Stunning Blow?

[FuzzyDuck81]

The main reason for taking stunning blow IMO is if you're fighter splashed, or are half elf with the fighter dilly as it's a prereq for the tactics enhancement to boost your DC. The combined racial tactics boosts granetd by dwarf etc. dont actually require it though.

[JollySwagMan]

The main reason for taking stunning blow IMO is if you're fighter splashed, or are half elf with the fighter dilly as it's a prereq for the tactics enhancement to boost your DC. The combined racial tactics boosts granetd by dwarf etc. dont actually require it though.

Worth mentioning here that Stunning Blow fighter enhancements affect Stunning Fist as well!

[SensaiRyu]

My light path, healing amp monk took stunning blow along with stunning fist. I don't regret it for a second. The dc is a point or 3 lower than my sf but still super useful.
Though she is human so I had an extra feat to play with.

More than one caster? Stun them both
Switch to wind and running low on ki? Stunning blow.
Dangerous mob rolls a 20 on your SF ? Toss a blow.

Now after having had it, if I had to give up a feat it would be a tough choice between SB and toughness as to which I'd give up.

Exactly.

Running low in ki... SB is very useful. When SB fails, follow with SF. Stun 2. Cooldown timers are different, you can't keep 2 stunned.

Running low in quickbar space? You'll probably swap it out for something else. I don't have SB anymore.

[gee-dragon776]

Yeah...uhm...sure you do.

I do and i know it works when i dismiss 2 earth elems at the same time and im running solo then feel free to explain how im dropping 2 at one time cause if u know something i dont id like to hear it. and as for stun when i hear 2 dings and 2 mobs are stunned then feel free to explain that was well.

ive seen it ive done it and i dont care if u dont believe me or not try it.

[Carpone]

If you're pure monk, you don't have the feats to waste on Stunning Blow. Overwhelming Critical should be your goal instead.

I have a 12 dark monk/6 fighter/2 paladin with Stunning Blow, primarily so I can purchase +2 DC enhancements for Stunning Blow (which also affect Stunning Fist). My Stunning Blow DC is 5 less than Stunning Fist, and I typically only use SB when SF misses.

[Bilger]

I do and i know it works when i dismiss 2 earth elems at the same time and im running solo then feel free to explain how im dropping 2 at one time cause if u know something i dont id like to hear it. and as for stun when i hear 2 dings and 2 mobs are stunned then feel free to explain that was well.

ive seen it ive done it and i dont care if u dont believe me or not try it.

Let me get this straight cleave which is a attack and stun, jade, or dismiss which are also attacks cannot be hit at same time. So wouldn't that be impossible to do.

As far as multiples is possible when swinging with doublestrikes and such and on my monk stun seems to hit twice quite often when swinging not cleaving. It is just impossible on cleaves to hit stun or any of the other strikes with.

The only way you will stun on a cleave is when the stunning effect on item or weap procs.

[Dwarfo]

(especially as shadow fade got significantly proxy nerfed in U14)

Just curious, how did shadow fade get nerfed?

Does it not stack w/ certain items now?

[wax_on_wax_off]

Just curious, how did shadow fade get nerfed?

Does it not stack w/ certain items now?

Correct, Ghostly provides 10% miss chance now that doesn't stack with Shadow Fade.

Also, with AC and dodge shadow fade is going to be a lower percentage of overall miss chances.

[gee-dragon776]

Let me get this straight cleave which is a attack and stun, jade, or dismiss which are also attacks cannot be hit at same time. So wouldn't that be impossible to do.

As far as multiples is possible when swinging with doublestrikes and such and on my monk stun seems to hit twice quite often when swinging not cleaving. It is just impossible on cleaves to hit stun or any of the other strikes with.

The only way you will stun on a cleave is when the stunning effect on item or weap procs.

ok well i might be missing something but for what ive seen and done, it works and when reading wiki it says cleave can hit one or more enemies in an arc in front of u and like glancing blow it deals a full special effect dmg to all targets hit.

in a way kinda like setting up a finisher or other special attk... but even in different stances it still seems to work. but like i said i might be missing something.

also i know i havent been playing for as long as most of you but when ppl ask how did i just dismiss 2 with one attk how else can i explain it. im not here talking like i know all the ins and outs of the game but cleave is still a better feat then luck of heros and most of the other preq's.

and hell for that matter i didnt realize the power behind improved sunder tell just the other day.

[Bilger]

ok well i might be missing something but for what ive seen and done, it works and when reading wiki it says cleave can hit one or more enemies in an arc in front of u and like glancing blow it deals a full special effect dmg to all targets hit.

in a way kinda like setting up a finisher or other special attk... but even in different stances it still seems to work. but like i said i might be missing something.

also i know i havent been playing for as long as most of you but when ppl ask how did i just dismiss 2 with one attk how else can i explain it. im not here talking like i know all the ins and outs of the game but cleave is still a better feat then luck of heros and most of the other preq's.

and hell for that matter i didnt realize the power behind improved sunder tell just the other day.

Applies all effects means all weapon effects it doesn't hit all your clicky attacks. Now if using banishing handwraps then on a cleave a slim chance of doing so. If they are under the hp amount required.

Monks have a habit of special attacks just like touch of death to hit multiple times so can get lucky that way also.

Yes cleave is better than luck of heroes. I posted because what you said was incorrect and don't want someone being misinformed. Nothing against you just the information posted.

[scottmike0]

Applies all effects means all weapon effects it doesn't hit all your clicky attacks. Now if using banishing handwraps then on a cleave a slim chance of doing so. If they are under the hp amount required.

Monks have a habit of special attacks just like touch of death to hit multiple times so can get lucky that way also.

Yes cleave is better than luck of heroes. I posted because what you said was incorrect and don't want someone being misinformed. Nothing against you just the information posted.

i like combat expertise better over-all and if i did not have the choice for combat expertise, i would take percision for those difficult traps that is hard to save against..

cleave is just another move you would have on your hotbar. i do not carry cleave because i think monks and barbarians do not mix so why mix cleave with monks, sure it may attack all around, but how many situations do you find your self surrounded by melee/casters so close. and when do you find time to use cleave, because earth attacks rock so does touch of death either or, cleave is just optional percision i find is most useful and aswell as combat expertise.

But for my monk currently i have these feat accordingly

Toughness
Stunning fist
weapon finesse (because i hate not being able to attack when getting enfeebled at low levels or high)
Past life monk feat-- currently i have 3 past life monks so the +3 damage growth really does make a difference
two weapon fighting
combat expertise
Improved two weapon fighting
IMP critical bludgeoning
Greater two weapon fighting
Toughness- i took a second because i don't like power attack it does not add a huge bonus to damage and hit points i find more useful than a small amount of damage over time
Currently at level 18 with 522 hit points and has 90 ac self buffed

This is why i see how combat expertise is helpful.

[Son_of_the_South]

but I think on a Half Orc it is a must have as you've lost DPS from the get go and this is a good strategy to get it back.

How so?

And can you elaborate on those formula for ascertaining the damage please, im not familiar with them.

Cheers

[wax_on_wax_off]

How so?

And can you elaborate on those formula for ascertaining the damage please, im not familiar with them.

Cheers

The extra strength (+2) and power attack (up to +3) that horc has doesn't compete in almost all situations with the 3d6 sneak attack and versatility: damage IV (+25% damage) that halfelf has.

If you attack 20 times:
1 miss, 17 hits, 2 criticals for double damage = 21/20
1 miss, 17 hits, 2 crits for triple damage with OC=23/20
1 miss, 17 hits, 2 crits for quad damage with OC and earth stance III=25/20
1 miss, 15 hits, 4 crits for quad damage with Khopesh and OC=29/20

[Son_of_the_South]

Ahhh ok ty.

But this does imply that you're hitting with sneak attacks i presume?

Also; what can you recommend in the way of gear? I have access to all packs (except the challenges at this stage, that will change soon though) and i have Stonedust Handwraps (with ability to upgrade to Vampiric), Jidz-Tet'ka. Robe of Equilibrium. What else should i be looking for (apart from the obvious like Minos) that is partic to Monk?

Cheers

[wax_on_wax_off]

Ahhh ok ty.

But this does imply that you're hitting with sneak attacks i presume?

Also; what can you recommend in the way of gear? I have access to all packs (except the challenges at this stage, that will change soon though) and i have Stonedust Handwraps (with ability to upgrade to Vampiric), Jidz-Tet'ka. Robe of Equilibrium. What else should i be looking for (apart from the obvious like Minos) that is partic to Monk?

Cheers

Sneak Attack isn't included as it isn't multiplied by critical hits.

Can look at my monk archer or rogue monk build threads for gear ideas.

[Mastikator]

as a monk myself, i see no reason with cleave so i take the next best thing as a preq

When i had cleave as a monk i never really used it because i find using ki moves are more interesting than using cleave constantly..

Really? I used cleave pretty much all the time, the ki generation was great. I even put great cleave on my dark monk. Whenever there were more than 4 mobs within smacking-range using great cleave->cleave had higher dps even.

[slimkj]

with Stunning Blow, primarily so I can purchase +2 DC enhancements for Stunning Blow (which also affect Stunning Fist). My Stunning Blow DC is 5 less than Stunning Fist, and I typically only use SB when SF misses.

Yep, this. Except the build, which is why I didn't quote that bit, but I use SB in the same way.

[slimkj]

But this does imply that you're hitting with sneak attacks i presume?

It's pretty easy to keep sneak up on most enemies, obvious exceptions aside; SF, SB, Unbalancing Strike, passive stun procs from +Stun wraps, caster friends to name a few.

I was hesistant to TR from HOrc to HElf as I liked the base dmg of the HOrc being high and the easy to get STR/WIS combo but overall HElf does feel like better DPS most of the time.

[Max_DDO]

It depends if you can keep strenght above 50 and have vertigo item. Other than that I would not bother

[DarkForte]

Depends on what your DCs are gonna be. Anything below 40, I wouldn't even bother.