Switching for raids

[Raznor2]

<p>Hi, I've played a bruiser for two years on venekor and with the latest live update I'm switching to a monk for raids.  What differences should I expect between the two classes?  </p><p>Raithan</p>

[Aull]

<p>Being accepted in more raids than your counter part. LOL all joking aside I cannot really say what to expect since I personally do not play a monk, but all my friends play monks and they love the class. </p><p>Some things that make monks welcome to raids and grouping over a bruiser is the fact they have a better raid wide buff that increases melee haste and also gives spell casting haste to all classes that use spells/heals. </p><p>Being able to heal w/ cure another group/raid memeber is another welcome addition of the monk class even though the recast is long. </p><p>Having the combination of tsunami and peel is a nice save for when a mt goes down or just before so that the healers can either rez or bring the mt's health back up.</p><p>Monks do not require as many melee buffing classes (hasting classes anyway) to get to haste cap. Most generally give a monk a coercer and a dirge and they can be very solid fighter dps.</p><p>They do have a group feign death that on occasion can possibly save a group or at least some of the members from dieing, but on a very long recast.</p><p>Outside of raiding monks are great solo toons, very strong instance tanks, can be considered by some players as dps back up for grouping, and of course all listed above as bonuses.</p><p>I sure there is more to it than what I have given, but that is what all my friends love about the monk class.</p>

[Raznor2]

<p>Thank you for the advice Aull.  I just finished changing over and got a look at the monk acheivments.  Any advice on good way to do the monk achievments for dps? </p><p>~Raithan</p>

[Aull]

<p>Well I can really only comment on the brawler tree. I believe that what ever benefits a bruiser well will be even a great benefit for the monk. The way I see it the brawler tree mainly deals with abilities that effect auto attack with the exception of the agility line. Since monks have such high self haste any line will benefit a monk more in a solo situation or a group with less melee buffing. I know most monks are intel and wisdom users. Wisdom's end ability crane flock with all the high haste a monk gets allows more ae and double attack per 16 seconds of duration, so that is what makes this line so nice to use. Intel for the crits.</p><p>As for the monk tree I cannot comment on this since again I personally do not have a monk. My cousin and friends say that the monk tree is garbage, but they also feel that the brawler tree benefits the monks better than a bruiser so they do complain that much.</p><p>So you will need some of the monks here to rely on for answers to that.</p>

[Dorieon]

<p>As far as the monk tree goes, there is generally very little variation especially for a 'dps' spec. My build looks like this. </p><p>5 points in each of the left and middle attack lines.</p><p>3 points in each of the right attacks. </p><p>5 points in heal, tsunami, external calm and body like mountain.</p><p>Both cures.</p><p>5 points in mongoose stance. (This is where specs can vary a bit. If you end up pulling agro alot this can offer decent reductions.) Its also nice if you do a group and you're not tanking for some reason.</p><p>Endline- Superior Riposte. </p>

[Morgane]

<p>You'll probably want Altruism for raids so going down the Agility tree is a good idea. One of the choices speeds up your reuse timers, too, which is a must IMHO.... 8 pts to that one.</p><p>I went down the WIS line as well to get the Crane Flock. I put 4-4-8-1 in INT and sprinkled a few points in the first STR option just to raise my STR a bit. </p><p>As for the Monk tree, you have to put five in the Heal, no doubt. Your heal will save yourself and your raid members more than you might think. Focus isn't a bad idea either. Tsunami and Face of the Mountain is great, especially if the MT dies and you have to use Peel... then you'll need all the help you can get to sheild yourself.  And of course the offensive spells I maxed out. Still got about fifteen points to earn and plan on maxing out all my offensive spells. </p><p>I do decent DPS in raids. Without a dirge in the group I can parse anywhere from 1000 to 1600. With a dirge my parse increases dramatically. I'm sure there are higher parses out there... I've read about timing your CA's between your auto attacks but I haven't quite mastered that trick yet.</p><p>Also, you probably already know this, but gear with  + melee crit is never a bad thing. </p><p>Good luck! <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Raznor2]

<p>Thanks for the advice on AA's I'll be sure to try those out.  After raids tonight I do have some other questions.  Any tips on pulling as a monk?  I found the bruiser easier to pull with, the stuns in vp ate me alive, especially around the front door.  Also, does avoidance for monks use different stats?  I figured my avoidance would go up when I switched but that wasn't the case.</p><p>~Raithan</p>