Dominican2456's Sniper Guide

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I don't want to finish this guide so please put your comments in and things to improve this guide. Thanks you in advance if you help. --Dominican2456 10:21, 1 March 2007 (CST)

Intro

Welcome to my Sniper guide. This guide will take you from level 1 to 120. By the time you finish reading this guide you will want to make a crossbowman right now!

Why a Sniper?

Pros

• Are stronger than hunters.
• Arguably the best ranged job in the game.
• Ice Element gives advantage, for there are less ice resistant monsters in game.
• Mob skill is 180% damage, while Hunter mob is 130%.
• More DEX than Hunters.

Cons

• Attack slower than hunters.
• Take a really long time to level.
• Are somewhat expensive.
  • Need to buy arrows until level 30 (or 30+ depending on skill build).
• Mob skill does not stun.
• AP, STR and DEX build does not let you recieve boost at the normal level.

Note from EthanDuong: It's highly doubtful that the Snipers' weapons and scrolls are more expensive than Hunters' since Snipers are the rarest job in the game.

The Beginning

Stats

Note from EthanDuong: Since the MS 0.5x patch you no longer have to roll the dice. After you advance to 1st job Bowman your Int and Luk will be 4.

Therefore the information below is useless in GMS , MapleSEA. (Require permission to delete)

When you begin your character it's important to begin it right. Roll the dice until you get one of the three combintations:

X = Any number

Combination 1
Str - X
Dex - X
Int - 4
Luk - 4

Combination 2
Str - X
Dex - X
Int - 5
Luk - 4

Combination 3
Str - X
Dex - X
Int - 4
Luk - 5

Ability Point (AP) Build

STR - Always equal to your level

DEX - Gets the rest of the points

INT - Gives extra MP increase per level (Does not help snipers in damage)

LUK - You lose less EXP when you die. (Does not help snipers in damage)

• Remember Snipers will get crossbows each 5 levels, starting from 12, Only until level 50.
  • This means you can add no STR during the level through 1 - 14. Then use the rest levels to add STR for the Battle Crossbow.
    • Use this to your advantage
      • Never raise up your HP or MP, as you could be raising it on more DEX.

Bowman Skills

Arrow Blow

• Level 1 MP -6; Damage 141%
• Level 10 MP -9; Damage 195%
• Level 20 MP -14; Damage 260%

• • Comment -

Double shot has been proven to do more damage when criticals come into effect, and in overall damage, when criticals are taken into account. Put one point in this skill to unlock double shot.

Critical Shot

• Level 1 12% success rate, critical damage 105%
• Level 10 30% success rate, critical damage 150%
• Level 20 40% success rate, critical damage 200%

• • Comment -

A must-max. This skill ADDS 200% damage, not doubles it. Note from Shadowrunex: adding 200% means tripling it, not doubling it. Really?

100% + 200% from crit = 300% damage - yes, it triples the damage

Note from EthanDuong: No, it neither double nor triple your damage but add the damage of another normal attack to the shown damage (thus, in a way, it is similar to Final Blow, just that you do not actually shoot once more). Actually the critical shot does (and shows in red number) 100% (normal damage, equal to a random number between the damage range times the multiplier, e.g. 180% for Iron Arrow) plus 100% (critical damage, equal to a random number in the damage range), which is equivalent to the damage of two normal shot if there is no multiplier, so a normal attack which crits can NEVER do more than twice your maximum damage. Later on, the damage multiplier of the skills (e.g. Iron Arrow) is only added to the normal damage, not the additional critical damage.

So Iron Arrow would deal 100% * 180% + 100* = 280% damage with critical.

Arrow Blow would deal 100% * 280% + 100% = 380% with critical.

Double Shot would deal (100% * 140% + 100%) * 2 = 480% damage with critical on both arrows.

Require permission to correct.

Double Shot

• Level 1 MP -8; Damage 76% x 2 Hits
• Level 10 MP -11; Damage 100% x 2 Hits
• Level 20 MP -16; Damage 130% x 2 Hits

• • Comment -

Max this skill. You'll be using it until the end of 2nd job.

Focus

• Level 1 MP -8; accuracy +1 and avoidability +1 for 70 seconds
• Level 10 MP -8; accuracy +10 and avoidability +10 for 170 seconds
• Level 20 MP -16; accuracy +20 and avoidability +20 for 300 seconds

• • Comment -

Not a very useful skill to max, as a CrossbowMan, you would already have high accuracy and avoidablity... Add some good points to it when in 2nd Job Advancement, as it would prove to be more worthy.

The Blessing Of Amazon

• Level 1 Accuracy +1
• Level 10 Accuracy +10
• Level 16 Accuracy +16

• • Comment -

As a sniper, you put a lot of points into DEX, which means your accuracy is already going to be good enough. You could still raise this skill up if you have some extra SP left.

Editted By Haphtoo : Maxed at level 16, not 20

The Eye Of Amazon

• Level 1 Range of attack for bows and crossbows +15
• Level 8 Range of attack for bows and crossbows +120

• • Comment -

Another must-max. Range is one of the advantages of the archer.

Skill Point Distrubution

Like every class, you need the right distrubution to be a perfect Sniper. Here is the best way to spend your SP:

In any order of your liking is fine though, you just have to have these skills planted out:

By Level 30:

20 Double Shot

8 The Eye of Amazon

1 Arrow Blow

0 Focus or 9 Focus

20 Critical Shot

12 The Blessing of Amazon or 3 The Blessing of Amazon

This is the best I thought of...

Crossbowman Skills

File:Crossbowmastery.gif Crossbow Mastery

• Level 1 15% crossbow mastery, +1 accuracy
• Level 10 35% crossbow mastery, +10 accuracy
• Level 20 60% crossbow mastery, +20 accuracy

• • Comment -

Max this first. You'll need all 20 points to unlock the 4th job advanced mastery (which you will absolutly LOVE). This skill brings up your minimum damage, so you can't do without it.

Final Attack: Crossbow

• Level 1 2% success rate, damage 105% of regular attack
• Level 15 30% success rate, damage 175% of regular attack
• Level 30 60% success rate, damage 250% of regular attack

• • Comment -

FA or FA-less is one of the most debated topics about archers. Here are the facts:

The FA arrow that you fire has no range limit (it can go all the way to the edge of the screen or hit the enemy that's right in your face immediately after you whack it), which means that until your arrow either hits something or the edge of the map, you cannot pot, run away, jump, or attack. FA CAN increase your firing speed. FA CAN make your boss-fights more difficult unless you're partied with a priest who knows that your FA might backstab you any minute.

Your sniper, your choice. Whether or not you want FA is up to you.

Crossbow Booster

• Level 1 HP -29, MP -29; crossbow attacking speed increases for 10 seconds
• Level 10 HP -20, MP -20; crossbow attacking speed increases for 100 seconds
• Level 20 HP -10, MP -10; crossbow attacking speed increases for 200 seconds

• • Comment -

Max this skill. It increases your overall damage by allowing you to fire more arrows in less time.

Power Knock Back

• Level 1 MP: -8, Rate of knock back +2%, damage 105%, knock-back 2 enemies
• Level 10 MP: -8, Rate of knock back +20%, damage 150%, knock-back 3 enemies
• Level 20 MP: -15, Rate of knock back +40%, damage 200%, knock-back 6 enemies

• • Comment -

Of course max this skill. If the enemy runs right into your face, what CAN you do but to whack at it, so why not give it a good dose of your power while you're at it? Note: your only melee mob control for 2nd job

Soul Arrow: Crossbow

• Level 1 MP -15; Attack for 30 seconds without using up an arrow
• Level 10 MP -15; Attack for 300 seconds without using up an arrow
• Level 20 MP -20; Attack for 600 seconds without using up an arrow

• • Comment -

Saving arrows will be a major part of earning money. Put enough points so that you don't need to recast it continuously.

Iron Arrow

• Level 1 MP -14; 64% damage
• Level 15 MP -14; 120% damage
• Level 30 MP -28; 180% damage

• • Comment -

A must-max, as it is your first mob control skill. It weakens for every enemy it hits, up to six targets. It is absolutly necessary for you to put 1 point into it at Lv 30.

Skill Point Distribution

These skills have been planted out the best they could. You can raise them up in any order you perfer, just follow this build.

FA Build:

Not recommended since you have low mobility due to low ("normal" = low) attack speed, shooting another arrow will decrease your mobility even further. FA can be avoided with jump-shoot, but it's not likely that you will successfully do jump-shoot 100% of the time, especially when you are being chased by a boss, so FA may kicks in and you must stand still for another shot and you may get killed.

19 Crossbow Mastery

30 Final Attack: Crossbow

6 Crossbow Booster

20 Power Knock-back

30 Iron Arrow

2 Soul Arrow: Crossbow

14 Focus

Non FA Build:(recommended)

20 Crossbow Mastery

15 Crossbow Booster

20 Power Knock-back

30 Iron Arrow

15 Soul Arrow: Crossbow

20 Focus

Lvl 30: 1 Iron Arrow

Lvl 31: 3 Crossbow Mastery

Lvl 32: 2 Crossbow Mastery, 1 Crossbow Booster

Lvl 33: 3 Crossbow Booster

Lvl 34: 1 Crossbow Booster, 2 Soul Arrow

Note that you can add a few more points into SA if you feel that 60 seconds is too short

Lvl 35 - 43: 3 Iron Arrow

Lvl 44: 2 Iron Arrow (MAX), 1 Power Knock-back

The rest is up to you. You spend fewer MP pots and almost no arrow.

The other way is to max Iron Arrow ASAP. Do note that this way will cost more mesos due to buying MP pots and arrows.

Note from a player: I prefer to max Crossbow Booster and put 7 points into Soul Arrow because then the duration of both buffs will be similar (200 and 210 seconds), which mean you can use macro to cast both quite effectively (easy to remember and no skill is recast too soon). Adding more points into SA would only increase the duration, you can save those points for other skills.

Sniper Skills

Arrow Eruption

• Level 1 MP -18; Basic attack 60%
• Level 15 MP -23; Basic attack 122%
• Level 30 MP -28; Basic attack 160%

• • Comment -

One of the funnest parts of being a sniper. Max this skill; it does decent damage and hits all around you.

Blizzard

• Level 1 MP -20; Attack power 100%, freezes enemy for 1 second
• Level 15 MP -25; Attack power 128%, freezes enemy for 2 seconds
• Level 30 MP -30; Attack power 140%, freezes enemy for 3 seconds

• • Comment -

Put at LEAST 21 points into this skill to get that 3-second freeze. It's worth it.

Golden Eagle

• Level 1 MP -32; lasts 103 seconds, with 23 basic att. and 50% success rate of stunning
• Level 15 MP -60; lasts 145 seconds, with 65 basic att. and 88% success rate of stunning
• Level 30 MP -80; lasts 180 seconds, with 100 basic att. and 99% success rate of stunning

• • Comment -

The best part of this is the stun. On an enemy that can be stunned (ex: mini-bosses), a definite advantage.

Mortal Blow

• Level 1 32% success rate, basic attack 110%; kills the monster with HP at 20% or lower at 1% success rate
• Level 10 50% success rate, basic attack 200%; kills the monster with HP at 35% or lower at 5% success rate
• Level 20 70% success rate, basic attack 250%; kills the monster with HP at 50% or lower at 10% success rate

• • Comment -

This is another commonly debated aspect of archers. As of today, the minimum level to put into this skill is quite unclear.

Puppet

• Level 1 MP -23; Summon puppet of 500 HP for 5 seconds
• Level 10 MP -26; Summon puppet of 1800 HP for 30 seconds
• Level 20 MP -32; Summon puppet of 6000 HP for 60 seconds

• • Comment -

Adds another tactical element into gameplay. An essential skill. Have it at level 10 or higher before you try anything dangerous with it. This skill allows you to solo bosses if used properly.

Strafe

• Level 1 MP -26; Basic attack 52% per arrow
• Level 15 MP -26; Basic attack 80% per arrow
• Level 30 MP -32; Basic attack 100% per arrow

• • Comment -

Masks over your double shot, and has a lower recoil time. If such a powerful skill does 400% damage when maxed, with critical, just imagine the numbers you'll be seeing! A MUST MAX skill.

Thrust

• Level 1 Speed +2
• Level 10 Speed +20
• Level 20 Speed +30

• • Comment -

Most experienced snipers don't like this skill, and don't put any points into it. You'll often be partying with thieves, and you can get speed boosts from your equipment.

Skill Point Distribution:

Here comes the funnest distributions of being a sniper. And of course, any order you like the skills is fine, just follow this build!

30 Arrow Eruption

21 Blizzard

30 Golden eagle

18 Thrust/Mortal Blow

20 Puppet

30 Strafe

Note from EthanDuong: It is recommended to get one point into Blizzard then goes for other damage skill since it provides you a much-needed disabling skill you have been lacking (bowmen get the ability to stun enemies since 2nd job with their Arrow Bomb).

You may also want to put only 15 points into Golden Eagle to enable the Freezer skill at 4th job (which does not require a Summoning Rock) or 29 points (save one last point) since the stun rate does not increase for the last level.

For Thrust, it is recommended that you only level it up to level 10 because any further point would only increase your speed by 1 comparing to 2 from the first point to the 10th point.

My skill build would be:

30 Arrow Eruption

21 Blizzard

15 Golden Eagle

10 Thrust

20 Mortal Blow

20 Puppet

30 Strafe

You have 5 points left, it's your choice now :)

Where to train

Level 1-10

Snails and such on Maple Island. Orange Mushrooms are hard at these levels, don't even think about it.

Level 10-15

Henesys Hunting Ground I, bottom floor for more snails or mushrooms. Purple Plains 1 is also a good source, as it inhabits less people. The main exp source is from quest, so do as many as possible. For best result, goes around all town (Sleepywood excluded) and accept all the quests before training. I have tried and stacked up to 5 quests of hunting pigs.

Level 15-20

Either move up a floor on the Henesys Hunting Grounds or go to Mushroom Garden. Keep doing quest!!!

Level 20-24

Pig Beach or The Rain Forest East of Henesys has a nice spawn rate of pigs. Enjoy! You may move on to Green Mushroom now.

Level 24-30

Kerning City PQ if you want to make more mesos or Ant Tunnel I is a good initiative to move on.

Level 30-35

Ant Tunnel I-IV is good for now. Try evil eyes in The Cave of Evil Eye and zombie mushrooms in the Ant Tunnel Park if you bored of the Ant Tunnels. Last choice would be Wild Boars in The Land of Wild Boars I. Doing the Mushroom Kingdom quests would also give you a nice boost of exp (more than 10k exp for each quest. The quest are mostly hunting so if you can find a party that would be awesome)

Level 35-38 or 40

The Land of Wild Boars is OK for now. For even more decency, Ludibrium PQ is your place. You can start doing Monster Carnival 1 to earn crazy exp (maybe 2 levels a day or more if you trade wins). BUT STAY AWAY FROM FIELD 3/4! Another good place to train is the Mini Dungeon at Ant Tunnel 2. The spawn rate is hilarious and the platform are perfect for your Iron Arrow

Level 38 or 40-50

Still Ludi PQ is good, since you'll probably be accepted in higher lvls like this. Also you can go to curse eyes in Ellinia forests. MC1 is still the fastest way to level up. At late 40s, you can owns quite well even at field 3/4 with your Iron Arrow. Getting a Sin in the party for the haste against the annoying Toy Trojan would be good. Practice doing back-shooting with Iron Arrow would also help.

Level 50-60

Try Orbis PQ, and if you can't get in, curse eyes, zombie lupins or stone gollems are good.

Level 60-70

Definitely Orbis PQ now, or battle Dark Stone gollems, cold eyes, and any kind of drake.

Level 70-80

Skeletal soldiers, Buffies, and places in steep El Nath.

Level 80+

Anything you can 1,2 or 3HKO is fine. Or try Shanerian guild quest/bosses.

Note: Now most people do MC1/2 instead of Ludi/Orbis PQ so the chance of getting a party for PQ is quite low. Moreover, just hack and slash (shoot and whack for this case) in MC is much easier than solving puzzles in PQs.

Credits:

• By Dominican2456

• Thanks to MapleTip for making MapleWiki!

• Thanks to Nexon/Wizet for making and updating MapleGlobal!

Editors who edited many days and nights:

Wouson007

MooseelnaBox

Razorr

EthanDuong (especially for the updates about Monster Carnival)

BYE BYE NOW!

Salute~!