/2 monk 9th level spell choice

[aradelothion]

Forgive me if this turns out to have an obvious answer; I have an 18FvS/2Monk that's nearing cap. Should I take Mass Heal or Implosion?

Background on build (Human):
- 2x Evo Focus
- Maximize, Heighten, Quicken
- TWF, iTWF, Power Attack. Stunning Fist
- 16 starting Wisdom + levelups

Gear:
- Handwraps (I'll have access to Ivy Wraps and Grave Wrappings, and Dynamo of Righteousness, silver/cold iron/adamantine beaters 20+); crafted imp cursespewing of improved shattermantles to reduce mob SR; currently using holy burst silver kamas of lawful outsider banes for devil content cause they're cheap
- Weapon swaps with radiance/devotion/Dreamspitter/whatever, depending on the situation
- Will have access to Time Sensing Goggles (planning to slot +1 exceptional Wis), +8 Wis necklace or Caparison, +3 Insightful trinket

Currently, playstyle is stunning fist/cometfall/greater command + beatdown, or BB. Most of my melee DPS will likely come from weapon procs, and looking at either GMoF for EiN or Fury of the Wild for Sense Weakness goodness (twistable).

If I take Mass Heal, I'm definitely dropping Power Attack for Empower Healing... right? And Empower if I take Implosion? Since I melee a lot, I'm thinking the Mass Heals would come in handy... unless Mass Cures will do fine? Thanks in advance for whatever insight.

Edited build details

[firemedium_jt]

You may want to not take the entire TWF chain with a WIS based FAV. Many just take the first and most have lvl ups in STR for it. I think you are better off with Empower than empower heal. With gear your Mass heal will still be good for raid healing. Mass cures cost twice as much and heal for half as much, but faster and doable. I don't see the whole build, so it is hard to tell what is best.

Empower is for your DP and BB. Epic Spell Pen with help your multi class build.

You can change spells if you want too. Feats are not so easy, so maybe go with something u can use either way.

What weapon are you using as a human?

[aradelothion]

Thanks for the input! It's looking more and more like I'll keep Mass Heal, particularly if I'm going to a non-Divine destiny. I edited the OP to answer some of your questions (and also only have gTWF). Your comments have made me reconsider some feats though, particularly Epic Spell Pen; can't fit it in without losing the TWF chain, and I don't know if I'm prepared to do that yet.

[jsaving]

There are many downsides to splashing 2 monk on a favored soul, but this is certainly one of the more disheartening aspects of so doing. Mass heal and implosion are two of my favorite 9th level spells and it's tough to drop either one.

My opinion -- you should pick mass heal. There are just too many quests/raids where stun is ineffective, and without that, your melee contribution is just too low to make a meaningful contribution to a party. Taking mass heal as your 9th level slot lets you easily transition into the healer-and-divine-punishment role when necessary.

[Relenthe]

Personally I find mass heal to be a huge trap for me.

If I wait until the melees need healing, then in the time it takes to cast a quickened mass heal some of them may be dead.

If I start casting mass heal before they need healing, then I am wasting time healing in which I could be doing other stuff, they may end up not needing the heal, or I get lucky and the timing works out.

I would take implosion, and just based off of my playstyle I prefer to stay busy until they need healing, then pop off a quick mass cure. It ends up not being that much more expensive sp wise since I don't heal until they need it.

[daniel7]

My clr almost never used mass heal in combat because it's so slow to cast. I mostly used it after large fights.