Updated Nov 4, 2026

Windwalker Monk

PvE guide, updated for Patch 12.1.5

DPS Rotation & Cooldowns

How to play Windwalker Monk in each rotation style: the full rotation SimulationCraft sims play by default, and the game’s Assisted Highlight and One Button rotations beside it.

Rotation style comparison

How Windwalker Monk’s DPS compares when using the game’s assisted modes instead of the full rotation, based on Single Target simulations.

  • Full rotationBaseline
  • Assisted Highlight-5.5%
  • One Button-13.4%
Compare in rankings

The full rotation is the one SimulationCraft’s sims play by default. Its priority list is SimC’s own for the spec, read here for one build and one kind of fight.

Rotation

Beta16 abilities
Beta. This view is new. Some specs’ steps still read as long chains of conditions, and we’re working on making them simpler to follow.
  1. 1Touch of Karma
  2. 2Tiger Palm
  3. 3Racial abilityWhen ready
  4. 4Zenith
  5. 5Whirling Dragon Punch
  6. 6Celestial Conduit
  7. 7Zenith Stomp
  8. 8Fists of Fury
  9. 9Strike of the WindlordWhen ready
  10. 10Touch of Death
  11. 11Rushing Wind KickWhen ready
  12. 12Spinning Crane Kick
  13. 13Rising Sun Kick
  14. 14Blackout Kick
  15. 15Slicing WindsWhen ready
  16. 16Thorn BloomWhen ready

Every step also needs the ability off cooldown and affordable. Range checks are left out. A blank Targets cell means any number of targets.

Cooldowns

When each cooldown was used across the sample fight, so you can see how often each comes back and which ones line up.

Sample opener

One simulated fight from the start, played by this list on the profile in the Gear section with the guide’s Single target build, whichever build the list above is read for. Procs and timing change the order from fight to fight, so use it to get a feel for the start rather than as a script.

Time
Ability
New
Gone
Up
Pull
0:00.000
Touch of Karma
0:00.000
Tiger Palm
0:01.004
Potion of Recklessness
0:01.004
Zenith
0:01.004
Voracious Heart of Ula'tek

The full priority list

simc@ff0d07f

Everything above is read from this SimulationCraft list, including the steps the page hides (the potion and on-use items) and the branches your build and fight leave out.

monk_windwalker.simc, 164 lines

Is this rotation built for your talents?

The rotation follows your talent build. Sim your highest-DPS build on your own gear, for the mode and rotation style you play.