Curse

Poison Ivy · Oct 07, 2006, 06:11 AM // 06:11

Introduction: After playing this build for almost 1 month, I belive I can play the build fairly well, and I think this thread should help some people get into Blessed Light, and help the pros towards perfection, anyways, enjoy.

Mo/A

The skills:
Reversal of Forturtune
Gift of Health
Mend Aliment/Condition
Blessed Light
Spirit Bond/Protective Spirit
Signet of Devotion
--------------------
Return
Dark Escape
(Or)
Shadow of Haste
Dash

1-Reversal of Fortune
A very good fast cast skill for saving an ally from spikes, also an cheap self heal when you need a bit more time to cast your selfheals (Signet of Devotion/Blessed light), but more of that later. Unlike the BoonProt build, this skill will only heal for 51 health, triggering the effect will grat a bit more healing or at least negate the loss, but don't expect this skill alone to save someone below 50% health

2-Gift of Health
This spell should always be recharging when your in a battle, simply because it's your primary heal. It's cheap, has a very nice casting time and can heal your ally for about 1/3 of his health. Due to it's low energy cost (5 energy), it makes this skill very spammable. The 5 second recharge is quite a big drawback, that's why you need to have a +40% recharge set, but we'll get to that later. The casting time is a very important asset, it's a wonderful skill for saving spikes right after you use Reversal of Fortune, while making it very hard to interupt, but always remember you cannot cast on yourself, but that's where Blessed Light comes in.

3=Mend Aliment/Mend Condition (Primary condition removal)
Due to the high cost of Blessed Light, and the effectiveness of most conditions in this game, a condition removal is a must have in almost every monk build. This skill is very spammable, but it still costs energy and it's effectiveness is very limited, so only use it to remove certain major condtions like Desease (if it hasn't already spread), Blind, Deep Wounds (situational), Crippled and Dazed.

4-Blessed Light [Elite]
Your major self heal, only hex removal and a wonderful spike saver. You'll normally find yourself saving this skill only to heal yourself when you've suffered high damage and have a bunch of god knows what hexes/conditions on you while using Gift of Health for your other party members. Due to it's high energy cost (10 energy), it's not something you would want to spam, I would only suggest using this on an other party member if your Gift of Health is recharging and you need something to save your ally from death other than a situational Reversal of Fortune and the slow Signet of Devotion. If you have a major hex on yourself and you have to have it removed without any delay (Migraine, Backfire etc), try to wait until you take some damage so you don't overheal yourself and waste energy, or sometimes it's simply best to call it over on Vent/TS if your party member has a hex removal. Don't bother if you got a shock Warrior coming at you or an Assassin trying to get in range for a spike, and this situation is very common, since a major hex is normally the signal of a spike, beware however it might be another party member that's about to get spiked. Sometimes it's just best to click Dark Escape or Return when your unsure, but more of that when we get to those skills.

5-Protective Spirit/Spirit Bond
This could almost be called an energy management skill, since either of these can prevent very heavy damage that's about to come, it's best to cast them beforehand when someone is about to get spiked, Frenzy (flame him if he HealSigs) or in HA when your trying to save the Ghostly from getting killed. Due to both of their high energy costs (10 energy), their the last thing you would want to spam, and to use them effectively takes a lot of pratice, and it's quite hard to explain when to use these, but some thinking and playing around should help you benifit a lot from these skills. *Note: if you have 2 monks, make sure you don't both take the same enchantment or one of you might end up wasting 10 energy.

6-Signet of Devotion
A excellent energy management skill, should always be recharging, unless your up against a team of casters. Because it's a signet, the only cost is 2 seconds of leaving yourself exposed to certain interuptions (exceptions:Rust, Primal Echos etc). It your using this properly, it should provide a 106 health bonus for your party every 7 seconds, depending in the exprince of the user. However, due to it's long casting time (2 seconds), it's not a skill you want to be completely rely on to keep your party members alive, nor is it a skill your going to be using to save a spike (unless your freakishly out of energy). It's just there to give an ally 106 health to prevent him from being killed too easily. Don't bother using this however, when you got 2 Iway Warriors or something with a interupt like Distracting Blow to heal yourself or someone else, unless your trying to get them to use their interupt or you know pretty well what your trying to do.

--------------------

7-Return
This is 1 of the skills that makes the Blessed Light superior to the BoonProt, it's amazing ability to get away from those pissed off Warriors whacking away at you like there's no tomorrow, it's not something you would want to use on yourself after a spike has already been started (exceptions: Bspike, Airspike and other caster spikes), since it's very likely to get interupted by Shock and Punishing Blow from Ranger spikes. This skill also makes kiting easier, since it has an awesome Cripple effect, and it's a simple sign to say: I'm not an easy target. Use this as soon as a Warrior get's in range and keep kiting, eventually he will give up on you and move on to something else.

8-Dark Escape
Another skill that makes the Blessed Light more favorable than the BoonProt. It's amazing ability is that it gives you a nice speed boost, helping you get away from whatever that's trying to kill you, and it's anti-spike bonus of reducing damage by 50% (this does not work on Vampiric/Life Stealing damage...sadly). Don't use this for no reason, sure it's fun to zoom around the battle field and and know those Warriors on the other end are getting ready to smash their monitors, but the main reason of thise skill is to reduce damage on you when your getting spiked, and the last thing you want is to die due to minor mistakes.

The Attrabutes:
Divine Favor: 12+1+3
Healing Prayers: 9+1
Protection Prayers: 9+1
Shadow Arts: 3
--------------------
Remaining attrabute points: 1

The Equipment:

Armors:
Divine Favor Scalp of Superior Divine Favor (Should give you +4 Divine Favor)
Shepherds Chest Armor of Superior Vigor
Shepherds Hand Armor of Minor Protection Prayers
Shepherds Leg Armor of Minor Healing Prayers
Shepherds Foot Armor

If you have a PvE monk and you want to run this build on it, I would suggest taking another Divine Favor Scalp of Minor Divine Favor. Swap to this Scalp when you die so you can get a 75 Health back, so you won't get spiked down too easily, or better, not get killed at all. Swap back when you've lost your DP.

Weapons sets:

#1- Standard -energy damage reducing set:
1st: Crippling Sword/Axe/Spear of Fortitude
-5 Energy
Increases Crippling duration by 33% percent
+30 Health

Shield
2nd: Armor: 16
Reduces physical damage -5 (20% Chance)
+30 Health
*Note: If you don't meet the req of something (shield here, for instance), you get half that item's native bonus. For instance, if you have a 12 energy offhand and you don't meet the requirement, you get 3energy from it. Therefore, if you have a 12 energy focus of a req you don't meet that does -5 energy, it actually gives you one energy (making a shield better for the -energy set by 1 pt). However, there's a quest in Ascalon that gives a -5 energy Earth Scroll with a req6 Earth magic: if you used that, you'd actually lose 2 energy (6/2 = 3, minus 5) - cerb

*This is what your going to be using at the beginning of the game, try to keep on this set as often as possble, this set will provide you with efficient armor, a nice +30 health bonus and will hide your energy effectively from Eburn/Esurge etc. Feel free to change to a different set accordingly as the metagame shifts. Also, you don't get the half armor bonus as you do from Collectors/Greens/PvP/Pre Order/Crafters from drops. Tactics Exalted Aegis is your best friend here. (Strength is ok aswell, but their more expensive)

2# Gift of Health support set
1st: 20% Halves Casting/Recharge time of Healing Prayers
or
10% Halves Casting/Recharge time of Spells

2nd: +12 Energy Req. (Something your attrabutes would meet)
+30Health (Unconditional)
20% Halves Recharge time
or
+12 Energy Req. (Something your attrabutes would meet)
+30Health (Unconditional)
10% Halves Recharge time
Note: Byzzr's Benediction would work well also

*This is what your going to be using when your -energy set can't provide you with enough energy and your team is going down fast, don't play on this set too much.

3# -Anti Wither/Malaise
1st: -5 Energy Sword

2nd: Ascalon Earth Scroll/Tattered/Frozen/Forgotten Fan (Or a -5 offhand with a Req. you don't meet)

*This is what your going to be using to remove Wither/Malaise, since their the most deadly annoying hexes in the game. What you should do is, swap to your 2# set, cast until you have less than 23 Energy, swap to this set, and than swap back to whatever set you were using before you were hexed.

4# -Emergency Energy Set
1st: Halves Recharge time of Healing Prayer Spells 20%
+15 Energy
-1 Energy Regeneration

2nd: +12 Energy Req.(Anything your attrabutes meet)
+15 Energy
-1 Energy Regeneration
+30 Health

*This set should provide you with about 72 energy in total. This is the last set in your arsenal, and the last set you would want to resort to, due to it's heavy energy bonus, swapping back to any other set will leave you with 0 energy for quite some time, the -2 Regeneration makes it very dangerous, so don't ever run out of energy on this set, unless your sure the battle is about to end then and there. It's useful for saving someone when you just need that tiny bit of energy to pull a Gift of Health, but just don't stay on it too long.

Also click here's a thread by Savio about Modifier Stacking, take a look

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...php?t=10040956

Basic Playstyle:
Kiting: (-Maxiemonster)
Kiting means running away, trying to avoid taking damage, or reducing the damage taken. Kiting close ranged melee characters is simple, just run in circles (preferably small ones, as you shouldn't run away from your allies). Kiting Area of Effect is easy as well, just move out of spells like Fire Storm or Mealstrom as soon as you can. Kiting Point Blank Area of Effect is a bit harder. When you see someone cast something like Earthquake, try to move away from him, as he can't chase you while casting. Of course, this'll require you to watch the spells enemies are casting.
Also, don't forget to switch to your kiting set. And in case you wonder why you need a kiting set that badly, it's quite simple. As you're not as easy to heal as your teammates (no Mend Condition, and possibly lower armor, and the risk of your heals to get interupted), you can need every armor you can get. The more armor you have, the more Energy you save when someone is attacking you, which makes up for not being able to use Mend Condition.
*Note: This technique is very important if your team is running 2 Blessed Light monks.

Energy Management: If you've played a Monk before, you can clearly see there's not a lot of energy management skills in the bar. However, your playstyle should be enough energy manangement to keep your party alive. For instance, do NOT overheal, using a Blessed Light on someone that only lost 1/4 health without any hexes or condtions, and that's not getting spiked it's a total waste. Know you much every skill heals, memorize their effects, and use them like I suggested, and you should be fine.
*NoteSometimes it might be the players that's causing the problems, but as long as your doing your job to the best of your ability, it's not your problem.

Hex/Condition removal:
They were very described in all the the hex/condition removal skills avalable in this build, but as you can clearly see, 2 Blessed Monks cannot handle too many conditions/hexes to the point where the team can go full offence/no support. If you have 2 Blessed Monks in your build, bring a few wards like Ward Against Foes/Melee, a Remove Hex on a Mesmer and a Draw Condtions. Give your Flagrunner an Extinguish if possible, it's very useful when Desease breaks out amoung the party.

Interface:
Customize it to your liking, mine's the default one, although an interface is very important for a Monk, make sure yours suits you the best.

Credits:
Everyone who contributed
Maxiemonster (His Bprot thread gave me a nice reference, also I copied his kiting section
Myself

And that's about it

I will add a Blessed Light Mo/Me section later, and possibly improve this thread in any way I can, also these "builds are not in stone"-sno, but the builds on here have been tested and work farily well conpared to any other Monk build. Also, please contribute your creativity and knowledge, this thread is dependant on it.

This is the first guide I've ever actually made that's not my homework, so don't be too harsh on my poor soul

.

I hope this will help you in any way, thanks for reading.

~Ivy

Poison Ivy · Oct 07, 2006, 07:44 AM // 07:44

Ugh, can't belive I posted this in the wrong section...can some moddie move this to the GvG section in Gladiator's Arena? Thanks.

S!carius · Oct 09, 2006, 10:58 AM // 10:58

Nice guild, I've been considering making a Blessed Light monk and this guide was quite helpful for me. I'm looking forward to reading the Mo/Me section when it is ready.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poison Ivy

Shield
2nd: Armor: As high as possible without a Req.
Reduces physical damage -5 (20% Chance)
+30 Health

Is it even possible to have a sheild that is +30, -5(20%) without a req?

cerb · Oct 09, 2006, 02:28 PM // 14:28

Good guide, just one thing that might be useful to know:

If you don't meet the req of something (shield here, for instance), you get half that item's native bonus. For instance, if you have a 12 energy offhand and you don't meet the requirement, you get 6 energy from it. Therefore, if you have a 12 energy focus of a req you don't meet that does -5 energy, it actually gives you one energy (making a shield better for the -energy set by 1 pt). However, there's a quest in Ascalon that gives a -5 energy Earth Scroll with a req6 Earth magic: if you used that, you'd actually lose 2 energy (6/2 = 3, minus 5)

Same goes with the shield. I'm not sure you can find many 8 armor shields and above with no req, so if you took a max shield with those mods (much easier to find too :P), you'd get half the armor bonus (16/2 = 8 armor), plus the mods

Queto · Oct 09, 2006, 04:55 PM // 16:55

BTW, I wouldn't run 2 Blessed Lights, in GvG 1 BL and 1 Boon Prot is better.

Skuld · Oct 09, 2006, 05:07 PM // 17:07

5-Protective Spirit/Spirit Bond
... (flame him if he HealSigs) or in HA when your trying to save the Ghostly from getting killed. Due to both of their high energy costs (10 energy), their the last thing you would want to spam, ...

*They're

Cowboy Nastyman · Oct 09, 2006, 10:51 PM // 22:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerb

Good guide, just one thing that might be useful to know:

If you don't meet the req of something (shield here, for instance), you get half that item's native bonus. For instance, if you have a 12 energy offhand and you don't meet the requirement, you get 6 energy from it. Therefore, if you have a 12 energy focus of a req you don't meet that does -5 energy, it actually gives you one energy (making a shield better for the -energy set by 1 pt). However, there's a quest in Ascalon that gives a -5 energy Earth Scroll with a req6 Earth magic: if you used that, you'd actually lose 2 energy (6/2 = 3, minus 5)

Same goes with the shield. I'm not sure you can find many 8 armor shields and above with no req, so if you took a max shield with those mods (much easier to find too :P), you'd get half the armor bonus (16/2 = 8 armor), plus the mods

actually the part about half en if not met isnt true, you get the minimum bonus of a focus, 3 energy. any of the fans and the ascalon scroll will all give -2 en

cerb · Oct 09, 2006, 11:12 PM // 23:12

oops

sorry, thx for correcting me ^^

Oh well, anyways, you're not gonna get a reqless shield with -5 (20%) +30

: ))

Gigashadow · Oct 09, 2006, 11:26 PM // 23:26

Any reason for picking a +30hp -5(20%) over +30hp +10vs [something] (e.g. slashing, or piercing)? Geoffer's Bulwark sells for pretty cheap.

Imaginos · Oct 09, 2006, 11:31 PM // 23:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cowboy Nastyman

actually the part about half en if not met isnt true, you get the minimum bonus of a focus, 3 energy. any of the fans and the ascalon scroll will all give -2 en

I could have sworn that the energy you got for not meeting the requirements was determined by the item quality (white, purp, gold). Higher quality more of a basic stat it gives you....

and here it is right from the wiki.

Quote:

Focus items with attribute requirements of 0 may have an energy bonus of up to +6. Focuses with the maximum energy bonus of +12 may have an attribute requirement as low as 7. All maximum energy collector, crafter, and unique focuses have an attribute requirement of 9.

If a character's rank in the required attribute is less than the requirement, the character will not receive the full energy bonus. Instead, the character will receive +3 energy for white or green focuses and +6 energy for purple or gold focuses.

SnipiousMax · Oct 09, 2006, 11:45 PM // 23:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imaginos

I could have sworn that the energy you got for not meeting the requirements was determined by the item quality (white, purp, gold). Higher quality more of a basic stat it gives you....

and here it is right from the wiki.

Not the case anymore. It was fixed in an update.

remmeh · Oct 09, 2006, 11:51 PM // 23:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gigashadow

Any reason for picking a +30hp -5(20%) over +30hp +10vs [something] (e.g. slashing, or piercing)? Geoffer's Bulwark sells for pretty cheap.

Dunno about you, but the meta is heavily bowranger-oriented (imo) and Geoffer's helps a bit =)

also BTW, excellent guide for the Mo/A; now I just have to hunt down a Crippling sword mod.

Gigashadow · Oct 10, 2006, 12:12 AM // 00:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by remmeh

Dunno about you, but the meta is heavily bowranger-oriented (imo) and Geoffer's helps a bit =)

also BTW, excellent guide for the Mo/A; now I just have to hunt down a Crippling sword mod.

Yes I agree there, I have a Geoffer's on my monk (and my warrior). It seems that a ~16% reduction in piercing (mainly bow, some daggers) base damage is better than an average of -1 (vs all physical) per hit, especially as you can usually teleport out of melee anyway, leaving you more vulnerable to ranged.

I think actually that having a full set of shields on the character, all +30hp but with +10 vs fire/lightning/piercing/slashing etc. would be useful to have, as you can adapt to what you are facing.

Btw, thanks to the original poster for mentioning the crippling mod for your weapon for Return, I totally didn't think of that.

Oh, also, I posted this video in the Nolani forum, but it's somewhat topical to this post. Assembled from monk/assassin video footage of me fooling around in AB (yeah I know... AB...) the other evening, almost identical build to that posted here; I had Guardian instead of Spirit Bond, but I think I'll switch to Spirit Bond.

Video link

Cherng Butter · Oct 10, 2006, 02:33 AM // 02:33

Thanks so much for the guide! I'm really intrigued in playing a Blessed Light now, and even though it would be a PvP monk, I think I have a couple spare items laying around I can use XD

dgb · Oct 10, 2006, 04:58 AM // 04:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poison Ivy

3=Mend Aliment/Mend Condition (Primary condition removal)
Due to the high cost of Blessed Light, and the effectiveness of most conditions in this game, a condition removal is a must have in almost every monk build. This skill is very spammable, but it still costs energy and it's effectiveness is very limited, so only use it to remove certain major condtions like Desease (if it hasn't already spread), Blind, Deep Wounds (situational), Crippled and Dazed.

Really disagree here. At your stats when condition hits a condition, it removes and heals for 100. It's efficiency is better than Gift of Health IMO. Obviously it's more utility, less healing in non-condition heavy builds but if I have a choice between healing a conditioned ally with Mend Condi. or GoH, I go mend condition every time.

Mend ailment shouldn't be needed. If you *really* need to get a condition off yourself, you probably need the Blight heal as well.

You've got your runes back to front. Never run a superior attribute rune on a PVP monk, only on a PVE. DP on a monk with a superior attribute rune they can't get off is GG.

Kais Unduli · Oct 10, 2006, 10:16 AM // 10:16

Rangers are everywhere; I've been using a Geoffer's Bulwark as well. That's the only tip I could add here, I think Ivy has done one hell of a job on this guide.

Age · Oct 10, 2006, 11:10 PM // 23:10

Nice Guide sort of like the one I have been working on with my Mo/W.

Senator Tom · Oct 11, 2006, 01:01 AM // 01:01

First of all, this isn't a Blessed Light thread, it's a Mo/A thread. To improve it, I'd suggest adding in other optional skills, like guardian for example. Also, I would suggest adding in other secondaries, well really only /Me, and list the two optional skills (probably energy management, drain ench, revealeds, inspireds, power drain, and with these skills another weapon set [20/20 insp]). Also some other various weapons could be 20% enchanting if you're going to be prot spiriting frequently. The Charr at the Gate sword is also very handy, very useful with all of the Tainted Flesh going around, or if you're /Me using Channeling. I really think I have too many weapon's that aren't really necessary, but help, like a +7 vs Physical and Elemental modded sword, a +5 armor always sword, a -5 of fortitude and of enchanting, a +5 of fortitude and of enchanting. 10/10 wands are also good (Brohn's I think, I know there's a green 10/10 somewhere). I use a 10/10 wand and a -2 enchanted/+30 always shield as my main casting set. Other than these minor things, nice guide. (Geoffer's is also really nice now, all the assassins and melandrus/apply poison builds goin around)
One last tip for any kind of monk, always keep your skillbar set in the same way, and try to use the numbers to use skills instead of clicking with your mouse, that way you can watch the playing field to pre-prot people that warriors are heading towards, watch the direction 5 rangers are about to shoot for an easier infuse, etc.

Oh yeah there is a shield in pre-sear from some Devona quest that is armor 4 always, +5 armor above 50%, health +15 always...pretty handy

*lemming* · Oct 11, 2006, 05:13 AM // 05:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senator Tom

Oh yeah there is a shield in pre-sear from some Devona quest that is armor 4 always, +5 armor above 50%, health +15 always...pretty handy

Wouldn't one of the crafter 30/-5 shields be better? You're losing 1 armor for another +15 life and on average, -1 physical damage.

Senator Tom · Oct 11, 2006, 02:24 PM // 14:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by tehlemming

Wouldn't one of the crafter 30/-5 shields be better? You're losing 1 armor for another +15 life and on average, -1 physical damage.

If no warriors are attacking you, the -5(20%) does nothing, so another point of armor makes a small difference. The +30 hp always vs the 15 always, 30 is obviously better, but if you have two shields, you can have the 4/+5 out when annoying mesmers are wanding you, because you won't need that 15 extra hp <---read that person who posted after me.