VERY new to the Monk and the game itself

[Feorin]

<DIV>Hello everyone! Well, even though my account age is said to be like more than 2 months, I am still rather new to EQII. When I finally got the expansion, I tried all these classes for Faes, and finding out that I lacked a mellee class, I chose to become a Fae Monk.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Well, I found it very enjoyable and I enjoy the clothing we can wear. ^^ (Still level 8sih)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>But on to my questions:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>What is the role of a Monk? I've played many MMORPGs, and very often, it seemed like a Monk was a damage dealer, but how is it like in EverQuest II?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>This achievment system, how does it all work? I'm not at level 10 yet, so I don;t have access to it, but some info on how it works would be nice. <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> (Even though I have this level 20 character, I haven't logged on to her after getting all 3 expansions, so I don't know)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks to everyone that comes and helps me out. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> </DIV>

[Caliga]

Monks are pretty versitle, kind of a jack of all trades.  They can tank in most group situations but won't be picked as a raid tank, not being a plate class.  They deal more damage then most of the other fighter classes, but you won't see them out damaging a scout.  They also get invis, feign dead and a small heal.  Because of this monks have an easier time soloing than some of the other classes, and these abilities make them useful in a group.  And most importantly, they look cool!<div></div>

[Feorin]

<DIV>Hehe. Monks sounds better. Although all these complains I've been reading about Monks on this forum is sorta bothering me.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>And yeah, they are so cool. <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> However, I just wish there was more sense of "impact" when I hit someone. You know, something like a hit spark. Something like in FFXI. Impact effects were pretty awesome, and critical hits looked even more powerful. <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV>

[Bladewind]

We have base tanking abilities like all fighters.  You can choose through your AAs (short for alternate advancement abilities) to focus on tanking or damage dealing. This let's the monk be what *you* want it to be <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  Recent changes have brought us in line to where we can tank just as well as our plate friends, but it takes a good deal of practice to learn the necessary techniques.  As far as damage goes, you will find you never do low damage, but also that you will rarely do high damage unless you take some extreme measures with your equipment and AAs.  As was highlighted above, we are extremely versatile and have some nice utility, such as the feign death skill and mixed stance, that lets us solo and get out of tricky situations with ease.

[Caliga]

The forums used to scare me about classes too.  But I discovered that every class cries about their weaknesses (real and imagined) and makes themselves sound like the most useless, least wanted class in game.  If I didn't play the classes people whine about I couldn't play my monk, ranger, dirge, warden, fury or conjuror, and well, thats all my toons.<div></div>

[ETSubmarin]

<DIV>I am enjoying the monk, being newer myself (Dec 20th).  There certainly are instances where being a heavier hitter would be nice, but except for those white heroic monsters, I do pretty well solo.  I get a lot of lag too in larger groups, so this class definitely suits me.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>And whatever you do, when you hit level 20, buy silent fist kata from the combat arts or monk trainer.  DO NOT let anyone tell you its a fluff skill.  Look at your Focus attribute right now - probably not very high.  My Focus was like only 20 or 25 till I got that skill, then I learned how to use it properly in combat.  It is now like 120 and climbing.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Fluff?  I laugh at that suggestion.</DIV>

[Caliga]

<div><blockquote><hr>ETSubmariner wrote:<div>I am enjoying the monk, being newer myself (Dec 20th).  There certainly are instances where being a heavier hitter would be nice, but except for those white heroic monsters, I do pretty well solo.  I get a lot of lag too in larger groups, so this class definitely suits me.</div> <div> </div> <div>And whatever you do, when you hit level 20, buy silent fist kata from the combat arts or monk trainer.  DO NOT let anyone tell you its a fluff skill.  Look at your Focus attribute right now - probably not very high.  My Focus was like only 20 or 25 till I got that skill, then I learned how to use it properly in combat.  It is now like 120 and climbing.  </div> <div> </div> <div>Fluff?  I laugh at that suggestion.</div><hr></blockquote>ROFLMAO.  Focus is so you can cast spells during combat.  Um...you don't have any spells, cept for your fun spell at 20.</div>

[ETSubmarin]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> pinkdove80 wrote:<BR> <DIV><BR>ROFLMAO.  Focus is so you can cast spells during combat.  Um...you don't have any spells, cept for your fun spell at 20.<BR></DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>Why are you rolling on the floor?  Is it dirty?</P> <P> According to the game blurb, quote "This is how well you maintain your concentration in battle.  This will help you cast spells or perform combat arts while under attack." </P> <P>Monks have a dramatic number of combat arts (cobra being the most long-winded to date for me (cast time) as a direct example), and the so-called "fun" combat art Silent Fist Kata.  My skills were interrupted a lot when my Focus was 20.  I am only interrupted once in a while now, and my Focus continues to climb.</P> <P>Again, this skill/art is anything but fluff.</P><p>Message Edited by ETSubmariner on <span class=date_text>01-08-2007</span> <span class=time_text>09:46 PM</span>

[Bladewind]

That description is a bit dated/inaccurate.  Only spells can be interrupted, not combat arts.  Monks have no in-combat spells, so focus is a non-factor for us.

[ETSubmarin]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Bladewind wrote:<BR> That description is a bit dated/inaccurate.  Only spells can be interrupted, not combat arts.  Monks have no in-combat spells, so focus is a non-factor for us.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>Can you provide an EQ2 official link that provides the details of what Focus is currently set for, so I may continue to understand Everquest?  I read an update note that talks about Focus, and I have found first-hand the decription to be valid.  Why would Focus be available to the monk class in our profiles?  Also, Sparking Cobra doesn't seem very "combat art-ish" to me, producing magical damage - a spell?  Compare that to Mantis Jabs.</P> <P>I have seen my combat arts interruped with low Focus (that huge INTERRUPTED is hard to miss on screen), and I have seen dramatically fewer interupts now that my Focus has gone way up.  I can only provide the advice to give it a try; I learned how Silent Fist Kata actually works by not having heard anyone tell me otherwise (just as the legend tells us a bumblebee flies precisely because it learned to fly before someone said it could not).</P> <P>I have trained/shown four others in-game how this works and they have seen the same results.  They and I are staunch supporters of ignoring "you can't use Kata that way" when you witness first-hand that you can.  Detailed searches of the forums show there has been heated discussion about Focus and who/how/what it works.  My use of Silent Fist Kata against mobs my level-ish has increased Focus, and that higher Focus has dramatically reduced interruption of my monk - that's a fact.  But, this discussion is about the OP's hope for monk related references, and this discussion appears to be degenerating into "it is/it isn't".  Let's return to his request.</P> <P>edit note: the forum seems to love changing my post, so I am attempting to correct it.</P><p>Message Edited by ETSubmariner on <span class=date_text>01-08-2007</span> <span class=time_text>10:21 PM</span>

[Caliga]

<div><blockquote><hr>ETSubmariner wrote:<div></div> <div></div> <div></div> <div></div> <blockquote> <hr> Bladewind wrote: <div></div>That description is a bit dated/inaccurate.  Only spells can be interrupted, not combat arts.  Monks have no in-combat spells, so focus is a non-factor for us. <hr> </blockquote> <p>Can you provide an EQ2 official link that provides the details of what Focus is currently set for, so I may continue to understand Everquest?  I read an update note that talks about Focus, and I have found first-hand the decription to be valid.  Why would Focus be available to the monk class in our profiles?  Also, Sparking Cobra doesn't seem very "combat art-ish" to me, producing magical damage - a spell?  Compare that to Mantis Jabs.</p> <p>I have seen my combat arts interruped with low Focus (that huge INTERRUPTED is hard to miss on screen), and I have seen dramatically fewer interupts now that my Focus has gone way up.  I can only provide the advice to give it a try; I learned how Silent Fist Kata actually works by not having heard anyone tell me otherwise (just as the legend tells us a bumblebee flies precisely because it learned to fly before someone said it could not).</p> <p>I have trained/shown four others in-game how this works and they have seen the same results.  They and I are staunch supporters of ignoring "you can't use Kata that way" when you witness first-hand that you can.  Detailed searches of the forums show there has been heated discussion about Focus and who/how/what it works.  My use of Silent Fist Kata against mobs my level-ish has increased Focus, and that higher Focus has dramatically reduced interruption of my monk - that's a fact.  But, this discussion is about the OP's hope for monk related references, and this discussion appears to be degenerating into "it is/it isn't".  Let's return to his request.</p> <p>edit note: the forum seems to love changing my post, so I am attempting to correct it.</p><p>Message Edited by ETSubmariner on <span class="date_text">01-08-2007</span> <span class="time_text">10:21 PM</span></p><hr></blockquote>Yeah we hijacked the thread, I'm sorry.  I don't remember my melee CAs being interrupted but I haven't been paying much attention, most are almost instantaneous.  But I rarely see the word "interrupted" because my casters do get interrupted regularly and the spell attempts to cast three times and then goes away if it doesn't succeed, I see interrupted when I am trying to cast and I move.  I'll test tomorrow and see if Cobra Strike gets interrupted with a bunch of mobs on me.</div>

[Ryuugekitai]

<DIV>All our attacks are indeed combat arts (whether they deal magic, heat, cold or melee damage) except for the lvl 65 rune : dragon breath.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>According to LU30, the focus skill now allow to have a chance to keep casting you spell/combat arts when stunned or stifled. It is true that stuns and stifles used to interrupt our combat arts, they still do, and they indeed do that a lot less with maxed focus. (So the LU30 update note is accurate on that matter ^^)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The lvl 20 kata is indeed a fluff spell, but is a spell. The only way to get the focus skill up is to be beaten on while casting a spell. This is the reason why, casting this fluff spell in combat get your focus skill up, though it is its only use.</DIV> <DIV>An other way to get the focus skill up, is to cast "Call of Qeynos" while beaten on. This is a spell as well, and you will get skill ups the same as with the kata, except the casting time of the Call is a lot longer than the one of the kata, and it is likely you will get more skill ups in less time.</DIV> <DIV>Either way, neither of these spells should be used in a "serious" fight, but only in a "safe" fight where your only intention is to get skill ups.</DIV>

[ETSubmarin]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Ryuugekitai wrote:<BR> <DIV>All our attacks are indeed combat arts (whether they deal magic, heat, cold or melee damage) except for the lvl 65 rune : dragon breath.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>According to LU30, the focus skill now allow to have a chance to keep casting you spell/combat arts when stunned or stifled. It is true that stuns and stifles used to interrupt our combat arts, they still do, and they indeed do that a lot less with maxed focus. (So the LU30 update note is accurate on that matter ^^)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The lvl 20 kata is indeed a fluff spell, but is a spell. The only way to get the focus skill up is to be beaten on while casting a spell. This is the reason why, casting this fluff spell in combat get your focus skill up, though it is its only use.</DIV> <DIV>An other way to get the focus skill up, is to cast "Call of Qeynos" while beaten on. This is a spell as well, and you will get skill ups the same as with the kata, except the casting time of the Call is a lot longer than the one of the kata, and it is likely you will get more skill ups in less time.</DIV> <DIV>Either way, neither of these spells should be used in a "serious" fight, but only in a "safe" fight where your only intention is to get skill ups.</DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>LU30 is the update that I referred to, so that's good to know it still applies (till next patch lol).  I have to tell you though that the Kata does some wonderous things for you (as in, the target 'tending' to just standing there gawking while you beat them down).  In any case, I use the Silent Fist Kata in every fight and don't have any problems.  While the kata is running, my hand weapons are still attacking.  I don't get interrupted as much now that my focus is up, and sometimes I get a few free moments while the target stands there gawking at me.  Tie that in with imbued weapons, add a few other skills in while the kata is running, and you have "focus" on killing that enemy.  That's a very clever class-specific nicety, intended or no.</P> <P>Some of the other things I like about monks are the costumes we can get later on.  Right now, I look like any other fighter wearing leather armor, but that will change (I really want a straw hat).  There's the Jade Tiger title, and that the monk in EQ2 is a fighter, not a healer (as in GW).    <BR></P>

[Ryuugekitai]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> ETSubmariner wrote:<BR> <BR> <P>the Kata does some wonderous things for you (as in, the target 'tending' to just standing there gawking while you beat them down).</P> <P></P> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>Yep read about that. Tested it. Didn't work but I read it is pretty random so it doesn't matter. What's for sure is that it's not written in the description ^^</P> <P>But if you find an epic it works on please let me know <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><BR></P>

[ETSubmarin]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Ryuugekitai wrote:<BR> <BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> ETSubmariner wrote:<BR> <BR> <P>the Kata does some wonderous things for you (as in, the target 'tending' to just standing there gawking while you beat them down).</P> <P></P> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>Yep read about that. Tested it. Didn't work but I read it is pretty random so it doesn't matter. What's for sure is that it's not written in the description ^^</P> <P>But if you find an epic it works on please let me know <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><BR></P><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>I found that it affects lower level intelligent beasts most of all - who'd be stupid enough to stand there being beat?  Works sometimes on heroics even.  Take every advantage is my moto, since this skill has no cost to use.  </P> <P>Is there anything that does work on an Epic except a slug-fest?  Everytime I find a nice bit of loot or whatever, it says "Does not affect epic."   I hope there's a great monk skill that helps as you get up in higher levels.  Probably just Master level skills.</P> <P> </P>

[Quind]

I still don't know about this whol SFK thing.  I tried it on a range of mobs of different levels and types, from level twenty kobolds in BBM to 56 gorgs in TT to 65 ghouls in Loping Planes.  Never once did I see them do much of anything out of the ordinary.  The most that happened was it looked like their autoattack stopped, but they continued to do autoattack damage to me.  Just like it looked like my autoattack stopped, but I was just autoattacking through the animation.  As for CAs, I've never had any of mine interrupted, though I don't have dragonsbreath atm (two levels to go), so I can't say for sure what the dealyo is with that.If you're dead set on levelling your focus, CoYour City Here is a long-cast spell that can get you a lot of skillups before you get interrupted or it goes off.  Just find some aggro green mobs, or pull something over, cast call, and wait.  Not exciting, though I've found that if I get interrupted just as it thinks its going off, I turn invisible and stay that way for a while.  Sadly, I don't think I'm invisible to the mobs.  Not sure about players.  Also, you can get focus skillups while harvesting if something attacks you or a dot is ticking down.Back to the topic at hand: Welcome to monkdom!  I hope you enjoy the ride.One of the best things about the class, imo, is its flexibility.  There are multiple roles we can fill, and so we bring a lot into a group.  If it's lacking for DPS, we can go full offensive and put up a pretty good show of things.  If it's needing a tank badly, go defensive or balanced (depending upon personal preference/healer) and have at.  When the fecal matter hits the rotating blades, we can self-cure pretty much anything (with EoF aas), can heal anyone close enough for up to 50% (with EoF aas, more with Tunare cloak/symmetry gear/miracles, though I don't see why you'd swing that way...it's been done).  We're [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] fine pullers, and have things like group feign to help with recovery when there's too much feces on fan action.Monks mature a lot as they go through the levels.  Every mend upgrade is a godsend, and you'll really notice the AAs once you get them (I recommend getting them early- helps with survivability a lot).  Getting another skill that knocks the opponent down, stuns them, or stifles them means another few seconds of crazy crap you can pull.  You'll notice a lot of changes as you work on your AAs too, whether you choose to spec for dps, tanking, or something in the middle.  At first, the KoS aa trees seemed a little lackluster, but now that I understand better how far a few points of deflect or parry can go, and what the strengths and shortcomings of my class are, I'm wishing I could spend another 50 points in that tree.Play with things and see what you like, and remember that your first few respecs are pretty cheap.  Just don't become an addict, or it'll soon be too much to bother paying for.  And if you need anything (haven't checked to see what server you're on), kive najena.kirashin a yell.  I'll see what I can do for ya.  Got a soft spot for baby monks, I have.<div></div>

[Feorin]

<P>Hehe, thanks everyone for the advice.:smileyvery-happy: Monks sounds a lot more useful than in other MMORPGS I've played. In FFXI, they were just aggro stealers who dealt damage pretty well (and maybe a bit too much damage), but the EQII Monk sounds pretty awesome. I always enjoyed being versatile.:smileywink:</P> <P> </P>

[fre'do]

But we are agro stealers and damage dealers:smileywink: If not done right we can still agro quickly if we are off tanking.  A monk can find trouble very easily with fd and stealth.

[Anjin]

<DIV>High focus is useful if you use CoQ or CotO and suddenly get jumped.  Both these are spells, not ca's.</DIV>