VanguardMonks.com Monk FAQ - Version 0.2 - revised 2007-01-30
 

Introduction

Monks are offensive martial fighters whose primary purpose is to add Damage Per Second (DPS), buffs, and debuffs to the encounter.  Rather than attacking from the safety of range or stealth, monks prefer to go toe-to-toe with their enemies, delivering devastating physical attacks using their bodies as lethal weapons.

In a group setting, a monk's secondary abilities shine:  Many other classes in Vanguard have powerful special attacks that can only be executed on a weakened foe, such as one that is off-balance or stunned.  These classes typically rely on another member of the group to reveal the weakness in order to exploit it.  Monks are considered by many to be one of the best classes at providing such opportunities, but can (in some cases) exploit vulnerabilities that they themselves have exposed.

"Monks are going to be very good at causing their opponents to suffer from vulnerabilities that other classes can then take advantage of."  - Darrin McPherson (aka Talisker), Senior Game Designer, Fanguard 2006

Jin

Jin, also referred to as "Inner Focus," is a special pool that is used to perform special abilities.  When a monk performs certain abilities that cost endurance, Jin is generated as a byproduct.  JIn can in turn be used to execute other attacks that do not cost endurance.  Unlike endurance, this pool does not regenerate on it's own - a monk must first execute endurance-based attacks in order to execute Jin-based ones.

Races & Attributes

Strength:

• Average melee DPS
• Carrying capacity

Constitution:

• Hit points
• Resistance to magic attacks

Dexterity:

• Melee critical hit bonus
• Chance to completely evade a melee or magic attack
• Chance to defend using defensive abilities
• Chance to recognize and react to enemy abilities

Vitality:

• Increases healing effectiveness
• Bonus to health regeneration
• Bonus to energy regeneration
• Bonus to unmounted movement speed 

Intelligence:

• Increases spell damage
• Chance to identify spells and recognize tactics
• Chance to detect enemies and perceive what they are doing in combat
• Chance to counter enemy spells
• Chance to prevent enemies from countering your spells

Wisdom:

• Spell critical hit bonus
• Increases energy
• Chance to identify spells and magical tactics
• Chance to detect enemies and perceive what they are doing in combat
• Chance to counter enemy spells

Starting at level 10, you will gain 20 points per level to improve your attributes.  6 of them are placed automatically - one per attribute (STR, CON, DEX, VIT, INT, and WIS).  Some races have bonuses that affect the placement of the remaining 14 points - Kojani, Qaliathari, and Mordebi Humans can spend them freely (with a soft-cap of 5 per attribute), while Half Elves, Orcs, Goblins, Raki, and Dark Elves have 4 points allocated according to the characteristics of that race - leaving them with 10 spend-able points per level, and a soft-cap of 4 per attribute (which is applied after the bonus.)

The following table illustrates the point allocation, bonus, and soft-cap for each race:

Martial Styles

At level 15, monks can choose one of three martial styles.  These styles give the monk access to special abilities particular to that style.  In beta, it was possible to switch styles.  The devs have stated that this will remain in the game, but the task will not be an easy one.  The three styles are:

Dragon Style

• Hard/External style, focused on offense, using single and multiple target attacks
• Stances:  Heavenly Dragon, Stone Dragon

Drunken Style

• Mixed style, focused on defense, evasion and agro management
• Stances: Drunken Fist, Drunken Sway 

Harmonious Body Style

• Soft/Internal style, focused on redirection and debilitation
• Stances: Tiger, Crane

For more information on the skills available to each style, see the "Mastery" skills in the monk ability list .

Other Special Abilities

Attack Chains

Monks have several 3-part attack chains that can significantly increase their DPS.  When certain abilities land a critical hit, another offensive skill might become available that does much more damage than the first.  When this second ability lands a critical hit, a third becomes available.  These are known as Openers, Finishers, and Advanced Finishers.  Most Finishers can follow any opener, but Advanced Finishers follow certain Finishers.

For example, you might execute Crescent Kick followed by Flying Kick then Kick of the Heavens.  You could execute any Opener in place of Crescent Kick, but Advanced Finishers such as Kick of the Heavens is only available after Flying Kick, Divine Avalanche always follows Divine Typhoon, and so on.

Ignore Pain

At level 10, a monk can train "Ignore Pain I" - an ability that instantly allows a monk to heal a small amount of damage.  If used at the right time, this ability has the potential to turn a grave situation into a victory.

Feign Death

In Everquest, monks had a class-defining special ability that allowed them to fake their own death.  Many players were happy to learn that this ability was carried over into Vanguard.  Many group and raid pulling tactics require that the mobs be separated, or "split."  This is accomplished by pulling them to a safe location by a class that can feign death.  Once they separate, the main tank will then engage one of the mobs, while the other(s) walk back to their spawn point.  It is expected that this tactic will also work to some degree of success in Vanguard.  This ability will be available from any monk trainer at level 14.

"And Monks are BAD A$$" - Darrin McPherson (aka Talisker), Senior Game Designer, Official Vanguard Forum 2005

Comments (21)

2 -  Written by Kaji (Registered)18-01-2007 13:02

Re: wow, but...

*cough* Version 0.1  
 
I'll run it through a spell-checker. I'll admit my spelling is horrible, and it probably needs some other minor revisions. I'm more interested in the accuracy of the information at this point.

3 -  Written by Rollo (Registered)20-01-2007 19:10

awesomeO

nice info so far  
 
gotta change the attribute caps now since the new patch, i reckon its easier to understand in terms of max points you can allocate per level, the soft cap is 5+racial modifier or 6 for human the 18xlevel caps is the attribute cap after modifiers such as buffs and equipment. 
 
you may want to add some stuff about weaknesses too they still confuse me

4 -  Written by ChoppSuey (Registered)30-01-2007 16:59

awesomeO

Great Info! Keep it up Kaji!

5 -  Written by Blackfist, Quiet, Spiritweaver (Registered)20-02-2007 01:07

****

sweet...could use some trainer locations...I'd help with that...but umm...I'm sort of here because I need them....guess if I do happen to stumble across another I'll post back..found two so far, but one is on a different continent (orc homeland), and the other I can't remember where is (I think in the area around the dark elf homeland)