~15 MIN
Brewmaster Monk Overview
Brewmaster Monks in WoW are resilient tanking specialists, adept at handling vast amounts of incoming damage. Instead of absorbing it outright, they channel most of the damage into Stagger, a signature mechanic that transforms it into a manageable damage-over-time effect. This delayed damage can be further mitigated with specific abilities, allowing Brewmasters to endure dangerous encounters with ease.
By smoothing out damage spikes or avoiding them entirely, this tanking style makes Brewmaster Monks highly sought after in both progression raids and Mythic+ dungeons. Alongside their impressive damage mitigation, Brewmasters also bring a wealth of utility to their teams and possess unmatched mobility.
Brewmaster Monk Strengths and Weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| ✅ Very good passive damage mitigation. | ⛔️ Low base health pool. |
| ✅ Decent Utilities. | ⛔️ No room for mechanical mistakes. |
| ✅ Outstanding Mobility. | ⛔️ Pretty ability pool. |
| ✅ Mystic Touch as core physical damage amplifier. | ⛔️ Pretty limited self-sustain pool of abilities. |
Brewmaster Monk Changes in The War Within
In the upcoming expansion, Monks receive a series of minor yet impactful updates. The changes primarily focus on a reshuffling of the Brewmaster Monk talent tree, involving both the addition and removal of certain talents. Several key talents for the Brewmaster Monk in WoW: The War Within have also undergone significant reworks. Below are the most notable updates:
- Ironshell Brew — now increases damage reduction and health of Fortifying Brew.
- Swift Art — now allows Roll to dispel snare effects every 30 seconds.
- Healing Winds — Casting Transcendence: Transfer heals you.
- Transcendence: Linked Spirits — Transcendence can instead be cast on an ally, allowing you to teleport to them with Transcendence: Transfer.
- Elixir of Determination — new talent: Gain an absorb shield once every 15 seconds when falling below 40% health.
- August Blessing — new talent: A portion of all overhealing received is converted to a heal-over-time effect, based on your Critical Strike.
- One With the Wind — new talent: Your Mastery: Elusive Brawler has a chance to not be reset on a successful dodge.
- Strike At Dawn — new talent: Rising Sun Kick grants a stack of Mastery: Elusive Brawler.
Brewmaster Monk Hero Talents
Moreover, the expansion The War Within introduces exciting new Hero Talent Trees. Our specialization now features the Master of Harmony and Shado-Pan Hero Talent Trees, each equipped with a complete set of fresh talents for Brewmaster Monks in WoW. Below is a comprehensive list of all the new Hero Talents:
Basics of Brewmaster Monk Gameplay
Brewmaster Monks excel at survivability by utilizing their passive ability, Stagger, which allows them to mitigate a portion of incoming damage. They can further enhance this effect with Shuffle and can negate delayed damage through abilities like Purifying Brew or other defensive effects. Moreover, Brewmasters can completely dodge a significant amount of damage thanks to their Mastery, Mastery: Elusive Brawler.
To ensure that enemies remain focused on them, Brewmaster Monks convert Energy into powerful abilities such as Keg Smash, Tiger Palm, and Spinning Crane Kick, which not only deal damage but also enhance the effectiveness of Stagger. This interplay of dealing damage to reduce incoming damage is complemented by several no-cost abilities that synergize with other elements of their toolkit, such as Blackout Kick, which allows for more dodging, Breath of Fire that ignites enemies affected by Keg Smash, or Touch of Death, which can eliminate most enemies instantly.
Brewmaster Monk Rotation
WoW Brewmaster Monk rotation centers significantly around the Stagger passive ability. You’ll prioritize using skills that apply the Shuffle buff to enhance the effectiveness of Stagger, including Blackout Kick. Afterward, you’ll employ Purifying Brew to alleviate the damage accumulated through Stagger. Throughout this process, you’ll utilize your Energy on abilities like Keg Smash and Tiger Palm, which help reduce the cooldown of Purifying Brew, further minimizing the damage you take. This synergistic approach ensures that you remain resilient while maximizing your tanking capabilities.
Single-Target Brewmaster Monk Rotation
- Use Rushing Jade Wind before entering combat.
- Use Chi Burst from a distance before moving toward your target.
- Use Keg Smash while moving to your target.
- Use Blackout Kick.
- Use Tiger Palm. Skip if talented into Press the Advantage.
- Use Breath of Fire.
- Use Breath of Fire to gain the Charred Passions buff.
- Use Weapons of Order.
- Use Keg Smash.
- Use Blackout Kick.
- Use Rising Sun Kick.
- Refresh your Rushing Jade Wind.
- Use Blackout Kick.
- Use Breath of Fire.
- Use Blackout Kick.
AoE Brewmaster Monk Rotation
- Execute an enemy with Touch of Death, if possible.
- Use Blackout Kick.
- Use Rising Sun Kick if at 10 stacks of Press the Advantage against 3 or fewer targets.
- Use Blackout Kick to trigger Blackout Combo.
- Consume your Blackout Combo buff with Breath of Fire against 3 or more targets. Tiger Palm is also acceptable.
- Use Breath of Fire.
- Use Keg Smash.
- Use Keg Smash. Do not cast this at 10 stacks of Press the Advantage unless fighting 4 or more targets.
- Use Chi Burst.
- Use Breath of Fire to trigger Charred Passions.
- Use Blackout Kick if empowered by Charred Passions.
- Use Exploding Keg.
- Use Weapons of Order.
- Use Rising Sun Kick.
- Use Spinning Crane Kick if buffed by Charred Passions. Do not use it more than once in a row.
- Use Rushing Jade Wind.
- Use your second charge of Keg Smash.
- If taking minimal damage, use an extra charge of Purifying Brew to trigger additional Special Delivery procs.
- Use Spinning Crane Kick. Make sure you will still have enough Energy available when Keg Smash next comes off cooldown. Do not use multiple times in a row.
- Use Spinning Crane Kick. Make sure you will have enough Energy available when Keg Smash next comes off cooldown. Tiger Palm is also acceptable for more Brew cooldown reduction.
Specialization Skills
Here is a comprehensive list of key abilities that every Brewmaster Monk should be familiar with. Depending on your talent selections, you may prioritize different abilities to optimize your performance.
| Spell | Description |
|---|---|
| Tiger Palm | Basic damaging “filler” skill that reduces the cooldown on your Brew abilities by 1 second, costing 25 Energy. |
| Blackout Kick | Single-target damage skill that grants a stack of yourMastery: Elusive Brawler buff, with no cost and a short cooldown. |
| Spinning Crane Kick | AoE “filler” skill, costing 25 Energy and hitting all nearby enemies 4 times over 1.5 seconds, with the duration reduced by your Haste. Hitting an enemy with this ability will grant youShuffle, andGift of the Ox orbs will be slowly drawn to you during the channel. Note that you can still dodge while channeling this ability, and casting it multiple times in a row will combine the durations. |
| Crackling Jade Lightning | Channeled single-target damage spell, costing 20 Energy per tick and occasionally knocking back the target if in melee range. Exclusively used for occasionally tagging a distant enemy and immediately cancelling the cast. |
| Touch of Death | Instantly kills an enemy whose current health value is lower than your maximum health. Enemy players will resist this effect without the help of additional talents. Using this ability will also remove a large portion of yourStagger damage. |
| Roll | A uniquely “Monk” mobility button, with 2 charges on a 20-second cooldown. Its charge count and cooldown time may be modified with talents. |
| Brewmaster’s Balance | Improve your status as a Tank specialization, increasing your Armor by 25% and your Stamina by 45%. |
| Celestial Fortune | Provides a chance equal to your Critical Strike percentage to increase healing received from any source, including other players. Also increases the size of all friendly absorb effects by 80% of your Critical Strike percent. |
| Mastery: Elusive Brawler | Stacking dodge chance buff, granted by being hit by enemy Melee attacks or casting specific abilities such asBlackout Kick. This can stack to over 100% dodge chance, though all stacks are consumed when you dodge. It also increases your Attack Power. |
| Mystic Touch | 5% Physical damage buff, which works for all players attacking the target. Exclusively applied by Monk players upon damaging any enemy. |
| Stagger | A portion of all damage received is converted to a damage-over-time effect instead, with the percentage based on your Agility and other talents. Non-Physical damage is Staggered at a lower rate. This is a key passive as a Brewmaster Monk. |
| Leg Sweep | An AoE stun, affecting all enemies within 6 yards for 3 seconds on a 1-minute cooldown. Its range and cooldown can be modified with additional talents. |
| Resuscitate | Resurrects a dead ally; only usable while out of combat. |
Brewmaster Monk Talents
Given the design of talent trees, nearly every talent is intended to be viable or serve a specific niche that makes it a suitable choice in certain situations. Therefore, we will highlight some of the most popular talents that you should prioritize in most scenarios.
Monk Class Talents
- Tiger’s Lust — Significantly boosts your movement speed and removes any active roots or snares, allowing for quick escapes or repositioning in combat.
- Spear Hand Strike — Your primary interrupt ability as a Monk, this skill halts an enemy’s casting and prevents them from using similar abilities for 3 seconds, effectively controlling the flow of battle.
- Diffuse Magic — For 6 seconds, you gain 60% damage reduction specifically against magical damage. This ability also dispels any magic debuffs affecting you and can reapply them to their original caster, when applicable.
- Fortifying Brew — A key defensive cooldown that provides substantial damage reduction and temporarily increases your maximum health. The cooldown of this ability can be reduced by using abilities like Keg Smash and can be further enhanced by passive talents.
- Dampen Harm — With a cooldown of 2 minutes, this ability reduces your damage taken for 10 seconds. The reduction is based on the strength of the original attack, providing at least a 20% damage reduction and up to 50% for hits that exceed your maximum health.
Brewmaster Spec Talents
- Zen Meditation — his defensive cooldown offers a hefty 60% damage reduction but requires you to actively channel it for up to 8 seconds on a 5-minute cooldown.
- Celestial Brew — A core defensive skill, providing you with massive absorb shields against damage for up to 8 seconds at a time.
- Fortifying Brew: Determination — Gain an additional 15% bonus to your Stagger while Fortifying Brew is active.
- Training of Niuzao — This grants up to 15% Mastery based on your current level ofStagger, giving 5% Mastery at Light Stagger, 10% at Moderate Stagger, and 15% atHeavy Stagger.
- Ox Stance — Casts of Purifying Brew grant charges of Ox Stance, based on yourStagger level at the time and providing up to three charges at Heavy Stagger.
Brewmaster Monk Build
Build Code:
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Build Code:
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Build Code:
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Brewmaster Monk Stats
As a Brewmaster Monk in World of Warcraft, your approach to secondary stats may shift based on whether you prefer a more defensive or offensive gear setup.
However, item level remains your top priority, as it often outweighs the specific stats an item may provide. Generally, any gear with higher Agility or Armor is likely to represent an upgrade.
Here’s the stat priority for Brewmaster Monks in WoW:
- Agility;
- Versatility;
- Critical Strike;
- Mastery;
- Haste.
It’s important to remember that your personal stat priority may vary based on your gear. To determine your unique stat weights, consider using the SimCraft tool. This will help you optimize your Brewmaster Monk’s performance by providing tailored recommendations based on your specific items and playstyle.
Brewmaster Monk Leveling
While your damage output may be lower compared to DPS specializations, Brewmaster Monks excel at managing large groups of enemies and can often emerge from encounters largely unscathed. Moreover, if you prefer leveling through dungeons, you’ll find that tank roles are highly sought after, resulting in rapid queue times. For those interested in power leveling, our experienced players can significantly speed up the process!
Additionally, the Monk class is known for its exceptional mobility. With abilities like Roll, Tiger’s Lust, and Transcendence, Brewmaster Monks can navigate the battlefield with ease, avoiding the sluggishness that often plagues other classes. This mobility makes them perfect for leveling, whether you’re solo questing or participating in group activities. Additionally, with Touch of Death, you can eliminate many quest “bosses” instantly, even if they start at full health!
Brewmaster Monk Leveling Tips in The War Within
- Be proactive with your pulls! Leveling as a Brewmaster means you trade the single-target damage of a Windwalker for superior defensive capabilities and AoE damage. Aim to make larger pulls whenever the quest objectives allow it.
- Leg Sweep is readily available to you as a Monk, granting you access to an AoE stun effect on a moderate cooldown.
- Keep in mind that you can cast Vivify instantly every 10 seconds, thanks to Vivacious Vivification. This ability is also excellent for self-healing outside of combat.
- Paralysis is a valuable tool for immobilizing enemies you prefer to avoid, but be cautious; getting too close will still put you into combat!
- As you approach maximum level, you’ll gain access to four primary defensive abilities: Purifying Brew, Celestial Brew, Dampen Harm, and Fortifying Brew. Utilize them regularly!
- Don’t hesitate to experiment with different passive talent options to become more comfortable with the Brewmaster’s rotation. For instance, you might try swapping Rushing Jade Wind for Special Delivery.
Best Gear for Brewmaster Monk
Best Brewmaster Monk Trinkets
For your Brewmaster Monk, here are the top Trinkets to equip during the launch of The War Within. These selections will enhance your performance and survivability in various encounters.
In The War Within, while many powerful Trinkets can be acquired from raids, the process can be challenging and time-consuming. Fortunately, this expansion offers a wide array of Dungeon Trinkets that you can obtain much more easily. With the help of our professional players, you’ll have a significantly better chance of securing these valuable items quickly.
Tier Set Bonuses for Brewmaster Monk
| Number of Pieces | Brewmaster |
|---|---|
| 2-set | Blackout Kick and Keg Smash deal 20% additional damage, and Shuffle also grants 3% damage reduction. |
| 4-set | Blackout Kick increases your damage dealt by 1% for 15 sec, stacking up to 3, and has a chance to reset the cooldown of Keg Smash and make its next cast cost no energy. |
To acquire a Tier Set, you can repeatedly complete the Nerub’ar Palace Raid, hoping for the desired items to drop. Alternatively, you can streamline the process by enlisting our team’s assistance to secure Nerub’ar Palace Full Gear efficiently.
Best Consumables for Brewmaster Monk
Brewmaster Monk Flasks:
- Flask of Tempered Aggression — Critical Strike Flask;
- Flask of Tempered Swiftness — Haste Flask;
- Flask of Tempered Mastery — Mastery Flask;
- Flask of Tempered Versatility — Versatility Flask.
Brewmaster Monk Potions:
- Tempered Potion — gain effect of all inactive Tempered Flasks for 30 seconds;
- Algari Healing Potion — simple and effective.
Brewmaster Monk Food:
- Exquisitely Eviscerated Muscle — Haste Buff.
Brewmaster Monk End-Game
After reaching the maximum character level, your true adventure begins in three key end-game activities: Raiding, Mythic+, and PvP. No matter which area you choose to specialize in—whether it’s one or all three—we offer comprehensive guides designed to enhance your performance as a Brewmaster Monk. However, if you’re aiming for competitive PvP, you may find that Windwalker or Mistweaver are more suitable options for that focus, which is why they are highlighted instead.