MNK rotations post-50

[Akuha]

I'm trying to switch the character I'm maining from BRD to MNK, and last night I got it to 50 and unlocked Perfect Balance. Now that I have that with me I'd like to know some good rotations for optimizing DPS vs single targets/bosses and in mobs. Thanks in advance

[Shirai]

Opinions differ but personally my own boss/single target rotation looks somewhat like this:

Opening:
Touch of Death > Internal Release > Howling Fists > Perfect Ballance > Dragon Kick > Twin Snakes > Snap punch x3 > Dragon > Twin > Demolish > Fracture > Touch of Death > Steel Peak

Further rotation:
(Flanke) Dragon > Twin > Snap > (Rear) Bootshine > Impulse Drive x2 > (Flank) Twin > Snap (I Reapply dots as I see them go down, skipping Fracture if TP gets on the low side)
I toss in Howling fists/Steel Peak once I see their cooldowns are reset (Although on things like Titan HM I like to keep these up as instacast abilities)
Most of the time I rotate Internal release and Blood for Blood* whenever they are up and toss in Mercy stroke once a mob hits below 20% HP.
Situationally though it can be handy to stack both abilities.

When Internal release is up I also only do the Flank combo as Dragon kick crits higher than Bootshine.
(* Blood for Blood usage depends on mob and situation)

As for mob groups (Like WP pulls), Monk is not strong in AoE but we're not completely useless either.
If a boss monster is still ~4 minutes away I open with the following:
Dragon > Twin > Internal release > Howling > Rock Breaker > Perfect Ballance > Rock breaker x5 > Invigorate

Following combo:
Dragon > Twin or Bootshine > True Strike (depending on my position in regards of the targeted mob) > Rock breaker (Rotating IR/BfB)
Using Arm of the Destroyer instead of Dragon kick or Bootshine will likely up the DPS a bit, but also increases TP consumption considerably and may run you out of TP before the group is dead if the other DPS is also weaker in AoE.

Anyhow, that's my personal rotation for "perfect situations". (Although I am always open for improvements myself.)

[edit]

You may also want to sniff around in the Monk temple.
Lots of solid advise in there from monks with waay more experience than myself.

[edit 2] Adjusted rotation after some suggestions and ideas given in this topic.

[Genesiser]

When you get your 3 stacks of GL up during a fight and you learn to have good management of that drg move that restores tp (can't think of the name of it) then you can throw in 2 extra attacks during your combo without having to really worry about tp. So basically once you use your 3rd combo attack, use DK or BS (for the most part just rotate each string of attacks with those 2 moves), then twin snakes, then either refresh ToD and Fracture or use impulse drive x2 or use impulse drive and a fracture. If you don't use the two extra attacks each combo, then just alternate your combos with twin snakes and true strike. Not using the 2 extra attacks is easier, but it does less dps.

[Aeliott]

I'd like to add to what Shirai said:
I don't know how widely known this is, but you can apply the Dragon Kick debuff during Perfect Balance even though it prevents you from being in a form and getting the associated bonuses. If when using PB you go:

Perfect Balance -> Snap Punch x2 -> Twin Snakes -> Demolish -> Dragon Kick

...you will notice that you still get the debuff on your enemy! By doing this you get GL III, Twin Snakes, Demolish, ToD (before using PB), AND the Dragon Kick debuff on your enemy in one Perfect Balance usage. Excluding Fracture, that's everything a Monk needs. Note that if you weave non global cooldowns during PB you might get a slight split-second delay on the actual GCDs - which may mean you won't have enough time to squeeze in Dragon Kick before PB wears off.

Whether the application of the debuff is a bug or not I don't know, as during Perfect Balance you're supposed to be form-less, but there you go.

[Etgar]

I don't follow why you do some of the moves you do in the order you do them in.

Like why would you hollowing first, before getting your 3 stacks of GL on AoE?
Also on your open you BFB 6 gcd's after IR, but BfB last longer.

[mercenarri]

This is my base rotation:

Touch of Death
Dragon Kick > Twin Snakes > Snap Punch (GL)
Dragon Kick > Twin Snakes > Snap Punch (GL II)
Dragon Kick > Howling Fist > Twin Snakes > Steel Peak > Snap Punch (GL III)
Dragon Kick > Blood For Blood > Twin Snakes > Internal Release > STR Potion > Demolish (GL III)
Fracture > Touch of Death
Perfect Balance > Snap Punch x5

The time between the opening ToD and the reapplied ToD is perfectly 30 seconds, so you will reapply that ToD as soon as it falls off.

I prefer using PB for a Snap Punch surge instead of getting to GLIII quicker at the start. It also gives the tank some time at the beginning to secure hate. You should be able to Snap Punch all 5 with buffs still applied. If you land all 5 crits that's a nice ~3000 damage.

If I'm feeling adventurous I implement Bootshine, True Strike and Impulse Drive. For longer fights after the Perfect Balance attack, I rotate DK > TS > SP and keep reapplying buffs/dots until it's time to LB.

[Etgar]

Mercenarri I would try this next time.
Touch of Death
Dragon Kick > Twin Snakes > Demolish (GL)
Dragon Kick > Twin Snakes > Snap Punch (GL II)
Bootshine > Twin Snakes > Snap Punch (GL III)
Dragon Kick > Blood For Blood > Twin Snakes > Internal Release > STR Potion > Demolish (GL III)
Steel Peak > Fracture > Howling Fist > Touch of Death

[Shirai]

I don't follow why you do some of the moves you do in the order you do them in.

Like why would you hollowing first, before getting your 3 stacks of GL on AoE?

For the extra critical hit chance I get from IR.
If you're saying that the output is higher with GL3 instead of IR I'll certainly give that a shot.

Also on your open you BFB 6 gcd's after IR, but BfB last longer.

I don't understand this question, do you mean to ask me why I don't stack IR with BFB?

[Etgar]

I don't understand this question, do you mean to ask me why I don't stack IR with BFB?

Basically, I try to make sure I have max output on GLx3, IR and BfB before I get my 3 dots rolling again.

[Shirai]

Basically, I try to make sure I have max output on GLx3, IR and BfB before I get my 3 dots rolling again.

Mhm mhm, I get what you are saying.
Perhaps instead of:
Blood for Blood* > Dragon > Twin > Snap > Bootshine > True Strike > Steel Peak > Demolish > Fracture
This would indeed be a more efficient rotation:
Dragon > Twin > Demolish > Fracture > ToD > Blood for Blood* > Bootshine > True Strike > Steel Peak > Snap > Etc. until BfB runs out and then reapply dots.

Aside from that I keep the buffs spread myself so that I have a minimal amount of GCD cycles without a damage buff.
I don't think either will differ much in the over all output.