Curse

glacialphoenix · Jul 08, 2009, 11:23 AM // 11:23

Quote:

(smiting monks invariably fail, then cause drama)

I gotta be jaded - my first thought was 'at least it's a smiting monk, not some warrior with delusions of hamray.

Quote:

Well, I usually monk when playing AB but I hardly do that for PUG groups.
Many spread all over the map and lack the skill to crush (monkless) opposing teams fast to keep pressure off me.

This is exactly it. I like to monk when playing AB, I don't PUG monk anymore because I got ridiculously sick of standing at one shrine while three people tried and failed to clean it. Give me a decent team, and we can probably take on 4v6, maybe 4v8. If the team I'm with can't kill... well, there's not much point me healing, is there...?

Lux Aeterna · Jul 08, 2009, 02:01 PM // 14:01

I usually wait around a few minutes for a decent group including a monk... often I'll just camp for 10 minutes until I find a Mo/A in party search, then go from there, because it's just not worth it going with obviously fail people. Then I'll end up staying with the same people for an hour or more sometimes, like I played with the same Kurzick monk for 4-5 hours the one day I was on that side (despite his religious use of healing breeze).

Nian · Jul 09, 2009, 07:44 AM // 07:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_jos

Well, I usually monk when playing AB but I hardly do that for PUG groups.
Many spread all over the map and lack the skill to crush (monkless) opposing teams fast to keep pressure off me.
Sure I can stay alive for a while but my energy pool is limited and stances/enchantments do end. And since most opponents jumped on me and not the other team members I'd like those team members to help me a little....

Monking for a good PUG team is really enjoyable and doesn't require much additional effort compared to other roles.
But monking for bad PUG teams is annoying at least.

Having said this, I've taken starting monks (so huge lack of skills and experience) a couple of times in balanced PUG teams and if the team is playing well this is good enough against many opposing teams.
The difference between a regular monk and a good one will only be seen under pressure. Bad monks are easily to spot and kicked fast the next round

Yeah I quit monking in AB because I couldn't scratch my nose at the same time as with ele. Aka it was chaotic at best with PUGs. Guess that's why they lack good monking and monk players play with guildies. :[
I have good reason to help out fellow monks being mobbed but it's true not a lot of people help out at all. I do because I will get hammered next if I don't.

I usually go with any (PUG)team that takes me lol. If they suck I'll do my own game. There is always a chance that the players in the other teams will make up for it. /shrug

*cough* I use healing breeze too but that's 'cause it's easy and I'm lazy. If I'm alone with a teammate dying of degen and no enemies in sight I can toss it at them too so we can carry on.

Darth The Xx · Jul 10, 2009, 04:49 AM // 04:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nian

*cough* I use healing breeze too but that's 'cause it's easy and I'm lazy. If I'm alone with a teammate dying of degen and no enemies in sight I can toss it at them too so we can carry on.

or you could just remove the source of the degen with a spell u should already have on ur bar, freeing up another skill ..... just a thought.

Nian · Jul 10, 2009, 06:44 AM // 06:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darth The Xx

or you could just remove the source of the degen with a spell u should already have on ur bar, freeing up another skill ..... just a thought.

Yes but I'm not a monk lol.

Judge Nl · Jul 10, 2009, 11:45 AM // 11:45

The problem with Healing Breeze i always found the energy cost of 10 and the fact that it doesn't work vs good spikes.

With monk, if it costs 10 energy, it better be very good.

Lux Aeterna · Jul 10, 2009, 01:10 PM // 13:10

It's good to carry a way to heal your teammates if you happen to have a slot free. I've made some quite dramatic saves, like once I raced halfway across saltspray to save my ele with Mending Touch on my hammer bar, Mtouch is great for saving teammates just as long as they don't have hex degen, also back when I was a wammo I'd save teammates from degen with healing breeze..

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_jos

I've taken starting monks (so huge lack of skills and experience) a couple of times in balanced PUG teams and if the team is playing well this is good enough against many opposing teams.
The difference between a regular monk and a good one will only be seen under pressure. Bad monks are easily to spot and kicked fast the next round

I don't mind taking a beginner monk as long as they seem intelligent and cooperative, I'll simply avoid any extremely tough or extended combat until I've gauged their skill level.

I've played with so many ab monks that I can tell how good they are, actually, after a round or two with some moderate combat. Many times it simply comes down to talent more than build - some people are good at it, some are bad, often you can tell by subtle differences in their build, but not always. Good monks are probably about as common as good warriors. The only thing that really sucks is when you get a monk who either dies right at the start of a fight, or gets killed by shrines every time, usually leading to a /kick with ignore list additions.

Bad monk: dies to shrine NPCs, doesn't stay with group, argues, logs out, flame in whisp, /ignore and temptation to make angry threads or falsely report for leeching.

Good monk: Keeps you alive under moderate pressure, nobody dies to shrines ever, demostrates proper battlefield positioning (keeps things between themself and major combat areas), we win 4v4 and in any fights where I enter expecting to win shortly.

Excellent monk: Keeps you alive during heavy, extended combat at a disadvantage while discussing gvg tactics, removes pinged conditions, removes empathy within a second of it hitting (props to Rhyme for doing this).

Darth The Xx · Jul 11, 2009, 07:20 AM // 07:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lux Aeterna

It's good to carry a way to heal your teammates if you happen to have a slot free. I've made some quite dramatic saves, like once I raced halfway across saltspray to save my ele with Mending Touch on my hammer bar, Mtouch is great for saving teammates just as long as they don't have hex degen, also back when I was a wammo I'd save teammates from degen with healing breeze..

I don't mind taking a beginner monk as long as they seem intelligent and cooperative, I'll simply avoid any extremely tough or extended combat until I've gauged their skill level.

I've played with so many ab monks that I can tell how good they are, actually, after a round or two with some moderate combat. Many times it simply comes down to talent more than build - some people are good at it, some are bad, often you can tell by subtle differences in their build, but not always. Good monks are probably about as common as good warriors. The only thing that really sucks is when you get a monk who either dies right at the start of a fight, or gets killed by shrines every time, usually leading to a /kick with ignore list additions.

Bad monk: dies to shrine NPCs, doesn't stay with group, argues, logs out, flame in whisp, /ignore and temptation to make angry threads or falsely report for leeching.

Good monk: Keeps you alive under moderate pressure, nobody dies to shrines ever, demostrates proper battlefield positioning (keeps things between themself and major combat areas), we win 4v4 and in any fights where I enter expecting to win shortly.

Excellent monk: Keeps you alive during heavy, extended combat at a disadvantage while discussing gvg tactics, removes pinged conditions, removes empathy within a second of it hitting (props to Rhyme for doing this).

Wow if your monk is letting people die at the npc shrines they really suck. The only time this has happened to me was when we were fighting at the mes a 4v4, plus the shrine npcs, but that doesnt really count. Oh also this one time I had a FC nuker in my grp with about 300hp, triple overload + backfire and he was dead before cure hex even finished its cast time

.

As for subtle differences in the builds, I'm guessing you mean something like this.

I mean come on! Everybody knows Signet of Devotion is bad

Reverend Dr · Jul 11, 2009, 10:19 PM // 22:19

Gotta have at least 6 red-bar up spells. I mean what if you run into 4 mesmers, they hum sig your elite and each get off a diversion, that's 5 skills down, you'll be glad you brought at least 6.