Curse

Drewfense · Aug 30, 2006, 06:25 PM // 18:25

I would have to agree on sektor for this one, boon prots are the easiest type of monk to play in GvG. Unlike heal monks, 2 of your main spells (RoF, SB/PS) are 1/4 casts so it does not require timing. Furthermore, each of your spells give significant healing and are self targeting so you can play "red bars go up." The only major heals for the blight are Blessed Light (which costs 10 energy) and Gift of Health (which doesn't target yourself). So the end result is that to BLight effectively, you must truly play as a prot monk, preventing damage not reacting to it. Sidenote: preventing damage by prot spells, not dark escape/return/vipers, those should be viewed as secondary assistance, not as the primary.

In the end, BLights are better on offensive splits because of the hex removal, but that is only so if they can use prot skills to prot... This is by no way saying that boon prots are bad. Also I am not some BLighter trying to say BLights are the way (I play both types often and actually my favorite types of GvG monks are healing). The boon prot has a major advantage in fast cast self heals that make it tremendously easier to play for inexperienced monks.

Cirian · Aug 31, 2006, 01:00 PM // 13:00

On the subject of Restoration Rits, I think they may combo well with a NR/Tranq ranger on certain maps. Which is to say, if you were thinking about using a NR/Tranq ranger or other spirit user already, you might want to think about bringing a Restoration Rit to synergise with those spirits.

For one thing, the Rit has enchantment-like Weapon Spells that - unlike true enchantments - won't be compromised by NR/Tranq and in addition, can't be stripped. One I like in particular is Resilient Weapon for its long duration, effect, and synergy with Wielder's Boon, although I also like Vengeful Weapon and Weapon of Shadow. Weapon of Warding is a bit slow in my opinion, but Byron ingeniously mentioned putting it on a Me/Rt with fast casting to speed it up - cute

There are 2 Restoration spells in particular that I like that make use of close spirits. Assuming 16 Resoration, they are:

Mend Body and Soul - a cheap, light heal with a 3s cooldown. Removes a condition per spirit in the area, making it similar to Mend Condition on steroids in the right conditions. You can use it on yourself too.

Spirit Transfer - For 10e, you get a powerful 237 point heal with a blistering 1/4s cast on a 10s cooldown. The downside is that a spirit has to be within your aggro circle, and it must have some health to draw from - this spell is like Infuse Health using a spirit as your 'life bank', but it can be any spirit - including ranger spirits and even enemy spirits. Likewise to MBaS, you can use this as an emergency self heal and it's a fair anti-spike skill.

As for e-management, I quite like Attuned was Songkai and Soothing Memories. Soothing Memories is like a non-elite Healing Light - it heals for 106 on a 5s cooldown and returns 3e if holding an item such as AwS. Combined with AwS its essentially free, and AwS even synergises with non-rit spells too.

Basically, I think there's a definate niche for Restoration Rits in certain builds for certain maps, and I expect to see some appearing in the future. Especially if the future features massive enchantment hate

My 2c.