Team - 55/Spirit Ranger

This is a variation of the 55hp monk build that uses the unpopular farming skill Protective Bond.

Build Concept

The idea behind this build is allowing the 55hp monk to use Protective Bond without losing massive amounts of energy from it. How it works is that when both Greater Conflagration and Winter are active, all damage is converted to Cold Damage. Physical -> Fire -> Cold. This allows the 55hp Monk to use Mantra of Frost to regain energy past what is lost with protective bond.

55hp Tank

Attributes and Skills

Equipment

Armor

Asthetic Armor for the extra energy (get cheap armor, armor level doesnt matter when you are a 55hp, its better to save your money)
3 diffrent headpeices: Smiting (superior rune), Healing (no rune), Protection(no rune)
note: You dont need superior runes on 2 of the 3 headpeices, just on the smiting one. since the headpeice switiching is done before the battle.
When you use your skills switich the headpeices to gain that +1 bonus to the skill. This is nessasary to get +4 regen on mending and -3 energy on protective bond.

Weapons

Any one handed weapon of Enchanting such as the Totem Axe
CoA -50 cesta

Spirit Ranger

Attributes and Skills

Equipment

Armor

Druids Armor for + energy
Travelers Mask of Superior Wilderness Survival

Weapons

Long Bow of any kind

Usage

Prefight

Monk

Cast Watchful Spirit, Mending, Protective Bond and Essence Bond on yourself
Regain energy with Blessed Signet
Switch to the healing headpiece before casting Mending and switch to the protection headpiece before casting Protective Bond. Make sure to switch to the smiting one before you attack
Ranger

Cast Balthazar's Spirit on the Monk
Wait for energy regen
(When in range of target foe) Set up the 3 rituals: Brambles, Greater Conflagration and Winter

During The Fight

Monk

Maintain Mantra of Frost CONSTANTLY (without it you die) and maintain Healing Breeze as required
Cast SoJ for damage and knockdown
Ranger

Keep the spirits alive, recast them as soon as they recharge
If in the UW: Take out any Dying Nightmare's with Savage Shot
If the monk dies during the fight break aggro with Storm Chaser and then pull the monk with Rebirth and rez with Resurrection Chant

Counters

Any enchantment removal
Any stance removal
Killing the spirits will shut down the monk

Notes

The damage of this build comes from the standard 55 skill SoJ, however it is supplemented with Brambles. Whenever a foe is knocked down with SoJ, they take 5 damage from Brambles and start Bleeding for 21 seconds. SoJ will last about 25 seconds with 20% enchantment increase, if a foe hits the monk right at the begging of SoJ and right at the end they will be Bleeding for over 45 seconds. At 3 pips of health degen (6 health per second) the foe takes over 270 damage from the Bleeding.
Because the monk only has 55hp, when the ranger uses rebirth the monk will just teleport to the rangers location and die. This is because of the -15% Death Penalty that the monk got when he died. Using a skill that resurrects with a percentage of health won't work, however resurrecting with a number, like Resurrection Chant, will. This brings the monk back with 1hp and allows him to switch some armor around to get a manageable health level.
A bonus of this build is that the protection is maintained. You dont have to worry about Protective Spirit getting interupted, If that happens with a regular 55hp its instant death. That way if you are out of energy or interupted you will still be able to stay alive.

Variants

If your monk is good and won't die, the ranger can switch Rebirth and Resurrection Chant for Essence Bond (for his energy management) and Succor (To give the monk a little more health and energy)
The monk can lose Watchful Spirit and replace it with Arcane Echo to lengthen the effect of SoJ

Testing

So far this is only theory, I havent found a equally equipped guildie to help me. If you want to be either the 55hp or the ranger, I have both ready to go. PM me ingame on either my monk - Jirobu Kanajashi or my ranger - Yulung Kain. I'm online most evenings, between 4pm - 10pm Pacific.

See Also

• Invincible Monk
• Team - 55/Famine