Dark StepDeath Step
ArticleCombos
Death Step is a fighting style obtainable in the Second and Third Seas.
Death Step is the upgraded version of Dark Step, making it significantly more powerful in many aspects. While this Fighting Style is equipped, Aura stages are based on the user's legs instead of their arms while activated. This is entirely visual and provides no buffs apart from regular Aura buffs.
Obtainment
Death Step can be learned from Phoeyu, the Reformed, by meeting the following requirements:
- Library Key, that can be dropped by the Awakened Ice Admiral or any Ice Castle enemies, but the chances are extremely low than getting it from the Awakened Ice Admiral.
- Used to unlock the door on the right side of the hallway entrance in Ice Castle.
- If the door is not unlocked, the player will not be able to learn Death Step by talking to Phoeyu, even if the user flash steps in.
- Used to unlock the door on the right side of the hallway entrance in Ice Castle.
- Dark Step mastery must be 400 or above.
-
2,500,000 - 5,000
Mastery
Moveset
 Normal Attack | |
|---|---|
 Normal Attack | |
    | |
 Rocket Kick100 Mastery | |
 Rocket Kick | |
    | |
With Maximum Overheat: The user enters a stance and a fiery whirlwind-like effect appears around the user. Upon releasing the move, the user dashes forward slightly faster, dealing higher damage to anyone in their way, while also leaving flames in the area of contact which deal tick damage to all enemies within it. | |
 Wind Bullet200 Mastery | |
 Wind Bullet | |
    | |
With Maximum Overheat: Upon releasing the move, the user quickly kicks the air, creating a very fast flaming wind bullet that deals greater damage and leaves a flaming trail if used close to the ground. | |
 Vermillion Drill300 Mastery | |
 Vermillion Drill | |
    | |
With Maximum Overheat: The user barrages their opponent with flaming kicks, and the final axe kick lights the ground on fire, dealing extra burn damage. | |
 Maximum Overheat400 Mastery | |
 Maximum Overheat | |
  | |
| Move | Cooldown (In seconds) | Energy |
|---|---|---|
| [Z] Rocket Kick | ||
| [X] Wind Bullet | ||
| [C] Vermillion Drill | ||
| [V] Maximum Overheat |
Instinct Chart
| Move | Breaks Instinct | Instinct-Trickable | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground Flames | The flame patch can be dodged on the edge. Applies only when [V] Maximum Overheat is active and the moves are used close to the ground. | ||
| [Z] Rocket Kick | Direct hit breaks Instinct. Can be dodged if hit indirectly, and the AoE slam can also be dodged on the edge. | ||
| [X] Wind Bullet | Direct hit breaks Instinct. Can be dodged if hit indirectly by the projectile, and the explosion can also be dodged on the edge. | ||
| [C] Vermillion Drill | Only breaks Instinct if too close to the user. Can be dodged on the edge. | ||
| [V] Maximum Overheat | Can be dodged on the edge. |
Overview
| Pros |
|---|
General
|
[Z] Rocket Kick
|
[X] Wind Bullet
|
[C] Vermillion Drill
|
[V] Maximum Overheat
|
| Cons |
|---|
General
|
[Z] Rocket Kick
|
[X] Wind Bullet
|
[C] Vermillion Drill
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[V] Maximum Overheat
|
Gallery
Idle Stance
Tips & Tricks
- Using Death Step with Ghoul's V3 ability will allow the player to use Maximum Overheat infinitely. The player can simply activate Maximum Overheat, and when it runs out use Heightened Senses to be able to use the moves at 40% cooldown, then use Maximum Overheat again. And so, the player can maintain Maximum Overheat forever.
- With Heightened Senses, the player can activate Maximum Overheat even before the current Maximum Overheat Buff expires. Doing so resets the cooldown of Maximum Overheat, but the buff will still expire after a few seconds. Therefore, the player should wait until the Maximum Overheat Buff has fully ended before reactivating it.
- Death Step is recommended for killing Sea Beasts, as all skills can do damage to them. (Burning tick damage does not hit Sea Beasts)
- The user can use shiftlock + Flash Step to glitch inside the room, but Phoeyu will say that the player is not prepared enough even if they meet the requirements until they use the key to unlock the door.
- The user can also talk to Phoeyu in Castle on the Sea, but if they don't use the library key, Phoeyu will also say that the player is not prepared enough even if they get 400 mastery on dark step.
- The player can fly through thin walls with [Z] Rocket Kick which is still inconsistent.
- [C] Vermillion Drill links up well with [X] Wind Bullet and then [Z] Rocket Kick (or Z to X), allowing them to be easily used in a combo.
Trivia
- Death Step and its inferior version Dark Step are the only current fighting styles in the whole game that have a transformation-type move that enhances damage, as well as the only ones that have four moves.
- There is a bug where if [V] Maximum Overheat is active while switching fighting styles, the visual effect on the user's feet will stay until the user dies or leaves the game. This also applies to Dark Step. Keep in mind that this is purely visual effect, and does not provide any buffs.
- When using [Z] Rocket Kick on the edges of the volcano at the Magma Village, the crater created will be purple, similar to T-Rex's [F] move.
- The [V] ability Maximum Overheat has the highest mastery required for a move in the whole game, being 400 mastery, with other [V] moves usually having mastery requirements of 150, 225, 250, 300, 350 mastery. However, Maximum Overheat before Update 14 used to have a mastery requirement of 450.
- Before Update 14, Death Step's [V] was one of the most tedious things to get in the game, with things like Godhuman, Sanguine Art, Race Awakenings and others, did not exist at the time, so getting this move was one of the most tedious things to do at the time, similar to getting max level, 30m Bounty/Honor, getting 600 mastery on something, owning the most expensive fruits, and others. But when Update 14 rolled around, the mastery requirement went from 450 to 400.
- Death Step, along with Dark Step, are the only fighting styles that have [V] abilities.
- Death Step's [V] move used to be called Devil Flames.
Change History
Released in Update 13
Update 17.3.5
- Death Step was reworked.
- Fire effects were greatly improved.
- [V] Devil Flames was renamed to [V] Maximum Overheat.
- Improved the wind effect quality.
- Reduced the requirement from 450 mastery to 400.
- Death Step was released.
| First Sea | ||||
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| Second Sea |  |
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| Third Sea | ||||
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