Okay iKantRemembr, since you're optimizing your Dark Knight, your materia priority will largely follow your stat priority, aiming to maximize your damage output for those high-end raids you tackle.
Here's the breakdown for materia melding:
1. **Critical Hit Materia:** This is your absolute top priority. Meld as much Crit onto your gear as possible until a piece of gear caps out on it. Crit is king for Dark Knight DPS. 2. **Direct Hit Materia:** Once you can't meld any more Crit onto a piece, your next best option is Direct Hit. It's a very strong damage gain and complements Crit well. 3. **Determination Materia:** If a piece of gear is capped on both Crit and Direct Hit, then Determination is your next best choice. It provides a solid, albeit smaller, boost to your damage. 4. **Skill Speed Materia:** Only use Skill Speed if you're specifically trying to hit a certain GCD tier that feels comfortable for your rotation (like that 2.40s or 2.41s you might be aiming for). Otherwise, avoid over-melding it. It's usually better to get your Skill Speed from gear itself if possible. 5. **Tenacity Materia:** Generally, you'll avoid melding Tenacity. While it offers some defensive benefits, its impact on your DPS is minimal, and for optimal damage, you'll want to focus on the offensive stats.
**In short:** Stack **Critical Hit** first, then **Direct Hit**, and then **Determination** if those two are capped on a specific gear piece.