Brewmaster Monk Beginner's Guide

This is intended to be a simple guide to the basic rotation and dynamics of the spec that gets you up and running without requiring more advanced optimization.

Information on hero talents will be coming soon, but in general know that overall they add a minor layer on top of how each spec plays, and most of what’s here should be applicable regardless.

Talent Build #

This is a simplified talent build designed to avoid complex interactions and skip unnecessary abilities. While not optimal in all cases, it should be a great way to get started learning the spec and should work reasonably well in world content, delves, dungeons, and raids. Abilities and talents not chosen in this build are not described here, and the rotation information assumes you’ll be using the build.

Copy the text below to import the recommended build:
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Resources #

Energy – Will start at 100, be primarily used on Keg Smash and Spinning Crane Kick, and automatically refill. You shouldn’t need to think too actively about this with the recommended build.

Stagger - The defining mechanic for Brewmasters. When you take damage, instead of immediately depleting your health, a portion will be accumulated as stagger and then dealt over time. You can increase how much damage is staggered by keeping Shuffle active. Additionally, staggered damage can be erased in a few ways:

Stagger will make your actual damage intake very smooth, but it’s crucial to be aware of how much staggered damage has built up and to take active steps to reduce it if there’s too much.

Defensive and Sustain Abilities #

Keg Smash – Spends energy to deal minor AoE damage to the target and surrounding enemies while applying a snare. With Sal'salabim's Strength will reset the cooldown on Breath of Fire. This lines up a combo of the two abilities which should almost always be used together. Will also active Shuffle.

Breath of Fire – Minor AoE damage in front of you with a moderate cooldown that can be reset when using Keg Smash. If used on enemies currently affected by the snare from Keg Smash will also apply a minor DoT and reduce damage they deal to you. The 1-2 Keg Smash & Breath of Fire combo should be used frequently to keep this effect active.

Purifying Brew – Erases half of your currently staggered damage on a 12s cooldown with 2 charges, and heals you for a portion of the stagger damage that was erased. Will grant stacks of Purified Chi when used, which then amplify your next Celestial Brew. Should be used liberally whenever you’ve got stagger built up.

Celestial Brew - Grants an 8s absorb shield on a 36s cooldown. Will consume stacks of Purified Chi from Purifying Brew to give a stronger shield. Can be used frequently to mitigate expected damage or when things get dicey, but try to build up Purified Chi stacks to maximize its usefulness.

Expel Harm – Moderately powerful self-heal on a 5s cooldown that also does damage for a portion of the amount healed. Will consume nearby healing spheres to increase the amount healed. With Tranquil Spirit also erases a small amount of staggered damage.

Fortifying Brew – Increases max health by 20% and reduces damage by 20% for 15s on a medium length cooldown. Will also increase the portion of damage that gets staggered while active. Should be used whenever significant incoming damage is expected or you’re otherwise at risk of dying.

Vivify – Spend a small amount of energy on a short cast to restore some health to the target. Becomes instant and more powerful once every 10s with Vivacious Vivification. Use the instant-cast version whenever available and healing would be useful, but avoid the casted version unless it’s a true emergency.

Damage Abilities #

Blackout Kick – Moderate damage on a short cooldown, affecting up to 3 targets with Shadowboxing Treads. Has a few important interactions:

Rising Sun Kick – Substantial damage on the target with a short cooldown. Generates Healing Spheres with Spirit of the Ox

Spinning Crane Kick - Spends Energy to deal Minor AoE damage around you. Additionally will draw any nearby Healing Spheres towards you. Will activate Shuffle. Used as a filler in AoE.

Effects #

These are some of the more notable effects, interactions, and passive talents that you should be aware of. It’s not covering effects (even if they’re very strong) that provide flat bonuses or that don’t require much thought to use, and it only includes those used in our recommended build.

Healing Spheres – Spirit of the Ox and Gift of the Ox will passively generate spheres around you that heal you when you walk over them. Instead of chasing them down they can be vacuumed up by using Rising Sun Kick or consumed with Expel Harm to do additional healing. Make sure you use them one way or another as they contribute a solid amount of healing.

Elixir of Determination – Will grant a moderately strong absorb shield when you fall below 40% health, but only once every 15s. The shield becomes stronger the more stagger damage you’ve recently erased. Shouldn’t require much active thought but provides a nice layer of emergency defense.

Press the Advantage – If you’re familiar with other Monk specs you may have noticed that Tiger Palm hasn’t shown up anywhere yet. Press the Advantage turns it into a passive ability that applies effects and bonuses related to Tiger Palm automatically as you auto-attack and use Rising Sun Kick or Keg Smash.

Rotation Overview #

This is an overview of the core rotation. It’s not a strict priority order but rather an outline of how the different abilities interact and are used. It assumes you’re using the recommended talent build above.

Maintenance - keep these active or use these as much as you can

Mitigation - use these as needed to reduce incoming damage or staggered damage

  • Purifying Brew whenever available and you have stagger damage built up, and to build stacks of Purified Chi for your next Celestial Brew
  • Celestial Brew when moderate or significant damage is expected, or when things are getting hectic - try to save it for multiple Purified Chi stacks from Purifying Brew
  • Fortifying Brew – when significant damage is expected or you’re in substantial danger

Sustain - use these to restore health and help your healer out

  • Expel Harm on cooldown unless you’re already at full health
  • Vivify on yourself when able to be instant-cast and you’ve lost some health

Threat – use these to make you get and keep aggro

  • Provoke to pick up stray enemies that aren’t attacking you

Damage – if everything above is set use these to fit in some damage

Crowd Control #

Interrupt Spear Hand Strike – Melee interrupt on a 15s cooldown. Use this frequently to stop enemy casts.

Stun Leg Sweep – AoE 3s stun on a 50s cooldown. Helpful to reduce the danger of packs of enemies, or as a backup interrupt when Spear Hand Strike is on cooldown.

Incapacitate Paralysis – Incapacitates the target for 1m, but will break on damage. 30s cooldown. With Pressure Points can also be used to remove enrage effects.

Ring of Peace – Form a circle at the targeted location that pushes enemies out for 5s. Helpful to either keep enemies away from you or an ally, or to nudge enemies in a particular direction.

Mobility #

Roll – Rolls forward a short distance. Has three charges and relatively short cooldown. Extremely useful to get out of danger, close distance to enemies, or otherwise speed up motion.

Tiger's Lust – 70s speed boost for yourself or an ally for 6s on a moderate cooldown. Also removes all roots and snares. Helpful to get yourself or a party member out of danger, or to get to a destination more quickly.

Transcendence and Transcendence: Transfer – Mark a location with Transcendence, then teleport back to it with Transcendence: Transfer. The location marking can be done frequently but actually transferring incurs a moderate cooldown. If you can mark a safe or otherwise useful location it’s an extremely useful way to get out of danger or reach a needed destination instantly.

Utility #

Crackling Jade Lightning – Channels over 3.3s to deal a small amount of damage. Not useful for DPS but helpful to pull enemies from range.

Touch of Death – Instantly kills any target with less health than you. 3m cooldown. While technically a damage ability, the long cooldown and use requirements mean its more situational and not really part of your rotation. Helpful to quickly dispatch normal enemies you don’t want to deal with.

Taunt Provoke – Taunts the target to attack you from range. Critical for tanks but occasionally helpful for others to pull enemies.

Cleanse Detox – Cleanses all harmful magic effects from an ally on a short cooldown. If talented removes poison and disease effects as well.

Resuscitate – Out-of-combat resurrect.

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