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Cantos
15-05-2005, 09:33
Hi!

I have been playing a Healing Monk all the way through the missions and I would like to share advice on the mysterious tertiary attribute! If you make a Monk, you can do two attributes at 12, or three attributes at 10, 10 and 11. I really like the idea of the extra versatility, so I went for three attributes. Healing at 11, Divine Favor at 10, and the Elementalist's Earth at 10 for my tertiary.

Here is some useful information based on my experience with Earth magic.

Ward Against Melee
This spell creates a big glowy circle on the ground that gives all your allies in it a 50% chance to block melee attacks. This is very helpful to take along when you know you are going to be hit by a lot of melee attackers. The radius is large enough to keep all your casters and ranged characters a lot safer against the melee types that rush the weak chars in the back. This isnt too useful in PvP, where damage taken tends to be of all types at once.

Ward Against Elements
This spell gives armor against elemental damage for anyone in the big glowy circle. I found this spell very useful in the Crystal desert when going up against Hydras and Sand Drakes. I dont find it very useful in PvP. Neither of these wards can be kept up 100% of the time because they last shorter than their recharge times.

Armor of Earth
This gives a big boost to your armor (48 at level 10!) at a cost to your runwalk speed. I dont find this terribly useful for PvE, but for PvP this can get you tanking heaps of damage. This is just the thing to keep yourself alive when the other team is focus firing on you.

Eruption, Earthquake, Aftershock
These spells pretty much perform the same function. AoE damage for when you went back to Piken Square because you missed a quest, or for helping a lower level buddy. Dont take these spells along when you are trying to be a healer, because you will just get tempted to burn all your mana on damage. Especially so for Earthquake, which causes exhaustion!

There are a lot of utility spells in Earth, and that is what I mainly focus on. So that is what I do, but what about you? What did you do with that third attribute, or do you prefer to just do a straight 12/12 on Heal and Divine?

Diast
15-05-2005, 09:47
I did earth magic for a while, but found myself going with Protection prayers as my 3rd attribute after a long time. I am a way more effective healer with Protection prayers + Dev favor and healing prayers. You get Aegis, reversal of fortune, Guardian, and Mark of Protection.

SojakFA
15-05-2005, 21:18
I use Ward Against Melee extensively. It's great for when your group gets swarmed by melee guys!

Taxus Baccata
16-05-2005, 12:21
Monk/Necro - Divine Favour/Healing Prayers/Blood Magic.

The Blood Magic gives me limited attack potential, basically I can defend myself for long enough to request assistance.

What do you think about going for 4 attributes ? Somthing like 5, 10, 10, 10 ?

I see this as useful for my Mesmer to put 5 into Fast Casting, then 10 Domination, 10 Illusion, 10, Inspiration. Do you thnk that this is spreading it a bit too thin ?

Daruma Sureshot
16-05-2005, 16:36
Monk/Necro - Divine Favour/Healing Prayers/Blood Magic.

The Blood Magic gives me limited attack potential, basically I can defend myself for long enough to request assistance.

What do you think about going for 4 attributes ? Somthing like 5, 10, 10, 10 ?

I see this as useful for my Mesmer to put 5 into Fast Casting, then 10 Domination, 10 Illusion, 10, Inspiration. Do you thnk that this is spreading it a bit too thin ?

I'm actually going that route with my Mnk/Nec.

10 Divine Favor
10 Healing Prayers
10 Blood Magic
5 Curses.

I feel that what I'm gaining by being able to put a couple nice Curses on the target(s), is outweighed by the really little bit in healing ability I'm losing.

But that's just me, I'm a NoOb big time... and may very well learn the error of my ways.

But it's DARNED fun and effective in PvE I can tell you that :)

Take care,
Balthas Soulstorm, Mnk/Nec
Proud Member Of
Odin's Hammer

SidewinderX
16-05-2005, 18:22
Ward of Melee and Earth armor are a MUST to have in PvP imho.

Drop them both and watch that Tank pull out his hair trying to get you down.

I use to do the kiteing thing, not any more. I drop those two baby's and carry on healing. What takes this combo to INSANE levels is, if you have another monk that lands a Healing Seed on you.

gandalfrockman
16-05-2005, 18:59
Mnk/Ranger here!
I suggest wilderness survival or marksmanship.
You can have a lot of fun with traps later in the game once you have some good ones unlocked. Since your a monk your in the back behind everyone, pretty well protected. so why not lay down a few traps, then fall back to your base? the enemy team usually rushes straight ahead thinking they are managing to push you back. THEN they hit the traps, and while they are burning/slowed/poisoined/crippled/etc you jump them and rip them apart more easily than before.