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|------------------------LordTopak's--------------------------------|
|----------------------Combo Monk Guide------------------------------|
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Guide Contents:
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I.Version History
II.Introduction
III.Combo Monk?
IV.The Acolyte Path
V.Acolyte Skills
VI.Acolyte Equipment/Leveling Guide
VII.Monk Transition
VIII.Monk Skills
IX.Monk Equipment/Leveling Guide
X.Question and Answer Portion
XI.Codec Frequency
XII.Staff Roll
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I.Version History
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Version 1.0
This is my first guide ever (hoping it won't be the last) so please
bear with me if you find errors of any sort.
Version 1.1
This FAQ can now also be found on www.neoseeker.com and dlh.net.
Added a few things about skills (Blade Stop)/ equips and corrected the
Hyper Combo Monk Build.More insight on the execution of Instant Asura/
Extremity Fist. Also added links to the new FAQ hosts.
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II.Introduction
---------------
I managed to have time to think up (and type) this guide while
vending with my Battle Vendor. After playing around with some RO stat
calculators and experiencing first hand the world of combo monks, I
thought of sharing what I know so that people would have an easier
time building up their own combo monks.
*note*
Other Monk Builds (Asura, Steel Wall Monks,Crit Monks) won't be
discussed here so I suggest you take a gander at the other monk guides
found in the Net.
All info within applies up to the Ayathoya Patch for that is the
current episode of Philippine Ragnarok Online, the server on which
I play.
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III.Combo Monk?
---------------
After that rather crappy introduction, let's move on to explaining what
a Combo Monk is. First off,I would like to say that Combo Monks are
purely intended for hunting or PVM. In no way will Combo Monks kick ass
in PVP rooms(unless you're facing a total noob), WOE Agits, or even
MVPing.So if ever you get around to making a Combo Monk then decide to
go PVPing,Sieging,or Boss Hunting and find yourself constantly lying
unconscious on the floor, don't say I didn't warn you.
So why make a Combo Monk if their only purpose is PVM? Maybe its
because they're just plain fun to use.Pressing the function keys in
a series feels great and those cracking noises the combos make sound
great. It's as if like you're playing a fighting game,except this
time you're playing an MMORPG, you have really low health and you're
wearing an "arinola" on your head.
*arinola=those porta potties hospitals use
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IV.The Acolyte Path
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If you're planning on becoming a combo monk,don't go putting each stat
point you get on INT for you'll probably only need about 10 int at lvl
40+(which will increase to 20 when you acquire lvl10 Blessing).STR and
AGI are your friends along with a little DEX (around 30 by lvl 50)to hit
stuff.
Recommended skills would be heal,increase agi and blessing. Heal at
around lvl3-5 is good.Inc Agi and Bless must both be at lvl10 for best
results.Of course Divine Protection and Demon Bane at lvl10 is
*required* to unlock the Monk Skill tree. Any less and you'll have no
new skills to choose when you change job.
Upon turning into an acolyte, the skills you should get once you level
up should be heal(up to lvl3),then get divine protection to lvl5,get
Blessing to lvl10 immediately to make levelling easier.After getting
Bless to 10,you can go ahead and get Increase Agi or add to Heal.Don't
forget to max Divine Protection and Demon Bane before you change job
though.
Which means you still get around 6-4 skill pts. left. You can go spend
it on ruwach,then teleport lvl2,then go full monty up to Warp Portal
lvl3.Or you can just get ruwach,teleport lvl2 and add a few more lvls
to heal. You can also opt for Holy Light since its free(with a quest)
though it is pretty useless for Combo Monks.
Long and hard is the acolyte path, especially if you're a battle aco
because people will think you're a stupid aco for not having Lvl10 heal.
As your former party mates walk away, you scream,"I said I was a battle
aco dammit!".
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V.Acolyte Skills
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*note*
I'll only be placing skills needed by Combo Monks so you won't be
finding info for Angelus,Aqua Benedicta,Decrease Agi,and Signum
Crucis here.
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Heal
Description:
Recovers health at the cost of SP. Can damage the undead by holding
SHIFT while casting on a monster(make sure its undead though or you'll
just heal the lucky freak).An ACTIVE skill.
Description:
Temporarily increases STR,INT and DEX.Reduces hit rate of demons by
holding SHIFT then casting on it.Also heals the curse status(only use
lvl1 to remedy curse though or you'll just be wasting SP).An ACTIVE
skill.
Description:
Reveals hidden enemies.Handy to expose hidden monsters/KS thieves or
(if ever you enter PVP) tunnel driving rogues,does damage to victims.
An ACTIVE skill.
Lvl1 10 sp
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Teleport
requires: Ruwach Lvl1
Description:
Whisks you away to a random place,or your save point if lvl2.An ACTIVE
skill.
Lvl1 SP8 Random cell
Lvl2 SP8 Save point
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Warp Portal
requires: Lvl2 Teleport, 1 Blue Gemstone
Description:
Creates a circular portal on the ground which takes whoever enters it
to a place of your choosing.To add a memo, type /memo on the chat box.
If you type /memo a 4th time, the 1st memo will be deleted.Can't be
casted on yourself(unlike previous episodes).An ACTIVE skill.
Lvl1 Save point
Lvl2 Save point,1 memo
Lvl3 Save point,2 memos
Lvl4 Save point,3 memos
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Pneuma
requires:lvl4 Warp Portal
Description:
Blocks all ranged attacks(not magic).Cast it on a cell,then step on the
glowing tile you've just created to shield yourself from projectiles.
Can't be casted on yourself.An ACTIVE Skill.
Here's some leveling tips for any would-be Comboers.
Upon changing job to acolyte, go to the Culvert Sewers which can be
accesed by talking to some guy(forgot the name) at the Knight's Guild
inside Prontera. He'll give you some free healing items and then warps
you to the Culverts Entrance outside Prontera. Talk to the guard there
and he'll finally let you in the dungeon.Once inside, kill a few thief
bugs and familiars until lvl 20.It will be easier if you bring a few
red pots to heal yourself for you won't be having much SP to constantly
use heal.
Around lvl20 you can go to Payon Dungeon and beat on Zombies,Spores,
and Familiars. Reaching lvl30, travel to Geffen and mass slaughter
poison spores in Geffen Dungeon 1 'till lvl40. Just be mindful of any
hunter flys.
The Orc Village or Dungeon will be your playground up to lvl50+.Orc
Village is easier than orc dungeon but slower. Orc Dungeon features
mobs but if you have a blast clip with you, they'll go down in no time.
Fire weapons do best against the orcs here.
If you have an ice swordmace or stunner(required lvl 27), you can go
toe-to-toe with high orcs on the west side of orc vill.
*Thanks to FinalFlare for telling me the required lvl for them*
Other good spots would be Byalan lvl3 (with a wind weapon),and GH
Graveyard (with a fire weapon).
Recommended Equips:
+4 wise/willow(+80SP) or adurate/deviruch(+1 STR) biretta
+4 Hard/Pupa(+700HP) or Champion/Roda(+400HP,+50SP) Saint's Robe
+6 Ele Chains or +5 Swordmaces/Stunners
+4 Cranial/Thara(+30% def against Demi-human) Buckler
Clips of Mustle/Mantis (+3 STR)
Blast/Marine Sphere Clip (Magnum Break lvl1)
+4 Mocking/Whisper(+20 FLEE) or Immune/Raydric(30% neutral def) Muffler
+4 Soul-Enchanted/Sohee Shoes (+18%SP,+3% SP recovery)
Don't be lazy and change at job 40. The earliest point at which you can
change would be around job 44 (Lvl3 heal,Lvl10 Divine Protection,
Lvl10 Demon Bane,Lvl10 Blessing,Lvl10 Agi Up).Me? I wussed out during
Job 46 because Juno just came out and I wanted to be one of the first
monks in our server so,uh,bleh.
So children, don't be a wimp and change early,lest you have a paltry
lvl7 Agi Up like Topak over there.
*note*
Some parts of this section may be wrong or outdated because I'm
only recalling some of the things I did when I changed jobs.
So you've finally managed to reach Job Lvl50 for your Acolyte (must be
feeling mighty proud then).Proceed to the Monk Guild at St.Capitolina
Abbey.Talk to the old guy at the entrance (Tohobu), he'll send you
off to Muhae who is located at the south west building.Once inside,
Muhae will ask you to fetch a few items.After you give him said items,
he'll point you towards the nun Douha,where you'll be asked to memorize
a poem(when I did this part back then,the choices were somewhat
glitched and I had to choose the wrong line to pass,don't know if its
fixed now).Talk again to Muhae,then go find Puhae to the East.He'll
make you choose between the Mushroom gathering or Marathon Test.
Mushroom gathering is hella boring, it took me around 30 mins. to
get the required amount of mushrooms.The Marathon Test? No idea, but
people have said that it consists of avoiding traps whilst going
around this track.
Talk to Chorip outside the center building.Go inside and talk to
Bashyu to take the exam you chose from Puhae. After finishing
the test,venture further inside and talk to Taomoon, the
bald guy.He'll make you go through an invisible maze infested with
undead(I didn't know it was a maze at first cause I just went ahead
and killed all that popped out).
Maze finished? Go a final time to Muhae and he'll finally change your
job(!) and give you a 3 slot Waghnak (if you changed before job 50) or
a 3 slot knuckle duster (if you changed at job 50). Congratulations!
You are now a True Street Fighter,err,Monk!
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Vigor Condensation (Call/Summon Spirit Spheres)
requires: Iron Hand Lvl2
Description:
Calls forth balls of energy needed for some skills. Each sphere lasts
10 minutes.Casting time is affected by DEX. Whenever more than one
spheres is summoned,you get a sure hit bonus(?) of 3 damage per ball.
For Example,you summon 3 spheres,then proceed to attack an enemy,when
you miss,you do 9 damage to the enemy.Maximum of 15 sure damage when
all 5 spheres are summoned,which makes the use of VVS weapons for Monks
obsolete.Each sphere must be called out one by one, so at lvl5 you need
to use the skill 5 times to get 5 spheres.An ACTIVE skill.
Description:
Gives a chance to initiate 3 additional attacks when attacking.Higher
levels grant reduced chances to trigger but does higher damage. The
basis of Combos.A PASSIVE Skill.
Description:
Can only be used after triggering a triple attack,use it immediately
after the triple attack delay.Delivers 4 additional hits to a target.
May miss,if it does,damage dealt is equal to the number of spheres
summoned x3 (i.e,with 5 balls, you still do 15dmg). n ACTIVE skill.
Description:
Use after the Chain Combo delay. Whallops the target with a straight
punch which pushes it back 5 cells. Eats up 1 spirit sphere.An ACTIVE
skill.
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Steel Body
requires: Lvl3 Combo Finish(Raging Thrust)
Description:
Bolsters DEF and MDEF to 90(not sure if armor value adds up).No skills
can be used during skill duration,also attack and walk speed are cut
by 25%. Has a 5 second casting time which cannot be interrupted(even
when frozen).Eats up all 5 spheres and cannot be turned off until skill
duration ends.An ACTIVE skill.
Description:
Uses summoned spheres to deal ranged damage. Has a long casting time
but cannot be interrupted.Affected by your hit rate so it can miss
against High Flee characters.Consumes spirit spheres according to skill
level. An ACTIVE skill.
*note*
Skill lvl affects damage per sphere, so if you have 100 atk and use
lvl1,it would do 150 damage.At lvl 5 it would do 250 damage times 5
which equals to 1250 damage.If you miss, each ball will do a paltry
15 damage.
Description:
Improves Crit Rate, and allows one to use Extremity/Guillotine Fist if
there are 5 spirit spheres summoned. No SP regen for skill duration
except through Vigor Recovery (Spiritual Cadence).Consumes 5 spheres.
An ACTIVE skill.
Description:
The ultimate weapon of monks.Deals massive amounts of damage in regards
to remaining SP. Must be in Vigor Explosion (Explosion Spirits) Status
and have 5 spirit spheres to manual cast,used in adjunction with a
combo finish or use after initiating Stop Blade lvl5 with atleast 4
spheres remaining.Cast time lessened by DEX amount.An ACTIVE skill.
Description:
Stops an incoming attack,doesn't work on magic,not sure on ranged
attacks.Used like the knight's Counter Attack,you have to move next
to your opponent and wait for their attack.With the correct timing,
you'll have both of you frozen in place(both will be tinted black)for
the whole skill duration.The Flee rate of those involved are still
present so if people with low hit try to attack you or your target
(assuming you both have high flee) they'll still miss.If skill level is
higher than Lvl1,user can use other skills.Can't be used on MVPS.
Consumes 1 sphere.An ACTIVE skill.
*Note: When Extremity used is used while in the Stop Blade stance, it can be
cancelled but you'll still be in the Stop Blade stance which
means you can use another skill.
Description:
Like a combination of the swordsman's HP recovery and the mage/priest's
SP recovery. It restores HP and SP every 10secs (even during fury/
explosion spirits status)while sitting.Amount restored is determined by
the max HP and SP of the character.A PASSIVE skill.
Description:
A much streamlined version of the combo monk.Lower lvls of iron hand
and triple attack may mean less regular damage but the prospect of
landing Instant Extremity Fist at the end of a combo adds versatility
to this build. You can even try your hand at PVP with this build (just
don't expect to take down hunters).
*Thanks to Myth Maniac of pRO Loki for pointing out that you need Blade Stop at
lvl2 to get Vigor Recovery(which explains why there are 2 points left).*
Description:
A hybrid build I made. Pretty much messed up with the inclusion of a
Lvl1 Steel Body (since I thought it was cool). Blade Stop has its uses
though.You can *tank* high level monsters your party can't usually take
down.I was in a party, I think I was around lvl61. We went to GH
Chivalry and then proceeded to beat the crap out of Raydrics when all
of a sudden, an abyssmal knight slides in from the west. Being the total
cowards my companions were,they all run away as the black monstrosity
heads for us. As it raised its blade to strike, out of sheer panic or
luck, I managed to press F2 in which stop blade was bound to. Lo and
behold! The knight froze in place and my partymates sprouted like
fungi,Double Strafing(2 hunters),and FireBolting the poor thing.We
managed to take it down and was revelling in our victory when this
band of wanderers came out,cleaning the floor with our asses.
If you changed at Job 50, you'd mostly be around Base Lvl65. A good
place to start racking up Job Lvls would be High Orcs in the western
area of Orc Vill. GH Graveyard is also Good XP so you can still train
there.
Around Lvl70+, good areas would be HO in Clock Tower,less bots there
because of the inclusion of cramps and stem worms. Niffelheim is also
a great place to go to, the easy enemies there amount to good xp.Just
watch out for that Dullanghan guy cause he'll bite chunks out of your
health with his crits (up to 2k!).The Minos in the Pyramid also give
out pretty decent xp in this stage.Just remember to bring an ice
weapon.Don't be lazy on avoiding their hammerfall or you'll be down on
the floor in no time flat.
Lvl80+? No idea since I haven't reached it yet.My monk's only around
Base Lvl77 right now.
Recommended Equips:
Almost the same as the Aco Equips,except this time you can use fists.
+4 wise(SP+80) or adurate(STR+1) Biretta
+4 Saint's Robe of Champion (HP+400,SP+50)
+5 Ele Fists
+5 Compounded (3 slot) Knuckle Dusters
+4 Cranial (+30% def against Demi-Human) Buckler
+4 Brutal (+30% def against Brute Monsters) Buckler
+4 Buckler of Athena (Ambernite,+2 Def)
+4 Mocking (Flee +20) ,Immune (+20% Def against Neutral Attack) Muffler
2 clips of mustle (STR+3 each)
+4 Soul-Enchanted(SP+18%,+3%SP rec),Fledged(HP/SP+8%), or Green (AGI+1,
HP+10%) Shoes
For stats, try to atleast get STR to 100 (get to 76+6(CoM)+8(Bonus)+10
(Blessing)=STR 100).AGI at 73 and Dex at 36 will net you an Attack
Speed of 180 when combined with Lvl10 Bless,Agi up and an awakening
pot(AGI 73+18,DEX 36+14).INT should atleast be around 20 so you can
keep combos coming.
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X.Question and Answer Portion
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Q: Why do you say that Combo Monks do well ONLY in PVM?
A: High Agi characters usually fare badly in things other than PVM.
Even though they have high flee,they cannot dodge player attacks
with high hit(hunters),not enough MDEF to last magical strikes,
and Crit types will negate your flee and kill you in the process.
Vit knights with low hit will most likely try to stun bash you with
a Very or VeryVeryStrong Weapon, leaving you stunned and open for
Pierce,Brandish,or Bowling Bash.Same thing in WOE.
You'll also have a hard time dealing with MVPs for your Flee won't
be able to handle them for too long.Not much VIT equals to short
staying power.
Q: Combo Monks suck at WOE,PVP,and MVP. Why bother making one?
A: The only reason you'd make one is because you really want to play
your character (not bot it).They're real fun to use. Executing Combo
after combo never gets old for me (those sound effects really add
oomph to those hits).
Q: What gives? You're missing Aco Skills and other Monk builds!
A: Did you even read the title or the introduction? This guide is
solely focused on Agi Combo Monks so I left out the unnecessary
skills.Go read the other more in depth monk guides for them builds.
Q: Any recommended skill/control setups?
A: I set my 1st Skill bar in this order
F1: Heal
F2: Blessing
F3: Agi Up
F4: Chain Combo
F5: Combo Finish
F6: Ele Fists
F7: HP pots
F8: Vigor Condensation
F9: Teleport
Q: Linking Extremity Fist to Combo Finish is real hard! How do you do
it?
A: Make sure you're in Fury Status and have 5 spirit spheres.
Attack your opponent and anticipate triple attack. Once triggered
execute Chain Combo, proceed to Combo Finish then go for EF.If you
execute EF too early it won't work. Too late and you'll be a sitting
duck as your slow EF manually casts(unless you have very high dex along
wih lvl5 EF). A painfully slow EF gives your opponent the chance to
hit(or kill) you, stopping you in midcast or worse they'll
just use hide or cloak, making you punch the air,leaving you with no
choice but to cowardly run away(or die) because you have no sp.
After some more testing, it seems that you have to use EF when your
monk goes into that "punch the ground animation" during Combo
Finish.Wait for the actual delay (don't mash the EF button) and your
EF will hit the target *without* the targetting cursor appearing.
You'll know it worked if you see the EF kanji(letters?) appear
immediately in your screen all at once.It works even if you only
have a lvl1 EF.The absence of the targetting cursor means that you
can't switch targets while doing the Instant EF combo(sucks eh?).
*Thanks to Watch_Ur_Back03 and ~'rHon'~, both of pRO Chaos for
letting me test the EF combo on them.
BTW, for all concerned(poor saps) Watch_Ur_Back03 is a guy!
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XI.Codec Frequency
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You can contact me in game (pRO Chaos only) through the names:
