Exploding Palm Build

[Such Violent Storms]

EP is pretty neat in that it's like an odd, chainable Corpse Explosion for non-Essence Burn runes. This build is of course best in later difficulties where monsters' health is high.

The rune choice for EP is also variable, depending on how fast things die and how good you are at using it. In practice Essense Burn or The Flesh Is Weak may be quicker depending on your situation. But without further ado
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculato...kVi!fcX!acbacZ

Get EP applied then mangle everything until it all dies. It's unknown whether Essence Burn is the best or not, we'll just have to wait until release.

[Pyrates]

Looks neat. My guess is that that build is too low on defense for inferno, and that mobs have to much health to be killed in 3s, so you'd have to apply EP later.

What would be one of those "direct heals" that Guiding Light is talking of, though?

[Chaboi]

Looks viable through nightmare, honestly you have no mobility skill, no crowd control. Archers will eat you alive, those molten dogs they used to have will run you down and you have no way to counter them. You really do need a crowd control, this is why 2x spirit generators are going to be impossible until we get über gear.

[HardRock]

LWhat would be one of those "direct heals" that Guiding Light is talking of, though?

Probably anything that doesn't mention a per second heal. Things like Breath of Heaven and the Soothing Breeze rune of Cyclone Strike for example.

[Such Violent Storms]

Looks viable through nightmare, honestly you have no mobility skill, no crowd control. Archers will eat you alive, those molten dogs they used to have will run you down and you have no way to counter them. You really do need a crowd control, this is why 2x spirit generators are going to be impossible until we get über gear.

I disagree. Items play a massive role. I'm going to easily have 1200+ Dexterity, which translates to +1200 Armor from STI. In addition, Monks have a 30% reduction in all damage, and with one passive can easily have the highest dodge of any class to top it off.

Damage is king, even in Inferno, and of course I'm playing in a party of 3 other friends. Most of them will probably be monks, so you can count on Mantra of Evasion too at the very least.

[Chaboi]

Ok man, beauty is you can do what you want and not have to re-roll

[Greystone]

You speak in absolutes when you say damage is king in inferno so I assume you have been beta testing it to know this. Time will tell if a build like that will be viable in inferno.

[Such Violent Storms]

You speak in absolutes when you say damage is king in inferno so I assume you have been beta testing it to know this. Time will tell if a build like that will be viable in inferno.

It's just an inference off of my experience with Diablo in general, and similar ARPG games. Blow everything up before you get exploded yourself. Strive for the best gear, the highest damage/defense to effectively kill endgame mobs, etc.

[Greystone]

It'll be interesting to see just how much gear factors in to survivability vs skill/passive choices etc.

[Such Violent Storms]

It'll be interesting to see just how much gear factors in to survivability vs skill/passive choices etc.

I think I can say gear, by a wide margin. Just like how it was in D2, for the most part. You can make a terrible monk with 4 unruned spirit generators, no spenders, and no passives, but if it has amazing +Dex or +Vit high-Armor Hell/Inferno gear it'll still outperform a solid build with terribad gear. The curve to getting amazing gear may be steep, especially for the top-of-the-line stuff, but with the AH/RMAH and Diablo's innate randomness I think it's still within reach to a dedicated player.