Curse

Khasar · Jan 15, 2008, 04:57 PM // 16:57

So I'm not new to GW but made my first Monk a few weeks ago and I'd like to hear your opinions on key binds. What do you think is the best way to set up your binds and stuff so that you can heal as fast as possible and not have to waste time looking for skills and switching targets?

At the moment I just am putting the skills I use most in slots 1-4 and then putting the skills I only use occasionally or in certain circumstances in slots 5-8 and am using my mouse to click red bars and people. Its been working pretty good so far because I can reach numbers 1-5 pretty easily with my hand but I'd like to hear if there are any faster ways of switching between party members and reaching skills.

thx in advance.

Ulv · Jan 15, 2008, 05:02 PM // 17:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mokone

note the word "can". many people spec into tactics with having R7/8/9 max tacs shields, so they get the full AL.

As monk that's only good when you go Mo/W with those defensive skills.
Buf if you are Mo/Me let's say, it will only provide 8+10, that's what most ppl run anyway.

Ulv

Arkantos · Jan 15, 2008, 05:06 PM // 17:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ulv

I'm sorry to inform you but your information about shields is half correct.
You say:

The 16 base armor is only applied when you meet the requirements of the shield.
I quote wiki:

Say you have a shield AL 16 (req 9 Tactics), +30 Health, +10 AL vs Fire.
Your monk will receive the +10 vs Fire and +30 health perfectly, but the 16 AL will only be half, so 8 AL, which gives your monk about 18 AL extra.

For the rest, I like the guide, I just read it quickly but overall it looks good.
GJ to you, and keep up the good work.

Ulv

He's fully correct. He said a shield can add up to +26 armor. He never said you'd always get +26 armor. If he said a shield will add up to +26 armor, he'd be wrong. But he said can, so he's correct.

Div · Jan 15, 2008, 11:09 PM // 23:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khasar

So I'm not new to GW but made my first Monk a few weeks ago and I'd like to hear your opinions on key binds. What do you think is the best way to set up your binds and stuff so that you can heal as fast as possible and not have to waste time looking for skills and switching targets?

At the moment I just am putting the skills I use most in slots 1-4 and then putting the skills I only use occasionally or in certain circumstances in slots 5-8 and am using my mouse to click red bars and people. Its been working pretty good so far because I can reach numbers 1-5 pretty easily with my hand but I'd like to hear if there are any faster ways of switching between party members and reaching skills.

thx in advance.

I use 1,2,3,4,5,t,f,v for my 8 skills. I either click the person or their red bar to target them.

Generally, in a standard bar, I'll put a small prot (or gift) on 1, RoF on 2, Elite on 3, Hex removal on 4, Condi removal on 5, big prot on 6, and utility skills (guardian, aegis, gole) on 7/8.

For me, 2 and 3 are the fastest buttons to hit (between 1-5), so I want my "oshit" skill and my main skill on those buttons. I can also hit t pretty quickly, so my big prot that'll soak up most of the damage is on there. The rest are just my own preferences.

xDusT II · Jan 16, 2008, 01:51 AM // 01:51

I've settled on a q,e,r,t,f,g,v,b setup for skills 1-8 respectfully. I've also got the skill bar set up vertically so it's easier to picture skill's 3-8 as r,t,f,g,v,b on the keyboard. I seem to be able to hit F faster than any other key so that's usually Prot Spirit or Spirit Bond, G I've usually left to Guardian/SoA, V and B are generally Dismiss and Aegis or GoLE and Aegis, Q E and R are generally my spot heals or spells I'll be casting alot, with the ones with least preference (Usually Sig of Reju or Gift of Health on R. Finally I've left T to hex removal considering I find T the hardest key to hit. I've also set 1-4 as my weapon sets.

My main problem with having skills on the number keys is that if your on Vent/TS, and your push to talk key is left shift, if you try talking and using a skill your chat window will pop up as your hitting the hotkeys for the different chat windows (!@#$ etc) and so far I've found no way to disable this.

Khasar · Jan 16, 2008, 05:41 PM // 17:41

Ok thx for the replies guys. When I get on next I'll have to try some of these setups out when I get on next.

KalleDamos · Jan 21, 2008, 08:15 PM // 20:15

Is it okay to reply on stickies? I'm not overly sure, but I'm going to post anyways. Overrall a very good guide but you forgot a part of monking that is important as well. No Smiting! I'm sure the new players would see smiting and would like to look into it. I think there should be some sort of talk about it at the very least. Some suggestions, of any size, would benifit new players. While smiting in general is not very popular I think you should include it in your "Ultimate" guide. Can't really be "Ultimate" if you left something out.

Arkantos · Jan 21, 2008, 08:45 PM // 20:45

This is more of a how to be an effective support monk, not how to run a crappy skill line that's only useful in gimmicks/fighting undead.

RhanoctJocosa · Jan 21, 2008, 08:51 PM // 20:51

I have a good monk guide too: make red bars go up

KalleDamos · Jan 21, 2008, 09:19 PM // 21:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arkantos

This is more of a how to be an effective support monk, not how to run a crappy skill line that's only useful in gimmicks/fighting undead.

First, you have no reason to be rude and hostle. Second it wpould benifit new monks who want to know something about smiting. Would you not rather try to give them some sort of unbiased opinion rather than having them know it 'just sucks, never use it, ever'. Including smiting would be useful to the guide, and just cause you don't like it does not mean it should not be included. Guides need to be as unbiased as possible.

Arkantos · Jan 21, 2008, 09:37 PM // 21:37

I wasn't being rude, I said smiting sucks.

But as I said, this is a guide to play a support monk, not an offensive monk. Including smiting to a guide on how to play a support monk isn't going to improve this guide. If you want, feel free to make a guide on how to play a smite monk, but this guide will remain the same unless divine plans on adding smiting, which I doubt he will.

Div · Jan 22, 2008, 12:27 AM // 00:27

Actually I'll add smiting to the guide

Because it's not worth putting it in the main post...

Section 7: Smiting.

If you like to do damage, you can go smiting as well. However, be wary that the damage is outright pathetic compared to any other class unless you're fighting undead. Even then, all you really need is judge's insight, and you can easily put that on a rit hero or something. So basically, if you want to do damage, make a warrior, ranger, elementalist, necromancer, paragon, dervish, assassin, ritualist, or EVEN A MESMER.

That was about as unbiased as I could be about a pile of trash attribute line

KalleDamos · Jan 22, 2008, 01:17 AM // 01:17

Why do I even bother with you lot?

Div · Jan 22, 2008, 05:55 AM // 05:55

As Arkantos said, if you want to make a guide called "How to be a shitty monk" be my guest. But my guide is for helping current support monks become better, not how to become a shitty monk.

horseradish · Jan 22, 2008, 06:12 AM // 06:12

A monk specializing in Healing and Protection prayers contributes more to the group than the pitiful damage output from a Smiting monk. Smite monks aren't all too common outside of farming, and this is a guide on how to be the most effective monk one can be.

Sab · Jan 22, 2008, 06:25 AM // 06:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by KalleDamos

Guides need to be as unbiased as possible.

"Smiting sucks" is a fact, not an opinion.

Seraphim of Chaos · Jan 22, 2008, 06:53 AM // 06:53

Arcane Echo, Balth's Aura, Defender's Zeal!!!!!

Khasar · Jan 22, 2008, 05:16 PM // 17:16

I think a good way to sum up monks is: Any proffession at all can do more damage than a monk but no proffession can keep their party alive as well.

When you look at it that way no one in their right mind goes smiting.

Although I kind of do agree it should be a short section in the guide since this is after all "The Ultimate Monk Guide" and not "The Ultimate Support Monk Guide".

horseradish · Jan 22, 2008, 10:05 PM // 22:05

If the DD skills in the Smiting line becomes viable and effective, then all you're gonna see are "Smiteway" or "Monkspike" in GvGs, and heal/proto monks in PvE would diminish.

No profession can, and should, be good at everything.

Asrial · Jan 22, 2008, 11:21 PM // 23:21

Add me to the group that thinks it interesting that the ULTIMATE Monk Guide doesn't discuss all nuances of being a monk.

As to the keybind setup...

I use the arrow keys for movement and so this is a setup I found that works good (for me):

1 = delete (spirit bond)
2 = end (gift of health)
3 = page down (guardian)
4 = ctrl (restore condition)
5 = num 0 (holy veil (or cure hex))
6 = side mouse button (reversal of fortune)
7 = 7 (glyph of lesser energy)
8 = 8 (aegis)

I manually click 7 and 8.

All I have to remember is...

left = condition
center = health