After about a dozen private messages asking for it, I decided to start working on a Monk guide for those interested. Since starting this game, I have played all the odd ball classes (no s/m yet) and I make it a goal of proving these classes are viable. I played Magic build wd/d back when we still had soul attack. K/p healer before we were over hauled and made too easy to play. Basically, if the combo is considered broken and bottom of the barrel, I have played it.
Introduction to the Battlemonk
After playing rom since HODL/ZS was first released, I have
never achieved end game status so now that that has been stated, lets move on
with the monk. (Disclaimer for flamers)
Battlemonks for those new to the game consist of a Priest/Warrior combo. As the combo by itself, it is very weak with little to no benefit from the warrior generals. However, unlike most combos in this game, each elite gained quickly brings the two classes together (and the
generals) to ultimately form one of the most divers combos in the game. Read the following Wiki for the majority of skill information.
http://runesofmagic.gamepedia.com/Priest…est_.2F_Warrior
Additional skill info:
Battlemonk Stance: (Level This Skill Often.)
with this stance, we go from cute little priest to full blown warrior. By lvl 90 you will gain 19.1% increase in attack power. Stack this with the Amplified (did not test if stacks or multiplies) attack at 9.6% for 28.7% attack boost. On top of this, you will also be granted 54% more armor. With this buff however, you will sacrifice up to 30% of your healing power, this includes your heals on others not a debuff to self only.
Explosion of Fighting Spirit: (Level Often)
This is your bread and butter attack. Mana based, no CD, and with your fairy out you will hit like a Mac truck (or rather with fairy it scales same as Warden Charged Chop). Mine is currently on lvl 80 but sits at 700% main hand weapon (without fairy 400%) for only 180mana a use. Once you get this 20 elite, you will now be able to melee if you choose.
Fighting Spirit Combination: (Do not level until lvl 60 elite)
Every class has that one useless elite, this is it. Do not put any points into it unless you have your lvl 60 elite and are hybrid build (more on this later).
Ascending Dragon Strike: (Not worth leveling until lvl 40+)
Explosion will bypass this in base damage once lvl 50 elite is obtained, however, this skill gives a guaranteed 20% chance to critical with fairy out, and with lvl 70 elite gives a 1 sec stun (great as interrupts on casters/healers spamming or channeling skills). Not needed for lvling, you will usually only get one off before the creatures die if that. Will be needed in later lvls though.
Power Build Up: (Level Often)
Everyone loves a weapon mastery, sure this only goes to 45% 1h and 35% staff damage increase, this may seem low, but after stating up your monk you will find that it balances out so our class is not higher in dps than the pure dps classes. Hence balancing our class and not giving an unfair advantage (mage vs warmage).
Vindictive Strike: (Never Invest in, the stun is what you need the damage scaling is horrid)
PVE…..no use, PvP awesome skill to add tothe arsenal. 5 secs of stun time allowsyou to get in 3-4 good strikes before they can even strike back, then you usePriest immunity bubble for another 5 secs. This combo will typically allow you the time to bring down the higher armor combos in the game.
Condensed Rage: (Only level if hybrid and lvl 50+)
Unless you are hybrid build this skill will not heal you much by later game (more later).
Fire Fariy:
Basically with this elite, you start to actually have dps comparable to your fellow warriors. Greatly enhances Explosion of Fighting Spirits Damage and give 20% critical chance to Ascending Dragon Strike. The fairy will also grant you and all party/raid members in range accuracy halo granting 6% increased accuracy, helping land those hits with your 1H axe more effectively.
Light Healer Fighting Spirit:
Gives Fighting Spirit Combination a self heal for striking the opponent. Seems to heal about the same equivalent number of Urgent heals, at less mana consumption. Unless your hybrid build, you will see very little benefit from this skill.
Violent Kick:
No, you do not kick your opponent, we leave that to the rogue/priests. This elite will add a 1 sec stun to your ascending dragon strike with slow effect, making it easier to catch those sprinters.
Role of the Battlemonk: (DPS or Healer, or Both?)
DPS Monk:
Monks as a dps class provide a steady stream of damage whether it is trash mobs or boss. In relations to other melee classes we provided a high steady damage output, but have no burst rotation (out side berserk). For boss burns, you will find monks in hard mode instance non existent, not because of not being viable, but rather classes like w/s can burst for SO much more dps that it shadows most melee dps classes during that 30 second window.
Gear: For dps monks you will focus nearly all your effort into the Hybrid cloth that stats phys attack. You will additionaly stat all pieces of your gear as Sta/phy att with one dex/phy att (accuracy) for every 3 pieces and one wisdom/phy att for every 2-3 pieces (depends on current mana levels being less than 20k). Basically, we get 28%+ increase in our attack power all the time, so make the most use of it. We also gets lots of hp increase, ultimately you will hit hard and take hard hits. For weapons use Axe prefered, but in later content if you find your self missing too often swap to 1h hammer. This has to do with 1h axe skill being lower than 1h hammers.
Healer Monk:
As name Implies, the only difficulty here is that unlike p/s or p/k we do not gain any benifits to our role as healer. meaning, you will be decent healer, but you will need to work harder as healer than other priest combos. You will also not be using battlemonk stance while healing for obvious reasons meaning you will be softer.
Healer Guide by Borella:
Borella's Comprehensive Guide to a Healing Priest
Hybrid Monk: This is a very tricky category. Basically you choose what is right for your play style. You could throw in hybrid shield and 1h axe/hammer and go full dps build. Or go mostly healer stated to do some melee damage when solo questing. This class of monk is NOT well party oriented for later content. You will need to choose a role. For duoing lower instance you will find this category enjoyable to play but that is about as far as you want to go. Do not hold up your party in later content trying to fill several roles at once. We are only viable in one role at a time unless you can gear swap (healer gear is cheap and healer staff, makes easy swap gear to make).
Gear: Mostly combination of healer gear with melee stating of all sta/phyatt. Hybrid weapons and shield. Have yet to find an easy to obtain set like the sacred heart accessory set from RT in the later content (phy att/heal increase), then again have not spent much time looking.
For more in depth gearing guide.....Will not provide one. Simply the monk is not a cookie cutter class combo. Build him and work with him through trial and error until you find the right balance for you.
Stats:
Things to keep in mind, WE ARE PRIESTS, NOT WARRIORS. This means stats effect us significantly different. See the following link.
http://runesofmagic.gamepedia.com/Attributes
As you can see, do not stat any str, its a wasted stat. We only gain 0.8 phy att per str. With percent based boosters as monk that comes out to only 1 phy att per str (off the top with no calculations it will be a 15-20% boost attack power at great hp loss). Unless your absolutely desperate for that small amount of attack power increase, the stat is best replaced by sta. Never stack Int, unless your trying to go matt/phy att staff wielding monk, which I can not vouch for.
Stat Priority will be Sta/phyatt>Wis/phyatt>Dex/phyatt. Typical I want all to be sta/phyatt with maybe 1 wisdom/phyatt or 1 dex/phyatt per piece. You may even throw in Deff/phyatt if need be. Do note, when I state Sta/phy attack I am including HP/phyatt. Both are equal for the most part on the larger scale.
See shadows gear pics. Str/phy att is optional, I personally prefer sta/phy att.
Priest/warrior guide plz?
Phantom Aggro:
I have noticed this weird phenomena that monks seem to have phantom aggro. Example, a wl/ch (no aggro debuff and not using aggro debuff elite) i run with hold 66% of the dps yet without aggro rune i hold the aggro. This requires more testing but putting it out there in case other monks have also noticed this problem/benefit. Also note, I am providing no heals party wide only self heals, and not that much.
Soul
For Questions, Comments, and more see
BattleMonk Guide (Questions) for more information.
Multi Class Discussion »
Priest/Warrior (Battlemonk) just average or not viable?
(Mar 22nd 2016, 10:41pm)
