Xeno's Monk Guide

[Xenosys]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=969qMWu2BFg

Hey guys! Here is my monk guide!

A guide intended for level 50 Monks. This can also be a good resource for other Monks leveling to reach endgame content.
Questions, comments and concerns are always welcome!
WE ARE ALL FRIENDS HERE

Also my Twitch:
http://www.twitch.tv/xenosysvex

[Lyrica_Ashtine]

I'd like to comment on your opener.

In the video, you use Steel Peak with 1 stack up and Howling Fist with 2 stacks. You're missing out on 18% damage on Steel Peak and 9% damage on Howling Fist. You're also missing out on 10% from Blood for Blood, 10% from Twin Snakes, 10% from Dragon Kick and the increased crit chance from Internal Release. That's quite a bit of potency loss to use it a few seconds earlier.

Here's my opener with 431 skill speed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EC0tWyvUdo
Quality is a bit crap, sadly :P But I cba to upload the 155 mb version.

Tackle in -> ToD -> PB -> Snap Punch -> Demolish -> Snap Punch -> Blood for Blood -> Dragon Kick -> Internal Release -> Twin Snakes -> PB ends here
Steel Peak -> Bootshine -> Howling Fist -> True Strike -> Snap Punch -> Bootshine -> True Strike -> Demolish

[Donjo]

As someone who originally mained Monk before capitalizing on the lack of tanks in the world, I think this guide is pretty okay. It surprised me when you claimed that Skill Speed is more important than Crit Rate, but your reasoning is pretty sound. Besides, they're supposedly weighted about equally and BiS gear focusing on Determination gives you almost equal values of both anyway.

Regarding Skill Speed and Greased Lightning, though... I think that autoattack speed is, in fact, affected by Greased Lightning. The evidence is admittedly pretty terrible as it was just me hitting a dummy and stopwatching the intervals between my autoattacks, but it looked like my 0 Stack interval was between 2.30-2.40 seconds or so and my 3 stack interval was around 2.00-2.10 seconds. It's not compelling by any means, but hopefully we can find a better way to test!

[Xenosys]

I'd like to comment on your opener.

In the video, you use Steel Peak with 1 stack up and Howling Fist with 2 stacks. You're missing out on 18% damage on Steel Peak and 9% damage on Howling Fist. You're also missing out on 10% from Blood for Blood, 10% from Twin Snakes, 10% from Dragon Kick and the increased crit chance from Internal Release. That's quite a bit of potency loss to use it a few seconds earlier.

Here's my opener with 431 skill speed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EC0tWyvUdo
Quality is a bit crap, sadly :P But I cba to upload the 155 mb version.

Tackle in -> ToD -> PB -> Snap Punch -> Demolish -> Snap Punch -> Blood for Blood -> Dragon Kick -> Internal Release -> Twin Snakes -> PB ends here
Steel Peak -> Bootshine -> Howling Fist -> True Strike -> Snap Punch -> Bootshine -> True Strike -> Demolish

Yea I like using them asap because so they are off CD and while yours may be stronger at the start by waiting, in my rotation I use them more throughout the course of the fight which will be a dps increase given the encounter. each encounter is a bit different though so I believe your way may better slightly better given the encounter and likewise for mine.

[Xenosys]

As someone who originally mained Monk before capitalizing on the lack of tanks in the world, I think this guide is pretty okay. It surprised me when you claimed that Skill Speed is more important than Crit Rate, but your reasoning is pretty sound. Besides, they're supposedly weighted about equally and BiS gear focusing on Determination gives you almost equal values of both anyway.

Regarding Skill Speed and Greased Lightning, though... I think that autoattack speed is, in fact, affected by Greased Lightning. The evidence is admittedly pretty terrible as it was just me hitting a dummy and stopwatching the intervals between my autoattacks, but it looked like my 0 Stack interval was between 2.30-2.40 seconds or so and my 3 stack interval was around 2.00-2.10 seconds. It's not compelling by any means, but hopefully we can find a better way to test!

nah SS or GL doesnt affect auto attack. I get the same auto attack regardless of SS of GL stacks

[Lyrica_Ashtine]

snip

In your opener, Steel Peak and Howling Fist are used 10 seconds earlier than after applying 3 stacks, B4B and Internal Release. With all buffs up (not counting crit chance for now), actual potency of Howling Fist is 269 and Steel Peak is 237. Without the buffs up and just 1 stack on howling and 2 on peak, it's 185 and 177 potency respectively. Combined 506 vs 362 potency and all you have to do is wait 10 seconds. While using it 10 seconds earlier may or may not mean you use 1 Steel Peak/Howling Fist more for the entire encounter.

The opener I showed is also different on the order of Demolish. By using Demolish as second skill during PB, it connects with the next Demolish slightly better (less than 1 second down time and no overlap). The combined potency difference in the end is minor, however (12 potency difference till next Demolish, in fact xD)

edit: Also, I just tried auto attacking with no GS (341 skill speed) and with GS (496 skill speed, 570 with stacks). It averaged on 4-5 auto attacks on both cases. So it's safe to assume skill speed doesn't affect your auto attacks at all. Speed wise any way. Tool tip also backs this.

[Xenosys]

In your opener, Steel Peak and Howling Fist are used 10 seconds earlier than after applying 3 stacks, B4B and Internal Release. With all buffs up (not counting crit chance for now), actual potency of Howling Fist is 269 and Steel Peak is 237. Without the buffs up and just 1 stack on howling and 2 on peak, it's 185 and 177 potency respectively. Combined 506 vs 362 potency and all you have to do is wait 10 seconds. While using it 10 seconds earlier may or may not mean you use 1 Steel Peak/Howling Fist more for the entire encounter.

The opener I showed is also different on the order of Demolish. By using Demolish as second skill during PB, it connects with the next Demolish slightly better (less than 1 second down time and no overlap). The combined potency difference in the end is minor, however (12 potency difference till next Demolish, in fact xD)

edit: Also, I just tried auto attacking with no GS (341 skill speed) and with GS (496 skill speed, 570 with stacks). It averaged on 4-5 auto attacks on both cases. So it's safe to assume skill speed doesn't affect your auto attacks at all. Speed wise any way. Tool tip also backs this.

Yea opening rotations can vary a lot. Ultimately even if you butcher your opener over the course of the fight your dps should be as high at the end as long as GL/Dots/Buff and debuffs are maintained. Yea I just use act to determine the speed of AA when GL and ss are buffed

[Viridiana]

nah SS or GL doesnt affect auto attack. I get the same auto attack regardless of SS of GL stacks

Umm. . .my testing from a few months back showed that GL does affect AA speed.

[Lyrica_Ashtine]

Umm. . .my testing from a few months back showed that GL does affect AA speed.

I just did some testing myself. Both times with 3 minutes time frames and no skills used (also means no greased lightning) for both skill speed sets:
341 skill speed - 2,50s skill recast: 69 auto attacks
529 skill speed - 2,32 skill recast: 69 auto attacks

Xenosys is right on that part.

[Viridiana]

I just did some testing myself. Both times with 3 minutes time frames and no skills used (also means no greased lightning) for both skill speed sets:
341 skill speed - 2,50s skill recast: 69 auto attacks
529 skill speed - 2,32 skill recast: 69 auto attacks

Xenosys is right on that part.

I'm not arguing about Skill Speed. We know that doesn't affect AA. He's saying that GL doesn't affect AA speed, which is false. I just tested again.

Duration of test: 513 seconds (8m33s)
Weapon delay: 2.56 seconds (Wave Patas)
Expected attacks if no affect: ~200
Observed attacks: 235