The two AOE cones, Tentacles and Nightfall for sure. Tentacles is a wider cone than nightfall so generally its close for tentacles then back a bit to fire off Nightfall (Kin is great for this with Siphon Speed). Tentacles is the best power in the set though.
Gloom is better than Dark Blast, even though its DoT.
The snipe is optional really, but Dark does get it earlier than anyone else.
Dark Pit is skippable. You need 6 slots to make it worthwhile so its a costly one and any controller can do its job 100 times better (the stun duration is pants).
You won't need Torrent (urrgh, knockback) or the heal-blast really (since Kins heal is 1000s of times better).
I found Dark Blast opens well but the higher powers are a bit lacking. One of the reasons I gave up on my Dark/Kin corrupter was the lack of decent powers between about 24 and 35.
I don't like dark power animations. So never intented to try it. But as far as i know people keep telling it is a weak ranged set.
Personally I've found the Tenebrous Tentacles + Dark Pit combo a great way of mitigating damage on teams but my primary is Forcefield so I can afford to devote the required number of slots to make Dark Pit worthwhile.
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Thats true, and it lacks a proper powerful 3rd blast or Aim to bolster it up bit.
The debuffage is quite good though. About 10% accuracy debuff (9.35ish according to http://coh.nofuture.org.uk/powersets/). Thats per blast. They DO stack with each other and themselves, unlike some debuffs, but are short lived, about 8 seconds apiece.
Fills in the gap in Kinetics (no Accuracy debuffs) pretty well and the damage boosting powers of Kin help it along too.
Well I was intending to go with Speed Boost, Swift and Hurdle and forgoing a travel power.
If there are some "empty slots", I might get the TP pool, purely as theme thing ('cause my toon is supposed to be magic and Group Teleport would be fun and useful for lowbie "bus transport").
One of my SG teamies has a Kin/Dark with Group TP for scaring the [censored] outta me and getting us all nice and close for Fulcrum Shifts. Makes for Interesting Times alright 
Best duo I've been in though, Kin/Dark & Fire/Rad controller.
Siphon Speed can be annoying on its own getting about, you need an enemy to fire it off to get the speed boost and when you're entering a new zone it can be quite tricky, especially in Hazard Zones when its a massive bunch of Red mobs.
I really noticed it on my Dark/Kin corrupter entering Sharkshead. He's still dying to hit 28 and get IR.
On my Kin/Elec I initally took Air sup & Fly and played him in close a lot. I respecced into taking IR & using Siphon instead, but I've left out Stamina and make do quite happily with Transference to keep my End up.
Theres a law that you HAVE to take Haste with a Kin though, for the sheer lunacy of triple stacked Siphons & perma-Haste.
Everything apart for torrent and life drain is good.
Dark pit should be especially nice for a kin, since you'll be running stacked siphon speed. You'll be able to perma-stun minions, and if you get the psi epic you'll be able to hold a few lieuts and bosses. Add TT to that to keep the stunned minions from walking away, and you'll be able to nicely lock down small/medium spawns.
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I don't like dark power animations. So never intented to try it. But as far as i know people keep telling it is a weak ranged set.
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Low damage, yes.
Weak, I would say not.
Hey Sed! I take it this is for Kinetic Merlin then eh? :P
As far as my build goes with Mage it is definately worth getting gloom, tenebrous tentacles and nightfall into your build! You have nice DoT damage from gloom, a bit of control with tentacles and added AoE damage from nightfall Torrent is good for knocking enemies back into your tar patch but seeing as your not dark/dark you won't need it! I would take moonbeam to add to your attacks. A lot of people underestimate life drain, the damage output of it is more or less the same as dark blast but the -acc is always a benefit and is great as a back-up heal especially seeing as transfusion can miss it's target
Hope that helps mate! Cya in game
Hi - I recently rolled a Kin/Dark Defender and I've got no experience of Dark at all.
Anyone make some recommendations as to what is worth taking?