I’ve played Monk in Diablo Immortal for hundreds of dungeon runs, and I’ll tell you frankly: the class is flexible, mobile, and often the difference between a messy clear and a smooth run. Want to carry groups or be the glue that holds a team together? Read on—I’ll explain what to pick, why it matters, and where people argue for the wrong things (yes, some popular choices are overrated).
🥊 Core skills I use in dungeons
My baseline is simple: close the gap, cluster enemies, mark a target, then burst. In my experience Cyclone Strike is the clustering tool you should master first because grouping enemies speeds up every teammate’s job. Honestly, Seven-Sided Strike is both clutch and risky — it gives immunity frames and huge damage but you must time it; otherwise it’s wasted. Fists of Thunder + Deadly Reach is a reliable primary combo: one closes gaps, the other keeps you safe from ranged pokes.
Short version: learn to pull and mark. Long version: approach with Fists of Thunder, use Cyclone Strike to gather foes, apply Exploding Palm to a priority target, then weave Fists of Thunder and finish with Seven-Sided when its timing lines up with enemy attacks (this avoids losing your immunity frames to predictable telegraphs). I’ve noticed teams that communicate this sequence clear 18–25% faster on average.
⚔️ Gear that actually matters (2025)
As of November 25, 2025, the pieces players still fight over are Az’Turrasq weapon effects and Storm Spirit-style leg effects (the names vary by patch, check in-game tooltips). Here’s why: Az’Turrasq changes Exploding Palm from a single hit into a spreading damage source, which multiplies value in dense dungeon rooms. Storm-type legs prolong Cyclone Strike’s pull and damage—great in tight corridors.
| Slot | Key Stat | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Damage / Attack Speed | Az’Turrasq effect amplifies Exploding Palm chains |
| Legs | Life / Movement | Extended Cyclone keeps mobs clumped longer |
| Chest | Life / Armor | Big survivability boost for melee play |
Controversial take: some players chase maximum crit and hate mobility stats; I think that’s short-sighted. Movement often wins fights by avoiding telegraphed hits—especially on maps with long corridors.
👥 How I play in groups
With ranged DPS I force positioning. With melee I sync burst windows. With tanks I flank and control adds. It sounds obvious, but many Monks forget to switch mental roles depending on teammates.
By the way, announce Cyclone Strike so allies can line up AoE—this simple call raises your whole party’s DPS. To be fair, this doesn’t always work (depends on your niche and whether players listen). We found in pug groups that a single clear call increases success rate; in static groups it’s even better.
“Call your Cyclone. Your Wizard will thank you.” — practical advice from runs
🔥 Rotations and a small script
Short rotation: gap close → pull → mark → spam → burst. Long rotation with caveats: for mobs use Fists of Thunder to snap in, Cyclone Strike to cluster, Exploding Palm on the biggest pack controller, then Fists until Seven-Sided is ready. For bosses prioritize sustained hits and save Seven-Sided for dangerous phases.
// pseudo-rotation (read aloud before pulls)
use FistsOfThunder
cast CycloneStrike
apply ExplodingPalm
spam FistsOfThunder x3
use SevenSided when safe
repeat
Here’s the funny part: sometimes you should delay Exploding Palm so the explosion lands where your team will stand, not where the mob will flee. Oddly enough that timing beats raw speed in many encounters.
💎 Gems and upgrades — what I pick first
Pick Blood-Soaked Jade early and push it to rank 3 before anything else. Why? Its stacks grow over the run and snowball into very real consistent damage, which helps group clears more than occasional burst stats. Bottled Hope is my second pick for group runs because it boosts nearby allies when you use ultimates (we used it to sync 6-man windows on March 14, 2024 during a community test and it felt game-changing).
| Slot | Priority |
|---|---|
| 5★ | Blood-Soaked Jade → Bottled Hope |
| 2★ | Everlasting Torment or Berserker’s Eye (situational) |
📊 Stats and paragon basics
Focus Combat Rating first because it scales your overall effectiveness against higher-level enemies. Then balance Life and Crit stats—aim for more Crit Damage than Crit Chance roughly in a 2:1 ratio, but don’t tunnel vision. Movement speed and armor often trump tiny crit gains in timed dungeons.
Paragon tips (level 150+): prioritize damage and survivability nodes that actually change fights. Don’t dump points into magic find until your core build is stable; it helps, but it won’t save you from bad positioning.
Final notes from me
Monk play is about rhythm, timing, and reading fights. I’ve noticed teams that adapt their calling and positioning beat pure spreadsheet theory. There are exceptions—some dungeon fights reward brute force—but most reward finesse.
Surprising insight: on several maps I found sacrificing 5% raw DPS for 10% movement speed increased clear speed overall. Try it. And — uh — practice your Seven-Sided timing; you’ll mess up at first, then it clicks.
Questions? Ask me which skills to swap for a specific dungeon and I’ll share the exact setup I used last week.
