"Best" Weapon & Armor + Mods For PvE?

I just started a couple of weeks ago, and am now level 20 with max armor.

I would like some advice on what would be considered the best "general" all-purpose PvE armor modications for a hybrid healing monk using Word of Healing.

I am quite confused regarding runes, mods, inscriptions, and weapon types to choose from. People are always using abbreviations and symbols and such to decribe what they use (like this thread: http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...hp?t=10287759). I would really appreciate it if someone could put down the exact names of the mods, runes, inscriptions I should use on each piece of armor for best efficiency in general PvE environments.

Also, which weapon (Staff or Wand & Offhand) should I be using? Which weapon mods are best for my type of Monk? What weapon mod(s?) should I be putting on my weapon?

For armor I go with

Survivor Healing Headset of minor healing prayers
Survivor Chest piece of Superiro Vigor
Survivor Gloves of minor divine favour
Survivor pants of minor Protection Prayer
Survivor Boots of vitae

The last 3 runes Im not too sure about, its what I use but others probably use different. This should give you alot of HP, and 7 less energy than using radiant insignia's.

Ideal Weapons would be these I think. Im gonna use abbreviations:

HCT=Half cast time
HSR=Half skill recharge

1.Spear with +5 energy and 20% longer enchants, Shield with +10 armor vs xx type of damage(fire, slashing, things that you are likely to come up against) and +30hp

2.Protection staff with 40% hCT of protection prayers, 20% longer enchants, 20% half skill recharge

3. Healing wand with 20% HCT healing, 20% HSR healing.
Healing Offhand with 20% HCT healing, 20% HSR healing.

4. Healing wand with +15 energy/-1 regen.
Healing offhand with +15 energy/ - 1 regen

Other mods on weapon set 4 would probably be +30hp on the offhand and HSR on the wand maybe, idk. Your supposed to use set 1 when not casting, and use set 2 for your prot and set 3 for your Word of healing/healing prayers. If your lazy like me you might not want to switch weapons every time you cast lol

It all depends on what build you are using. If you are using a build that is more demanding energywise, you may need more radiant insignias. The runes you use will be determined by what attributes your build uses. The same goes for your weapon mods. I actually have 3 sets of armor right now that I swap between (I'm sure most of the guys around here have more than that). The beauty of GW is that your gaming experience can be very varied by changing your secondary profession and build to provide a drastically different experience.

I am a Monk/Ele and my bar is:

Guardian
Reversal of Fortune
Patient Spirit
Word of Healing
Cure Hex
Dismiss Condition
Aegis
Glyph of Lesser Energy

Thank you so much so far for the advice, especially that 2nd post, as I do not know enough to really make up my own mind as to whats best now I will do basically exactly what you have posted.

Quote: Originally Posted by XDeadboltX

Yeah good point Tyla.

Also when Iv put spear, it can be a sword or an axe too, as long as its a one handed weapon, so then you can put the mods on it.

Rhaegor, there is a monk guide stickied at the top of the monk forum. If you look at the second post of that, it has all you need to know about weapons in more detail than I wrote.

Quote: <Profession> Rune of Minor <Attribute> Minor / Blue <Attribute> +1 (Non-stacking)
<Profession> Rune of Major <Attribute> Major / Purple <Attribute> +2 (Non-stacking)
Health -35
<Profession> Rune of Superior <Attribute> Superior / Gold <Attribute> +3 (Non-stacking)
Health -75 Above you stated that you would use a rune of minor healing prayers. Why would you not use the Superior Healing Prayers rune for +3 healing? Is 75 HP a big deal for a Monk who shouldn't be tanking anyway? Enough to justify losing 2 points from the Healing attribute?

Quote: Originally Posted by Rhaegor Stormborn

Being on almost every character in the game, you will want as high of an HP total as possible. The -75 to your health is usually more health lost than what will be gained in damage you'd do or health you'd heal for.
Quote: Originally Posted by Tyla

Quote: Originally Posted by Rhaegor Stormborn

Quote: Originally Posted by Rhaegor Stormborn Above you stated that you would use a rune of minor healing prayers. Why would you not use the Superior Healing Prayers rune for +3 healing? Is 75 HP a big deal for a Monk who shouldn't be tanking anyway? Enough to justify losing 2 points from the Healing attribute?
I ran a sup rune for about 1 and a half years. I made the change to minor and never looked back. The good thing is you can use this armor for pvp since you will have more hp. It will also help when you come to do Hardmode. Sometimes when I get bored monking ill run in and slash at the enemies hitting 1's and the occasional 3 on critical hits lol, but the hp helps there

I realise sup runes can save a little bit of energy but it isnt that much. And if Im out of energy its because the mob isnt dying quick enough, or Iv over-aggroed which is bad. I looked at [patient [email protected]] and the difference is [patient [email protected]] . [word of [email protected]] is [word of [email protected]], which I dont think is that much, not worth me giving up 75hp anyway. You could always settle inbetween and go for a major rune?

On the insignia's, Iv not tried it but the ones that give +10 armor against physical might be decent.

If u have 2 headpieces, one with superior and 1with minor, go ahead use the superior, and if u get dp change to the minor. This is for nm and some easy hm places.

Once u are in elite areas and hm, u most likely appreciate the +75hp.

Quote: Originally Posted by Rhaegor Stormborn

Quote: 2.Protection staff with 40% hCT of protection prayers, 20% longer enchants, 20% half skill recharge Where does one get a 40% HCT, 20% Long Enchants, 20% HSR Protection Staff? I see 20% HCT and 20% HSR from collectors, but I have no idea where to begin looking for one with 40% and the enchant duration modifier.

Is the enchant duration modifier an inscription or something that I would put on after I got a 40%/20% staff?

I have been using this list as my weapon guide resource: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/List_...lector_weapons

I just got my staff like number 2. You need:

Staff head of aptitude (20% Half cast time)
"Aptitude not attitude" inscription (20% Half cast time)
Enchants staff wrapping (20% enchants)

The staff should automatically have Half skill recharge of all spells 20%

Thank you! I didn't realize they were upgrades. Staff Head of Adept and Staff Wrapping of Enchanting.

Now to figure out where the best place to find these weapon upgrades...

Is there an "Upgrade Trader" similar to the "Rune Trader"? I have not seen one ever, but I can't understand why there would not be a trader for Upgrades and Inscriptions as well?

Quote: Originally Posted by Rhaegor Stormborn

Here's the status quo on monk equipment, but feel free to deviate as you see fit:

Weapons:
1. Heal Set: 20/20 healing wand & 20/20 healing focus
2. Prot Set: 40/20 20%enchantment prot staff
3. Emergency Set: +15/-1 20%HSR healing wand & +15/-1 +30hp focus
4. Shield Set: +5e +30hp martial weapon (sword, axe, or spear) & 16AL +30hp +10AL(vs. damage type of choice) shield

Runes: minor healing, minor prot, minor DF, sup. vigor, vitae
Insignias: all survivor


There's the status quo in a nuthshell. But like I said, this is PvE, so please feel free to deviate and do whatever suits you.

Quote: Originally Posted by Rhaegor Stormborn