Combos - Revision history

Flux at 14:50, 28 June 2013

2013-06-28T14:50:41Z

MrFrye at 00:32, 29 May 2012

2012-05-29T00:32:40Z

MrFrye at 01:53, 21 May 2012

2012-05-21T01:53:42Z

MrFrye at 15:52, 18 August 2011

2011-08-18T15:52:13Z

MrFrye at 23:42, 12 August 2011

2011-08-12T23:42:35Z

Flux at 07:07, 11 July 2011

2011-07-11T07:07:22Z

Elly at 00:17, 12 December 2010

2010-12-12T00:17:57Z

Elly at 01:46, 27 November 2010

2010-11-27T01:46:56Z

Flux: /* Spirit Development */

2010-11-26T07:57:25Z

‎Spirit Development

Flux at 07:56, 26 November 2010

2010-11-26T07:56:55Z

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-Combo skills are a class of [[Monk skills|Monk skill]] that are used to build up his [[Spirit]] resource in order to use his other powerful attack and defense skills.
+"Combo skills" or "combos" were a term Blizzard used during development to designate the melee-hitting, [[Spirit]] building Monk skills. There were initially 7 combo skills, but the term was phased out during development, and the skills were tweaked as well.
-Combos are powerful skills in their own right, dealing substantial melee damage plus all sorts of special bonus effects. On top of that, they generate a set amount of Spirit per use, building up a pool that the Monk expends when using his various other offensive and defensive skills.
+In the final game these skills are all found in the Primary skill grouping, and there are only four of them that build Spirit with each hit on a valid target: [[Fists of Thunder]], [[Deadly Reach]], [[Crippling Wave]], and [[Way of the Hundred Fists]].
-All combo skills have three stages, with the third one dealing a big hit with the most damage plus a special effect that's much more powerful than the bonuses delivered by the first two stages. There is no UI component to visually signify which level of charge a Monk is using,[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blue-on-spirit-auras-and-shouts-rune-effects/] though the first and second levels have distinct graphics, and the third is always a huge explosion or other visually-distinctive effect.
+Earlier in development [[Dashing Strike]], [[Exploding Palm]], and [[Sweeping Wind]] were also combo skills, though none of these work in that fashion in the final game.
-==Combo Skills==
+[[File:Exploding-palm2.jpg|thumb|300px|Early "blood supernova" version of Exploding Palm's 3rd hit.]]
-[[File:Exploding-palm2.jpg|thumb|300px|Exploding Palm's third stage detonation.]]
+All such skills have three stages that work in rapid succession, with each of the three attacks dealing some special effect, and a special bigger effect on the third hit. There is no UI component to visually signify which level of charge a Monk is using,[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blue-on-spirit-auras-and-shouts-rune-effects/] though the first and second levels have distinct graphics, and the third is always a huge explosion or other visually-distinctive effect.
-The variety of combos vary widely, with offensive, defensive, and other specialized bonuses from the various stages.
+Combos always count up to three and then reset; it's not possible to build up multiple combos to the second or third level at once, as the {{iw|Assassin Assassin}} could do with her charge up attacks in Diablo 2. Monks can mix and match their combos; the three stages can come from two or three different combo skills, but they always proceed in order, with the first, second, and third stages in sequence, regardless of which combo skills are used.
+While there was much speculation about mixing and matching combo sequences pre-game, in practice in the final game most characters use just one combo at a time, or else use two to gain some buff or deal a debuff with one of them. Hardly anyone bothers to mix and match within the same three-hit-sequence, though. The game is too fast-paced to be that specific and technical in practice.
 ===Combo Visual Indicators===
-While players have the option to mix up their combos, most players will likely just use the same one for all three hits, then switch to a different combo next time, if they've even put skill points into more than one combo.
+Combos go very quickly, with the three hits in a bang-bang-bang sequence by a Monk hitting at 1.5-2.5 attacks per second. Each of the hits is also delivered with a unique animation, as you can see in the sequence of shots showing off [[Hands of Lightning]] below.  That's a good thing, since the developers have not included any UI mechanism (like the swirls of light the Assassin got with her charge-up skills in D2X) to visually-indicate the combo level.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blue-on-spirit-auras-and-shouts-rune-effects/]
 <blue>We don’t want tracking of combo stages to be so important that there needs to be a UI element to keep track. It should be that if you’re up on your game you’re tracking combo stages and it helps you get a slight edge, but if not you’re kicking ass anyway and will probably do fine.</blue>
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-==The Monk's Spirit Skills==
+==Early Monk Spirit Generators==
-Spirit, which the game developers often single out[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blizzcon-2010-interview-jay-wilson-diablo-esp/] as the resource they think is working best, is generated by striking enemies [[combo skills]] and expended using other offensive and defensive skills.
+Spirit, during development the developers often singled out[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blizzcon-2010-interview-jay-wilson-diablo-esp/] as the resource they thought was working best, is generated by striking enemies [[combo skills]] and expended using other offensive and defensive skills.  The combo skills as of 2010 are listed below. Only the first four retain this function in the final game.
 The only known [[Monk Skills]] with any boosting effect on Spirit are the combos. Each of these adds a set amount of Spirit to the pool.
-* [[Hands of Lightning]] --Combo that deals 3 punches with substantial bonus lightning damage.
+* [[Fists of Thunder]] (formerly [[Hands of Lightning]]) -- Combo that deals 3 punches with substantial bonus lightning damage.
-* [[Long Reach]] -- Combo that strikes multiple enemies with greater than [[melee]] range.
+* [[Deadly Reach]] (formerly [[Long Reach]]) -- Combo that strikes multiple enemies with greater than [[melee]] range.
 * [[Crippling Wave]] -- Combo that slows and dazes enemies.
 * [[Way of the Hundred Fists]] -- Combo that deals many powerful hits to all enemies in the vicinity.
 * [[Exploding Palm]] -- Combo that time bombs enemies, triggering them to explode and damage all nearby enemies upon their death.
 * [[Sweeping Wind]] -- Combo that hits all nearby enemies multiple times.
-==Monk Spirit Traits==
+==Monk Spirit Building Passives==
-Only one of the [[Monk Traits]] has a Spirit function at this point. The Monk's Traits were far from finalized as of Blizzcon 2010 though, so changes to this list are to be expected.
 * [[True Spirit]] -- Increases Spirit regeneration.

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 {{Skill_navbox_Diablo_III|Monk}}
 [[category:skills]]
 [[category:combo skills]]
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 [[category:monk]]
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-[[category:Active skills]]
+[[[category:basics]]

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 [[category:monk]]
 [[category:monk skills]]
 [[category:basics]]

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 Combo skills are a class of [[Monk skills|Monk skill]] that are used to power up his [[Spirit]] in order to use his other, more powerful attack and defense skills.
-==Combo Skills==
+Combos are powerful skills in their own right, dealing substantial melee damage plus all sorts of special bonus effects. On top of that, they generate a set amount of Spirit per use, building up a pool that the Monk expends when using his various other offensive and defensive skills.
-The first two are fairly weak, only about as powerful as a normal attack, but they are required to perform the third attack, which deals substantial damage and includes some sort of special magical effect.
+==Combo Skills==
-Combos can be mixed and matched, by players with quick fingers. Any first, any second, and any third stage can be used in sequence, allowing players to vary their attack type and effects. For instance, the first two stages of [[Exploding Palm]] are fairly slow, low damage hits, while the third stage is spectacular. A skilled Monk player would want to use the first two stages of [[Way of the Hundred Fists]] or [[Crippling Wave]], then switch to Exploding Palm for the ''coupe de grace'' third hit.
+[[File:Exploding-palm2.jpg|thumb|300px|Exploding Palm's third stage detonation.]]
-===Known Combo Skills===
+Combos can be mixed and matched, by players with quick fingers. Any first, any second, and any third stage can be used in sequence, allowing players to vary their attack type and effects. For instance, the first two stages of [[Exploding Palm]] are fairly slow, low damage hits, while the third stage creates a spectacular explosion.
-[[File:Monk-exploding-palm.jpg|thumb|350px|Exploding Palm's third stage makes a mess.]]
+A skilled Monk player looking to maximize the damage would want to use the first two stages of a combo like [[Way of the Hundred Fists]] or [[Sweeping Wind]], then switch to Exploding Palm for the ''coupe de grace'' third hit.
-[[Way of the Hundred Fists]] -- A fast series of attacks strikes enemies in front of you.
+==Monk Spirit Skills==
-* First hit: A short range dashing attack that deals X% weapon damage.
+Spirit, which the game developers often single out[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blizzcon-2010-interview-jay-wilson-diablo-esp/] as the resource they think is working best, is generated by striking enemies [[combo skills]] and expended using other offensive and defensive skills.
-==Combos Charge Up Spirit==
+==Spirit Development==
-[[File:Skill-tree-blizzcon09-monk-muldric.jpg|thumb|300px|Monk skill trees, from Blizzcon 2009.]]
+Spirit was revealed in August 2010, by Game Director [[Jay Wilson]] in an interview from Gamescom 2010. [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/jay-wilson-interview-indiablo.de-part-one/]
 ::'''Jay Wilson:''' The Monk has Spirit. That’s the resource we’re happiest with. He came together very quickly. His [[combo]] moves generate spirit, and that’s used for signature moves he does. He can’t do them very often. But they’re great attacks, escapes, and some are recovery moves. That one worked out really well.