Leveling Rotations and Tips for Monk — Dawntrail 7.1

When leveling up, you should always choose the piece of gear with the highest item level. You can exchange Allagan Tomestone of Poetics for gear in Mor Dhona at level 50, in Idyllshire at level 60, in Rhalgr's Reach at level 70, in Eulmore at level 80, and in Radz-at-Han at levl 90.

Pugilist starts at level 1, turning into Monk from level 30 onward. Pugilist and Monk are functionally identical up until level 30, so all content is applicable to both Pugilist and Monk leveling, so long as you equip your job stone after level 30.

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The basic Monk rotation is a three-step combo, with different choices to make at each step. Initially, the job is quite rigid, but as you gain levels and skills, the rotation begins to change and take form.

• Bootshine
• Bootshine → True Strike
• Bootshine → True Strike → Snap Punch
• Bootshine → alternate Twin Snakes/ True Strike → Snap Punch
• Bootshine → alternate Twin Snakes/ True Strike → use two Snap Punches between each Demolish.
• Alternate Dragon Kick / Bootshine → alternate Twin Snakes / True Strike → use two Snap Punches between each Demolish.
• Alternate Dragon Kick / Leaping Opo → alternate Twin Snakes / Rising Raptor → use two Pouncing Coeurls between each Demolish.

• Perfect Balance should be used after an Opo GCD. Use it to alternate between Dragon Kick and Bootshine, depending on which Opo GCD you started with.
• Perfect Balance should only be used following an Opo GCD. Elixir Field and Tornado Kick should be generated via three Opo GCDs. Flint Strike can be generated by using any one GCD from each potential form.
• Perfect Balance should only be used following an Opo GCD. Elixir Field and Tornado Kick should be generate via three Opo GCDs. Flint Strike can be generated by using any one GCD from each potential form. Riddle of Fire should be used after generating Opo, Raptor, and Coeurls' Fury stacks, and then used on cooldown following this first use. Perfect Balance and Masterful Blitz should be used inside of Riddle of Fire, with the goal being for every Masterful Blitz to be buffed by Riddle of Fire.
• Perfect Balance should only be used following an Opo GCD. Elixir Field and Tornado Kick should be generated via three Opo GCDs. Flint Strike can be generated by using any one GCD from each potential form. Riddle of Fire should be used after generating Opo, Raptor, and Coeurls' Fury stacks, and then used on cooldown following this first use. Brotherhood should be double weaved before Riddle of Fire initially, and used on cooldown following this. Perfect Balance and Masterful Blitz should be used inside of Riddle of Fire. You should be aiming for two Masterful Blitzes to be in each Riddle of Fire window that aligns with Brotherhood, and one Masterful Blitz in every other Riddle of Fire window.
• Perfect Balance should only be used following an Opo GCD. Elixir Field and Tornado Kick should be generated via three Opo GCDs. Flint Strike can be generated by using any one GCD from each potential form. Riddle of Fire should be used after generating Opo, Raptor, and Coeurls' Fury stacks, and then used on cooldown following this first use. Brotherhood should be double weaved before Riddle of Fire initially, and used on cooldown following this. Perfect Balance and Masterful Blitz should be used inside of Riddle of Fire. You should be aiming for two Masterful Blitzes to be in each Riddle of Fire window that aligns with Brotherhood, and one Masterful Blitz in every other Riddle of Fire window. Riddle of Wind should be used initially within Riddle of Fire and strictly on cooldown from there on.
• Perfect Balance should only be used following an Opo GCD. Elixir Field and Tornado Kick should be generated via three Opo GCDs. Rising Phoenix can be generated by using any one GCD from each potential form. Riddle of Fire should be used after generating Opo, Raptor, and Coeurls' Fury stacks, and then used on cooldown following this first use. Brotherhood should be double weaved before Riddle of Fire initially, and used on cooldown following this. Perfect Balance and Masterful Blitz should be used inside of Riddle of Fire. You should be aiming for two Masterful Blitzes to be in each Riddle of Fire window that aligns with Brotherhood, and one Masterful Blitz in every other Riddle of Fire window. Riddle of Wind should be used initially within Riddle of Fire and strictly on cooldown from there on.
• Perfect Balance should only be used following an Opo GCD. Elixir Burst and Tornado Kick should be generated via three Opo GCDs. Rising Phoenix can be generated by using any one GCD from each potential form. Riddle of Fire should be used after generating Opo, Raptor, and Coeurls' Fury stacks, and then used on cooldown following this first use. Brotherhood should be double weaved before Riddle of Fire initially, and used on cooldown following this. Perfect Balance and Masterful Blitz should be used inside of Riddle of Fire. You should be aiming for two Masterful Blitzes to be in each Riddle of Fire window that aligns with Brotherhood, and one Masterful Blitz in every other Riddle of Fire window. Riddle of Wind should be used initially within Riddle of Fire and strictly on cooldown from there on.
• Perfect Balance should only be used following an Opo GCD. Elixir Burst and Tornado Kick should be generated via three Opo GCDs. Rising Phoenix can be generated by using any one GCD from each potential form. Riddle of Fire should be used after generating Opo, Raptor, and Coeurls' Fury stacks, and then used on cooldown following this first use. Brotherhood should be double weaved before Riddle of Fire initially, and used on cooldown following this. Perfect Balance and Masterful Blitz should be used inside of Riddle of Fire. You should be aiming for two Masterful Blitzes to be in each Riddle of Fire window that aligns with Brotherhood, and one Masterful Blitz in every other Riddle of Fire window. Riddle of Wind should be used initially within Riddle of Fire and strictly on cooldown from there on. Wind's Reply can be used at any time withing the Riddle of Wind window.

• Steeled Meditation should only be used if there is no available target to hit. Steel Peak can be used at any time.
• Steeled Meditation should only be used if there is no available target to hit. Steel Peak should be used immediately upon generating 5 Chakra. Starting at Level 38 you gain access to the Deep Meditation trait, which gives an 80% chance to generate a stack of Chakra upon landing a critical hit weaponskill. This means you want to spend your Chakra as soon you have build 5 stacks to ensure you don't overcap. Overcapping refers to generating a Chakra when you are already at 5 stacks, thereby wasting a potential Chakra stack.
• Steeled Meditation should only be used if there is no available target to hit. Steel Peak should be used immediately upon generating 5 Chakra. Howling Fist should be used instead if you can hit 2 or more targets. Starting at Level 38 you gain access to the Deep Meditation trait, which gives an 80% chance to generate a stack of Chakra upon landing a critical hit weaponskill. This means you want to spend your Chakra as soon you have build 5 stacks to ensure you don't overcap. Overcapping refers to generating a Chakra when you are already at 5 stacks, thereby wasting a potential Chakra stack.
• Forbidden Meditation should only be used if there is no available target to hit. The Forbidden Chakra should be used immediately upon generating 5 Chakra. Howling Fist should be used instead if you can hit 4 or more targets. Starting at Level 38 you gain access to the Deep Meditation trait, which gives an 80% chance to generate a stack of Chakra upon landing a critical hit weaponskill. This means you want to spend your Chakra as soon you have build 5 stacks to ensure you don't overcap. Overcapping refers to generating a Chakra when you are already at 5 stacks, thereby wasting a potential Chakra stack.
• Forbidden Meditation should only be used if there is no available target to hit. The Forbidden Chakra should be used immediately upon generating 5 Chakra. Enlightenment should be used instead if you can hit 3 or more targets. At Level 74 Deep Meditation upgrades into Deep Meditation II, giving a 100% chance to generate a Chakra stack on a critical weaponskill. This means you want to spend your Chakra as soon you have build 5 stacks to ensure you don't overcap. Overcapping refers to generating a Chakra when you are already at 5 stacks, thereby wasting a potential Chakra stack.

Generally speaking, while levelling, the breakpoint for AoE skills becoming usable is 4+ targets.

• Identical to the above single-target rotations.
• Identical to the above single-target rotations, replacing Bootshine with Arm of the Destroyer.
• Identical to the above single-target rotations, replacing Bootshine with Arm of the Destroyer and Snap Punch with Rockbreaker.
• Arm of the Destroyer → Four-point Fury → Rockbreaker.
• Arm of the Destroyer → Four-point Fury → Rockbreaker.
• Shadow of the Destroyer → Four-point Fury → Rockbreaker.

• Elixir Field and Tornado Kick should be generated by using three Rockbreaker actions within Perfect Balance. Flint Strike requires one GCD from each form in order to be used.
• Elixir Field and Tornado Kick should be generated by using three Shadow of the Destroyer actions within Perfect Balance. Rising Phoenix requires one GCD from each form in order to be used.
• Elixir Burst and Tornado Kick should be generated by using three Shadow of the Destroyer actions within Perfect Balance. Rising Phoenix requires one GCD from each form in order to be used.