When are you spread too thin?

This is my first character and I'm at level 13 and starting to get concerned about total skill points and spreading them across my various skills. I am a Monk/Ranger and have been raising 4 skills in sequence: Healing prayers, Smiting prayers, Beastmastery, Marksmanship. Then a read a thread stating that you HAVE to raise the Monk primary skill (can't think of the name) if you want to have a good Monk. So I have the 4 skills I've listed at 6,6,5,5 and have started to raise the Monk primary skill, now at 3. I have a couple runes applied to bring Healing and Smiting Prayers to 7 each but now I'm looking at raising 5 different skills. How high will I be able to raise these skills and am I spreading myself too thin? Also, is there any way of seeing how much damage your pet is doing??? He's 12 and I still wonder if he does anything at all at times. Thanks for any help.

Divine Prayer is what you speak of for the monk. You don't have to raise anything you don't want to. Just make the type of character you want to play, and tweak from there. Please break the mold and don't do what everyone else does. You'll have more fun.

Some Monk related weapons require a certain level of Divine Prayer, but if you don't want to use them then you don't have to meet that level. It sounds like you are going to be using a bow anyway, so you wouldn't need the offhand monk item or weapon anyway.

Well I know what you mean but IMO it happens later rather than earlier..

For example my primary is a e/me and I enjoyed having fire line and dom line
various times I tried mixing in illusion and/or inspiration instead as well

eventually tho (can't remember exactly when) I had to really focus to be all I can be as the missions and challenges ramped up

and its not just attrib points but spots on your bar
ie Signet of Capture(s) take space
as well as with recharge times and circumstances you need options in primary

so eventually I have fire maxxed, energy storage high, and just pumped some cold with the extra to do the following-

great fire nukes diff sizes/powers (meteor storm, fireball, immolate etc)
great energy for laying them out there (and dealing with exhaustion)
try to have one SoC (I'm in the areas elites abound right now)
toss on Maelstorm (using for spell interrupts doesnt need to be pumped)

you may end up with the same, using more of the general (no attribute) skills or ones that dont use a lot (ie gale needs only air magic 5 to be effective)

hope this helps - the beauty is re-spec away
I went all air from fire for a bit and that was just 12 respec points
Didnt quite do what I wanted (singling out powerful pvp, but area killer pve)
Another 12 (didnt even need a single respec back) and I'm all fire again

Do what is fun but I think you will find later on just becoming more specialized do the attribute costs AND the slot limit. In fact I'd say the latter is more telling, if you have 5 different skill lines, how many can you field to make proper use of that line?

Quayte:

One thing to keep in mind is that you can always change your attribute distribution with your refund points which re-accumulate with XP gain.

That being said, learn what works best for you. I tend to have an attribute distribution and skill set for PvE and PvP which I switch back and forth from as needed by the group.

Spreading points out in 4 disciplines is a little tight at your level, best to master 1 or 2 at first and then dabble in the others if you can fit the skills into your build.

After you reach 20 you should look into the 2 quests for 30 extra attribute points as they will give you a little more flexability in your builds.

This Attribute Point Distribution Guide may help.

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...tion-id270.php