Many players to Dungeons & Dragons Online are naturally attracted to the Monk class.
But this melee class has many abilities that make it difficult to play. As with other classes, there are feats, skills, enhancements and abilities to consider. Additions, deletions or changes to any of these can make a difference.
However, what significance comes from that difference will vary from player to player.
The Book...
- Is designed to introduce and guide new or returning players to the class through teaching the essentials and common feats, abilities, enhancements, skills, and gear that many Monks use in the course of their life.
- Is NOT intended for the experienced Monk player. Such players are already skilled in "tweaking" their Monk for some extra damage here, a little more protection there. While such adjustments are important and can be advantageous, adding such contents to the Book will cause it to grow incredibly complicated and, thus, defeat the purpose of teaching the essentials for the new/confused player.
- "The Old Master," who speaks periodically throughout the Book, will note such special advanced considerations as required, as others in the community send suggestions, comments and criticisms on the DDO forums.
- The Book is designed for the "farmboy" player with potential. You are "Luke Skywalker." And this guide is "Yoda." While "Yoda" knows practically everything about being a Jedi, to ensure you are ready for most things, he teaches all that you require, although certainly not all that he knows. Why? You haven't the time to learn everything. You want to get out there and kick ass as soon as possible. (Otherwise, you'd think Yoda would have taught Luke that "block Sith lightning with your lightsaber" bit.)
- Besides--a guide that can teach you EVERYTHING is a spoiler. What's the fun of playing if you don't learn some things by yourself?
- Does not provide a massive list of canned "builds." While character creation tools can be most useful, this Book, at first, has not provided builds so in order to help players understand why they should choose specific abilities in the long-term, and not simply for damage. Recent updates have provided a few custom builds that highlight some of the Monk's diversity.
- Is not intended to train on multiclassing or most cross-class skills in beginner mode. There are other resources for this. The goal of the Book is to help a player create a "pure," non-cross-classed Monk, understand its strengths and weaknesses enough to enjoy it. The Book does point to these cross-cross options but cannot delve too deeply. Syncletica knows Monks. She is less certain on cross-class matters. There is one exception: the Kensei fighter requires Fighter multiclassing but can use martial skills for very specialized weapon fighting. This doesn't mean that splashing or multiclassing is bad. But I believe it is more fruitful for new players to learn the class without leveraging other classes, at least for the first life. This Book is not intended for power-gamers (min-maxing).
- Is not quite recursive or repetitive. If you find something you think should be mentioned in one section, chances are, it already has been mentioned in another--but not in the area you expect, for various reasons. Use the Search feature at the top of the site.
- Cannot fully debate the merits of all choices. A Monk is not a standard template of options, especially with the enhancement trees. Your strengths and weaknesses come ultimately from experience. That is, your own experience and not of others, when using or not using a particular option. When such choices can be detrimental, the Book will try to note it accordingly.
- Is becoming a DDO community document that hopes to answer the most common questions that many new or confused players have when starting and leveling a Monk for the first time (again). That hopefully means fewer commonly-asked questions and more advanced build/gear/gameplay questions on the forums.
- Will be updated as often as possible, but is not designed to keep up with every minor tweak of the game. However, major updates and bug fixes that impact the essentials will be noted and the guide updated in due course.
- Does not claim to be impartial or even fair. Gameplay is a subjective matter. The Book attempts to be a syncretic guide but, as a result, contradictions will occur in some advice. It all boils down to trying out something that seems interesting to you.
- Would not be useful without the many people in the DDO community forums that have reviewed and sent corrections. Thanks.
A small reed mat sits in a corner of a common sleeping room of the dojo.
Atop the mat rests a neatly-folded set of clothing. Disciple's Robes. A voice behind you instructs you to unburden yourself of anything else on your person.
"I am your teacher. Today we will show you how to harness your energies for creation or destruction. For protection and attack. For revival and death. You needn't any weapons in your hand, nor shields, or heavy plate that yokes you to the ground."
"Today, you will be enlightened in the ways of our order..."