Now that 600/smite is gone...

Should I sell my Monk's starter armor? I still have those old 5 AL pieces and wonder if it's finally time to get rid of them.

If i'm not mistaken 600/smite is still doable, but with a human smiter instead. However, i don't know if it's effective, nor if you'd like to farm with another person.

I still do it, or rather I have done it. Only difference is that it is a bit slower. Can still use a hero, micromanaged successfully, but for the most part it can do everything it used to be able to do.

Given it's still possible, you might as well keep it if you have the space. I don't see it coming back to what it was so if you need the inventory slots git rid of it. The difference in AL between the starter set and the lowest craftable set is negligible anyway.

use it for 55 armor

Um, no, Kanen. 55 armor should have max AL.

No it doesn't matter. You are wrong. You rely on Prot Spirit to keep your damage down NOT your armor.

Unless it was a really weak npcs that did less than 5 damage

Which brings up the question: What are you doing using 55 to farm something that does less than 5 damage, and for that matter, what are you doing doing farming something at all that does less than 5 damage? xD

I saw a person doing 600 CoF runs, although I wasn't really sure how. Haven't looked into it really.

600 is doable. ive seen more Mo/A now though. deadly paradox, shadow form, prot spirit, spirit bond, shield of absorption, essence bond, ebon assassin and finish him.

the smiter uses balth spirit, retribution, essence bond, vital blessing. maintain those and precast holy wraith and shield of judement before running in. rebirth if 600 dies. blessed signet for energy.

bit more of a pain, but it works and gets the job done

As well explained in the good old "Big Necro Farming Guide", the armor level for 55's matters whether you use Spirit Bond or not. If you don't use Spirit Bond, then it doesn't matter what AL your armor has. If you do use it, then you want to maximize the damage you take before Protective Spirit, which is the damage taken into account by Spirit Bond. If the damage before PS is bigger, Spirit Bond will trigger more frequently, and you will be healed more.

This. You can always buy a set of 15AL armor if the need arises.