Monk Class Changes and Developer Feedback for The War Within - More Options and Utility

The War Within Posted 2024/04/18 at 4:41 PM by perculia

Developer NotesMonk Class

Monk Class TreeOur main goals for the Monk Class tree are to introduce more optionality, refresh the cappers, and add a few new pieces of utility (such as an Enrage dispel), while still cutting down on overall keybind requirements. To accomplish this, we’ve added choice nodes to most active options that offer a passive option or changed pathing to allow more skipping of these spells.We’ve also cut down on the total amount of throughput being offered within the core tree. Using Mistweaver as an example, they often found themselves feeling required to pick up both the healing and damage nodes offered throughout the tree and were therefore left with only a few points to customize their utility loadout. The reduced number of throughput nodes and the decreased amount of 2-point nodes throughout the tree is intended to help remedy this situation.

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Windwalker Monk

Windwalker MonkOur updates for Windwalker in The War Within are intended to address a few issues the specialization struggled with throughout Dragonflight. These points of focus for us were the power levels of the Haste and Mastery stats falling behind other options, Jadefire Stomp’s usability, and the Touch of Death gameplay focus. Other areas that we are also looking at are resource bloat, evening out their rate of auto-attacks, and adding more pronounced thematics through both gameplay and visuals.Fists of Fury’s damage and Glory of the Dawn now scale with your Haste value to help the stat be more impactful for Windwalker Monks. These will help us have the tuning knobs to increase its value more dynamically. We’ve also increased the cost of Tiger Palm to 60 Energy to help decrease resource overload while encouraging Haste to help with energy regeneration. For Mastery, we feel we can get to a point where it becomes a more competitive stat through tuning.Jadefire Stomp’s reset mechanic is being removed in favor of a static cooldown. We feel this will be a lot more forgiving and lower the barrier of entry to playing Windwalker. Additionally, we’re adding talent support to increase the individual value of the Jadefire Stomp global in single target situations.Most of Touch of Death’s gameplay is being replaced with a more execute-focused version through the Core Tree capper instead of the AoE and repeat cast components. This opens up more of the AoE tuning budget to be within Windwalker Monk’s base spells.Serenity is being removed from the talent tree in The War Within to be able to focus Windwalker Monk’s cooldown window around a more consistent window and create opportunities for some gameplay options we’re excited about while reducing resource overload.

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Mistweaver Monk

Mistweaver MonkMistweaver is seeing a few updates including their class 2-set Chi Harmony bonus and the removal of Essence Font. We’re also adding a talent to help Mistweavers who are focused on melee to gain more value out of their Mastery stat. Essence Font’s removal will have a few outcomes, the most important of which to address will be melee Mistweavers in raid healing scenarios.We’re hoping the removal of Clouded Focus and consequent tuning of Vivify and Enveloping Mist will help Soothing Mist fill the gaps for them, but there are some realities around planting and casting that may feel worse than Essence Font did. Our goal here is to make the risk/reward feel worth it here through tuning, but we’re going to continue looking at this as we iterate in The War Within.

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Class Changes

MONK

Developer’s note: Our main goals for the Monk Class tree are to introduce more optionality, refresh the cappers, and add a few new pieces of utility (such as an Enrage dispel), while still cutting down on overall keybind requirements. To accomplish this, we’ve added choice nodes to most active options that offer a passive option or changed pathing to allow more skipping of these spells. More details can be found in the Feedback: Monk Updates thread.
New Talent: Crashing Momentum – Targets you Roll through are snared by 40% for 5 seconds.
New Talent: Bounding Agility – Roll and Chi Torpedo travel a small distance further.
New Talent: Wind’s Reach – The range of Disable is increased by 5 yards. The duration of Crashing Momentum is increased by 3 seconds and its snare now reduces movement speed by an additional 20%.
New Talent: Ancient Arts – Reduces the cooldown of Paralysis by 8/15 seconds and the cooldown of Leg Sweep by 5/10 seconds.
New Talent: Jade Walk – While out of combat, your movement speed is increased by 15%.
New Talent: Pressure Points – Paralysis now removes all Enrage effects from its target.
New Talent: Energy Transfer – Successfully interrupting an enemy reduces the cooldown of Paralysis and Roll by 5 seconds.
New Talent: Quick Footed – The duration of snare effects on you is reduced by 20%.
New Talent: Spirit’s Essence: Transcendence – Transfer snares targets within 10 yards by 70% for 4 seconds when cast.
New Talent: Peace and Prosperity – Reduces the cooldown of Ring of Peace by 5 seconds and Song of Chi-Ji’s cast time is reduced by 0.5 seconds.
New Talent: Swift Art – Roll removes a snare effect once every 30 seconds.
New Talent: Celestial Determination – While your celestial is active, you cannot be slowed below 90% normal movement speed.
New Talent: Martial Instincts – Increases your Physical damage done by 2/4% and Avoidance increased by 2/4%.
New Talent: Healing Winds: Transcendence – Transfer immediately heals you for 15% of your maximum health.
New Talent: Chi Proficiency – Magical damage done increased by 2/4% and healing done increased by 2/4%.
New Talent: Lighter Than Air – Roll causes you to become lighter than air, allowing you to double jump to dash forward a short distance once within 5 seconds.
New Talent: Flow of Chi – You gain a bonus effect based on your current health. Above 90% health: Movement speed increased by 5%. This bonus stacks with similar effects. Between 90% and 35% health: Damage taken reduced by 5%. Below 35% health: Healing received increased by 10%.
New Talent: Rushing Reflexes – Your heightened reflexes allow you to react swiftly to the presence of enemies, causing you to quickly lunge to the nearest enemy within 10 yards after you Roll.
New Talent: Transcendence: Linked Spirits – Transcendence now tethers your spirit onto an ally for 1 hour. Use Transcendence: Transfer to teleport to your ally’s location.
Tiger Tail Sweep has been redesigned – Increases the range of Leg Sweep by 4 yards. Now a 1 point talent.
Elusive Mists has been redesigned – Reduces all damage taken by you and your target while channeling Soothing Mists by 6%. Now a 1 point talent.
Chi Wave has been redesigned – Every 15 seconds, your next Rising Sun Kick or Vivify releases a wave of Chi energy that flows through friends and foes, dealing Nature damage or healing. Bounces up to 7 times to targets within 25 yards.
Summon White Tiger Statue has been redesigned – Invoking Xuen, the White Tiger also spawns a White Tiger Statue at your location that pulses damage to all enemies ever 2 seconds for 10 seconds.
Ironshell Brew has been redesigned – Increases your maximum health by an additional 10% and your damage taken is reduced by an additional 10% while Fortifying Brew is active.
Escape from Reality has been redesigned – After you use Transcendence: Transfer, you can use Transcendence: Transfer again within 10 seconds, ignoring its cooldown.
Fatal Touch has been redesigned – Touch of Death increases your damage by 5% for 30 seconds after being cast and its cooldown is reduced by 90 seconds. Now a 1 point talent.
Clash has moved to the Class tree.
Improved Roll is now baseline for all Monk specializations.
Fortifying Brew cooldown is now 2 minutes for Mistweaver and Windwalker.
Many talents have changed positions.
The following talents are now 1 point:

Save Them All
Bounce Back
Resonant Fists
Grace of the Crane
Fast Feet

The following talents have been removed:

Improved Roll
Improved Vivify
Ferocity of Xuen
Hasty Provocation
Eye of the Tiger
Close to Heart
Generous Pour
Resonant Fists
Dampen Harm and Summon Black Ox Statue have been removed for Windwalker and Mistweaver.
Summon White Tiger Statue and Summon Jade Serpent Statue have been removed for Brewmaster and Windwalker.

Mistweaver

Developer’s note: Mistweaver is seeing a few updates including their class 2-set Chi Harmony bonus and the removal of Essence Font. We’re also adding a talent to help Mistweavers who are focused on melee to gain more value out of their Mastery stat. Essence Font’s removal will have a few outcomes, the most important of which to address will be melee Mistweavers in raid healing scenarios.
We’re hoping the removal of Clouded Focus and consequent tuning of Vivify and Enveloping Mist will help Soothing Mist fill the gaps for them, but there are some realities around planting and casting that may feel worse than Essence Font did. Our goal here is to make the risk/reward feel worth it here through tuning, but we’re going to continue looking at this as we iterate in The War Within. Learn more here.
New Talent: Crane Style – Rising Sun Kick now kicks up a Gust of Mist to heal 2 allies within 40 yards. Spinning Crane Kick and Blackout Kick have a chance to kick up a Gust of Mist to heal 1 ally within 40 yards.
New Talent: Deep Clarity – After you fully consume Thunder Focus Tea, your next Vivify triggers Zen Pulse.
New Talent: Chi Harmony – Renewing Mist applies Chi Harmony to its initial target, increasing their healing taken from you by 50% for 8 seconds.
Zen Pulse has been redesigned – Renewing Mist’s heal over time has a chance to cause your next Vivify to also trigger a Zen Pulse on its target and all allies with Renewing Mist, healing them increased by 5% per Renewing Mist active, up to 50%.
Jadefire Stomp no longer casts Essence Font, its cooldown is reduced to 15 seconds (was 20 seconds), and now casts Gusts of Mist on each ally healed.
Gust of Mist healing increased by 20%.
Jade Bond now increases the healing of Yu’lon’s Soothing Breath by 300% (was 40%).
Invigorating Mist healing increased by 8%.
Vivify healing increased by 9%.
Vivify now costs 3% base mana (was 3.4%).

Developer’s note: We are increasing the effectiveness of baseline Vivify with the removal of the Clouded Focus talent.

Burst of Life’s icon has been changed.
Various talents have changed locations.
The following talents have been removed:

Essence Font
Upwelling
Font of Life
Clouded Focus

Windwalker

Developer’s note: Our updates for Windwalker in The War Within are intended to address a few issues the specialization struggled with throughout Dragonflight. These points of focus for us were the power levels of the Haste and Mastery stats falling behind other options, Jadefire Stomp’s usability, and the Touch of Death gameplay focus. Other areas that we are also looking at are resource bloat, evening out their rate of auto-attacks, and adding more pronounced thematics through both gameplay and visuals. Learn more here.
New Talent: Acclamation – Rising Sun Kick increases the damage your target receives from you by 4% for 12 seconds. Multiple instances may overlap.
New Talent: Flurry of Xuen – Your spells and abilities have a chance to activate Flurry of Xuen, unleashing a barrage of deadly swipes to deal Physical damage in a 10 yard cone. Invoking Xuen, the White Tiger activates Flurry of Xuen.

Developer’s note: This ability is still being implemented and will be added in the subsequent Public Alpha build.

New Talent: Martial Mixture – Blackout Kick increases the damage of your next Tiger Palm by 10%, stacking up to 12 times.
New Talent: Courageous Impulse – The Blackout Kick! effect also increases the damage of your next Blackout Kick by 175%.
New Talent: Energy Burst – When you consume Blackout Kick!, you have a 100% chance to generate 1 Chi.
New Talent: Gale Force – Targets struck by Strike of the Windlord are sent reeling from its impact, causing them to become vulnerable to your attacks for 10 seconds. Your abilities have a 100% chance to affect the target a second time at 10% effectiveness as Nature damage while they are vulnerable.
New Talent: Dual Threat – Your auto attacks have a 20% chance to instead kick your target dealing Physical damage and increasing your damage dealt by 5% for 5 seconds.
New Talent: Momentum Boost – Fists of Fury’s damage is increased by 100% of your Haste and Fists of Fury does 10% more damage each time it deals damage, resetting when Fists of Fury ends. Your auto attack speed is increased by 60% for 8 sec after Fists of Fury ends.
New Talent: Ordered Elements – During Storm, Earth, and Fire, Rising Sun Kick reduces Chi costs by 1 for 5 seconds and Blackout Kick reduces the cooldown of affected abilities by an additional 1 second. Activating Storm, Earth, and Fire resets the remaining cooldown of Rising Sun Kick and grants 2 Chi.
New Talent: Sequenced Strikes – You have a 100% chance to gain Blackout Kick! after consuming Dance of Chi-Ji.
New Talent: Revolving Whirl – Whirling Dragon Punch has a 100% chance to activate Dance of Chi-Ji.
New Talent: Knowledge of the Broken Temple – Whirling Dragon Punch grants 4 stacks of Teachings of the Monastery and its damage is increased by 20%. Teachings of the Monastery can now stack up to 8 times.
New Talent: Singularly Focused Jade – Jadefire Stomp’s initial hit now strikes 1 target, but deals 500% increased damage and healing.
New Talent: Communion With Wind – Strike of the Windlord’s cooldown is reduced by 10 seconds and its damage is increased by 20%.
New Talent: Brawler’s Intensity – The cooldown of Rising Sun Kick is reduced by 1 second and the damage of Blackout Kick is increased by 10%.
New Talent: Combat Wisdom – Every 15 seconds, your next Tiger Palm also casts Expel Harm and deals 100% additional damage. Replaces Expel Harm.
Glory of Dawn has been redesigned – Rising Sun Kick has a chance equal to 100% of your Haste to trigger a second time, dealing Physical damage and restoring 1 Chi.
Rushing Jade Wind has been redesigned – Strike of the Windlord applies Mark of the Crane to all enemies struck and summons a whirling tornado around you, causing Physical damage over 8 seconds to all enemies within 8 yards.
Jadefire Stomp has been redesigned – Strike the Ground fiercely to expose a path of jade for 30 seconds that increases your movement speed by 20% while inside, dealing Nature damage to up to 5 enemies and restores health to up to 5 allies within 30 yards caught in the path. Up to 5 enemies caught in the path suffer additional damage.
Inner Peace has been redesigned – Increases maximum Energy by 30. Tiger Palm’s energy cost reduced by 5.
Mastery: Combo Strikes is now 20% more effective.
Touch of Karma is now baseline for Windwalker.
Whirling Dragon Punch now deals additional damage to the first target struck and its damage is reduced beyond 5 targets.
Expel Harm no longer generates Chi for Windwalker.
Flying Serpent Kick no longer deals damage.
Mark of the Crane now only applies to the primary target of each strike.
Teachings of the Monastery now stacks up to 4 times (was 3).
Thunderfist now always generates 4 stacks of Thunderfist and additional stacks of Thunderfist per each additional target struck.
Transfer the Power no longer stacks from Rushing Jade Wind, but now stacks from Spinning Crane Kick.
Crane Vortex now increases the damage of Spinning Crane Kick by 15/30% (was 10/20%).
Spinning Crane Kick now cancels from using other spells or abilities, but no longer prevents auto-attacks for its duration.
Empowered Tiger Lightning’s effect is now baseline for Xuen, the White Tiger.
Invoker’s Delight now increases Haste by 20% while active (was 33%).
Xuen’s Bond now decreases the cooldown of Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger by 0.2 seconds (was 0.1 second) per Combo Strikes activation.
Dance of Chi-Ji’s chance to trigger reduced by 25%.
Tiger Palm Energy cost increased to 60 (was 50).
Chi Burst no longer generates Chi for Windwalker.
Many talents have changed positions.
Drinking Horn Cover and Spiritual Focus are now a choice node together.
The following talents are now 1 point:

Touch of the Tiger
Hardened Soles

The following talents have been removed:

Power Strikes
Fatal Flying Guillotine
Skyreach
Serenity
Forbidden Technique
Widening Whirl
Bonedust Brew
Attenuation
Dust in the Wind
Flashing Fists
Open Palm

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Comment by LundkvistI'm wondering have they forgotten about brewmaster completely or what? I don't remember i saw a buff or change or anything for them last.Comment by hashtagfredLoosing 3 chi bonus to tiger play seems like a will make things a slow start. But I'm happy windwlak3rs are getting so much attention. Still think should have replaced serenity with weapons of orderComment by AgathonMistweaver is losing Dampen Harm and Bounce Back is weaker and fortified brew is on a 5.5 minute timer now, I hope they're also looking at the survivability of other healers as wellComment by NulianoI'm wondering have they forgotten about brewmaster completely or what? I don't remember i saw a buff or change or anything for them last.Comment by tyresias11Mistweaver is losing Dampen Harm and Bounce Back is weaker and fortified brew is on a 5.5 minute timer now, I hope they're also looking at the survivability of other healers as wellComment by dzinx0rMistweaver is losing Dampen Harm and Bounce Back is weaker and fortified brew is on a 5.5 minute timer now, I hope they're also looking at the survivability of other healers as wellComment by MaradhMonk lost all of his raid buff, still has the 5% physical which is worse that the 5% magic in most content. There is very little argument to bring more than one monk in a raid and in dungeon since you have no bl, no br and dh is 95% of the time better because of composition and the amount of utility they have. Disenrage on paralysis with a 45sec cd (30 to 25 with talents) when dractyr can do it in aoe and druid can do with a 8 sec cd. ROP is still unique but extremely niche and isn't even close to DK grip (even less blood DK). And now with the new talent tree, war gets shockwave very easly on top of rallying cry which you can stack

In raid it's so hard to justify a tank monk because you either need a blood dk because there is this one fight you need one to make it playable, prot paladin because of this one fight where spellwarding makes a mecanics trivial and divine shield taunt allows you some too. War prot is very hard to bring but still has rallying cry. DH suffer the same problem of monk which is "is the other spec of my class bad" however since DF, they got insane cc + darkness. Guardian druid has inervate, good passive ally heal, roar and also unique cc such as vortex, ursol and mass root but the new class tree is bad because you have multiple trade betwen throughput and utility talent.

Overall every other tank spec has extra utility and/or better cc than monk

For semi-harcore guild that try their best to get every little advantage to compensate their skill and play time, it is require to have almost a perfect comp and tank are always the first to suffer from this which will led us to pretty much play blood dk and prot paladin 90% of the time in raid

Now it's more a rant about the tank problem but the changes that happened in the monk tree is going in the bad direction to solve it and it really needs to change for the war within

TLDR : tank meta bad, new monk tree bad, give real raid utility, war is better but need also and guardian druid tree bad tooComment by MrNoIdeaLoosing 3 chi bonus to tiger play seems like a will make things a slow start. But I'm happy windwlak3rs are getting so much attention. Still think should have replaced serenity with weapons of orderComment by singularity0Damn I can finally play WW again. I wanted to main it in DF but the talent tree was such a mess.Comment by KoveeGeddeKinda gutted about removal of essence fontComment by camerashy247I am hoping they are cooking for brewmaster if they are not including them in these changes hoping news comes soonComment by GeneralZeraI think the nerf for dance of chi ji trigger by 25% should be removed. If you're going to try to make chi harder to come by and more punishing for the player base then having a freebie like dance of chi ji's trigger effect will be a boon for people who will be punished brutally by becoming energy starved. There should be little to no down time when it comes to combo based specs. If anything that should go for all classes in retail. Please reconsider your stance on this whole concept of resource management going into the war within.Comment by ABirdHatMonk lost all of his raid buff, still has the 5% physical which is worse that the 5% magic in most content. There is very little argument to bring more than one monk in a raid and in dungeon since you have no bl, no br and dh is 95% of the time better because of composition and the amount of utility they have. Disenrage on paralysis with a 45sec cd (30 to 25 with talents) when dractyr can do it in aoe and druid can do with a 8 sec cd. ROP is still unique but extremely niche and isn't even close to DK grip (even less blood DK). And now with the new talent tree, war gets shockwave very easly on top of rallying cry which you can stack

In raid it's so hard to justify a tank monk because you either need a blood dk because there is this one fight you need one to make it playable, prot paladin because of this one fight where spellwarding makes a mecanics trivial and divine shield taunt allows you some too. War prot is very hard to bring but still has rallying cry. DH suffer the same problem of monk which is "is the other spec of my class bad" however since DF, they got insane cc + darkness. Guardian druid has inervate, good passive ally heal, roar and also unique cc such as vortex, ursol and mass root but the new class tree is bad because you have multiple trade betwen throughput and utility talent.

Overall every other tank spec has extra utility and/or better cc than monk

For semi-harcore guild that try their best to get every little advantage to compensate their skill and play time, it is require to have almost a perfect comp and tank are always the first to suffer from this which will led us to pretty much play blood dk and prot paladin 90% of the time in raid

Now it's more a rant about the tank problem but the changes that happened in the monk tree is going in the bad direction to solve it and it really needs to change for the war within

TLDR : tank meta bad, new monk tree bad, give real raid utility, war is better but need also and guardian druid tree bad tooComment by Ztormurthe changes that are coming are substantial enough to call it a monk rework in my honest opinion. and things are looking really good.Comment by WaDaRIP Serenity, my favorite cooldown (especially after they RIPed Storm Earth and Fire)Comment by zauriakRIP skyreach. Like really bummed out it was the best mini charge, yes it had problems but it was a choice between skytouch but man this is just sad.Comment by aszlaukoI like the WW changes, SEAF is so unique for the spec and now even better! i hope Xuen battlegear works good with the WDP +100% dance proc but overall very good changes. I play WW and Brewmaster since WoD. WW was very very good in 7.3.5 than in the other seasons they was just OK in the m+ session. (SL S4 fidget spinner was fun but 1 button gameplay) I really hope they make WW great again , we dont have BL or BR but a really unique playstyle. HOPIUM for Brewmaster reworks too ! Guardians,Bloods,Pallys have BR , VGDH have now superstar AOE CC , just the Warri and Monk tank have "nothing" so can saying than they brings Damage? on logs Brewmaster is the lowest damage so hey PUMP THEM UP! i really loved the damage tank playstyle :) what are u guys think?Comment by Olympus3129Monk lost all of his raid buff, still has the 5% physical which is worse that the 5% magic in most content. There is very little argument to bring more than one monk in a raid and in dungeon since you have no bl, no br and dh is 95% of the time better because of composition and the amount of utility they have. Disenrage on paralysis with a 45sec cd (30 to 25 with talents) when dractyr can do it in aoe and druid can do with a 8 sec cd. ROP is still unique but extremely niche and isn't even close to DK grip (even less blood DK). And now with the new talent tree, war gets shockwave very easly on top of rallying cry which you can stack

In raid it's so hard to justify a tank monk because you either need a blood dk because there is this one fight you need one to make it playable, prot paladin because of this one fight where spellwarding makes a mecanics trivial and divine shield taunt allows you some too. War prot is very hard to bring but still has rallying cry. DH suffer the same problem of monk which is "is the other spec of my class bad" however since DF, they got insane cc + darkness. Guardian druid has inervate, good passive ally heal, roar and also unique cc such as vortex, ursol and mass root but the new class tree is bad because you have multiple trade betwen throughput and utility talent.

Overall every other tank spec has extra utility and/or better cc than monk

For semi-harcore guild that try their best to get every little advantage to compensate their skill and play time, it is require to have almost a perfect comp and tank are always the first to suffer from this which will led us to pretty much play blood dk and prot paladin 90% of the time in raid

Now it's more a rant about the tank problem but the changes that happened in the monk tree is going in the bad direction to solve it and it really needs to change for the war within

TLDR : tank meta bad, new monk tree bad, give real raid utility, war is better but need also and guardian druid tree bad tooComment by RhikiThey could have got rid of Hit Combo too. Its such a crap talent and just adds pointless ramp/punishment if you break mastery for whatever reason.Comment by goldenking812Maybe the expansion after next we'll finally see brewmaster changes. Absurd how neglected it's been.