Diablo III Monk build - Inferno guide

Stat Allocation

All Resistances – You will need, at a minimum, 1,000 to all resistances. This can be easily accomplished with the One With Everything passive by focusing on one elemental resistance. For example, if you choose Arcane Resistance, you will want gear that has both the Arcane Resistance and the All Resistances modifiers. These values combined should equal around 100.

Vitality – Life is on your priority list. You can increase your health with both Vitality and the Life Percentage stat. Once you hit about 40,000 health, focus on dexterity.

Armor - With Seize the Initiative and the Enchantress's Power Armor active, you'll want an armor rating of at least 6,000. This will prevent 66 percent of damage from incoming attacks.

Damage – Your overall damage should be at least 18,000. This number is greatly increased by your weapon damage (information on what weapon to choose is provided in the Gear section below). Damage increase can also be found on rings and amulets. Other stats (ex. Attack Speed) and spells (ex. Blazing Wrath) will also increase this number.

Dexterity - This stat is a direct increase to your damage and chance to dodge. Dexterity can be found on every gear slot. You can clear Inferno with 1,300. With this amount of dexterity, you will have about a 33 percent chance to dodge. When your Mantra of Evasion is active, you'll be dodging 48 percent of attacks (63 percent for the first three seconds of activation). This will trigger several Backlashes against your opposition. More of this stat will only improve your damage and survivability.

Attack Speed - You'll want at least 1.7 attacks per second. This will not only increase the rate at which you gain life and spirit in combat, but also the damage of your Backlash triggers.  Note that bonus attack speed on a weapon is already factored into the weapon’s attacks per second. Attack speed can also be found on gloves, rings, and amulets.

Critical Hit Chance - Only 10 percent critical hit chance will be needed to build your Sweeping Wind stack to three. You can find this stat on helms, gloves, bracers, shields, rings, and amulets. This is best paired with critical hit damage.

Critical Hit Damage - High critical hit damage is not needed for this build, but it will increase your damage output. You can find this stat on weapons, gloves, rings, and amulets.

Life on Hit - This stat will effectively keep you alive while using Crippling Wave. The attack strikes numerous enemies, multiplying your life on hit. This stat is greatly increased from a high-grade amethyst gem applied to your main weapon. It can also be found on jewelry. Aim for at least 400 life on hit.

Life Regeneration – Life per second will allow you to replenish your health globe while kiting elite packs or heading toward the next wave of monsters.

Spirit Regeneration – This attribute is found only on the Monk specific items (Spirit Stones, Fist Weapons, and Diabos) It is important to note, but is not worth narrowing your search for an upgrade.

Life Per Spirit Spent – Like Spirit Regeneration, this is found on Monk only gear. They are both useful abilities, but are not worth limiting your upgrade search.

Gear

Note: The item descriptions below do not account for legendary or set items that may include stats not found on magic and rare gear slots.

Weapon - A 900 damage one hander with an open socket is recommended. Insert an amethyst for life on hit. A fist weapon is ideal since it will have higher attack speed and the Monk only attributes, but it is not required. Any additional relevant stats you can find are a great bonus.

Shield – Equipping a shield will enable a chance to block in combat. If successful, you will prevent damage equal to the block amount on the shield (about 3,000). Shields also provide additional armor (about 1,000). Look for a shield with all resistances, your main elemental resist, dexterity, and/or vitality. A 20 percent chance to block is encouraged, but any chance is fine with a respectable amount of stats. Critical hit chance, life percentage, and any crowd control attribute can also exist on shields.

Helm – Like all pieces of armor, the recipe of all resistances, your primary resistance, dexterity, and vitality applies here. An important addition on helms is an open socket. You can fill this void with an amethyst to gain a life percentage bonus. Helms can also include bonus damage to skills such as Sweeping Wind or Crippling Wave.

Shoulders – Shoulders do not offer any offensive bonus stat aside from the primary attributes, but they can have chance to freeze and life percentage. You should first seek out all resistances, your chosen elemental resistance, dexterity, and/or vitality.

Chest – This armor slot has a chance to roll three open sockets. Look for all resistances, your main resistance, dexterity, and vitality. If you hit you vitality goal of 900, gem for dexterity. Life regeneration, life percentage, and bonus armor are fine stats, as well.

Pants - This armor slot has a chance to roll two open sockets. A good pair of slacks will have all resistances, your target resistance, dexterity, and vitality. You can find life regeneration and bonus armor here, too.

Gloves – Gloves are unique in that they can provide attack speed and critical hit chance. You'll also want both resistance modifiers, dexterity, and vitality. Critical hit damage and chance to stun on hit are also available here.

Bracers – Reduced damage from melee or ranged attacks are powerful stats found on bracers. The usual resistance stats, dexterity are vitality are great here, as well as critical hit chance.

Belt – Like shoulders, you will not find attack speed, critical hit chance or damage on this item slot. Look for our four primary stats. Bonus armor, life regeneration, life percentage, and chance to freeze are also accessible.

Boots – The ability to gain up to 12 percent movement speed is the most desired stat on this armor slot. If you can't afford a swift pair of Nike's, any pair from Payless is fine as long as they come strapped with your chosen resist, all resists, dexterity, and vitality. Life regeneration, bonus armor, and chance to immobilize are also great perks to include.

Rings / Amulet – Damage bonus and attack speed are of high importance on your jewelry. Look for these in combination with all resistances, your primary resistance, dexterity and/or vitality. You may also enjoy critical hit chance and damage, bonus armor, life on hit, life regeneration, life percentage, and/ or an open socket.

We hope this guide is a relic you clinch on your quest to restore peace within the world of Sanctuary. If you've already earned your freedom back to the monastery, give our build a test or share you own Monk trials below! Be sure to check back soon for more Inferno content.