1.05 Monk - Intresting synergy Stunning Fist & Enervating Blows while dual wielding

[peddroelm]

Stunning Fist - full attack - you get two chances to apply it when dual wielding .. Each weapon attack checks vs deflection and in case it doesn't miss a second check is ran vs fortitude to check stun duration .. (doesn't need wounds so you can open with it, or after you debuff target's fort save  (ex: barb threatening presence  ) )

 

What you need from the first swing is at least a double graze ( deflection and fortitude ).. Even on a graze the stun effect cuts target's deflection by a whooping 30 ..

 

Second weapon swing now stands great chance to crit (vs -30 Deflection) .. Crits activate Enervating Blows - that even on a graze vs fortitude will weaken ( -20 -8 fort save) . And then the second Stun check is done this time vs -28 fort save - with good chance to hit/crit (getting good duration of the stun effect if you didn't dump INT (I like to max int on monks ) ) ..

 

All the regular attacks during the stun duration (6+ seconds on high int crit will have great chance to keep criting for good damage and refrehing the weakened status effect for rogue sneak/deathblows )

 

Those debuffs synergise well with melee rogue which I keep teamed with the monk.. Stun enables sneak (very likely crits  vs -30% deflection) and flanking/weakening enables deathblows .Death sentence ..

 

Add zealous focus (+6 accuracy to all those special attacks checks ) and the full (synergising) melee squad begins to take shape.. Ranger is the odd man out but he can help out with wounding shot (hobble) and binding roots(stuck) ..

 

Example screen shot fist stun check was vs 63 fort, second weapon swing stun check was vs 35 fortitude (weaken -20 fort -2 might and -2 con)

http://i.imgur.com/G67oMxY.jpg

Edited May 6, 2015 by peddroelm

[Manty5]

SS of a combat log proving this, please?

[peddroelm]

SS of a combat log proving this, please

It would show that the weakening check applies before the stunning check on crit hits .

 

http://i.imgur.com/G67oMxY.jpg

 

One SS would not suffice (to see all the roll checks vs Accuracy/Fort) - would take a short video (or you could take my word for it  why would I lie ?!  ) ..

 

Fist stun check was vs 63 fortitude .. Second swing stun check was vs 35 fortitude after weakening (-20 fort and also -2 might and -2 con) ..

Edited May 6, 2015 by peddroelm

[bigwillystyle]

This sounds awesome, going to give it a try tonight.  First playthrough did not have a Monk or Paladin.  I am tempted to swap out Rogue in your example for a Barbarian ... would a Barbarian crit make it through to other mobs via Carnage?  

[peddroelm]

This sounds awesome, going to give it a try tonight.  First playthrough did not have a Monk or Paladin.  I am tempted to swap out Rogue in your example for a Barbarian ... would a Barbarian crit make it through to other mobs via Carnage?  

Barb can help the initial stun via threatening presence (passively lowers fort saves in short AOE ).. And will benefit from the lowered deflection vs stunned targets to land hits (potentially crits) that will then trigger separate carnage checks vs suitable targets in AOE range which will not benefit at all from the fact the main target is stunned/weakened ..

 

All melee attackers will benefit but none will benefit ( -30 deflection) as much as melee rogue .. And zealous focus from paladin would help a lot with all of those deflection/fortitude checks .. 

Edited May 6, 2015 by peddroelm

[Kelstrom]

Before the patch i started with barbarian using 1h spear to try and carnage stun with the crafted spear. Still need to do act2 to get it

[MoxyWoo]

Ranger can use Wounding Shot + Swift Aim Modal to swing a chunkier 2 hander faster and provide the hobble then too.

 

But more rogues makes it even better.

 

Great synergy and find again!

[Omnicron]

Before the patch i started with barbarian using 1h spear to try and carnage stun with the crafted spear. Still need to do act2 to get it

What about using Tall Grass so long. Prone will give a similar effect