A Retrospective on Brewmaster Monk in Dragonflight & War Within Wishlist - Editorial

Brewmaster Monk in Dragonflight: A Retrospective

With the sun setting on Dragonflight and The War Within on the horizon, our Brewmaster Monk Writer, Sinzhu, offers a retrospective highlighting Brewmaster's journey in Dragonflight and shares their hopes for the spec's next evolution with a War Within Wishlist. In this article, we will explore the highs and lows of the Brewmaster Monk spec in Dragonflight, as well as discuss potential improvements for the future.

The Journey of Brewmasters in Dragonflight

The Dragonflight expansion has been a wild ride for Brewmaster Monks. With new talents, tier set bonuses, and constant tuning, the expansion has provided a varied and complex gameplay experience for Brewmasters. Despite being praised as one of the best iterations of the spec, Brewmaster Monks have remained relatively invisible in "meta" content. Let's delve into the reasons behind this and discuss possible adjustments for the future.

• Historical Perspective

Since the Legion expansion, Brewmaster Monks have maintained a consistent playstyle. The major revamp during Legion removed the Chi resource and introduced a charge-based system for Purifying Brew. This revamp, along with the Mastery: Elusive Brawler passive, has been considered a success by Blizzard, resulting in the frequent use of Brewmaster Monks in raid content.

• Gameplay Complexity

Brewmaster Monks have gained complexity over time, leading to an overwhelming number of keybinds and abilities. In Dragonflight, the spec offers 42 different abilities split into rotational abilities, cooldowns, and utilities. While the increased complexity provides a greater reliance on proper play, it can also be intimidating for newer players. Streamlining the ability system could be a potential improvement for the spec going forward.

• A Toolset for Every Situation

Brewmaster Monks have an extensive toolkit, making them versatile tanks. They possess abilities for dispelling, crowd control, mobility, and defensive cooldowns. By opting for specific talents, Brewmasters can further customize their playstyle, making them masters of the battlefield. However, this also adds to the complexity of the spec and requires players to invest in keybinds and third-party tools to effectively utilize their abilities.

The Winners and Losers of Dragonflight Talents

Dragonflight introduced a new talent system for Brewmaster Monks, incorporating various abilities from previous expansions. While some talents have been praised for their effectiveness and customization options, others have fallen short. Notable winners include talent choices like Rising Sun Kick, multiple defensive cooldowns, and versatile talents like Blackout Combo. On the other hand, talents related to Soothing Mist and Vivify remain unused by Brewmaster Monks, and some talents offer redundant or questionable options. The talent trees could benefit from optimization and pruning to offer more meaningful choices.

Updates and Improvements During Dragonflight

Throughout the Dragonflight expansion, Brewmaster Monks received updates to their talent trees. New talents like Dance of the Wind, Yu'lon's Grace, Spirit of the Ox, Press the Advantage, and Song of Chi-Ji were added, providing additional options and reducing the button burden for Brewmasters. These updates have been well-received and have allowed players to customize their playstyle based on their preference for active or passive abilities.

Reflecting on Brewmaster Monk Utility

Brewmaster Monks offer a wide range of utility options, but these options are not exclusive to the specialization. Other Monk specializations, such as Windwalker and Mistweaver, also possess similar utility abilities. As a result, Brewmaster Monks may struggle to differentiate themselves, and player preference often leans towards the specialization with the best performance. This lack of uniqueness can potentially deter players from choosing Brewmaster as their preferred tank.

Looking Towards The War Within

As we approach The War Within and the greater Worldsoul Saga, it is evident that Brewmaster Monks require further iteration and streamlining. Finding a balance between complexity and accessibility will be a challenge, as the current complexity of the spec may be appealing to players who enjoy the intricate gameplay. However, some key improvements can be made to enhance the Brewmaster experience:

• Consolidating Abilities

Brewmaster Monks would benefit from a reduction in the number of abilities, particularly weaker, longer cooldowns. The current setup requires the use of multiple offensive cooldowns simultaneously, adding unnecessary complexity and setup time. By consolidating functionalities and utilizing a "build-a-button" talent system, Brewmasters can maintain their unique playstyle while reducing the overwhelming number of keybinds.

• Better Feedback for Performance

Brewmasters would benefit from improved in-game feedback to give players a sense of impact and effectiveness. Currently, abilities like Purifying Brew and Stagger can feel weak, with their effects not being immediately noticeable. Enhancements to the UI and combat logging would provide more information on the performance of Brewmasters, allowing players to assess their gameplay and make adjustments accordingly.

• Hero Talent Desires

Although details about Hero Talents for Brewmasters in The War Within are currently scarce, speculations can be made based on the thematic names of the talent trees. One tree, Shado-Pan, could provide talents that enhance the damage-dealing potential of Brewmasters. Another tree, Master of Harmony, could focus on balancing offense and defense, emphasizing the dual nature of the spec. Lastly, Conduit of the Celestials may not directly involve Brewmasters, but talents related to Niuzao could still be explored.

Conclusion

Dragonflight has been an expansion of experimentation for Brewmaster Monks, resulting in a complex yet rewarding gameplay experience. However, the spec has struggled to stand out and has faced competition from other Monk specializations. As we look toward The War Within and the future, improvements can be made to streamline the spec, enhance feedback for performance, and introduce new talent options. Brewmasters have the potential to remain a formidable tank choice, and it will be intriguing to see how Blizzard continues to evolve the spec.

• About the Author

Sinzhu is a dedicated Brewmaster Monk player with nine years of experience. They actively contribute to the Monk class Discord and the Peak of Serenity site. You can find Sinzhu raiding with on US-Kil'jaeden. Feel free to reach out to Sinzhu with any questions or concerns about Brewmasters!