Newbie Monk Questions...

[Gumbo]

I was thinking of rolling a Monk and I have a few questions about their skills and equipment.

What is a complete set of Wu's Fighting armor going for? I know there are other items that are better off but would it be better/cheaper to just buy the whole set or just buy the pieces I would be best to use until I'm later in level?

For the hell of it, what's a complete set of Black Pantherskin Armor going for?

Should I just go with hand-to-hand combat or should I switch off to 1 handed blunt as well?

Can I do both? Have my primary weapon be 1 handed blunt and have my secondary weapon be hand-to-hand weapon and vice-versa?

I'm sure I'll have more questions later...

Thank you...

[Xaanka]

never played a monk and I'm not on blue so I can't comment on prices, but yes you can wield 1 weapon and use fists with the other hand. addy club + epic fists is a common tanking setup for monks.

[Beinen]

I was with a very effective monk with wu's 1hander and his fiat in off hand up to level 20. I think on average you can get lives of black panther skin from a few hundred up to 4-5k depending on piece. There's a very decent gear guide on the wiki for monks at the bottom of the monk section. A wu's quivering staff at 20 would be great entry level weapon. But untwinked monks still do a great job!

[jpetrick]

Use wu's 1 handers until level 20 then wu's quivering until you get a peacebringer or t-staff. People will argue with me about this but they are wrong because I've parsed it enough to know; t-staff is better than epic/sos because you can weapon swap the 2hander to get a free offhand attack in each round. Once you swing your staff, unequip it, watch your swing their offhand, then place the staff back on your primary.

Don't bother with the wu's fighting armor, there are better items out there that you can get for the same price. Check the wiki and you can sort items by slot and class to compare.

Don't worry about maxing your hand to hand until you get your epic. My h2h was like 40 until I got my epic in my 50s.

You can have either type of weapon in either hand when you dual wield. Most common combination is epic/staff of shielding or epic/sceptre of mastery.

[SowIsLifeSowIsLove]

because you can weapon swap the 2hander to get a free offhand attack in each round. Once you swing your staff, unequip it, watch your swing their offhand, then place the staff back on your primary.

What? What's this? I've never heard of this. Is this common knowledge? A bug or what?

[Beinen]

Common boss Monk knowledge... ;) you must become in tune with your mind and body to be able to know/understand such a concept and also have the ability to master this.

[Phantasm]

Its just how Double Attack and Dual Wield operate. If you have a 2h you get two rounds max. Equipping double fists allows for up to four. I don't bother with equipping 2h in the first place, but as a leveling monk with low h2h double attack and dual wield I wouldn't bother

Always level your combat skills to max. H2h 2hb 1hb kicks mend FD sneak ranged, always max even if you don't use them everyday

[jpetrick]

What? What's this? I've never heard of this. Is this common knowledge? A bug or what?

Don't think it is common knowledge. But typically I find the monks that actually know how to play their class well will know how to do this.

[Phantasm]

Don't think it is common knowledge. But typically I find the monks that actually know how to play their class well will know how to do this.

Until 2h buff ItS easy enough to get 1hs that do damage equal or greater on a parse. In addition, you are stuck having an item on your cursor at times when you need to change an inventory or equipment slot.

@op I used(and still do) 1hs throughout almost my entire leveling path. Find a good 2h and max the skill, but with adequate haste you'll do fine with 1h. 2h great for high damage mobs that riposte and for damage shielded mobs. Otherwise, crush and punch!

[jpetrick]

Until 2h buff ItS easy enough to get 1hs that do damage equal or greater on a parse. In addition, you are stuck having an item on your cursor at times when you need to change an inventory or equipment slot.

@op I used(and still do) 1hs throughout almost my entire leveling path. Find a good 2h and max the skill, but with adequate haste you'll do fine with 1h. 2h great for high damage mobs that riposte and for damage shielded mobs. Otherwise, crush and punch!

Don't listen to this guy, he has no idea what he's saying.

[Phantasm]

Not sure if trolling, but with Velious release many more 1h options became available and are readily available/relatively cheap. 12/20 and 13/20 1hs > most available 2hs. There is a reason they added 2h buffs in later Velious

[iruinedyourday]

what the hell is 1hs i keep thinking its a typo but this guy keeps typing it

[Gumbo]

I was thinking of using Knuckle Dusters, 14/28 for 1H Blunt but I'm not seeing anything decent for hand-to-hand until quested items.

For hand-to-hand, is it best to go weaponless?

[Beinen]

i believe hes using 1hs as though he implies 1 hander(s) and not 1 hand slash

[Phantasm]

1h's (my bad)

[jpetrick]

Not sure if trolling, but with Velious release many more 1h options became available and are readily available/relatively cheap. 12/20 and 13/20 1hs > most available 2hs. There is a reason they added 2h buffs in later Velious

Where is a new player getting these 12/20 and 13/20 weapons? Are they giving away Sleeper's Keys to every toon now? His best option is to use Wu's 1 handers and then switch to Wu's quivering for the majority of his leveling experience.

The reason they added 2handed buffs later is because they had no idea how to balance their own game. Just because Verant did something all those years ago doesn't mean it was the correct decision. Stop spouting misinformation.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwLk00fzuQQMcElKYTJtaGVsanM/edit

Here is an outdated chart (only Kunark weapons) with some DPS information on 2handers vs 1handers. In most scenarios the 2HB is better than the 1HB and this chart does not take into account the weapon swap trick. Weapon swapping allows you to dual wield your 2hander with your fist as the secondary .

2 handers are vastly superior.

[Phantasm]

well I guess I'm done trying to convince you, do whatever you want op, it really doesn't make a difference lol

and Elzhi, do me a favor and log in, run around, and view what weapons monks are using. to me trading the versatility of using pulling tools is not worth an added punch(or two)

[jpetrick]

and Elzhi, do me a favor and log in, run around, and view what weapons monks are using. to me trading the versatility of using pulling tools is not worth an added punch(or two)

What are you even talking about? If I need to use items I just stop weapon swapping, do what I need to do then resume weapon swapping. This is a strange deflection.

That's great that people are running around with 1 handers, it doesn't mean that they know why they are using it or have done the math like I have. There could be other factors for using 1 handers, what if they wanted to push a caster? What if they get stats from their 1 handers and need those stats to make a harder pull easier. The only scenario I am speaking to is DPS. You make it seem like I have made it out to be that you should only use a 2hander all the time, and I only have claimed that tstaff is better than epic/sos. You claimed 2hand damage is equal to 1hand damage. That is pure misinformation and it does not need to be spread. 1hand damage is not equal to 2hand damage.

You are completely locked in to your wrong way of thinking and refuse to admit you are wrong even when presented with overwhelming evidence of you being incorrect.

Do me a favor and reroll.

[jpetrick]

I was thinking of using Knuckle Dusters, 14/28 for 1H Blunt but I'm not seeing anything decent for hand-to-hand until quested items.

For hand-to-hand, is it best to go weaponless?

http://wiki.project1999.com/Master_Wu's_Trance_Stick x2

Until level 20

Then use:

http://wiki.project1999.com/Wu's_Quivering_Staff

Up until you complete your:

http://wiki.project1999.com/Celestial_Fists + http://wiki.project1999.com/Stave_of_shielding or http://wiki.project1999.com/Scepter_of_Mastery

Continue using above until you obtain a:

http://wiki.project1999.com/Tranquil_Staff


If you get really tired of the wu's quivering before you get your epic, you can get a peacebringer but you will immediately ditch it once you get your epic so I think it would be wiser to put the cash of that towards buying a t-staff.
I promise, do not worry about leveling your hand to hand until you get your epic. It will max unbelievably fast when your fist turns into a 9/16 with the epic.

[Gumbo]

I appreciate all the help, assistance and arguing and will take everyone's advice...

What about Monk quests? Are there any certain quests for Monks that I should do or not do? I know I have awhile to go before getting any of the sweet items but I figure I would ask to plan ahead...

[Wiley]

Don't bother with the wu's fighting armor, there are better items out there that you can get for the same price. Check the wiki and you can sort items by slot and class to compare.

I was told this whilst trying to find some Wu's armor in the tunnel, if you go to EFP there are tons of these pieces on vendors (near the Leather shop). Sold by people making em to save space, with 90cha i was able to get just about a whole set for 60pp each.

While that's not as cheap as gathering the mats, it still beats the absurd prices some people are asking for in the tunnel.

[jpetrick]

Things not to do: Kill raster to complete headband quest. This took me 40 hours to complete and I would not wish this camp on anyone.

Kill Brother Zephyl in Rathe mountains for your robe of the lost circle.

Aside from that I can't think of any quests that are must complete aside from the OT hammer, but you can save up 2k and pay someone to let you borrow their puppet strings for an easy completion. I turned in sarnak braids to do mine originally, and it took forever. Would have been much faster to farm 2k plat.

[Beinen]

Or you can man up and earn your epic :o

[Thiefboy777]

What? What's this? I've never heard of this. Is this common knowledge? A bug or what?

"Technique of the third hand"

[jpetrick]

I went back and did the math for you because this bothered me that much.

DPS FORMULA
=((DMG*2)+DMG BONUS)/DLY

Level 60 Damage Bonus 1Hand = 11
Level 60 Damage Bonus 2Hand = 17

TOTAL DMG for Dual Wield
=Primary DPS+(Secondary DPS*0.78)
[.78 is used because the chance for dual wield is 78% at max skill]

My math assumes that you are able to weapon swap perfectly, so there is slightly less damage with a 2hander if you weapon swap poorly.

T-Staff w/ Weapon swap
Tranquil Staff DPS 2.5
+ Epic Fist (Offhand) 1.09
Total DPS = 3.3502 (Triple attack not yet in game & no Hundred Blows proc factored in)

Epic Fist 1.76
Scepter of Mastery (Offhand) 1.238
Total DPS = 2.725

Wu's Fist of Mastery 1.95
Wu's Fist of Mastery (Offhand) 1.45
Total DPS = 3.211

Bo Staff of Trorsmang 2.77
+ Epic Fist (Offhand) 1.09
Total DPS = 3.62

Here is the DPS with your 13/20 suggested weapons
13/20 Mainhand 1.85
13/20 Offhand 1.3
Total DPS = 2.864

And just for fun:
Gharn's Rock of Smashing 2.26
Wurmscale Fistwraps (Offhand) 1.55
Total DPS = 3.469 (No Strike of the Chosen proc included)

Abashi's Rod of Disempowerment 3.23
+ Epic Fist (Offhand) 1.09
Total DPS = 4.0835 (Triple attack not yet in game)

Does Gharn's proc 80 point life tap beat out Abashi's when weapon swapping? That I don't know.
At 255 dex you will average 1 proc every 20 seconds. My guess is that Abashi's is still better.