Monk Problems

[Ethelwo]

<DIV>I play a L43 Berserker and a L35 monk. I state this to let you know that I do have some experience in the game. I am not going to compare the two classes as you may think. I am just going to define some problems with playing the monk that dearly need to be fixed.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Monks get beat up bad in every fight unless you have the best gear in the game. I recently upgraded my monk to etched leather and now he takes much less damage.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Stats are everything to a monk. The downside is that monks require lots of strength, lots of agility and a good dose of stamina. Trying to find or buy the gear to maximise your stats is very problamatic. Everything has to be the best in game for the class and tier.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Monks have distance rules that don't apply to any other class except maybe the bruiser. These distance rules really effect the monk in a very negative way. For instance. I solo a white con turtle in EL. I have to move around while getting beat up until I start to see my auto attack blows begining to hit. Once this is achieved then and only then do I toss out my special attacks. Many times I am half dead before I can find the right fighting place for the mob. This is compounded in the fact that each mob is different so you can't really get into the groove. Turtle one I stand with its head jutting through my body and can hit it. Turtle two I can't hit it until Im standing in the middle of the beast. All this adds up to taking more damage before you can even start delivering yours.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>These distance rules must go. It amounts to a major unessary nerf for monk</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Monks need some buffs and what they get is very, very lame. You simply have no way to increase your stats while soloing other then to group with character x and cast staggering stance on him then disband and go solo. This one and only agility buff that I have received isn't worth the trouble. The upgrade to staggering stance has no agility buff at all and is totally worthless.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Negatives added to many skills/spells. My berserker get loads of haste at no cost to him whatsoever. My monk gets a haste buff, everburning flame, that burns health when it is used. I only use it when I'm in a group and not getting hit. Their are other skills that monks get that cost health. All the negatives in monk skills simply must be removed.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>These are not the only items that need to be adressed by the dev team but thay are the ones that stick in my mind. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If these negatives were removed or made far less restrictive, Then monks would be balanced. As it stands right now. Monks are not balanced with any other class in the game. They are the trash class of the game and will remain so as long as SOE lets these items slide.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Now I know that some folks like the challenge of being nerfed and hamstrung throughout the game, but why not play a berserker instead. Solo is no problem, haste galore, can use any weapon except monk/bruiser explicite weapons. Also get some nice group buffs that increase your strength and HPs.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I wanted my monk to be my main in this game because I didn't play one in EQlive. Instead at L30 I was forced to make a real tank (Berserker) and make him my main.</DIV> <DIV>I want to have fun in the game not struggle through it with a nerfed character. As it is now I will play my 43 almost 44 Berserker to L50 then quite until expansion 2 comes out. Why? because my alt is a monk and it's not any fun playing that class until some changes are made.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[zabor]

I hate the distance restrictions on Wintry Talon and Darting Sparrow in particular. It's very annoying, especially when fighting uphill. We monks already have enough problems with positioning, because deflection/avoidance only seems to work face to face. Talon and Sparrow are our two highest DPS attacks, so please fix them. Oh yeah, we need something like focused strike for the higher levels, too. It sucks having to ask the wizard to pull the mobs for you because the range of our taunt is too low. Sometimes I can't even pull mobs flying directly over my head because they are too high above.Edit:I agree on the staggering stance buff too.I got staggering stance on master 1 and the money was a very good investment, I'm still using it at lvl 44. Even though i got martial discipline master1, the 15 agi are much more better than those 3 points deflection when tanking or soloing. Those 10% more avoidance on martial discipline only make a difference when someone else is tanking. But,hey, I'm a tank, my buffs should help me tanking. I don't know if it gets better with transcendent vision, but i fear it those 15 points agi from my lvl 18 spell are still the best thing to go even at level 50.<p>Message Edited by zaboron on <span class=date_text>05-03-2005</span> <span class=time_text>04:58 PM</span>

[Kernow]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> zaboron wrote:<BR>Oh yeah, we need something like focused strike for the higher levels, too. It sucks having to ask the wizard to pull the mobs for you because the range of our taunt is too low. Sometimes I can't even pull mobs flying directly over my head because they are too high above.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>Have you thought about using a thrown weapon? My lvl12 brawler is using shuriken (seems it would be fitting for a monk) and i'll continue using these when she finally does become a monk - even with the lowbie gear i can pull at a good distance. Once my skill is up i should be able to pull at even longer distances with the higher lvl gear.</P> <P> </P><p>Message Edited by Kernow70 on <span class=date_text>05-03-2005</span> <span class=time_text>04:50 PM</span>

[Terminus E]

<DIV>It sounds like you are doing something wrong. My lvl 31 Monk can easily solo the EL turtles (yellow to me). Some mobs seem particularly resistant to my attacks which means that I can't use HOs very reliably, and then things become tricky, but the turtles aren't like that. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In fact, that is my biggest complaint about being a monk: con is very often out of whack with difficulty. Because we are very fragile, some lower level mobs (casters in particular) can waste me while their higher level bretheren are no problem. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>As to the pulling comment, I use cheap shiruken for pulling. They have great range, and as long as you are not really trying to do damage you can use the cheap ones to attract the mobs attention. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Edit: I agree that the distance rules are silly though (although I don't seem to have the problems you have: I just get the message that I am too far away and move closer).</DIV><p>Message Edited by Terminus Est on <span class=date_text>05-03-2005</span> <span class=time_text>09:16 AM</span>

[ChaosDivine]

<DIV>Hi guys, I just recently hit 35.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The distance thing really bothers me too, and yes I did notice that when fight turtles you really had to be on top of them</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Before I hit 35 I was killing Orc's in Zek, the 30-31 mobs, The gear I had at the time was pristine etched, I would fight these 1 at a time and when the fight was over I would on average have 1/2 to 3/4 health left Kinda sucky when you think about it, a level 34 monk getting beat down by a level 30 Orc (sigh)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>But then once I hit 35 things changed drasticly, I had just aquired 2 rings a imbued ring that gives flare of agility and the the Ancient Slayers ring of agility with the haste, also once I hit 35 I went and got a whole set of Emerald armor (quest armor in Zek)</DIV> <DIV>now I can solo 5 level 30 Orcs at once and lose only 50-100 hitpoints, more or less I can just stand there and they cant touch me, On a side note all my skills are Adept 1.</DIV>

[Terminus E]

<DIV>Apologies. I just looked and the turtle I was fighting were lvl 32, so it must be different turtles.</DIV>

[Shinko Samur]

<DIV><STRONG><U><FONT color=#0000ff>Wisdom of Zephyl and Dragon Stance do not stack <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></FONT></U></STRONG></DIV>

[Rohlstu]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Shinko Samurai wrote:<BR> <DIV><STRONG><U><FONT color=#0000ff>Wisdom of Zephyl and Dragon Stance do not stack <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></FONT></U></STRONG></DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>Kinda makes me wonder why we have 5 concentration points.  Unless you are using dragon stance, we don't have the same amount of self buffs that most other classes have.  We don't get to truly buff ourselves to make ourselves truly effective.  We are good, but man, I envy how a troubador buffs up str and agi 100+ pts...</P> <P>But you are right, we the upcoming combat changes, I am rushing like mad to hit 50 because I think it's truly going to hurt our class.</P> <P> </P> <p>Message Edited by Rohlstusk on <span class=date_text>05-06-2005</span> <span class=time_text>09:10 AM</span>

[woo]

<P>its not only those spells that dont stack.. NOTHING stacks.</P> <P>it takes whatever buff you have on that gives the most agi and uses it.  or the most def, most avoidance, etc.</P> <P> </P> <P>it doesnt add any together, it just takes the highest.  this makes offensive stances 100% useless because you can just use wiz of zeph + defensive and be like 4 points under a full out offensive buff (losing tons of defense.. not worth it)</P> <P> </P> <P>iv noticed w/ my setup that the scout HO that gives +10str/agi (cant remember name..) doesnt even give me agi.. and only gives me 3 str.  complete crap, they need to rework the stacking problem and THEN rework the combat system.</P>

[Rohlstu]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> woode wrote:<BR> <P>its not only those spells that dont stack.. NOTHING stacks.</P> <P>it takes whatever buff you have on that gives the most agi and uses it.  or the most def, most avoidance, etc.</P> <P> </P> <P>it doesnt add any together, it just takes the highest.  this makes offensive stances 100% useless because you can just use wiz of zeph + defensive and be like 4 points under a full out offensive buff (losing tons of defense.. not worth it)</P> <P> </P> <P>iv noticed w/ my setup that the scout HO that gives +10str/agi (cant remember name..) doesnt even give me agi.. and only gives me 3 str.  complete crap, they need to rework the stacking problem and THEN rework the combat system.</P> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Exactly!!  I mean we get everburning flame, then 2 levels later we get focused energy that adds 5% more...but it doesn't add!  I mean what genius thought of that.

[zabor]

<blockquote><hr>Rohlstusk wrote:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> woode wrote:<BR> <P>its not only those spells that dont stack.. NOTHING stacks.</P> <P>it takes whatever buff you have on that gives the most agi and uses it.  or the most def, most avoidance, etc.</P> <P> </P> <P>it doesnt add any together, it just takes the highest.  this makes offensive stances 100% useless because you can just use wiz of zeph + defensive and be like 4 points under a full out offensive buff (losing tons of defense.. not worth it)</P> <P> </P> <P>iv noticed w/ my setup that the scout HO that gives +10str/agi (cant remember name..) doesnt even give me agi.. and only gives me 3 str.  complete crap, they need to rework the stacking problem and THEN rework the combat system.</P> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Exactly!!  I mean we get everburning flame, then 2 levels later we get focused energy that adds 5% more...but it doesn't add!  I mean what genius thought of that. <hr></blockquote>Focus Energy adds 5% to dps, not haste. and those 5% stack with wisdom of zephyl, to a total of 14% dps.But Everburning Fire needs to stack with spider stance. At the moment, the haste component of spider stance is only useful when not using everburning fire. for example, raid tanking. but on raids dps doesn't matter anyways.

[Rohlstu]

Right and I understood that even though it adds to dps, examining the HUD should show an increase in your attack speed.  Might be wrong.

[Rohlstu]

I mean either way, the OP is right, we sacrifice to be a tank and usually when you sacrifice something you should get something back in return.

[Terminus E]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Rohlstusk wrote:<BR>I mean either way, the OP is right, we sacrifice to be a tank and usually when you sacrifice something you should get something back in return. <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>That is not what sacrifice means....<BR>

[Bur]

Bottom line: Stop complaining. I've played a monk to 50, I've done all but one raid in the game successfully (and only because it just got added a day ago).  We are not balanced, you're right, but not in the direction you are suggesting.  I put out the best melee DPS in my guild bar none (except when a berserker can AOE).  I can solo blue double ups with ease.  There is nothing wrong with our class.  I will admit that Icy Talon and Lunging Mongoose have rediculasly low ranges but it's not crippling as you suggest, it's barely even an annoyance. <div></div>

[Arrowheart]

<DIV>I'm kind of inclined to agree with Burem on the fact that I think our class is fine. Not saying there aren't some changes I'd like to see but I don't feel we are a useless class. I disagree about his comment on the range of our arts barely being an annoyance, it is annoying to have to find a perfect position each and every fight, but he is right about it not being the end of the world. And we aren't the only class with combat art and range issues, it applies to many other classes as well. Hopefully when they finish the combat changes many of these issues will be fixed with it. Overall I enjoy the class, and do not regret sticking with it.</DIV><p>Message Edited by Arrowheart on <span class=date_text>05-06-2005</span> <span class=time_text>03:07 PM</span>

[Eleutheri]

I'd Still be a monk if it where the worst Class ever .  Monk >>> All

[woo]

<DIV>someone said inc attack speed shows up as dps inc in main hud.. thats because its the same thing.  if you attack 5% faster, your hitting 5% more meaning you are doing 5% more damage..  game calculates it all the same -- its just worded differently.</DIV>

[zabor]

no, they show up properly.The HUD shows 30% attackspeed (everburning flame adept1)and 9% dps (Tranquil blessing)Using Focus energy, DPS shows 14%.And with flowing black silk sash, the attack speed increases to 45% (48% with ancient slayers ring).

[Fleaba]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> ChaosDivine wrote:<BR> <DIV>Hi guys, I just recently hit 35.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The distance thing really bothers me too, and yes I did notice that when fight turtles you really had to be on top of them</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Before I hit 35 I was killing Orc's in Zek, the 30-31 mobs, The gear I had at the time was pristine etched, I would fight these 1 at a time and when the fight was over I would on average have 1/2 to 3/4 health left Kinda sucky when you think about it, a level 34 monk getting beat down by a level 30 Orc (sigh)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>But then once I hit 35 things changed drasticly, I had just aquired 2 rings a imbued ring that gives flare of agility and the the Ancient Slayers ring of agility with the haste, also once I hit 35 I went and got a whole set of Emerald armor (quest armor in Zek)</DIV> <DIV>now I can solo 5 level 30 Orcs at once and lose only 50-100 hitpoints, more or less I can just stand there and they cant touch me, On a side note all my skills are Adept 1.</DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>Actually, if you've noticed in prior lvls. Once you get so many lvls above a mob.....even a wizard is dang near imune to there attacks. Being 5 lvls above that mob makes a far bigger difference then the gear you are wearing at the moment.... IMHO Go try 5 orcs 4 lvls below you and I bet you'll be using feign death before the fight is over. <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> </P> <P>I could very well be wrong on this, but I've noticed with most regular mobs...once they are 5 lvls below me....they have a real tough time hitting me. </P> <P>Even con mobs on the other hand just hand me my [Removed for Content] on a platter sometimes.</P> <P>Here are my stats and gear to compair. <A href="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/en/pplayer.vm?characterId=258296207" target=_blank>http://eq2players.station.sony.com/en/pplayer.vm?characterId=258296207</A><BR></P>