Monk n00b needs some tips

[Quikster]

Your stats look pretty good. Make sure you get some decent Weighted 5% handwraps and an Oremi’s necklace as part of your pre reincarnation gear. Also, take some time to play your level 20 monk. It’s really tough to describe the experience but 20 monk makes the other 19 levels worth the effort.

Be prepared to adjust your UI. The more stuff you can attack with the more fun you will have with your monk.

Necklace is min lvl 18 right? Ill farm one when im 17 prolly. The xp starts stacking up a lot so shouldnt be that much of an issue. I have Icy burst, shocking burst of 5% to play with for a bit. Ill try to find a better set, but not going to spend a ton on em.

The UI thing wont be a huge issue, and I am expecting it for sure. As far as playing the level 20, I will prolly play a little to let my other planned reincarnate round out raid timers and get some more gear/tomes. Then I can reincarnate them again together

[Quikster]

Ok im assuming other than stunning fist the feats are ok, any other must haves?

Any enhancements I need to make sure to get other than the ones discussed?

Ill prolly roll him out tonight if theres nothing else. Thanks to all who helped, will rep in order of most contributions till i run out.

[Arvess]

I think you have the must haves covered. If you have the STr and past life/ racial DC enhancers, consider stunning blow. Its kinda nice to cycle in a non-ki using ability while you are spamming high level elemental strikes. The main thing is making sure you got the stats to get the elemental disciplines which was also covered. After that, if you have the APs, i like clever monkey but its either all or nothing. You can go tortoise for as much as you can afford.

[Quikster]

I think you have the must haves covered. If you have the STr and past life/ racial DC enhancers, consider stunning blow. Its kinda nice to cycle in a non-ki using ability while you are spamming high level elemental strikes. The main thing is making sure you got the stats to get the elemental disciplines which was also covered. After that, if you have the APs, i like clever monkey but its either all or nothing. You can go tortoise for as much as you can afford.

I think the best sb dc I could get would be 33 w/qstaff. Maybe go this route if I'm dedicated stunner. my original plan was to go with more str for the very reason you mention, but, well I already covered that.

Once again I prolly wouldn't go this route on a build I planned to keep.

Anyone mind a quick rundown of the animal paths and what they do or how to maximize them in play. I've read a bunch of monk stuff in the last 24 hours and its starting to fade, if I can get a quickie in this thread it would be great. Even a link to a break down would be cool.

thx

[sinedist]

Quik,

Monkey: grants elemental resistance to all 5 types (2 per tier)

Crane: grants additional ki on critical hits

Hound: additional flanking bonus

Tortoise: 5 additional HP per tier

Badger: worthless.


If I were you I would go:

Monkey (grants elemental damage resistance for all types except force) for the first 16 levels.

Crane (grants a bonus to ki generation on critical hits) for the last 4.

Before 16, minor elemental damage adds up. You avoid a lot of damage that way. By the time you hit 16-18, you'll be running with some more solid players, and having enough ki to hit all of your strikes will be central. Crane + Oremi's necklace is one of the promised ways to not have to often worry about Ki.... which means more attacks, more finishers, etc. Monkey is almost irreplaceable low-mid levels, where you don't have a ton of HP, and where a lot of enemies do either minor elemental damage, or employ a lot of DoTs. You take a lot less damage with Monkey.

If you find yourself not hitting as often, you can use the Hound path since it adds a flanking bonus (most monks I know that use this are only using it because of epic)

Tortoise is nearly worthless as well. You gain 20 HP for the cost of 10AP. You would be better off going without an animal path if you were going to plug 10AP into a 20HP boost.

I would advice against going into the last tier of each of these, since you have diminishing returns at that point (4AP for, typically, very minimal gain)... but if you have the AP, go for it.

[Quikster]

Quik,

Monkey: grants elemental resistance to all 5 types (2 per tier)

Crane: grants additional ki on critical hits

Hound: additional flanking bonus

Tortoise: 5 additional HP per tier

Badger: worthless.


If I were you I would go:

Monkey (grants elemental damage resistance for all types except force) for the first 16 levels.

Crane (grants a bonus to ki generation on critical hits) for the last 4.

Before 16, minor elemental damage adds up. You avoid a lot of damage that way. By the time you hit 16-18, you'll be running with some more solid players, and having enough ki to hit all of your strikes will be central. Crane + Oremi's necklace is one of the promised ways to not have to often worry about Ki.... which means more attacks, more finishers, etc. Monkey is almost irreplaceable low-mid levels, where you don't have a ton of HP, and where a lot of enemies do either minor elemental damage, or employ a lot of DoTs. You take a lot less damage with Monkey.

If you find yourself not hitting as often, you can use the Hound path since it adds a flanking bonus (most monks I know that use this are only using it because of epic)

Tortoise is nearly worthless as well. You gain 20 HP for the cost of 10AP. You would be better off going without an animal path if you were going to plug 10AP into a 20HP boost.

I would advice against going into the last tier of each of these, since you have diminishing returns at that point (4AP for, typically, very minimal gain)... but if you have the AP, go for it.

Cool thanks. Once i figure out all the monkey goodness Monks have to offer, Im hoping to be starving for ki most the time. Ill play with it and see how it goes. Not much for inherent resistance, im usually a pot and pot guy. Wont be running with many people till later levels anywho, Ill prolly switch it around a few times to see what I like better, thanks for the break down though I appreciate it.

[AaronB]

There are other benefits as well. Monkey, for example, grants a bonus to saves vs. traps and to haggle. I went with Monkey, and I love it so far.

[Impatiens]

Remember if you decide to go Crane that it does reduce fortitude saves as well. I personally do not like this choice because of that. If you need ki at early levels it is probably worth taking, but once you get 18 and have Oremi's you shouldn't need the crane path at all for ki regen.

Hound is probably only worth while in epic content, not something you'd ever level with.

Tortoise is not really worthless, but the upper tiers of it do get very expensive for the minimal gain. If you have a lot of spare AP and need more hit points it's nice though and every little extra bit of concentration helps.

I agree that Monkey is usually one of the best options for animal paths. Extra trap saves and elemental resists are nearly always helpful.

[Quikster]

There are other benefits as well. Monkey, for example, grants a bonus to saves vs. traps and to haggle. I went with Monkey, and I love it so far.

Cool cool. It sounds like it will work well for ya. I dont need any haggle on this guy though. Traps, well we'll see how my saves are sitting, but with poitns into dex and imp evasion it should be ok.

Ill have to see how my fort save sits though.

[Sir_Chonas]

Necklace is min lvl 18 right? Ill farm one when im 17 prolly. The xp starts stacking up a lot so shouldnt be that much of an issue. I have Icy burst, shocking burst of 5% to play with for a bit. Ill try to find a better set, but not going to spend a ton on em.

The UI thing wont be a huge issue, and I am expecting it for sure. As far as playing the level 20, I will prolly play a little to let my other planned reincarnate round out raid timers and get some more gear/tomes. Then I can reincarnate them again together

Oremi's is a good switcher for ki generation. Shintao is what you want for your primary necklace/ring set. (I'm going occult slayer for my 2nd because it's the best fit for belt/ring).

They are ML 18, Shintao's cord is from A New Invasion, whatever the Occult belt is from Sins of Attrition. [Ryosho and gnawed ring respectively.]

[Quikster]

Oremi's is a good switcher for ki generation. Shintao is what you want for your primary necklace/ring set. (I'm going occult slayer for my 2nd because it's the best fit for belt/ring).

They are ML 18, Shintao's cord is from A New Invasion, whatever the Occult belt is from Sins of Attrition. [Ryosho and gnawed ring respectively.]

He he thx. Im pretty familiar with shavrath though.

Prolly not going to go out of my way for any ToD sets. If one drops and nobody wants it cool, otherwise I'll make do without the ring. Necklace will be easy enough to get.

[Sir_Chonas]

Prolly not going to go out of my way for any ToD sets.\

QFT. I figured it'd be better to run TOD when I'm actually getting exp (more efficient at least) which is why the only thing stopping me from reincarnation is a 20th completion and another devout farming session.

[Arvess]

monkey elemental resistances stack. this helps with acid arrows, any of the AOe spells and gives you extra resists on top of what your mage will cast on you. I've survived in places where the whole party wipes because of rampant fire.

I'm not a huge fan of the crane. Maybe early on people feel the need to have more ki but later on when you can use weighted, weakening or maladroit weapons, you crit enough and attack fast enough that ki is rarely an issue. If ki is an issue later, Oremi's and windstance should be enough.

[Quikster]

monkey elemental resistances stack. this helps with acid arrows, any of the AOe spells and gives you extra resists on top of what your mage will cast on you. I've survived in places where the whole party wipes because of rampant fire.

I'm not a huge fan of the crane. Maybe early on people feel the need to have more ki but later on when you can use weighted, weakening or maladroit weapons, you crit enough and attack fast enough that ki is rarely an issue. If ki is an issue later, Oremi's and windstance should be enough.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying its bad advice. Thing is I usually have resists up when needed.

oh yeah, usually I am the whole party, or me and one other, or me him and our two pikers. I'm usually not to worried about things like acid arrow.

I can see how the ele resists would be benificial though. I plan to play around with the animal paths to see which I like.

[Arvess]

Its just my observation and preference. You could put 1 point into tortiose and be done with it animal paths altogether.

[NXPlasmid]

Quik,

Monkey: grants elemental resistance to all 5 types (2 per tier)


I would advice against going into the last tier of each of these, since you have diminishing returns at that point (4AP for, typically, very minimal gain)... but if you have the AP, go for it.

Monkey also grants a bonus to saves versus traps which is very useful even though they are high already. I have Monkey on both of my monks to level 4, which gives 8 resist, which stacks which I don't believe was mentioned. That gives you resist of 38 with the corresponding spell, very useful especially at higher levels....

[NXPlasmid]

Oremi's is a good switcher for ki generation. Shintao is what you want for your primary necklace/ring set. (I'm going occult slayer for my 2nd because it's the best fit for belt/ring).

They are ML 18, Shintao's cord is from A New Invasion, whatever the Occult belt is from Sins of Attrition. [Ryosho and gnawed ring respectively.]

I would just go with shintao since he's not gonna stay a monk for too long, probably one of the most useful necklaces for any melee class actually. As to ki, until level 6 you'll have a hard time generating enough to be useful and after 16 you'll probably rarely be without it. Ki strikes and finishing moves are really designed for the end game, or at least over level 10 or so. A lot of new monks get disappointed because they can't use ki early on much, don't let it get you down, there is plenty of monkey fun at the lower levels without using ki...

[Quikster]

I would just go with shintao since he's not gonna stay a monk for too long, probably one of the most useful necklaces for any melee class actually. As to ki, until level 6 you'll have a hard time generating enough to be useful and after 16 you'll probably rarely be without it. Ki strikes and finishing moves are really designed for the end game, or at least over level 10 or so. A lot of new monks get disappointed because they can't use ki early on much, don't let it get you down, there is plenty of monkey fun at the lower levels without using ki...

A guildie who plays a monk as his main talked me into going sunstance at lower levels. Much more fun having some ki to play around with, unfortunately I get the following message often,"You have missed your chance...." lol how degrading

Currently lvl 3 and still finishing up korthos elite. Have 2 more quests to do, miserys peak and redemption. Have done most of the big xp low level harbor quests on normal as well. Having fun trying to figure out how to set my bars, and which finishers I want to do when, while still having the ki to dish out the hurt.

My to hit was huge (much more than I expected) so I took PA at lvl three and rarely turn it off. I was suprised to still get health back with fol on the wf'd, but thats a nice little attack for those low lvl undead anywho so I use it often in those situations combined with the fire strike (sorry n00b doesnt know the names) and the wind strike. Stun lands very often on casters on normal, bout half the time on melee combatants. Fairly often on hard, and maybe sligtly less then half the time on elite vs lvl appropriate casters, much less on hard/elite melee. I still find myself spamming trip as well.

Much fun so far, havent been able to play him much as I had raid timers to keep up and some rl stuff.

More later.

[victorey84]

Much more fun having some ki to play around with, unfortunately I get the following message often,"You have missed your chance...." lol how degrading

That's something that comes up from time to time in the forums, and I've even had random monks send me in-game tells asking about it. Maybe it deserves a sticky.

Basically, you get that message if you do the third strike and the finisher too close together. If you wait a brief moment after the third strike the finisher will work every time.

I'm not sure what the reason for it is, or if it's a bug or what. But at least it's not a problem once you what causes it.

[The_Duck]

That's something that comes up from time to time in the forums, and I've even had random monks send me in-game tells asking about it. Maybe it deserves a sticky.

Basically, you get that message if you do the third strike and the finisher too close together. If you wait a brief moment after the third strike the finisher will work every time.

I'm not sure what the reason for it is, or if it's a bug or what. But at least it's not a problem once you what causes it.

I've noticed on the 3rd strike you go into a combat crouch (block stance) when the finisher lights up. If I wait to come out of the crouch/block stance (2 secs?) then the finisher always fires. it is very annoying however isn't it?