Monk Guide
Welcome to our World of Warcraft The War Within Monk Guide. Here you will find a quick overview of the specializations Monk can pick and choose from, with links and in-depth information available to each spec's Talents, Builds, Rotation, Gear, and much more.
Become a stout guardian and defender of your allies, blending martial skill and mystical brews in perfect balance.
Channel healing mists and chi in perfect harmony to protect and heal your allies with the energy of life itself.
Strike your enemies with the perfect equilibrium of strength, speed, grace, and magical chi powers.
The War Within Monk Specializations
Brewmaster Monk
Brewmaster Monks are sturdy brawlers that rely on their unpredictable movements and a steady supply of mystical Brews to stave off damage and protect others. Calling upon the aid of Niuzao, the Black Ox, a Brewmaster's ability to Stagger all damage they receive results in them having unmatched sturdiness against even the most extreme threats.
How Popular is Brewmaster Monk?
Raid Popularity
Brewmasters are the quintessential "progression tank" in a raid, offering extreme survivability, a damage increase to the entire group with the Mystic Touch effect, and an ability to be more offensively-minded in areas where other tanks may have to play more defensively. Unless an encounter demands utility that is exclusive to a specific tank, you can count on Brewmaster being a default choice for progression-oriented players in any given raid.
Mythic+ Popularity
Mythic+ is an area where self-sustainability becomes much more important in determining success. Sadly, although a Brewmaster is capable of surviving any direct hit outright, the steady trickle of Staggered damage over time may prove lethal with an unprepared healer. Beyond this, however, Brewmasters offer a variety of in-demand utility found within dungeons, including an AoE stun, enemy displacement, universal crowd control, a dispel for Poison and Disease effects, and incredible mobility. Provided the extra overall damage taken can be managed, Brewmaster remains a welcome addition to any Mythic+ team.
Mistweaver Monk
Mistweaver Monks are masters of manipulating the essence of life flowing through all living things. With the help of special teas and Yu'lon, the Jade Serpent, there is no injury they cannot undo. And, when the situation calls for it, they may also rely on their own martial training to keep foes at bay.
How Popular is Mistweaver Monk?
Raid Popularity
Mistweavers often fulfill a role of "group healer" in a raid environment, providing a continuous flow of healing to their allies rather than dedicating triage to one or two at a time. Although they can perform in either role, this tends to come with compromises to overall performance, and there are certainly other healers that can compete for this group-healing duty. However, when appropriately specialized, a Mistweaver is capable of both sustaining a raid through dangerous bursts of damage and managing their own resources efficiently with the help of Mana Tea. All of this is in addition to their natural mobility, allowing them to navigate mechanics with ease.
Mythic+ Popularity
Mythic+ has its healing limited to only five people at most, which may sometimes be a hindrance to a Mistweaver that has not adjusted their talents accordingly. In addition, dungeon environments frequently involve healers dealing damage of their own at times. While Mistweaver's melee-oriented toolkit can also provide healing through damage dealt, it is frequently at the mercy of tuning to determine whether or not it excels. Fortunately, its unmatched mobility and access to every desirable piece of Mythic+ utility (including a group-wide dispel effect with Revival) means that Mistweavers can still find a place when their damage capabilities are lower.
Windwalker Monk
Windwalker Monks are master martial artists, pummeling their foes in a controlled rhythm of kicks and punches. They are also mystically balanced, capable of splitting their spirit into three for a divided assault or calling upon their preferred celestial, Xuen, the White Tiger, for assistance in challenging their foes.
How Popular is Windwalker Monk?
Raid Popularity
Windwalkers are often a popular choice for Melee DPS slots in raid groups. Though it is rare for them to reach the top of the damage meters in the largely single-target-oriented encounters of a raid, they are both consistent and durable in performance against a variety of mechanics. In addition to providing the Mystic Touch buff to the group, their mobility allows Windwalkers to avoid mechanics with ease and keep performing their rotation all the while.
Mythic+ Popularity
Mythic+ dungeons are an area where Windwalkers naturally excel. Their frequent access to damage cooldowns, strong dungeon utility, and innate mobility results in a specialization that has an answer to every situation that may occur throughout an instance. Although they may not always reach the same damage peaks of other melee DPS, their consistent performance and ability to quickly disengage and re-engage with enemies results in Windwalkers frequently ending up on top for group damage. All of this is in addition to bringing common dungeon utility needs, such as an AoE stun, crowd control, enemy displacement, and a combination Poison/Disease dispel.
This guide has been written by Sinzhu, a Mythic raider on US-Kil'jaeden who has passionately played Brewmaster for the past nine years. He also contributes to the Peak of Serenity and is a Moderator of the Monk Class Discord.
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