Curse

Laraja · Aug 25, 2009, 11:59 PM // 23:59

Alrighty, I've read all the guides and rolled myself a PvP monk with all the right weapons sets and armor. I'm decent at swapping weapons sets. I keep an eagle eye on the compass for enemy players coming after me. I pre-prot the frontline classes. I'm running a fairly standard WoH bar with a Shield Bash and Bonettis, nothing fancy, but useful.

My problem is, I'm kiting so damn much to keep from being piled on by enemy players that I can't keep my team healed.

I tried to find something on youtube to see how a PvP monk handles this kind of constant bombardment, but can't find anything. I did play with one RA team where we got 8 in a row on this monk, but that team was pretty good at keeping the enemy off my back so I could heal. Is that the key? A good team will keep pressure off their monk and the rest of the enemy engaged?

I know I'm missing a critical element here. Or there is the real possibility that I just can't monk and that's that.

Divine Slaya · Aug 26, 2009, 12:25 AM // 00:25

One can always get better at a specific class if they practice it enough. RA is a good place to get down the basics of monking but I suggest trying other formats of PvP if you want to improve even further. That being said, you should not get discouraged if your team loses (especially in RA). It is very possible to play a good game on a monk and still lose due to the bad play from the rest of your team.

Demonlord Matt · Aug 26, 2009, 12:36 AM // 00:36

ye practice is key with monking no one will get it the first time through if u practice enough (i find that mini GvG's with guildies are especially good) practice makes perfect with monks eventually you will see the fruits of ur labor XD

OoO Rift OoO · Aug 26, 2009, 12:44 AM // 00:44

The way you put it, sounds like you're doing fine.

Your problem is that (im assuming you are in RA), the random players you get in your team dont know what 'line backing,' is. Its just basically the frontliner or one of them (war, sin, esc dags, etc.) stops pressuring their target and goes to lolrape the things attacking the monk(you), which can save you. Probably the most commom way for an RA monk to get lolowned because most wars are defy pain whammos and think "i echo mending i r so strng! 1000 hp i keel aneh thing," and go straight for the other teams monk.. Then blame you because they dont know how to play and didnt realize you were getting double-teamed...
gg

turbo234 · Aug 26, 2009, 01:06 AM // 01:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by OoO Rift OoO

The way you put it, sounds like you're doing fine.

Your problem is that (im assuming you are in RA), the random players you get in your team dont know what 'line backing,' is. Its just basically the frontliner or one of them (war, sin, esc dags, etc.) stops pressuring their target and goes to lolrape the things attacking the monk(you), which can save you. Probably the most commom way for an RA monk to get lolowned because most wars are defy pain whammos and think "i echo mending i r so strng! 1000 hp i keel aneh thing," and go straight for the other teams monk.. Then blame you because they dont know how to play and didnt realize you were getting double-teamed...
gg

this
it annoys me to no end when i see players rushing straight to the monk and never switch targets. the monk just runs around in circles while the player thinks they are giving him soo much pressure by chasing him around.

honestly it sounds like you are doing fine. the teammates you are getting could be the problem. plus just keep practicing and you'll get better.

Laraja · Aug 26, 2009, 01:53 AM // 01:53

Thanks everyone. It looks like I'm doing the right things --- maybe not perfectly but I'm moving in the right direction which is good. And yeah, sadly this is RA. I've done some TA as a ranger with a guild, but I quit because, although I'm American, I can't play at night. Only in the morning, early afternoon which is more euro time I think.

But LOL at Turbo because during one match, I had TWO players following me around and around and around and around trying to hit me while all three other players on my team were after the monk and the ele... oh and the ele was going after me, too. And Rift, talk about lolrape. Been there, suffered that. Ain't pleasant.

Alright, so keep practicing, realize that I'm going to get lolraped if my RA team doesn't understand line backing and so on. At least by the time I find a guild and play more TA I'll be used to kiting my ass off while healing at the same time. lol.

Narcin · Aug 26, 2009, 03:41 AM // 03:41

use observer mode, forget youtube...quality there sucks. and kiting isnt always the answer, using defensive skills like you have listed means you dont ALWAYS have to kite, shield bash or armor of sanctity or just a guardian can keep you standing still and able to heal other team mates rather than just kiting the whole game.

Lux Aeterna · Aug 26, 2009, 03:46 AM // 03:46

Use observer mode, watch top gvg monks.

Practice, learn to solve your problems by experience, when you have an issue with something just figure out a solution.

- Example
Problem: RA monks do nothing but kite, and are impossible to catch when all they do is run.
Solution: Bring axe rake so they need to remove conditions before kiting (easy dchop), and pressure other teammates if a monk is too defensive.

Darth The Xx · Aug 26, 2009, 04:32 AM // 04:32

More often than not chances are its not your fault your team fails in a very epic fashion. People in RA tend to see monks as some sort of invincible god that is immune to everything. The reason you see top end monks keeping a team alive through a massive amount of punishment, is not cus the team has good self heals or anything, but cus they know how to play. People fail to realise how important it is to kite when you have 2 melees on ur ass and just assume you have a bottomless mana pool. In more organised teams, other players bring stuff to help out monks, like disruption, debuffs, and such.

So in summary, ur teams just prolly suck (but this is RA) and think its cool to ball in AoE

Chocobo1 · Aug 26, 2009, 05:19 AM // 05:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falynn Firestorm

Alrighty, I've read all the guides and rolled myself a PvP monk with all the right weapons sets and armor. I'm decent at swapping weapons sets. I keep an eagle eye on the compass for enemy players coming after me. I pre-prot the frontline classes. I'm running a fairly standard WoH bar with a Shield Bash and Bonettis, nothing fancy, but useful.

My problem is, I'm kiting so damn much to keep from being piled on by enemy players that I can't keep my team healed.

I tried to find something on youtube to see how a PvP monk handles this kind of constant bombardment, but can't find anything. I did play with one RA team where we got 8 in a row on this monk, but that team was pretty good at keeping the enemy off my back so I could heal. Is that the key? A good team will keep pressure off their monk and the rest of the enemy engaged?

I know I'm missing a critical element here. Or there is the real possibility that I just can't monk and that's that.

You sound better than most players. Pretty much repeating what others have said, but it's not your fault. If people are taking that much pressure that you literally cant keep up with them, then its probably their fault.

Swahnee · Aug 26, 2009, 10:57 AM // 10:57

I usually keep kiting, moving constantly in circles, trying to stay within the aggro bubble of my teammates, then stopping to cast when needed, and then starting running around again.

As self-defence, i use Return and Dark Escape. The latter when they try to spike me (half damage), the former when some melee is getting really annoying: i select a teammate, then run far from him, and suddendly teleport to him. In this way i have the time to heal/guardian me and others before that melee comes back.

However, sometimes there's really nothing to do, even if you're playing good, either because your opponents are good/well balanced, or your teammates don't.

Mallybum · Aug 26, 2009, 01:05 PM // 13:05

So instead of making another hread about monking I figure I'd ask my question here. i run the typical Mo/A build with guardian, dark escape and return. Usually I can time return well enough to have melee constantly crippled/chasing after me but every once in awhile I get stuck in a knock-lock situation with a hammer warrior. The majority of the time i start to panic and get hit with the q-knock interrupting either my return or WoH. What should I do? Hit dark escape and hope to survive the knock lock chain or just stand still to take it?

Laraja · Aug 26, 2009, 03:29 PM // 15:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swahnee

I usually keep kiting, moving constantly in circles, trying to stay within the aggro bubble of my teammates, then stopping to cast when needed, and then starting running around again.

As self-defence, i use Return and Dark Escape. The latter when they try to spike me (half damage), the former when some melee is getting really annoying: i select a teammate, then run far from him, and suddendly teleport to him. In this way i have the time to heal/guardian me and others before that melee comes back.

The first part, running in circles, I've started to do that now and I'm glad you said it. It's seems to be the best defense, with a last resort being your defensive skills.

I think I might try Return and Dark Escape. I like the idea that my defensive skill doesn't require a weapon swap, although the anti-knockdowns are nice, it's a bummer to switch weapon sets only to find that you're at zero energy.

Revelations · Aug 26, 2009, 04:39 PM // 16:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mallybum

...What should I do? Hit dark escape and hope to survive the knock lock chain or just stand still to take it?

If you're running return/dark escape you should really really be trying to get out of potential knocklocks before they occur. Look for patterns in the warriors behaviour, and return out before you eat the initial KD. You'll often find yourself eating the KD anyway, but you're a good distance away to prevent a quarterknock.

When carrying return in arenas try and position yourself well out of the way, off to the side of the fight. This accomplishes several things. Firstly if something melee decides to beat on you it relieves pressure while he's travelling to you. It gives you a very good warning to throw up a preprot. It gives you a better opportunity to prekite. And finally it completely screws them over when you return out just after they spent a whole lot of time doing nothing while getting to you. Ledges and return are effectively god mode against melee if your team is smart enough not to extend beyond your range.

Basically I'm trying to say.... You have no OSHTBALANCEDSTANCE to avoid the quarterknock, so your best chances of survival rest with not eating the initial KD in the first place. If your attempts at this fail then the best you can do is throw up dark escape and judge whether or not it's in your interest to queue patient spirit on yourself. Against a charged dchop it's probably not worth the risk, against a hammer you can often try it. Don't bother with WoH, even bad warriors can easily knock a 3/4.

Edit: Also, be careful with Bull's. If you eat a hammer elite followed by a quarterknock with hammer bash then be very careful about kiting immediately as you get back up. A large number of arena warriors tend to queue bulls while chasing down a target too, so hitting your cancel key just as they get to you/clicking ground right in front of your feet/casting a quarter second skill are all somewhat viable methods of not eating bull's strike. Try and avoid being close to other things their frontline is hitting on too, as bull's often follows a target swap.

Swahnee · Aug 26, 2009, 04:49 PM // 16:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mallybum

So instead of making another hread about monking I figure I'd ask my question here. i run the typical Mo/A build with guardian, dark escape and return. Usually I can time return well enough to have melee constantly crippled/chasing after me but every once in awhile I get stuck in a knock-lock situation with a hammer warrior. The majority of the time i start to panic and get hit with the q-knock interrupting either my return or WoH. What should I do? Hit dark escape and hope to survive the knock lock chain or just stand still to take it?

Well, you know that they will try to interrupt you as soon as you get up, so i'd say wait a few and make them waste their interrupt skill. If you have Guardian on, maybe you can try to cast and hope not to be interrupted, but this depends on how urgent to cast that skill is.

When i see someone chasing me, i always maintain Guardian on me. Often, when i see him come near to me, i recast Guardian even if it wasn't about to finish, so to be sure it doesn't finish when i'm on the ground. And yes, if i see spikes i hit Dark Escape and hope for the best

(however in RA i saw very rarely warriors who can quarter knock properly..). And obviously, i check carefully to be in my defensive set before getting KDed.

I use assassin secondary because i feel confident with it, but i heard a lot of people saying that having an anti-KD like Balanced Stance is better. Maybe this is better when you know that you'll face good warriors, which isn't going to happen so often in RA IMHO.

EDIT: I see only now the above post, and agree fully with it

some guy · Aug 28, 2009, 09:23 AM // 09:23

Keep in mind that this is a team game. Even the best monks fail when the team they are with can't offer enough support. You seem to be doing a good job though and practice makes perfect.

Age · Aug 28, 2009, 10:03 PM // 22:03

I would remove bonetti's and use another stance balanced stance, shield or disiplined stance.Bonetti's is better for pve play like farming as you need adrenaline.

Revelations · Aug 30, 2009, 10:38 AM // 10:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Age

I would remove bonetti's and use another stance balanced stance, shield or disiplined stance.Bonetti's is better for pve play like farming as you need adrenaline.

Furious spear.

Swahnee · Aug 30, 2009, 03:46 PM // 15:46

Well, i used sometimes Bonetti's in RA, and even if i don't like it very much, it can be useful. It's a bit more difficult to use than the others, because you have to keep it charged hitting foes in your spear/shield set. And another problem is that if the warrior who is chasing you pays a little attention, he would see Bonetti's and stop hitting you/switch target, so you wouldn't get energy.

Revelations · Aug 30, 2009, 04:59 PM // 16:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swahnee

And another problem is that if the warrior who is chasing you pays a little attention, he would see Bonetti's and stop hitting you/switch target, so you wouldn't get energy.

So if your positioning is decent then you've effectively blown a free skill with a possible net gain in energy to have the warrior run a good distance to catch you, only to have to run right the hell back? Big problem.