Windwalker Monk PvE Guide (WoW BfA 8.2) - Classes

A Windwalker Monk is a Melee combat master and knows various martial ats. Using your own power comes from the philosophy of one of the August Celestials of Pandaria, Xuen, the White Tiger.

Introduction

Let’s take a closer look at the weakest and the strongest aspects of this specialization:

Advantages:

Strong burst damage on a single target.
Flexible Dps cooldowns for a single target and AOE
High mobility

Disadvantages:

Not the highest survivability, no immune and Touch of Karma is mostly used for DPS not as save cd.

Basic information on the spec:

A Windwalker Monk uses two key resources: Energy and Chi, a.k.a. Combo Points (hereinafter Chi) typical for any similar class that uses Chi. The whole damaging gameplay is build around correct utilization of these resources.

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Glossary

Show Glossary

(Area of Effect) is basically the area where this of that effect is actuated regardless of whether its damage or healing. This command is usually used to act in a team/raid on several targets. It is also used to describe any ability of a Boss with the aforementioned effect.

Buff stands for any positive effect. Always reflected to the left of the mini-map, by its upper edge.

Burst is an ability to do – in multiple ways – massive damage within a short period of time.

Gear is what it is.

GCD (Global Cooldown) is the overall ability recovery time.

Debuff stands for negative effect. By default, it’ reflected to the left of the mini-map by its lower edge.

DoT stands for Damage over Time.

DPS (Damage per Second) is a measure that reflects the damage done within one second.

Cleave is an ability to damage secondary targets through damaging the main one with no (or minor) loss in the damage done to the main target.

Cooldown (often CD) primarily refers to the ability recovery time. Can be often applied to bursts and various protective abilities.

Melee and Range. Melee is the close-range combat zone, also used in the titles of all the classes and specs that do effective damage in this zone. Range usually refers to a zone that is not a close-range one and is used, respectfully, in the titles of all classes and specs that do effective damage remotely.

Trait is a name for the ‘talents’ your azerite armor has.

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Main abilities

Offensive

Tiger Palm is your main Chi generator on a single target. For 50 Energy it deals minor physical damage generating you 2 Chi. When using it you have 8% chance that your next Blackout Kick will not cost any Chi energy.

Blackout Kick is the key ability to spend the Chi you’ve accumulated. Spends 1 Chi and deals nice physical damage. Reduces Rising sun kick and Fists of fury cooldowns by 1 sec for every use.

Rising Sun Kick demands 2 Chi for activation and has a 10-sec long CD, but it does deal substantial damage to a single target.

Fists of Fury is another ability that demands Chi for activation. It’s an ability to be maintained. For 3 Chi, it allows you to deal massive physical damage to all the enemies in a cone section in front of you, for 4 secs. CD 24 secs. Relocation does not cancel the casting of this ability.

Spinning Crane Kick, for 3 Chi, allows you to engage your AoE ability which deals physical damage to all your enemies within the 8-m range during the next 1.5 secs. You can also increase the damage deat by this ability by attacking various enemies with your Tiger Palm, Blackout Kick or Rising Sun Kick. The damage will be uncreased as of 50% per each unique enemy during the last 15 secs. The number of this effect’s stack can be seen directly on your ability’s icon, and the effective time is reflected on each target in the form of the debuff Mark of the Crane.

Crackling Jade Lightning is an ability that allows you to deal minor damage from a long range. It’s a channel spell that demands 20 Energy for activation, and 20 more Energy for each second of it being kept on the target to maintain the ability. The base duration is 4 secs. If you use this ability on an enemy that attacks you in the Melee zone, a throwback effect could be activated. The ability is almost never used.

Flying Serpent Kick makes you float above the ground or water surface for 1.5 secs with huge speed once you’ve cast it. Upon the second casting of this ability, you stop traveling and deal major damage to all your enemies within the 8-m range of your landing spot. Besides that, you decrease their Haste by 70% for 4 secs. If you don’t activate the ability the second time within the next 2 secs, you just end up traveling 60 m.

Blackout Kick is the key ability to spend the Chi you’ve accumulated. Spends 1 Chi and deals nice physical damage. Reduces Rising sun kick and Fists of fury cooldowns by 1 sec for every use.

Rising Sun Kick demands 2 Chi for activation and has a 10-sec long CD, but it does deal substantial damage to a single target.

Bursts, important CDs and passive effects

Storm, Earth, and Fire is a unique mechanics allowing your character to divite itself into 3 Spirits – Storm, Earth, and Fire. Your character represents the Storm out of this dynamic trio while the other two elementals automarically pick the closest enemies and mimic your actions repeating the abilities you activate. Each of the Spirits deals 50% of the abilities’ base damage which makes it easy for you to do the math and figure out that your roral damage is going to be 150% of the regular damage. Using it for a second time, you make the other two Spirits attack your target. The ability is active for 15 secs, has 2 charges with 1.5 min restoring time each.

Touch of Death allows you to tag an enemy for 8 secs. Once th debuff is over, the target receives damage equal to 35% of your max Health and also 10% of the dealt damage on the target for its duration. CD 2 min.

Mastery: Combo Strikes is a unique ability of the class. The damage your abilities deal increases by the base 10% unless you are using the same ability mulriple times in a row. Mastery rating, for sure, increases this bonus damage.

Afterlife. In case you kill an enemy which can bring you Experience or Honor points, you summon a Healing Sphere that restores a small amount of your Health. If the fatal strike was caused by Blackout Kick, there is a 50% chance of summoning the Chi Sphere which grants you 1 Chi once you pass through it.

Deffensive abilities

Touch of Karma is Monk’s only base defensive ability. It allows to redirect – within 6 secs – the incoming damage onto a selected target while using the ability. The max damage you can redirect equals 50% of your max Health. The effect lasts 10 secs, CD 1.5 min.

Utility abilities

Leg Sweep – Knocks down all enemies within 5 yards, stunning them for 3 sec.

Resuscitate is your regular resurrecting an ally out of combat.

Disable decreases your enemy’s running speed by 50% for 15 secs. Consumes 15 Energy. The effect’s active timer restarts if you hit a target in the Melee zone. If you apply this ability on a target that’s already been slowed down, the target will be stunned for 8 secs.

Provoke instigates your enemy to attack you wiithin the nex 3 secs. It also incresaes its running speed by 50%.

Detox cancels all the poison or disease effects off a friendly target.

Zen Pilgrimage grants you an opportunity to teleport to your class Hold. Application time – 10 secs. When cast the second time, it teleports you back to the location you’ve left before, to the closest graveyard or a dungeon entrance.

Effuse enables you, for 30 Energy, to restore a small share of Health to a friendly target. Application time – 1.5 secs.

Roll allows you to quickly relocate 15 m in the direction you character is looking in, or to the side you indicate for your character by pressing the corresponding key while utilizing the ability (W, A, S, D – forward, back, left, right, respectively).

Paralysis allows you to paralyze one enemy for 1 min. Costs 20 Energy. Any damage dealt to the target cancels this effect. CD 15 secs.

Spear Hand Strike interrupts the spell casting by your enemy keeping them from using the same school of magic for another 4 secs. CD 15 secs.

Transcendence allows you to leave your Spirit wherever you apply the ability for15 min. CD 10 secs.

Transcendence: Transfer is the second part of the aforementioned spell. On utilizing it, you switch placeswith your Spirit unless your Spirit is more than 40 m away. CD 45 secs.

With the trait Healing Winds, this ability helps you restore 25% of your max HP within 6 secs.

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Talents

General information. On achieving several new levels you’ll get access to new talent ‘Tiers’. Talents may have different effect on abilities: add new features, replace old ones, modify passively different effects and spells. Talents can be changed in Sanctuaries or any recreational zones. However, if you don’t have any of those places nearby you can use the Codex of the Tranquil Mind which allows you to switch channels within a minute. You can’t change talents in combat. You can’t change a talent if the talent you’ve picked in the last Tier is on Cooldown. You’ll have to wait until it’s restored first.

Tier 1. Lvl 15.

Eye of the Tiger. Tiger Palm debuffs a target with Eye of the Tiger that deals periodic Nature damage within the next 8 secs as well as restores a small amount of HP for you.
Chi Wave. You emit a small clot of Energy that bounces off your enemy towards a friendly target within a 25-m radius. The clot bounces between targets 7 times in total. Enemies receive damage, allies get healing.
Chi Burst. A quick spell with a 1-sec casting allows you to send an Energy clot 40 m ahead of you and deal all the enemies on the way Nature damage, or restore Health to the allies. For every hit enemy restores 1 Chi up to 2 Chi. Cooldown is 30 sec.

*The standard choice is Chi burst. It is a good AOE and also single target damage talent.

Tier 2. Lvl 30.

Celerity. Decreases the restoring time for Roll by 5 secs, and increases its charge count from 2 to 3.
Chi Torpedo. Substitutes your Roll. Chi Torpedo drags you 20 m forward. It also increases your Haste by 30% for 10 secs after it’s used. The effects sum up, up to 2 times. This one also has 2 charges.

Tiger Lust. This is a spront that can be applied on both yourself or your ally. The talent increases your running speed by 70% for 6 secs. This effect cancels any movement impairing or stunning on the target.

* The choice is yours as it affects your mobility. Tiger Lust, though, would be preferable in neutral situations as it’s an auxiliary ability to the 2 (not 3) charges of Roll, and this talent helps you get rid of movement impairing effects cast on you.

Tier 3. Lvl 45.

Ascension. Increases your Chi (Chi) stock up to 6. It also makes Energy restore 10% faster.
Fist of the white tiger. You deal great physical damage generating 3 Chi. Costs 40 energy and has 30 sec cd.

Energizing Elixir. An ability with a 1-min CD. On utilizing it, you instantly receive the max Chi (Chi) you’re entitled to, and restore max Energy.

* Fist of the white tiger. – is the best choice for any situation.

Tier 4. Lvl 60.

Leg Sweep. A mass stun allowing to stun all the enemies within the 5-m radius of you for 5 secs. CD 45 secs.
Good karma. Heals you for 100% of the dealt damage redirected by Touch of karma.
Ring of Peace. Creates an Energy Ring in the selected zone for 8 secs. Any enemy stepping into that ring will be thrown out of it. CD 45 secs.

*Good karma is used by default but this tier is situational and every talent could be used especially when it comes to Ring of peace that has good potential for different aspects in mythic keys.

Tier 5. Lvl 75.

Inner Strength. Every spent Chi reduces damage taken by 2% for 5 sec, stacking up to 5 times.

Diffuse Magic. Decreases Magic damage you receive by 60% for the next 6 secs. This ability also redirects any negative magical effect back onto the casting party if possible. CD 1.5 min.

Dampen Harm. This ability allows you to reduce the incoming damage by 20-50% for the next 10 secs. The damage-reducign effect depends of the amount of damage coming your way – the more the damage, the higher the percentage.

* The Tier is created to increase your survival rate. The choice is yours since everything depends on the type of damage received and on how often it is received. If you’re subject to regular predictible minor damage, then Inner Strength is your pick. If you are about to face significant physical damage, use Dampen Harm. For Magic damage, use Diffuse Magic.

Tier 60. Lvl 90.

Hit Combo. Every unique attack (not repeating a previous one) increased the damage you deal by 1% within the next 10 secs. The effect sums up, up to 6 times.
Rushing Jade Wind. Generates around you a tornado that lasts for 6 secs and deals Nature damage to all the enemies within the 8-m range. Costs 3 energy every second to keep up and has 6 sec cd to enable.

Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger. Invokes the Spirit of Xuen, the White Tiger who attacks your main target for 20 secs, and once a sec deals Nature damage to three enemies within the 10-m range CD 2 min.

*To focus the prioritized target or for bursting cleave up to 3 targets you should use Invoke Xuen the white tiger. Also hit combo could be used for mixing damage on a single target and AOE \ cleave.

Tier 7. Lvl 100.

Spiritual focus. Every 2 Chi you spend reduces the cooldown of Storm, Earth and FIre by 1 sec.

Whirling Dragon Punch. An ability dealing major physical damage to every enemy around you. The ability is available until both your Rising Sun Kick and Fists of Fury are on CD. The ability’s CD is 24 secs.

Serenity. Substitutes Storm, Earth, and Fire. For 12 secs, it increases the outgoing damage by 20%, and all your Chi-spending abilities now come for free and restore 100% quicker.

*Whirling dragon punch is the best choice currently and it is used in most of the cases. Serenity is also a good one but dragon punch is still better practically.

This all brings us to the following build: 3020032

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Azerite traits

BfA introduced a new trait system. Now helmet, shoulders and chest are special items with traits improved by azerite.

You will need to obtain some top traits. First of all those which grant maximum increase when you have only one of such trait. The thing is that when traits stack only the first trait grants some effect and the others grant damage increase. Windwalker monk has 3 traits that are effective with one stack.

Fury of Xuen. Your combo strikes have 1% chance to grant you effect Fury of Xuen: your next Fists of fury can increase your haste and invoke Xuen the white tiger for 8 sec. The chance of the effect sums up.

Glory of the Dawn. Rising sun kick has a 25% chance to trigger second time, dealing damage and restoring 1 Chi.

Dance of Chi-ji. Spending Chi has a chance to make your next Spinning crane kick free and deal additional damage.

There are also traits that are good in any number on a character.

Open palm strikes. When Fists of fury deals damage with, it has 5% chance to refund 1 Chi and deal additional damage.

Pressure point. Tiger palm’s chance to make your next Blackout kick free is increased by 10 % and tiger palm deals an additional damage.

There are also other good traits besides those. Some of them are common traits and can be used by any class. It is worth to mention a common trait Treacherous Covenant that is equally good as monk’s top traits.

You can always check your character on raidbots.com or to see the hottest information about azerite traits on herodamage.com.

For those who use AzeritePowerWeights addon there is an available command with approximate stats of strength or a trait:

( AzeritePowerWeights:2:"herodamage.com - Stacks_1T_T24":10:269: 575=10, 389=8.47, 526=8.10, 522=7.79, 193=7.66, 117=7.51, 562=7.16, 196=6.74, 82=6.74, 479=6.58, 390=6.54, 478=6.45, 157=6.14, 494=6.07, 488=6.07, 388=5.61, 485=5.45, 184=5.44, 501=5.18, 523=5.15, 194=5.11, 504=5.02, 482=5.00, 483=4.89, 505=4.66, 195=4.58, 192=4.49, 492=4.37, 486=4.37, 495=4.31, 489=4.31, 391=4.27, 481=4.19, 561=4.12, 498=4.05, 156=3.95, 521=3.91, 480=3.83, 30=3.39, 500=3.36, 576=3.03, 31=2.89, 22=2.59, 459=2.55, 499=2.34, 493=2.33, 487=2.33, 21=2.20, 38=2.18, 462=1.80, 560=1.66, 18=1.63, 461=1.58, 541=1.56, 490=1.46, 496=1.46, 497=1.46, 491=1.46, 20=1.41: )

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Essences

These ratings are based on simulations, statistics of WarcraftLogs and players experience.

MAJOR

Condensed Life-force (Source: Eternal Palace drop) – great option to increase you burst potential on single target
Conflict and Strife (Source: Rated PvP) – good option, until you don’t have CLF lvl 3
The Crucible of Flame (Source: Heart of Azeroth level) becomes a great tool for aditional dps increse, especially at level 3
Essence of the Focusing Iris (Source: Mythic+ dungeons) – strong option for aoe encounters

MINOR

The Crucible of Flame (Source: Heart of Azeroth level) – nice extra damage during the fight
Conflict and Strife (Source: Rated PvP) still good as minor

Rotation

The basic priority rating is as follows:

SIngle target

Touch of death
Fist of the white tiger ( if <3 Chi and energy cap is close)
Tiger palm (if <4 Chi and energy cap is close)
Whirling dragon punch (if you have this talent)
Rising sun kick
Fists of fury
Chi burst (if <5 Chi)
Fists of the white tiger.
Spinning crane kick (if you have Dance of Chi-ji trait when it procs )
Blackout kick (to avoid Chi cap)
Chi wave (if you have this talent)
Tiger palm

AoE:

Touch of death
Whirling dragon punch (if you have this talent)
Fists of fury
Rising sun kick (only to be able to use Whirling dragon punch if you have this talent)
Chi burst
Rushing jade wind (if you have this talent)
Spinning crane kick (on 3 +targets)
Rushing jade wind (if you have this talent)
Rising sun kick
Blackout kick
Fists of the white tiger.
Chi wave (if you have this talent)
Tiger palm

More information about the abilities:

Touch of death – Use as often as possible every cd trying to combine it with its other abilities and bonuses
Energizing elixir (if taken) – use by cd at 0-1 Chi right after using Tiger palm to maximize resources.
Storm, Earth and Fire – same as with Touch of Death use it every cd and it’s good to combine with other damage improving spells. It is also useful for AOE and to stack Spinning crane kick quickly. You should try to keep up 1 stack of Storm before it refreshes and use it with every opportunity. Try to use 2x Rising sun kick, Fists of fury and Whirling dragon punch in one copies use.
Hit combo and Mastery – every ability that deals damage gets bonus and increases the duration of its effects
Blackout Kick – is used before gaining one more Tiger palm proc
Rushing jade wind (if taken) – Use the ability only at 2 targets or more. Also remember about lowered energy generation while the ability is active.
Touch of Karma – Technically this is a defensive ability but it could be used for damage dealing also. Preferably to use it often getting damaged on purpose and losing the shield completely.
If you have Dance of Chi-ji trait using Spinning crane kick has the same priority as the abilities with cd. Just after you use these basic attacks, spend trait’s proc.

The start of fight:

In standard build with Whirling dragon punch opener will look like this:

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Stats

The basic priority rating for the characteristics is as follows:

AGILITY > VERSATILITY > MASTERY = CRIT > HASTE

On 3 and more targets use Spinning crane kick more than Blackout Kick which will increase Haste and mastery.

You can check your character’s stats on raidbots.com in Stat Weights tab. Also you can use Pawn addon to import this information into the game.

Gems.

Leviathan’s Eye of Agility
Versatile Dark Opal 60 vers

Enchantments

Rings: Versatile Dark Opal 60 vers
Weapon: Force Multiplier + Versatile navigation

Food

Raid feast for 131 agility or Bil’Tong for Versatility

Flasks and pots

Greater Flask of the Currents 360 agility for 1 hour
Potion of Unbridled Fury against 1-3 targets
Potion of Empowered Proximity against 4+

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Macros

Kick with a modifier, with the Shift key held, the ability is applied on a remembered target, without – on the current one.

/cast [mod:shift,@focus][]Spear Hand Strike

Tiger Lust at cursor’s position, as, sometimes, it is useful to hand it over to your ally:

/cast [target=mouseover] Tiger Lust

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What’s next?

Leveling. If your character has been inactive since the previous expansions, the best option to level up it is by Timewalking dungeons. You will gain a lot of experience, but there is one big disadvantage of leveling this way. Timewalks are available only for one week during a month, but Overgear is always here.
Equipment. At high level, the most important thing for you will become your gear. WoW is a multiplayer game, that’s why we recommend for you to play it with your friends, or to find a new friends for mythic+ runs. If you have any trouble with it – Overgear may help you to find not just friends for a run, but a complete well geared and experienced group that also will be glad to trade all the loot you need.
Raids. Raids are the top-tier PvE content in the game. That’s why the equipment’s base ilvl is higher than anywhere else. These dungeons require knowing all the tactics and have a good gear to kill the bosses. The possibilities of Overgear might let you skip those criteria.

Azerite. It is also not the best idea to forget about the Heart of Azeroth and not to feed it with more Azerite. Ignoring this won’t make your character stronger. The easiest way to do it – just complete all the world quests with Azerite rewards everyday. You can get extra azerite from Island Expeditions. Companions can be found at Overgear.

Windwalker Monk 8.2

Introduction

Glossary

Main abilities

Talents

Tier 1. Lvl 15.

Tier 2. Lvl 30.

Tier 3. Lvl 45.

Tier 4. Lvl 60.

Tier 5. Lvl 75.

Tier 60. Lvl 90.

Tier 7. Lvl 100.

Azerite traits

Essences

MAJOR

MINOR

Rotation

Stats

Macros

What’s next?

World of Warcraft

WoW Classic

Legal

Sitemaps

Introduction

Glossary

Main abilities

Talents

Tier 1. Lvl 15.

Tier 2. Lvl 30.

Tier 3. Lvl 45.

Tier 4. Lvl 60.

Tier 5. Lvl 75.

Tier 60. Lvl 90.

Tier 7. Lvl 100.

Azerite traits

Essences

MAJOR

MINOR

Rotation

Stats

Macros

What’s next?

Related items