The 55 Monk must stop.

The only thing I dont like about "55 monks" is that they are the basis of 99.9% so-called solo monk builds, and the author each time insist that they have come up with a "new" build whereas in fact it's the same old stupid build with 3 skills and the required item setup, plus other random skills from secondary class.

This isnt a mean response dont get me wrong, I myself have a monk that i use not only as a 55, but also as healer, prot etc., at any rate i think your way off base

I paid my 50 bucks for the game, dont you think i should be able to play my monk how i want to play my monk? I mean sure alot of people use the 55 build to farm but even more people just use it as a monk and dont want to spend the load of money it takes to make a 55. I mean do you honestly believe that everyone is using a 55 monk and thats why you cant find one to party in a mission? Because thats not really how it works; as the saying goes, you can never have too many monks, so if a group sees a monk looking to do a mission then may the fastest group leader win, thats just how it goes man.
Once again i paid my 50 bucks for the game...Ever heard of a smite monk buddy? Everyones had problems finding this or that class to do a mission with, but all you need is patience. 55 monks cant solo every mission, nor do monks leave presearing with 55 hp, 200 attribute points and all the spells they need to solo, they have to get to level 20 and do the missions just like you would in any other class. 95% of the time if a group really needs 2 monks to do something and not a monk and a battery they will wait until they get two, and they will get two eventually...patience is a virtue.
No, the game isnt about doing all the missions then using your character to pvp, some people have never done pvp and have deleted their characters that have done all the missions and quests to allow room to make a new character and start all over again...the game is about doing whatever it is you want to do to have fun, and if you want to farm with ur 55 monk, so be it. Solo Monks are NOT a serious problem in GW, that statement is rediculous. In a MMORPG you cant expect to do everything RIGHT NOW when you want to do it, its all about having patience and being tactical, if you want to rush out with a healer hench and a protector hench thats fine, but you will find many many more sensable groups that will wait the 5 minutes or so it takes to party a real monk. Now im not saying thers a pool of human monks waiting for you in every mission, but if you sit there for 10 minutes and absolutely cant find a monk or even a necro or ele or mesmer....which by the way has only happend to me a few times since i purchased the game, then you take a hench.....THATS THEIR PURPOSE. The moral of this story? Dont take everything so seriously, its a game, have fun. Thats my two cents. I think ill go do some soloing in the desert with my monk now, eh?

Firstly: it seems every other class that has a solo build.. has a /Mo secondary, it's a 55hp build, and 2/3 of the skills are monk skills. That's.. not exactly a non-monk 55hp build, you know? =p If anyone's got some links they want to PM me to solo builds that DON'T include any monk skills AT ALL (because it's not exactly germane to this thread) I'd love to take a look at them, just for curiousity's sake. Any profession, doesn't matter what.

Secondly: The biggest problem here is the perception that Guild Wars is, say, Everquest, or World of Warcraft. It's not. It's really, really not. Guild Wars is Magic: the Gathering, except instead of carrying a deck of cards around, you just have one hand you can play over and over, and so do all your teammates. In fact, competitive Magic has progressed to the point where in the top decks, you don't have a deck of 60 very different cards; you have 3 and 4 copies of the SAME cards, and if a card isn't important enough to have that many copies.. you don't include it at all. That IS the Guild Wars skill bar. I've always assumed this is the most obvious thing, but I played a ridiculous amount of Magic, so maybe it does need to be said from time to time. Guild Wars is a card game, with light bloom.

This, right here - the 55hp monk - is pure metagame. People looked at what the monk had to offer: healing, damage reduction, some ways to backlash damage. They said, "What is an extremely clever thing I can do?" And somebody (or bodies) birthed it, and - here's the kicker - IT WAS COOL! And so it went out and multiplied and dammit, it's fun to run around the most difficult PVE area of the game with 55 hit points and lay waste to the entire map.

Wizards of the Coast deals with this kind of thing by releasing a new set of cards every three or four months. The metagame changes. Shiny NEW things are available to play with, while the old things either lose their lustre, or are phased out. This formula isn't in place in Guild Wars, but you can see the same -kind- of thing going on in the PVP metagame as: Thing Gets Popular; A Lot of People Get Tired of Losing To Bunch of Cheap Bastards; a Counter is Devised; Sometime Later a New Thing Gets Popular; repeat.

But that doesn't happen in the PVE (Diablo 3) game because, well, maybe ANet thinks they're just sort of -done- with it. From what I understand, a lot of the Fissure and Underworld farming is based on knowing how to deal with each spawn point. Now, imagine the following scenario: once every month, or every other month, the spawn points of a PVE map -change-. New enemies get swapped in - maybe that group of Charr Axes become Mesmers, et cetera - and have equipment changed, drops changed, or whatever. I'd probably leave missions alone, but ANet could look at the most-popular PVE maps and play with them that way. There are already 2-3 spawn configurations for most areas, but it should be pursued more aggressively.

I think there's a legitimate complaint buried here somewhere about just how -static- PVE has become. It doesn't have a proper metagame. It never evolves.

The argument that - since I'd like to stay on topic here - the 55hp monk somehow screws up PVE is ridiculous. I've run every mission with henchmen, Alesia and Lina every time, and never once -needed- a player monk. That's what henchmen are FOR; fill out a spot in your party if you don't have a warm body to do it. The flipside to this is: if you don't want to play solo.. start a guild! Make friends and contacts who are REAL PEOPLE! Then you've always got someone to ask to tag along for a mission, quest, or whatever it is you're out and doing.

Now, if I knew more about this, I might start making the argument that this is screwing up the game economy something fierce. If there's any problem with its popularity, that's what my guess would be. But I don't know, so I can't back that up with anything other than sheer bad-juju vibes.

..anyway, I'm sort of winding down now. I think there's a pretty interesting article to be written about the card game that is Guild Wars, so maybe I'll start soliciting input on that, and dodging the flames that come my way from this post.

Warriors soloing imps, there you go

I have nothing against 55 monks, unless they claim to be something besides a 55 monk.

"if you think it's wrong to play a monk as anything other than a healer/protector, because that's what monks were "meant" to be, then i have 2 questions: (1) where did you get this divine insight into what was "meant" to be in GW, and (2) why do monks have a line of skills called "smiting prayers?""

Monks are primarily healers. It even says if you read the manuals that they are primarily healers. Thats their job in the game. Smiting prayers are there just for them to toss out maybe every once in awhile to asist in the damage.
But just like every other class in the game they have their job to do. And anyway this is besides the point. The 55monk build is easily countered by most monster groups or pvp groups. A little thing called getting rid of enchants. Spellbreaker doesn't last forever you know. :P

Did you read the entire thread.Yes they have smitting skill and Attributes but those you can throw on your allies not just your self you can put Balthazr's spirit or aura on an ally and any othe enchantment as well.You can put B.S. on a sword warrior to keep those energy skills up so they don't have to or when a mob or player get to close to them cast aura or Zealots Fire and yes you can use smiting skills in PvP as well as in some missions that is what te attribute is there for the same can be said about mending instead of the Warrior throwing on himself the Monk can do it and can maintian it longer with the DF bonus.I never said I was agianst farming or the 55 build in fact there is one I really like on GW Char Builder i will post a link later but I really like what Jelly and the thread he/she made up as I said I can't afford it right now the best way to make income in this game is really to be a runner they can make more in 2 hours than any build farming can in a week and I can't afford to do the Forge runs as well.I am apposed to ppl chargeing for missions since they them selves had do it and I bet you they didn't have to pay unless they do the entire mission by them selves and you can't solo Thunderhead with exception of Warrior or Ranger who just want to farm it.If any level 20 ascended wants to charge for doing the Gate of Kryta mission then by all means do so.

Btw I did see a level 17 with Forge armor at Augary and went out to watch this take on some Hydras and I do have screenshot of it there are low levels farming around there as i keep seeing more low level with presearing armor around the Forge all professions not just Monk.

I'd like to ask a question. What is a 55monk? Everone's talking about it, but no one has actually said what one is.

Thanks very much.

55 monk is a monk with 55 hp that uses the skill prot spirit. it says you cant lose more than 10% of your maximum health. since your total health is 55, you only take 5 damage. now since you have mending and breeze on you, 5 health regenerates in, oh, lets say 1/2 of a second. thats what makes it so good. but the standard counters are enchantment removal, degen, life stealing, blah blah blah

oh, i can solo farm agury mo/mes

mantra of resolve ftw!!!!111222eleven

LOL, you copied this from someone elses Forums?

Use the search tool It does help on find out what a 55monk is.

There are way too many of these rants about 55monks. Let it end in peace, Take Lina, Mhenlo, Alesia or whoever. You go to search you will have 634 references to the 55 monk!

http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&domains=guildwarsguru.com&sitesearch=guildwarsgu ru.com&inurl=%2Fforum&q=55+monk

55 monks are being overrated.

I look at it from the stand point of the autoloot system. The more 1 area is farmed the less loot overall for anyone that goes there. Say you have never been to this certian area but it is farmed every single day by thousands of 55 monks. The drops are lowered for you because more instances of the game are created in that area and the autoloot system kicks in to lower the loot for everyone. It makes no difference if you farmed there or not. Unfortunatly that tranfsers over for a full party. So the crappy drop rate for a solo monk is then divided between your party size making it that much worse.

If the 55 monk never existed we would still have the same drop rate as the game started with. Maybe slightly adjusted but I think it would be a much better world.

You can acually get a group in under an hour. Your items would be worth something. The overall community will be unified once again.

Anet can remove the 55 monk w/o changing any skills at all. All they need to do is prevent the rune life stack. Since you need 5 runes you have to use at least 2 of the same type. That would put your life too high to be a viable build in the current farming areas. Every where else there is enchantment stripping so the build would be dead w/o ever touching a skill.

I wonder what resserected this thread oh well I have 1 of my Monk that is a 55.It would just be nice if the gold drops increased arrggh.I want my Saintly armor 15 K for my Ranger and maybe Warrior.

Yeah, sometimes I have those moments when I dream of a perfect world, too... Too bad, that the world never will be perfect because there are humans in it...

My point is that is as long as there is money in the game, people will farm for it. There's nothing you guys can do to prevent it. Nothing at all. If they disable the 55 monk, people will invent other builds. Or.. lol.. just use the non-55 farming builds which are already known and in terms of money are just as effective as a 55 monk is? GOD FORBID, NO!!!! THEY DESTROYED THE PERFECT WORLD AGAIN!!! NERF NERF NERF!!!!!!!

Nothing against the farming teams. They have to use teamwork and keeps the community connected. The 55 monk does the exact opposite.

I like those multi person farming teams, too. So don't get me wrong. But:

There are SOLO builds which are just as effective as a 55 monk is in terms of money return. Which is why I think that nerfing 55 monks would be VERY pointless. It's like fighting a Hydra. Slay one head and a new one will grow.

what about trapping rangers? they can take down trolls in the cave north of droks and do uw in 4man teams, nerf? i think not

and a basic warrior with cyclone axe, nerf? doubtful

gg

I know what you mean. I don't know what was running through Anet's head when they made soloing possible on purpose in a team based game. That undermines everything the game is suppose to stand for.

Good point, actually...

55 monks (a.k.a. soloing) are supposed to be evil.
8 man parties are supposed to be good.

Where is the line between good and evil? 2 man teams? 4 man? 6? What do we nerf and what not?

B/P teams in Tombs tend to take full 8 people and breeze through Tombs in the least possible time to be able to redo it often. Evil? Nerf? Not nerf?

making money is ftw btw. 55 monks=good way to make money. NERF ZOMFG MAKE IT HARDER TO GET FOW!!1!!1!1111

I didnt read the whole post, but Should I??? Its obsurd!!!

The cure ALL for inadequate healing is???

Join A guild or make some dam friends its that easy!!!


LOL

You don't even need a 55 monk to solo the top-end areas!

Check out Racthoh's guides! Or Undead Preacher's!

To OP, there may be few monks because you have to learn to take verbal abuse from bad players more then any other class that I've seen.

Anet has NOTHING against farming as long as there method doesn't throw thing out of wack -proportion, and when they do, they will tweak / nerf, etc.

From Anet - http://www.guildwars.com/press/inter...e-friday61.php

There posts now on how you use a SS necro and Fire Ele/Mo to farm UW that works just as well as the 55hp. War/Monks have been able to farm as well. They have stated that "soloing" higest levels of the game was not intended and they will adjust. I don't complain when they tweak to make things harder.

I admit I started farming and in process of getting the 55hp monk build.

Reason, I've played in 3 BWE events, and since the game lunched, I've beat the game twice with my two permanent characters. I share my account with my wife, she has two slots. I find "limited" farming (I don't do UW) very fun and rewarding. I do not bring my farm / smite build (and I have my "normal" armor) with pve parties, I'm full heal / protect. I'm not interested atm in other jobs and some of the missions I dread going through the game again. I'm not making money hand over fist but the sheer unlocks and skill points I'm earning is more then worth it.

No will probably read this since its on page 5 lool!!

Anyway, I think there are just not many monks in generall this has NOTHING to do with the 55 build..

When I first started this game I began as a Warrior because franky I didn't just want to heal people I thouhgt healing people was boring and dumb, and well even more boring.. so I said let other people be a monk..

Then I found out most people thing this, which is why not a lot of people pick monk as their first character (there are exception, but I think this is how a lot of people first preceive the monk).

So I created a monk so I could get into missions quicker etc... However even then I REFUSED to be a heal monk... I wouldn't heal period... so I played SMITE MONK (before AoE nerf).. not 55 smite monk... just a regular old smite monk, smiting off warriors using Balth Aura, SoJ, Zealots etc..

Still not a lot of people know what the hell a smite monk was or that I could out dmg an ele any day of the week... but hey I got through all the missions..

I think the fact is healing people sux... I have 2 sets of armor one for my 55 build and one for my heal build... however I WILL ONLY play healer for my guild... I have already completed all the missions so now all thats left for my monk to do is farm, and run FoW and UW... I play Heal in FoW, and I run 55 in UW (clear UW build)..

Again I think the problem is a lot of people think healing is boring.. people want to do dmg and attack stuff...

(please the 10 of you who play this game who really like to heal people don't need to put.... "I don't know what your talking about I love to heal people").

@ Linsys

i *think* there may be more than 10 people in the GW world who like to heal...

anyway, although i agree with the general meaning of your speech (55 monks are NOT evil) you bring up many flawed points, and most of them are completely opinions.

btw, do you have any proof on the smite monk>air spiker DOT?

The problem with the 55-monk is for the most part, limited to to griefing. When they claim they're something that they are not, and join partys they are a problem, but not when they are farming. Where do these monks farm? Griffions, UW, maybe trolls and hydras? Warriors can farm the very same places nearly as fast, with the exception of the UW. And I think a three or four man team could farm the UW without a 55-monk.

If you think 55-monks farming is the problem, then you're missing the bigger picture.

To be honest your not going to see a these people who are making monks for the purpose of 55 only in any mission past the desert ones. And those are the ones that in my opinion a henchie monk cannot be used.

There is nothing wrong with people trying to make money either. You gotta do it someway and this build kicks butt. Its fast and easy and you make quite a bit. I do think theres a crap load of people doing this but so what??? Is it really hurting you that someone found an awesome build and that many are using it?

uh lets see...ok, where to begin....Ah yes. I am a 55 monk user. My monk is currently ascended and level 20. I like to farm. <3 farming. I farm in the Under World. I would also like to go on to say that i indeed have two sets of armor (with multiple scalp designs). One of them is a 55 monk set while the other is for healing builds and those that require me to have more than 55 hp.
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I would like to take the time now to say that once you are a 55 monk you can always revert back to a normal monk (which i find very useful).
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This not only allows me to solo FARM but to also RUN, HEAL, and HELP PEOPLE OUT ON MISSIONS.
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Currently my monk can use MANY BUILDS. 55 farming, boon healer, bonder, runner, and many more!
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In conclusion i would just like to say this: Stop Being So Steriotypical.

ty tsunami

i also have different sets of armor, a prot, a healing, and a 55.

My 55 monk allows me to run practically any monk build I want for PvP/GvG because of all the skill points I got with him. Power to the 55 monks, don't hate.

Is it so bad to make money by soloing?

Errrrr, what? Having the gear to be a 55-monk dosn't make you a 55-monk, using it does. Kinda like how my warrior isn't a sword warrior when she's using axes, even though I didn't sell my swords. I'm going under the assumption that you're not actualy using a 55-monk in GvG.... that would be foolish...

The problem that was being adressed by the OP was griefers, people who join parties, typicaly UW parties under the guise of a heal monk, then go off on thier own to farm.

55-monks are not the cause of farming. They are not the only build that can farm. 55-monks are not a problem because they can farm. So what if they are the best tanks in the UW? Did you plan to get the ecto needed for FoW armor from drops in 8-player balanced groups? By buying it from the cash made selling drops found in missions? A.net added a single item set that you need to grind for, an item set that offers no statistical advantage, because they know some people will grind for looks and status.

Outside of the UW, 55-monks are nothing overly special. I don't know of any popular large-scale farming spots besides the UW that you need a 55-monk for. Sure, there are special cases, like Titans, but who cares? The reason 55-monks even recived mention is because thier niche requires a 1k entry fee. If it wasn't for that, I doubt monks would bother to grief.

Closed because too many people like to reply to posts that are months old.