SK vs Monk DPS

[KhorneDeth]

<p>I'm new to the EQ2 scene after playing the original EQ a number of years ago -- I'm currently walking up a baby SK and Monk -- trying to decide between them and I've got a question.</p><p>So far in my adventures, the SK clearly seems better able to handle multiple mobs at a time, so its pretty obvious she's got better defenses (plate + lifetaps = survivability) and i'm curious as to whether an SK has comparable DPS capability to a Monk.  Gear aside, do you feel the <em>current </em>iteration of an SK can keep up with a Monk in the DPS game?</p><p>Both toons are in their upper 20's right now, with about 20ish AAs optimized for soloing, as I don't have many friends in-game yet. </p><p>I realize there may be bias, being this is the SK boards, but I figured I'd ask anyway.  <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>I really enjoy both styles, and I may ultimately pick one or the other regardless, but I am curious as to general opinions here.  Thanks much!</p><p>  -- KhorneDeth</p>

[Bruener]

<p><cite>KhorneDeth wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I'm new to the EQ2 scene after playing the original EQ a number of years ago -- I'm currently walking up a baby SK and Monk -- trying to decide between them and I've got a question.</p><p>So far in my adventures, the SK clearly seems better able to handle multiple mobs at a time, so its pretty obvious she's got better defenses (plate + lifetaps = survivability) and i'm curious as to whether an SK has comparable DPS capability to a Monk.  Gear aside, do you feel the <em>current </em>iteration of an SK can keep up with a Monk in the DPS game?</p><p>Both toons are in their upper 20's right now, with about 20ish AAs optimized for soloing, as I don't have many friends in-game yet. </p><p>I realize there may be bias, being this is the SK boards, but I figured I'd ask anyway.  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p><p>I really enjoy both styles, and I may ultimately pick one or the other regardless, but I am curious as to general opinions here.  Thanks much!</p><p>  -- KhorneDeth</p></blockquote><p>Right now Monks have a slight edge on single target DPS, but SKs have a huge advantage on AE DPS when you do a comparison.  Unfortunately Brawlers are way behind the curve.  This is going to change in the future.  There is a lot of talk about Brawlers and a lot of ideas being up by them to help them out in this area.  SOE is not completely blind and they know that those 2 classes need some loving.  Most likely by the time you get those 2 classes leveled up the changes will be made.  At that time I am sure monk DPS on single will be improved quite a bit, and they will be given a little luvin on AE DPS.</p><p>So how it is now will not be how it will be in the future.</p>

[Landiin]

<p>IMO the SK is the easiest class of all 24 to play ATM. It is so versatile that every one and their dogs are rolling up SKs. It didn't' always use to be this way and prob will not be for long but for now they get some well deserved OP action going for them. I've even rolled one up and they are fun, granted I'll never play it for real so I'll leave to the real SK's out ther to help you more.</p>

[KhorneDeth]

<p>I've certainly noticed what you're saying on the AoE DPS with the SK vs Monk.  Since I solo a lot, that seems to help immensely since I tend to level up a few levels and then go back down to lower areas to finish up quests.... well, by then, the mobs are light green so clearing them out is much quicker with the SK.</p><p>Interesting prediciton on the future of brawlers -- here's to hoping!  I think for now i might stick with SKs for another dozen levels and see how things play out. </p><p>  -- KhorneDeth</p>

[Bruener]

<p><cite>Toran@Oasis wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>IMO the SK is the easiest class of all 24 to play ATM. It is so versatile that every one and their dogs are rolling up SKs. It didn't' always use to be this way and prob will not be for long but for now they get some well deserved OP action going for them. I've even rolled one up and they are fun, granted I'll never play it for real so I'll leave to the real SK's out ther to help you more.</p></blockquote><p>There is nothing easy about playing a SK good.  Easy is playing an Enchanter and having a single macro for DPS.  No tank is easy, and hybrid style tanks are harder than any other.</p><p>Edit: to remove the mean jab at Toran.</p>

[Aull]

<p>Well I would give a leveling monk the dps advantage to a leveling sk's dps. However once the sk gets enough aa's they become a grinding machine. Monks will still pull better dps single target but when talking dps zone wides the sk will snuff the monks dps fire out. This applies not only to the monk but every other fighter as well will have a lower zone wide unless a berserker has his mythical weapon.</p><p>Single target dps for the end game and geared sk's will surpass a similar monk on occasion. This will not be the case on every pull or fight but sk's are capable of very nice single target dps. I will not begin to speak of the aoe damage that sk's can do cause it just to good and enough said hehe.</p><p>I personally think that the dps variances between all the fighter is totally out of whack atm. Every fighter seems to be doing a very close comparison in dps these days. Monks and bruisers should be top single target dps since they lack the survival and utility that the other fighters have. This is noticed most in raids.</p><p>I enjoy my sk very much but I would say that it will take aa's and levels before the sk will equal monk dps.</p>

[Draigo]

<p>Am I doing something wrong granted my SK is only 26, I have a 80 brig a mid 50's swahie a 60 brusier and have found so far the surivabilty and DPS awful on my SK compared to these other classes to the point of not playing even though SK seem's to be the current FOTM.</p><p>have gong INT in crusader and the reaver line in the other, still in TD/Gorowyn armor and weapons and adept or app4 CA's and spells</p>

[DwarvesR]

<p><cite>Draigo wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Am I doing something wrong granted my SK is only 26, I have a 80 brig a mid 50's swahie a 60 brusier and have found so far the surivabilty and DPS awful on my SK compared to these other classes to the point of not playing even though SK seem's to be the current FOTM.</p><p>have gong INT in crusader and the reaver line in the other, <span style="color: #ff0000;">still in TD/Gorowyn armor and weapons</span> and adept or app4 CA's and spells</p></blockquote><p>That's what you're doing wrong.  Stats on that gear is nice, but the mitigation is complete garbage so you're taking a lot of damage you don't need to.  The level 22 MC is WAY better -- devout if you can find it.  If that's too expensive, even that carbonite has better mititgation.... or you might try the level 20 Armor Quests.  Stats kinda suck, but the mit's decent for the level and you can always throw it in the appearance slots later.</p><p>Also, a lot of our AE's come latel.  IIRC, you have 2 or 3 at level 26... eventually we have 7 (or 8 if you have a racial green AE), but until you have most or all of them, then AE doesn't actually help you all that much yet, and can get you killed.  Try to stick with only 1 or 2 mobs at a time (and not ^^^'s. . . . )  And forget theat the defense stance exists -- offense all the way, baby!</p><p>FWIW, I don't have my even my fabled epic, just a legendary mace, have 5 of the T1 shard armor pieces and the level 77 MC jewelry, and yet I topped the parse while tanking VoES last week, with just under 3K zonewide.  Sad since there was a ranger and a dirge in the group, but whachagonnado?  Eventually I'll at least get Sedition, plus the T2 armor and T2 jewelry to boot, but that's a long way off since my playtime is very limited anymore.</p>

[Golbezz]

<p><cite>KhorneDeth wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I'm new to the EQ2 scene after playing the original EQ a number of years ago -- I'm currently walking up a baby SK and Monk -- trying to decide between them and I've got a question.</p><p>So far in my adventures, the SK clearly seems better able to handle multiple mobs at a time, so its pretty obvious she's got better defenses (plate + lifetaps = survivability) and i'm curious as to whether an SK has comparable DPS capability to a Monk.  Gear aside, do you feel the <em>current </em>iteration of an SK can keep up with a Monk in the DPS game?</p><p>Both toons are in their upper 20's right now, with about 20ish AAs optimized for soloing, as I don't have many friends in-game yet. </p><p>I realize there may be bias, being this is the SK boards, but I figured I'd ask anyway.  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p><p>I really enjoy both styles, and I may ultimately pick one or the other regardless, but I am curious as to general opinions here.  Thanks much!</p><p>  -- KhorneDeth</p></blockquote><p>If you want to dps as a fighter monk would probably be the long term choice because I honestly don't see SOE improving their tanking abilities by much but I could see them push monk dps way up to balance. For the short term you could always betray the monk to bruiser for better dps now or play the SK and always have that option to betray to PAL in the future if the class changes in a way you don't like.</p><p>I have both SK and monk with mythicals and I don't have any plans to change classes. I would choose based on what you want to do as a fighter. If you want to tank go SK, if you prefer to tank less often try monk since you will almost never see 2 plate tanks in a group but will sometimes be able to go along as brawler dps in a group if the tank in group isn't after a specific fighter item.</p>

[Lethe5683]

<p><cite>Bruener wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Toran@Oasis wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>IMO the SK is the easiest class of all 24 to play ATM. It is so versatile that every one and their dogs are rolling up SKs. It didn't' always use to be this way and prob will not be for long but for now they get some well deserved OP action going for them. I've even rolled one up and they are fun, granted I'll never play it for real so I'll leave to the real SK's out ther to help you more.</p></blockquote><p>There is nothing easy about playing a SK good.  Easy is playing an Enchanter and having a single macro for DPS.  No tank is easy, and hybrid style tanks are harder than any other.</p><p>Edit: to remove the mean jab at Toran.</p></blockquote><p><span style="color: #00ccff;">[Removed for Content].  SKs are incredibly overpowered and by far the easiest tank to play.</span></p>

[skycruise]

<p><cite>Lethe5683 wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #00ccff;">[Removed for Content].  SKs are incredibly overpowered and by far the easiest tank to play.</span></p></blockquote><p>Do you play one?</p>

[Tiberuis]

<p>SK's are the most difficult of the plate tanks to play.  SK's use spell casting and dots for damage, as well as using melee attacks for damage.  It is a complex balancing act to gear your SK, as you need to satistfy the spell crit/spelladd/INT requirement for decent spell DPS, and the melee crit/meleeadd/double attack/STR requirement to for decent melee DPS.  You also need to split your AA's up in to thirds between tanking/survivability, spell damage, and melee damage requirements (so get yourself an AA mirror, and be prepared to switch your AA builds based on your playing requirements that day).</p><p>Monks have higher DPS starting at lower levels.  As the SK gets to higher levels and more AA's, and the SK's customize thier AA build, and gear build for DPS, SK's will have more AOE DPS in an AOE based encounter zone (as do Bezerkers). </p><p>Monks have much better single target DPS all the way through the game.</p><p>Monks will more commonly be used to fill a DPS spot in a group or raid. </p><p>SK's will more commonly be used to be Main Tank in a Group, or Off Tank in a raid.</p><p>Neither class will be called to MT a Raid Zone very often.  This is the realm of the Guardian.</p><p>In my humble opinion, Monks need to have thier AOE DPS increased, to make up for thier lack of tanking survivability.  Hopefully the Dev's will give them some love in the AOE DPS department soon  <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  </p>

[Norrsken]

<p><cite>Tiberuis wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>SK's are the most difficult of the plate tanks to play.  SK's use spell casting and dots for damage, as well as using melee attacks for damage.  It is a complex balancing act to gear your SK, as you need to satistfy the spell crit/spelladd/INT requirement for decent spell DPS, and the melee crit/meleeadd/double attack/STR requirement to for decent melee DPS.  You also need to split your AA's up in to thirds between tanking/survivability, spell damage, and melee damage requirements (so get yourself an AA mirror, and be prepared to switch your AA builds based on your playing requirements that day).</p><p>Monks have higher DPS starting at lower levels.  As the SK gets to higher levels and more AA's, and the SK's customize thier AA build, and gear build for DPS, SK's will have more AOE DPS in an AOE based encounter zone (as do Bezerkers). </p><p>Monks have much better single target DPS all the way through the game.</p><p>Monks will more commonly be used to fill a DPS spot in a group or raid. </p><p>SK's will more commonly be used to be Main Tank in a Group, or Off Tank in a raid.</p><p>Neither class will be called to MT a Raid Zone very often.  This is the realm of the Guardian.</p><p>In my humble opinion, Monks need to have thier AOE DPS increased, to make up for thier lack of tanking survivability.  Hopefully the Dev's will give them some love in the AOE DPS department soon  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" />  </p></blockquote><p>That used to be true, but it has kindof changed with TSO. Its not as ahrd to gear up, and its not as hard to play a sk anymore. The old guard of SKs that were used to playing a limpingf class and did well with it nowadays have it really easy. I know, Im one of them. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Not that I mind that tbh, but Im not gonna fool myself into thinking that it will always be so either.</p>

[Lethe5683]

<p><cite>Tiberuis wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>SK's are the most difficult of the plate tanks to play.  SK's use spell casting and dots for damage, as well as using melee attacks for damage.  It is a complex balancing act to gear your SK, as you need to satistfy the spell crit/spelladd/INT requirement for decent spell DPS, and the melee crit/meleeadd/double attack/STR requirement to for decent melee DPS.  You also need to split your AA's up in to thirds between tanking/survivability, spell damage, and melee damage requirements (so get yourself an AA mirror, and be prepared to switch your AA builds based on your playing requirements that day).</p><p><span style="color: #00ccff;">That was true in RoK but not at all in the shadowknight odessy.</span></p><p>Monks have higher DPS starting at lower levels.  As the SK gets to higher levels and more AA's, and the SK's customize thier AA build, and gear build for DPS, SK's will have more AOE DPS in an AOE based encounter zone (as do Bezerkers). </p><p><span style="color: #00ccff;">Which is wrong.</span></p><p>Monks have much better single target DPS all the way through the game.</p><p>Monks will more commonly be used to fill a DPS spot in a group or raid. </p><p>SK's will more commonly be used to be Main Tank in a Group, or Off Tank in a raid.</p><p><span style="color: #00ccff;">Which is why brawlers should have high single target <em>and</em> aoe DPS than any plate tank by a significant amount.</span></p><p>Neither class will be called to MT a Raid Zone very often.  This is the realm of the Guardian.</p><p>In my humble opinion, Monks need to have thier AOE DPS increased, to make up for thier lack of tanking survivability.  Hopefully the Dev's will give them some love in the AOE DPS department soon  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" />  </p><p><span style="color: #00ccff;">Even in the fighter revamp the amount of AoE autoattack we were going to get was only half as much as plate tanks get not to mention we get less crit and da as well.</span></p></blockquote>

[Golbezz]

<p><cite>Lethe5683 wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #00ccff;">[Removed for Content].  SKs are incredibly overpowered and by far the easiest tank to play.</span></p></blockquote><p>Easy is a PAL with amends on the highest DPS in group. PAL remains my brigand's favorite tank for groups as they are the only tank that stands a chance of keeping the aggro off him.</p><p>If you think SK is the easiest tank to play watch how bad an inexperienced SK is at tanking compared to an inexperienced PAL that at least knows to put amends on the highest DPS. The PAL can at least get decent results while the SK can have more trouble. I have seen this from the DPS side playing my brigand.</p><p>I have SK, brigand, monk all with mythicals and the SK/brigand have a decent amount of raid gear while the monk has a bit less. The SK is easiest to solo against multiple targets (lots of AE's), the brigand is easiest against single and the monk performs far below the brigand in single target dps but can stand up to additional mobs beating on him that would kill the brigand. In terms of balance changes the easiest fix would be increasing monk dps.</p>