when would be the earliest I can master my anatomies? So I don't go too far up in rank...and all.
Anatomies
If you fight PCs, I believe it's as soon as you learn anatomy. Mobs, as soon as you can fight the highest level mobs.
Do it when you are pinned. It goes a lot faster then.
I'd say try to get some while you're ranking/training, otherwise you can get walked on by anybody. At least as a monk; blademasters it's not so bad.
Typically with the monks I have played, I waited until 30-37. Whenever you get monkeystance nice
I try to get them about half way at 15-20. Master weapons at 15.
I'm assuming that after his last post that he's playing a blademaster. I would recommend waiting until you get your fourth attack to try training your anats just so it will go a bit faster. I think this happens around 32. I would say do any training you need to at this time and ask everyone in your pk to spar with you. I recommend carrying around mandolins or one of the instruments from Thalos as they will cause you to do very little damage and you can parry and block with them.
But like they said, you can max your anats by fighting PC's at any time, but on NPC's you can only get your anats of up double the mobs level.
If you hold a mandolin or any instrument, I believe you punch. And as a blademaster punches can be just as deadly as weapons. I suggest when training anats use glass rings, one talisman, and a battered iron breast plate. And for weapon choice, practice polearm or sword(double grip)
Swords are nice weapons to train with.
Sorry Dale, but Grosek hit it right on the head. It isn't the same as fighting with just your hands.
I am pretty sure blademaster anats go up alot faster if you use a weapon, while monks shouldn't use a weapon, because I believe the amount of times you hit your opponent is a variable on how fast it trains.
I'm pretty sure you just get a random chance to increase your anat with each strike. While it may be coded to go faster with a weapon if you're a bm, but, well, I never noticed a difference.
You will just hit more often with a Blademaster with a weapon, so it trains faster.
monks shouldn't use a weapon' date='[/quote']
There are exceptions, e.g. two monks want to train anatomies and weapons at the same time without doing much damage. OR they want to train anatomies with a weapon they don't know just to decrease damage further, so they don't have to stop every few hours to heal.
Your attack doesn't actually have to land for the anat to improve and BM's get just as many attacks using a weapon or not.
if you're a monk and not going for qclass/qrace that makes you stay at 30, go master them when you get monkey stance.