[Class Build] The Juggernaut - a heavy armored Monk

[Ymarsakar]

"The big block of wounds come from the enemy Alpha Strike, here Lesser Wounds would just hit the ten wound cap faster."

 

Sure, but that tends to happen irregardless of what you pick for wounds. Lesser wounds would apply more to longer fights or when there are artificial ways to damage your monk to give him more wounds when needed.

 

"Usually Itumaak dies, in fact he dies so often I should be hunted by PETA not by the Leaden Key. "

 

The immortal dog fox hybrid is our champion. Reminds me of anime like School Live.

 

It'll become a hunter soon enough once it gets enough exp.

Edited October 1, 2015 by Ymarsakar

[KDubya]

Either 2.02 cleaned up some of their ability descriptions or my reading comprehension has improved.

 

The damage of Torment's Reach as listed in the description is clearer to me now, or maybe I just understand better.

 

With my dual fist Juggernaut build Torments Reach is a huge damage add full attack +50%, it'd be the same with any dual wield build. effectively three attacks worth of damage. My Zahua is built the same except he is using the Tide Fall great sword. His Torments are effectively one and a half attacks worth of damage. Still good but only half as effective as the dual wielders.

 

My thought is to re-spec Zahua out of Torment's and replace with Force of Anguish. A ten+ second prone that is usable as often as I can get two wounds is like a fighter but the prone lasts twice as long and can be spammed. This is probably the way to go with a shield user as well.

 

The more I understand Monks the worse I see Fighters. Even a retarded Monk with 3 intellect is going to have a the same prone from FoA 6.5 seconds that a Fighter with 16 intellect would get and have 13 stat points to spread somewhere useful.

[KDubya]

UPDATE

 

Devs have confirmed that the fire damage lash from Turning Wheel stacks with the Lightning Lash from Lightning Strikes, so no reason to not take both.

[bescheid]

If it stacks shouldnt u always take both

[Boeroer]

It was a bug and didn't stack before. So it was not very clever to take both abilities. Now it's supereffective.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Boeroer

[rheingold]

Must say that I never ever imagined that I would play and like Monks. Always hated them in pnp.

It's a bit of a pain actually, I now have serious issues choosing between rogues, monks, rangers and druids for my main. Sigh, hmm life was simpler when monks sucked....

[Nobear]

Must say that I never ever imagined that I would play and like Monks. Always hated them in pnp.

It's a bit of a pain actually, I now have serious issues choosing between rogues, monks, rangers and druids for my main. Sigh, hmm life was simpler when monks sucked....

 

Or you could take a paladin main for +6/12/12/12 defenses vs a non-main paladin (and stats that are good for both combat and dialogue) and still have potentially all the classes you mentioned in your party .

 

Unless your choice of main has personal significance to you from an RP perspective... then I'd understand.

[AndreaColombo]

Tangentially, Zahua makes a very good Juggernaut. His stats are also quite close to what KDubya's build suggests.

[Livegood118]

Since this topic seems to be getting a lot of attention I thought I'd chime in with some of the research I did for my own thread on Swift Strikes and Torment's Reach for posterity sake.

 

When dual wielding torment's reach is technically worth 3.5 attacks against the initial single target: 1 ordinary attack + 50% crush lash vs 25% DR + 1 ordinary Attack + 50% crush lash vs 25% DR. There's no recovery between the two hits so casting Swift Strikes (with lightning strikes talent) and then spamming as many Torments Reaches as possible while it is active is really effective because of the overall reduced recovery time vs auto-attacking. 

 

Even on idiot monk builds (around 5 Int) where Swift Strikes around 7 secs the math suggests that doing the Swift Strikes/Torments Reach spam combo will be more effective than just Torments reach itself providing you've got the Lightning Strikes Talent.

 

Swift Strikes will increase damage proportionately more on a build that's using either Two-Handed or Weapon and Shield because of the greater recovery penalties associated with those styles. 

 

The Stat allocation for the juggernaut build is really great for taking advantage of Durgan Steel sabres as well it seems (endurance draining proc is great for high damage chars).

 

Personally, rather than taking flagellant's path I'd probably go for Iron Wheel and wear something like the Saint's war armour upgraded to fine/exceptional for a larger supply of wounds, less recovery and better synergy with turning wheel though that's obviously a bit more yolo than this one and you'd lose the big advantage of +4 might and +4 con from Sanguine. Maybe something to consider if you've got another character that could benefit from the Sanguine Plate also.

[Lorbander]

After some research I think I'm gonna use this build for my first playthrough.

 

I would like some advice on which quest rewards passive talents to pick with this build.

 

- Which faction should I join in Defiance Bay?

- What reward should I choose for the "At the Mercy of the Tribes" quest?

- Which deific boon should I choose at the Council of Stars?

[KDubya]

After some research I think I'm gonna use this build for my first playthrough.

 

I would like some advice on which quest rewards passive talents to pick with this build.

 

- Which faction should I join in Defiance Bay?

- What reward should I choose for the "At the Mercy of the Tribes" quest?

- Which deific boon should I choose at the Council of Stars?

 

 

For Defiance Bay I'd go with either the Crucible Knights for the +DR or the Doemenals (not sure on the spelling) for the crit damage. I always avoid the Dozens as their bonus is terrible and they are a bunch of yahoos.

[Raven Darkholme]

 

After some research I think I'm gonna use this build for my first playthrough.

 

I would like some advice on which quest rewards passive talents to pick with this build.

 

- Which faction should I join in Defiance Bay?

- What reward should I choose for the "At the Mercy of the Tribes" quest?

- Which deific boon should I choose at the Council of Stars?

 

 

For Defiance Bay I'd go with either the Crucible Knights for the +DR or the Doemenals (not sure on the spelling) for the crit damage. I always avoid the Dozens as their bonus is terrible and they are a bunch of yahoos.

 

Lol, Yahoos indeed.

For the tribes quest I always pick the resolve reward and in the Council Hylea for resolve and petrify defense.

[AndreaColombo]

^ Think Hylea gives Perception

[Raven Darkholme]

^ Think Hylea gives Perception

Sorry it was Berath then.

[Lorbander]

 

 

After some research I think I'm gonna use this build for my first playthrough.

 

I would like some advice on which quest rewards passive talents to pick with this build.

 

- Which faction should I join in Defiance Bay?

- What reward should I choose for the "At the Mercy of the Tribes" quest?

- Which deific boon should I choose at the Council of Stars?

 

 

For Defiance Bay I'd go with either the Crucible Knights for the +DR or the Doemenals (not sure on the spelling) for the crit damage. I always avoid the Dozens as their bonus is terrible and they are a bunch of yahoos.

 

Lol, Yahoos indeed.

For the tribes quest I always pick the resolve reward and in the Council Hylea for resolve and petrify defense.

 

 

Thanks guys for the replies.

 

Just to be clear. When you say you always pick the resolve reward for the tribes, are you referring to the "Wild Running" passive?

[Raven Darkholme]

 

 

 

After some research I think I'm gonna use this build for my first playthrough.

 

I would like some advice on which quest rewards passive talents to pick with this build.

 

- Which faction should I join in Defiance Bay?

- What reward should I choose for the "At the Mercy of the Tribes" quest?

- Which deific boon should I choose at the Council of Stars?

 

 

For Defiance Bay I'd go with either the Crucible Knights for the +DR or the Doemenals (not sure on the spelling) for the crit damage. I always avoid the Dozens as their bonus is terrible and they are a bunch of yahoos.

 

Lol, Yahoos indeed.

For the tribes quest I always pick the resolve reward and in the Council Hylea for resolve and petrify defense.

 

 

Thanks guys for the replies.

 

Just to be clear. When you say you always pick the resolve reward for the tribes, are you referring to the "Wild Running" passive?

 

Yeah, kill mercenaries, help fangs.

[knownastherat]

Inspired by this and other Monk threads, I started .. Monk too. 18 18 20 15 3 3, Moon to take advantage of health/endurance pool to stack wounds. Walk out first dungeon, beat wolves to pulp first try, bears without figurine level later. Did not take Swift Strikes but Torment and Turning Wheel for now. Seems easier than Wiz. With items/armors and food to fit encounter its almost unbeatable despite low Will. When they Charm me, they stop attacking me. Fortitude and Reflex is excellent though. Two Weapon Style, Peasant, Vulnerable Attack. Long Stride. I do not spam Torment but build wounds first, position, figurines, abilities from items, etc.

Edited January 28, 2016 by knownastherat

[Raven Darkholme]

Inspired by this and other Monk threads, I started .. Monk too. 18 18 20 15 3 3, Moon to take advantage of health/endurance pool to stack wounds. Walk out first dungeon, beat wolves to pulp first try, bears without figurine level later. Did not take Swift Strikes but Torment and Turning Wheel for now. Seems easier than Wiz. With items/armors and food to fit encounter its almost unbeatable despite low Will. When they Charm me, they stop attacking me. Fortitude and Reflex is excellent though. Two Weapon Style, Peasant, Vulnerable Attack. Long Stride. I do not spam Torment but build wounds first, position, figurines, abilities from items, etc.

Monk is pretty much king of the earlygame, neber played it beyond Act 2 tho.

[Boeroer]

Still rocks in Act 3. If you skilled for fists and put on heavy armor and +speed items the duplicates really wreak havok.

Edited January 28, 2016 by Boeroer

[Ichthyic]

Anyone else find it ironic that you get your only monk companion in white march... which is surround by areas that have a lot of blunt resistant or immune foes (flesh constructs, ice blights, for example)?

I'm pretty damn sure they planned it this way.

also, you get the greenstone staff here, so you can make yourself doubly ironically frustrated if you give that to your monk to level up!



A chanter can be helpful support here, if you use the +25% fire damage chant.  that goes on the base weapon damage, of which monks have the highest in the game so it adds a fair bit of fire damage... which, go figure, both constructs and ice blights are vulnerable to, so it makes your fists (short or long pain version) still do some damage.

so, bring a chanter along when visiting white march if you are a monk, or plan to use zahua.  I've found that in most combats, the fire bonus chant pretty much does the same net damage (sometimes even more) as the dragon chant, so long as you are hitting things with weapons more than casting spells.





 

[KDubya]

Anyone else find it ironic that you get your only monk companion in white march... which is surround by areas that have a lot of blunt resistant or immune foes (flesh constructs, ice blights, for example)?

 

I'm pretty damn sure they planned it this way.

 

also, you get the greenstone staff here, so you can make yourself doubly ironically frustrated if you give that to your monk to level up!

 

 

A chanter can be helpful support here, if you use the +25% fire damage chant.  that goes on the base weapon damage, of which monks have the highest in the game so it adds a fair bit of fire damage... which, go figure, both constructs and ice blights are vulnerable to, so it makes your fists (short or long pain version) still do some damage.

 

so, bring a chanter along when visiting white march if you are a monk, or plan to use zahua.  I've found that in most combats, the fire bonus chant pretty much does the same net damage (sometimes even more) as the dragon chant, so long as you are hitting things with weapons more than casting spells.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I try to always have the Chanter fire lash chant active and the lightning lash chant from lightning strikes/swift strikes. Those two add a bunch of damage to the high base damage caused by a high Might Monk.

 

For the crush immunes I like to grab a few spears. Even just mundane exceptional spears with a fire or lightning lash for stacking and a spirit slaying enchant do great. I believe most things that are immune to crush are also spirits. A pair set up for beast slaying could be good on switch on a certain encounter that has both crush immune spirits and crush immune beast.

 

Starting another run from the start with a Juggernaut 3.0 with a four man team on PotD. Will update the build after I get feedback on changes made to the original.

[Stasis_Sword]

I have two quick questions:

1). If I had my heart set on force on anguish what ability would you recommend getting rid of? Crucible of Suffering?

 

2). You mentioned something about turning wheel and lightning strike lashes not stacking, is that fixed? Also if I'm using weapons and they have lashes would they stack for a triple lash?

[KDubya]

I have two quick questions:

1). If I had my heart set on force on anguish what ability would you recommend getting rid of? Crucible of Suffering?

 

2). You mentioned something about turning wheel and lightning strike lashes not stacking, is that fixed? Also if I'm using weapons and they have lashes would they stack for a triple lash?

 

To fit in Force of Anguish I'd take it at level five and drop Turning Wheel. This is also where I'd drop Turning Wheel for Stunning Blows if I wanted to.

 

Crucible of Suffering activates pretty much all the time and gets you a nice +10 to everything. High defenses will keep you from getting crit and some hit>graze from a Paladin Aura will help you only get grazed which your high constitution and DR will let you survive. When it comes to defense you want to go all in, a little bit doesn't do much.

 

The lashes now stack, I'm not positive if a 25% lightning lash on a weapon stacks with Lightning strikes for a total of +50% lightning or if it is +25% + 0.25*0.25 = 31.25% lash all which is applied against 25% of the target's DR. I will need to pay attention when I stack multiple lashes.  I'm pretty sure they stack because my Paladin with FoD and the Chanter's lash does more fire damage than normal damage. I see combat log list 60 piercing damage plus 80 fire damage when using an Arquebus. 

[Boeroer]

You will have two 25%-lashes. It's a bit sad.

 

I'm running this build at the moment with Zahua and it's great - but I have to say I really miss my Force of Anguish. With very high attack speed and lots of wounds it's just so much fun to send 10 enemies prone for more than 10 seconds in quick succession. 

 

I'm thinking about building a monk who accumulates lots of disables and CC - FoA, Stunning Blows, Skyward Kick, Girdle of the Driving Wave for another Knockdown (? maybe not needed), Lavender Hippiething, Binding Rope, Glittering Gauntlets, Enervating Blows. That way I could start with CC right at the beginning of the fight and use wounds whenever they occur. Should be nice. Maybe instead of fists I will use weapons with on hit/crit effects - since it's not about damage? But sorry, I'm drifting off...

Edited April 1, 2016 by Boeroer

[KDubya]

My Juggernaut 3.0 will be skipping Turning Wheel for either Force of Anguish or Stunning Blows. I find the Turning Wheel to be kinda lackluster, especially as I spend my wounds as quickly as I get them. Either option would get me some CC, Stunning Blows is a nice Alpha strike as it doesn't need wounds but Force of Anguish lasts a really long time. Being able to keep a few enemies out of action would be pretty useful. I'm leaning towards going with FoA.