IiPunch - Monk Guide

Also... if you're after a safer, less TP-feedy kind of DD... NIN already exists and is arguably the superior choice for that niche.

NIN: Just as easy to cap subtle blow (if not easier), Yurin serves similar role as Penance (less potent but can be kept up more of the time), lots of defensive utility with Utsusemi/Migawari, enmity reduction with Innin/Yain. Just like MNK, can use Kendatsuba set for nice extra Meva/HP. And better offense, including vastly greater SC flexibility (good Light and Darkness options).

MNK: Does have some unique advantages with Mantra and more Subtle Blow II gear (+20 for Sherida/Niq. Ring/Moonbow, add +5 more if you are one of the very few with a Moonbow Belt+1). I guess Counter is a thing if you're face tanking mobs on MNK? Worse offense.

If I was really picking a "let's be careful but still do adequate damage" melee DD, I'd generally go with NINs over MNKs - especially so for anything where shadows or Migawari are life-savers. Or just use BLUs with a spell set that leans a little more on defense at the expense of the optimal offensive setup. Or use a ranged setup and get your damage from RNG, COR, SMN, etc. (or a magic burst setup that's functionally pretty similar thinking).

So, does MNK even have any niche? Even if you don't think the newly buffed PUP is far enough ahead of MNK offensively to warrant bringing in a DD slot, at least it can tank like a boss on a lot of stuff. What can MNK do that it's the best at?

EDIT: I guess you could say that it gives more flexibility to plug any of NIN MNK BLU (perhaps toss DNC in the mix too) into "safer" melee strats, and perhaps that's the most reasonable justification for MNK. Kind of a bummer though that MNK doesn't really differentiate itself in any niche though and it's relegated to being a replaceable cog in a not really that desired role. At least being a substitute for strong DD is something people want, this is a substitution job for something most players don't particularly care to try.

Iirc if you do the math MNK feeds much less tp than NIN.

With increasing Boost to a 60 second recast, I feel like SE is trying to take the angle of Boost working in a similar manner to SA/TA on Thief. Generate big spike WS damage.

Unfortunately, SE failed miserably at increasing the boost WS damage, intentional or not.

I wonder how many "Monk Job updates" there have been in the last three years with the goal of fixing MNK's dps, only to fail each time to make any kind of difference. I do love how they've just thrown some new equipment out for just MNK though, like a great moon bow belt will suddenly fix all the dps issues with the job itself.

The only upside is at the rate SE is progressing in fixing MNK, beitetsu will probably be a fourth of the price it is now and I can upgrade my Glanzfaust.

This thread needs more bellyaching

Lulz

Gona assume relic hands

Spharai

Yep, and in the delay you waited from using boost, other DDs weapon skilled one to four times for 35k or more each + their white damage.
Nevermind that screen shot represents a 13% chance on your critical hit rate chance on top of up to 95% accuracy. Just sayin'.

Just thought of something. What if waiting until right before boost wears before using weaponskill boosts dmg more than using it right away? lol

So seems Boost still works with Chi blast but given the srandom nature and range of the dmg it's kind of meh for testing

i tried this - did not change anything

need more store tp

They say you can't engage after using boost?

You need to be engaged before you use boost or you wont beable to pull your weapons, it adds the delay like when you kill a mob and try to switch target too quickly.

Its very obvious boost isn't functioning correctly with WS, so no point in getting emo just yet. I cannot imagine the effect would be intentionally so subtle that noone seems able to detect it on WS, when the result on melee hits is unmissable even eyeballing.

The disparity is just far too great.

Even after they fix it 1 big ws every 60sec is not a big deal, unstacked rudra still does stupid dmg at least.

I completely agree. MNK needs full duration stances not all these one-off, short duration buffs that actually leave it weaker than it was before the update for most of the time.

Not including the changes to H2H weapons (increases in DMG and delay), MNK was nerfed by the update. Nerfed by a buff because SE seems to not have a clue.

what MNK actually needs to compete is for this current boost effect to last 15 seconds without any delay to auto-attacks and not to wear off until the 15 seconds is gone.
Yes - let me see 20 x 20k critical hits and we're back in business.

Unstacked Rudra isn't that spectacular, its good but swords seem to me have by far the strongest 1h spammable ws. CDC and SB are kind of the gold-standard.

I dunno,the whole point seems moot really now that there are reliable strats for pretty much everything in the game that don't include the majority of melee-DD classes.

The plain fact is that if you want a job to shine, the content needs to be there to showcase it. And in that regard, what does MNK have to potentially shine in?

I just wanted to make sure I understand something. Everyone is noticing greater weaponskill numbers post patch than pre patch correct? It's just that post patch numbers with / without boost seem the same, right?

Yes, everything seems to work as expected except that boosted ws show no improvement whatsoever.

Well Boost on jobs other then MNK, so it's likely a bug in the JA. I'll bet it's working in reverse right now, giving MNK main no WS benefit while giving /MNKs a WS benefit.

It doesn't give a boost to WSs when /MNK, either, as shown by THF/MNK Sneak Attack testing (and yes, Boost is stacking with normal Sneak Attack hits, just not WSs).

If you're hoping for that you might as well quit now lol.

The change to focus make mnk a more dynamis/engaging job now, kinda make me want to play it and it fit being a casual well imo, will clear content slower than going on sam but will be much easier to dual/trio box.

Jolt counter is the best/easy to get wpn ?

Wasn't someone saying their SAM/MNK was getting an increase in their WS damage?

He just eyeballed several Fudos in a non-controlled environment, but no actual rigorous testing.

I kind of like the new focus personally so far... I guess I'm in the minority lol.

New Focus gives you (one) maybe two almost un-nerfed 2013 Vsmite. (if the crit rate even works on ws...)

How is that something you like. a 30 second buff is fail, by all standards. Even warcry 90% of the time is completely wasted.

You can get more than one VS off in 30 seconds, it gives you more flexibility in using gear while it's up, and it's also got a much lower cooldown than Warcry.

Oh I thought Warcry was a 5min recast?