So this is what I'm running in PVE atm:
[skill]Ray of Judgment[/skill][skill]Banish[/skill][skill]Scourge Healing[/skill][skill]Smite Hex[/skill][skill]Judge's Insight[/skill][skill]Reversal of Damage[/skill][skill]Bane Signet[/skill][skill]Glyph of Lesser Energy[/skill]
Yes, it seems like a random selection of smiting spells put on a bar with no real synergy because thats what it is. The recharges are a bit long but are lessened by using dual 20/20 wand/focus combos.
The other build I run on occasion is:
[skill]Signet of Judgment[/skill][skill]Signet of Mystic Wrath[/skill][skill]Signet of Rage[/skill][skill]Bane Signet[/skill][skill]Signet of Humility[/skill][skill]Blessed Signet[/skill][skill]Mantra of Inscriptions[/skill][skill]Retribution[/skill]
Retribution damage can add up, but I feel like I'm missing some real aoe damage here.
Can anyone see ways to improve these builds that don't involve specing in to healing/protection? Or have any useful PVE smiting builds themselves? I can't find any real combos that don't cause scatter (zealots, balths aura etc).
PVE Smiter
cellardweller
GrooveSalad
I've been running a smite build similar to your second one:
Signet of Judgment {E}
Bane Signet
Leech Signet
Banish
Smite
Spear of Light
Mantra of Inscriptions
Smite Hex
Smiting Prayers: 15
Inspiration Magic: 12
Divine Favor: 5 (I had a leftover major rune on, this can be 0)
It seems to work rather well but I'm still looking for ways to improve it (mainly a replacement for banish). It's nothing special but it IS good fun
. Hope this helps.
Signet of Judgment {E}
Bane Signet
Leech Signet
Banish
Smite
Spear of Light
Mantra of Inscriptions
Smite Hex
Smiting Prayers: 15
Inspiration Magic: 12
Divine Favor: 5 (I had a leftover major rune on, this can be 0)
It seems to work rather well but I'm still looking for ways to improve it (mainly a replacement for banish). It's nothing special but it IS good fun
. Hope this helps.
Faer
Dropping Humility and Rage from the second build and slapping in Watchful Spirit and Holy Wrath might be nice. It's not like you'll be tanking anyway, so you won't have to worry about losing energy from Holy Wrath all that often, and with three enchantments on you constantly, Mystic Wrath will be much more effective.
Smiting in PvE generally isn't all that effective, but kudos to you for giving it a go (not many people even think about trying it, much less do it).
Smiting in PvE generally isn't all that effective, but kudos to you for giving it a go (not many people even think about trying it, much less do it).
jkyarr
Quote:
Originally Posted by Faer
Smiting in PvE generally isn't all that effective, but kudos to you for giving it a go (not many people even think about trying it, much less do it). I've made my GW career out of being a Smiting Monk so thanks for the validation.
I'll readily agree that parties get more use from a healing/prot/div fav monk than a smiting monk, since there are plenty of other professions to deal the damage and not as many to do the healing, but that shouldn't discount the soloing affectiveness of a good old smite monk! No I can't smite my way through all 3 chapters. I do have to trade out rarely and protect while my heroes and henchies deal the damage, but seeing as how I have to call the targets during solo play I'd just as soon get my smite on!
I soloed (with heroes and henchies) Varesh with a smite monk on the first try. With the Lightbringer skills it incentivises primary monks to go the smiting route. Maybe I did it the hard way, but it sure beat standing around tending red bars and pretending to be a secondary line while I still had to call targets and spam Lightbringer's Gaze.
Smite monks are just as effective damage dealers as the other caster classes (save elementalists and maybe a few Necro builds). It may not be popular, but I just got to be me!!
GrooveSalad
That SoMW thing you've got going on in the second bar in conjunction with Faer's suggestions seems rather intriguing, I'll have to give that a shot later. Smiting is a great deal of fun, especially when you have guildies/alliance members who are awesome enough to let you go with whatever skill bar you want to bring. I used to be a healer and I'll admit it's always fun to see a stupidly large blue number over someone's head (toyed around with AoF for a while) but it's boring after a while. I'd suggest any monk looking for something new to try out smiting, usefulness be damned. It's just good clean fun.
cellardweller
Hurrah for replies! I was worried this thread would slip off the front page without any 
. Good to see other people know that you haven't lived till you've played a smite monk though the desolation *moans slightly at the thought of the lovely numbers*
With regards to the Humitilty&Rage for Watchful and Wrath, I have Tainted Flesh and Aegis on my Hero/Henches so SoMW is already maxed out, but it would be a good switch otherwise.
One thing that I do worry about is, which do you think does more damage - maintaining Retribution 8 team members or Holy Wrath on 4 and playing with 0 energy? Mantra of inscriptions is the only thing that needs energy and because it lasts 1 full minute you could last through most fights without needing to re-apply it.
Edit: Or maybe it would be better to be a resonably responsible citizen and bring [skill]signet of devotion[/skill] instead
. Good to see other people know that you haven't lived till you've played a smite monk though the desolation *moans slightly at the thought of the lovely numbers*With regards to the Humitilty&Rage for Watchful and Wrath, I have Tainted Flesh and Aegis on my Hero/Henches so SoMW is already maxed out, but it would be a good switch otherwise.
One thing that I do worry about is, which do you think does more damage - maintaining Retribution 8 team members or Holy Wrath on 4 and playing with 0 energy? Mantra of inscriptions is the only thing that needs energy and because it lasts 1 full minute you could last through most fights without needing to re-apply it.
Edit: Or maybe it would be better to be a resonably responsible citizen and bring [skill]signet of devotion[/skill] instead
Yannick of Avo
This one is rather fun too, it can pretty much kill your general warrior easiely 
Just use SoJ then Holy Strike then Bane signet then Soustone Strike if your lucky you have done about 300 dmg, that's quite nice. Only problem is the recharge, you have to wait a while before you can do the chain again.(20 sec)
[skill]Signet of Judgment[/skill][skill]Bane Signet[/skill][skill]Holy Strike[/skill][skill]Stonesoul Strike[/skill][skill]Spear of Light[/skill][skill]Smite Hex[/skill][skill]Watchful Healing[/skill][skill]Contemplation of Purity[/skill]
Just use SoJ then Holy Strike then Bane signet then Soustone Strike if your lucky you have done about 300 dmg, that's quite nice
. Only problem is the recharge, you have to wait a while before you can do the chain again.(20 sec)[skill]Signet of Judgment[/skill][skill]Bane Signet[/skill][skill]Holy Strike[/skill][skill]Stonesoul Strike[/skill][skill]Spear of Light[/skill][skill]Smite Hex[/skill][skill]Watchful Healing[/skill][skill]Contemplation of Purity[/skill]
Cebe
Although I rolled out a real monk, I decided to start another a while back, Pimp Jimmy, just for smiting. I've been playing around with a few builds recently though still not found one I REALLY like yet, though the first one comes close:
[skill]Zealot's Fire[/skill][skill]Auspicious Incantation[/skill][skill]Balthazar's Aura[/skill][skill]Bane Signet[/skill][skill]Spear of Light[/skill][skill]Ray of Judgment[/skill][skill]Reversal of Damage[/skill][skill]Smite Hex[/skill]
Notes:Aucpicious Incantation can be used on either Balthazar's Aura or Ray of Judgement for a nice amount of energy gain...since it's skill change I find Auspicious Incantation to be awesome. No res...I know....Pimp Jimmy doesn't DO res.
Not sure I get enough out of Zealot's Fire - any other ideas for this slot?
Also tried this build with Word of Censure, which is "ok"...I just like Ray of Judgement.
Sometimes I will try to work in Scourge Enchantment when I go to Elona. I love Scourge Enchantment, fantastic skill.
Weapon: Ferverborn Staff, I find it useful for the +20% enchantments
Attributes: Smiting 12 + 1 + 3, Inspiration 12, Divine Favor 3 + 1
Armor: All +energy armor, ferverborn staff gives me +20 energy, I have 60 energy in total
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[skill]Martyr[/skill][skill]Plague Sending[/skill][skill]Well of Blood[/skill][skill]Life Siphon[/skill][skill]Blood Bond[/skill][skill]Reversal of Damage[/skill][skill]Smite Hex[/skill][skill]Bane Signet[/skill]
This was a build I tried using a while back...it was "ok"...although stunning in the echivold forest for removing conditions from wardens traps etc... More party support than the above one...though doesn't do that much.
[skill]Zealot's Fire[/skill][skill]Auspicious Incantation[/skill][skill]Balthazar's Aura[/skill][skill]Bane Signet[/skill][skill]Spear of Light[/skill][skill]Ray of Judgment[/skill][skill]Reversal of Damage[/skill][skill]Smite Hex[/skill]
Notes:Aucpicious Incantation can be used on either Balthazar's Aura or Ray of Judgement for a nice amount of energy gain...since it's skill change I find Auspicious Incantation to be awesome. No res...I know....Pimp Jimmy doesn't DO res.
Not sure I get enough out of Zealot's Fire - any other ideas for this slot?
Sometimes I will try to work in Scourge Enchantment when I go to Elona. I love Scourge Enchantment, fantastic skill.
Weapon: Ferverborn Staff, I find it useful for the +20% enchantmentsAttributes: Smiting 12 + 1 + 3, Inspiration 12, Divine Favor 3 + 1
Armor: All +energy armor, ferverborn staff gives me +20 energy, I have 60 energy in total
______________________
[skill]Martyr[/skill][skill]Plague Sending[/skill][skill]Well of Blood[/skill][skill]Life Siphon[/skill][skill]Blood Bond[/skill][skill]Reversal of Damage[/skill][skill]Smite Hex[/skill][skill]Bane Signet[/skill]
This was a build I tried using a while back...it was "ok"...although stunning in the echivold forest for removing conditions from wardens traps etc... More party support than the above one...though doesn't do that much.