Quote (Cide_PR @ Aug 29 2012 03:34pm)

Another thing that helped my monk go from a2 struggling to a4 clearing was playing hardcore. I learned to play better and learned the value of the passive Near death expirience.

If that procs and you are not already looking for a better position you would have died and you can learn.
Once it stops going off..... swap it out for better passive.

Quote (alyu314 @ Aug 29 2012 05:51pm)

these are some great suggestions!  just the mantra (conviction with the last rune) and shield (extra crit chance really helped!)
am now not dying every other second (though fire chains+molten_arcane is still hard as anything)

@Sefira - thanks a lot for looking through my gear! I'll try to find stuff to match these suggestions (but not now, spent all my gold, only got 200k...)

thanks to everyone else as well! hopefully I'll soon be able to farm a2.

btw, why is 7ss not good? I'm using it as a 2nd invulnerability spell, like serenity.  I swapped out my beacon for mantra of conviction, would it be better to swap 7ss for beacon or something?

Quote (alyu314 @ Aug 29 2012 04:40pm)

thanks again to everyone.  I've switched to 1h shield now, is sss viable? if not, what should I swap with it?
also, someone mentioned (sorry, I forgot who) that I should swap out the dash (which is on my right click) - how does everyone get out of tight spots then?

Quote (jinshin85 @ Aug 29 2012 06:57pm)

Go dual wield. This patch is way too easy to have a shield on your hand.

And don't get caught in the tight spots. And if you do, use your thunderclap to get out. And if you have good enough dmg, you just burn them down with blind + serenity time.

Quote (Cide_PR @ Aug 29 2012 05:05pm)

My dmg without shield is 3k higher than my dmg with it.

Ofc my shield has high dex, soc with dex and capped crit chance. Along with resists and vit.
I know my weapons could be better but honestly... dw is great but if you are broke from teorycrafting like I am.... a shield is a lot cheaper than a second weapon in most cases.

Quote (jinshin85 @ Aug 29 2012 07:57pm)

Go dual wield. This patch is way too easy to have a shield on your hand.

And don't get caught in the tight spots. And if you do, use your thunderclap to get out. And if you have good enough dmg, you just burn them down with blind + serenity time.

Quote (alyu314 @ 29 Aug 2012 20:13)

but isnt thunderclap random with it's teleport?
also, the shield I got increased my dps (I swapped my fist weapon for it) + I'm poor.  what am I looking for on the weapons, btw?
I know crit dmg / socket is good, what else? just lots of dex? I used to have LOH, but now my regen handles my healing pretty well; do I need both?