Monk...

[evilkarl]

I have been training in monk of late, In addition to spirit disciple. Its nice having UAM 19 at level 20 and all my chains.

My training in warrior has greatly increased by str with t5 buffs I can top out over 1200 and I am not teched up for strength at all. My increased strength has lead to much better damage If i use power style and natures fury I do between 80-140 on a normal punch to a 99 emerald golem. With chains at times exceeding the 200+. I am loving the speed of attacks again but hating the missing often even with 300 tps my unarmed is 1120..Part of the reason I have opted for monk.

It has proven to me the lack of strength is our biggest downfall when it comes to dealing damage

[Zarcharien]

Hello evilkarl. First I wanted to thank you for all this information on the spirit disciple and general monk class. I was wondering if you might be able to answer a few questions for me to help with the spirit disciple class.

I have a close family member who has recently returned to the game. She is now a 52 lvl spirit disciple (rating 53)and she really loves the monk class, oh and she is also a lvl 40 something tailor I think. However, she is really becoming depressed because literally everything she fights even remotley close to her lvl (40-50's) is killing her or giving her a really rough time, and the trophy quests she gets (51-55) is well out of here league atm ( I think AE might reconisder the trophy quest as it seems to be difficult,for many classes to fight things their lvl or higher, but thats another story). She has spent all of her training points in evasion and unarmed skills.But shealso does not have very good armor (non-teched), and mismatched silver jewlery on.

So ..as a welcome back to Istaria party, we are going to help her get to lvl 55 spirit disciple so she can wear the next tier in armor (I believe it is hardned leather?). And a current full set of updated jelewery ( I believe that would be gold?). And finally a nice teched set of paddedhandwraps.But I'm not forsure what we should double tech the armor, jewlery and padded handwrapswith that would help her the most. Can you please give some advice on this? Anything at this point would be very helpful and appreciated atm. I really would not like to see her leave the game due to these issues. Thanks in advance.

[evilkarl]

Monks have always had it rough, more so since the merge I am told. When hunting solo she would be best to hunt below her level and avoid spiders/guroks/wolves and if she doesn't have mage buffs golems. She can try beetles but the hardened shell phase is rough without heals. As you can see we are really limited in what we can hunt.

As to the techs I would say health jewelery with armour and strength or unarmed. For the armour again armour strength and unarmed. Our lack of strength hurts us a great deal and it does need to be supplimented.

If anyone else has suggestions please make them :)

[Zarcharien]

Once again, thanks for the information. My only question left is, what about the handwraps. I know next to nothing as to what the do to help a monk in battle. Do you tech them, and if so would having them equipped with a certain crystal be beneficial? I heard someone speak of them helping to parry or something.

[evilkarl]

I would say Parry and a socket. Put a level 55 WD crystal in the handwraps if you can.
Or Parry and Unarmed.

If she hasn't already suggest she takes warrior to level 2 for the parry ability

[HratLi]

Woot! Welcome!

I second everything Karl has said.

For armour, having the MOST current Armour with Armour teched and UA or STRREALLY makes a difference. Armour III on ALL pieces of armour, UA and Str on the rest.

By around 55 they will be able to start relying on their spells, Pull with Paroxysm, and hunt below your level when solo. Frustrating if you are trying for tokens, but survivable, and not at all bad xp for a monk. Healing will REALLY help to cut down time.

For Jewelry Go with Health Jewelry, teched with Armour. And add UA or STR as you can, UA if you have problems hitting, and STR (I am leaning more this way since my TP's go into UA and I have NO problem hitting). Gold can be double teched. Once they get to 58 they can wear all the Gold health I think. If she has an Ashthorn amulet, she can have a completed set of jewelry at 56.

For the Handwraps, if she can wear a current version of the handwrap, get Parry put in, and probably a socket. Perhaps an elemental damage or pulsing crystal. The damage they save on a single hit parried makes a LOT of difference since we take so much damage. Also since it' based on UA to parry, and how long combats go for monks, you may parry several hits in an encounter. It beats out the double teched bag/tool benefits in my experience. Don't forget to get to a level 2 warrior for parry ability.

Having the most current teched out items will boost the survivability in encounters by about 2 levels. Getting new armour every 10 levels is hard though, but it's the price you pay.
-HratLi

[Zarcharien]

I just wanted to come back and thank all of you for such good advice!

-We helped here lvl up to lvl 55 so she could use the handwraps, armor and jewlery (although 48 lvl is the req's for the jewlery).
-We made a full set of hardned leather armor (tech'd with armorIII, unarmedIII, strIII and a socket in the helm, very nice purple color dye too :)).
-The jewlery was a full set of gold focus jewlery tech's with armorIII, unarmedIII, strIII and healthIII.
-The handwraps were hardend leather handwraps with unarmedIII and strIII (I wanted a socket, but the tailor told me this couldn't be done, I'm still not for sure why, but I'll look into getting a socketed set later to put a nice crystal in)
-We hd here spend all her training points inunarmed and evasion.

I can tell you it made a huge difference! Afterwards she was able to fight mobs her lvl fairly easy, although some battles were very close, but a mojor improvement none the less. And these mobs were gold golems, and winter wolves which are not easy for any class to overcome, but she faired a lot better in battle!

Now we are looking into making sure she has the latest spells and abilities that she can use, then I'm sure she will be a formidable foe indeed for many mobs. She may not be a solo tanker like paladins and reavers, but I have no doubt that she will hold her own in battle now as solo or in a group. Thanks again everyone!

[evilkarl]

Generally it is tailors who make handwraps. Its possible the tailor/outfitter you spoke to did not have the weapon socketing tech as that is what is required for a socket in handwraps.

I would also recommed the 2 levels of warrior for the parry abilitiy an extra chance at damage avoidance is always a good thing.

[evilkarl]

Well I got to 91 monk so i got my new armour made and I gotta say its nice, The craft order can be seen Here

I also took half my training points out of evasion So I now have 300 Health, 300 Evasion, 600 Unarmed.

With that plus disciple unarmed I have 1440ish unarmed when I finish monk (+80 unarmed) i'll have over 1500. I need to get me some unarmed jewlery made up next I think.

I was able to buff up to 1666 str last night (100 Warrior, a few str V techs, steal str II, half giant brawn, enhance/gift V and surge V)

Damage with that str is not too bad, Special attack Master is great for chain attacks and multi.

I also managed an 820 crit on a purple necrofly yesturday which surprised the hell out of me, this was before the new armour (flame attack II, guardians force, power style, natures fury,. steal str, half giant brawn, blue stance NO boar rage)