Inspired by joys post @EveryDKever @ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_Wrobel

I know they have a class rep program, and its a bad idea. Not because I think my opinions matter more. But because putting the games balance in the hands of 10 players is silly, take the feedack from the forums as a whole, consider what they want, and then offer changes more frequently in the PTS, as you did with the first coag blood change.

I am not a bug/math wiz, but I have mained MagDK since beta (except when I deleted it and played magplar, and the occasional role swaps) so I know its strengths and weaknesses, all the way from OP launch, to now. NOTE: This is from a MagDK main POV, but will focus on both issues, and the only MAJOR changes I will suggest are total class changes, the rest are the odd few QOL and options for non balance ruining stam morphs. DK was the slow, lockdown, out sustain and burn class. As ZOS put it. The tank class. That is no longer the case.

This isn't a cry for buffs post, because despite not being the best class for my playstyle, they still shine in duels and are passable in a small group. I do not think they should be hypermobile, or as bursty as a stamwarden in heavy. They should be slower, steady and lock you down. Think darth vader in rogue one, reflecting and holding down. Just less OP. They do however have a few problems I will detail down below.

Sustain:

By far the worst problem plaguing the sustain and burn class in both PvP and PvE: DKs as a class have one of the worst Mag sustain. Stamina can very nearly manage because of the way DW heavies are faster, and use of physical weapons in PvP. MagDK less so. The sustain is much more taxing, and for PvP a MagDK will often run s/b, because it is what the class has always been build around. Destro/resto builds exist, but unlike something like a sorc, they are not built around it, nor do they have the benefit of an extra defense outside of wings. [Which I will get to]

As tested prior, and we can see in the latest meta, DK struggles with sustain, outputting low DPS and having a large magicka drain. Gilliam has tested and showcased that the MagDKs passive sustain is far worse than that of other classes. And in PvP many DKs run very heavy into sustain, something that a class such as a stamden or a StamNB doesn't have to do.

A few things that have a large effect:

• Battle roars numerous changes. It started out pretty good, providing good sustain to the stat that you built in, allowing regen comparable to other classes. However due to permablocking, which is now dealt with. Again, more on that later. It was nerfed repetitively, lowering its effectiveness, and finally making the numbers flat, this lead to a rise of "permablocking" MagDKs, but hurting their mag sustain heavily. The final nail in the coffin was the siphoner and befoul CP tree, that lowers the returns of magic/stam and health respectively. Trying to use this to sustain with a player running a debuff heavy build is painful.
• Helping hands: This again was something that rewarded you for building into. Stamina players and tanks got good sustain out of this, but alas, due to permablockers using this, it was changed to a flat value, hurting stamDKs and allowing MagDKs to block longer.
• High cost abilities: Again, this is a more MagDK level issue, since stamina DK generally uses weapon lines. MagDK relies on very high costing abilities, so when the CP changes were introduced they took a heavy hit. The small cost reduces were not really enough to fix the sustain problem.
• The Morrowind changes: This was the point where DK switched to flamelash/heavy attack builds as meta. Many changes such as the constitution nerf were based around tanks in PvP, but many also came from PvE to make DDing more dynamic, this hit everyone hard, but some classes took it hardest.

The fairest changes should be to revert battle roar, a change that no one wanted and harmed creativity of all the builds. A StamDK is a Stamina DK. A MagDK is a Magicka DK. They should get what they invested into first. They can then fill out the gaps in stamina sustain later.

A similar change in helping hands too, but probably less than before, to stop a too heavy return to blocking.


Defense:

DK was designed as a predominantly tankier class. The passives say it, ZOS claims it. It was built around the old block. You know the one. Where you could block infinitely with just constitution, even before that, where block didn't stop stam regen. Something interesting I found, regarding DK. A response, and clarification to kilandros's comment: https://www.reddit.com/r/elderscrollsonline/comments/6988fw/official_statement_from_zos_dks_are_supposed_to/ Make of it as you wish, but generally, DK is balanced around tanking.

The signature DK defense is a 5% increaed mitigation when blocking (10% of 50% base) and scale armour spell resistance passive. This is not enough to compare to something such as shields, cloak, or even purge. Every class has a better defense, probably even through passives. Lets be honest here, its not compatible with the mobility and burst meta, the need to weave and heavy attack, and its not fun having to rely on something that just makes you a meat shield. DK needs more defenses, and if not, block needs more changes. (DON'T FRET. TL;DR Buff to PvE tanks, buff to outnumbered, nerf to blocktato duel builds) Math and possible changes below.
Now, away from block. I feel like both parts of the [dragon][knight] should be considered.

Wings: The DKs only salvation from block was hit heavily, granted, infinite attacks was OP, it completely shut down ranged. Now against 2 ranged users it drops in 1 second. Weave+attack x2. There is such little use for this since it mightn't even reflect what you want, and is awfully expensive, again, going back to the sustain issue. What it reflects has been dwindling, pulse, birds, shade attacks, ballista, no meteors, valkyn/ult, (Note, valk can be cloaked because of its two part design, it is ST) and other reflected things. Meteor/ballista being an ultimate is bearable, but there is no reason for the others to ignore it. On top of that, status effects like defile often go through, which is awful, for such a limited ability, its actual defence should be strong.

Change: Make the non ultimates listed above reflect/deflectable. Revert to 4s. Lower projectile limit to 3. But make projectile limit per target. That way, it doesn't scale awfully against more targets, and can reflect more. But it is less abusable in duels against classes like a magNB, where everything is reflectable, it can then be broken easier and is less sustainable.

Mobility: DK has the worst, as it generally should. It previously sought comfort in lockdown, being able to fossilize from 15m, and the obnoxiousness of old spammable talons, but in the new meta, fossilize is close range, talons is decent, but highly situational due to the ability to purge, shuffle, or FM out of it. That is fair, I am not saying nerf the counters, because that is the point of it. But the game has evolved. So should DKs. They are one of the most legacy classes in what they are balanced around, and currently, they suffer highly from lack of mobility in this meta, especially against ranged builds.

Simple fix: Wings plate morph 4s snare removal. No 40% speed boosts, nothing OP long, unique class based thematic buff allowing steady movement. The slow, but unstoppable force.

What can these wings changes do? DKs can now run rally for a burst heal, making stamina a lot more reliable. They can now disassociate from mist, allowing better sustain, the ability to drop vamp, and keep offense when moving. They can shift from block, allowing the naturally high damage to shine. It also really helps the theme too.

NOTE: Only suggestion based on my feelings of the class. Possibly unpopular but proposed change: Chains, the gapcloser. It is a bit jarring no? Dragging yourself around with a chain on a target? It has expedition tacked on for no good reason at all, you need it a lot less when you are at the target, and can't really use it to escape. I honestly think a removal of this, or a complete revamp in stamina favor is in order. Possibly even change stonefist to the pull, stoney grasp, or tectonics sounds cool no, it offers a slot for a totally new ability, something where DK is lacking, like stamina/healing.

In my eyes DK shouldn't have a gapcloser. DK should be the gapcloser. The abilities they use should be used to hold them down, or keep them close. Adding some ranged to fossilize for this makes sense. They don't really have much class options for ranged damage, nor should they, but how it is now is a little difficult on the DK side, who can't keep up, attack back, or even reflect much. END NOTE

Offense:

I am kind of tired now, so it will be quick. I like DK offense. It has the right amount of sacrifice that more classes should have. It is naturally high, but if you go tanky, it drops fast. An execute isn't specifically needed, stam has one in 2h, which I doubt stamina as a whole will drop any time soon, especially with asylum. Yeah, undodgable power whip was used as the finisher for a MagDK, but its loss can be dealt with by the recent increase pressure. Lockdown is good, but it alone won't save the DK class, especially when a sorc or NB can do it comparably.

Stam needs more, like the dot morph of talons IMO should be poison. And the base/other be fire. Igneous weapons (useless stam morph) needs a buff, better/more fitting passives for stam, that should be similar to mag.

Embers/claw should be 8m, its janky and clunky.

Summary:
Sustain buffs.
Wings changes, snare removal, and projectile limit changes.
Block changes. Harder 1v1/2, better PvE or outnumbered.
Stam and QoL changes. Range mainly.

Nothing that puts DK above other classes. Nothing that dramatically buffs them for PvE (Sustain changes only, maybe a few passive changes for stam, but nothing major) Everything mentioned has its counters, like wings/block being weaker 1v1, and harder to sustain. QOL is mainly range. Sustain is to a fair level, around that of a templar, and allows for more interesting builds based on your design, but lowers the offstat regen.

Thoughts?