The Monk Temple

[Vensaval]

In response to Dawning-Blue and Kimille. Editing this to post the rotation instead of leaving it as a question due to the post limit.

I'll post how I worked my rotation during beta (Phases 3 & 4). Not sure how helpful it'll be, but it may give ya'll ideas or something. This is with the knowledge I have of playing up to Level 35 due to the cap in Phase 3.

This is how I personally went about it. After opening up with Touch of Death to get the DoT going, I would continue with:

Bootshine -> Twin Snakes (for the damage buff) -> Demolish (second DoT and begin stacking Greased Lightning) -> Bootshine -> True Strike -> Snap Punch -> Bootshine -> Twin Snakes (buff runs out usually right before using it again) -> Snap Punch (both DoTs are still going) -> Bootshine -> True Strike -> Demolish (get the DoT going again) -> Bootshine -> Twin Snakes -> Snap Punch -> Bootshine -> True Strike -> Snap Punch -> Bootshine -> Twin Snakes -> Demolish -> Touch of Death (both DoTs renewed) -> repeat

This is how my typical rotation would go without interruption (though there are always distractions). Interlaced with buff applications such as Featherfoot & Internal Realase as well as Haymaker for its slow, should it be available.

Basically, start with getting both DoTs on the enemy, applying your buffs, and activating the other buff from Twin Snakes. Go through two 'rounds' of Snap Punch before applying Demolish DoT again. Go through Demolish twice before applying Touch of Death DoT again. Use Twin Snakes every other 'round' to keep the buff up. I treat it as a Touch of Death DoT lasting two Demolish DoTs and one Demolish DoT lasting two Twin Snakes damage buffs.

Of course, keep your positioning in mind. Try to be behind enemies as often as possible. If this helps at all, then I'm glad.


[May make this a separate post once able. The limit's a pain.]

DoTs right now, until proven otherwise do not fit in our rotation.

I very much disagree. It'd be unwise to underestimate our DoTs. Now, as far as I know, the way DoTs work in this game is that the damage ticks every three seconds, yes? In that case:

Touch of Death lasts for 30 seconds with a potency of 25 after the initial 20 potency attack. That means it ticks 10 times during the time it's on. Giving Touch of Death an overall potency of 270.

Demolish lasts for 18 seconds with a potency of 40. It doesn't have an initial hit, but it keeps the Greased Lightning stacks up. During the time it's up, it has an overall potency of 240.

The only skill we have available to us that comes close to the damage these two dish out is Mercy Stroke (200 potency); which is a Marauder skill that requires the enemy to be below 20% health.

There's also Snap Punch that can have a potency of 180, but only if performed behind a target.

If fitting those two skills into your rotation is what you're worried about, then that's really just the challenge of mastering this class/job. It may be odd at first, but it's not too difficult once you get the hang of it.

I am disappointed that NO ONE has listed FRACTURE (another available DoT) from MRD to their rotation. I keep all three up when going through my combos.

Forgive me. Wasn't paying enough attention as I was looking through the skills.

So we also have Fracture available to us from Marauder. Lasts for 18 seconds (since we lack the trait) with a potency of 20. Initial potency of 100, as well. Making an overall potency of 220.

With all three ticking at the same time, over the course of one Touch of Death, two Demolishes, and two Fractures (simultaneously, of course), the three DoTs will have put out a combined total of 1190 potency. We would be having that additional damage stacked on top of the damage being dished out by our main skills. I like this very much.

Of course, it goes without saying that these values don't really matter on trash mobs since they'll be dead before the DoTs utilize their full potential. If anything, work in just a single Demolish whilst fighting trash mobs and save both Touch of Death & Fracture for tougher foes.

[Zessiru]

My rotation was: Touch of Death(always keep it up) -> Bootshine ->Twin Snakes -> Snap Punch -> Bootshine -> True Strike -> Snap Punch. Rinse and repeat when twin snakes buff goes down. I feel this was pretty much how I would use the skills given at lvl 19

[Subucnimorning]

My rotation was: Touch of Death(always keep it up) -> Bootshine ->Twin Snakes -> Snap Punch -> Bootshine -> True Strike -> Snap Punch. Rinse and repeat when twin snakes buff goes down. I feel this was pretty much how I would use the skills given at lvl 19

^ this.

Up to level 35 it was essentially the same, but add in Demolish in place of first snap punch. Touch of death > Bootshine > twin snakes > demolish > bootshine > true strike > snap punch...repeat

[Liri]

Once you have all your Dots up (Fracture from MRD, Demolish and Touch of Death), throwing in 2 Impulse Drives (LNC level 6 a 180 potency attack from behind) after a demolish or snap punch increases your damage by 1 full 180 potency per rotation and still allows you to maintain your stacks and damage buffs. True strike is useless and it makes the rotation much simpler.
ToD > Fracture > Boot > Twin > Demo > Boot > Twin (to maintain the damage buff for the impulse drives)> snap > 2x impulse> Boot > Twin > Demo > 2x impulse > Boot > Twin > Snap > 2x Impulse > ToD > Fracture REPEAT.

Using this instead of True strike not only gives you an extra swing at them but allows you to reapply your damage debuff each round instead of every second round making it easier to maintain.

[enil]

snip

You can actually fit in 3 impulses at lvl 50 with just minimal speed skill. Replace Bootshine with DK at lvl 50. Couple of problems though.

High TP cost.
Risky. If you are slightly late on any of your skills you will need to cut the third impulse or GL will drop.
If you can't get into position for impulse you lose alot of damage (80 potency for missing back attack).

I've been playing around with it and and it's executable, it's only about a 30~ potency gain on a standard Boot/True/Snap combo - but you also lose a chance to cast Demolish. It's a slight DPS loss if you need to wait for your next combination to cast it.

You shouldn't really comment on level 50 rotations before getting to that point.

[Rhained]

Snip.

All im seeing is maximizing damage over a short duration, is this ever practical in fights where high dps is a requirement? i.e. boss fights which are long and very likely involve TP issues with this rotation.

And i can tell you before i even bother trying it that no, it isnt practical.

Everytime i see people adding fracture (not so bad) but also impulse drive.... i cant stop thinking why you would do this, it only makes sense if TP didnt exist. The only times this isnt an issue is with trash mobs.... and they are trash anyway.

And from what i understand the dps increase isnt that big, ontop of making the class overly complicated and giving zero breathing room.

[Mezolitik]

Bootshine -> True Strike -> Snap Punch -> Bootshine -> Twin Snakes (buff runs out usually right before using it again) -> Snap Punch (both DoTs are still going) -> Bootshine -> True Strike

Hi Monks. I just got to level 20 Pugilist. I'm having a great time so far, but I'm finding things a bit disorientating coming off Bard.

Here's the issue: Bard skills are on two different cooldown wheels, so you can 'weave' buffs between attacks. In an ideal situation, you can continuously activate skills without any cooldown at all - for one or two cycles, at least. E.g. Attack > Buff > DoT > Attack > Buff > DoT etc. etc.

I've been trying to set my skills up like a Bard (so it's more natural). However, everything on Pugilist seems to have the same cooldown (e.g. Bootshine, Twin Snakes, Snap Punch, True Strike), so I'm always waiting for something to come around. I managed to improve the situation by adding in some of the Archer buffs but I can't seem to keep the rotation moving quickly.

I'm guessing by Vensaval's sequence that this isn't really an issue but is it ever possible to get a seamless rotation? Do I even need to?

Thanks

[Ehayte]

....but is it ever possible to get a seamless rotation? Do I even need to?

Thanks

In burst phases at level 50 you will be able to do things like Bootshine>Internal Relase>True Strike>Steel Peaks>Snap Punch>Howling Fist>Dragon Kick, but in your normal rotation you will basically just be operating on the GCD.

Do not worry though, because when you get Greased Lightening III its going to take you a few weeks to get used to how quickly you have to make decisions regarding what buffs, debuffs and DoTs to use to make sure everything is ticking at max capacity at all times, and the GCD moves quick like a bunny.

Stick with it, MNK is one of the fastest-paced and brain-draining classes to play if you are looking to be #1 on DPS.

[Mezolitik]

In burst phases at level 50 you will be able to do things like Bootshine>Internal Relase>True Strike>Steel Peaks>Snap Punch>Howling Fist>Dragon Kick, but in your normal rotation you will basically just be operating on the GCD.

Do not worry though, because when you get Greased Lightening III its going to take you a few weeks to get used to how quickly you have to make decisions regarding what buffs, debuffs and DoTs to use to make sure everything is ticking at max capacity at all times, and the GCD moves quick like a bunny.

Stick with it, MNK is one of the fastest-paced and brain-draining classes to play if you are looking to be #1 on DPS.

Awesome. Thank you

I'll definitely stick with it. I'm enjoying it so far. I think some of the skills cross-over into Bard, so that'll be useful as well.

[Ehayte]

I think some of the skills cross-over into Bard, so that'll be useful as well.

You share the LNC cross classes. BFB and Invigorate being most prominent for monks.