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Combo skills are a class of [[Monk skills|Monk skill]] that are used to power build up his [[Spirit]] resource in order to use his other, more powerful attack and defense skills.
Combos are powerful skills in their own right, dealing substantial melee damage plus all sorts of special bonus effects. On top of that, they generate a set amount of Spirit per use, building up a pool that the Monk expends when using his various other offensive and defensive skills.
All combo skills have three stages, with the third one dealing a big hit with the most damage plus a special effect that's much more powerful than the bonuses delivered by the first two stages. There is no UI component to visually signify which level of charge a Monk is using,[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blue-on-spirit-auras-and-shouts-rune-effects/] though the first and second levels have distinct graphics, and the third is always a huge explosion or other visually-distinctive effect.
Combos always count up to three and then reset to one; it's not possible to build up multiple combos to the second or third level at once, as the {{iw|Assassin Assassin}} could do with her charge up attacks in Diablo II. Monks can mix and match their combos; the three stages can come from two or three different combo skills, but they always proceed in order, with the first, second, and third stages in sequence, regardless of which combo skills are used.
The variety of combos vary widely, with offensive, defensive, and other specialized bonuses from the various stages.
===Combine Combos for Multiple Effects===
Combos can be mixed and matched, by players with quick fingers. Any first, any second, and any third stage can be used in sequence, allowing players to vary their attack type and effects. For instance, the first two stages of [[Exploding Palm]] are fairly slow, low damage hits, while the third stage creates a spectacular explosion.
A skilled Monk player looking to maximize the damage would want to use the first two stages of a combo like [[Way of the Hundred Fists]] or [[Sweeping Wind]], then switch to Exploding Palm for the ''coupe de grace'' third hit. This method does not create two or three big hit bonuses; only the combo used for each stage registers, and the count resets to zero after the third hit. It's not possible to get multiple combos to level 2 at the same time, or to trigger multiple third hits in sequence. But skilled players at least have the option of combining different combo effects in sequence. ===Combo Visual Indicators=== While players have the option to mix up their combos, most players will likely just use the same one for all three hits, then switch to a different combo next time, if they've even put skill points into more than one combo. Combos go very quickly, with the three hits in very much of a bang-bang-bang sequence, less than a second apart, and a big, very obvious explosion effect on the third hit. Each of the hits is also delivered with a unique animation, as you can see in the sequence of shots showing off [[Hands of Lightning]] below. That's a good thing, since the developers have not included any UI mechanism (like the swirls of light the Assassin got with her charge-up skills in D2X) to visually-indicate the combo level.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blue-on-spirit-auras-and-shouts-rune-effects/] <blue>We don’t want tracking of combo stages to be so important that there needs to be a UI element to keep track. It should be that if you’re up on your game you’re tracking combo stages and it helps you get a slight edge, but if not you’re kicking ass anyway and will probably do fine.</blue> [[File:Lightning-fists-sequence1.jpg|center|thumb|700px|[[Hands of Lightning]] combo sequence showing off the three hits and their varying animations.]] ===Combos Simplified=== The functions of different moves from the first, second, and third level of a combo skill were simplified during development, as Bashiok explained in an April 2011 forum post:[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blue-on-spirit-auras-and-shouts-rune-effects/] <blue><font color="#FFFFFF">Will the UI allow for keeping track of which combo you’re on? His combo skills are really exciting but I’m worried it’ll become too much of a chore playing the entire game counting out my attacks in sequences of 3. It would be unfortunate to unleash a 2nd tier hundred hand attack at range expecting to dash forward because you miscounted.</font><br><br>Bashiok: </b> ...we have made changes to skills so they’re consistent; such as making all stages capable of a dash. We don’t want the situation you’ve described to be an issue. <font color="#FFFFFF">I think what Bashiok means is that if the first part of 100Fists was a dash, then the second and third parts would also include a dash.</font><br><br>Bashiok: </b>Right. The final stage on combo skills is still usually the powerful topper. I was specifically referring to a movement component not being tied to a specific stage of a combo skill (if it exists). There is some spreading out of mechanics to ensure really important pieces like movement and damage mitigation can’t be ‘missed’ because you counted wrong. But doing damage is doing damage, for the most part, so big combo finishers still very much exist on the third stage.</blue>
==The Monk 's Spirit Skills==
Spirit, which the game developers often single out[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blizzcon-2010-interview-jay-wilson-diablo-esp/] as the resource they think is working best, is generated by striking enemies [[combo skills]] and expended using other offensive and defensive skills.