[Class Build] The Juggernaut - a heavy armored Monk

[prototype00]

So recently I've started a new game with this build. Coastal Amaua, max con and might, heaviest armour I could find (brigandine now). And I ticked the difficulty up from normal to hard, because prior I was wrecking face with my Moon Godlike (same build) on this difficulty, nothing could kill me.

 

But the magic is gone! Regular mobs do a damage ditty on my face. Is it the difficulty? My choice of Race? Or is it just too early to shine? (The reason I switched to Amaua was so I could have higher Might and a helmet slot, but I'm missing the self heal!)

 

Help me, KDubya, you're my only hope!

[Undesirable]

Get Shod-in-Faith + Fulvano's Amulet ASAP, dual-wield healing weapons, quaff more endurance potions, read more protection scrolls and invest at least 8 points into Survival. Actually, I still prefer Moon Godlike even when I have all that, apart from when fighting dragons, in which case Iverra's Diving Helmet is indispensable.

Edited September 6, 2016 by Undesirable

[KDubya]

So recently I've started a new game with this build. Coastal Amaua, max con and might, heaviest armour I could find (brigandine now). And I ticked the difficulty up from normal to hard, because prior I was wrecking face with my Moon Godlike (same build) on this difficulty, nothing could kill me.

 

But the magic is gone! Regular mobs do a damage ditty on my face. Is it the difficulty? My choice of Race? Or is it just too early to shine? (The reason I switched to Amaua was so I could have higher Might and a helmet slot, but I'm missing the self heal!)

 

Help me, KDubya, you're my only hope!

 

The race should do fine. What is your team make up? I tend to always have Kana with the two Chanter regen auras going as well as a Paladin with Zealous Endurance for the extra DR and the hit>graze plus a few Lay on Hands when needed. Also as Undesirable wrote get Shod in Faith boots.

 

Perhaps add in Veteran's Recovery sooner rather than later.

 

Also what level are you having difficulty at? You need a few levels to get enough of an endurance pool to be able to take the hits.

 

My last run was with the Juggernaut 3.0, Kana, Pellaginna and devil (used hirelings as stand ins until I could get the actual companions) as a four man team on PotD and they kicked ass.

[prototype00]

Low level at the moment 3 or 4. Will try to beeline for the boots and pick up Veteran's recovery to see of that helps.

 

Party makeup will be:

 

Frontline: Main Character, Pallegina (buffing and healing), Hiravais (DPS)

 

Shooting Party: Kana, Durance and Grieving Mother.

 

May I ask what these chants you are referring to are, KDubya?

Edited September 6, 2016 by prototype00

[KDubya]

The Chanter regen auras are Ancient Memories and Beloved Spirits. Together they get you around 6 endurance for 60 sec, I think it is per 3 second tick so 120 endurance total. When you add in Veteran's Recovery at 9-10 per tick your up around 270 - 300 endurance gained back through passive regen.

 

Might help to have Kana shoot then wade into melee with a shield. I tend to keep him in melee and keep the frightened song going so that the enemy has an accuracy debuff. I also give Kana Gallant Focus and Aspirant's mark  for accuracy boosters for the team. At higher levels I keep the +25% fire lash chant up and weave in others. I find that the team does more damage, or at least Juggernaut does, when Kana keeps the fire lash up instead of dragon thrashed, but I may be way off on this assumption. Either way the game is not so tough that it makes a difference.

 

At level 3 or 4 I'm trying to clear Anslog's Compass and trying not to be eaten by wolves or boars. Killing Xaurips is easier as I'm a Boreal Dwarf and the +15 accuracy is huge.  Level five is better as you'll have Lightning Strikes, Torment's Reach, and Force of Anguish and either Veteran's Recovery, Weapon Focus Peasant or Two weapon Style. FoA adds a lot of survivability by letting you prone someone for 10+ seconds.

[prototype00]

Veteran's Recovery is helping a lot. I seriously undervalued this talent last time (I saved it for last). The amount healed is affected by strength, if I'm not mistaken? For builds that aren't Moon Godlike, every bit of self-heal helps.

 

Also I might follow your advice and have Kana be a switch-hitter (start with Warbow transition to Estoc), there are a few good Estocs in the game.

 

prototype00

Edited September 6, 2016 by prototype00

[Boeroer]

Yes, Veteran's Recovery gets influenced by MIG and also INT. All the +x% healing buffs also work with it (survival bonus, Fulvano's Amulett, Belt of Bountiful Healing, Maneha's Armor, chanter's Mercy and Kindness).

[Arddv]

Yes, Veteran's Recovery gets influenced by MIG and also INT. All the +x% healing buffs also work with it (survival bonus, Fulvano's Amulett, Belt of Bountiful Healing, Maneha's Armor, chanter's Mercy and Kindness).

So basically Veteran's recovery + Shod in Faith + % healing buffs make a 'solo package' for any martial class?

[Dr <3]

Yes, as long as you have a good constitition ( wich lately i suggest warmingly)

[Raven Darkholme]

It depends how quickly you can finish your fights.

For a chanter with phantom/worms recovery as 1st talent is better than deflection, belt of bountiful healing is better than blunting belt because you finish your fights rather quick.

With a paladin it's different, recovery only lasts for 60ish seconds if a fight takes longer you might be better off with something else.

Let's not forget you can also actively heal so veterans recovery becomes less important the more resources you have.

[Jojobobo]

 

Yes, Veteran's Recovery gets influenced by MIG and also INT. All the +x% healing buffs also work with it (survival bonus, Fulvano's Amulett, Belt of Bountiful Healing, Maneha's Armor, chanter's Mercy and Kindness).

So basically Veteran's recovery + Shod in Faith + % healing buffs make a 'solo package' for any martial class?

 

It does depend a little bit, as to activate Shod in Faith you need to be hit by a critical hit - so there's obviously a line where if you build your character too defensively you don't get the benefit of Shod in Faith, but if they lack enough defence then the damage will out weigh the healing. High DR classes, like this Juggernaut Monk build, get around this somewhat as they don't take much damage in the first place.

 

There are other alternatives to healing, however most of them come late game (Maegfolc Skull, Lost Periapt of the Winding Paths). Personally I find that healing isn't everything, and trying to avoid damage with high defences should normally take priority over healing (though some heals are of course welcome).

[prototype00]

Query: For all the bashing immune enemies later in the game, what alternate weapon set is recommended? I'm leaning towards twin hatchets, as I already have the peasant weapon focus and two weapon fighting, but would something else be preferable? Twin spears?

[KDubya]

Query: For all the bashing immune enemies later in the game, what alternate weapon set is recommended? I'm leaning towards twin hatchets, as I already have the peasant weapon focus and two weapon fighting, but would something else be preferable? Twin spears?

 

 

I like to go with twin spears as hatchets have lower damage and the extra deflection does nothing for a Monk. The custom built spear, Cladhaliath,  is good as is the one that causes defense debuff or the one with the speed enchant. Plus two spears look cool. I have two fists on one slot and two spears on the other.

[prototype00]

 

 

Query: For all the bashing immune enemies later in the game, what alternate weapon set is recommended? I'm leaning towards twin hatchets, as I already have the peasant weapon focus and two weapon fighting, but would something else be preferable? Twin spears?

 

I like to go with twin spears as hatchets have lower damage and the extra deflection does nothing for a Monk. The custom built spear, Cladhaliath, is good as is the one that causes defense debuff or the one with the speed enchant. Plus two spears look cool. I have two fists on one slot and two spears on the other.

Excellent points. I'll leave the best Hatchets to Hiravais then, since he goes sword and board when he isn't Spirit Shaped or using the soul bound sceptre.

[TheMetaphysician]

Have you tried using Steadfast with this build? Maybe as an off-hand weapon with a fist main-hand? Champion's Boon on-kill sounds like it would be really good with this build.

[KDubya]

Have you tried using Steadfast with this build? Maybe as an off-hand weapon with a fist main-hand? Champion's Boon on-kill sounds like it would be really good with this build.

 

Offhand weapons combined with fists used to be a glitch, it never had you punch and then swing instead it had you punch only except when doing a Torment's Reach and then it added in the weapon damage. Or something along those lines, it was a bug and an exploit in my opinion.

 

Overall I've never liked weapon use for my monks. In straight auto attack comparison two fists strike basically with the force of average speed weapons but at the speed of fast speed weapons. It's only with maxed out Durgan steel weapons that it changes and even then it is still pretty much the same. Up to the end game though fists are the clear winners and since the hard part of the game is the early part I just like to stick to fists but YMMV.

[Boeroer]

Champion's Boon only gets triggered if you kill something with Steadfast. At least that was the case when I last tried. In order to proc Champion's Boon you would want to reach 0 recovery with a durganized non-bashing shield or even one handed.

[TheMetaphysician]

Champion's Boon only gets triggered if you kill something with Steadfast.

 

Oh, that's a bummer. That really cuts down on the motivation to use it on a dual-wielder.

[Dr <3]

 

Champion's Boon only gets triggered if you kill something with Steadfast.

Oh, that's a bummer. That really cuts down on the motivation to use it on a dual-wielder.

But immunity to fear and terrore is also very useful nontheless

[Boeroer]

Give 2 lore to anybody with decent INT and you don't need that, too.

 

I like Steadfast on paladins with shields and Scion of Flame - if I don't have such a paladin I always put it in the stash.

Edited February 10, 2017 by Boeroer