1.0.3 Monk Build | DW/Crit | Get RIDICULOUS crits with this D3 Monk Guide.

Theory behind the build

Well IAS(increase attack speed) got a massive nerf. So I went looking for the next SCALEABLE stat. Scaleable stats are those that increase by percentage. A prime example of non-scaling is mantra of healing. It gives you a flat heal per second and does not improve as your gear improves, making it fairly useless later in the game. Crit hit on the other hand is an incredible scaling skill that improves as your overall DPS improves. So we’re trying to stack as much crit as possible and as much crit damage as possible to take advantage of their scaleability.
Link over to the build: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/monk#aiYgXh!dXU!accYbc

Build

Fists of Thunder with the Thunderclap Rune

The proc on the third hit of FoT does an AOE hit to every enemy within 6 yards. I’m not positive but I believe this proc can trigger your life on hit skill. Playing through Act 3 I had no difficulty staying at 100% health in big packs. This proc also can crit, which can generate just a massive amount of crit hit tornadoes. Also the teleport is really nice to chase down runners and keep yourself from getting surrounded.

Sweeping wind with Cyclone Rune

Most under-rated skill in the game IMO. With a 30%+ crit chance you’ll consistently spawn 8+ tornadoes with large packs of enemies. Each tornado then does 20% weapon DPS. So if you have 8 tornadoes out, your tornadoes are effectively doing 160% DPS to enemies around you. And they have a really large range as well. Plus its just really cool to see them all. Also I’m not sure if the tornadoes crits generates more tornadoes, but it kind of seems like they do, because as soon as you start critting they seem to really multiply.

Defensive Runes

You have your standard fare. Blinding flash is good to start a fight off with, the DPS boost is pretty huge and it helps to interrupt mobs so you’re not getting pounded by 15 things at once. The 3 second 30% buff is enough for you to kill most packs before they can even recover from the blind.

I like serenity with the 4 sec invul now, it just lets you stay in and fight with tougher elite packs. Since your DPS is so high a few rounds of 4 sec invul hitting is enough to kill most elites, so this is a great tactic for fighting tough packs. Just run away and wait for the timer, go in for 4 seconds, repeat.

Breath of heaven with the 15% damage increase buff, can’t beat it, love it.

Mantra of Evasion with the backlash rune really does some great DPS again. Also a great skill to spam and dump spirit with.

Passives

Dual wielding is great, it gives you a passive 15% increase to attack speed and then also the 15% extra dodge works really well. Passives aren’t too important, just tailor them to your weapon choices and build.

Screenshot of all my equipment used in this video – Please hit like to reveal

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John

I really like your builds but I’ve gotten frustrated because I feel that even though my monk could stand up against even the toughest mobs in hell, in inferno I’m almost 2 hit by mobs. I think the problem is my gear but atm because of the AH everything is over priced so I can get better gear. Blizzard said that their fine with how inferno is right now but I disagree.
- John
  
  I think the breaking point was when 5 of my pieces went red from one kill, I’m think I’m gonna run out of gold for repairs before I make any more progress lol
  - Art
    
    Unfortunately if your going red over one kill your not doing it right… I am using one of THGs previous monk builds and I can solo Act1 Inferno no problem.
    
    The important thing is resistances, that keeps you alive… buffed with a Barb, my resist is over 1000.
    
    Its currently dropped to about 450 now unbuffed to try out this new build… Looks very promising…
    - http://www.thehealthygamer.com/members/admin/ Jack Jones
      
      Great points Art, let me know how it goes
  - http://www.thehealthygamer.com/members/admin/ Jack Jones
    
    Haha that sucks, I’ve seriously lost money since 1.0.3 came out if we’re not counting sales I’ve made on the AH. It’s ridiculous.
- http://www.thehealthygamer.com/members/admin/ Jack Jones
  
  Breaking into inferno initially is really tough. I’d recommend stacking all resist and getting some +life on hit items, and finding cheap crit gear and see how that goes.
porkboi

I think it should be noted that if you don’t have Life per Spirit Spent or Life on Hit items, Transcendence is a reasonable alternative to the Guardian’s Path. The dodge is nice, but in my current setup, my best items have a lot of ChC/ChD but not much LoH so having Transcendence is great.
- http://www.thehealthygamer.com/members/admin/ Jack Jones
  
  Actually I’m trying out a build incorporating a lot of +life on spirit spent items and high crit.
Calvin

With FoT, i keep porting into mobs.. this skill is killing me when facing elites with the Laser, molten, plague and ice. I cant really kite well with in this case. perhaps u could advice on this? also my dps and gears arint there yet.

Dodge : 45% unbuffed
Armor : 6560
Resist: 584 all
LoH : 821
Crit : 24
C Dam : 110
Dps : 17452 unbuffed

cheers
- http://www.thehealthygamer.com/members/admin/ Jack Jones
  
  Try FoT with the last rune(the 73% chain lightning) or way of the hundred fists with the rune that increases your attackspeed by 5% with each crit. I agree the teleport is way dangerous and I’ve stopped using it because of that as well.
  - Calvin
    
    Thanks for ur advice.. however i realize that mobs with desecration, plague and molten kills me especially fast. They also seem to move so fast and corner/trap me which kills me in secs (assuming serenity is on CD). Also hard hitting elites like the phasing mob in crater act 3 and the skeleton cleaver cuts thru me when my 60% dodge fails to dodge. How do u usually deal with them? kiting? I wonder if i need to bring my resist all back to to 800++ range..? But if i do that.. my crit chance drops.. lol
    - http://www.thehealthygamer.com/members/admin/ Jack Jones
      
      I think later parts of Act 3 you need ridiculosly high resist numbers again.
Cide

I found the key to monks now isn’t just crit but weapon selection.
A 1.4 speed fist weapon takes 8%ias just to keep up with a dagger with 1.5 base speed.
Well over 2.1 attacks a sec and only using rings and gloves for ias.
With 1k or more loh… and hitting that fast… my health doesn’t move standing in poison and desecrator wake at the same time anymore till a3. Then I have to at least try to pay attention.
Almost 1k res and 5.6k armor.
- http://www.thehealthygamer.com/members/admin/ Jack Jones
  
  Very true, there’s a lot of tempting spears on the AH but I just wont’ buy them, screw that 1.2 attack speed. Keep me updated on how your progression goes, would be interested to see if you find anything that works especially well in Act 3+
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Rosa

Thunderclap Rune is realy great thanks to knockback/interupt (every 3rd hit). It save us from taking A LOT OF dmg. The only one issue with that rune is this shity teleport. Ok it’s usefull (somethimes) but mostly it makes me to teleport into every spot of fire/poison while strugling with elites.

In my opinion the best way to keep this rune usefull is to make it “unteleportable” while pressing “standstill” button. Then that build would be just GREAT. But this is not in our hands.

Cheers
- http://www.thehealthygamer.com/members/admin/ Jack Jones
  
  Agreed, it’s ironic that one of the intended “benefits” of the skill actually makes it terrible.
  - SagaKeeper
    
    I agree, what I used to get to inferno was this:
    •Fists of Thunder/Thunder Clap
    •Cyclone Strike/Soothing Breeze
    •Sweeping Wind/Inner Storm
    Rest was normal button stuff…
    •Guiding Light
    •Transcendence
    
    I can’t even imagine how to fit guiding light in anymore, and cyclone strike and thunderclap just get you dead… what made me a god until I got to my first boss pack in inferno is about the worse combo you could ask for IN inferno.
    Any rate, nap->water/walk! Love everything you got going on here.
    
    I also double agree that heals need to maybe scale off a small small small part of dps or max health to ever be good again (they did this in WoW to an extent)
    - http://www.thehealthygamer.com/members/admin/ Jack Jones
      
      Haha thanks brother, nice thoughtful comment. Trying out a build kinda like that right now actually incorporating transcendence.
      - SagaKeeper
        
        One of the first tanking builds I saw used a build like this without sweeping wind and was mostly designed to control space for the rest of the team to do damage… this was before people realized you couldn’t just spam in inferno, were spamming that “monk sucks” and seemed to think that that kiting wasn’t nearly 100% required half the time.
        
        I ran overawe, regular two defensives, and I want to say one with to round that out. Was using a shield at the time. In a team with proper shouts and such to make you “the tank” this could net your team a ridiculous damage increase while you sorta stand in the middle.
        
        You need tons of spirit to keep things in place, but other than that you could do some neat stuff if you could stay alive.
      - http://www.thehealthygamer.com/members/admin/ Jack Jones
        
        Weeeeird I just wrote up a post about a build very similar to this last night and am putting a video together about it today.
regi

I recently found an amazing ring drop and sold for 10m and I was wondering if anyone can tell me what kind of stats on upgrades I should get to put the money to good use. Thanks
- http://www.thehealthygamer.com/members/admin/ Jack Jones
  
  That’s awesome! I’d recommend campin out the auction house and only BIDDING on items, unless the buyout is a really good price. Get 700-800 dps one handers with + crit hit damage and either lifesteal or life on hit, lifesteal is generally cheaper, get a socket on them too if you can find one at a reasonable price. Budget 4mil for your weapons. Then get gloves with crit chance and crit hit dmg, helm with crit chance, bracers with crit chance, rings and ammys with crit chance. You SHOULD be able to find some decent if not great items for those slots with the remaining 6 mil. Again, BIDDING is the key. Buyouts are way expensive.
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olaola

I tried to stack crit after 1.0.3, now I have 31% crit chance and 110% crit damage, but only 15k dps, dex about 1200, i am using a 700+ dps fist weapon with 60% crit damage and a shield with crit chance and dex, I am doing fine in A1, but in A2, it is another story, most of the elits are too hard for me. I want to increase DPS with a good weapon but I am stucked now, farm A1 is not helping, never got good weapons, the price in AH just not for me.