THE ARCHER GUIDE!!! By: KingICBM4 (Windia Hunter) I decided to make an archer guide because of my profound love for archers. I have also noticed a lot of inadequecies in previous guides. So here is my attempt at guidemaking. Note: This guide may contain some information which may be in contridictory with previous guides, this is because through my training experience, I found my own ways of leveling. I: Introduction: The archer is an extremely strong class in Maplestory, however, its lack of jump attacking abilities, unstable damage (due to critical shot), and relatively slower shooting speed (compared to assasins "sins") also make them one of the slowest and hardes class to train. II: Ability Build: Instead of the conventional 4 into dex and 1 into strength per level, you should put 5 into dex for 4 levels and then 5 into strength for one level. This way, you get an advancement of the dex from later levels. III: Skills Build for 1st Job Archer: Skills List: (Some reference taken from hidden-street archives) The Blessing of the Amazon, Eye of the Amazon, Critical Shot, Focus, Double Shot, Arrow Blow The blessing of the amazon: This skill increases accuracy, you only need to put in enough sp to unlock eye of the amazon Eye of the amazon: This skill is a must, without range, the archer would have pretty much no use. Critical shot: The most important skill a bowman can have (in my opinion), 50% of the archer's martial prowess derives from this passive skill Focus: This skill is basically a filler for you to put your extra sp into. The accuracy it gives is not of much use because of archers being the most accurate class, and the avoidability it gives barely makes much difference. Skills Build: Level 10: 1 Blessing of the amazon Level 11: 2 Blessing, 1 Eye of the amazon Level 12: 3 Eye of the amazon Level 13: 3 Eye of the amazon Level 14: 1 Eye of the amazon, 1 Arrow blow Level 15: 1 Double shot, 2 Critical shot Note: I said to put one into double shot and arrow blow before maxing out critical so you can utilize the critical shot's ability while maxing it out :) Level 16: 3 Critical shot Level 17: 3 Critical shot Level 18: 3 Critical shot Level 19: 3 Critical shot Level 20: 3 Critical shot Level 21: 3 Critical shot Level 22: 1 Critical shot, 2 Either attack skill Note: As you may already know, there are two active attacks to choose from at this point: Double Shot and Arrow Blow. Here is a basic run through of the advantages and disadvantages of both. Double Shot, Adv: Stronger (since the critical shot does not multiply attack by 2, but instead adds 100% of the base attack on the damage, it will deal much more damage with double shot as it has two chances of getting criticals), Disadv: Costs 16 mp, uses up two arrows, lower chance of getting knock back. Arrow Blow: Adv: Costs 14 mp, uses up one arrow, higher chance of getting knock back. Disadv: Weaker My opinion: Get Double Shot, the 2 more mp per shot is not much of a difference, and the additional damage from the Double Shot can be pretty useful. Level 23: 3 Either attack skill Level 24: 3 Either attack skill Level 25: 3 Either attack skill Level 26: 3 Either attack skill Level 27: 2 Either attack skill, 1 Focus Level 28: 3 Focus Level 29: 3 Focus Level 30 (first half): 3 Focus IV: Training: Training Areas: Level 11-13: Snails at the bottom of the Henesys Hunting Grounds Level 11-15: Mushroom Garden Level 16-20: Train on green mushroom or slimes Level 21-25: Do pq if you can get in with a good party, otherwise train on green mushrooms or pig beach Level 26-30: PQ or ant tunnel. Which weapon to get? Most guides suggest a melee weapon until you have maxed out eye of the amazon. I agree with the reasoning behind this suggestion, but a bow looks so much better and is so much more fun. Whether to get a melee weapon or a bow/crossbow is your choice. V: Equipments: If you are to make an archer, I suggest that you find a way to fund your account. Do not skip any equipments because it would save some money. However, if you do not have an ample supply of meos, then you might want to use melee weapons until you have enough items to make arrows. Also, you should not buy the Hunter's Bow as it is much more cost efficient to make it. VI: 2nd Job Skills: This is where I would have the most fun writing this guide, the 2nd job! Level 30: 1 Arrow Bomb Level 31: 3 Mastery Level 32: 3 Mastery Level 33: 3 Mastery Level 34: 3 Mastery Level 35: 3 Bow booster Level 36: 2 Bow booster, 1 Soul arrow Level 37: 3 Soul arrow Level 38: 3 Mastery Level 39: 3 Mastery Level 40: 2 Mastery Level 41: 3 Power knockback Level 42: 3 Power knockback Level 43: 3 Power knockback Level 44: 3 Power knockback Level 45: 3 Power knockback Level 46: 3 Power knockback Level 47: 2 Power knockback Level 48: 3 Arrow Bomb Level 49: 3 Arrow Bomb Level 50: 3 Arrow Bomb Level 51: 3 Arrow Bomb Level 52: 3 Arrow Bomb Level 53: 3 Arrow Bomb Level 54: 3 Arrow Bomb Level 55: 3 Arrow Bomb Level 56: 3 Arrow Bomb Level 57: 2 Arrow Bomb, 1 Bow booster Level 58: 3 Bow booster Level 59: 3 Bow booster Level 60: 3 Soul arrow Level 61: 3 Soul arrow Level 62: 3 Bow booster Level 63: 3 Bow booster Level 64: 3 Bow booster Level 65: 3 Soul arrow Level 66: 3 Soul arrow Level 67: 3 Soul arrow Level 68: 2 Soul arrow, 1 into anything but final attack Level 69: 3 into anything but final attack Level 70: 3 into anything but final attack I suggest not getting final attack because it is both slow and not that useful, and also you only get it for a few levels before 3rd job. The final attack does not work for third job skills. VII: Training for 2nd Job: Level 30-32: Land of Wild Boars/Ant Tunnel Level 32-35: Fire Boars Level 35-40: Jr. Grupins/Jr. Lioners/Jr. Cellions Level 40-50: Ludi Pq Level 40-50: Rombot Level 50: Grupins/Lioners/Cellions Level 50: Wild Cargos (for olympus) From then on, I don't know for sure, but I suggest against the common suggestion of training on things you can kill in one or two hits. Think about it, at level 30, the monsters that you can kill in one or two hits are green mushroom. Do you really think you should be training there? VIII: 3rd JOB!!! From here on, I don't know what to do, so just test out the skills that fit the best. Contact Information: KingICBM4 (windia, Global Maple Story). icbm_nuke@sbcglobal.net