gear to watch for while leveling?

[MithrilSoul]

I'm sure this has been asked (and answered) before, but I can't seem to find it... does anyone know where there is a list of good handwraps and other gear that a levelin-up monk should be looking for? This is my first toon--no twinkage benefits--so I really need to be upgrading my stuff as I level up.

I'm level 4 almost 5 right now, I just finished Syndicate quest chain (x2) to get those nicked kamas. I don't normally (err...ever) use kamas but I figure they might come in handy some day. I know from my other character (a pally) that there is a set of handwraps that come at the end of catacombs...I forget the name but they were +1 ghost touch IIRC.

What else is out there? Can anyone point me to a list?

[Impatiens]

If you are Lawful Good there are no ML holy handwraps from the end of Delera's. They require good or UMD 20 to use though. There aren't a lot of named wraps, unfortunately. Once you get to level 8ish you'll want to get in to some Shadow Crypts runs for the Devout wraps (+2 Metalline of Pure Good). The new bracers from the Sentinels pack are very nice for the level and (hopefully) will still be good at end game if you can make them epic. A lot of the stuff you'll want at your level really isn't named gear. Look for the highest +stat items you can wear/afford. And outfit of Spearblock is really nice to have at your level especially when you get into Delera's with all those skeletal archers. If you don't get the monk bracers from the Sentinels pack try for some black widow bracers from Water Works. There are a lot of threads detailing good monk loot, but most of it is end game loot, not leveling. Your main concern should be getting +stat items, getting Heavy Fort asap (can get it on a robe at 8 or a necklace at 9 and then get Minos as soon as you hit 11), and looking for some good all purpose wraps. You can technically get holy of pure good wraps at level 6...but they go for a pretty penny on the AH.

[Taimasan]

If you are Lawful Good there are no ML holy handwraps from the end of Delera's. They require good or UMD 20 to use though.

The Devotion handwraps don't have a UMD check, you have to be Good to use them.

[MithrilSoul]

What are the monk bracers from the Sentinels pack?

And thanks for the other tips...don't think my char is quite ready for Delera's yet but I'll keep those in mind for after I gain a couple of levels. I found Deleras pretty tough to finish out even on a lvl 7 paladin with halfway decent gear (+2 plate armor, +2 weapon etc).

[Nahual]

Also black widow bracers from waterworks suit monks incredibly for some time.

after that any shield clickie also. Named handwraps from Co6 also drop dont remember what they are or if they are useful.

[hu-flung-pu]

Don't be afraid of kamas if you're DEX based, or Q-staffs if you're strength based, on the auction house. You can find good monk weapons cheap there to bypass DR.

The rest is personal choice and hoping you've got good luck.

[gx21v9z4vcq6]

Mithrilsoul:

My tips one noob to another: (levels 1-9)

Non-Weapon items:

Look for +2's for each stat, then +3's to each stat, then +4's to each stat. +4's are either very expensive, very rare, or are never on the AH on my server at level 9, but I'm sure someone here will claim otherwise.

Some items are more common on certain slots. For example, it's relatively easy to find false life on belts, but not so common on rings. It's relatively easy to find protection and resistance on cloaks, but protection rings are expensive/rare. Dex boots are common, gloves less common, but other slots very rare.

I don't know if there's a definitive guide to "this is the most common +stat on this slot at this level" but those are my impressions so far. Concentration (steady spellcasting) is reasonably easy to find on helms. Useful trinkets have been hard to come by, although some quest rewards are pretty good.

For me it's turned out: AC on bracers, Protection on ring, wisdom on ring, concentration on head, str on hands, dex on boots, constitution on belt, resistance on cloak.

Poison immunity is great, I would recommend that until level you gain the natural immunity. Don't worry about disease immunity items as a monk. A feather fall item, also great to have. Striding you can do without, imho. Underwater action items are awesome, but clicky underwater breathing works fine in the early levels. A deathblock robe becomes useful in the later levels. Blindness immunity goggles, also a must have, imo.

Oh, and never underestimate the value of an Invisibility clicky, especially in Outdoor Wilderness areas. So much faster to travel to get those rare encounters.

Weapons:

Adamantine and then Metalline is important on a few fights. A few. Very few. But a really nice to have. Easier to find kama's than handwraps.

There are many creatures you'll start to run into as you level with resistance to certain damage types. Personally I've obtained handwraps with cold, fire, sonic, true law, lesser undead bane, axiomatic, and anarchic. Swapping these around worked well for me, on all the quests I did 1-9. YMMV!

Also, I picked up some inexpensive +5 handwraps and then added frost (1d6 cold) to them with the recent Ice Games. Those were extremely good all purpose handwraps that I used as my default and then swapped if I ever saw the dreaded zero damage numbers.

Monks are primarily bludgeoning, unless using Kama's, when they're slashing. Some creatures are resistant to bludgeon damage. So you either suffer through that with lower damage per hit with the bludgeoning handwraps, or switch to kama's and see if it helps.

Next on my collection list is some maladroit handwraps of bone breaking, but definitely not necessary 1-9, from what I saw. Just something to look forward to.

[Impatiens]

The Devotion handwraps don't have a UMD check, you have to be Good to use them.

The ones in my bank definitely say UMD 20 on them:



Not that it matters since by the time you are able to get to 20 UMD on a monk you'll have better wraps anyway, but the good requirement can be bypassed with UMD.

[Taimasan]

Its probally the ress ring from slavers im thinking about, my mistake.

[Symar-FangofLloth]

Also black widow bracers from waterworks suit monks incredibly for some time.

What are the monk bracers from the Sentinels pack?

Jidz-Tet'ka is the new Black Widow Bracers.

It's a little harder to get. The quest chain is level 7 and longer than WW, and then you may have to re-run some quests to get the sigils (pre-sigil you have Torn Chitin Bracers, which are +4 AC and +1 Will Save, so even that is better than BWB). But its Bound to Account so you can do it on a higher level and ship them off to your other char.

Plus it has an Epic version that's not yet been discovered.

[Impatiens]

Its probally the ress ring from slavers im thinking about, my mistake.

Yeah that one definitely has no UMD check.

[MithrilSoul]

Jidz-Tet'ka is the new Black Widow Bracers.

Wow.

Really wow.

I'm a premium (f2p/p2p) player but just seeing those bracers is enough for me to definitely decide I'm going to buy this xpac.

[MrLarone]

Jidz-Tet'ka is the new Black Widow Bracers.

yep want those =)

premium player as well, what's the name of the pack people are referring to as 'sentinels'?

***edit***

doh, i see it's the new content in update 4, that slipped me by *blush*