Divine Favor



Divine Favor is the Monk primary attribute, meaning that only a character with Monk as their primary class can put points into this attribute.

Guild Wars description
"For each rank of Divine Favor, allies are healed for 3.2 whenever you cast Monk spells on them. Several Monk skills, especially spells relating to energy gain and healing, become more effective with a higher Divine Favor."

Progression
Note: The rounded number is used for modified heals, such as when the target is under the effects of Life Attunement or Aura of Faith.

General description
Divine Favor is a useful attribute for healing and protection Monks, and some specialized smiting Monks. The inherent effect of the attribute is desirable, even without using any Divine Favor skills. With 12 points in Divine Favor, allies are healed for 38 additional health each time you cast a Monk spell on them. Divine Favor can make relatively weak spells like Dwayna's Kiss very effective: at 12 points in Divine Favor and Healing Prayers, it would heal for 89 health, an increase of over 50% - for only 5 Energy. Moreover, Divine Favor is often the only way protection Monks can directly heal their target. With a high Divine Favor attribute, a protection monk can simply cast multiple protection spells and heal allies for no extra cost (in particular, without the need to use dedicated healing skills). Note, however, that untargetted Monk spells such as Heal Party or Aegis only grant the healing bonus to the caster since they have no target.

Primary Monks are effective healers because of access to Divine Favor. Characters using monk secondaries must work much harder to be effective healers. For this reason, they often focus on untargetted Monk spells, those which already heal for a large amount of health, and/or non-spell skills which do not benefit from Divine Favor anyway.

Keep in mind that Divine Favor only works on Monk spells. Any other skills, such as Signets used on allies, or the Ritualist's Restoration Magic spells, will not provide a Divine Favor bonus.

Associated skills
Divine Favor is useful without using skills linked to it. The skills linked to Divine Favor are quite a mixed bag, though all generally making it easier for a monk to defend allies:


 * Two skills provide partywide healing: Divine Healing, and its Factions counterpart, Heaven's Delight.
 * Signet of Devotion is used as energy management and a decently powerful heal on its own.
 * Blessed Aura and Divine Spirit help your other skills last longer, do more, and cost less.
 * Watchful Spirit acts like Mending until it is removed, at which point your target is healed for an amount similiar to Healing Ring.
 * Unyielding Aura is the only monk resurrection spell that costs only 5 energy and is a maintained enchantment.
 * Divine Boon essentially doubles up the effect of Divine Favor itself, healing extra health whenever you cast spells on allies.
 * Boon Signet is an elite signet that has very weak healing itself, but makes your next Healing or Protective Prayer spell heal for more.
 * Blessed Signet is an important skill for bonders and others using maintained enchantments.
 * Healer's Boon and Smiter's Boon make spells from their respective attributes much more effective when paired with Divine Favor.

Most of the Monk's Energy management skills are linked to the Divine Favor attribute.