This guide is no longer updated. A new guide will be coming soon.
I have played the Monk class in the original Neverwinter Nights game series by Bioware, as well as the Neverwinter Nights 2 by Obsidian and its first sequel, "Mask of the Betrayer."
Each game engine had a different dynamic to play the class, but neither quite prepared me for the implementation found in Dungeons & Dragons Online. The game attack mechanics threw me off so much that I almost deleted my very first Monk, who happens to go by the name of Syncletica.
So, after a long period of relearning the class for this game, rolling up other Monks, experimenting and dying (a lot), I decided to write up a text guide in Google Docs to share with my guild. It helped. A few people outside of the guild asked to see it and sent back good news.
Since nothing is secret in Google, causing a little problem when the private guide was visible to the public, it was time to make it a truly public document, using a few illustrations where I could.
This guide is meant to help you understand the game mechanics and strategy of this class to help you along in enjoying a Monk in a faster manner than learning it completely cold. The Monk is surely the most difficult of the melee classes to master. But, once you do, you will find it rewarding.
The guide does not attempt to duplicate game information found on the well-sourced and helpful DDO Wiki. In fact, the goal is to supplement the information regarding gameplay. My guide will often link to it as that wiki is well-maintained and stays up-to-date on all gear, updates, class abilities and similar changes.
This guide does not define any specific build or builds using the popular character creator applications you can find online (such as RJ Cyberware's well-respected DDO Character Planner). Rather, the guide details the metaphysics of how certain feats, skills and abilities will aid you, how they differ or contrast with those used with other classes, and what to consider or avoid.
To Send Comments, Questions or Suggestions
While I've enabled comments on this page, Google Sites isn't ideal for comments.
With the demise of the MyDDO blogs hosted by Turbine, I've created a new blog, The Order of Syncletica, that complements this guide by chatting about DDO as it relates to the Monk, specifically through my own gameplay and experiences, as well as a more dynamic way to talk about gear, game updates and other things that can't immediately fit in the guide's format.
You'll find it more convenient to reach me through the blog.
To send me a comment or question about this guide,
Good luck, and have fun.
"Dungeons & Dragons Online," "DDO," and similar names are servicemarks and/or trademarks of Standing Stone Games, Inc (formerly Turbine). This website is not managed, affiliated with or sponsored by Turbine, Inc. The organization of this website (except visitor comments) is a fan-created unofficial guide and is the responsibility of the owner. All images or animations are created from the game engine for instructional use.