Monks are not really fun at all right now....

#1 - March 31, 2012, 5:29 p.m.

Monks feel very disjointed at lower levels right now. The lack of any new abilities from 4-10 was brutally boring. Then, when I got to 10, I wanted to be a healer, so I got a spell that is useless for continuing to level to 15. Unlike paladins who get holy shock or disc priests who got penance, for example, I got a channeled heal that provided nothing. Then it took 8 more levels for me to get chi wave. So from 15-18, while dungeoning, I was basically dps with the occasional channeled heal thrown out.

In comparison, currently on live, mages start with fireball, get arcane missiles at 3, fire blast at 5, frostbolt at 7, frost nova at 8, and then their spec ability at 10.

Paladins start with crusader strike, get judgement and SoR at 3, devo aura at 5, holy light at 7, word of glory at 9, and their spec ability at 10.

I know it's beta, but I haven't seen any plans to increase the amount of abilities the monk has.

I guess my biggest problem is that I have spent the last 14 levels hitting the same buttons. Nothing has changed. As a mage, you start with fireball. Then, arcane missiles proc ooh cool. An instant cast spell! pewpew. OH, now I'll start with frostbolt to slow them down so they don't reach me.

As a pally, I get a seal that increases my damage and a new button to push. Oh, cool, a new heal - and then another new heal! Sweet.

Now, I'm level 18, and the next ability I can look forward to using with any regular consistency is expel harm at level 44. Or, when I'm healing dungeons, the next ability I will be consistently using is at level 34.

-The artist formerly known as Larias

#10 - March 31, 2012, 11:49 p.m.

There are apparently some bugs in what levels monks get certain abilities. There should not be big level gaps in any class until you start hitting the 50s.

Overall, classes should still get new abilities at about the same rate they always did. We shifted some around to where they would make more sense (e.g. Shadow priests need some heals, but not nearly as many as a Disc priest) but those gaps are made up for by old talents that are no spec-specific spells. Using priests as an example again, all Holy priests get Chakra instead of having to spend a (no-brainer) talent point on them.

Feedback on specific monk abilities is appreciated. We just didn't want you to blame the talent changes for an apparent lack of abilities.