FVS Vs Monk??

[MacRighteous]

Ok - So i'm gonna buy another premium class this weekend and I can't decide between Favored Soul or Monk.

I like Melee characters and I like Divines, but I don't really know if I like the whole unarmed combat thing in DDO and the way that the Monk class reads in the wiki kind of reminds me of another Turbine class in one of their other games: LotRO: The Warden... where certain attack sequences opens up other moves with distinctive results. I always got a headache playing a Warden after about 45 mins because it was way too much work and relying on a used up self inflicted brain damaged memory is like resisting the Borg... futile.

But on the other hand, half the time I sit at the computer to DDO, I end up playing with builds (just like back-n-da-day when we played PnP D&D half the time we all just made player characters all night and sometimes never even made it out of the village - lol) And Monks are a big part of the current build philosophy and an important part of the DDO culture... It would seem remiss if I didn't have that tool if I ever hope to be a worthy DDO character builder.

I know - some might say buy them both or go VIP which isn't an option for me - and someday I probably will have both, I suppose, but one of them has to be the first...

What would you do? Why?

MacR

[Lallajulia]

fvs - weakest, if used as pure caster, compared to other pure casters.
monk - strongest, compared to other melee, plus have enormous splash potential.

[Seamonkeysix]

fvs - weakest, if used as pure caster, compared to other pure casters.
monk - strongest, compared to other melee, plus have enormous splash potential.

One of the things I like about DDO is that you can build any class to your play style. I love the FVS class. I would disagree with the thought that FvS is the weakest caster class. It depends on what you are trying to do and how you are trying to do it. You can make a darn near indestructible Favored Soul that does respectful DPS and can self heal and support an entire raid with supplemental healing and buffs.

By rate of comparison, I like the monk class, and totally agree with the splash potential. However, I disagree that if compared to other "DPS" classes, a monk is clearly the tops of the tops. Build and player skill makes a huge difference.

My advice is to think about what you want out of either class. If you are looking to splash and get some extra feats and evasion...monks are pretty hard to beat. If you are looking for a class that can take a licking and keep on ticking and support an entire raid with heals and dps, take a look at favored soul.

[Scrabbler]

I like Melee characters and I like Divines, but I don't really know if I like the whole unarmed combat thing in DDO and the way that the Monk class reads in the wiki kind of reminds me of another Turbine class in one of their other games: LotRO: The Warden... where certain attack sequences opens up other moves with distinctive results. I always got a headache playing a Warden after about 45 mins because it was way too much work
Good news: Although a dev tried to make the DDO Monk work that way, he failed. Monks do technically still have those combo powers, but they're not strong enough to be an important part of combat.

Some exceptions are the healing and buffing ones, but you don't need to be in combat to use them... you can simply punch the air.


I know - some might say buy them both or go VIP which isn't an option for me - and someday I probably will have both, I suppose, but one of them has to be the first...
Monk has priority! FVS you can also get free by earning 2500 favor (which is slightly under half the max possible favor).
A few Monk levels are helpful in a wide variety of builds. Nearly every melee build (except Bard Barb) has a reasonable variant with Monk2 added to it, and Monks splash can work for casters too. On the other hand, FVS levels are about the same as Cleric levels for most builds, unless you're mostly-pure FVS or a kind of caster.

[kierg10]

fvs - weakest, if used as pure caster, compared to other pure casters.
monk - strongest, compared to other melee, plus have enormous splash potential.

If your fvs pure caster is weak that is a personal problem not a problem with the class.

[Lallajulia]

One of the things I like about DDO is that you can build any class to your play style. I love the FVS class. I would disagree with the thought that FvS is the weakest caster class. It depends on what you are trying to do and how you are trying to do it. You can make a darn near indestructible Favored Soul that does respectful DPS and can self heal and support an entire raid with supplemental healing and buffs.

By rate of comparison, I like the monk class, and totally agree with the splash potential. However, I disagree that if compared to other "DPS" classes, a monk is clearly the tops of the tops. Build and player skill makes a huge difference.

My advice is to think about what you want out of either class. If you are looking to splash and get some extra feats and evasion...monks are pretty hard to beat. If you are looking for a class that can take a licking and keep on ticking and support an entire raid with heals and dps, take a look at favored soul.

weakest of caster classes does not mean class is weak. there is no weak caster class in ddo. but any caster class do its job better than fvs. angel of venegance is bad. period. indeed, fvs gives respectful dps and very good heals. all in all strong class. but thanks to class trees cleric can do all the same, just better. its shine days lies when max lvl was 20 and there were no new enhancement trees.
about monks. i think may happen op wont like play monks. at least unarmed. if so, anyway, using this class for building purposes overshadow fvs, imho.

[kierg10]

To op: buy monk, you can unlock fvs at 2500 favour.

[Powskier]

depends if you like playing a caster or a melee(or m.archer ugh) both are way fun..the fav soul shreds undead w some spellpower goin on...monk enhances/feats look pretty unusual at 1st and take a little getting used to,w the combo moves and stuff.

[Silverleafeon]

FVS you can also get free by earning 2500 favor (which is slightly under half the max possible favor).

+1 true

[MacRighteous]

Yeah guys/gals - I think Scrabbler nailed it with the fact that you can unlock FvS with favor, I forgot that.

I have to be getting close to unlocking it on a few of my older characters, though honestly I stopped paying attention to favor after grinding out the 150 TP favor dash on all servers - ugh!

I'm glad I decided to ask and was reminded of that perk because I was leaning towards FvS (I just really like Divines, and Paladins and Clerics are my favorite classes.) That would have really chapped my hide if I had bought FvS and unlocked it a week after - lol

So Monk it is.


Thanks everyone - and Scrabbler; I totally read your post in the voice of Professor Farnsworth - LOL

http://s4.postimg.org/t041ymynx/good_news.png (http://postimage.org/)


+1 mate

MacR

[LuKaSu]

To op: buy monk, you can unlock fvs at 2500 favour.

This, but also because devs did such a great job on Clerics during the enhancement pass that Clerics can pretty much do everything better than FVS, plus more. My current main is a FvS, and I really like it. He's a fun melee divine, but if he was a cleric instead, he would get the whole divine disciple tree that fvs don't have, giving many more options. Strangely enough, I have a cleric at the same level, but I play the fvs more. Don't really know why, since as stated previously, I think the Cleric has more options...

Okay, way off subject, sorry.

Pros for Monks:
1) Monks are fun. They are tough, and give a new melee playstyle to work with.
2) Monks make great splashes at several level points. Level 1 for stances, Level 2 for evasion, Level 6 for a 25% incorporeality thing, level 12 for abundant step.

Pros for FvS:
1) People are less-likely to expect you to be a great healer than if you were a cleric.
2) Better reflex saves than clerics, so it works better with an evasion splash sometimes.

[Rykka]

Monk's kensai tree, arcane archer tree, and silver flame tree are really good. And the other three trees they get are ok as well. FVS are are great with light spells. But I'd still pick Sorc or Wiz or Bard. JMO.

[Snorunt]

As others have said, I'd go for buying monk over fvs as you can get fvs free with enough favor (relatively easy to do if you are 3rd+ life and do most things elite if memory serves). That's how I got it at least.

[SirValentine]

If your fvs pure caster is weak that is a personal problem not a problem with the class.

He didn't say they were weak, just weaker than other caster classes. And he didn't even say how much weaker than other caster classes.

Even if you disagree and think pure FvS casters are slightly ahead of other casters instead of slightly behind, there's no call to start throwing personal insults around.

[MeliCat]

Monk. Super fun and an excellent splash for [a lot of] melee so extremely useful if you ever do mixed builds. A two monk splash gives you evasion and a cute few things in stance. A three monk splash gives you some very cute mini buffs. A six monk splash with shadowfade is extremely powerful.

FvS only if you like playing casters. I personally find FvS horrible to level until about level 13 as I tend to build pure casters. You don't get your wings until 17. If you were to get iconics there is a cute and bizarre int build going on atm with shiradi - best if you have a wiz past life though. Winging around is kinda fun. If you like divines they one up on clerics on a number of points.

edit: removing some extremism :)

[MeliCat]

Yeah guys/gals - I think Scrabbler nailed it with the fact that you can unlock FvS with favor, I forgot that.

I have to be getting close to unlocking it on a few of my older characters, though honestly I stopped paying attention to favor after grinding out the 150 TP favor dash on all servers - ugh!

I'm glad I decided to ask and was reminded of that perk because I was leaning towards FvS (I just really like Divines, and Paladins and Clerics are my favorite classes.) That would have really chapped my hide if I had bought FvS and unlocked it a week after - lol

So Monk it is.


Oh cool. You get to enjoy both.

[burningwind]

do never buy fvs, they are favor unlock. if you want fvs and don't have enough pack then buy pack and grind favor to unlock it.

btw.. if you just want to know which one is more fun, i would say monk. though both class are equally fun, but monk are better when it come with splashing.. 2monk/18 xx are seen everywhere. it is one of two ways to get evasion.

[Deadlock]

Ok - So i'm gonna buy another premium class this weekend and I can't decide between Favored Soul or Monk.

No contest. Has to be Monk. You unlock FVS at 2500 Total Favor, so no reason to spend TP on it.

Would apply the same principle to Artificer, much better to unlock it with House Cannith favor.

[goldgolem]

CLR better than FVS? oh, you guys are such trolls...

[Stoner81]

I would buy Monk since you can unlock FvS via favor.

Stoner81.

[MacRighteous]

Now, can anybody recommend a good beginner Monk build?

I'm looking for a build that would include many of the common split points, feats, abilities/attacks/enhancements that people look for when splashing with a Monk.
Since I bought it mostly to splash into other builds - I would like to understand what it is I'm splashing for.

I would probably not take the build to 20, unless it's super fun, because I'm not sure if I'm gonna like the pajama and palms play style... so front loaded as possible please.

I'm aware of The Book of Syncletica - and if it turns out that I like the class, I'll definitely go back to the dojo and follow my own path, but for now I just really want to take a quick tour of the class and get some practical experience doing the monk thing a bit, so I can see what all the hub-bub is about and how I can exploit... errr I mean incorporate the monk goodness into my fighter, paladin and cleric builds - the play styles I know I like.

32 point build with no tomes (or tomes at high levels) - thanks

Mac

[MeliCat]

6 monk pure straight up. Halfling for a dragon mark of healing. The split over str/wis/con/dex is dependant on if you want to go more wis build or more str build. Wis for things like your stunning fist hitting and for later effects. At least 15 dex for the various TWF feats you need later. 15 or 16 con at least for hp and fort saves. Skill points in concentration first. then some in balance, tumble then up to you what (UMD, heal for positive energy power on your DM). Take cleave and greater cleave early cos that is super fun over powered at low levels. You could take toughness and then swap it out later too as you will be a little low on hp. Stunning fist of course. Find a shield clickie if you can. Find a blur item if you can (level 4 cove trinket or the bracers from the challenges), find some twink chronoscope gear, everything else random loot gen as you find it. Get to level 6 and have shadowfade and you shall own.

Laughable my giving anyone build advice really. But that is the sort of thing I would do. Have fun :)

[Lallajulia]

why you need builds? go and explore your new class. try them with what devs gave trough trees, go pure. try varous movements, light, dark path, shintao, ninja. explore class, it is fun by itself. when you max it, now you can try something else, exotic like wolfmonk or kama fighter maybe. shuricannon.
idk... i`ve never used any "build" from others.