The monk class

[voodoogroves]

I think they've got it active for U11.1

Honestly, it's a lot like playing a caster except in melee. And you don't actually have to use all of your abilities, you can use some of them if you wish.

Light Monk Finishers aren't really useful outside of parties, and even then the Water-Light-Water is the more useful of your options as long as you're partying with casters.

Dark Monk Finishers are rarely useful, aside from the one that increases the negative damage that enemies take. But considering that requires Dark-Dark-Dark, it'll be awhile before you meet an enemy that lives long enough to take that much damage.

Neutral Monk finishers aren't that useful until you get your second tier of elements from taking Adept of <Element>. And even then they're best used sparingly.

You'll actually be using your elemental strikes for their damage moreso than anything. It's not as complex as it seems.

I would definitely recommend getting it. You get so much from Monk that it actually feels rewarding to level it up. Instead of Fighter where all you get is some boring BAB and passive boosts to damage, you get new feats or updated feats almost every level, and they always seem to benefit you.

I think you're seriously under-estimating the finishers.

Monk can be as active as you want OP, and you'll probably start with a few limited cycles and then expand as you get better at cycling them. One handy trick for newer players is to figure out for the encounter ahead what your most common strikes will be, then remap those to the same limited keys but keep your generic finisher. You can do that and (for instance) set up a portal-set for Shroud pt 1, then when you get to pt4/5 switch to a boss set. You can have a set you use in epics, etc.

[elg582]

Because a friend said I'd want to go both air and earth lines, and I thought you needed 18 base stat to get grandmaster of a line?

Certainly go air3, but by 18 you will probably be running in earth stance all the time, anyway.

e: Also triple alch air wraps aren't an option in the near future for me as they require thirty completions of LoB and a few epic LoB runs as well.

Shocking burst is tier 1, just sayin'

[OliviaCrowley]

Certainly go air3, but by 18 you will probably be running in earth stance all the time, anyway.



Shocking burst is tier 1, just sayin'

Oh duh, I'm thinking of electrifying blast. Silly me. I am an idiot and shouldn't post while doing multiple things at once.

[Varashad]

I've been playing the monk a bit and just got him to level 7. Thus far I dislike it, even with ITWF. I wind up auto-attacking half the time, since my fingers just aren't quick enough to push a dozen buttons every three seconds. I assume this comes with practice? I did manage however to solo Proof is in the Poison on elite. It took me about an hour and over a hundred potions admittedly, but I am liking if nothing else the good saves.

[Battery]

I've been playing the monk a bit and just got him to level 7. Thus far I dislike it, even with ITWF. I wind up auto-attacking half the time, since my fingers just aren't quick enough to push a dozen buttons every three seconds. I assume this comes with practice? I did manage however to solo Proof is in the Poison on elite. It took me about an hour and over a hundred potions admittedly, but I am liking if nothing else the good saves.

I auto attack all the time, just add ki strikes into the chain

[Zachski]

There's only three things that can interrupt a ki chain.

1. Another elemental ki attack (I think Void is included in this)
2. Waiting too long (which is longer than you'd think)
3. Interacting with an object (which will be your most frequent interruptions - fixed by having others interact with objects)

[OliviaCrowley]

I'm doing my best to figure out enhancements for my human light monk, but it's a nightmare at times. Do I take both Shintao 3 and Void 4? I can do it, but at a loss of 1 Wis from enhancements, some extra HP, and I wanted GM Wind stance but can't fit it. Taking all of the extra stances is such a hog when it comes to AP!

I was also wondering if human versatility was worthwhile on a monk? Given the high attack rate, maxing that out for the bonus damage could be handy. Of course, I can't fit it all with Void 4.

[elg582]

I'm doing my best to figure out enhancements for my human light monk, but it's a nightmare at times. Do I take both Shintao 3 and Void 4?

I wouldn't, but many people swear by void4.

I can do it, but at a loss of 1 Wis from enhancements, some extra HP, and I wanted GM Wind stance but can't fit it. Taking all of the extra stances is such a hog when it comes to AP!

Skip GM wind; wind3 is fine, since you should be running in earth most of the time.

I was also wondering if human versatility was worthwhile on a monk? Given the high attack rate, maxing that out for the bonus damage could be handy. Of course, I can't fit it all with Void 4.

It is worth it; skip wind4 and WIS, and get void4, earth4, most of the HP (you can skip tortoise 3 & 4), and the 1 WIS could go either way.

[Consumer]

I'd like to point out that anyone who thinks Barbarians are simply auto attack and done need to reroll.

[Vanquishedfo]

to be a great monk is to make your hands and wrosts scream in agony as you overwhelm your foes with a flurry of attacks of a variety of elemental dmg boosts, and finishers. that none will stand against you. and then you log off, get a cold beer, and hold it with your left hand for a while and shove it into a cooler full of more, as you will need them.

If you like fighter and barb then you are likely not up for monks. Monks are for those who want to stand alone and WIN!

[elg582]

I'd like to point out that anyone who thinks Barbarians are simply auto attack and done need to reroll.

Wow, that's silly; of course barbarians have to do other things, like run away while the cleric drinks more SP pots to keep healing you....

[OliviaCrowley]

I wouldn't, but many people swear by void4.

Skip GM wind; wind3 is fine, since you should be running in earth most of the time.

It is worth it; skip wind4 and WIS, and get void4, earth4, most of the HP (you can skip tortoise 3 & 4), and the 1 WIS could go either way.

This is what I came up with earlier, before seeing your post:

Capstone
Human Heal Amp I
Monk Heal Amp III
Shintao III
Master Fire/Water/Air
GM Earth
Void 4
Toughness II
Concentration I (filler)
Human Wis I
Monk Wis I
Tortoise I
Rise of the Phoenix + 4 pre-reqs

That leaves room for... One human versatility.

[elg582]

This is what I came up with earlier, before seeing your post:

Capstone
Human Heal Amp I
Monk Heal Amp III <--here's your problem, 6 AP that could go elsewhere
Shintao III
Master Fire/Water/Air
GM Earth
Void 4
Toughness II
Concentration I (filler)
Human Wis I
Monk Wis I
Tortoise I
Rise of the Phoenix + 4 pre-reqs

That leaves room for... One human versatility.

[OliviaCrowley]

Shintao II needs amp III.

[Elixxer]

Once you find the combinations that work for you, finger memory will eventually take over.

I always start pressing 1-4 keys even when I am not on my monk. It's bad .

[elg582]

Shintao II needs amp III.

oh ****, forgot about that.

In that case, I don't see a way to do it without losing phoenix, but then, you can get a clicky for that...

[OliviaCrowley]

e: You saw nothing.

e2: Okay, set my silliness aside. Here's a revised set of enhancements for my Light monk. This should be better:

Capstone
Human Wis I
Monk Wis I
Human Recovery I
Monk Recovery III
Concentration II (filler)
Versatility 4
Tortoise II
Toughness II
Shintao Monk III
Void 4
Air/Fire/Water Master
GM Earth