[TogenkyoFunk]

This may seem kind of trivial, but i thought it might be nice to add some HHP equipment to the list. I didn't see any in the stickies, but if you are a Monk who solos alot HHP can be invaluable for decreasing down time, especially if your soloing high level mobs. Some of the items are very rare (Eggs, Melee Cape etc) but some are also very easy to obtain. I'm not saying that every player should go out and get a Tsar's egg crafted, just that it will help you solo.

I realize that alot of players have issues with inventory, but if you can make the space for the set it's well worth it (and several of the items a monk would carry around anyway).

There is a ton of +HHP food, I only included Ocean/ Shark's Fin Soup as they give the highest +HHP (in order to determine max +HHP)

Weapon- Gelong staff ~ 4, Iron Splitter +1 ~ 4, Iron Splitter ~ 3, Kinnara Pole ~ 2, Steel Splitter ~ 3
Head- Temple Crown +1 ~ 1
Body- Melee Cyclas ~ 6, Melee Cyclas +1 ~ 6, Pahluwan Khazagand ~ 2, Nomad’s Tunica ~ 1, Vagabond’s Tunica ~ 1
Feet- Storm Gambieras ~ 2, Nomad’s Boots ~ 1, Vagabond’s Boots ~ 1
Legs- Nomad’s Hose ~ 1, Vagabond’s Hose ~ 1
Hands- Nomad’s Gloves ~ 1, Vagabond’s Gloves ~ 1
Ear- Sanative Earring (Rare/ex) ~ 4, Stoic Earring (Rare) ~ 1, Magnifying Earring (Rare/ex) ~ 1
Neck- Grandiose Chain ~ 2, Pachamac’s Collar ~ 1
Back- Melee Cape ~ 5
Waist- Marid Belt +1 ~ 2, Marid Belt ~ 1
Ranged- Tsar’s Egg ~ 4, Imperial Egg ~ 3
Food- Ocean Soup ~ 9, Shark’s Fin Soup ~ 9

Providing that there is no cap on +HHP (I've never capped it), with optimum gear and food monk could get +42. I am far from that number, but I can only imagine it would help a great deal reducing down time. I know listing it, isn't really going to help newer monks, but it's nice to get the idea out there.

[pathwriter]

It's hHP (or HHP if you prefer all caps). And, as a Monk who spent a lot of time solo: I prefer not to take any more damage than Chakra can fix. But that was my schedule, others are welcome to do however they please. If I had to take a knee, that was also when I would visit the bathroom.

Of course, since the Signet change has taken place while I've been on enforced leave-of-absence, I'm not sure if hHP gear is more useful than was previously the case.

[TogenkyoFunk]

Whoops :blush

I'm sorry, force of habit to type HPP lol, fixed it though, thanks

I usually find other things to do in between resting as well, but it seems like I always end up sitting and waiting for full HP. I guess it really comes down to your play style when you solo. I like to see how high of a chain I can get, so I fight mobs until I know I can't take another. That usually means I rest for long amounts of time in between chains so you can see where having HHP/chakra gear would be nice. But like you said, do what you feel, HHP isn't essential, just a nice luxury if you can afford the gear and space.

[Pyx]

Hmmm, Charger Mantle seems pretty good, No?



+5 atk> 2 STR from Amemit Mantle +1 and +3 STR from Foragers

[pathwriter]

Actually, not really, no. Especially not for the cost involved. If you have literally nothing left to get in the game... you're in no position that 5 Attack is really going to be better than 3 STR.

[Luciendarr]

I have a question that's been bugging me. I recently finished CoP and picked up a Rajas ring, thinking that my current dual Sniper's would still be my exp gear, but it's a pretty awesome soloing ring. I decided to toss it and pick up a Tamas ring (I know, I know) because I chi blast a very large ammount of monsters that my LS fights.

My question is, is Rajas worth getting back and using full time? I thought about the loss of accuracy and the added STR, but it just didn't feel right after wearing a Sniper's for so long. It seems like a side grade to me. I solo a fair ammount, but I don't have any gear other than Melee Gloves with Subtle Blow on it, so I can't tell if that's a benefit either.

Any feedback would be wonderful.

[pathwriter]

For the sake of solo or tanking (in a low-man situation, obviously), the Subtle Blow on Rajas Ring can be excellent. However, as envious as I am of Ninja with their extra trait and merits (yes, I would seriously consider Subtle Blow merits if they were available to Monk, especially since I tend to solo with Utsusemi where Counter doesn't help), I'm not sure that I'd personally get Rajas Ring for my Monk's solo purposes. If you spend a lot of time Chi Blasting, and it sounds like you do, you literally cannot find a better ring than Tamas for the purpose.

You're basically right, though, in most instances, Rajas Ring is at best a horizontal shift from Sniper's/Woodsman Ring (for Monk). As far as horizontal shifts are concerned, there's ultimately nothing wrong with Rajas Ring but there's really nothing outstanding about it, either. I honestly see it as a Store TP ring first, Subtle Blow second, and the actual stats a distant third, in terms of usefulness. Since Store TP is both inaccessible to Monk and fairly unnecessary (since Monk doesn't rely on pumping out weaponskills like Samurai or Dark Knight), it's not really a critical ring.

Personally, as a Monk-cum-Bard (or Bard-cum-Monk, depending how one looks at it), I have no interest in any of the CoP rings. I'll likely get Tamas since I don't really need a CHR ring for my Bard. Take my opinion for what you will, though, it is only my opinion.

[Luciendarr]

Thanks, Path. It feels good to have my somewhat odd choice validated by someone else.

[ferretwraith]

I was hoping that an offical stance could be taken in this thread concerning rather or not the sea gorgets "work" for asuran fists. Page 5 briefly mentions an ignored comment on the soil gorget, and on page 7 Pathwriter comments that "Elemental Gorgets work well for Asuran Fists. They do increase damage as well as Accuracy, so I'd say go for it" (post made way back in 6/2006). Yet in a more recent thread Pathwriter also comments that the gorgets simply affect the first two hits of the WS, and as such you would be better off going with keeping the peacock charm on (KI loading too slow to get an actual quote on that one).

I'd really like to know which situation it REALLY is, as if the gorgets are worth getting for anything, I'd imagen it would have to be a constantly-spammed 8hit WS. Reguardless of if they do or don't work well, I think if the suggestion of "Temple Cyclas (for Chakra)" can make it into the body section of every suggested build, then the gorgets diserve at least one line of the guide saying "get one" or "don't get one."

Also Red Curry should at the very least make honorable mention rights, it's only a humble 5k more than hedgehog pies on my server, and I'm sure most meat eaters who already forsake ACC in favor of ATT would make the trade of 5acc points for 5%att all day long.

Edit: I fail, just realized there was a post on the bottom of the first page of the forum with this very question being talked about, nice response time though on the reply, people who stand in front of me at service counters rarely answer questions that quick. So the offical answer is the offical answer is unclear? It is quite confusing when people act as though the actual answer is painfully obvious when it's really not. (see melee gaiters)

[pathwriter]

The situation is currently... up in the air. Tests done when gorgets were first released suggested they were AWESOME for multi-hit weaponskills, but more recent data has suggested just the opposite. I don't have any and I wouldn't have the patience to test them even if I did, so it's really up to you. To my mind, they're inventory -1 for Monk unless you're really big on Dragon Kick (which might be good after today's update) or Full Swing.

[brysky]

anyone have a idea of what they are doing to dragon kick and howling fist since path mentioned it...

[pathwriter]

We won't know 'til we can log in. Give it a week, max.

[Jeho]

Question pertaining to the Smart Grenade:

Is the Smart Grenade (+4 ATK) a decent substitute for Tiphia? Tiphia Stings went from 90k to 160k on my server when I was looking to get one when I reached lvl 58, but at the time I just didn't feel like spending an extra 60-70k for +2 ACC. Instead, I picked up a Smart Grenade and eventually, when prices dropped on Tiphia, I was planning on getting it. Unfortunately the prices never really dropped and I never really had issues with my ACC anyway (I get +3 ACC from CCs, SH +10, Sniper/Woodsman +10, and Spects +7 or Chiv Chain +5); I was just wondering what your thoughts were on this piece of ammo. Still on the fence about Tiphia Sting.

Thanks.

[pathwriter]

I recently sold my Tiphia Sting to acquire a Smart Grenade. On a strict stat-to-stat comparison, 2 Accuracy is a little better than 2 Attack, but it's a pretty close call either way. When it comes down to practicality (free as air or ~100k), I tend to opt for the free option. Additionally, although I couldn't give a damn about the -HP since I'm Elvaan, it isn't a completely irrelevant stat and the -Evasion really bugged me since I like to wander around solo all the time (though I have an Olibanum Sachet if I really cared). Either way, my opinion is that Smart Grenade is fine.

On another note, I'm gonna look through these and see what needs updated. The last few updates haven't really added anything that makes me says "Wow!" so I've been slow about getting to it. Need to get around to penciling in /Dancer to my other post as well.

[Pidion]

Stick with Smart Grenade, if you don't have acc problems then there's no need to get Tiphia Sting. Loosing -25hp and -4Eva, for +2 acc just isnt worth the 90-160k your gona spend. Just need to remove /range macro for Smart Grenade

Smart Grenade
Att +4

Tiphia Sting
-25hp +2att +2acc -4eva

[stubbieunicornserver]

My opinion is that i like mamoolbane. Don't ask why, i just do, i like knowing that i can throw something.

I've found plenty of merit parties that places are overcamped where an extra claiming utensil has proved very valuable, even if the latent only really works in the dungeon areas which i previously thought worked in any mamool territories =/

I did previously use the tiphia sting myself, but once i got rank enough for mamoolbane i fulltime it now, since monk lacks any method of claiming things more than once every 3 minutes i do like this piece. I guess it just depends what you're going for though, to me the stats from either of those other ranged items will really not have any noticable effect on my damage for real so i like the thing that's more handy

[Jeho]

Ok. Thanks everyone for your replies. I really appreciate it.

I always liked my Smart Grenade and it's nice to get random /tells about it once in a while. And I also forgot what really appealed to me about it was it can be equipped as early as level 54, too.

[pathwriter]

I just spent the past several hours going through and reworking several sections. I removed a bit of redundancy because, honestly, there is no functional difference between gear sets for most subs these days. I also decided to pencil in a bunch of mostly-impossible-to-obtain items that have Assault/Salvage effects, just because I know a lot of Monks do Salvage and/or Nyzul Isle. I cut out a fair bit of dross that wasn't worth mentioning, such as Kaiser Knuckles (good luck finding them, there might be half a dozen across all servers still) and Mamoolbane. I know Chakrams have their uses if you need to pull and Chi Blast is on cooldown or something, but since their effects beyond being a returning throwing item are basically useless (I can count on one hand the number of times I've had any reason to go into the AU Beastmen strongholds and actually fight something), they got the axe.

I'm pretty sure I've got everything penciled in as I think makes sense, but if someone has some time and wants to wander through looking for the random piece of marginal and/or rare gear that I missed, feel free. I should note that I don't include WS gear because it's really not that critical to Monk. If there's a serious demand for how to gear for something like Howling Fist, I'll contemplate it, but I'd like to imagine that thinking people who really care about their damage are aware that Dune Boots or Fuma Sune-Ate are doing nothing for their WS damage.

Next project is to update Way of the Monk, if only for the sake of Dancer. If anyone feels like giving that a bump so I can actually post update info without editing my last post to that thread, please do.

[Wolf~Knight]

I noticed one thing that was over looked Ulthalam's Ring was mentioned in 75 gear but not 50/60 cap where it can be used.

[pathwriter]

Thanks. I blame that on my having Balrahn's Ring and forgetting about Ulthalam's from time to time.

Edit/Bump:
Added gear from the most recent major update, even the bits that we're uncertain about (Hachiryu Haramaki and Shenlong's Baghnakhs). On the off chance we ever figure out where they come from and it proves to be impossible on the level of Absolute Virtue, I'll edit them out. Difficult like Spharai and Usukane is fine, but impossible like Futsuno Mitama is not. I only have Mars' Ring in there for my own twisted humor.

Also, I haven't added any Habaki beyond the level 50 Junkenshi/Seikenshi and Hakke Habaki yet. Still trying to figure out if there's a compelling reason to wear them.