Dawn Warrior

This guide is made with the end result mind and this is A GUIDE. That said you don't need to follow this to the letter or at all.

In terms of attribute points (AP) there are options. I recommend following a standard warrior distribution with dex 2x your level simply because you don't need to be rich and there's little to worry about with accuracy. I'm not going to get hung up the AP though, I don't know enough details about the best dex mark given certain monster levels.

The bigger issue at hand is the skill point (SP) distribution.

Tier I

lvl 10 - 1 Improving Max HP Increase
lvl 11 - 3 Improving Max HP Increase
lvl 12 - 3 Improving Max HP Increase
lvl 13 - 3 Improving Max HP Increase
lvl 14 - 1 Power Strike, 1 Slash Blast, 1 Soul
lvl 15 - 3 Soul
lvl 16 - 3 Soul
lvl 17 - 3 Soul
lvl 18 - 3 Soul
lvl 19 - 3 Soul
lvl 20 - 3 Soul
lvl 21 - 1 Soul, 2 Power Strike
lvl 22 - 3 Power Strike
lvl 23 - 3 Power Strike
lvl 24 - 3 Power Strike
lvl 25 - 3 Power Strike
lvl 26 - 3 Power Strike
lvl 27 - 2 Power Strike, 1 Iron Body/Slash Blast
lvl 28 - 3 Iron Body/Slash Blast
lvl 29 - 3 Iron Body/Slash Blast
lvl 30 - 3 Iron Body/Slash Blast

lvl 10-13 - 10 Improving Max HP Increase

Max this immediately to maximize health. It's just gimping yourself to put points into this at any point beyond immediately.

lvl 14 - 1 Power Strike

This is strictly a precursor for Slash Blast

lvl 14 - 1 Slash Blast

One point into this for crowd control. This is an extra SP point that given this guide can be applied at anytime. I choose to recommend applying it now, because most people reading this will be training the old fashioned way. This is sufficient for combat in early levels. Massive point investment into this skill is not recommended due to skills available at later advancements.

lvl 14-21 - 20 Soul

This little bugger combined with slash blast makes mob control at early levels a breeze. For the rest of your advancement as a knight this guy is bonus damage and knockback on top of your other skills. If anyone tells this is bad to max... well, they are wrong. It's passive free damage that looks cool/cute and there's nothing worthwhile to divert points away from this.

lvl 21-27 Power Attack

This skill is always useful. It's like hitting a target 3 times in one when it's max.

lvl 27-30 Iron Body/Slash Blast

This is personal preference. Honestly neither of these choices matter much. For people who wants to save some damage Iron Body is the way to go. For those who don't care about tanking putting points into slash blast makes it more powerful. I prefer Iron Body as offense isn't going to be lacking later on.

Once you hit 120 it doesn't hurt to burn some NX cash and rework this 1st Tier of Dawn Warrior Skills. There will be no use for Max HP at that point so there's 10 points to play with.

Final Tier 1 Skill Point Distribution

Improving Max HP Increase - 10 (+40 to HP on level up)
Iron Body - 10 (+30 weapon defense)
Power Strike - 20 (260% damage)
Slash Blast - 1 (strike 6 foes 72% damage)
Soul - 20 (Duration 200 seconds)

Tier II

lvl 30 - 1 Soul Blade
lvl 31 - 3 Sword Mastery
lvl 32 - 2 Sword Mastery, 1 Sword Booster
lvl 33 - 3 Sword Booster
lvl 34 - 3 Sword Booster
lvl 35 - 3 Sword Booster
lvl 36 - 2 Sword Booster (Done), 1 Rage
lvl 37 - 3 Rage
lvl 38 - 3 Rage
lvl 39 - 3 Rage
lvl 40 - 3 Rage
lvl 41 - 3 Rage
lvl 42 - 3 Rage (Done)
lvl 43 - 3 Soul Runner
lvl 44 - 3 Soul Runner
lvl 45 - 3 Sword Mastery
lvl 46 - 3 Sword Mastery
lvl 47 - 3 Sword Mastery
lvl 48 - 3 Sword Mastery
lvl 49 - 3 Sword Mastery (Maxed)
lvl 50 - 3 Soul Blade
lvl 51 - 3 Soul Blade
lvl 52 - 3 Soul Blade
lvl 53 - 3 Soul Blade
lvl 54 - 3 Soul Blade
lvl 55 - 3 Soul Blade
lvl 56 - 3 Soul Blade
lvl 57 - 3 Soul Blade
lvl 58 - 3 Soul Blade
lvl 59 - 3 Final Attack-Sword
lvl 60 - 3 Final Attack-Sword
lvl 61 - 3 Final Attack-Sword
lvl 62 - 3 Final Attack-Sword
lvl 63 - 3 Final Attack-Sword
lvl 64 - 3 Final Attack-Sword
lvl 65 - 3 Final Attack-Sword
lvl 66 - 3 Final Attack-Sword
lvl 67 - 3 Final Attack-Sword
lvl 68 - 3 Final Attack-Sword (Maxed)
lvl 69 - 2 Soul Blade (Maxed), 1 Soul Runner
lvl 70 - 3 Soul Runner (Maxed)

lvl 30 Soul Blade

This is your ranged attack for the next 40 levels. So put your point into it use it and abuse it. It won't be necessary to put major investment into this skill right now. There are more important things that don't burn up as much MP.

lvl 31-32 Sword Mastery

This is important. Free passive damage buffs and accuracy. We are buffing damage slightly right here in order to allow for a quicker attack rate.

lvl 32-36 Sword Booster

This is where the damage starts to skyrocket due to increased attack speed. It's cheap and passive and increases dps. There isn't a need to invest more points into this, 2 min is enough.

lvl 36-42 Rage

This just continues to add to the damage. Cheap and passive damage buff. If you are wondering why it doesn't get 1 more point to be maxed, I ask you if you will miss 6 seconds off the duration?

lvl 43-44 Soul Runner

It's a good idea to buff this up around here as you will be likely forced to travel on foot more often due to airship travel and the like.

lvl 45-49 Sword Mastery

You may be wondering why it took so long to get here and master this. The reasoning is simple. The other passive damage buffs do more for you than this does. It's still that free passive damage buff with accuracy as mentioned before.

lvl 50-58 Soul Blade

This get's pushed off so far because as it gets stronger it only adds to MP costs and isn't going to replace Slash Blast as your close range crowd control tool. It doesn't get maxed yet simply because at this point it is powerful enough and other things can be dealt with.

lvl 59-68 Final Attack-Sword

This is put off as the last major investment because it is chance and doesn't pay off until high amounts of investment. The other options have very noticable payoff with each added point. That's not to say you won't appreciate this passive skill.

lvl 69 Soul Blade

The last 3 levels just end up being top offs. Final Attack was finished off last level. Here you add a little more kick to your Soul Blade.

lvl 69-70 Soul Runner

Here you top off Soul Runner to further decrease its MP cost. Points could be put into Sword Booster, but if you crunch the numbers this ends up saving more MP than putting them in there would.

Final Tier 2 Point Distribution

Sword Mastery - 20 (60% Mastery, +20 Accuracy)
Sword Booster - 12 (Duration 200 Seconds)
Final Attack-Sword - 30 (Duration 300, 60% Chance for 250% damage hit)
Rage - 19 (Duration 154, Party-wide +12 Weapon Attack, -12 Weapon Defense)
Soul Blade - 30 (Strike 5 Enemies for 180% damage, Range 300)
Soul Runner - 10 (MP cost 15)