How exactly do I use "finishing moves"?

[brian14]

I am playing a monk for the first time, and cannot get the hang of finishing moves. Every time I click (for example) Healing Ki, I get a message "You missed you finishing move". Do I have to target an enemy when doing it?

[Saekee]

I am playing a monk for the first time, and cannot get the hang of finishing moves. Every time I click (for example) Healing Ki, I get a message "You missed you finishing move". Do I have to target an enemy when doing it?

Yes and no--some need targeting (the dark finishing moves) but all the healing ones do not. the fire fire fire one does not (Breath of the Fire Dragon) Here is the list on the wiki.
You may have 'missed it' if you did not have enough ki.

There is the Book of Synclectica on Monks that I recommend. Its section on finishing moves is here.

[TheGardes]

There is a timer on the finisher for healing, i don't know what it is tho. If I wait more than a couple seconds, I get that message too.

[Violith]

There is a timer on the finisher for healing, i don't know what it is tho. If I wait more than a couple seconds, I get that message too.

There isnt a timer really, you can wait hours once you use the 3x healing fist before you use the healing ki as long as you dont do anything to break your chain.

however sometimes it doesnt always register that you used the technique 3x, this is most common with the light finisher since you dont need to have a target and thus are able to use it quickly and even though the finisher icon changes it still doesnt have the 3x moves as active and believes you still need to use another. I suggest waiting a small amount of time after each use of the fist of light, making sure you use it atleast 3x before you use the finisher, and to make sure you dont try to use the finisher too quick. There is a slight global CD that isnt really shown that if you use it too quick it wont go off.

[brian14]

Yes and no--some need targeting (the dark finishing moves) but all the healing ones do not. the fire fire fire one does not (Breath of the Fire Dragon) Here is the list on the wiki.
You may have 'missed it' if you did not have enough ki.

There is the Book of Synclectica on Monks that I recommend. Its section on finishing moves is here.

Thank you, this explains a great deal!

One question though -- are elemental strikes affected by the stance you are in? For example, does being in Water or Fire stance have any effect on Fires of Purity (elemental attack) or on Breath of the Fire Dragon (finishing move)?

[Saekee]

Thank you, this explains a great deal!

One question though -- are elemental strikes affected by the stance you are in? For example, does being in Water or Fire stance have any effect on Fires of Purity (elemental attack) or on Breath of the Fire Dragon (finishing move)?

My pleasure! Also, the answer here is no (although the DC of Breath of the Fire Dragon as well as Touch of Despair and Curse of the Void (maybe others also) are influenced by the monk's Wisdom, so techniquely, if you are in Water Stance, the stance will be more effective in reducing the chance of the enemy's saving throws). The stances do not affect the finishers.

the Breath of the Fire Dragon will be affected by Spell Power. Robbenclopper took this to the extreme in epics in this thread here!

The general philosophy of stances are that all of them provide offense and defense of a particular kind. Water stance: tactical offense, dodge/saves defense; Earth: Crit offense, PRR and CON defense (and boosted KI defensively); Air--speed and doublestrike offense, Reflex save and small AC boost defense (and loss of defense with lower CON); fire: ki boosting offense (and higher STR for damage), small loss of tactical ability in WIS penalty. Note how the Jidz-Teca and Sun Soul set properly augment all these basic philosophies, with both especially aiding fire stance healing. Players tend to use Earth as the best offense and defense but that is because it scales very well via its boost to critical range from Master of Forms (level 12) onward.

[TeacherSyn]

My pleasure! Also, the answer here is no (although the DC of Breath of the Fire Dragon as well as Touch of Despair and Curse of the Void (maybe others also) are influenced by the monk's Wisdom, so techniquely, if you are in Water Stance, the stance will be more effective in reducing the chance of the enemy's saving throws). The stances do not affect the finishers.

the Breath of the Fire Dragon will be affected by Spell Power. Robbenclopper took this to the extreme in epics in this thread here!

The general philosophy of stances are that all of them provide offense and defense of a particular kind. Water stance: tactical offense, dodge/saves defense; Earth: Crit offense, PRR and CON defense (and boosted KI defensively); Air--speed and doublestrike offense, Reflex save and small AC boost defense (and loss of defense with lower CON); fire: ki boosting offense (and higher STR for damage), small loss of tactical ability in WIS penalty. Note how the Jidz-Teca and Sun Soul set properly augment all these basic philosophies, with both especially aiding fire stance healing. Players tend to use Earth as the best offense and defense but that is because it scales very well via its boost to critical range from Master of Forms (level 12) onward.

I should give you editing rights to the Monk guide. Well-detailed.

[Saekee]

I should give you editing rights to the Monk guide. Well-detailed.

Just saw this! Thank you for the compliment!