Curse

fgarvin · Mar 23, 2006, 01:35 PM // 13:35

Last night some very brave souls allowed me to play a Bonding Monk for the very first time. This was also the very first time that I had actually played a Monk…period. My Monk was made to farm and therefore the only “healing” he’s ever done was to himself through Mending and Healing Breeze. That being said, he did take a full party of Henchies through THK, but the only spell he cast throughout the entire mission was Heal Party. (no laughing…I was proving a point about just how easy the mission can be)

Last night we went to capture a spider for one of our Guildies and also to go exploring. This was only my third time in UW. We had one Tank, one Necro, two Monks, two Rangers and one Ele. To take things easy, I Barrier/Bond’d the Tank and because I was told to (remember, this was a training exercise for me) I also Barrier/Bond’d the Necro. Barrier first, then Bond…just like you’re supposed to. Later on I added a third to my list…just for fun.

Things I learned along the way:
- Bonding a Tank is fine . . . zero damage and +1 from Balthazar’s Spirit = Good
- Bonding a Necro getting pwnt by cows = bad
* Took ~45 dmg each hit, prolly something I did wrong on my end
* Reminded about going below 50% health and its effects
- Remembering to hit Blessed Signet = grrrrrrrr
- Standing in the back feeling useless = double grrrrrr
- Casting Mend Condition and Smite Hex = Meh, helping a little is still helping
- Nature’s Renewal = Pain in the #@%
- Figuring out who lost their Bonds (name search on icons) = Another pain in the #@%
- Casting Rebirth = ZOMG U N00BZOR (actually good natured guidance on TS)
- Bonding the newly acquired Spider = Priceless

I want to thank my Guildies in Refuge from Exile [RFE] for the great time and their patience and guidance. My Monk survived his first foray into actual Monking and it was a blast.

In the SS I took, most of the Bonds are down as this a low damage area and Nature’s Renewal was just too bothersome to deal with. And as you can see….standing in the back, feeling useless.

Any and all recommendations / flames / comments are welcome…….

cerb · Mar 23, 2006, 01:42 PM // 13:42

Balthazar's Spirit on yourself is only useful if you actually life bonded your party members.

Keep Mantra of Inscriptions up..

You should run sup prot and df runes, since this is pve and you're staying far away.

Rebirth is a very bad idea when bonding but I guess it can save the day.

fgarvin · Mar 23, 2006, 01:48 PM // 13:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerb

Balthazar's Spirit on yourself is only useful if you actually life bonded your party members.

Yep, missed that one

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerb

Keep Mantra of Inscriptions up..

Had it up most of the run, but you're right, I should have maintained it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerb

You should run sup prot and df runes, since this is pve and you're staying far away.

I was

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerb

Rebirth is a very bad idea when bonding but I guess it can save the day.

I sooo learned my lesson

dmmacs · Mar 23, 2006, 02:34 PM // 14:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by fgarvin

- Bonding a Necro getting pwnt by cows = bad

Necro with Bonelace shouln't be tanking, but those cows broke aggro and my miserable attempt at getting them back to the tank and away from the monks failed as I got blocked. I knew I should have got the tormentors........

Wonder why they kept breaking aggro

Quote:

Originally Posted by fgarvin

- Bonding a Tank is fine . . . zero damage and +1 from Balthazar’s Spirit = Good
- Bonding a Necro getting pwnt by cows = bad
* Took ~45 dmg each hit, prolly something I did wrong on my end

That's a big difference with only 20 difference in armor level, although the shield and absorbption runes should help, but that much? BTW, thanks for keeping me alive, one of those cows dropped an Ecto for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fgarvin

- Standing in the back feeling useless = double grrrrrr

Now that's pretty far back. You can't even see me

It was a fun time, I haven't been in UW many times either (could explain some of the problems with a couple of UW noobs down there at the same time). I don't even want to talk about what happened after you left.....

fgarvin · Mar 23, 2006, 04:16 PM // 16:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmmacs

I don't even want to talk about what happened after you left.....

Classic.....I can only imagine...

Flawed Perfectien · Mar 23, 2006, 04:25 PM // 16:25

You did fine Popi-san.

And my death is soley blamed on ra-ra

~flawed

muelon · Mar 23, 2006, 05:28 PM // 17:28

Well you did ask for recommendations and comments so here goes,

1. Make your radar bigger. It is way to small. Being a monk is not the same as being a warrior. You must be able to see the big picture at all times.

2. Being a bonder is work. Just plan work. Being a healer is much easier. There is a lot of enhancement stripping. You will constantly be reaplying your bonds on your party members. Thats why I stopped being a bonder in 5 man farming. Lazy I guess.

3. Dont get carried away with your new found powers of bonding. For PVP, a bonder simply does not work. When you get killed (not if) it will be impossible to get all your bonds back up again. OK nothing is impossible, but it wont be easy.

4.For GVG bonders only work well for poorly rated guilds (guild rating higher then 1000). That is because most good guilds will bring enhancement removal. Begining gvg guilds probably wont so you will survive.

Thats it , no flame, just my experience

fgarvin · Mar 23, 2006, 05:59 PM // 17:59

Thanks for the input....never thought of making my radar larger, gonna have to give that a try. As for PvP/GvG, I have very little experience, but I will keep your advice in mind if and when I ever jump into that arena.

Thanks.

ender6 · Mar 23, 2006, 07:31 PM // 19:31

If you want a good crash course in bonding (PvE) I advise you go do some SF Farming. Usually the farming teams consist of 5 players amongst them are 1 healer and 1 bonder. I enjoy playing a bonder and on several occassions our group has lost the healer, and we have completed the mission without any difficulty. And I play a Mo/N so no mantra of inscriptions for me...

Fundementals:
1) Balz spirit onself
2) Life Barrier goes down first
3) follow it by life bond
4) bring RoF
5) bring mend condition (or Ailment) (or another bond)
6) Divine Signet for energy free healing
7) Blessed Signet obvious reasons
8) Chose another bond...

Never carry Rebirth ( i think you know why )

I usually do a build similar to the one above.
You can also do a Boon Bonder build for PvP play, though I am not too keen on bonds when it comes to PvP -- they get stripped too easily.

Another good place to practice Bonding is THK (use the torch trick).

Note: Keep in mind when you are in the footprint it is common to be maintaining ~9 enchantments so you might have a -5e regen. Not a problem with balz for the battle and blessed signet.

Stigmata · Mar 23, 2006, 10:43 PM // 22:43

Looks like you were doing fine Popi....
I'm Glad I logged off .... Those Bastards would have made me Bond!

Fungus Amongus · Mar 24, 2006, 01:13 AM // 01:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by fgarvin

- Figuring out who lost their Bonds (name search on icons) = Another pain in the #@%

Forget about the name search on the icons. Clicking on a bond ONCE (because you know what a double-click does, right?) will highlight that bonded player on your party screen. Definately the easier and faster way to keep track of the bonds.

fgarvin · Mar 24, 2006, 03:10 AM // 03:10

Thanks...didn't know about that.

koneko · Mar 24, 2006, 03:22 AM // 03:22

I like to take Vital Blessing or Protective Spirit instead of Smite Hex. Otherwise, my skillbar looks just like yours. Either one of them serves as a quick cover enchant over Barrier+Bond on the tank when you know you're going into a heavy enchantment-removal area. I like Vital Blessing (throw it on someone that's being pounded on, let the healer have a few more seconds to react) but I don't bring it along enough.

Bringing Rebirth is fine. Countless FoW/UW trips saved because of it (use it as a last resort, only).

mattjones527 · Mar 24, 2006, 11:57 AM // 11:57

I would reccomend bringing vital blessing for a temporary big heal, incase the heal monks are in trouble. Also I would reccomend bringing ageis, I like to cast it as the warrior is running to grab the aggro, that way it acts as a cover enchant that you can cast from a distance.

Also I usually dont bother with balts spirit, if you maintain 7 barriers with MoI and high enough divine favor energy isnt much of a problem

My favorite place to test out bonder builds and practice bonding is on the Ring of Fire missions. There is light enchant removeal and monks are always needed.

One build I'm still tweaking is one that uses Unyeilding aura, mostly because with the skill update it is a fast way to bring team members back up. That and it can be maintained with a bonder monk without crippling him, like it would with most other monk builds.

Neoclassic · Mar 24, 2006, 09:31 PM // 21:31

I too have just begun being a bonder, and I really like it. Although Rebirth is generally a big no no, I have taken it along but never use it during combat, only after. You'd think using Rebirth would make all your maintained enchantments drop, but it doesn't.

Another thing to watch is the little yellow arrows next to players' names in the party window. If someone does not have a yellow arrow, he has no enchantments on him.

I like to take Holy Veil for hex removal. It also works as a cover enchantment. If the enchantment stripping in an area is too heavy, that's when it is time to consider something other than bonding.

fgarvin · Mar 27, 2006, 07:01 PM // 19:01

Yes, the yellow arrows help, but sometimes the other players bring their own enchantments and that can really slow down the process of elimination.

Arya Nibelrund · Mar 28, 2006, 03:04 PM // 15:04

I'll just tell you what i use cause it's slightly different.
I usually bond in Fow never did it in UW and it's been only a couple of weeks but i cleared it all so i guess i wasn't that bad. We usually do the book tricks but the first part is a normal bonding team.
I usually carry a res spell, balth. spirit, life bond, life barrier (E) Dwayna's Kiss, healing touch, remove hex and blessed signet. Attrib: 15 prot (too lazy to craft a new scalp) around 11 in healing and 10 divine (not 100% sure should be close though).
Only 1 full healer so DK and touch really help as a backup healing. Before we get the book balth on me and bond on everyone plus balth. spirit on the war to work as a cover ench.
Spam signet and help the other healer (i usually am in the middle of the battle that's why i carry only 1 sup rune) and remove hex as often as you can.
Then when we get to the book it's just a std 4 ench. strategy, the 2 bonds on war and balth + balth on yourself. Never had too many problems like this. Of course the party has to be aware of what they're doing, or no way on earth you can save them.