remember the more enemies you can hit with one swing of your sword the more you heal yourself for. Rule of thumb "If you're not spilling blood odds are you're losing it."
- When it comes to PvE in your early to Mid Levels your best bet is Defensive stance, Rarely will you find yourself using Frenzy stance when soloing.
- If you find yourself in a pinch don't be afraid to kite the enemies, to regain some health.
--Apollyona 07:02, 1 July 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Images
 Tapping the power within |
 The dark magic |
 Dark Templar render |
 Dark Templar Tier 1 Epic Set |
[edit] External Links
- Class Preview: Dark Templar
- TenTonHammer Class Interview #1: The Dark Templar
- Official Forums: PvP Weekend - Dark Templar Review
- Dark Templar Feat Calculator
- Dark Templar, level 1 - 5 (Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3)
| Classes | |
|---|---|
| Priest | Priest of Mitra - Tempest of Set - Bear Shaman |
| Soldier | Conqueror - Dark Templar - Guardian |
| Rogue | Barbarian - Ranger - Assassin |
| Mage | Herald of Xotli - Demonologist - Necromancer |
