Favorite aspects of Monk gameplay?

In my personal quest to master one melee, one ranged, and one healer, I’m checking out Monk right now. He’s level 81. I always loved Monk, but these latest changes have me very confused. I’m slowly learning the rotation using Icy Veins as a guide.

I wanted to ask the Monk community about the gameplay and if you find it fun. Is this iteration of monk the most fun? Least fun? What are your favorite aspects of it?

Subjective is subjective, but opinions can be inspirational. Tell me what you love and hate about 6.2 Monk.

The worst melee job fun wise of the entire game

Numbers are important and Monk DOES have them, but looks like a clunky, uninspired lesser ninja version. Its so bad that is barely played despite being just reworked and having really good damage, hovering amongst the top 3 least popular jobs of the entire game since 6.0. Meanwhile you have SMN that despite their rework's shortcomings, became one of the top 3 popular jobs consistently.

Seems that SE doesnt even have a clue of what Monk should be despite having great iterations of Monks on their own franchise, and Monk fans will be waiting for the "Look forward for the next MNK rework in 8.0 this time well get it right!!" since I could bet an arm that we are stuck with this shitty version for at least an extra expansion

Opinions are subjective but considering the MNK popularity is as low as before the rework, its a clear proof that it was a complete faliure that was relying on Sabin nostalgia so that people bought the 0 sinergy Beast Chakra mechanics, not improving the normal Chakra bar and/or its expenders, keeping the exact same rotation since 2.0 besides specific combos that, to add injury, some werent even intended, just to mention a few of the problems that existed before and were ignored or made it worse.

MNK kit is like a Frankenstein monster where parts are completely or mostly independent to each other and looked like they were forcefully welded to each other to give a false feeling of job complexity

Dragon Kick

I thought the pre-rework version was more fun.

After its rework the only fun aspect of monk gameplay is the name "monk"

Eh... I'll live and die by MNK being my dps. But I really wouldn't call the job fun much. I turn my brain off after you get into the timer flow. I dont like the new Nadi System, and Beast Chakra always feel clunky, especially with the normal Chakra system. However, out of the 4, I like MNK the most, but that's because it's always been my melee job.

Dragon Kick to Bootshine combo feels nice... and I like spamming the aoe combo after Formless Fist in the overworld.

I'm not a MNK main, but this is certainly the most fun I've had with MNK since HW. It is a lot easier and more accessible now, which obviously to any main of the job wouldn't find that appealing, but seeing big numbers and optimizing your rotation with Phantom Rushes is very satisfying.

MNK would probably benefit the most of nuking the 2 minute burst game design we have now. I think if every job had the freedom to do their own rotations without having to optimize around others, the devs could put a lot more flavor into this style of MNK that really separates it and massively increases skill cap.

I can't say it's really a class that's ever clicked for me in terms of enjoyment, but I do like having to juggle your Twin Snakes buff and Demolish. Since they're both on short and different timers it's a part of the class that keeps me on my toes. I do however miss the positionals greatly.

I liked the fast GCD and dancing with the positionals, but since that’s been gutted MNK is pretty bland of all the melees. Beast Chakra isn’t very interesting but it’s better than DK > Bootshine > DK > Bootshine > DK > Bootshine I guess. Meditation is awkward to manage during Brotherhood, if it had overcap insurance it’d be better.

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Originally Posted by Bhearil

The worst melee job fun wise of the entire game

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I got the unpopular opinion that Monk is the most fun melee and Endwalker Monk is the best version of Monk so far.

I feel like a big part of the job being unpopular is just casual players not putting in much effort to understand it. They read about opo opo, coeurl and raptor forms and that sounds intimidating. It sounds confusing in text but is one of the easiest jobs in practice.

For Endwalker changes I just feel like the collecting symbols thing fits Monk gameplay well and the multiple charges of a movement skill is really nice for fluidity. The lv89 AF set is my favorite so far too, looks sweet.

I enjoy monk, but I simply cannot play a class that has zero ranged options, even if just for pulling individual mobs for FATES, for example. It's very smooth in dungeons and trials, although the AOE is a tad boring. Getting into a groove feels good. Could probably use some more oGCDs, and a way to pool chakra.

Monk's combo's essentially being a modular priority system where you can sub any given form skill at a moments notice rather than completely rigid combos feels as good as it ever even if in practice you'll always alternate self buffs with damage focused skills in Opo Opo and Raptor form and always use Demolish every third cycle in coeurl form. It's a completely different experience to Samurai's three combos branching from Hakaze or Dragoon's two combos that branch from True Thrust.

The worst part of Monk is Twin Snakes not showing up on the job gauge, causing it to be the only job in the entire game where you actually have to pay attention to your buff bar for your dps rotation if you don't have it down to muscle memory.

I just gave it a fresh set of glamours. That really should say it all, but I will elaborate.

I didn't pick up MNK until late ShB, so I am not aware of the issues it had prior to the rework it got back in 5.4 iirc. I remember despising Greased Lightning upkeep, and also never really cared for having a positional for every single GCD. I welcomed the changes to them. I know veteran MNK mains enjoyed these aspects to MNK, and do not favor those changes. If I picked up MNK earlier, I might be able to relate, but I do enjoy current MNK.

I do have issues with the job: I don't like having to gather chakra a third time after acquiring both Nadi to execute Rush. Flint strike and Howling Fist should switch places. SSS should be off global but still have the same effect on the GCD after it is used. Increase range and column width on Enlightenment. I could go on.

Blitz skills are very satisfying to use. Especially Rising Phoenix and Phantom Rush. I really like their flexibility with being able to bounce between single target or AoE on the fly, and Thunderclap is a very useful skill to have. I am not a fan of DoTs, but MNK's is really fun to apply. I do like the alternations, but find myself messing this up more than I care to admit.

Riddle of Wind is actually one of my favorite skills to use. I have found multiple uses for it: Can add a little boost inside RoF. Can add some healing if used along with Blood. Absolutely fabulous to use following SSS if going to reengage with the enemy (this is for showing off). Also of note, taking up MNK has lead to my current UI setup. I ended up liking it so much that I incorporated it into my other jobs.

personally my favourite iteration of the job,
i do think Having to double solar/lunar in the opener so you can fit Phantom into 2 minutes is a bit dull but still enjoy it nonetheless.

EW MNK is mid. Better than ShB MNK though.

It's just another 2 min burst job with nothing to do outside of RoF. Weaving on it doesn't feel fun because it's all crammed into the opener and even min burst, Brotherhood feels disgusting with the delay on Chakra gain, Chakra itself is still one of the worst job gauges in the game, it still has questionably designed skills like Anatman, Riddle of Earth, Riddle of Wind, etc. and downtime on the job is so inconsequential that the only thing that matters is keeping Twin Snakes/Demolish aligned.