Some help and advice for my girlfriend?

[Puppyf]

Hi guys,Defaeco from Crushbone here. My gf recently started playing the game and she chose a monk. Some might know her, Silena. She's actually a lot better at the game than I thought she would be but I do need a few pointers from the better monks her on how she can play with my warden.She just got all her AQ armour and is level 24 but I just wanted to get some advice on weapons for her. Right now she has a staff, maybe she should dual wield? I'm level 28 and with my agi buffs I'm finding she doesnt get hit a lot, even duoing oranges (to her). We can take lev 26 ^^ as a duo fairly fast, but obviously I'm doing most of the work. At level 24 are there any jewelery pieces she should look out for? Any tactics she should implement?I love monks, but I dont know enough about you guys to really help her. So any help from you guys would be absolutely loverly!

[Kharza Xorlarr]

Good place to start is this thread:http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=6&message.id=3702Next thing to do is search the forum for particular questions. There is a good amount of useful information buried in this board. For skill advancement and training search on "Training" for equipment check out the various "weapon" threads goin on for 20-25 25-30 30+ 40+Best advice I can give overall is to learn the combo's that work for you.. My standard fight combo's are pretty repeatable and standard.Pull with Taunt and macro it - : useability Taunting Slap (insert lvl apporiate skill) ; gsay inc %t get your butts in gearFoTM macro - : useability Rushing Bear (stun) ; useability Face of the Mountain (stuns monster and applies FoTM buff for tanking.. I do this right after my kick combo)Kick Combo - : useability Slumbering Dragon (don't remember complete skill name) ; useability Wintry TalonStandard start of fight is macro 1 macro 3 macro 2 then I just use skills and single HO macro : useability Fighting Chance ; useability Focused Strike/Pouncing Tiger ; useability Taunt/Taunting Slap/etcThat should get ya started.Kharza 32 Monk Mistmoore

[Yusonge]

Well weapons wise she passed a couple nice drops from a named undead by Ant entrance in TS. Jewelery i havent found much that have agi(if that is still our primary stat not sure here anymore). Jsut go with what gives good stats.Dps she should be rocking pretty decent if she switches to dual wield.(personal opionon never been much on using staffs). I know my monk places second in most of our group fights with the rogue types outdming me. I would recommend she use her offensive buffs when grouping and switch to defensive buffs soloing. Make sure she is always upto date on food and drink. This is a personal thing with me but you dont have to waste power at the end of fights jsut to push her over the top. Most times good food will regen her health as she goes to pull. Drink to me is equally important for i can never seem to find enough power to go around. Make sure she watches her power in group situations for you dont want her to run out then not be able to taunt off. Lastly if its just a duo group i strongly strongly suggest learn HO's. Now most say they arent worth it later in lvls but I for one have found several good combo's that add regen buffs and instant heals when duoing. Research what you can complete and learn them. My usual thing is to get off in the first few rounds of the fight the HO's i want on me and my shammy friend then drop HO's altogether and dps/special em to death. Most fights that i seen last 2 to 3 minutes and the buffs ya get from the HO's last 2 to 3 minutes.

[Coter]

<blockquote><hr>Kharza Xorlarrin wrote:Good place to start is this thread:http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=6&message.id=3702Next thing to do is search the forum for particular questions. There is a good amount of useful information buried in this board. For skill advancement and training search on "Training" for equipment check out the various "weapon" threads goin on for 20-25 25-30 30+ 40+Best advice I can give overall is to learn the combo's that work for you.. My standard fight combo's are pretty repeatable and standard.Pull with Taunt and macro it - : useability Taunting Slap (insert lvl apporiate skill) ; gsay inc %t get your butts in gearFoTM macro - : useability Rushing Bear (stun) ; useability Face of the Mountain (stuns monster and applies FoTM buff for tanking.. I do this right after my kick combo)Kick Combo - : useability Slumbering Dragon (don't remember complete skill name) ; useability Wintry TalonStandard start of fight is macro 1 macro 3 macro 2 then I just use skills and single HO macro : useability Fighting Chance ; useability Focused Strike/Pouncing Tiger ; useability Taunt/Taunting Slap/etcThat should get ya started.Kharza 32 Monk Mistmoore<hr></blockquote>I personally don't like macros so I keep up 3 toolbars, (added a 4th last night for switching out abilities that I turn off and on when needed.)As far as weapons for 24, Ebonwood staves are really nice, they drop from the Gul'Thex Elite Gaurd in Nek forest who is for AQ5 for Freeport. I also highly recommend getting a fistwrap and cestus so she can keep up her piercing and slashing skills.

[Mamasee]

<blockquote><hr>Puppyfat wrote:Hi guys,Defaeco from Crushbone here. My gf recently started playing the game and she chose a monk. Some might know her, Silena. She's actually a lot better at the game than I thought she would be but I do need a few pointers from the better monks her on how she can play with my warden.She just got all her AQ armour and is level 24 but I just wanted to get some advice on weapons for her. Right now she has a staff, maybe she should dual wield? I'm level 28 and with my agi buffs I'm finding she doesnt get hit a lot, even duoing oranges (to her). We can take lev 26 ^^ as a duo fairly fast, but obviously I'm doing most of the work. At level 24 are there any jewelery pieces she should look out for? Any tactics she should implement?I love monks, but I dont know enough about you guys to really help her. So any help from you guys would be absolutely loverly!<hr></blockquote>Idealy if you are tanking you want to use a two handed weapon, however you give up some stats for it. Player crafted fist wraps will do good, and be white at 30, where you can get a new set of player crafted, if you like the quaterstaffs, youc an find somone to make thoes as well. If your also harvesting you may want to save rare componants for making better weapons. Get Zec access, at 30 you can talk to hammer on the wall of the starting outpost he will give you 4 quests that will result in Emerald armor, sence you both will use light there will nto be enough to go around, however in runneye you can get a chest and legs for killing in there. There are lots of jewlery quests, collections, the warmonger hoop, killing golems in RoV, or you can rely on playercrafted items, or drops as well.

[ArivenGemini]

<blockquote><hr>Puppyfat wrote:Hi guys,Defaeco from Crushbone here. My gf recently started playing the game and she chose a monk. Some might know her, Silena. She's actually a lot better at the game than I thought she would be but I do need a few pointers from the better monks her on how she can play with my warden.She just got all her AQ armour and is level 24 but I just wanted to get some advice on weapons for her. Right now she has a staff, maybe she should dual wield? I'm level 28 and with my agi buffs I'm finding she doesnt get hit a lot, even duoing oranges (to her). We can take lev 26 ^^ as a duo fairly fast, but obviously I'm doing most of the work. At level 24 are there any jewelery pieces she should look out for? Any tactics she should implement?I love monks, but I dont know enough about you guys to really help her. So any help from you guys would be absolutely loverly!<hr></blockquote>every session I start and end with a visit to a broker.. I hunt for anything thats even a bit better than my current stuff with agility and strength as my primary focus.. on my monk, at 24, I have all yellow and orange gear, jewelry, etc. Starting with a wood elf I have a 92 agi now, and a 53 str. Remember that you still want to push your strength up for better health and power and stronger hits. By pushing to the edge in equipment I am able to solo a level higher than I could when I had average stuff. I dont have the upgrades to eqplayers or I would tell you the specifics in my equipment, but suffice it to say that as long as you match or exceed your ac, and push up the stats you find important you cant go wrong with equipment.For weapons I currently have a dual wield setup, two maces.. one is a pristine forged steel mace, and I cant recall the other, but very similar in agi and str stats. They are either 1.9s or 2.0s in speed, which works better in working around the specials delay... and are slow enough I am not getting hammered by the ripostes as much as when I had two 1.3s weapons.I prefer the staff animation, but cant give up the extra stats on the second weapon.

[ArivenGemini]

<blockquote><hr>Coterei wrote:<blockquote><hr>Kharza Xorlarrin wrote:Good place to start is this thread:http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=6&message.id=3702Next thing to do is search the forum for particular questions. There is a good amount of useful information buried in this board. For skill advancement and training search on "Training" for equipment check out the various "weapon" threads goin on for 20-25 25-30 30+ 40+Best advice I can give overall is to learn the combo's that work for you.. My standard fight combo's are pretty repeatable and standard.Pull with Taunt and macro it - : useability Taunting Slap (insert lvl apporiate skill) ; gsay inc %t get your butts in gearFoTM macro - : useability Rushing Bear (stun) ; useability Face of the Mountain (stuns monster and applies FoTM buff for tanking.. I do this right after my kick combo)Kick Combo - : useability Slumbering Dragon (don't remember complete skill name) ; useability Wintry TalonStandard start of fight is macro 1 macro 3 macro 2 then I just use skills and single HO macro : useability Fighting Chance ; useability Focused Strike/Pouncing Tiger ; useability Taunt/Taunting Slap/etcThat should get ya started.Kharza 32 Monk Mistmoore<hr></blockquote>I personally don't like macros so I keep up 3 toolbars, (added a 4th last night for switching out abilities that I turn off and on when needed.)As far as weapons for 24, Ebonwood staves are really nice, they drop from the Gul'Thex Elite Gaurd in Nek forest who is for AQ5 for Freeport. I also highly recommend getting a fistwrap and cestus so she can keep up her piercing and slashing skills.<hr></blockquote>I have 4 toolbars, but also use macros. I find them very helpful... I have a solo-ho macro where I just have to hit ONE button instead of three to fire a HO off.. saves time and mis-keys during combat. I also have "pulling" macros where I am able to with a single keypress designate to the group what it is that I am going to be pulling and whether or not I am bringing it back to the group or if they should follow me in for combat.One of my guildmates has five hotbars due to the number of macros he has.. for example he has similar ones to the ones I am using, as well as ones designating the action to occur such as "hold off on attacks" and "nuke it now" and so forth...On my scout I have an "oh crap" button that fires off my two best defensive buffs to enable me to survive longer, and a "stun and run" that stuns, snares and turns off autoattack to let me get out of range faster. On my mage I have a "root and dot" that roots them and tosses the pulse DOT on them so I can hit one key instead of two (no mis-keys).. another one of my guildies uses macros to allow him to use his autostealth after attack special as a predator by turning off autoattack (if he hits after he uses it he goes out of stealth) so he can hit that macro, do damage, instantly go into stealth and be prepared for one of his high damage stealth attacks right afterwards.Lots of uses for macros, and as you can see I dont use them to save space, but to give me options.. and with some creativity and practice you certainly could see some nice ones for yourself..

[Kharza Xorlarr]

<blockquote><hr>Coterei wrote:<blockquote><hr>Kharza Xorlarrin wrote:Good place to start is this thread:http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=6&message.id=3702Next thing to do is search the forum for particular questions. There is a good amount of useful information buried in this board. For skill advancement and training search on "Training" for equipment check out the various "weapon" threads goin on for 20-25 25-30 30+ 40+Best advice I can give overall is to learn the combo's that work for you.. My standard fight combo's are pretty repeatable and standard.Pull with Taunt and macro it - : useability Taunting Slap (insert lvl apporiate skill) ; gsay inc %t get your butts in gearFoTM macro - : useability Rushing Bear (stun) ; useability Face of the Mountain (stuns monster and applies FoTM buff for tanking.. I do this right after my kick combo)Kick Combo - : useability Slumbering Dragon (don't remember complete skill name) ; useability Wintry TalonStandard start of fight is macro 1 macro 3 macro 2 then I just use skills and single HO macro : useability Fighting Chance ; useability Focused Strike/Pouncing Tiger ; useability Taunt/Taunting Slap/etcThat should get ya started.Kharza 32 Monk Mistmoore<hr></blockquote>I personally don't like macros so I keep up 3 toolbars, (added a 4th last night for switching out abilities that I turn off and on when needed.)As far as weapons for 24, Ebonwood staves are really nice, they drop from the Gul'Thex Elite Gaurd in Nek forest who is for AQ5 for Freeport. I also highly recommend getting a fistwrap and cestus so she can keep up her piercing and slashing skills.<hr></blockquote>Don't get me wrong I have 4 toolbars at any given time and my life isn't run via macro's. I'd much rather push 1 button instead of 2 when I know those 2 skills are what I want to do and the timing is much better than I can usually do it myself. I still have all those skills on a hot bar that I can use at my leasure or in different combinations. I just find that when I find myself constantly hitting the same key combinations it is a candidate for a macro. I also like to end the single target HO with the lower power taunt which doesn't live on my hot bar anymore.Khar

[GangsterFi]

I remember having a set of fir wood batons at level 25ish and then having the quarterstaves that drop off of the nek forest undead mobs (i forget names of items) in my upper 20s. In my 30s I had the quarterstaves from RE and the feysteel cestii's. In my 40s I had cestii of the master, cerebus batons, and baton of the boar. Actually some rare light armor would help out nicely too along the way. I would have her get her trapping skills up and then trap every den she sees in hopes of a non sullied pelt. Also, I recomend really putting effort into your deflection skills. Make them adept 3 if you can. Those really will help out a lot.

[Coter]

<blockquote><hr>Kharza Xorlarrin wrote:<blockquote><hr>Coterei wrote:<blockquote><hr>Kharza Xorlarrin wrote:Good place to start is this thread:http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=6&message.id=3702Next thing to do is search the forum for particular questions. There is a good amount of useful information buried in this board. For skill advancement and training search on "Training" for equipment check out the various "weapon" threads goin on for 20-25 25-30 30+ 40+Best advice I can give overall is to learn the combo's that work for you.. My standard fight combo's are pretty repeatable and standard.Pull with Taunt and macro it - : useability Taunting Slap (insert lvl apporiate skill) ; gsay inc %t get your butts in gearFoTM macro - : useability Rushing Bear (stun) ; useability Face of the Mountain (stuns monster and applies FoTM buff for tanking.. I do this right after my kick combo)Kick Combo - : useability Slumbering Dragon (don't remember complete skill name) ; useability Wintry TalonStandard start of fight is macro 1 macro 3 macro 2 then I just use skills and single HO macro : useability Fighting Chance ; useability Focused Strike/Pouncing Tiger ; useability Taunt/Taunting Slap/etcThat should get ya started.Kharza 32 Monk Mistmoore<hr></blockquote>I personally don't like macros so I keep up 3 toolbars, (added a 4th last night for switching out abilities that I turn off and on when needed.)As far as weapons for 24, Ebonwood staves are really nice, they drop from the Gul'Thex Elite Gaurd in Nek forest who is for AQ5 for Freeport. I also highly recommend getting a fistwrap and cestus so she can keep up her piercing and slashing skills.<hr></blockquote>Don't get me wrong I have 4 toolbars at any given time and my life isn't run via macro's. I'd much rather push 1 button instead of 2 when I know those 2 skills are what I want to do and the timing is much better than I can usually do it myself. I still have all those skills on a hot bar that I can use at my leasure or in different combinations. I just find that when I find myself constantly hitting the same key combinations it is a candidate for a macro. I also like to end the single target HO with the lower power taunt which doesn't live on my hot bar anymore.Khar<hr></blockquote>The other big reason why I don't use macros is HOs, I'm a huge fan of teaching groups how to effectively use HOs, (especially when I play my bard since I have good control of HOs.) I don't know, guess I'm old fashioned, I like doing things manually, it just feels more interactive. One of the HOs I always teach my groups to run as long as I have a scout in it is Lucks bite, it's a great HO and probably the best and easiest HO that 2 classes can pull off. It's a huge damage add and worth the extra 2-3 seconds of the rogue hitting and flipping the HO.I was in a group a couple days ago that was firing HOs like you wouldn't believe, this was with my bard doing steppes crowes, we were killing so fast groups would come to the field and leave before even trying to pull seeing how fast we were killing them. We had pretty much every possible HO buff you can imagine on the group, we were pulling off ordered HOs 3 out of 4 times, It was a great group, wound up going from 15.1 to 18.6 in just under 3 hours in that group all because of efficient HO usage. And last night I was in another group, the tanks were using macros, (yes, I did ask them,) and we were no where near as efficient, I tried to get them to not use macros so we could get the combo HOs off, and they ignored me most of the time. Their macros just didn't allow for me to trigger the HOs they would start fast enough to get the really awesome combo HOs.

[Neimhidh]

<DIV>If your looking for some good AGI weapons for your female alt, get firwood batons off the undead overseer near the entrance to ANT in TS.  a higher DPS option would be a pair of ebon quarterstaves from the mobs at the citadel in nek forest.</DIV>

[ArivenGemini]

<blockquote><hr>Coterei wrote: And last night I was in another group, the tanks were using macros, (yes, I did ask them,) and we were no where near as efficient, I tried to get them to not use macros so we could get the combo HOs off, and they ignored me most of the time. Their macros just didn't allow for me to trigger the HOs they would start fast enough to get the really awesome combo HOs.<hr></blockquote>my HO macros are for solo work... when I am tanking, if I want to add more hate beyond a simple taunt I -will- fire off an occaisional solo-ho style macro HO with my fighter.. simply because it does damage or buff (both generate hate) and has a taunt at the end and is easy to do with a single push, but primarily in groups I would much rather do group HOs.. which means someone besides me (preferably a scout) initiates them.

[Coter]

<blockquote><hr>Ariven wrote:<blockquote><hr>Coterei wrote: And last night I was in another group, the tanks were using macros, (yes, I did ask them,) and we were no where near as efficient, I tried to get them to not use macros so we could get the combo HOs off, and they ignored me most of the time. Their macros just didn't allow for me to trigger the HOs they would start fast enough to get the really awesome combo HOs.<hr></blockquote>my HO macros are for solo work... when I am tanking, if I want to add more hate beyond a simple taunt I -will- fire off an occaisional solo-ho style macro HO with my fighter.. simply because it does damage or buff (both generate hate) and has a taunt at the end and is easy to do with a single push, but primarily in groups I would much rather do group HOs.. which means someone besides me (preferably a scout) initiates them.<hr></blockquote>You should be initiating the HO, with the scout doing the trigger, Actually I try to get all the other classes but me starting HOs, rogues add to all HOs, and can pull off some really spectacular HO chains.

[ArivenGemini]

<blockquote><hr>Coterei wrote:<blockquote><hr>Ariven wrote:<blockquote><hr>Coterei wrote: And last night I was in another group, the tanks were using macros, (yes, I did ask them,) and we were no where near as efficient, I tried to get them to not use macros so we could get the combo HOs off, and they ignored me most of the time. Their macros just didn't allow for me to trigger the HOs they would start fast enough to get the really awesome combo HOs.<hr></blockquote>my HO macros are for solo work... when I am tanking, if I want to add more hate beyond a simple taunt I -will- fire off an occaisional solo-ho style macro HO with my fighter.. simply because it does damage or buff (both generate hate) and has a taunt at the end and is easy to do with a single push, but primarily in groups I would much rather do group HOs.. which means someone besides me (preferably a scout) initiates them.<hr></blockquote>You should be initiating the HO, with the scout doing the trigger, Actually I try to get all the other classes but me starting HOs, rogues add to all HOs, and can pull off some really spectacular HO chains.<hr></blockquote>A very nice HO guide can be found <a href="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=spellart&message.id=13496&jump=true" target=_blank>Here</a>And I prefer to follow the summary advice found in it:"Another thing to note, if you are in a duo with a Fighter, always let the Fighter start the chain. Duos with a Scout should have the other person start the chain. If you are in a trio with a Scout let the Scout start the chain. If you are in a trio without a Scout, let the Fighter start the chain. If you have at least 1 of each type, let the Scout start the chain (This all assumes that your duos and trios are of different archtypes). In a Priest/Mage duo, the Mage should start the chain."<p>Message Edited by Ariven on <span class=date_text>02-17-2005</span> <span class=time_text>11:22 AM</span>