Ascension (spoilers)

Just a warning: If you do not want a spoiler about the ascension, then do not continue. I tried not to say much about what actually happens, but those who have been there should understand.

Not sure where to put this one, but I guess my overall question is:
HOW is this acceptable?

My character is a full all out healing monk. With this character all I want to do is keep my team alive. I have no points in anything but healing, divine favor, and a little in protection.

When you get to ascension and you have to fight a battle, how is it okay to have this HUGE gaping hole for those who are not solo players? My monk does just about zero damage, as I believe if the monk is there for damage then something is wrong. So how am I supposed to fight this monster that has ALL of my healing capabilities, but also insane offensive power? Any damage that I can dish out is easily offset by its regeneration/healing spells, but it can sure do a hell of a lot of damage to me. Usually I just end up healing myself for 10minutes and then dying. If any other monk has found a way past this, I would greatly appriciate some sort of hint.

I know that this is supposed to be a hard test, but why does my healing monk have to prove that it has impressive offensive power? Why couldn't there be a difference ascention-type quest? Maybe keep someone alive for such and such time or go rez people or even just a 'stay alive until the timer runs out'.

You can completely change your build at any time in this game. Change to a smite build for the fight, then switch back after.

exactly...change your skills/attributes...it's instant.

bring 3 heals 1 buff, and 4 smiting skills and stick some of your attribute points in smiting

i have a mo/e and i use a few fire skills as well as a few smiting, and my monk kicks major booty.

i understand if you want to play a specific role in your group, but the tools to do major damage are all in your inventory...unless you didn't do any quests for skills on the way to ascension

You make it sound easier than it is in practice.

I'm a pure healer by trade, my latest build was mo/r to take advantage of traps and nature rituals. I could rebuild my character to deal damage, but it would take every refund point I have. I'd basically have to rebuild my character to defeat myself, then run him until I had enough points to buy everything back.

The point here is that this test seriously overlooks healing and protecting monks specifically. You can't "out-think" yourself if you're loaded to keep six people alive. I shouldn't *have* to alter the playing style that got me to the Ascesion, don't you think? If I wanted to deal damage I'd play a mesmer or elementalist. I don't.

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24 refund points is only 6000 exp, doesn't take that long to get them all back. And if you only take say the points out of protection and put them into smiting, that's only 12 points, and you could untrain that and retrain protection right after the fight with the remaining 12 (actually you may get exp for that so you might be back up to 16-17 after the fight).

You only have to alter your playstyle for that fight.

I agree with you fully on this point. I ended up just putting my attributes into mesmer and working it through that way.


You can change your build at any time yes, but I should not be forced to change my character and my playstyle. A healing monk that has to go become a domination mesmer for a required mission? How is that okay?

I just took a couple points off one of my other attributes and put it into smiting, and used zealot's fire, retribution, and reversal of fortune (left the rest of my skill bar blank), while attacking at close range. I was a healer/protection monk and I knocked him down in less than a minute.

well that's a nice thought, but what if your 'playstyle' is to stand around posing as a primary healer when your actually performing less than the healing duties of a secondary healer? Which, i assure you, is what many, many, many players are doing in this game. Hanging out in groups, not thinking, not performing, getting a free ride to lvl 19.

asension should be difficult, and should maybe be even harder than it is now.