First big tip is don’t immediately panic if you’re in red stagger (or higher). Being in high stagger doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in danger and grants you a huge mastery bonus (survivability and damage) via Training of Niuzao. Stagger itself is not DR, so make sure you follow a general rule of keeping one charge of CB rolling and the second charge for if/when you need it. Second is don’t sit on CB trying to get a 10 stack of purified chi cast and just use it regardless of stacks where you need it, and if you don’t need it in the next ~25-30s just send it at some point for the absorb as you would IP. It is, however, worth tracking purified chi so you can refresh the stacks if you are holding CB for a mechanic.
Fort Brew has an effective cooldown of somewhere around 2-2.5 min with all the brew CDR and expeditious iirc, so while definitely longer than Shield Wall’s effective 1.5m (with the wall, not sure what it is with aegis), it’s not as absurdly long of a CD as it seems. For the most part, it’s usage varies on a dungeon to dungeon basis, though you want to get as much mileage out of all of your defensives as possible. Some tank busters or packs are mostly staggerable so you can hold it if you need it later and get through just fine with CB, some are scary enough that you absolutely need Fort Brew. I would not necessarily say FB is our biggest defensive, though. Dampen is generally more DR in higher content (averaging around 30%) and a slightly shorter CD. Diffuse, when the damage type is appropriate, is a whopping 60% DR and a fairly short 1.5m. Even Zen Med is stronger when it is applicable (it gets cancelled by melee’s/any ability, so you need to time it properly), though it’s CD is ridiculously long. Fort Brew’s strength, unless I am mistaken, primarily comes from it’s long duration, which can be extremely helpful in some packs with multiple tankbuster DoTs. I believe if you cast it as the second Anima Slash is coming out in Mists it should last both the initial and subsequent cast of the dot. Brew doesn’t really have any “emergency” defensives. Stagger is true damage and cannot be reduced, it can only be purged (mainly by Purifying Brew, also in smaller though not insubstantial doses by Quick Sip and Tranquil Spirit). Because of this, you want to mitigate the upfront damage as much as you can. Our recovery/“emergency” tools are healing via Gai Plin’s, consuming Ox Orbs via Expel Harm and, in extremely desperate situations, Vivacious Vivification casts.
Keg Smash as an opener is your best bet for threat, though you want to get the mobs as grouped as possible to ensure it hits everything. Spinning Crane Kick can be a good tool for that, though that’s really it’s only use so far this xpac as it has scaled very poorly. Your main filler should be Tiger Palm, ideally after every Blackout Kick if running Blackout Combo. You want to keep one charge of Keg Smash rolling, the second charge of KS is lower in the priority. After your opener, Blackout Kick is your highest priority rotational button. It simply provides too much damage and survivability (via shuffle, Hit Scheme, Elusive Footwork, Shadowboxing Treads, Quick Sip if talented, Blackout Combo if talented, Overwhelming Force if Master of Harmony, possibly things I’m overlooking/forgetting).
Hop you found any of this helpful!