Henchie monking

Hi,

I just recently made a monk toon, after having played almost all the other
professions in prophecies and factions, I wanted to see what it was like.

Wow this is kind of hard, right now I am on the island at the second mish
doing quests(lvl14), I have been with only henchies so far and up till this area
everything was cool. I am looking for any pointers, tips, suggestions on
how to handle monking with henchies. The bird-men in this area make a
bee-line for me, so I am trying to get the henchies on the right target and
keep going to new ones but I am needing to heal, so it gets kind of crazy,
so what are the secrets to monking with henchies?????

This profession is one you need to keep up with things fast, I am near panic
when I see 3 guys with degen, another kiting on me and two warriors headed
straight at me.

Also could someone explain how the "healing touch" skill works, says
health gain from divine favor is double, I don't see double the health when
I use this skill ?????

thx a bunch...
I hope to be an actual monk someday, I think there new armor is way-cool...

Healing touch doubles the amount of divine favour you receive, i'm not sure if you notice it. But it works...

A few pointers:

Stay out of the aggro range, when your with people the tanks should be at the very edge of your aggro circle.

Don't use skills that require too much energy, otherwise you'll run out too quick.

Healing seed is godly in nearly every direct way possible.

Healing touch doubles the divine favor bonus only, so it will show only if you have attribute points in Divine Favor.

As for using henchen, it's a bit annoying. You can't just call a target and move back, the henchies will fall back too. I usually bite it : if the mob's not too big, I just attack first, and hope Little Thom will get more aggro than me. Otherwise, I find casting Aegis just before the 1st opponent enters my aggro range a good solution. The (relatively) long casting times stops me from entering targeting range, but since I haven't technically broken off the attack, the henchies will continue to rush. Aegis usually kicks in right when melee contact is made, too.

You can get the henchmen to attack first easily. Just stand slightly outside aggro range and call a target, the warriors will run to it first, even if you just stand there or move back a bit, and don't attack at all yourself.

Which target you call also affects it, if you call a target right at the back (like the healer of the group), the warriors will run straight past the other enemies (like the warriors of the group), and 90% of the time these warriors will then run to you. They don't see a henchman running past them as a threat, and go for the juicy characters like the little monk at the back. So call a warrior first so that the henchmen get the aggro, then change the target, the henchmen will all change target immediately when you call one.

Henchmen are very easy to control, much better than the average PUG

Hey thanks for the suggestions, I really appreciate feedback, got all
weekend to lvl up my monk, get some more skills and have a blast.

thx.....

Started my Monk 4 days ago and finished the island quests/missions now. Moved on to the mainland am now it aint so much fun any more Henchies are not that great for some reason here. They attack but still get pwned in most of the fights

I have tried running with a few human groups now to get some quests done to get the last lvl but it seems impossible! The 3 groups I was with were aggro'ing too much and expecting to be healed!

My biggest problem at the moment is energy running out too fast and the groups. I am running Divine Boon to get the added healing bonus and basically just spamming Orison of Healing and Healing light (cost 5 energy) and even thus I can't keep up. Anyone have some pointers for the mainland as well?

Don't use Divine Boon in a normal healing build, in Boon Prot, it works. Otherwise you are too prone to overhealing in my opinion. What secondary are you? If you're Mo/Me then try Revealed Hex, Drain Enchantment, etc.... As they allow for a quick energy boost.

Expect people to over aggro, alot. Sometimes it just happens, without reason, even. I've seen aggro spread into mobs that weren't even on my mini map, in areas where it should have never happened. You just haved to be prepared and watching whats going on.

Henchies, are well henchies. They only do what you tell them to. I find trying to pull usually useless, though sometimes its worth the trouble of bothering. Namely if you can pull the henchies off the mob quickly enough, to avoid aggroing them too far in. Be sure to call your targets, with CTRL so that the henchies will concentrate on the target.

Also, please for the love of god do not spam Healing Breeze, Heal Party, Heal Other, or any of the other high costing spells. Sometimes they can be usefull, but you shouldn't come anywhere near to relying on them.

So I should drop Divine Boon for the time being while I am busy with the quests/mission then? What is a good set of skills to have loaded in my bar for healing?

I'll give the calling of target a try and see how it goes, mostly when I am out with the henchies, I run Smiting instead of healing. Though not enough damage as of yet.

I have set Me as 2nd prof for the time being, what are the good enery recover skills to use?

In PvE the 4 pips of regen is generally good enough if you stick to 5 energy spells. In areas with low enchant removals, Vigours spirit is awesome, especially now that it's been buffed. You can throw that on the entire party and then use Dwaynas Kiss for great heals, and it's been buffed as well.

Instead of attacking just target the enemy. CTRL+SHIFT+Space Bar.

I'm not sure where you've been Monking, or perhaps i've been overhealing more often than i've imagined, but the 4 pips of regen isn't always enough. Under heavy conditions its nowhere near enough, maybe if your party is competent, then it is. As we all know though, more often than not PUGs / henchies over aggro.

So...I would say take some energy management, in your case this limits you a good bit, as you are still playing through the story line. Things like: Inspired / Revealed Hex, Drain Enchantment, Energy Tap..etc.... Though when you can get to a point where you can capture elites more easily, if these are even available in Factions.... You can use Mantra of Recall, Energy Drain, etc...for Mesmers, and once your able to keep yourself alive alittle better, which can be alittle more difficult than you would think, then I suggest you try out Offering of Blood, I <3 it.

Woe.The guy is justgetting started in way to Monking let not throw him into pvp/gvg yet.You don't need boon and any secoundary will do and heal other is a good skill untill you get word,healing breeze is fine as well untill you get close to level 20 and learn how to use touch for self heals and use orisons the best healing skill in the game.I would suggest not useing henchie monks and use some heals that will keep other henches alive even if it is mending.

I used this on Stefan around Ascalon and we did fine so you might want to try that if you have it.This is on the pre Island of factions so you might want to be carefull on which one you pick and what level.It just takes time to work with them and be gratefull you have more to choose from than prophecies char. did.

You would use heal other under50% of health.

Why not use the secondary? Its not like the starter island wasn't designed for you to get used to the primary and secondary, or anything /sarcasm

Quote:

I'll never part with my wittle orison ^^ Rather get rid of something I don't need like a rez skill or my 6th slot (usually something stupid that I never use like prot. spirit or heal party)
My build so far (-45 attr. points)

12 Healing (9+1+2)
6 Protection (5+1)
Divine Favor (11+1)

Skill Layout:
1) Orison of Healing
2) Word of Healing/Mark of Protection
3) Dwayna's Kiss
4) Healing Touch
5) Healing Breeze
6) Heal Other
7) Resurrection Signet/Power Drain/Rebirth/ect.
8) Divine Boon
Orison of Healing: 5e/1c/2r
Good for quick heals, like when someone is down a quarter of health, cheap to use, and easily spammable.

Heal Other: 10e/.75c/3r
Really good in a pinch, with a divine favor of 12 and 12 healing prayers, you can easily bring someone up to full health when they are near death.

Healing Breeze: 10e/1c/2r
Not much use as a healing spell, but a good counter to someone who just stepped on a trap (oops)

Mark of Protection/Word of Healing (Take out the 5 for prot if you take the later):
MoP (10e/1c/45r = Good for negating damage, and if the warrior over aggro'd, just tell him to run and throw this on him, good prot monk skill;
WoH (5e/.75c/4r) = Really good fast heal, probably better than heal other in many cases.

Healing Touch: 5e/.75c/5r
Self heal, nuff said

Dwaynas Kiss: 5e/1c/3r
Very nice spam heal spell, should be brought by all monks. Same cast, energy and recharge as orison, but can easily heal for way more. If you put healing breeze on that person who just ran over the trap, cast this right after to bring them back to full health.

Divine Boon (optional): 5e/.25c/1r
If you have a good feel for you healing abilitys, this can easily be a great skill. I usually only need to use Heal Other or Word of Healing on someone when they are near dead. The -1e can hurt a bit, but you can make up for it, as .33e per second isn't alot

Resurrection Signent (optional): 3r (only if signet has failed)
Healing Monks aren't the ones who are supposed to resurrect people, but if you feel guilty for the idiotic warrior who ran accross 3 mobs and died with his ascalon armor on, bring it just to show him how much you have to heal him most of the time by calling out your healing spells on him.

If your secondary is a mesmer, I suggest bringing power drain, as the energy + interupt are very useful.

Please tell me what I should fix. Its been working for me very well for most of the game, even better when I got MoP ^^

I've henched my way as a monk through both Tyria and Cantha; once you learn how to use them, it's ridiculously easy in most places.

I use Ethereal Light, Heal Party, Dwayna's Kiss, Orison of Healing, Healing Seed, Inspired Hex, Mantra of Recall, Rebirth. A fine PvE build, as far as I can tell--it took me throughout both games with little to no difficulty.

As has been stated, call targets, let your henches get the aggro before you do, and LEARN TO KITE. This is VITAL. If there are enemy warriors closing in on you, move away. Move toward Devona or Little Thom or Lukas or whoever else--it's not hard to get the enemies to switch off their aggro to them.

I have just about completely learned to dislike Divine Boon for a normal Boon Healer. I just over heal too much with it, not to mention all the enchantment stripping in Cantha.

I personally use:

Healing Prayers - 12 + 3 + 1
Blood Magic - 10
Divine Favor - 8 + 1

1. Offering of Blood
2. Orison of Healing
3. Healing Whisper
4. Dwayna's Kiss
5. Heal Other
6. Healing Touch
7. Remove Hex
8. Purge Condition

Hi,

Had an excellent weekend, got my monk all the way to Raisu Palace,
learned a couple of things along the way in general, as a healer you
can't really add to the damage, so you are at the mercy of the damage
dealers in how fast you go, but I do like the fact that the fate of the
group is now in my hands, dang those assassins take heavy damage hits.
I went with these skills most of the time :

1. Orison of healing (heavliy used)
2. Reversal of fortune (heavliy used)
3. Healing seed (great skill, remember to use it)
4. Heal party (emergency heal)
5. Jamei's Gaze (works great, but cost 10 en.)
6. Mend Ailment (not always needed)
7. Resurrect (great no energy rez)
8. Aegis (works good, save for when needed, long re-charge)

I tried protective spirit a little, seems good to, but costs 15en......

-thx all.......

I am talking when we were all at level 14 around Lions Arch or maybe a little further on we didn't have any elites then so it was Orisons and Heal Other as with Orisons you can use it as self heal.This is when we still used healing breeze and don't say you didn't.Yes I read about Dywana's Kiss but that is for hexes and for other ally not target.When I heal my bar looks like this.

1.Orisons
2.Word of healing
3.Mend Condition was ailment
4.Healing touch
5.Heal Party
6.Healing seed
7.Bonetti's,Watchyourself or res sig
8.Restorelife

I use a res sig in missions that might reqiure one like THK or Hells Precipice.

I don't think Orison's done yet... since you can still cast it on yourself. :P

That and Healing Touch can keep you alive pretty good. And if you have a long bow or something you can call targets for the henchies without getting the first hit aimed at you.

Quote:

hench are great!

i use hench for everything, i even used my 14 monk with hench for cap son quest, ended with 40 dp tho

It took me about an hour last night to do Mayhem in the Marker with my Monk Took the henchies in the end since all the other chars there were lower level than me (18). I was seriously on the verge of axing my monk when I couldn't get past all the afflicted!

Made it past them in the end, got to the last res shrine, 60DP and then just killed off 1 enemy at a time until I could run through.

Did the missions and felt a whole lot better about my monk again

My only problem though is that it seems to take forever to cast healing spells. Battled a few times to keep people alive I am going to need some good healing spells though...