I am planning to make a pure healing monk character, putting all my points into divine favour, healing, and protection. I know this isn't gonna make the most effective, balanced character at the end of things, but whatever. i feel like doing it.
In the light of that, what can ppl reccommend as a secondary profession that will give me some ancillary benefits without me needing to put any points into it? I kinda like the idea of having ranger as a secondary, just so i have a pet, but how good is a pet with no points put on beast mastery? Would a mesmer / necro be any good as a secondary here? Do they offer anything 'for free'? what about the bone horror minion things of a necro? Again, as with the ranger pet, are they any good without points put into whatever ability it is that raises them? (i don't want to be an ele secondary, btw, as i have already made an ele primary char, at lvl 20 now)
Thanks for any help
Pure Healer = Mo/?
TomD22
Yellow_lid
My suggestion follows thus: I am definitely bias to the Necro primary. Crank up your soulreaping and healing, equip animate minions, and go for it.
when the minions die they recharge your energy for you. energy with which you can use spell like "heal party" which costs a bunch but recharges almost instantly. Or let someone else do the minion work and you just stand there and look pretty healing whenever someone gets hurt or you have too much E thanx to the minions.
I'm not impressed with divine favor. I think the best primary attributes are soulreaping, and fastcasting.
when the minions die they recharge your energy for you. energy with which you can use spell like "heal party" which costs a bunch but recharges almost instantly. Or let someone else do the minion work and you just stand there and look pretty healing whenever someone gets hurt or you have too much E thanx to the minions.
I'm not impressed with divine favor. I think the best primary attributes are soulreaping, and fastcasting.
TomD22
OK. But i also like the protection stuff a monk can cast, and anyway i've gone and made a pre-searing monk now. So can anyone answer my post above?
Boubou
I'm a Mo/Me (or one of my char is), and I'm not using any skills in the secondary profession. My skill bar is filled with healing skills (so my attributes are Healing & Divine favor).
My char is now in the desert, and I found out that I have no place to use another attribute (i.e. smithing or protection).
So in summary, my answer to your question : don't matter ! Me can be great for the energy stealing (which you may use few time) and it's quite useful spending few points in that attribute. Otherwise, I don't know... everything is energy consuming, and believe me, you have to pay attention to your energy as a healer.
About the divine favor, it is quite useful I find. Divine Boon + Horizon of healing will give a good amount of heal for 7 energy (depending on your divine favor attribute). Every primary profession attribute have their advantages, and I don,t find one better than the other.
My char is now in the desert, and I found out that I have no place to use another attribute (i.e. smithing or protection).
So in summary, my answer to your question : don't matter ! Me can be great for the energy stealing (which you may use few time) and it's quite useful spending few points in that attribute. Otherwise, I don't know... everything is energy consuming, and believe me, you have to pay attention to your energy as a healer.
About the divine favor, it is quite useful I find. Divine Boon + Horizon of healing will give a good amount of heal for 7 energy (depending on your divine favor attribute). Every primary profession attribute have their advantages, and I don,t find one better than the other.
Kiiron
If you're not planning on investing any points into a secondary, but just want innate benefits:
Mo/Me is pretty standard, that way you can get hex breaker (which lasts longer than the recast even with no points in illusion). Mo/R is... well... not really any advantages. Pets are pretty useless for a healing monk, and if it dies your skills are all locked for 4 seconds - which is not what you want happening in the middle of a battle. Mo/N can be good if you want to go with some blood magic and wells, but without any attribute points in necro skills I don't think it would offer any advantages. You don't want to be summoning minions in the middle of a fight, either (plus with no points in death magic they're weaker than tissue paper).
At any rate, as just a divine/heal/prot monk you should pretty much be able to do fine without any secondary skills. I'm a Mo/R and didn't use any ranger skills from Lion's Arch to Droknor's.
And divine favor rules =)
Mo/Me is pretty standard, that way you can get hex breaker (which lasts longer than the recast even with no points in illusion). Mo/R is... well... not really any advantages. Pets are pretty useless for a healing monk, and if it dies your skills are all locked for 4 seconds - which is not what you want happening in the middle of a battle. Mo/N can be good if you want to go with some blood magic and wells, but without any attribute points in necro skills I don't think it would offer any advantages. You don't want to be summoning minions in the middle of a fight, either (plus with no points in death magic they're weaker than tissue paper).
At any rate, as just a divine/heal/prot monk you should pretty much be able to do fine without any secondary skills. I'm a Mo/R and didn't use any ranger skills from Lion's Arch to Droknor's.
And divine favor rules =)
Artemis89
I'm a Mo/Me, and I got my build off this forum. I have 14 healing, minor+hat, 11 divine+ 1 rune and 6 inspiration. The only meZmer skill I use is Channeling, so if I have guys all over me, I get +1 energy from them. If you don't have high Divine Favor, the healing spells won't be effective as much. With 12 Divine, you +30 or so healing added to your healing spells. So if you have Orison, which is 67 points for me, that's 67+36= 103 healing. With Word of Healing ( elite ) if you use it, is same thing as Orison, only when you heal target other ally, and he has under 50% health, it heals an additional 60 or so points, so if you have divine favor, that's about 76+67+36= 179 heal. That's a big amount. I also recommend using Healing Seed on Warrior, or anybody who uses melee combat. With that on them, you won't have to worry about healing them as much as you normally have to. As for armor goes, always use tatoos. They might look terrible, but the energy+ on them is extremely helpful.
Tourist
Setting aside the fact that I think you're completely wrong about divine favor being unimpressive Yellow, you're completely ignoring the point of his post. He's not interested in making a */Mo, he's doing a Monk primary without any points outside divine/healing/protection. So, what makes the best secondary without using any skillpoints?
To the original post, definitely NOT beastmastery. Without any points invested or skills from it your pet will be weak, easily killed, and when it dies your own skills will be locked down for a few seconds. Baaaad. Actually necro may be worth looking at for Well of Blood, although I'm not sure how useful it is at lower levels. Glyph of Lesser Energy might be handy from the elementalist skillset, would let you launch a big heavy heal for cheap. My own healbot monk is a mesmer secondary for Inspiration energy restores(channeling and energy tap, namely), but without some points invested those skills aren't going to be very effective. Arcane Echo would be handy too for throwing down, say, 2 Healing Seeds or anything else with a long recharge time.
To the original post, definitely NOT beastmastery. Without any points invested or skills from it your pet will be weak, easily killed, and when it dies your own skills will be locked down for a few seconds. Baaaad. Actually necro may be worth looking at for Well of Blood, although I'm not sure how useful it is at lower levels. Glyph of Lesser Energy might be handy from the elementalist skillset, would let you launch a big heavy heal for cheap. My own healbot monk is a mesmer secondary for Inspiration energy restores(channeling and energy tap, namely), but without some points invested those skills aren't going to be very effective. Arcane Echo would be handy too for throwing down, say, 2 Healing Seeds or anything else with a long recharge time.
Cartoonhero
my friend is a mo/me, and i have to say this is pretty useful. arcane echo requires no points in anything, and being an "echo healer" has its uses. she can double cast healing seed, and seed two tanks at once, making it doubly effective, she can also double cast other things that have a recharge time. i would say mo/me is your best bet. also there is a hex stealing skill she uses, which lets her steal an enemy hex and use it against them, so shes not completley helpless if something comes at her, she can fight back. thats just my suggestion though. so do whatever you like. 
TomD22
OK, seems ppl are reccommending mesmer mostly, with a few points invested in it. So i'll probably go with that then. I s'pose i kinda knew that pets/minions wouldn't be much use without points towards them really, if i think about it. But good to have it confirmed. I didn't know about pet deaths locking up the skills, so i definity won't be doing that then. Thanks all.
cgobelman
Quote:
Originally Posted by TomD22
I am planning to make a pure healing monk character, putting all my points into divine favour, healing, and protection. I know this isn't gonna make the most effective, balanced character at the end of things, but whatever. i feel like doing it.
In the light of that, what can ppl reccommend as a secondary profession that will give me some ancillary benefits without me needing to put any points into it? I kinda like the idea of having ranger as a secondary, just so i have a pet, but how good is a pet with no points put on beast mastery? Would a mesmer / necro be any good as a secondary here? Do they offer anything 'for free'? what about the bone horror minion things of a necro? Again, as with the ranger pet, are they any good without points put into whatever ability it is that raises them? (i don't want to be an ele secondary, btw, as i have already made an ele primary char, at lvl 20 now)
Thanks for any help I think there's a lot of good advice here. My $0.02 worth is if you're not planning on investing any points into your secondary (I don't either), the choice of secondary profession almost becomes moot. Pick whichever one you like. Once you're ascended, you can always change it later anyway.
Another thing to note is with attribute refund points, you don't have to worry about building a character and then not liking it (unless you don't like the primary profession). My monk has changed several times over. First he was a Healer/Smiter, then a Healer/Protector, then a pure Healer, a pure Protector, a pure Smiter. Now he's a pure Healer again as he makes his way along the Southern Shiverpeaks. Use your refund points, they're a great way to change your character on the fly!
CFG
IGN: Brother Tully, Mo/E 20, Southern Shiverpeaks
In the light of that, what can ppl reccommend as a secondary profession that will give me some ancillary benefits without me needing to put any points into it? I kinda like the idea of having ranger as a secondary, just so i have a pet, but how good is a pet with no points put on beast mastery? Would a mesmer / necro be any good as a secondary here? Do they offer anything 'for free'? what about the bone horror minion things of a necro? Again, as with the ranger pet, are they any good without points put into whatever ability it is that raises them? (i don't want to be an ele secondary, btw, as i have already made an ele primary char, at lvl 20 now)
Thanks for any help I think there's a lot of good advice here. My $0.02 worth is if you're not planning on investing any points into your secondary (I don't either), the choice of secondary profession almost becomes moot. Pick whichever one you like. Once you're ascended, you can always change it later anyway.
Another thing to note is with attribute refund points, you don't have to worry about building a character and then not liking it (unless you don't like the primary profession). My monk has changed several times over. First he was a Healer/Smiter, then a Healer/Protector, then a pure Healer, a pure Protector, a pure Smiter. Now he's a pure Healer again as he makes his way along the Southern Shiverpeaks. Use your refund points, they're a great way to change your character on the fly!
CFG
IGN: Brother Tully, Mo/E 20, Southern Shiverpeaks
Neo-LD
Pure healer meaning pure healing prayer (no prot) would be best as a mo/n or mo/me. Whoever said DF sucks has never actually played a monk, or probably ever played PvP in general. DF is practically the best attribute in the game. And whats more, soul reaping is one of the worst. Offering of Blood or Energy Drain for nergy management is what your looking for. Necros can use plauge touch, mes can use hex breaker. Take your pick.
jesh
Monks already have mend ailment.. why use plague touch and get into the fray, when you can just use that? Oh, and I wouldn't discount the ranger secondary so easily... take a long look at it.
Tourist
Hmm, I gotta profess a little ignorance about rangers, having never run a primary before. I know there's a lot they can do, but do they have anything that's useful even without points in it? What do you have in mind, jesh?
NIB
Mo/me can get many useful mesmer skills. Hex breaker, channeling, drain enchantment, energy drain, inspired hex, mantra of frost(when in spirit teams with winter), just to name a few. Generally, mesmer is a great secondary prof.
kayten
maybe an elementalist....they get a 60 second buff that heals the caster for so much everytime a spell is cast, halping you stay alive and heal party members at the same time...just a thought
or maybe a wairror, for the stance that gives you a 75% dodge chance. all increasing ranks for it does is lengthen duration, it could still buy you a few seconds
or maybe a wairror, for the stance that gives you a 75% dodge chance. all increasing ranks for it does is lengthen duration, it could still buy you a few seconds
Ristaron
If you want a pure healing monk, it doesn't matter what your secondary is, you won't be using any skills from it.
Healing Prayers are amazing.
Divine Favour - when maxed - can heal for more than Healing Prayers.
1. Divine Boon
2. Heal Other
3. Divine Healing
4. Orison of Healing
5. Healing Seed
6. Healing Breeze
7. Healing Touch
8. Light of Dwayna
I ran this build for a little while. Nobody in my party dropped below 75% HP. (Unless they weren't infused and we were facing Mursaat)(Or if we were standing underneath where a catapult was firing)(Or if they ran off away from the group with 80 Tengu following)
Of course, now I use a protection/heal build with lots of divine favour. I find it much more efficient.
Healing Prayers are amazing.
Divine Favour - when maxed - can heal for more than Healing Prayers.
1. Divine Boon
2. Heal Other
3. Divine Healing
4. Orison of Healing
5. Healing Seed
6. Healing Breeze
7. Healing Touch
8. Light of Dwayna
I ran this build for a little while. Nobody in my party dropped below 75% HP. (Unless they weren't infused and we were facing Mursaat)(Or if we were standing underneath where a catapult was firing)(Or if they ran off away from the group with 80 Tengu following)
Of course, now I use a protection/heal build with lots of divine favour. I find it much more efficient.
inspectreo
Ristaron is right. If your going to be a pure healer, then a secondary profession shouldn't matter. If I were you I would either choose:
1. Mo/Ele
2. Mo/Mes
3. Ele/Mo
For #1 You would use mostly healing prayers, and use defensive magic for your party. (Earth Magic) Earth magic the best for defensive, i guess, and it has a large variety to pick from. Such as wards, armor, etc.
For #2 Basically what everyone else said.
For #3 You would be a perfectly normal healer, except your a secret healer. You could use the energy storage benefits, and best of all No one would suspect you in being a healer, however you wouldn't be able to use the divine favor benefits, But since your gonna have a load of mana, that shouldn't be a problem for you. Also my personal favorite: No one would charge at your first! 
This is pointless for me to post this, considering the fact that you already picked, but I just thought other people might be reading this.
Note: Whoever is editing my posts -_- if you hate me just tell me so I won't post again sheesh.
1. Mo/Ele
2. Mo/Mes
3. Ele/Mo
For #1 You would use mostly healing prayers, and use defensive magic for your party. (Earth Magic) Earth magic the best for defensive, i guess, and it has a large variety to pick from. Such as wards, armor, etc.
For #2 Basically what everyone else said.
For #3 You would be a perfectly normal healer, except your a secret healer. You could use the energy storage benefits, and best of all No one would suspect you in being a healer
, however you wouldn't be able to use the divine favor benefits, But since your gonna have a load of mana, that shouldn't be a problem for you. Also my personal favorite: No one would charge at your first! This is pointless for me to post this, considering the fact that you already picked, but I just thought other people might be reading this.
Note: Whoever is editing my posts -_- if you hate me just tell me so I won't post again sheesh.
Zeru
Um secondary profession does matter, 'pure healer' or not.
Monks need some form of energy management unless they're running a skewy build for the team.
Options are generally:
Channeling
Peace and Harmony (iffy)
P.Drain (hard to use)
Energy Drain
Offering of Blood
Ether Renewal
Blessed Sig (with maintained enchants)
Only two of those are monk skills and both are either specialized or fairly weak.
Monks need some form of energy management unless they're running a skewy build for the team.
Options are generally:
Channeling
Peace and Harmony (iffy)
P.Drain (hard to use)
Energy Drain
Offering of Blood
Ether Renewal
Blessed Sig (with maintained enchants)
Only two of those are monk skills and both are either specialized or fairly weak.
Scaphism
This is a question that has bugged monks for generations (of builds that is).
You can easily fill a monk's bar with 8 skills from only monk lines. The question is how to best supplement and specialize your build with your secondary. The most common (for a good reason) to look at your secondary is for energy management.
You've placed an artificial constraint on your build- you don't want to invest any attribute points into your secondary. By doing that, you can't get enough out of your energy management skills to be worthwhile. Channeling still works at 0 inspiration, but it's not worth the skill slot + time spent casting + energy cost up front if it's just going to go down ~12 seconds later.
Under the constraints you gave, there's only one choice I could endorse (and is exactly what I chose for my first PVE character at retail): Monk/Warrior.
The skills you're looking for are "Watch Yourself!" and Sprint. Those two skills can stay on your bar for the entire PVE game if you like. Sprint doesn't have much place in a PVP monk build, but it's so amazingly useful for exploring PVE maps that it alone is worth the warrior secondary. "Watch Yourself" has a pretty short duration at 0 tactics, but it's free defense to you and all nearby allies as long as you remember to use your wand sometimes.
You can easily fill a monk's bar with 8 skills from only monk lines. The question is how to best supplement and specialize your build with your secondary. The most common (for a good reason) to look at your secondary is for energy management.
You've placed an artificial constraint on your build- you don't want to invest any attribute points into your secondary. By doing that, you can't get enough out of your energy management skills to be worthwhile. Channeling still works at 0 inspiration, but it's not worth the skill slot + time spent casting + energy cost up front if it's just going to go down ~12 seconds later.
Under the constraints you gave, there's only one choice I could endorse (and is exactly what I chose for my first PVE character at retail): Monk/Warrior.
The skills you're looking for are "Watch Yourself!" and Sprint. Those two skills can stay on your bar for the entire PVE game if you like. Sprint doesn't have much place in a PVP monk build, but it's so amazingly useful for exploring PVE maps that it alone is worth the warrior secondary. "Watch Yourself" has a pretty short duration at 0 tactics, but it's free defense to you and all nearby allies as long as you remember to use your wand sometimes.
Arri
A Mo/Me seems like a pretty solid choice, you can have 6-7 monk skills, and 1-2 energy managment skills to help in those long fights, but a Mo/W can use bonneties defense while he/she is being pounded on, allowing him/her to survive longer with 75% chance to block, and 5 energy every time they DO block
Scaphism
The question isn't which secondary to put on a monk for energy management (though it's an important decision to most people, it's irrelevant here). The question is what skills can you play at 0 attribute that are still worth having on a monk primary?
Hex breaker is the only Mesmer skill I'd run at 0 attribute on a monk primary.
Hex breaker is the only Mesmer skill I'd run at 0 attribute on a monk primary.
NIB
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or maybe a wairror, for the stance that gives you a 75% dodge chance. all increasing ranks for it does is lengthen duration, it could still buy you a few seconds
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8. Light of Dwayna
Quote: Ether Renewal
Blessed Sig (with maintained enchants) Ether renewal is useless for a primary monk, since it requires energy storage(which only primary eles have). Not to mention that monks dont have a high energy pool so exhaustion hurts a lot more. And blessed sig has too much casting time and you wont be maintaining enchantments anyway(cause of NR).
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a Mo/W can use bonneties defense while he/she is being pounded on, allowing him/her to survive longer with 75% chance to block, and 5 energy every time they DO block
Yes, but in order for bonneti to work, the enemy will need to attack you. And even when they attack you and they see that you are using bonneti, they will most likely change target and wont try to attack you anytime soon(unless they have rigor). Quote:
Ether Renewal doesn't cause exhaustion, Ether prodigy does. I do agree with you that ether renewal isn't useful for a primary monk, though.
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