Why don't more people play Monk?

Community General Discussion
1

Monk has always felt like the red-headed stepchild class, but it really is one of, if not the most fun class in the game.

Brewmaster is such a fun spec with such a huge utility belt, a cooldown for every situation. Mistweaver is like a Healer/DPS hybrid that works extremely well alongside competent teammates. Windwalker almost never has a gap in its rotation, and can have great burst damage.

Combine this with the ability to weave in and out of melee range and dart around the map with the various rolls and speed boosts, Shaman-esque totem statues and Hunter-esque pet summons.

Monk is really fun. Like, a lot. Must be why Blizzard is always afraid to crank the numbers on us like they do with some of the slower classes; once people get a taste of Monk, they’ll never go back.

EDIT: Yeah the class fantasy is a little funky, especially when you notice some of the more subtle Pandaren references in its abilities. I just like to think of them as counterparts to Shamans, more focused on Spirit and Decay than the elements in general.

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  1. Some people don’t like the association with panda people

  2. Some of the animations and spell effects can be offputting (off-green color, lack of weapon, etc)

  3. It’s not your standard western DnD trope

Edit: All that said, people are missing out on being jojo memes and I feel bad for them.

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I tried but I just couldn’t get into them. Shaman is the same.

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I want a ranged monk DPS spec where I shoot people with mist lasers and conjure large fists and feet to punch a kick my target from afar.

Then I’ll play monk.

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They’d rather be lazy and faceroll with a DH that they don’t have to level from square one.

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6

They always seemed like fun, but honestly I never found the class fantasy that appealing.

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7

I like to think of them as counterparts to Shamans, more focused on Spirit and Decay than the elements in general. Every now and then though I do see that panda paw in Tiger Palm, and it gives me a DPS drop.

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8

I just don’t really like the aesthetic? Don’t get me wrong, I love punchy characters. My main was a Monk in FF14, and it felt super enjoyable to play! Even the basic move of Bootshine had a lot of, well, ‘punch’ to it!

Meanwhile Fists of Fury just sounds like I’m thwacking someone with a wet paper towel a few times.

Too much on the ‘mystical’, not enough on the ‘physical’. If I want to play a punchy character I’ll play a Fury Warrior using fist weapons just because the aesthetic is more impactful.

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9

I have a ridiculous number of monks. It is my most played class by several miles.

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I used to play MW as an Alt in MoP/WoD.

I don’t hate it, i just don’t feel compelled to play it anymore. It doesn’t really do anything i ever go “damn wish i could press that button”.

Otherwise i don’t tank anymore and if i ever want to DPS again i’ll prolly default back to my Hunter or Rogue.

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Because every time they release a new class it forces some percentage of the player base to give up their current character, and monk just wasn’t that different that a lot of people fell for it.

I’m surprised there are as many evokers as there are, to be honest.

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This is a silly question. Monk is a strong melee DPS right now so of course people are playing them.

Why does anyone not play anything?

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You basically want to be old Luke in that final battle?

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Ikr? Monk is so much fun. I always have one hanging around as an alt. WW and Brew are a good time, never dabbled in MW but it seems solid, maybe a bit undertuned tho? I’ve seen MW doing +20 so seems fine.

A lot is the aesthetic. A guy in my guild hates monks and will never play one, I don’t personally get it. I think it has a lot to do with the panda thing, people just don’t like the pandas for some reason.

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Yes, every day.

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16

Every time my fist weapons disappear mid combat, I want to reroll.

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17

Because they need buffs specially Brewmasters that never come. Next week come some buffs for them but i dont think they are super good. They will still stay behind prot warriors or dk tanks.

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For me, I think it’s goofy but I weigh the theme of a class equally with its mechanics.

Rising Sun Kick?
Flying Serpent Kick?
Whirling Dragon Punch?
Fists of the White Tiger?

To me, it just isn’t Warcraft, alongside the pervasive Panda theme present everywhere, the animations not fitting most races, and the theme not aligning well with most races.

I wanted something akin to Diablo Monk, I received Kung-Fu Panda.

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19

Windwalker is top tier right now.

Brewmaster and Mistweaver are considered weak, though.

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Mistweaver is a terrible healer design. Maintaining Renewing Mist then having to use Rising Sun Kick to extend the duration. So annoying. And then yada yada yada. Soothing Mist doesn’t feel like a good or interesting ability.

Both the melee healers feel whack. Paladin being such a single target healer is annoying.

Brewmaster needs more drunk tilt. It’s fun though. Windwalker needs more kung fu zing. Definitely my favorite overall class/spec.