Curse

gerg-nad · Jan 28, 2008, 03:22 PM // 15:22

I have a monk suggestion that I think many folks that play a OF tank team build, used in many places such as Slaver's, should take to heart. First off, even though they have nerfed the skill time, from 8 seconds to now 4-5 seconds depending on your level of Sunspear, Seed of Life should be taken. Also monks should be using an enchantment extension weapon, Enchantments last 20% longer.

Two monks that are often used are an HB and a Bonder. The typical Bonder is the following:
Protection: 12 + 1 + 3 Divine Favor: 12 + 1
[skill]Zealous Benediction[/skill][skill]protective spirit[/skill][skill]blessed signet[/skill][skill]vital blessing[/skill][skill]life bond[/skill][skill]balthazar's spirit[/skill][skill]rebirth[/skill]

And I propose a one skill change for the HB monk that will make a large difference from the typical build. Often either Holy Haste or some other skill is brought, but I suggest having the HB monk bring Life Bond as well.

Healing: 12 + 1 + 3 Divine Favor: 12 + 1
[skill]Healer's Boon[/skill][skill]Dwayna's Kiss[/skill][skill]ethereal light[/skill][skill]heal party[/skill][skill]glyph of lesser energy[/skill][skill]life bond[/skill][skill]rebirth[/skill]

This Life Bond on the HB monk serves two purposes, primarily benefiting the monks, but it willl take cooperation of the monks. So the the bonder monks typically puts all three bonds on the tank, vital blessing, life bond, and balthazar's spirit. In addition, the bonder should put balthazar's spirit on themselves, which I am not sure inexperience bonder know to do. As, putting balthazar spirit on themselves will give them energy everytime the tank is hit, since a little damage is passed on to the bonder through Life Bond which will trigger Balthazar's Spirit.

Well similar to this energy gain method, the HB monk will put Life Bond on the tank and the Bonder Monk then should put Balthazar's Spirit on the HB monk. So you may ask why not just use Essence Bond for the HB monk, and here is why, since both monks have Life Bond, Seed of Life will trigger through the bonds. In that way the monks can cast Seed of Life on each other which will trigger Seed of Life to work, healing the whole party. That way the monks do not have to be close to the tank to heal and it will heal the whole party in addition to the tank, this is especially true for the bonder monk, who can help with the healing by putting Seed of Life on the HB monk.

(The higher protection Life Bond takes precidence, so the tank will get the full benefit of the bonders high protection, but LB are not stackable.)
Bonder Monk Bond Target:
Tank: Vital Blessing, Life Bond, Balthazar's Spirit
Bonder Monk: Balthazar's Spirit
HB Monk: Balthazar's Spirit

HB Monk Bond Target:
Tank: Life Bond

The optimum way to do this is to have an understanding which monk goes first with Seed of Life, and then to alternate trying to avoid having it up simultaneously so to maximize the time it is up all the time. Swapping it on each other, the monks can tell when its up and when its down because it was put on them. When, Seed of Life, was at 8 seconds, with an enchantment extensions weapon (1.2*8=10),(and Divine Blessing on one monk), you could keep this up allmost all the time with two monks. Now with the nerf to 4-5 seconds, 1.2*5=6, you can cover about 1/2 the recharge time of the seed of life skill, but that is still very good. The only thing to watch out for is when the bonds are stripped it will not obviously work as intended, and for toucher (life draining skill), as this is not triggered as damage, so seed of life will not heal regardless of the whether applied through bonds or directly. So for Restless Dead direct healing skills are necessary, such as Dwayna's Kiss, and the key here is to rubber band cast this so that you avoid breaking aggro (or having the restless shadowstep to you).

So with this one skill change of the typical HB build and applying the tactics described, it can have a huge impact on the success, aggro risk, energy management, and work of the monks. Having Life Bond on the HB monk provided 3 major opportunites.
1. With Balthazar's Spirit on the Monk it will provide energy
2. Will allow swaping of Seed of Life on each monk, maximizing time applied
3. Minimizes need to be near tank so avoids breaking aggro

I know many folks know this already, so it may be nothing new, but I know many folks in my guild that have played monks have not bonded much nor played much in OF Tank teams.

Kela Ven Tori · Jan 28, 2008, 03:49 PM // 15:49

HB healing monk with a protection attribute res (rebirth)? Might wanna try Res Chant to be more effective. Better still, let the mid-line casters bring res and let the monks do the monking.

BLOODGOAT · Jan 28, 2008, 03:51 PM // 15:51

HB monk with Restore Life could rez mid-line in 2 seconds flat even though it's risky. Pre-SoL maybe?

gerg-nad · Jan 28, 2008, 03:57 PM // 15:57

Rez's are always dependent on the situation and RezChant 1/2 range can be a problem, but thanks for your comments. Primary reason for bringing rebirth is to pull folks out of a group, at the cost of energy of the monk and health and energy of the rebirthed.

Also since there are Shrines in Slavers, generally only the monks and Ranger/Rit bring rez's. For areas that do not have Shrines, such as DOA, everyone brings an appropriate Rez. And sometimes the type is critical, especially if you have a 1HP BIP on your team.

afya · Jan 28, 2008, 04:15 PM // 16:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerg-nad

Rez's are always dependent on the situation and RezChant 1/2 range can be a problem, but thanks for your comments. Primary reason for bringing rebirth is to pull folks out of a group, at the cost of energy of the monk and health and energy of the rebirthed.

Also since there are Shrines in Slavers, generally only the monks and Ranger/Rit bring rez's. For areas that do not have Shrines, such as DOA, everyone brings an appropriate Rez. And sometimes the type is critical, especially if you have a 1HP BIP on your team.

True, rebirth is really worth to bring for pulling teammates out after a partly wipe. Energy wouldn't be a big problem as you can use some kind of focus swaping or getting BR/BIP or so.
If ever need to rez in a battle, R/Rt can use flesh of my flesh or the deathpact.
Thanks to the shrines in slaver and consumables, rez wouldn't be a big problem there.

gerg-nad · Jan 28, 2008, 04:24 PM // 16:24

Not sure why this became a discussion of Rezes, that was not really the point of the thread, but thanks for the reading the thread and your comments.

Mark Nevermiss · Jan 28, 2008, 05:10 PM // 17:10

I think its a good idea. The prot monk thus doesn't need to run towards the tank to cast HIS seed of life which minimizes aggro leak.
And by maintaining BS on the HB monk who is maintaining Life bond on him, the prot monk helps the HB monk energy too.
Well thought in theory.