The Monk is a very mutable class in Diablo Immortal. In PvP, the choice of builds is almost unsurpassed. Should the Monk focus on mobility? Tanking? Single-target damage? Taking a look at Monks that top the leaderboards in the Battlegrounds, there is a rather remarkable discovery.
Most classes in PvP will try to wait for a straggler and then pick the unfortunate soul off. The Monk is the one class in Diablo Immortal that is capable of destroying entire teams in a matter of seconds. This build will force opposing teams to split up or die. Of course, by splitting up, they fall pray to the Monk's teammates, so it is truly a win-win scenario.
Due to several factors, like gear, skills, reforging, and upgrades, it is impossible to list the exact quantities for many of the numbers detailed here. Any variable number has been replaced with an 'X' to signify its potential to change.
Skill Selection
Slot | Skill | Description |
Primary Skill | Fists of Thunder | Teleport to a nearby enemy and unleash a rapid succession of punches that each deal X to X damage. You can teleport again after every third hit. Each enemy player can be a teleport target only once every X seconds. |
Skill | Cyclone Strike | Generate a vortex of wind that pulls in enemies and deals X damage. Charging longer increases range, and damage up to X. |
Skill | Seven-Sided Strike | Dash rapidly between nearby enemies, striking X times for X damage per hit. Additional hits on the same target deal X% as much damage. |
Skill | Imprisoned Fist | Attack enemies in a direction for X damage and Immobilize them for X seconds. |
Skill | Shield of Zen | Protect yourself or an ally with a shield that absorbs X damage for X seconds. This shield also prevents all effects which cause loss of control of a character. Protecting an ally will cause you to charge to their location and grant you both this shield. |
A group stun with Imprisoned Fist is tailor-made for PvP. Anybody who gets hit by the blow will be stuck in place for several seconds, Freeing the Monk to use Cyclone Strike against every target hit. Factor in a few teammates and this can end fights in literal seconds.
Gear
The bulk of gamers will be hunting down their ideal pieces of legendary gear after taking the time to beat the game. But don't forget to track down the set bonus pieces after choosing them from the list. A complete set gives three additional effects, on par with the legendary bonuses from the regular gear.
Primary Gear
Slot | Piece | Legendary Effect |
Head | Pensive Crown | Shield of Zen duration increased by X%. |
Chest | Enlightenment's Blessing | During Shield of Zen, your movement speed is increased by X% and you can move unhindered through enemies. |
Shoulders | Freedom's Gale | Imprisoned Fist now knocks surrounding enemies into the air and Stuns them, but no longer Immobilizes. |
Legs | Isolation's Path | Imprisoned Fist maximum charges increased by X. |
Main Hand | Intervening Law | Shield of Zen now causes you to charge to a target location, granting you and all nearby allies a shield that absorbs damage. |
Off Hand | Eye of the Storm | Cyclone radius increases by X% |
The combination of Freedom's Gale and Isolation's Path is at the heart of what makes the Monk so feared in PvP. A stun replacing an immobilize prevents other players from doing anything for the entire duration of Imprisoned Fist. Adding a charge only Imprisoned Fist has an enemy getting stuck for a long time, more than enough time for a Monk and maybe a friend or two to kill the poor soul.
Set Items
Set Bonus | 2/6 Effect | 4/6 Effect | 6/6 Effect |
Feasting Baron's Pack | Increases the duration of your abilities that cause loss of control by X%. | Increases damage done from all sources by X% to enemies suffering under your loss of control effects. | Unleash a nova of ice each time you defeat an enemy afflicted by your loss of control effects, dealing X damage to nearby enemies and Freezing them for X seconds. Cannot occur more often than once every X seconds. |
Increasing the duration of the Monk's stun is only the beginning of the benefits of the Feasting Baron's Pack. Reading carefully, all damage done to opponents caught in Imprisoned Fist will be increased regardless of the source. Making enemies vulnerable and powerless, if a foe gets hit, their survival odds are very low.
Reforge Bonuses
Even for paid players, reforge attribute bonuses can be guided, but are not guaranteed completely. With enough rerolls, any player can eventually get the exact attribute they want, but this will take time and luck, even for those who have the money. Therefore, several different attributes have been listed within the same family, in order of preference.
Family Bonus
Family | Family Attribute |
Vengeance | Your primary attacks have a X% chance to increase all damage you deal by X% for one second. |
The Vengeance set is one of the best for PvP as it relies on attacks, not just deaths. When the effect itself triggers, have a Seven-Sided Strike ready to go.
Attributes
Preference | Attribute |
First | Damage to enemies suffering loss of control increased by X%. |
Second | Damage to players increased by X%. |
Third | Attack speed increased by X%. |
Damage to enemy players, both with and without control, has obvious PvP implications. But don't be angered to get some bonus to attack speed. Primary attacks have a large window for usage as foes will remain stunned even after taking a fully charged Cyclone Strike and a round of Seven-Sided Strike.
Gems
There are two kinds of gems to consider for this build: the legendary gems and the regular gems. Players of all income levels will be using this guide, so there are three charts for legendary gems to choose from. Probability demands that even paying for an advantage will still make it tough to get the right gems, so feel free to mix and match from the charts based on the character's most valuable stats.
Legendary Gems
5-Star Gem | Effect |
Echoing Shade | Your attacks have a X% chance to summon a shadow clone for X seconds that gains some of your abilities. |
Howler's Call | Your Primary Attack has a X% chance to summon a charging spirit wolf that inflicts X% base damage +X to all enemies in its path. Cannot occur more often than once every X seconds. |
Phoenix Ashes | Prevents fatal damage, and then grants a shield for X seconds that absorbs damage equal to X% of your base damage. Cannot occur more often than once every X seconds. |
Seeping Bile | Your attacks have a X% chance to poison enemies, inflicting X% base damage +X every second for X seconds. This poison spreads to nearby enemies if the victim dies. Cannot affect the same target more often than once every X seconds. |
Chip of Stoned Flesh | Each time you cause an enemy total loss of control, you will also apply an explosive curse. When the curse expires, the enemy will explode for damage equal to X% of all damage taken during its duration, up to a maximum of X% base damage. Cannot occur more often than once every X seconds per target. |
Blood-Soaked Jade | Increases all damage you deal by up to X% and your Movement Speed by X%, with less damage bonus the lower your Life, to a minimum of X%. |
This is one of the only PvP builds in the game that doesn't use Blessing of the Worthy. While it's still a valuable gem, stunned opponents generally won't be attacking back. The Monk can be long gone before they come to their senses. Phoenix Ashes is still worth keeping for any unfortunate accidents.
2-Star Gem | Effect |
Battleguard | Decreases all melee damage you take by X% from enemies within X yards. |
The Hunger | Heal X% base damage +X Life each time you defeat an enemy. Cannot occur more often than once every X seconds. |
Fervent Fang | Each time you deal damage to an enemy, that enemy now takes X% increased from your attacks, up to a maximum increase of X% at X stacks. |
Cutthroat's Grin | Gain X% increase Critical Hit Chance when attacking from behind. |
Lightning Core | Your Primary Attacks and movement slowly charge you up with electricity. When fully charged, your next Primary Attack will release chain lightning, dealing X% base damage +X to nearby enemies. Cannot occur more often than once every X seconds. |
Power and Command | Power and Command alternate states every X seconds. Power increases your Primary Attack damage by X%. Command increases all other skill damage by X%. |
All 2-Star gems get priority over 1-Star gems for their Resonance bonuses alone. These effects are potentially as useful as those of the 5-Star variety, so while all 5-Star gems may be the goal eventually, don't feel bad sticking with these benefits.
1-Star Gem | Effect |
Ca'arsen's Invigoration | Increases the speed of your Primary Attack by X%. |
Chained Death | Increases damage done by your attacks by X% per target hit, up to a maximum of X% with X targets. |
Seled's Weakening | Gain X% increased damage for X seconds after killing an Elite monster. |
Pain of Subjugation | You deal X% increased damage to enemies suffering loss of control. |
Respite Stone | Decreases all damage you take by X% for every X% your Life is below maximum, up to maximum damage decrease of X%. |
Zod Stone | Increases the duration of your Ultimate Skills by X%. |
Unless players have six gems of more rarity than the 1-Star gems, Pain of Subjugation should never be unequipped. It's a direct boost to the only kind of damage the Monk will be dealing.
Regular Gem Preference
Color | Gem | Effect |
Red | Tourmaline | +Damage |
Yellow | Citrine | +Potency |
Blue | Sapphire | +Armor Penetration |
Players are about split on offense or defense for their gems. Teams with great coordination should have the Monk go all-in on defense and allow another player to dish out the majority of the damage during Imprisoned Fist. Gamers on their own will favor the offensive gems to finish the job themselves.
Diablo Immortal is available now for mobile and PC.