How to Beat: Pesky Mergoyles and thier Soul Shackles (w/ a smiting monk)

Mergoyles are pretty annoying with soul shackles. If you don't know what that is--for basically the whole time you're fighting them every attack (EVEN DEFAULT) will cost you 5 energy. So how do you not run out of energy?

There is one extremely easy way to counter these guys and that is, to not fight!

If you're a monk or have a monk secondary, whatever you just have to use a few moves and you're set.

1: Balthazar's Aura -- KEY - Mergoyles have pathetic attacks so really they won't do much dmg. Each time they attack you gain 1 energy.

2: Zealot's Fire -- KEY - With this you do not have to attack! Just sit there, take a beating and heal yourself over and over. You will regain energy, and everytime you heal all of the mergoyles surrounding you will take about 50 fire damage if you have points into smiting.

3: Symbol of Wrath -- If you have this, which you should if you're a monk, use this first.. only 5 energy and it does decent damage. Then let your energy regen.

EDIT: 4: Blathazar's Aura -- This is a droknar's forge level spell so most won't have it at this level but in any case, it also rocks 20 x 10 seconds in a point blank area.
__________________________________________________ ___

The second option would be to just have a warrior run in and kill them, but if you're trying to solo what I've put in will help. I am personally a lvl 20 E/Mo and with this setup I can kill literally 20+ mergoyles all at the same time--and never run out of energy. No other profession can do that.

Anyway I just thought I'd share my info. As I was just out looting I thought hey why not share this info with others who may not be familiar with these moves.

GL and good looting.

this would be great if the mergoyles were not ranged attackers...zealots/wrath are AOE spells, thus u may only hit a few at time, and they always attack in large groups, but yes it does work well enough, but i usally just hack and slash'em, as i do 60+ a hit to them

Um... not really true there. Any charachter that doesn't use ATTACKS can do it. Casting an attack spell is NOT an attack. An elementalist could use any or all of their skills, firebal, inferno, pheonix, etc. and not take the energy hit. I dont lose energy on casting with my necro either, so I can summon minions and they can kill the mergoyles, and I will have plenty of energy. The way that casters lose the energy is they forget to interupt their attacks so that you aren't using your puny wand attack inbetween spells. That causes energy loss.

The only professions that cant do it, are those that actually attack. Like a warrior with a sword, any sword attack will cause that energy loss, this tends not to be a problem for most warriors as they rely more heavily on adrenaline, but it will take them to 0 energy very fast so the mergoyles can get them with mind wrack.

Hmmm I was pretty sure that an elementalist (since I am one) loses +5 when they use a spell.

Anyway I'm not saying just do pure damage output.. Yeah you could do that, but I know alot of people have trouble with em so I'm offering some advice.

And as to the whole "not being in the AOE" deal--you just have to run away with them chasing.. they'll clump up. Run back, and do your damage. Piece of cake.

Actually, I can solo mergoyles with my E/Me 17 fairly easily, I just have to be careful. I generally get them to clump, turn around and Fire Storm them, then run into their midst and Inferno and then Lava Font spam. I can usually remove them while still above 30 Energy. If I need to, I also cast the Earth Armor (or whatever it's called) for larger groups.

And, no, casting spells at them does not constitute an attack and does not cause you to lose 5 energy from Soul Shackles.

I do like your combination though, sysfailur... it will be good for those monks who can't do a ton of AoE damage.

As Elemental/unimportant I use only magic until I run out and then I just attack normal. My attack does 15 to 20 dmg per hit anyway so given the speed of attack vs. casting time for my spells it only works out to a small loss in dmg.