Build Guide
[GR72 Clear]
Hey boyz! Season One & Two - Rank 1 monk (world) here!
In my opinion/experience this build is currently one of the strongest possible monk setups for solo competitive greater rift laddering.
Please note: I always keep my diablo fans guides up to date and will be making adjustments to the guide whenever there is a shift in endgame meta! so be sure to check back, and vote on the guide!
To play this build effectively i highly suggest you watch the snapshotting portion of my [Video Guide]. Otherwise if you don't care then just follow the basic game-play strategy below:
Basic game-play strategy:
- Hold down spirit generator to apply EP & maintain focus+restraint
- Use Seven sided strike on cooldown
- Dash to maintain 40% dodge buff (when in combat)
- Use Mantra active to maintain buff (when in combat)
- Use Epiphany on cooldown
- Use the Dash for mobility
Skill variations:
- Inner Sanctuary - Forbidden palace (swap out mantra of salvation)
Legendary Gem variations:
- Bane of powerful - Swap out Bane of the stricken for a T10 Farming build.
Hellfire Passive/Passive variations in order of power:
- Guardians Path (best defense vs crazy density)
- Sixth Sense (best defense vs elites)
- Unity (when playing in group, and you don't need the toughness)
- Determination (when you don't need the toughness)
- Momentum (when you don't need the toughness)
When playing in a group:
- If you are playing with another cold EP monk swap Spirit Guards for Madstone
Stat Priority:
- Helm: Socket>EP Damage>Crit
- Shoulders: CDR
- Torso: x3 Sockets>11% Elite reduction
- Legs: x2 Sockets>LPS
- Gloves: Crit>CDR>CHD
- Rings: Socket>CDR>Crit>CHD
- Waist: 15% Life>LPS
- Wrist: 20% Cold damage>Crit
- Boots: EP Damage>LPS
- Amulet: Socket>20% Cold damage>Crit>ChD
- Weapon: CDR>Vit
you want dex/secondary resist on all your pieces(where possible)
People WITHOUT lions claw:
Do not attempt the build without lions claw (you will do 50% damage)
FAQ:
Q: Whats better BP or COE?
A: They're both theoretically pretty even in power but currently CoE is beating out BP on the leaderboards.
Q: Does CoE or Focus+Restraint snapshot?
A: No, they are both dynamic buffs.
Q: Why am i getting instantly killed gr60+?
A: Make sure your stats look something like this: 1200+ All resistance | 16,000+ Armour | 500,000+ Health.
Q: What gem should i put in my helmet socket?
A: Diamond. CDR = Dmg + Survivability!
Q: What normal gems should i put in my chest/pants?
A: Emeralds (Diamonds if you're HC).
Q: What follower should i use?
A: Templar. Why? Inspire (x1.1 ALL spirit generation).
If you liked the guide, then come follow my stream @ >>> www.twitch.tv/quin69 <<< for more monk action! When i go live, Any questions that you guys have - i can answer for you live on stream! I will also be posting YouTube guides on my twitch channel soon!
Be sure to check back on the guide every now and then! as i am always making minor changes.
Note: I will try answer as many questions as i can! and will read all of your posts, but obviously doing a gear-check for each one of you bros or re-answering the same question over and over will take all day If you want a direct answer come follow the stream <3
I think you need to adjust the paragon priority as you now have crit chance as third choice which you obviously don't want to put a point in when using broken promise.
I think on ptr I used the madstone a lot but didn't push hard at higher rifts so guess the bracers as passive help more with that?
I was using the witching hour + madstone for T10. (no pushing)
Isn't lion's claw restrict to season characters?
What are the pros and cons of using the fire EP comparing to cold EP?
Fire was indeed nerfed so Cold is better as far as I know.
What better, this build or generator?
I find the advantage of SSS build that in the time you use the skill you can't be hit so I think in the end you will be able to push further with this build.
Isint EP fire rune better cos it has dot? If big pack they will die at same time anyway!?
The AoE dmg is bigger with the ice rune, believe I saw some google spreadsheet with time before fire is better then cold but can't find it anymore.
Sweet been waiting for this always good to see your builds on the front page...
anyone know the reason for [If you are playing with another cold EP monk swap Spirit Guards for Madstone] ??
Well you use spirit guards for the dmg reduction but if you play with a second monk you can easily get it with an other mantra so no need for the spiritguards.
In early game the madstone is even better then spirit guards as things die quick enough I think below level 50-55 you get more out of the madstone then the bracers.
Its cuz, when playing with another cold EP monk, both the cold EP's wont stack normally, and if the other monks cold EP is up, ur SSS wont trigger any explosions, but if ur using Madstone, the madstone will replace his cold EPs with urs and therefor trigger explosions. Same with the other monk ofc, he'll also use Madstone for the same reason.
They do stack and you can see the difference in color even if you use the same cold rune. Tested it myself.
Yeah, it seems to me that with the fire rune now stacking the DoT from EP, it would be a better option than the cold rune. I will definitely be testing this out this season.
Edit: Retracted
If Quin did not already state this, DO NOT PUT ANY CRITICAL HIT CHANCE ON YOUR GEAR. If you haven't already seen the video, critical hit chance actually reduces up time on your Broken Promises cube passive, therefore reducing the overall damage you deal.
Is it better to have area damage or cooldown reduction on the weapons?
Or is it enough to have it on shoulders, rings and hands?
Well from what I noticed you often have to attack like 4-5 seconds before you get the broken promise buff again.
So maybe Quin is right with not getting CDR on the weapons as I notice I often need to wait till it procs while ideally you want to spam it directly again.
This build is simply phenomenal (and a little broken, but I'm okay with that). When first got all the gear, I relegated a Barb friend from spinning to kill mobs to spinning to gather them up for me. Definitely worth swapping a madstone for spirit guards for T10 bounty/rift farming. I'm using insight instead of desert shroud. And considering dropping F&R for zodiac and...something. Maybe SoJ if I could ever find a decent one. Could probably get rid of the generator altogether and have a mantra and inner sanctuary both. Just for farming though.