Curse

Vinraith · Nov 16, 2007, 07:33 PM // 19:33

I seem to have a very hard time H/Hing with my monk primary (in comparison to cases where I have a damage class primary). Is this simply a result of the fact that AI aren't particularly capable damage dealers in comparison to humans? Can someone actually offer some advice on this subject? I prefer playing my monk with guildies, of course, but there are a lot of times where it would be handy to be able to go cap skills or get to certain places in campaigns on my own.

Thanks.

Jaigoda · Nov 16, 2007, 09:16 PM // 21:16

It's mostly because if you don't call a target, the H/H will all just attack different random monsters. This means damage will get spread out and the battles will take longer, putting more pressure on the monk's energy bar. I'd suggest for H/H ONLY, you bring either a smite monk build or an offensive teammate so that your henchies can focus on a single target.

horseradish · Nov 16, 2007, 09:24 PM // 21:24

When i monk with henchmen, i call targets, then i heal and protect them and stuff....worked out so far, but it would be better to deal damage when H/Hing.

Smite i guess. What campaigns do you have?

Vinraith · Nov 16, 2007, 11:01 PM // 23:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by horseradish

When i monk with henchmen, i call targets, then i heal and protect them and stuff....worked out so far, but it would be better to deal damage when H/Hing.

Smite i guess. What campaigns do you have?

All of them.

I made my monk eons ago, but back in early '06 I remember repeatedly reading that smite didn't work very well on monk primaries. Has there been a shift, there?

Abedeus · Nov 16, 2007, 11:07 PM // 23:07

Pretty much. Smiter's Boon, Smite Condition, Reversal of Damage, Smite Hex with nice recharge, not bad signets (signet of removal).

TGgold · Nov 17, 2007, 12:12 AM // 00:12

My best advice is: Prepick your first target and call to start the fight. If there are no other huge threats, then press tab then ctrl+space to call and attack the nearest target. If you're good at it it only takes a second to do and keeps your henches a little bit focused.

horseradish · Nov 17, 2007, 12:12 AM // 00:12

Dual Booning ftw.

Divine Boon
Smiter's Boon
Reversal of Damage
Smite Condition
Smite Hex
optional
optional or e-management
Rez

massivo healing per spell.
condition & hex removal.
armor ignoring damage to enemy.
Rez.

enjoy

Jaigoda · Nov 17, 2007, 03:49 AM // 03:49

No point in smite if it doesn't actually target the foe. You're better off with a WoH hybrid. I'd only suggest running smite if you don't want to bother with the annoyances of having to call every few seconds. Otherwise, meh.

Hikeotron · Nov 17, 2007, 02:42 PM // 14:42

im against most melee, but i guess if your having a bit of problems id suggest taking:
youself as a prot with gift of health
Ele hero : warder
monk hero: woh - due to recent buff
melee hero: im sure you can find some some random build to take blows
4 - hench mid liners

Call so your stupid melee hero runs in, pre prot him with protective spirit or such like, and then take them down. if your having problems with your mid liners running around, flag them all around your warder

Aera Lure · Nov 17, 2007, 03:24 PM // 15:24

I have no problems H/H in HM as a monk. I usually run Healer's Boon (was doing so before the changes). There is no single way I set a team up, but I usually take a couple necros. They sometimes have a few points in Prot and have PS or Holy Veil or something like that, depending, and then Blood Ritual, in addition to whatever their main line requires. Do the pre-protting yourself, and then let the AI take over, manually using BR if/when needed. The third hero fills whatever slot I feel I cant adequately cover with henchmen, which is usually interrupt, warder, fire mage and an additional monk or two.

Burst Cancel · Nov 17, 2007, 03:33 PM // 15:33

Monks have two things they need to remember when H/Hing:
- CALL TARGETS CONSTANTLY
- Bring braindead damage on your hero slots.

A lot of people like to say that Searing Flames is bad, but there are very few good bars that heroes can run correctly, and as a monk player you need more damage from your heroes. This makes SF a good option in the vast majority of areas. A lot of people also like to bring the standard N/Rt trio (MM, SS, and Resto healer), which you can do also, but keep in mind that the restoration necro is probably a waste of your hero slot since you're backline yourself - put in a hammer warrior or interrupter instead and bring a hench healer (or two).

Also, in HM it's worth it to run Aegis on as many people as you can (for instance, E/Mo SF eles with 9 in prot), because a lot of the strongest damage is going to be melee.

Finally, consider bringing a longbow. Recently, I've taken to drawing aggro by protting up a hero and flagging them forward, but you can also flag your henchies back and pull with a longbow. Either method works well, but the prot-and-flag method allows you to concentrate aggro a bit better (not necessary if you have an MM).

Vinraith · Nov 17, 2007, 05:14 PM // 17:14

Thanks for all the advice, people. I'm glad to hear it's a technique thing and not simply impossible (or even just very difficult) to do. It sounds like my best bets are actively calling targets (playing field marshall, so to speak) inbetween casting, potentially using a melee hero as a "lure" to focus attention, and maybe trying some targetted smite for a change of pace. It also sounds like i need to rethink my hero builds for greater damage output since I'm not putting out any myself (unless I'm smiting). I'll give some of that a try and see how it goes. Again, thanks.

combatchuck · Nov 17, 2007, 11:09 PM // 23:09

When I go H/H, I usually take dual SF with a battery, healer, fire, earth, and melee hench. If there are lots of corpses, I'll go dual MM, GFTE para (it works on minions

), same hench setup. The trick is to keep the hero builds insanely simple. Tactically, they are about as capable as an untrained labradoodle. This means no maintained enchants, no skills with conditions to be met, no echo chaining. Try to make a build that JeffK could use without trouble.

Hikeotron · Nov 18, 2007, 02:52 PM // 14:52

when my friend and i dual monk, we just normally take on 5 SF (recent buff = win), and a warder - if HM.

vs destroyers - 4 mesmers, 1 warder, 1 necro/battery

easy peasy ^^