I only just started the game yesturday, after deciding i'd like to see everquest again, even if its changed. I played a monk, so I felt like giving it a try here. However, it's designed to be a tank and I don't feel thats how I want to play. I figure they will always be below the real DPS classes in damage. Is there just no place for a dps monk? Since I don't know anybody in the game, theres nobody i could "leech" on to that wouldn't care if I was lower damage. From my experience in most games, the pick up group type of people don't see much reason to pick a person of lower dps when they can go and get somebody of higher dps. I really like how the monk plays, but I don't want to be stuck not being able to do group things in the game (without tanking). My server is down, so I figure this is a good time to try and figure it out!
If you play a tank class, you will be expected to tank. Sure you might occasionally be brought into groups as dps, but it will not be the norm, if you don't want to tank then play something else. Otherwise prepare to be made fun of a lot when you tell people you don't tank.
In the lower level area's of the game a monk can be both a tank and do a decent job offensively. Once end game is reached it will be more of a defensive tank roll. Monks do it well. Years ago monks could have been seen as the most versitle fighter of all six. More than capable of offense, defense, and utility to a degree. Still they were not a durable as the plates but in theory monks did do more damage to compensate for the defensive loss.
Monks can play an offensive/utility roll at the end game. These other people don't know what they are talking about. Basically if you get combat mastery endline any melee group will be happy to have you in it even if you aren't tanking, you will be able to do decent enough dps plus you have your avoid buff utility.
The thing with monks is that you will rarely ever find yourself in a situation where your tanking abilities actually will hamper your DPS output. Whenever I'm tanking, I'm still putting out the same DPS as I am when I'm not. The only real difference is I have to pay attention to my taunt buttons and switch out to some gear that might reduce my all around critical hit and multi attack chance by about 15%, which isn't that big a loss in DoV.
