User:Rastamon/buildarchive/Build:Mo/A Shadow Arts RC Monk

This build focuses on the use of the Monk elite Restore Condition to remove harmful Conditions that affect a party. With the excellent healing bonus provided by Restore Condition, the user is able to accomplish more than one task at a time; both removing conditions, as well as providing healing for the party. In combination with an Assassin's Shadow Arts skills, you gain additional defense on top of your existing protection from Enchantments in the Protection Prayers line.

Equipment

 * A positive energy set, and a negative energy set for weapon swapping.
 * A weapon of Enchanting can lengthen the duration of your enchantments.
 * Note that a weapon with a Crippling upgrade can increase the duration of Cripple, inflicted by Return.

Usage

 * Use Gift of Health for a general purpose heal.
 * Shield of Absorption is to be used for extra protection and damage reduction.
 * Cast Reversal of Fortune for an immediate heal and damage prevention.
 * Remove harmful conditions and heal allies with conditions on them with Restore Condition.
 * Signet of Devotion is to be used for an energy-free heal. It is an excellent follow-up after healing a target with your other spells.
 * Hexes can be removed with Holy Veil. Avoid maintaining this enchantment as it harms your energy pool.
 * Use Dark Escape for a speed boost or for instant damage reduction on incoming attacks and spells.
 * Shadow Step away from targets to your allies with Return. Note the crippling condition it inflicts on nearby foes.

Counters

 * Heavy Energy denial can be devastating if you're caught unprepared.
 * As with many other healing builds, Diversion can be very harmful if it hits a critical spell.
 * Note that the basis of this build does not involve removing conditions on yourself, unless you've taken an extra condition-removing spell for yourself.

Variants

 * Holy Veil can be replaced with any other hex removal skill, such as Smite Hex.
 * Some may wish to replace Shield of Absorption with Protective Spirit. It is vital that your team carries at least one copy of Protective Spirit.
 * For self condition removal, take Dismiss Condition or Mend Ailment. Most of the time it is better just to have a teammate with Draw Conditions.
 * An excellent skill for both condition and hex removal with no energy costs, would be Purge Signet. Since the majority of your skills cost only 5 energy, weapon swapping with Purge Signet can be extremely useful, and with low energy recovery times thanks to your cheap spell costs.
 * Dark Escape, while the preferred speed-boosting stance, can be replaced with another such as Dash.