Curse

Derv_With_Attitude · Oct 26, 2010, 09:21 PM // 21:21

Hello all I would like suggestions on the right equipment for this Derv build. I have been playing gw for 7 months now and someone gave me this build. The build does 100+ damage and I like this build alot. The problem is my equipment I am over taxing the monks and I shouldn't be doing that. So if you all can give me suggestions on what runes and insignias I should run for a little more survivability would be appreciated. My equipment and skills are as follows.

Brawler's Primeval Hood of Major Scythe Mastery
Brawler's Primeval Robes of Superior Vigor
Brawler's Primeval Vambracers of Attunement
Brawler's Primeval Leggings of Attunement
Brawler's Primeval Shoes of Attunement

Weapons
Hand of the Forgotten
Droknar's Reaper

Attributes
Scythe Mastery 11+2
Earth Prayers 10
Mysticism 10

Skill Set
Asuran Scan
Radiant Scythe
Victorious Sweep
Mystic Sweep
Vow of Strength
Aura of Holy Might
Mystic Regeneration
Faithful Intervention

Thank you all in advance for your help.

**Marty Silverblade** · Oct 27, 2010, 07:16 AM // 07:16

Your equipment seems fine. Windwalker insignia would generally be a better choice for a Dervish as you'll match Brawlers at 2 enchants and potentially double it at 4 (which is definitely doable). The other thing with Brawlers is that the 'while attacking' clause is very literal. If you're running up to/after a foe you don't get the +AL. This is problematic as foes tend to use their biggest damage spells at the start, i.e, when you won't be in melee range.

Lourens · Oct 27, 2010, 08:28 AM // 08:28

I suggest going for survivor insignias .. lots of armor ignoring damage out there

fr.aodhan · Oct 27, 2010, 11:12 AM // 11:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derv_With_Attitude

The problem is my equipment I am over taxing the monks and I shouldn't be doing that.

Then you're probably not being properly protected. I know you are asking specifically about equipment, but the skills you (or your H/H) use are of more concern here. Nobody I know relies primarily on their equipment for defense - I can waltz into battle with full Radiant and Attunement and not have any problems.

You might want to consider, for instance, switching out Faithful Intervention, the benefit of which you'll only see when you drop below 50%, for a defensive Earth Prayers skill which is always on. For instance, Conviction will give you +24 armor and a 50% chance to block for 27 seconds. The other Earth Prayers I'd traditionally point you to tend to inflict conditions, so they're obviously out.

Out of curiosity, are these human monks who are complaining or AI monks which are running out of mana?

AndroBubbles · Oct 27, 2010, 11:21 AM // 11:21

I go with Windwalkers.

Tripolityx · Oct 27, 2010, 12:02 PM // 12:02

Trip says Windwalker

Dastion · Oct 27, 2010, 03:22 PM // 15:22

What I do for solo play is run Windwalker's Insignias and keep Vekk around as an ER/Prot build. He never runs out of energy and feeds me a good supply of enchants.

Derv_With_Attitude · Oct 27, 2010, 08:09 PM // 20:09

Its the human monks when I run with a team that complain. My hero monks do fine in healing me and they don't have a problem with energy. But I think I shall go with Windwalkers insignias and switch out faithful intervention for conviction and see how that goes.

Cuilan · Oct 27, 2010, 09:07 PM // 21:07

Vow of Piety would give armor and is a stance for allowing to you keep attacking/moving. Conviction would likely be strong enough to be your single and only self preservation skill. Armor of Sanctity if your group is condition heavy. Those skills prevent damage and I'd try to stick to one skill whenever possible so you can keep the damage up.

Mystic Regeneration and Faithful Intervention are worthless.

For playing with human healers/damage mitigators...I'd suggest finding what works best so you can make yourself confident and well spoken enough to explain why Protective Spirit (or whatever) is great. If you're playing with heroes, look up non-monk Ether Renewal or necromancer builds in the hero sub-forum.

Dastion · Oct 27, 2010, 10:18 PM // 22:18

Just a warning, I only recently started playing again so the below advise could very well be out dated or just plain bad

I'm not a fan of VoStr because conditions are too prevalent. Even my solo play involves a Minion Bomber so AoE poison prevents it. Try something like this:

Avatar of Lyssa(E)
Mystic Sweep (Possibly Zealous Scythe)
Radiant Scythe
Asuran Scan
AoHM
Heart of Fury
Eternal Aura
Conviction

Eternal Aura will let you maintain AoL, HoF, and even Conviction. Radiant Scythe builds more damage from AoL's bonus energy. HoF let's you attack faster (you need an IAS) therefore triggering AoL's bonus damage. Use conviction when you are taking heat. Possibly replace Mystic Sweep with Zealous Scythe to help with energy regain if necessary. But at least one of your monk's should be using protective spirit and such on you which will help with incoming damage and give you a bit of energy back.

Cuilan · Oct 27, 2010, 10:53 PM // 22:53

Vow of Strength doesn't just suffer from really bad synergy with human groups or a poorly set up h/h team, but energy. Radiant Scythe shouldn't even be there. Avatar builds also have pretty poor energy management and that includes the build posted above.

Bandwagon · Oct 28, 2010, 11:57 PM // 23:57

If your not in a hero grp that spams enchants on you as a physical, your doin it wrong.

Windwalkers will easily surpass +40 HP if you have a good hero set up (orders / Str+Honor / your own enchants / prots)

Furthermore, if you need build help, Zealous Vow > everything else at the moment (IDGFA if its' boring, the dervish doesn't have much of a dynamic or useful 'rotation' of attacks to effectively work off of anyway)

-Makai- · Oct 29, 2010, 10:22 AM // 10:22

Go Blessed or Windwalkers, as others have suggested. Keep in mind that if you prefer HM, prot spirit will make your insignia choices insignificant.

Dastion · Oct 29, 2010, 02:49 PM // 14:49

I think just incorporating Conviction into your build should be plenty. Keep in mind that the issue isn't necessarily you, but could just be your healers needing to adjust their builds. As it's been said already, if your Monks are using Protective Spirit then there is little that adding extra armor can do. If they are not using protective spirit.. Well, there yah go.

Derv_With_Attitude · Oct 30, 2010, 05:32 AM // 05:32

I found out that I had to go with Wind Walkers due to the fact that none of the human monks I ran with in HM use Protect spirit. I even left the build the way it was and found out that I survived a lot longer than my team and was able to in fact save one of our monks. Just a quick question though if I put conviction in there with wind walkers, will it add armor or do nothing? Also if I used my hb protect hero monk I know I wouldn't get the benefit from it.

**Marty Silverblade** · Oct 30, 2010, 05:39 AM // 05:39

1) You had multiple human Monks and not one of them found a spot for Prot Spirit? I'd kick them for heroes, tbh.
2) Conviction will work with Windwalkers. +AL from skills cannot surpass +25 (though single skills that grant more than 25AL will provide the full amount). +AL from insignia/weapons/equipment will stack without limit.

Derv_With_Attitude · Oct 30, 2010, 09:03 AM // 09:03

Lol Marty. I wished it was my group but it was someone elses and he thought he knew better and he learned a valuable lesson. I know I may be 7 months old in gw, but I do know a thing or two about survivability. I try to build my chars to survive now granted sometimes I get the equipment and skills wrong which I pay dearly for but that is what trial and error is for. When questing on my own I run a UA healing monk and an HB protect monk. Sometimes I run with a mm, mes, and a sos rit all heroes then I fill the spot with two fighters and then henchie healer and protector. So basically I adapt or try to adapt accordingly to where ever I am.

**Marty Silverblade** · Oct 31, 2010, 01:06 AM // 01:06

Honestly all you should need is the two Monk henchies. Burning one hero slot, let alone two, on dedicated backliners is a waste. ER Eles are an exception because they're so ridiculously overpowered. Hero slots are best used for midline roles that cannot be emulated with henchies. Things like bringing Strength and Honor, Splinter Weapon, Minion Bomber stuff, spirit walls (SoS/ST/SoGM) microable Prot Spirit/Shield of Absorption, etc. Your MB/Mes/SoS is a much better choice than your UA/HB/whatever.

Derv_With_Attitude · Oct 31, 2010, 07:54 PM // 19:54

Hey all I have another question. I just saw a derv with 2k life and he said he was a imba now I was wondering how in the world is this possible also how would someone do damage with a imba derv if it is even possible to build one? I would like your thoughts on this thanks.

Dastion · Nov 01, 2010, 12:45 AM // 00:45

"Imba" is a general term used to describe something overpowered or, unbalanced ("imba"lanced).

He was probably using health boosting enchants combined with the ranger spirit Symbiosis, which grants health for each Enchantment (up to 150 per). So 5 enchants would give him+750 life alone, more if they are things like Vital Boon.