The Fashionable Monk, or, Trying To Plan Gear

[Nerwen]

As of this morning, I have completed my subclass quest, and am officially a monk (yay me!) As a die-hard role-player, it is important to me that my new monk actually <u><i>look</i></u> like a monk, and thus, I am beginning my level 20 armor quests, which I understand will give one orange gi upon completion (I am <b><i>so</i></b> sad I missed the white one! <span>:womansad:</span> <span>:womansad:</span> <span>:womansad:</span>)  I figure that by the time I actually complete the series, I will have gained a few levels, so I am tentatively planning on having the gi in my possession by around about level-25-ish.  (As an aside here, I would like to add my voice to that group of players who insist, "there are not enough gis in the game."  Any player, if looking at a monk character, should be able to see, with only a glance, "That is a monk."  I do not agree that <i><u>only</u></i> raiding, top-tier, or "uber" monks should be allowed to have gis, and all other monks should have... something else... druid gear maybe.  <u><i>All</i></u> monks should have gis.  However, raiding, top-tier, or "uber" monks should have amazing, fantastic-looking gis, the graphics for which are not currently in the game.  An average monk with an average gi should have that exact appearance: average.  However, that average monk should still have a gi (or at least have one available to him if he wants it,) and should still be unmistakable for anything but a monk, average or not.) To add... (hm.  Not "Insult to Injury"... perhaps, "Compliment to Victory?") I picked up the Rujarkin Gi at the brokers - and paid 11gp for it.  Granted I can't wear it until level 51, but I was still pleased at finding it so inexpensively.  However, I heard that the graphic was changed on it - surely it isn't <i><u>that</u></i> bad, is it?  Didn't they just turn it grey?  Or is it not a gi any more?  Did I waste my 11GP?  (It will be some time before I can look for myself, as I do not know any level 51 monks that could model it for me.) Pardon me.  I digress.  Anyway, so it is OK for me not to look like a monk at level 20, I mean come on, I <i><u>just</u></i> graduated.  However, once I finish my first armor quests, and acquire my gi - orange or not -  it is important to me to look like a monk at all times for the remainder of my career.  Insofar as my playstyle goes, I spent probably 95% of the time duoing with my husband.  We each have alts that we can play for various situations, so I will be grouping with the other classes that he plays as the occasion calls for it.  Occasionally we might join a 6-man pick-up group for quests or especially difficult named mobs.  It is unlikely that I will ever raid anything, but should I ever do so, it would certainly be as a bit of token added DPS somewhere, never as a main tank.  I should also add here that I will certainly have the obligatory, non-monk-looking, druidish leather tunic which I will be able to hotswap in case of dire emergencies, when I <i><u>must</u></i> have actual stats <span>:smileymad:</span>.  However, this will be my "sneaky monk trick" gear and certainly will NOT be worn in other than absolutely must-do situations.  Given all of this, I believe I will need to plan my gear while factoring out my chest slot most of the time, and to that end, I have some questions: <ul> <li>What happens when the gear in my chest slot turns grey (as I imagine that it will before I can get the next gi in the line, the blood drenched gi?)  If I die with gray gear in my chest slot, is it completely broken when I rez, or does it take the usual 10% penalty?</li> <ul> <li>Is there a way to extend the life of the level 20 orange AQ gi?  Could I have it imbued or something?  Anything? </li> </ul> <li>Given the current gi situation in the game, and the fact that sooner or later I will have to have some non-gray (but non-emergency!) gear, I would rather be mistaken for a mage than a druid.  Once my gi greys out, is it possible to play a monk in cloth, like in EQ1?  I think that this robe graphic would be particularly attractive for a monk:</li> <ul> <li><img src="http://www.eq2alchemy.com/closet/dragonfastened-bc.jpg"></li> </ul> </ul> <ul> <li>Any advice on <u><i>really</i></u> good gear for non-chest slots, to make up for the lack of a chest?  Caveat: it must be purchasable. (I am willing to go places and camp gear, but given my playstyle, this will be irregular, and I will likely be making or purchasing gear most of the time.) Will rare tailored leather gear fill the gap, or should I be looking for something else?  (And yes, I do have Outfitter alts which should be able to help with this.) </li> <li>Are there invisible gloves and boots that can be obtained?  I would like to show bare hands and feet at all times.  I can set myself to hotswap shoes and gloves as well as chest if necessary for the aforementioned emergencies, but would prefer to get gear which would permit me the barefooted monk appearance, if I can manage it.</li> <ul> <li>If no invisible gear is available: is it possible to plan gear while factoring out chest, hands, <u><i>and</i></u> feet?  (OUCH my poor stats LOL!) </li> </ul> <li>Finally, I am keenly interested in fistwraps, as I would like to have my bo and/or the fistwraps as my main weapons (again, going with the barehanded theme.)  However, after the fistwraps you can purchase from the vendor, I can't find fistwraps that are lower than level 50.  Ick!  Any ideas on where I could obtain level appropriate fistwraps at 20-ish or thereabouts? </li> <li>And I notice that when I have fought hand-to-hand previously, I look like a brawler or a boxer.  I want to look like a monk!  Now that I have graduated and am a monk at last, will my animations update to look more like martial arts than boxing? </li> </ul> As always, thanks in advance for any advice. Jen <img src="/smilies/b2eb59423fbf5fa39342041237025880.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> <div></div>

[Ili]

<DIV>Hi there, here's some information for you.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If you're not tanking, don't take off your Gi. Seriously. During my journey from 1-50, I tanked maybe 20 times. I didn't realize I could have worn my Chainweve gi the whole time till it was much too late, but yeah, just don't remove it. I hear that getting the Blood Drenched Gi is just a flat out pain, so it might be a rough camp, but at least you can level there.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>When wearing Gi's, you don't have anything on your hands/feet unless they're apart of the Gi design.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Yes, now that you're level 20, you're a Monk, and don't use the Bruiser/Brawler fighting stance.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The Rujarkian Gi looks just like your AQ gi will, except it'll be black/dark dark grey/olive green. (I still can't narrow down *exactly* what that Color is...) I think it's nice, other Monks here don't like it so much.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Now, as far as your thoughts on Gi's, I totally agree with you. For some reason, it seems to be the people who *can* get the best Gi's in the game that don't want anyone else running around in a Gi. Monks should always look like Monks, if not by a Gi, by a neat looking Robe. I *also* think that Bruisers shouldn't look like us at *all*, nor should we share combat art animations, but that's for another thread. At least in EQ1, when you equipped a leather tunic as a Monk, the look changed drastically. (I miss my stomach tattoo!)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>At any rate, I hope that helps. Welcome to the order, sis. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>-Ilina</DIV> <DIV>... is bored out of her mind!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>(Quick Edit here) Also, if you can, pick up a Chainweave Gi on the Broker if you have some cash and you can find one. It'll still be nice and White for you. <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV><p>Message Edited by Ilina on <span class=date_text>12-26-2005</span> <span class=time_text>08:52 AM</span>

[Cwi]

<div></div><span>I usually don't write in my replies to people's post within quotes but you asked a lot of questions lol. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><blockquote><hr>Nerwen wrote:As of this morning, I have completed my subclass quest, and am officially a monk (yay me!) <font color="#ff9900">Gratz! Now that you're part of the order, feel free to type /join crushbone.allmonks to join an in-game cross-server monk chat channel. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></font> As a die-hard role-player, it is important to me that my new monk actually <u><i>look</i></u> like a monk, and thus, I am beginning my level 20 armor quests, which I understand will give one orange gi upon completion (I am <b><i>so</i></b> sad I missed the white one! <span>:womansad:</span> <span>:womansad:</span> <span>:womansad:</span>)  I figure that by the time I actually complete the series, I will have gained a few levels, so I am tentatively planning on having the gi in my possession by around about level-25-ish.  <font color="#ff9900">Good, because if I recall correctly you couldn't equip the original aq gi till around lvl 25. I'm not sure if this is the same with the new AQ or not.</font> (As an aside here, I would like to add my voice to that group of players who insist, "there are not enough gis in the game."  Any player, if looking at a monk character, should be able to see, with only a glance, "That is a monk."  I do not agree that <i><u>only</u></i> raiding, top-tier, or "uber" monks should be allowed to have gis, and all other monks should have... something else... druid gear maybe.  <u><i>All</i></u> monks should have gis.  However, raiding, top-tier, or "uber" monks should have amazing, fantastic-looking gis, the graphics for which are not currently in the game.  An average monk with an average gi should have that exact appearance: average.  However, that average monk should still have a gi (or at least have one available to him if he wants it,) and should still be unmistakable for anything but a monk, average or not.) <font color="#ff9900">I agree with all your points. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></font> To add... (hm.  Not "Insult to Injury"... perhaps, "Compliment to Victory?") I picked up the Rujarkin Gi at the brokers - and paid 11gp for it.  Granted I can't wear it until level 51, but I was still pleased at finding it so inexpensively.  However, I heard that the graphic was changed on it - surely it isn't <i><u>that</u></i> bad, is it?  Didn't they just turn it grey?  Or is it not a gi any more?  Did I waste my 11GP?  (It will be some time before I can look for myself, as I do not know any level 51 monks that could model it for me.) <font color="#ff9900">It is a grey version of the AQ gi. I'll post a pic later.</font> Pardon me.  I digress.  Anyway, so it is OK for me not to look like a monk at level 20, I mean come on, I <i><u>just</u></i> graduated.  However, once I finish my first armor quests, and acquire my gi - orange or not -  it is important to me to look like a monk at all times for the remainder of my career.  Insofar as my playstyle goes, I spent probably 95% of the time duoing with my husband.  We each have alts that we can play for various situations, so I will be grouping with the other classes that he plays as the occasion calls for it.  Occasionally we might join a 6-man pick-up group for quests or especially difficult named mobs.  It is unlikely that I will ever raid anything, but should I ever do so, it would certainly be as a bit of token added DPS somewhere, never as a main tank.  I should also add here that I will certainly have the obligatory, non-monk-looking, druidish leather tunic which I will be able to hotswap in case of dire emergencies, when I <i><u>must</u></i> have actual stats <span>:smileymad:</span>.  However, this will be my "sneaky monk trick" gear and certainly will NOT be worn in other than absolutely must-do situations.  Given all of this, I believe I will need to plan my gear while factoring out my chest slot most of the time, and to that end, I have some questions: <ul> <li>What happens when the gear in my chest slot turns grey (as I imagine that it will before I can get the next gi in the line, the blood drenched gi?) <font color="#ff9900">I can't offer you any concrete proof of this, but from my experience mobs treat armor that is 15 levels lower than them (at which point it turns grey) pretty much as though it wasn't even there. <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></font> If I die with gray gear in my chest slot, is it completely broken when I rez, or does it take the usual 10% penalty? <font color="#ff9900">It takes the usual 10% condition hit.</font> </li> <ul> <li>Is there a way to extend the life of the level 20 orange AQ gi?  Could I have it imbued or something?  Anything? <font color="#ff9900">Nope.</font> </li> </ul> <li>Given the current gi situation in the game, and the fact that sooner or later I will have to have some non-gray (but non-emergency!) gear, I would rather be mistaken for a mage than a druid.  Once my gi greys out, is it possible to play a monk in cloth, like in EQ1? <font color="#ff9900">If I recall correctly there are a good number of robes that have nice Str and Agi stats. If you're willing to play with less mitigation than leather for the sake of appearances than I'm sure you could find some robes with nice looks and decent stats. </font> I think that this robe graphic would be particularly attractive for a monk: </li><li>Any advice on <u><i>really</i></u> good gear for non-chest slots, to make up for the lack of a chest?  Caveat: it must be purchasable. (I am willing to go places and camp gear, but given my playstyle, this will be irregular, and I will likely be making or purchasing gear most of the time.) Will rare tailored leather gear fill the gap, or should I be looking for something else?  (And yes, I do have Outfitter alts which should be able to help with this.) <font color="#ff9900">You will defenitely want to get rare crafted armor for every other armor slot.</font> </li> <li>Are there invisible gloves and boots that can be obtained?  I would like to show bare hands and feet at all times.  I can set myself to hotswap shoes and gloves as well as chest if necessary for the aforementioned emergencies, but would prefer to get gear which would permit me the barefooted monk appearance, if I can manage it. <font color="#ff9900">The nice thing about the AQ gi is that when you equip it it hides all your other armor except your hat and your gloves. So far only one gi has been coded to hide your gloves, the Gi of the Ashen Disciple (and I'm guessing the fabled version hides the gloves as well.) </font> </li> <ul> <li>If no invisible gear is available: is it possible to plan gear while factoring out chest, hands, <u><i>and</i></u> feet?  (OUCH my poor stats LOL!) <font color="#ff9900">If you're really adamant about having the barehand look you could wear your AQ gloves as they are invisible.</font> </li> </ul> <li>Finally, I am keenly interested in fistwraps, as I would like to have my bo and/or the fistwraps as my main weapons (again, going with the barehanded theme.)  However, after the fistwraps you can purchase from the vendor, I can't find fistwraps that are lower than level 50.  Ick!  Any ideas on where I could obtain level appropriate fistwraps at 20-ish or thereabouts? <font color="#ff9900">Weaponsmiths can make fistwraps, cestii and cestus. They require a leather item. Usually you'll have to take the leather item to a tailor to have them turn it into a leather strap, then take the leather strap to a weaponsmith. However, some weaponsmtihs will have the extra recipe books to let them create that component themselves. To learn more just ask a weaponsmith or a higher level monk on your server. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></font> </li> <li>And I notice that when I have fought hand-to-hand previously, I look like a brawler or a boxer.  I want to look like a monk!  Now that I have graduated and am a monk at last, will my animations update to look more like martial arts than boxing? <font color="#ff9900">As long as you are a monk and are fighting with fist weapons in both of your hands you will use the monk fighting animation, which is more martial arts in apperance than bruisers who use a more boxing oriented stance.</font> </li> </ul> As always, thanks in advance for any advice. Jen <img src="/smilies/b2eb59423fbf5fa39342041237025880.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> <div></div><hr></blockquote></span><div></div><p>Message Edited by Cwiyk on <span class=date_text>12-26-2005</span> <span class=time_text>11:01 AM</span>

[Rrawl]

I'll be adding pics of the Gi I have to the Got Gi? thread shortly, for what it's worth. I'm just trying to find a few female brawlers with matching pieces to pose alongside to present them as completely as possible.