So, which would be more advantageous?

[Macgyvercas]

So, I have a Monk in Dungeons & Dragons Online, and I have a lot of fun playing him (coming from someone who normally plays Paladins, this is kind strange, but that's beside the point). Anyway, in DDO, Monks can take enhancements to increase the power of their elemental stances. However, after some intense calculations and about 30 minutes of what my parents would call "lost time", I realized I won't be able to get the Grandmaster Enhancements for all four elements. Rather, I really can only afford one for how I have this guy planned. I've already decided that I want him to either take Grandmaster in either Fire or Air. But I can't decide.

So that's where you good folks come in.

What do you think is more advantageous: Speed or Strength?

They both have advantages and disadvantages obviously, or else this would be an easy choice. Each Grandmaster enhancement gives an elemental stance specific to that chosen element. If I take Grandmaster of the Sun (Fire), my flame stance will increase my Strength by 4, but reduce my Wisdom by 2, knocking back my armor class but allowing me to generate more Ki on a sucessful attack. And if I take Grandmaster of Storms (Air), it will increase my Dexterity by 4 but reduce my Constitution by 2, knocking back my hit points but allowing me to attack much faster.

So, what's your verdict?

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

A monk? In DDO? Hmmm...

I'd say speed. Strength is good, but I assume you already have that fairly good. More attacks = more hits = more damage.

Dex also improves your defense. With a monk, not getting hit at all is better than having more HP.

 

[Macgyvercas]

A monk? In DDO? Hmmm...

I'd say speed. Strength is good, but I assume you already have that fairly good. More attacks = more hits = more damage.

Dex also improves your defense. With a monk, not getting hit at all is better than having more HP.

This is true. And I can always find items to offset the HP loss. But it still doesn't help much if a powerful enemy gets a lucky hit on you (or you run into a Beholder and he FODs you).

 

[mindlesspuppet]

I've never played DDO, so I could be way off here.

However, if two decades or so of gaming has taught me anything it's that a combination of speed and strength is always best... yeah, I know, no shit. That being said, when forced to choose which of the two to give priority to, speed almost always wins out.

I'm not sure if any of the following apply to DDO, so take it with a grain of salt;

Having a high speed provides for a far better chance to have critical attacks. Yes, increasing strength will allow for larger crits, but this rarely balances out.

If attacks can miss, be blocked, dodged, etc losing a weaker, quicker attack is less of a drop to your damage output than missing a slow, harder hit.

If weapons (or buffs) have some sort of proc effect (chance to freeze on hit, chance to disarm, chance to stun, etc) quicker attack are more beneficial.

Strength buffs are usually incredibly common in games, speed no so much.

If you get interrupted or stunned there's less of a delay on when your assault is able to begin again.

Fast attack speed is hella annoying to fight against, strength is more predictable.

That being said, there's also, other things to consider; does speed decrease accuracy? Is a certain amount of strength required to wield weapons (I'd assume not for a monk), etc etc.

I've never played DDO, so I could be way off here.

However, if two decades or so of gaming has taught me anything it's that a combination of speed and strength is always best... yeah, I know, no shit. That being said, when forced to choose which of the two to give priority to, speed almost always wins out.

I'm not sure if any of the following apply to DDO, so take it with a grain of salt;

Having a high speed provides for a far better chance to have critical attacks. Yes, increasing strength will allow for larger crits, but this rarely balances out.

If attacks can miss, be blocked, dodged, etc losing a weaker, quicker attack is less of a drop to your damage output than missing a slow, harder hit.

If weapons (or buffs) have some sort of proc effect (chance to freeze on hit, chance to disarm, chance to stun, etc) quicker attack are more beneficial.

Strength buffs are usually incredibly common in games, speed no so much.

If you get interrupted or stunned there's less of a delay on when your assault is able to begin again.

Fast attack speed is hella annoying to fight against, strength is more predictable.

That being said, there's also, other things to consider; does speed decrease accuracy? Is a certain amount of strength required to wield weapons (I'd assume not for a monk), etc etc.

Edit: to add some, after rereading your post...

Unless you're tanking, I wouldn't imagine monks do, I wouldn't be overly concerned with HP. Especially if doing do knocks you down an armor class, having more HP is always nice, but HP doesn't mean too much if your armor isn't absorbing as much damage as possible.

I have no clue what Ki is. Going to assume it's like energy, combo points, rage, or whatever (mana for a fighter pretty much). Tis would probably be my biggest concern about not going this route, if you're in a lot of longer fights this my tip the scale in favor of flame. However if you're into PVP or find most fights end quickly (not even sure if DDO has PVP >_>) I wouldn't worry about it as you can simply rest (assuming so, never seen an MMORPG you can't rest in) between combat to regen quicker.

 

[Macgyvercas]

I've never played DDO, so I could be way off here.

However, if two decades or so of gaming has taught me anything it's that a combination of speed and strength is always best... yeah, I know, no shit. That being said, when forced to choose which of the two to give priority to, speed almost always wins out.

I'm not sure if any of the following apply to DDO, so take it with a grain of salt;

Having a high speed provides for a far better chance to have critical attacks. Yes, increasing strength will allow for larger crits, but this rarely balances out.

If attacks can miss, be blocked, dodged, etc losing a weaker, quicker attack is less of a drop to your damage output than missing a slow, harder hit.

If weapons (or buffs) have some sort of proc effect (chance to freeze on hit, chance to disarm, chance to stun, etc) quicker attack are more beneficial.

Strength buffs are usually incredibly common in games, speed no so much.

If you get interrupted or stunned there's less of a delay on when your assault is able to begin again.

Fast attack speed is hella annoying to fight against, strength is more predictable.

That being said, there's also, other things to consider; does speed decrease accuracy? Is a certain amount of strength required to wield weapons (I'd assume not for a monk), etc etc.

I haven't noticed a drop in accuracy when I'm in Wind Stance. As for more frequent criticals, that one is out because Monks generally fight with no weapons and the critical roll for an unarmed attack is a natural 20 on your attack roll. I can get enchanted handwraps though.

EDIT: Disregard fewer criticals. I see that one. More attacks = More attck rolls = more critical chances.

 

[Macgyvercas]

Edit: to add some, after rereading your post...

Unless you're tanking, I wouldn't imagine monks do, I wouldn't be overly concerned with HP. Especially if doing do knocks you down an armor class, having more HP is always nice, but HP doesn't mean too much if your armor isn't absorbing as much damage as possible.

I have no clue what Ki is. Going to assume it's like energy, combo points, rage, or whatever (mana for a fighter pretty much). Tis would probably be my biggest concern about not going this route, if you're in a lot of longer fights this my tip the scale in favor of flame. However if you're into PVP or find most fights end quickly (not even sure if DDO has PVP >_>) I wouldn't worry about it as you can simply rest (assuming so, never seen an MMORPG you can't rest in) between combat to regen quicker.

Now that you mention Ki (in DDO, it's what Monks use to perform special attacks), I just remebered that Ultimate Wind Stance would decrease Constitution by 2, which in turn would lower my Concentration skill by 1 (Concentration is the most important skill for Monks, as it determines how much Ki you can retain, and slows the rate at which it disipates).

Of course, that probably wouldn't be too big an issue, since I'll be level 18 by the time I have to decide.