Advice on leveling my biped please

[Kerech]

A guildmate was dogging me for crafting way above my adventure level with my biped, so I decided to level him up some (that wasn't the only reason, but now I have someone to blame for it )

Anyway, I spent yesterday making armor and jewelry, teched for his level/class (33 flame disciple at the time) and went out hunting. Got 3 levels, which isn't bad, but about half of that came from trophies. Actual hunting for mobs felt like such a grind... made me remember why I like crafting so much

So, long story short (too late!) I'm looking for advice on leveling my biped. He's currently a 36 flame disciple. He also has 20 levels of monk, 11 levels each of mage, cleric and druid, plus 2 levels of warrior. I like using trophies as an added experience boost, but leveling only from them feels cheap to me, so I'd like to kill things to level. Any advice on where to go at that level and what to kill, keeping in mind that it's tough to find a hunting partner at that level, so it's mostly solo? I love the flame disciple school, but do I need more support levels in other classes to back it up?

Thanks in advance

[tramsan]

Disciples usually manage pretty well on their own, but some healer in the back sure makes things easier. Once you hit, say, 50-60 FLMD, you can bring up mage to master MC/PS. Once you hit 100/100 FLMD/HLR, you can bring mage the rest of the way, then start thinking about other schools to add.

What any monk can *not* do without, however, is strength. With the pitiful 6 STR/level and the already weak damage monks do, you more or less have to take another class for strength, or else you're toast. Usually a craft is preferred, such as fitter or mason. Having done both from scratch, I recommend mason. It goes so much quicker than fitter, and you only lose 1 STR/level. If you take mason, you can also bring spellcrafter up pretty quickly for power and focus, to better use your spells.

I just came back from over a year's absence, myself, and started a new character on Chaos (seeing as how I used to play on Unity.) Since I find all other classes dreadfully boring, I naturally chose a disciple - FLMD this time. Before I even hit 35 FLMD, I had already brought mason to 100, and have ~75 spellcrafter, and let me tell you, I'm now chewing through adv levels. (I switched to SPRD, because I like the mystic spell lines, but that's unimportant.)

[Kerech]

Thanks for the advice. I am also a 70 fitter, so I have some of the strength bonus, but not the full amount yet.

I've been fighting with socketed handwraps (with a veteran dark garnet crystal). Do you use handwraps as a FLMD? Or what weapon do you prefer for damage output?

[tramsan]

Yes, I use handwraps exclusively. Apart from those, the only weapons a monk can use are some staves, but since we don't get any 2hc that would require a second class. Besides, it'd be a cheap cop-out and ruin the whole point of being a disciple. :P

[Kerech]

Besides, it'd be a cheap cop-out and ruin the whole point of being a disciple. :P

Woohoo, someone who thinks like me

Back in the Everquest days, my monk only used his hands when all other monks were saying it was silly not to use a weapon. It just wasn't 'monk-ly'

[C`gan]

Well, I'd start the progression of t2 gem golems. Amethyst are east of Bristugo. After you're feeling comfortable with them, head southwest to the observatory. You'll find the lapis and rose quartz ones even higher along the road. Iron golems south of Chiconis, especially boulder golems, should give you a challenge. Elm treants and slate golems west of Chiconis would be good as well. If you're still not in the 50s by then, you've got the spiders west and northwest of Aughundell for in the 40s, as well as the beetles east of Summit. And, just to be mean, toss in the desert wolves wandering the Tazoon desert and Aughundell's nickel golems.

Would that give you enough for a bit?

[Kerech]

Before I saw this last post, I asked my guildmates last night ingame and they agreed that the Amethyst golems would be good to start with. I got 2.5 levels there last night and this morning. So, good suggestion C'gan

It didn't feel as "grindy" last night, probably because I was able to kill them more quickly and I didn't nearly die every fight, as I did fighting the lapis golems Monday. In fact I was able to take 2 at a time (even 3 a couple times) which made it exciting. Even killed the named golem a few times.

I'll probably finish off 38 at the amethyst golems and then switch back to the lapis again at 39.

It looks like it's better to fight mobs a couple levels below me and kill them more quickly, than to try the mobs in my level range and hope for trophies? Besides I can always save up the trophies I'm getting now to level my secondary classes later

Thanks for the advice everyone

[HratLi]

Greetings!

You may or may not have seen some of the other threads I've started in the past about Monks/Disciples, but in case you haven't check out:
http://community.istaria.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=14806
Not much has changed to the dynamics of Monk/Disciples since they were written other than the speed cap being raised.

Golems ARE the way to go, especially as a disciple, don't forget to stick on a flame attack before you go hunting as they are crush resistant. Get used to hunting a bit more below your level as you start getting close to your strength crafting class.

I think everything else has been covered Golems are definitely the way to go. They're slow, plentiful, and pretty predictable. Save your forsight for the avalanches, and get into a good rhythm and you can chew through the levels surprisingly quickly!

Let's see... tactics... Multi bonus is very handy. If you are attacking golems that are low enough that you can tank 2 of them, keep doing that. Pull 2, kill one, pull the next, kill one, etc so that you always have a bonus going. Pull with a strong spell, and then follow up with an AoE or DoT as they get closer so that it hits both golems.

If you hunt above your level due to your strength bonus, you can do that too, just remember that a Monk's strength is one on one because dodge and parry only work against your targeted monster. So get used to switching monsters regularly when you suspect their 'specials' refreshing, usually this is not a concern for most classes because the fights don't last that long. When you pull a golem get ready to lead with a heal or two and a foresight because they will try to hit you with the 'big' attacks right away. Just let them blow those attacks before you go crazy with your chains, smash, etc. If you accidentally acquire another golem, remember to switch targets to 'soak' as many of the new one's special attacks as possible, then switch back to your first one. Keep a running ticker in the back of your head for when each one's specials will refresh. If you are fast, you can stagger your chains with other attack types to take advantage of the 'to hit' bonus. Chain 1, chain 2, smash, chain 3, petrify, chain4, etc....

-HratLi
Welcome back to Istaria, and tell your Guildies I said Hi.

[C`gan]

Hey, HratLi! Glad you had more to add to this, being that I'm only a warrior, I have no info on the specifics of disciples or monks.

[Kerech]

Hratli: thanks for the advice - I've seen those other threads and they were very helpful.

If I'm going to be fighting golems a lot and they are mainly melee based, is it worth it to go ahead and get Cleric to 18 so I can master Dispirit Foe? Isn't that a slow?

Or should I just concentrate on the FLMD for now and save secondary classes for later?

[tramsan]

Dispirit foe is *very* useful in 1-on-1 combat, and let's not forget the healing power you get with those cleric levels. I suggest you take it up to 20 right away, so you can go join healer later on.

Also, I believe that gem golems are *vulnerable* to crush damage... At least that's my experience. Ore and the other golems certainly aren't. The different beetles, fyakki and spiders are also good monk chew toys - the first two since they really hate crush damage, and the latter since they're pretty weak overall. Just don't get carried away with them - harden shell can ruin any party, as I'm sure you know, and spiders can dodge like crazy.

Also, if anyone says you're cheap for levelling off of beetles or fyakki, just tell them "I'm a monk. I'm allowed."

[HratLi]

Still floating around waiting to see when the story line picks back up again.

As for Dispirit Foe, Yes, definitely worthwhile. Especially in your one on one combats. I think I had a bunch of recommended 'must' haves from the different classes. Warrior to 2 for Parry, Cleric to 18 for Dispirit will NOT be a waste at all. It gives you dispirit as well as Smash and the spells you can cast. Eventually look at Druid too, Nature's Fury and Petrify are useful additions to your monk arsenal. When is a personal choice, I think that by 45 you should definitely get it and be able to level it up VERY quickly. You have the benefit of being able to 'carry' your unarmed skill across and beat things down with your fist without the penalty of having to use a tier 1 weapon (don't use wraps when leveling your alternate classes).

The dispirit is like a 30% slow (I think?) and works to make sure you have the edge especially against already slow opponents!

Tramsan, I don't think that anyone would EVER accuse a monk or disciple of being cheap no matter what they hunted hehe... It's a wonder sometimes that they level at all. Thank goodness for cross over stats from crafting!

But as for beetles, great suggestion! They are good hunting too. Same technique works from the golems. Just draw them, wait for them to harden shell, switch targets to your first beetle, when it's dead, draw the next one and provoke it until it hardens shell, then switch back to your first beetle. Alternately if you have good spells blast them with spells and bombs until it their shells wear out.

Remember, killing one might be easy, killing 2 and more becomes exponentially harder because of your light armour and the way Parry/Dodge work, but experiment, you'll find a good system. You're in a great guild for suggestions and equipment I might well have been one of the first customers of the Eyes back when I was a crafter only and eventually became a member myself.

[Kerech]

Ok, more questions

I was looking through the skill list at horizons.gamersinfo.net and I see some abilities that I should have available, but I don't.

For instance, I have 11 levels of mage. I look at the mage list and see that Burn Armor I is level 3 and it is masterable, so I should have it available when I'm in FLMD class right? I don't see it in the ability list. Same with Engulf I, which is a level 4 mage ability so it should be mastered at 8, right? I remember using Engulf when I was doing mage levels, so I had it at one time, I just don't see it now.

Why don't these abilities show up in the ability list when I'm in FLMD mode? Other abilities (like Growth I from druid) show up ok, but not these.

[HratLi]

Huh... I'm not even close to a arcane caster by any means. I just made a career by whacking things with my bucket. I'll have to defer to someone else who actually has those classes.

It might be a mistake on the HZInfo site, A lot of web sites originally got their information from the 'Hint Book' which was notoriously inaccurate. That's why a lot of the actual values are missing from the web site for each ability. But you are right, if they are transferable, doubling that level should make it available for other classes if they are masterable.

-HratLi

[tramsan]

I think you're just overlooking them. Sort the ability list alphabetically and look again =)

[Kerech]

I think you're just overlooking them. Sort the ability list alphabetically and look again =)

Yeah, they were there. I was still asleep when I looked at the list yesterday morning I guess

[bolt]

" You have the benefit of being able to 'carry' your unarmed skill across and beat things down with your fist without the penalty of having to use a tier 1 weapon (don't use wraps when leveling your alternate classes). "
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Why not use handwraps when bringing up my lower classes? That's what I've been doing, so I need to know if I have to change my weapon for those "non main adv" classes...

Also, so if you master a skill, that means you can take it with you when you change classes?

Thanks for all the great monk/disciple info HratLi!!

bolt

[tramsan]

The reason is that monks also get a "weapon ability" as they level up - Unarmed Mastery. When no weapon is equipped, this ability is used as if it were a weapon. Because this ability is masterable, a level 100 monk/disciple will always have a ~L50 weapon when they change class, in the form of the mastered Unarmed Mastery ability. In other words, a monk can use an L50-equivalent weapon as level 1 of any adventure class, provided they do not use an actual weapon. Once you get past 50 with the new class, you should use a better weapon, however - such as an appropriate level hand wrap.

Skills are always carried straight over when you switch classes. Once you have a certain skill, you'll always have it. What you can master are abilities. (special attacks and similar) If an ability is masterable, once you have reached twice the level you got it at, you have mastered it and will always have it. (Non-masterable abilities will say "cannot be mastered" in the description, otherwise they are masterable.)

So if you get a masterable ability at L20, once you hit L40 you will always have it no matter which school you're in.

[HratLi]

I'll just spend a moment to restate exactly what Tramsan said.

Because of the way Monks work, if you are level 100, you get to 'keep' the level 50 unarmed ability (it's masterable), which essentially means you fight with your FISTS as if you were a level 50 monk even at level 1. If you equip handwraps, you gain parry, however you also drop your damage and attack time down to whatever the defaults are for the handwraps you are using. I highly recommend not taking our words for it, especially if you are still a med/low level monk/disciple, the difference might not be worth losing parry. Do the comparison between punching with handwraps and without for a few monsters and look at your average damage and how many attacks you get out in say 30 seconds.

Generally when levelling alternate classes you will find that being barehanded without the handwraps gives you the best damage and attack times.

-HratLi

[Kerech]

Thanks for the great thread. I spent the last couple days leveling.

After killing golems for a few levels, I found the lesser meat blights SW of Chiconis. I am now level 44 and only took a break because I need to upgrade my armor and my handwraps. Those blights are insane - attacking in waves, good loot, good xp, non-stop action

Since these are "lesser" meat blights and seem mostly level 33-36ish, is there a regular meat blight that might be a bit higher? I love fighting these things