Monk Tank...Is it viable?

[Kungpao]

<p>I just recently returned to EQ2, I have a 49 guard, and I was looking to created another tank class.  Is the monk a viable tank in later content? If not, should I reroll my guard to take advantage of any missed content since I have been away for many years?</p><p>If the monk is a viable tank, any links or input would be appreicated.</p><p><img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Landiin]

Not this expansion but it is a statistically likelihood for the next expansion that the brawler class will be the FoTM fighter. Seeing as building FoTM classes is the only way the EQ2 dev team knows how to do classes.

[Rasttan]

<p>Yes we are viable but we are not optimal. Scrap the Guard I left mine at lvl 80, and my Monk does a decent job tanking and above average dps but the win/win tanks are.............</p><p>SK or Pally pick one of these and you can out tank and out dps even while tanking every other tank in 90% of any situation that may arrive.</p>

[Morrolan V]

<p>No disagreement that Crusaders are still the FoTM, just as they were during TSO.</p><p>That said, monks can efficiently tank everything from heroic instances through the top raid content.  Just need the right gear and AA setup.</p>

[Megavolt]

<p>Depends... if you never run with a  warlock, yes. Never. Never ever. I'm still crying from the last time.</p>

[The_Cheeseman]

<p>Viable has different meanings to different people. Monks are entirely capable of tanking any content in the game. However, you will need better gear and greater concentration to do so compared to a crusader or berserker. Even for those of us who have been playing a monk for years, there can still be situations where tanking can become downright frustrating (holding aggro off warlocks and rangers without a chanter or bard in the group).</p><p>That being said, monks are still a blast to play, and are capable of soloing efficiently as well as DPS'ing or tanking in average groups (I frequently top the parse in PuGs that lack hardcore raiders, though it requires swapping between multiple sets of gear and separate AA specs). You have to come to terms with the fact that you will usually be second choice for any given role in a group, but if you're dedicated you can succeed. Believe me, people notice a skilled brawler, and the smart ones will both appreciate you and invite you back.</p>

[Exordus]

<p><cite>Toranx@Crushbone wrote:</cite></p><blockquote> next expansion that the brawler class will be the FoTM fighter.</blockquote><p>Pffft, i'll believe that when I see it.</p>

[Thrakkorzog]

<p>I agree with The Cheeseman completely. If you have the right gear you can tank it. And getting a decent set of Fabled gear isn't that hard. It is a running gag on Mistmoore about how much Monk loot drops and is for sale in the auction channel. If you are in a casual raiding guild like mine you can get plenty of great monk loot. You also have to completely know what you are doing. Monks have a lot of buffs you need to know when to use to keep from dying.</p><p>In my guild our MT plate tanker isn't available anymore so I recently became the new MT.  My guild isn't a hardcore raiding guild and we are still learning the harder mobs in raid zones.</p><p>Raid mobs I have tanked and we killed:</p><p><strong>Lair of The Dragon Queen:</strong></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">Wyvernlord Tuluun</span></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">Wyrmlord Zaos</span></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">Vuulan </span></p><p><strong>Pera'Celsis Abominable Laboratory:</strong></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">Ernax Heridion </span></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">Vernox The Insatiable</span></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">Sara Greenheart </span></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">Harakaat The Seer </span></p><p><strong>The Palace of Roehn Theer:</strong></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">Lieutenant Buldoral </span></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">Azara The Seer </span></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;"> </span></p><p><strong>The Vigilant: Final Destruction:</strong></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">Thanaraax</span><span style="color: #ffffff;"> </span></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">Tartan, Raamum and Cadducian</span></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">Melagrognan</span></p><p><span style="color: #ffffff;">High Marus Alaric</span></p><p>That is about it so far. I am sure we will kill more eventually. SO I hope that answers the OP. Although I still think Berserkers are better raid tanks with all those damage reduction and heal procs they have. We don't have anything to compare to that.</p>

[Selpone]

<p>I personally believe that I need to be in defensive stance to be a good tank.  The major change on my character is going from 1% uncontested block to 51% between offensive/spider and defensive.  With the number of high end mobs that use strikethrough, monks are also immune to strikethough in defensive stance.  All the big arguements that Monks can't tank Raid or high end heroic content isn't all that bad if the player is spec'ed for taunts and for the group to survive.  The reduction in melee skill can be fixed with a couple good items and/or adorns.  My monk isn't complete, but she had +100 crushing in defensive stance.  The AA which adds accuracy tops me off to have a 98-99% chance to hit level 98 epic content in defensive stance.</p><p>I think it can be done, but I've done my best not to be tempted to stack up on offensive AA.</p>

[Arcanos]

<p>What is your AA setup, I'm very pleased with the tone of your post, Selphone.</p><p>Also, In a leveling build, trying to gain aa while level locking at 50, what is a good aa choice?  I see a lot of competing voices to this topic.</p>

[Baldzilla1969]

<p>I have tanked all sorts of things this expac.. OV, RH, Lib etc even Cella,, vig zones seem rough on my paladin but ive seen monk tank that too although I have not myself done so. Viable with good gear and groupage</p>

[Ambrin]

<p>Defensively monks are just as good as any of the other tanks, we can mitigate as much or more damage than the other tank classes. Where we suffer is in agro generation. If we go completely defensive we will have one of the lowest threat outputs of any of the tank classes. This is largely because we need to devote much more of our gear to defense than plate tanks, meaning we have to give up a lot more DPS to go defensive.</p><p>Even when going all out offensive we aren't the top parsing tank.</p>

[Shredderr]

<p>dont delete your guardian if anything betray to zerker and you have an op class unless the nerf to heals actually diminished that a bit .</p>

[Morrolan V]

<p><cite>Ambrin@Nagafen wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Defensively monks are just as good as any of the other tanks, we can mitigate as much or more damage than the other tank classes. Where we suffer is in agro generation. If we go completely defensive we will have one of the lowest threat outputs of any of the tank classes. This is largely because we need to devote much more of our gear to defense than plate tanks, meaning we have to give up a lot more DPS to go defensive.</p><p>Even when going all out offensive we aren't the top parsing tank.</p></blockquote><p>^this^</p><p>Best encapsulation of the situation, and the problem, that I have seen.</p>

[circusgirl]

<p>Hopefully the changes on test will help here.  It looks like they're giving us a little extra mitigation, and the changes to dual wield, two handers, and flurry/AE attacks should help us to do a little more dps when tanking.  </p>

[BChizzle]

<p>Hey Vinka want to explain the mitigation part?</p>

[circusgirl]

<p><cite>BChizzle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Hey Vinka want to explain the mitigation part?</p></blockquote><p>Theres 1100 mit on inner calm on test.</p>

[BChizzle]

<p><cite>Vinka@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>BChizzle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Hey Vinka want to explain the mitigation part?</p></blockquote><p>Theres 1100 mit on inner calm on test.</p></blockquote><p>Would be awesome if they made it groupwide.</p>

[circusgirl]

<p><cite>BChizzle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Vinka@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>BChizzle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Hey Vinka want to explain the mitigation part?</p></blockquote><p>Theres 1100 mit on inner calm on test.</p></blockquote><p>Would be awesome if they made it groupwide.</p></blockquote><p>Sure would!</p>

[BChizzle]

<p><cite>Vinka@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>BChizzle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Vinka@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>BChizzle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Hey Vinka want to explain the mitigation part?</p></blockquote><p>Theres 1100 mit on inner calm on test.</p></blockquote><p>Would be awesome if they made it groupwide.</p></blockquote><p>Sure would!</p></blockquote><p>Even so 1k is hot either way.</p>

[circusgirl]

<p><cite>BChizzle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Vinka@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>BChizzle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Vinka@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>BChizzle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Hey Vinka want to explain the mitigation part?</p></blockquote><p>Theres 1100 mit on inner calm on test.</p></blockquote><p>Would be awesome if they made it groupwide.</p></blockquote><p>Sure would!</p></blockquote><p>Even so 1k is hot either way.</p></blockquote><p>[Removed for Content] straight!</p>

[Aull]

<p>It is nice to see that here lately monks are actually seeing some action.</p>

[BChizzle]

<p>A 1100 mit buff would really give brawlers a much needed boost.  Right now from a tanking perspective we have to load up on +mit items to be equals to our plate bretheren.  I would say for easymode raid mobs we need to get to around 10k mit to be effective and for hardmode mobs we have to get to 12500 to be effective.  What this does is give us a bit more wiggle room and we can actually use some dps items rather then just load up on +mit ones.  It also makes it easier on less equipped brawlers as they are gearing up.</p>

[circusgirl]

<p>I assume those examples are for a raid-buffed brawler, not a self-buffed one?</p>

[Ol]

<p><cite>Vinka@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Hopefully the changes on test will help here.  It looks like they're giving us a little extra mitigation, and the changes to dual wield, two handers, and flurry/AE attacks should help us to do a little more dps when tanking.  </p></blockquote><p>Also, crane twirl (the wis line proc) has 20% AOE autoattack added to it as well.</p>

[circusgirl]

<p>Yeah, I'm pretty pleased.  I was expecting having to wait a long time for those changes to finally go through.  Somehow I get the feeling that Xelgad has recently been given the go-ahead to finally spend his time rebalancing people.</p>

[Aull]

<p>Isn't it cool when a dev like the X-man steps in gives a heads up. Makes a change to crane twirl and later gives a mit increase to inner calm.</p><p>Just these adjustments has given me some hope. I can't answer for you all but I like hope. Its more than we have seen in a long time.</p>