Hello fellow Maplers, and welcome to my guide dedicated to the oh-so-confusing concept of capping your stats! Specifically, capping your minor stats. Now, before I go into great detail, I should introduce myself.
My name is Mike, but most people refer to me as Tesiqurasa. I have been playing Global Maple Story for three years, and own or have played most classes past 120.
Table of Contents
1. What are "minor" and "major" stats?
1a. The distribution of major stats
1b. The distribution of minor stats
2. General Concepts
3. Thief and Dual Blader (dex)
4. Bowman, Corsair, and Shadower (str)
5. Magician and Evan (luk)
6. Brawler (dex)
7. Warrior (accuracy/dex)
8. Helpful Tips
9. End Note
1. What exactly are "minor" and "major" stats?
1a. Major stats are those that add the most to your damage.
Str: Warriors, Brawlers, and Arans
Dex: Bowmen (Including Wild Hunters) and Corsairs (Mechanics)
1b. Minor stats are "support" stats. They don't add as much damage as major stats, and in some circumstances, they will give no real direct benefit. However, upgrading these correctly is, perhaps, the most confusing thing a new player will do.
Dex: Warriors and Arans (under special circumstances), Thieves, Dual Bladers, and Brawlers
Str: Bowmen, Corsairs, and in some situations, Shadowers
Luk: Mages, and to some extent, Warriors and Arans
Int: None, but every class benefits from extra int. For every 10 int, a character will gain 1 extra MP at each level up, and this is commonly used for HP washing.
Accuracy: Currently, you cannot 100% hit a monster if you are lower than said monster. For each level below, you lose 5% accuracy. However, the necessary accuracy to hit once you match lvls is relatively low. With the exception of some very high mobs and a few Malaysia mobs, there should be no problems in this area.
When determining KoC stats, use the matching Adventurer section.
Spoiler!
Night Walker=Thief
Dawn Warrior=Warrior
Blaze Wizard=Mage
Wind Archer=Bowman
Thunder Breaker=Brawler
2. General Concepts:
1. Do not use auto-assign. More often than not, this will give you too many stats. Considering you don't level up too often, it isn't difficult to simply click 5 times each level. If you are too lazy to do this, you shouldn't be playing Maple. It's safest to keep watch over your stat allocation.
2. When in doubt, stay low. Upgrading later on or "saving" stats (with the exception of Mages) is much cheaper than buying AP resets.
3. Always think "end-game". This may seem pointless for casual players, but eventually you'll reach this point. If you capped correctly, you'll be happy. If you just upgraded freely and without planning, you'll be much weaker in the end.
4. There is no "standard" build, and if someone tells you otherwise, they are incorrect. Each build should be tailored to fit the user's needs. So, if a guide simply tells you to "upgrade x stat each level" and gives no further explanation, it's safe to assume that guide is incorrect or incomplete.
5. Use the normal stats your gear gives. So, here's a hypothetical situation. You have 50 base minor stat (let's just say dex) and need 60 to equip your next weapon. Your armor requires 50 dex and gives +5 dex, and your shoes require 55 dex and give +5 dex. By equipping the overall you'll be able to equip the shoes, and by equipping the shoes, you'll be able to equip your weapon.
Specific Classes I will go through each class type specifically and give suggestions for capping minor stats. Each will have four levels. Early game (1-70), Mid Game (70-120), Late Game (120-200), End Game (fully equipped 120-200).
3. Thief and Dual Blader (Dex)
Spoiler!
As many already know, Lucky 7 and Triple Throw are both based off of weapon attack and luk, and Shadower/Dual Blade skills focus on range (mostly luk and weapon attack) Dex has little direct effect on damage. However, dexless Thieves are incredibly weak while low-dex Thieves are incredibly strong. And yes, before anyone asks, a Thief can be low-dex with 25 base as long as he scrolls luk or attack equips for dex. It is possible to have 25 base dex without sacrificing any luk or attack, but this is virtually impossible for nearly every player, so I will ignore this. Any Thief with these kinds of funds will already know enough about the game to not need a guide. Also, I will ignore the recent addition of 127 weapons for the same reason.
A Thief should equip a 100+ claw/dagger/katara as his or her end game equip. Because of the potential system, a Thief should also equip full 71+ thief gear, which means at least lvl 80 top/bottom/shoes/gloves. He or she will need 120 dex before these equips, but that does not mean 120 base dex. Here are equips a player MUST have before equipping "end game" gear.
Fully egged and potentialed Chaos Horntail Pendant. This is expensive, yes, but necessary. If you cannot afford this, be prepared to use a lower level weapon (lvl 100 equips work well) or shell out big bucks later on to reset out "lost" stats.
+40 dex
Fully scrolled and potentialed Chaos Zakum Helmet or Targa/Scarlion.
+25 dex (realistically scrolled)
The other equips will add dex, but these are the heavy hitters. With these +25 base dex alone, you're already at 90 total (with 160 being the most total you'll ever need). Work your other equips or your base dex to pull your total to 90. Pass at least MW20 before you equip end-game gear. Scroll items like shoes, bottoms, and face accessories for dex as these cannot be normally scrolled for luk or attack.
Early Game: Go dexless. This will produce the most damage for the fewest mesos, and will allow you more flexibility later on. Don't spend too much time or mesos during Early Game. Dual Bladers are not so flexible, so slowly upgrade base dex and use as low level daggers as possible. They will have the same type of end-game builds, so don't go all out on base dex.
Mid Game: Begin scrolling for and upgrading dex. Try not to bring your dex past 80 as this will be overkill later on. A safe "cap" is around 60-70, but remember, the situation varies from player to player.
Late Game: Work on obtaining fully scrolled and potentialed equips. Obviously you should focus on potential for %luk, but don't be afraid to throw some 60% dex on those equips. If you are having trouble getting 140 total dex, try items like dex earrings or capes now, and replace them with luk later on.
4. Bowmen, Corsairs and sometimes Shadowers (Str)
Spoiler!
Bowmen and Corsairs are very similar classes when it comes to capping stats with one exception. Bowmen armor does not require str, while Pirate armor does.
Bowmen
Bowmen simply need enough total Str to equip a reverse weapon (125 for bow, 120 for crossbow). If you picked the Bowman class, congratulations! This is arguably the easiest class to effectively build. Scroll and potential whatever you can for dex. Since you cannot scroll much for str, you will rely more on your base. With the release of the Chaos Horntail Pendant, capping at 50 base str should be easy.
Early Game: Go strless. You can still wear full archer armor and equip a variety of bows/crossbows that are nearly as powerful as full-str bows.
Mid Game: Begin upgrading str. Str is expensive and difficult to scroll, so focus on dex. Upgrade enough base str to equip at least a lvl 90 bow or crossbow.
Late Game: Bring your total str to an amount that lets you equip a lvl 100 weapon and begin to focus on potentialing and scrolling. 40-80 base is realistic. Anything more than 80 is overkill, and anything below 40 is difficult.
Corsairs
This path will be similar to the Bowman's. However, your base must be enough to wear at least lvl 80 pirate equips. 60 base should be enough to bring anyone's str to the required 80 total. With full end-game equips, it can be much less than 60. Keep in mind that Mechanic equipment sets will give small boosts to stats, so factor this in when thinking "end game".
Shadowers
Str is a "minor minor" stat for Shadowers, although it is still important. With a Chaos Horntail pendant, a shadower should have no problem equipping a Dragon Khanjar. The shield requires 75 total str. Str shadowers make use of 3/4 stats, so a Chtp/Czhelm should be a high priority for this class. Only upgrade str late in Mid Game or Late Game. Str Dits have no real advantage until the Dkhan.
5. Magician and Evan (luk)
Spoiler!
This is more controversial. Lukless is, without a doubt, the best option for a very poor player. However, with potential equips now implemented, lowluk will outshine a purely lukless mage. However, it is still most effective to equip the 130 elemental wands, as the 163 staff does not give a large enough magic attack boost for the cost. Ideally, the staff will be slightly better in terms of magic attack, but currently, is not worth the cost unless you can afford a 3 line. Once again, I will leave out detail on the extremely expensive weapons since any player with those funds should already have an idea of what he or she wants to do.
Only add luk as you need it, because higher int will give more MP at each level up. This is another reason to stay lukless (or lowluk) as long as possible.
A mage wants to equip full lvl 71+ gear for full potential. Minimal %int on the first stats alone should give a boost worth your while. Getting just 3% int on every major equip (overall, shoes, gloves, hat, earrings, cape, shield) will net you 21% int. Considering this % affects total int, it's a very valuable investment. If you have just 600 total int (before %) in late 3rd job, that 21% int will add 126.
Early Game: Unless you already have good low-luk gear, stay lukless. This will give the most damage and MP for very few mesos.
Mid Game: Elemental Wands. These should be your main focus right now. Begin collecting some minimal %int gear, but do not start upgrading your base luk (unless, obviously, you already have great lowluk gear).
Late Game: Once you obtain a HornTail pendant, you can wear luk armor. Getting 80 total is extremely easy, especially if you have a Chaos HornTail Pendant.
Bishops are another story. Since they do not use elemental wands (lukless), they need to focus on capping luk early on. The Doomsday staff (lvl 102, 80 required luk) gives the best luk:magic attack ratio, although it can be expensive. If you choose to go the Doomsday route, do NOT pull your base past 23. If you choose a reverse wand/staff, you will need 120/123 luk. For this, a slightly higher base is acceptable, but not recommended. If you are struggling for a last bit of luk, use a luk shield instead of a magic attack one. Do not upgrade your base luk without much thought, as luk adds virtually nothing directly. Play around and perhaps settle for lower level wands early on.
6. Brawler (dex)
Spoiler!
This is one of the most unique stat upgrades. The brawler requires dex for armor, weapons, and to some extent, accuracy. However, it only needs 120 dex for the reverse knuckle. Since most brawlers will naturally have a high dex, accuracy is not a major issue. However, that high accuracy (for a warrior type) stems from the high total dex, NOT the high base dex. This is key.
As I always state, you should wear 71+ armor. This means you will need 80 total dex before an overall or shoes. This is extremely easy for a brawler because earrings and helmets cannot be scrolled for str. Also, a brawler must have 20 base dex to make the job advancement, so capping early on will not be a problem. Most End-Game, or even Late-Game brawlers will have only 20 base.
Early Game: Keep your 20 base dex. Skills like Bullet Time and Knucke Mastery give you a good enough accuracy boost, and you can cheaply 100% an overall for dex (+10 dex). The Crocell hat also gives +12 dex. Just these three things will bring you to 42 base before level 50. Throw in some cheap dex earrings and a zhelm, and you can easily equip just about every knuckle until 70.
Mid Game: Again, keep your 20 base dex. If necessary, just stick with a lower level knuckle (like a White Fangz) for a while.
Late Game: If you are still very poor or have some godly str equips, you can upgrade some base dex, but not much. There is no reason a brawler will ever need more than 50 base dex.
End Game: Any End-Game brawler will go 20 base dex. There are no questions about it. Even before the Chtp, most just scrolled their overalls for dex instead of str. Do this until you can afford a (C)htp.
7. Warriors and Aran (dex and accuracy)
This section mentions the need for accuracy. With Big Bang came a change in the accuracy formula. While still important to a certain degree, your hit:miss will be almost entirely dependent on your level vs the monster level. If you are lower than a monster, you will have some misses, regardless of your accuracy. I am keeping this section with a disclaimer:
Warriors in GMS Big Bang do not need to worry about dex unless they are trying to equip a dex req weapon. Mastery and basic equips will take care of any accuracy problems you may have. The warrior is the ONLY class where upgrading +5 str each level (until late 19x) is ideal. The most base dex any warrior should currently have is 23. That allows for max base str by 200.
I am keeping this section for pre-BB use, and will fully update it when accuracy is once again revamped in the Chaos patch.
Non Big Bang accuracy:
Spoiler!
Before I start, let me make this clear. Unless a warrior is set on equipping a StoneTooth, a Crimson Arcglaive, or Night Raven Wing, they DO NOT NEED DEX! They need accuracy. These are two completely different things. A StoneTooth requires 120 total dex, and the only time a warrior should use this is if they already have a high base dex, cannot afford an attack shield+1h sword, or have 120 total dex without anything sacrificed. This is very specific to the user, so if you have questions regarding the use of a StoneTooth, simply reply to this thread and I, or someone else, will respond.
Warriors need accuracy to hit stuff. They do not need dex for anything (see above). 173 accuracy is necessary to 100% hit all "training" mobs at lvl 131, although to 100% hit skelegons at 113, only 144 accuracy is necessary. Accuracy can be obtained in many forms. You gain a form of accuracy by leveling up. The closer you are to a monster's level, the less accuracy you need to hit the monster.
You gain accuracy through skills as well.
Blessing of the Fairy: This is important for warriors, and at the very least, you should create a Knight of Cygnus for a blessing. You not only gain the standard attack, but also a great acc boost. If you plan on making an effective warrior, also obtain at least a 120 BoF (KoC will do fine, as they will become more important in the future).
Mastery: 20 accuracy
Potions like the Ludibrium Accuracy Pill are also important. +10 accuracy for 10 minutes in stacks of 100? Yes please.
Helmets will also give great acc boosts. The scarlion helmet gives +19 accuracy (not including dex
or luk).
These accuracy boosts alone add up to 61 total, and this is before the massive amounts of luk and dex you will have from normal equips. Horntail pendants give +22 all (or 40 all for chtp), and helmets give at least +15 all. By the time you hit late game, you should have no trouble with accuracy. The problems arise early on.
Early Game: Maple Weapons, Mastery, Ludi Pills, 100%ed dex robes, and helmets all help boost accuracy. A good BoF will be even better. Find small and cheap ways to get a decent boost early on. Maple Weapons add a ton, so if you use those, you should have no problems
Mid Game: This is where you will have difficulty. It may seem like a good time to upgrade your base dex, but don't! Do NOT upgrade this until you have run out of all other options, and even then, make sure it is below 40 base. Picking up some cheap acc potential gear is a very easy way to get the necessary boost.
Late Game: By now you should have realized how easy it is to obtain the required accuracy. Even before you hit end-game, you'll most likely be approaching that 173 accuracy marker. Focus more on %str and +str than accuracy, because at this point, it will come very naturally.
8. Helpful tips
All of these were mentioned in detail previously, but once again, here are a few key points to keep in mind when capping stats.
-When in doubt, keep it low
-Focus on end game, just get by early on
-There is no "set build" for any class, do your research!
-Do not get overwhelmed. Take it all slowly and see how your story unfolds later on.
-Ultimately, have fun! If it gets to the point that you stress out about capping stats, just forget about damage and have some fun. However, take the "less" route instead of the "full" route since the "less" route is much more flexible.
9. End Note This guide is an original work of me, Tesiqurasa, unless stated otherwise. Feel free to share this guide elsewhere, but I would appreciate a quick notification before reposting in full.
Specific thanks to hidden-street for the awesome database and forums.
Suggestions, comments, and questions welcome!
Last edited by Tesiqurasa; 19th June 2011 at 03:01 AM.
You forgot to mention that you're a robot. Also, you forgot to talk about capping major stats.
On a more useful note, your 2nd points don't match. One is "general concepts" and the other is "general rules." Also, you capitalize the stat names in some places but not others. Come on, Mr. English Major. That's a no-no. =P I think a little spacing would help for readability as well (like a space between the end of a point and the beginning of another). Also, I know they're lolfail but you should mention CKs since this seems to be aimed at newer players (who might not know that a "Thunder Breaker" is a pirate/brawler, for instance). Otherwise, good guide.
No, dex is not equal to one accuracy, but you can have 23 base dex and still have full str.
If you're having trouble with accuracy, an extra 16 base dex won't really help much. Get things like dex saunas, ludi pills, Andras Hat, potential acc items, etc. All of that is free or extremely cheap.
i have a 100%ed sauna, Im using acc pots cause im lazy. And i have a fishspear and an andras which totals up to 30 acc. And i can barely hit sand rats at 22
[21-11, 13:19] Tesiqurasa: so do their guns
[21-11, 13:19] Bishopz: Al qaeda has a magazine.
At this point, I've heard that acc is largely based on level. Would it be safe to go dexless on a warrior? or would going normal dex be more beneficial still in some way?
When we are plunged into darkness, we flee toward light. But, the closer we get, the greater our shadow becomes.