A tanky monk build

[Slack83er]

So my girl saw me playing, and wants to try for herself. She'd like to try a mobile yet fun class and I suggested monk. Like a tank monk with some fun peculiarities.. dunno.. nothing min maxed since she is at the beginning.. I didn't find anything like in the builds section.. someone got a fun and easy build for her?

[Boeroer]

The Juggernaut build fits your description quite well, doesn't it?

[Slack83er]

Yes... in some way.. isn't he a bit too... straightforward? Just punch.. nothing else.. Yes she is a beginner in this game but already played some other rpgs (though not crpg) and something more than just punch your way through the game would be better.. even though the main concepts would be ok..

[Torm51]

Yes... in some way.. isn't he a bit too... straightforward? Just punch.. nothing else.. Yes she is a beginner in this game but already played some other rpgs (though not crpg) and something more than just punch your way through the game would be better.. even though the main concepts would be ok..

It is a monk.  Your main dps will be torment's reach.  So just punch and have high defenses.  Oh also activating Lightning Strikes!

[Slack83er]

It is a monk.  Your main dps will be torment's reach.  So just punch and have high defenses.  Oh also activating Lightning Strikes!

Yes, you're right.. but some builds have some...twists that make them more interesting to play... something like...dunno..particular weapons or... particular cross-class talents or peculiar abilities.. 

[Blades of Vanatar]

Try the Long Pain.

[Slack83er]

Try the Long Pain.

This changes the build into an "almost" ranged, right? I didn't see anything like this on the build board, but maybe I overlooked..

[Hulk'O'Saurus]

 

It is a monk.  Your main dps will be torment's reach.  So just punch and have high defenses.  Oh also activating Lightning Strikes!

Yes, you're right.. but some builds have some...twists that make them more interesting to play... something like...dunno..particular weapons or... particular cross-class talents or peculiar abilities.. 

 

 

You sound like a woman you know. xD 

 

Let 'your girl' play alone. 

[hansvedic]

Well, there's the retaliation monks (The Anvil, Monksterlasher), but I'm guessing you've already looked at those. If you're looking for an interesting twist, perhaps look up the Provisional Builds thread on this subforum. There's a build that focuses on reflection of ranged attacks (Soul Mirror ability, The Golden Scales armor, Bagradar's Barricade shield). Adding that to a retaliation build would make sense, and could be quite fun.

[Boeroer]

 

Try the Long Pain.

This changes the build into an "almost" ranged, right? I didn't see anything like this on the build board, but maybe I overlooked..

 

You def. overlooked.

 

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/87160-class-build-the-witch-doctor-mid-ranged-dps-monk-disabler/

 

This is not so straightforward. Using the Long Pain makes you a melee/ranged hybrid. You can still fight at melee range. All the monk's melee abilites except Turning Wheel also work with the Long Pain. It's very powerful.

[Slack83er]

Oh, I know why I didn't notice: it's min maxed.. so I went over it. Is there a way to raise the res? And moreover.. did you agree with the fact of taking the provisional build of the retaliating monk and mix it with the lash one?

[Boeroer]

Sure you can raise RES if you want. You'd have to take away some points from other stats obviously.

 

I didn't look into the reflecting monk. If I wanted to do a really good reflecting monk I would use Aila Braccia and combine it with Soul Mirror.

If I wanted to do a retaliation monk I would use the Monksterlasher. But - it's not breaking the build if one uses Badgradr's Barricade instead of dual wielding sabres.

 

So with Soul Mirror + Golden Scales + Barricade you would indeed have a kind of hybrid of reflecting some ranged attacks that miss (you'll need high deflection) as well as using all advantages of the Monksterlasher retaliation. Might actually work quite well. 

[Slack83er]

Not bad, not bad at all! Should she take the fire gl then? Because of the retaliation? And what about the weapon? Do the lashes and the speed work with other weapon?

[Boeroer]

What speed?

You can but a lash on any non-soulbound weapon. You don't need to use a special weapon. If you don't use Bittercut you can also spare yourself Spirit of Decay and just put a shocking lash or burning lash on a weapon of your choice.

[Slack83er]

I mean.. the monk's speed attack..

[Boeroer]

It's slower with auto- and primary attacks because you won't have dual wielding and Two Weapon Style. But for Torment's Reach (Full Attack) it's not that bad. For retaliation it doesn't matter at all.

[Slack83er]

Ok nice. Fire gl for the race?

[Boeroer]

There's nothing better when it comes to monk + retaliation. But only if you use Turning Wheel + Lightning Strikes (and later Blood Testament Gloves).

[Slack83er]

There's nothing better when it comes to monk + retaliation. But only if you use Turning Wheel + Lightning Strikes (and later Blood Testament Gloves).

And you add Scion of Flames too?

[hansvedic]

There's nothing better when it comes to monk + retaliation. But only if you use Turning Wheel + Lightning Strikes (and later Blood Testament Gloves).

 

 

Lightning Strikes works with Battle-Forged? I thought I read somewhere that it didn't.

 

EDIT: Found it. It's from the Monksterlasher build of yours, actually.

"Monk's Turning Wheel and also Blood Testment (not Lightning Strikes) work with retaliation! Not only the normal one, but also Battle Forged as well as Flame Shield. That means that with 10 wounds your Battle Forged retaliation will have additional +50% burn damage and + 20% raw damage lashes. Since Battle Forged starts pretty whimpy but gets very powerful at higher levels (scaling) this leads to very high damage via burning retaliaion. Flame Shields retaliation (+50%/+20%) adds to this if you drink a potion"

Edited February 6, 2018 by hansvedic

[Boeroer]

Eh, I meant Scion of Flame, sorry. Lightning Strikes is also in the build but not because of Battle Forged.

 

Scion of Flame will boost the Battle Forged damage by 20% and also will boost Turning Wheel's 50% burning lash to 60%. Since the later is based on the first you profit kind of threefold.

 

Lightning Strikes only works with weapon attacks. Still great though.

[Slack83er]

So with Soul Mirror + Golden Scales + Barricade you would indeed have a kind of hybrid of reflecting some ranged attacks that miss (you'll need high deflection) as well as using all advantages of the Monksterlasher retaliation. Might actually work quite well. 

Anyway, just to recap things: I should build her a mix between the Witch Doctor, and the Monksterlasher builds, while using Badgradr's Barricade, Soul Mirror and Golden Scales. Is this correct? Race'd be Fire GL, and is non-minmaxable; shouldn't require too much micro imho. Shall I try to bring a specific stat as high as I can?

[Boeroer]

I would leave Witch Doctor/Long Pain out. Doesn't work with shield at all.

[Slack83er]

Ok, my bad then. So only Monksterlasher+those 3 things I'd say. 

I assume then that Dex will be quite important for speed.. And Res to avoid hits?

[Boeroer]

RES at 10 would be my approach. High DEX - depends how often one uses Torment's Reach. Since it's a Full Attack you can do with less DEX if you use it a lot. Also DEX isn't benefical for retaliation. I think I would leave it at 10 or so as well  - your Reflex will be good because of Weapon & Shield Style. I'd focus more on MIG, CON, PER and INT.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Boeroer