It is up to personal preference whether to run 600/smite or 55/SS. Really.
If you want to lengthen your e-peen and play HM, pick 600.
If you wanna do something else meanwhile (i.e.: read a book, write a book, cook, do homework), pick 600. (also applies for your partner)
If you don't like to think, pick 600.
If your partner is new to GW, pick 600.
If you have a pet monkey, pick 600 and teach him to smite.
If you want to think you are good, pick 600.
@Arguments about expansiveness: Bullshit. Yes, you need a -50 cesta. But you can get one for free by doing the quest, which isn't too hard considering it's a lvl 8-10 area and you're level 20, and have heroes. Still, if you have problems completing it, I suggest dropping the 55 idea and play 600 instead. As for runes, during Prophecies, each of them costed 20K+ each, and starting to 55 could be quite an investment. But now that they're not even worth 1K anymore, it is quite pathetic to use that as an argument. And the 600 needs equipment too (weapon, runes, insignias). And no 55 doesn't have "far more expansive armor". You can buy the same armor a 600 would, as long as you put runes in it.
@Lifesteal: More bullshit. Yes, it goes through Protective Spirit. But guess what? There's this thing they called "adaptation" which is like, the reason why the human species survived, or so I have heard. "Adaptation" as in, when there's a problem you find a solution, you know? Bone Pits in UW is full of Life Steal and enchantment removal. Did that prevent me from clearing it with 55? Yes. I said goodbye to UW and never attempted it again.
NOT. I just thought "hey, i'll just use constant SB." And before that, I thought "hey, i'll just make my hp a little higher." You know?
In fact, most of what Asha Rai said is BS. If 600 "needs 3 skills to survive", then so does 55 (PS + HB + SoA). Both need Balt's Spirit and will take Blessed Aura. Now you could say "but the Smiter can take that". That is right. However, 600 requires a lot more energy (Spirit Bond = 10 mana and runs out very quickly), so they will take Essence Bond, whereas 55 doesn't need it. Against a large amount of foes, both builds will do good on energy with Balts Only. However, against smaller groups, 600 would run out and 55 could drop either Breeze or SoA (Breeze will last 22-23s anyways), or even just heal himself with Protective Spirit only. "The biggest advantage of 600 is that you can't mess up aggro"? Are you serious? Are you just trying to find arguments to put 55 down? Like I said earlier, 600 is zombie, brainless farming. You just press 3 buttons at intervals, you don't even have to look at the screen. A player with a minimal amount of skill and knowledge of the game will know how to position foes so that SS damages the whole mob.
There are counters to degen, just like there are counters to life steal or enchantment removal. And CoF is definately doable as 55 HP, but it was popularized as a 600 area because people like to be fed builds and not think of things themselves, and it turns out that 600 is the perfect build for that. I agree with you on this as I would say 600 are those who can't 55.I would go 600 only in a couple of places CoF comes to mind.My Monk isn't set up for 600 only 55,105 or 135.
The -50 cesta is easy to get get friend if you are from another campaign or just do the quest when you get to The Ruins of Surmia mission like I do if you don't have enough char slots and have PvP slot use it to get it.
If you want to lengthen your e-peen and play HM, pick 600.
If you wanna do something else meanwhile (i.e.: read a book, write a book, cook, do homework), pick 600. (also applies for your partner)
If you don't like to think, pick 600.
If your partner is new to GW, pick 600.
If you have a pet monkey, pick 600 and teach him to smite.
If you want to think you are good, pick 600.
@Arguments about expansiveness: Bullshit. Yes, you need a -50 cesta. But you can get one for free by doing the quest, which isn't too hard considering it's a lvl 8-10 area and you're level 20, and have heroes. Still, if you have problems completing it, I suggest dropping the 55 idea and play 600 instead. As for runes, during Prophecies, each of them costed 20K+ each, and starting to 55 could be quite an investment. But now that they're not even worth 1K anymore, it is quite pathetic to use that as an argument. And the 600 needs equipment too (weapon, runes, insignias). And no 55 doesn't have "far more expansive armor". You can buy the same armor a 600 would, as long as you put runes in it.
@Lifesteal: More bullshit. Yes, it goes through Protective Spirit. But guess what? There's this thing they called "adaptation" which is like, the reason why the human species survived, or so I have heard. "Adaptation" as in, when there's a problem you find a solution, you know? Bone Pits in UW is full of Life Steal and enchantment removal. Did that prevent me from clearing it with 55? Yes. I said goodbye to UW and never attempted it again.
NOT. I just thought "hey, i'll just use constant SB." And before that, I thought "hey, i'll just make my hp a little higher." You know?
In fact, most of what Asha Rai said is BS. If 600 "needs 3 skills to survive", then so does 55 (PS + HB + SoA). Both need Balt's Spirit and will take Blessed Aura. Now you could say "but the Smiter can take that". That is right. However, 600 requires a lot more energy (Spirit Bond = 10 mana and runs out very quickly), so they will take Essence Bond, whereas 55 doesn't need it. Against a large amount of foes, both builds will do good on energy with Balts Only. However, against smaller groups, 600 would run out and 55 could drop either Breeze or SoA (Breeze will last 22-23s anyways), or even just heal himself with Protective Spirit only. "The biggest advantage of 600 is that you can't mess up aggro"? Are you serious? Are you just trying to find arguments to put 55 down? Like I said earlier, 600 is zombie, brainless farming. You just press 3 buttons at intervals, you don't even have to look at the screen. A player with a minimal amount of skill and knowledge of the game will know how to position foes so that SS damages the whole mob.
There are counters to degen, just like there are counters to life steal or enchantment removal. And CoF is definately doable as 55 HP, but it was popularized as a 600 area because people like to be fed builds and not think of things themselves, and it turns out that 600 is the perfect build for that. I agree with you on this as I would say 600 are those who can't 55.I would go 600 only in a couple of places CoF comes to mind.My Monk isn't set up for 600 only 55,105 or 135.
The -50 cesta is easy to get get friend if you are from another campaign or just do the quest when you get to The Ruins of Surmia mission like I do if you don't have enough char slots and have PvP slot use it to get it.
but most monks couldnt play my build:
