patch 1.0.4 changes

[magicrectangle]

• Fleet Footed
  
  • Movement speed bonus no longer counts toward the 25% movement speed increase cap

Is it sad that this is the monk change that has me the most excited?

[kestegs]

Sort of, yea.

I think the problem with the monk is that he was already fairly balanced, even if he had a lot of lame, useless skills. I was actually surprised how much I could change up my skills in late inferno and still be very viable.

And that is why I think he didn't get much love in this patch. He doesn't have any super powerful skills or only 1 viable build like other classes, and he's not gimmiky.

[magicrectangle]

And that is why I think he didn't get much love in this patch. He doesn't have any super powerful skills or only 1 viable build like other classes, and he's not gimmiky.

Er, cyclone isn't super powerful? Maybe not compared to ww/sprint (which got no nerfs and a mild buff, lol), but 99% of inferno monks are using cyclone, so clearly there's something going on there.

The biggest nerfs seem to have been to the proc builds - proc wizard (wicked wind), proc doctor (burning dogs, big stinker), and devil's anvil barb, jagged spikes demon hunter. Bizarrely run like the wind barbs come out untouched from all that.

Monks didn't have a really strong proc skill - thunderclap is our best, and while decent, is nothing like run like the wind, so it isn't surprising that monk is the only class that managed not to get any nerfs. However, the buffs just aren't enough that anybody's build is really going to change. Thunderclap + cyclone is still going to be stronger than a damage spender. I'll give quickening + explosive light a try for a bit I'm sure, but I anticipate going right back to thunderclap.

I guess I kind of assumed that, since they didn't nerf ww/sprint, they'd be trying to make builds for other classes that are as strong as that. Clearly that isn't the case, though.

[WhiteGiant]

Er, cyclone isn't super powerful? Maybe not compared to ww/sprint (which got no nerfs and a mild buff, lol), but 99% of inferno monks are using cyclone, so clearly there's something going on there.

The biggest nerfs seem to have been to the proc builds - proc wizard (wicked wind), proc doctor (burning dogs, big stinker), and devil's anvil barb, jagged spikes demon hunter. Bizarrely run like the wind barbs come out untouched from all that.

Monks didn't have a really strong proc skill - thunderclap is our best, and while decent, is nothing like run like the wind, so it isn't surprising that monk is the only class that managed not to get any nerfs. However, the buffs just aren't enough that anybody's build is really going to change. Thunderclap + cyclone is still going to be stronger than a damage spender. I'll give quickening + explosive light a try for a bit I'm sure, but I anticipate going right back to thunderclap.

I guess I kind of assumed that, since they didn't nerf ww/sprint, they'd be trying to make builds for other classes that are as strong as that. Clearly that isn't the case, though.

being not op with the most popular specc is not the same as having build diversity.
Out of all Monks 4,2 of the 6 active skills are the same. and 2,13 passive skills out of 3 are the same.
that is what customization has come down to ? the airbrush on my car in need for speed seems to be of more significance ...

here is a short list of runes which have no place in the game at all due to being redundant ; to weak or offering no synergy or scaling at all.

All generator. Spirit on Crit- generator;
* given that the monk has no inherent Critbonus (archery, sharpshooter, ruthlessness, weaponmastery,battlerage) . or other critsynergies ( battlerage-proccs , ap on crit , critical mass , nightsalker )

i feel that it would only be appropriate if the Spirit on crit rune-effects get an overhaul to account for the lack of synergy which is natural to other classes.
eg *FOT. should get 3 spirit extra per hit regardless of wether he crits or not.
*Deadly Reach should get ~1 spirit per hit enemy regardless of crit
and *crippling wave 2 spirit per hit up to a cap of ~10 per skill execution. ( due to being the slowest of the 3 spirit gens )

FOT ;
*Static Charge - most useless rune ever ; it puts constraints on your playstyle has ****tdy coefficients and comes out worse than thunderclap even if performed perfectly at any given point in time.
*Bounding Light - removes knockback (CC) givs you 73% chainlight for 3 targets. that chainlight cannot hit the maintarget. and nets you much less LOH and damage than thunderclap.

DeadlyReach ;
*Piercing Trident. for cone like ae situations crippling wave is better ; rather give us more range.
*scattered Blows ; the range is pathetic especially in combination with the target limit. LOH coefficients are crippling.

Crippling Wave ; the LOh modifier make it kinda crippling especially vs rars / champs, why hasnt it recieved a buff similar to cleaves mods?- could also generally deal more damage similar to how cleave got buffed base damage can easily be 125%
* Mangle boring rune ; but i guess it would do its job if it was balanced other generator ...
* concussion once again boring ...
* Tsunami. the low loh modifier on this one make it particular useless to use. slows are also not impressive in inferno. i cant even stick to a treasure goblin with 60% ms decrease.
* Breaking wave most ****ing boring rune ever. if my existance is based upon other classes having fun because of my build than i guess i dont want to be a monk. or atleast i wont take that ****ty skill.

*Way of the Hundred Fists ; 8 instead of 6 spirit make it almost as effective as FOT on spirit gen side.
the damage on single targets is still worse. how about 150% base damage ?

or screw the 8 spirit gen and increase its base damage to 180%. than i could atleast decide between most damage and most spirit but as it is WOTHF is just a copy cat of FOT. also this generator has the lowest attackspeed modifier ; but no LOH modifier to compensate for it.

* Hands of Lighting. 10 instead of 7 strikes on the second stage nets you less 1/6 dps increase. how about 12-13 instead of 7 strikes ?
- maybe you could even buff the inherent attackspeed mods with that rune so that you get fast to the 2nd stage of the skill ?
* Blazing Fists. its alrighty as a selfbuff. but a slight buff would be welcome. 6% each and 7 sec duration ?
* Fists of Fury. double LOH, double dot damage. dash. this skill might actually be competitive with thunderclap.
*spirit Salvo 15% chance to gen 15 spirit. thats 2.25 extra spirit per use. on the slowest of all generators ... do something creative with it or buff it substantially. 25% for 20 spirit seems alright to me. (+ 5 spirit average on use).
* Windforce Flurry. i dont like it. maybe its not strong enough idk. but i mainly dont like it because it turns the sklll into another skill rather than expanding upon whats already good about the base skill. Id rather see an Orblike wind explosions with a smooth damage / distance gradiant.
eg the mob at the center of the explosions recieves 300% weapondamage whereas a mob in ~30y distance only recieves 30% damage and anything in between is a smooth gradient based on distance to the center of the explosion.






Mantra of retribution. total trash in all its forms. being hit mechanics generally suck in d3 especially given that most "being hit" mechanics only apply to melee attacks. seldom to range attacks . and almost never to spell effects ( such as molten plague arcane )

the only use i see for this skill is pvp. but even their iam pretty sure that the total damage is capped.

Mantra of conviction.
Overawe overshadows everything.

* Intimidation -10% dmg super boring and not even worth consideration if you are not alreaddy stacking - damage via resolve and cirppling wave.
* dishearten -30% MS the crowd control reduction in inferno makes this a joke. also 20 yards is not much for such a mechanic. maybe increase range to 35 y and ms to 40% ?
*reclamation absolute trash and worse than 100 LOH. WTF how hard can you drop the ball ? also it now overlaps with that one healing mantra which is even less ****ty than this version, i'd scrapp it completely. redesign it make it a procc or something. maybe a bleed procc ? maybe a spirit reg proc ? everything is better.

Submission. mathematically worse than overawe. why bother ? maybe you should implement a mechanic which increases the damage of this skill based upon how life they have left.
eg if the target has 100% HP it deals 12% damage/sec as always but if the target only has 10% hp the damage is increased equal to the missing health (90%) that means that the skill would deal 22,8% dmg / sec.
this mechanic would help mopping up small targets such as imps / spiders with little HP whereas it would barely affect huge targets with much HP. thus this rune would atleast have a niche for either outgeared content and small foes.


Mantra of Healing. give it 2% HP / sec on top of what it already got and make the absorbtion shield also scale of maximum hp ~4% imo.

Circular Breathing. add + 1,5 AP/sec. +4,5 Mana/sec , +2hatred/sec , + ~7,5% rage
sustanance +1% HP /sec
buff resistance rune to 30%.
Vitality to 15%
Boon of Inspiration. 0.9% HP * LOH modfier. for a character with 20k hp that is 180 LOH for a character with 50k hp 450 LOH.

Mantra of Evasion
*Hard Target 20% armor -> 30% armor
*preservarence not interesting. i'd rather change it to something which only triggers on CC. or maybe even grants cc resistance rather than only decreasing the duration of the cc effects themself.
*run through the reeds try again with 12% ms.
*backlash could use some LOH modifier 3% maybe ?
*divine protection seems kinda alright i guess...

[Torr]

I agree with you WhiteGiant that the patch is probably not enough to encourage build diversity if you want to be optimal. But I think the changes are enough for me to at least try a new build. Admittedly, a less optimal build, but the standard cookie-cutter build has gotten boring for me.

Post patch, I think I want a build where I'm not fighting over the same items and every monk looks the same as me. I plan to try two-handed weapons again... LoH be damned. I'm hoping two-handers get tons of love like they promised, and affect damage over time abilities based on weapon speed like they promised. This patch has given me an excuse to mix things up. I'm thinking something like:

Dropping Fot-TC for WotHF-Fists of Fury (8 spirit, and for the double LoH proc, and the dot cares not how slow my weapon is)
Sweeping Wind-blade storm (instead of cyclone, makes this build less reliant on crit items)
Dropping FitL for SSS-sudden assault (I think a blazing wrath followed by a sudden assault is bursty damage, and the TP can get you out of places)
Serenity-peaceful repose (instead of Ascension, as I'm thinking lower LoH might mean I need a second heal)

Dropping Resolve passive for Guardian's Path with the two-handed spirit generation (this one I'm not sure about, but if spirit generation is fine I can switch it back out)

So I guess what I'm saying is: This isn't an optimal build. But post patch, it's not SO sub-optimal that I can't give it a go. Yeah going sub-optimal isn't true build diversity, but if they give me enough to get by I'll take it.