New to Monking

Hello.

Im pretty much new to monking experience.
I completed the faction campain with a mesmer and then wanted
to make a farming character, I read about the 55, and decided to make a monk.
I got kinda stuck into tho, and allways end up playing my monk becouse its more fun.
So i have some questions about teamplay
and hope to get some general tips.
Note, ive never once been in a non-random pickup party
so I have to "feel" out the players every time.

However, a few things in general that I see and notice
that makes my job harder.

One thing in particular is wammos and especially assasins sprinting/dashing off,
through all the mobs and to the backline to get the enemy monk,
which puts them, way out of range and forces me to, either watch them die,
or place my-slowmoveing-self in the midst of all mobs and get myself in big troubble.
Assassins are particularry bad at this as they death charge forth,
and somehow neglect to fall back when they start taking heavy damage.
Its just annoying, and im not sure what to do in situations like that.

Second is the non tank range-classes(E,R) starting the agro,
which is pretty common since they are the first to get within hit-range.
Also not sure how to deal with that as they take a lot more damage than a warrior.
The sollution i currently have to that is to put prot spirit on my bar,
(the singel prot spell i have) and cast it as soon as they take damage, so i can "worrie " less.
But this is energy-unsufficient, and a costly spell in long term.

A general example of frustration in a random party,
is when i carefully hold down the control button, click on the blue bar on my screen;
" My energy is 3 of 46." , it says in the party chat.
And some wacko runs off and agro everything.


A few things about equipment as wel.
Im going to assume that +energy set would be the better for pve.
However i am currious about runes. If your playing as a general healer,
wouldnt 2x+2 runes be better than one +3 rune (+2 divine, +2heal).
And how does really the divine attribute work?

And what is the better weapons (+offhand?) for a healer monk?


I havent played for more than 3 weeks, but ive come to the conclution that the monk is centre of any party.
Yes sure, you can make a party without a monk, even make it work.
But all in all, the monk class is the basis for good party layout.

And I'd like to say, and you can dissagree with me if you like,
that the only good fighter is the one whom knows how to play a monk.

Btw, i hate assassins, I get dissapointed everytime i see them on the party list.
Either its just something, or it seems like most of the playerbase dont know how to play the class.
My impression from the class is that they are high damage dealers with little to no defence.
They work best when they go inn, spam some specials and get out , wait for cooldown.
In fact, im going to make my own assassin, just to figure out why that particular class keep dieing so much more.

- chromeball


edit: just looked at the text, got pretty long, sorry bout the read XD

you're the guy with the heal spells so you cannot die.
if you chase some fool thru a mob to heal him you will surely die. screw him, he'll learn. he needs to understand the big picture and if you somehow keep him alive chasing him all over town he'll never get it. let him die.

if the casters fail to kite from the pressure in their face you should also let them die. you can only do so much. if they just sit there and cast while getting pounded they too need to learn. let them die.

if you all survive try to explain that you cannot and must not go near the mob and that you cannot spend all of your energy on one triggerhappy ele. if they wont listen let them die. it's better for a couple to have 60 dp than for the whole party to wipe.


i hate spamming my energy only to watch some jackass run off and aggro a mob. i just can't understand it.

Quote: Originally Posted by holden

Quote: Originally Posted by Swinging Fists

Thanks for the quick replys.

Its very hard to resist running through a player if you see that ones hp is dropping.
I guess i gotto harder on that if im putting myself in danger.

Looking at the monk basics thread, is a lot about builds and little about the basics.
I dont get it tho, the player is much more important than the build.

Very very often i see players break off the group and run thruwards a mob to get themselves killed off.
More annoying is it when they are running away from a mob, which happens to be away from where your standing as wel.

I know the divine attribute adds to the healing prayers, but how much for each attribute point?

3.2 for each rank. guildwiki.org is a great resource.


dont follow them if at all possible. you're the anchor. make the team exist around you. if you have to run a few steps to heal you may not make it and the teammate will get nailed anyway. if you ran from the bulk of the group to save the one stray you're putting the majority in danger. but if one guy is calling and drawing the badguys to the group there's no reason for them to move. sit and wait for the target and drop them one after the other. it keeps you from stretching yourself too thin.

If your warriors are good, they will kill the monks way before they need healing. Otherwise, they had better take their own healing. Any warrior or any class for that matter, that runs off and is away from your healing area, let them go. If they make it back to your healing powers (you being in a safe distance), then heal them. As for Assassins, yes, players are still getting used to the idea of hit-and-run. Many are too busy laying down their combos to realize that they are getting hit as well. Let them die, unless they are the only ones being hurt. Again, if they are out of your healing area, there is nothing you can do.

Typically I send out a Vigorous Spirit on warriors and rangers and assassins. At least they can try to heal themselves with each successful attack they make. Healing Seed is good for anyone who clusters together and gets hit. It heals them and adjacent allies whenever they get hit. Word of Healing (elite) is also a good cost-effective spell that works very well when you have lots into Healing and Divine Favor, and works better if the ally is under 50% health.

If people ignore you about your energy (I ignore anyone who says my energy is 50 out of 80; but I'll wait if someone has 3 out of 50), then wait until you are able to heal effectively.

Runes are good if you know what you are using. I have runes for healing and divine Favor and a scare for divine favor. DF works when you cast any spell on a target (ally) and they get healing. If you cast a smiting spell or a protection spell on them, they get some healing from DF. If you cast a healing spell, they get healing from spell and from DF. If you cast a non-monk spell, DF will not heal.

Best weapons give energy and faster recharge and faster casting. Same with off-hand items.

I have the Yakslapper (gives +10 energy, max damage, Divine Favor of 9, halves recharge time and I think halves casting time too). I also have a gold staff of smiting (max damage, +12 energy, halves time of protection spells). I have a green rod of... I can't remember the stats or name. I have purples too.

I think a good player knows when to fight, when to flee, and when to heal. If someone runs off on their own, they are good soloer or they are not good players.

You are absolutely right about Assassins. Its not the class, but the player that is poor. Most of us don't know how to really get-in-get out, so we foolishly stay a bit too long and die. I don't mind an Assassin in the group, I can even tollerate 2 of them. They will learn eventually, and if not, throw bonding on them. Then throw essence bond so you can gain energy back from them.

Against enchantment strippers, bring a cover enchantment, like Watchful Spirit or Ageis or Guardian.

I play a W/R, R/Mo, Mo/E, N/Me, Rit/N and a A/Mo (the most dangerous type of Assassin you'll ever be partying with ). So I know exactly what you are going through. I pull with my W/R before going berzerk and killing. I am still trying to get used to teleport in and run away (I don't have a teleport out skill yet). I hench with all of my characters until I am comfortable not to get my team nor myself killed, at least not foolishly.

Good luck with your assassin.