Let's say we'd get more skills - How would you handle them?

[Reynhart]

If your 3 combo are either 111 222 and 333 you've no more chain...

Well, you techically still have since a miss or a timeout will have you back to the beginning. It would also allow you to interrupt a combo if, for some reason, you need to start a different one on the fly.

On a sidenote, I wonder how we could do MNK without greatly changing Perfect Balance.

[Shurrikhan]

On a sidenote, I wonder how we could do MNK without greatly changing Perfect Balance.

Does seem the the hypothetical question of the pre-expansion... Sadly the only ways I can imagine at the moment are all rather convoluted, and do greatly adjust Perfect Balance:

1. Perfect Balance makes Form Shift oGCD, with no animation time. Stance is not automatically changed within Perfect Balance. So, if you wanted to do a typical Demo, Snap, Snap, Dragon, Twin, Snap/ToD opener, you would simply open in Coeurl, Demo, PB, FSx2, Snap, Snap, FS, Dragon, FS, Twin, FS-Snap / ToD. Yes, not ideal.

2. You use Perfect Balance and/or Internal Release as a way to manipulate a new set of "Fists"-dependent mechanics, which each can have a side-effect similar to what you'd be looking for in order to accelerate an opener as per Perfect Balance. For instance, each Fists ability would carry not only a combat-viable passive but might also have a potential proc or embedded spender ability that can empower or redouble your attacks (again, in a way that would accelerate your rotation, especially in the opener), and Perfect Balance or Internal Release would then double those benefits and/or guarantee those procs, giving you a smooth, reliable, rapid opener. It still wouldn't give you quite the control of having all 9 abilities available, but it should have a near-identical result, and in a bit more Monk-ish a way.

For instance, Wind might grants increasing attack speed and give a proc chance per hit for Double of Wind*, an oGCD that duplicates your last weaponskill at reduced damage and duration, consuming <resource; mana?> [can self-(re)proc], while Fire grants increasing attack power and builds Smoldering Fist (tbr), another oGCD that spends all <resource; mana?> to deliver a heavy blow. (I'm clearly still working on Earth...) Internal Release would double those benefits and possibly skip any ramp-up involved, while whatever would replace Perfect Balance would greatly increase resource build rates or reduce or negate their costs while, say, guaranteeing Double of Wind procs. So you'd likely open with Wind, pop the PB-equivalent mid-charge before Snap, <double the Snap>, <triple the Snap> and Internal Release for quick next GCD, Dragon, <double if multiple targets>, swap to Fire, Twin, Demolish, ToD.

3. Replace Greased Lightning with a more analog resource kept on a unique resource bar. The above Fist spenders may or may not draw from this resource, in which case the Monk will be a gambler trying to maintain max speed while still pumping out maximal oGCD strikes. Otherwise same as (2), just smoother, especially via less direct priority on Coeurl skills, allowing for more opening freedom.