Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Maplestory Ultimate Dual Blade Guide/Skill Build

Story of Dual Blade
The Dark Lord: It’s an unfortunate name, for it brings up images of evil and fear. Yet the one who bears that title does so not because he is evil, but because he spends so much time in the dark, battling against the things that would bring Maple World down. It’s a high and lonely destiny, one borne well by all those who have carried the title.

The former Dark Lord was a great man who spent his life fighting against the forces of darkness. As all Dark Lords must, he had carefully groomed possible successors. His two greatest students were a young man named Jin and his own daughter, who is known to us now only as ‘Lady Syl.’ Both were excellent students, people of great strength and moral character and he cherished and loved both of them. In turn, Lady Syl and Jin revered their teacher and developed a great affection for each other. Times were happy as they all trained and worked together.

The trouble began with an urgent request from Tristan, the Dark Lord’s friend. It seemed that Balrog had been resurrected and was destroying Victoria Island. The Dark Lord immediately headed out to help but when he arrived in Sleepywood, his friend Tristan was nowhere to be found. He eventually tracked down Balrog and faced him in mortal combat. Alas, Balrog is a foe not so easily beaten for his evil is not merely physical, but spiritual as well. The Dark Lord lost his focus for a split second and allowed Balrog’s evil to slip past his shields – and he lost his soul. The Dark Lord had become one of the very monsters he had spent his life defeating and began attacking Kerning City.

Jin, who had followed his master against his wishes, witnessed everything. In despair and agony, he tried to appeal to the thing that was his former master, trying to get it to remember the man of virtue and honor he once was. Alas, it was no use! Jin knew what he would have to do, what his true master would have wanted and he defeated the monster that wore his master’s beloved face. Tears stinging his eyes, Jin carried the body back home to bury him in honor and succeed him as Dark Lord.

As it happened, Balrog claimed two victims that day. Lady Syl, her mind and soul shattered by the loss of her beloved father, blamed Jin for not protecting him. In time she came to believe that Jin had even engineered her father’s death in order to take his position as Dark Lord. Nothing Jin could say or do could convince her that she was mistaken, that he would have given anything to save her father’s life and that he never wanted to become Dark Lord in this way. It did not work. Lady Syl’s heart grew cold and bitter, hating the man she had loved with a cold fury that was like a wall of ice between them.

The last time they saw one another, Jin made one last entreaty to Lady Syl, begging her to remember her father’s honor and greatness and the love they had once shared. Lady Syl merely promised him that when the end came, his death would rival her father’s in pain and anguish.

Now there is a secret war raging in the heart of Kerning City. Lady Syl and her Dual Blades continue her struggle against the Dark Lord from an unknown location simply known as the ‘Secret Garden.’ Her new organization is growing in strength and more and more skillful Rogues are disappearing. The Dark Lord knows that Lady Syl is getting ready to make her move, though he does not yet know what that move will be.

Meanwhile, a man named Ryden in a back alley of Kerning City begins talking to travelers here and there, making an interesting offer.

At the Secret Garden, Lady Syl takes care of her plants, gathers her forces and nurses her ever-growing rage and bitterness towards the Dark Lord.

Yet in the silence of her empty heart, a tiny ember of something she’d long thought extinguished remains. Whether it can burst into flame before she and the Dark Lord destroy one another, no one knows.

AP distribution
Dual Blade's are just like normal Thieves, they rely on Luk as their main stat. It's possible to make a STR Dualer but it's highly unrecommended as there are no str Kataras, and due to the KMST revamp that we will eventually get, it'll 'cause major accuracy and damage problems for you.
Ideally you want to keep your dex as low as possible and keep luk as high as possible.
Low-Dex DBs are generally the strongest since you're keeping luk as high as possible while using mainly dex equips to allow you to use current level weapons. Technically speaking anywhere up to 80~90 dex could be consider low-dex, but if you can keep it lower then that's great.

End-game katara?
I decided to add this part since many people seemed confused as to what the best end-game Katara was for DB.
Let's look at your 2 best choices.

1st one, the lv 110 Moonshadow Katara
Weapon Attack: +54
REQ DEX: 150
REQ LUK: 270
HP: +400
Faster (3)
Slots: 7

2nd one, the lv 120 Reverse Katara
Weapon Attack: +57
REQ DEX: 160
REQ LUK: 290
Faster (3)
Slots: 7
Can level up 5 times.
LV1: 80 EXP
Weapon Attack: +0~2
LUK: +1~2
DEX: +0~1
LV2: 90 EXP
Weapon Attack: +0~2
LUK: +1~2
DEX: +0~1
LV3: 100 EXP
Weapon Attack: +0~2
LUK: +1~2
DEX: +0~1
Possible skill: +1 Sudden Raid

Now although the RSW has higher base atk, you can clearly see it gives no HP boost what so ever. Dual Blade is already a class with very low HP for a melee class, they retain the same base HP as a normal thief with no damage reducing skills for them to use at all. Because of this it makes the lv 110 Katara a very important addition for it's +400 HP.
I would put best end-game depending on funding. Keep in mind that scrolling a Blue Katara is going to be alot easier, take less time, and be cheaper then a RSW. Base wise, RSW can potentially be 19 atk higher base then a Moonshadow Katara and that's assuming you get all 3 lvs up to +2 w.atk use an advanced diamond + get an advance dark crystal to add +5 W.Atk on top of that. It's very unlikely to happen. Plus overall I'd rather take the HP boost over the higher atk, so my most recommended choice is the Moonshadow Katara.

Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Very mobile class
- High DPM out-put 1v1 and mobbing
- Gain 2 main rushing skills that will rush up to 8 monsters at max, both obtained before 4th job
- Flashy skills
- Very unique game-play
- Many skills give invincibility frames

Cons:
- Very low HP for a melee class.
- Most crucial skills are gained through Cash Shop
- Challenging control since many skills must be used in order to have the best damage out-put

Becoming a Dual Blade
From the start-up screen click “Create new character” from that window on the upper right corner you will see Dual Blade next to the Adventurer choice. Click Dual Blade and create your character, and start the game. You will start off on Maple Island and at lv 10 go to Kerning City and talk to Dark Lord to become a Rogue.

Dual Blade Rogue Skills
Dark Sight: (20) Use MP to hide behind the shadows. While hiding, the enemy won't attack, but you can't attack back either. All movements other than attacking are available. It's temporary, so after a while, you'll be back to normal.
Disorder: (20) Temporarily decreases the morale of an opponent. Its DEF and ATK will suffer, and the attacking enemy will suddenly stop attacking. Can't perform the attack on an enemy that's already in disorder, however.
Double Stab: (20) Use MP to quickly stab an enemy twice at once using a dagger
Nimble Body: (20) Increases accuracy and avoidability.

Skill Build
10: +1 Double Stab (1)
11: +3 Double Stab (4)
12: +3 Double Stab (7)
13: +3 Double Stab (10)
14: Save SP (3)
15: Save SP (6)
16: Save SP (9)
17: Save SP (12)
18: Save SP (15)
19: Save SP (18)
20: Save SP (21)

Skills so far:
Dark Sight: 0
Disorder: 0
Double Stab: 10
Nimble Body: 0

Reasoning for this build: 10 Double Stab is needed to unlock Triple Stab in 2nd job, which will instantly replace Double Stab. Rest of the SP is saved as Dark Sight is not needed at these levels.

Becoming a Semi-Dualer
At lv 20 head to the new map in Kerning City (located in the hole in the bar where Dark Lord is).
You will find your new job instructor, Sulhee. She will give you a quest to find a drop from oil lamps (I think, something like that.). To break them use the normal ‘Attack’ key. After you have obtained it return to Sulhee and she will advance you to Semi-Dualer.

Semi-Dualer Skills
Katara Mastery(20): Increases the Katara mastery and accuracy. It only applies when the character has a Katara in hand.
Triple Stab(10): Attack your enemies 3 times in rapid succession. Up to 3 enemies
Katara Booster(20): Use HP and MP to temporarily boost up the attacking speed of the dagger. It only applies when the character has a dagger in hand.

Skill build
20: +10 Triple Stab (10), +5 Katara Mastery (5), +6 Booster (6)
21: Save SP (3)
22: Save SP (6)
23: Save SP (9)
24: Save SP (12)
25: Save SP (15)
26: Save SP (18)
27: Save SP (21)
28: Save SP (24)
29: Save SP (27)
30: Save SP (30)

Skills so far:
Dark Sight: 0
Disorder: 0
Double Stab: 10
Nimble Body: 0
Katara Mastery: 5
Triple Stab: 10
Katara Booster: 6

Reasoning for this build: There really isn't too much to this job advancement. At level 20 automatically get 10 Triple Stab, 5 mastery, and 6 booster. Mastery is not going to really raise your damage that much it'll mostly raise your Katara hits to be more even with your dagger hits.. it's not that important atm and the points are better saved.


Becoming a Dualer
At lv 29 you will receive a quest to kill Dark Lord resembling clones and receive a book after defeating them. They are rather easy to beat and have very little HP and deal very low damage.
Return the scroll to Sulhee then at lv 30 go to Sulhee again and you will advance as a Dualer.

Dualer Skills
Endure(20): Additional recovery for both HP and MP even while hanging still on a rope or a ladder. The higher the level, the faster the recovery time, along with recovering additional amounts of both MP and HP.
Self Haste(20): Boost your own speed, then boost the jump of those around you
Fatal Blow(20): Use MP to attack one enemy up to 8 times
Slash Storm(20): Use MP to attack multiple enemies multiple times. Attack 6 Enemies

Skill build
30: +20 Self-Haste (20), +5 Slash Storm (5), +7 Fatal Blow (7 - 1 SP from Slash Storm mastery book)
31: +3 Fatal Blow (10)
32: +3 Fatal Blow (13)
33: +3 Fatal Blow (16)
34: +3 Fatal Blow (19)
35: +1 Fatal Blow (20), +2 Slash Storm (7)
36: +3 Slash Storm (10)
37: +3 Slash Storm (13)
38: +3 Slash Storm (16)
39: +3 Slash Storm (19)
40: +1 Slash Storm (20), +2 Katara Mastery (7)
41: +3 Katara Mastery (10)
42: +3 Katara Mastery (13)
43: +3 Katara Mastery (16)
44: +3 Katara Mastery (19)
45: +3 Booster (9)
46: +3 Booster (12)
47: +3 Booster (15)
48: +1 Booster (16), +2 Disorder (2)
49: +1 Disorder (3), +2 Dark Sight (2)
50: +3 Dark Sight (5)
51: +3 Dark Sight (8)
52: +3 Dark Sight (11)
53: +3 Dark Sight (14)
54: +3 Dark Sight (17)
55: +3 Dark Sight (20)

Skills so far:
Dark Sight: 20 (max)
Disorder: 3
Double Stab: 10
Nimble Body: 0
Katara Mastery: 19
Triple Stab: 10 (max)
Katara Booster: 16
Endure:
Self-Haste: 20 (max)
Fatal Blow: 20 (max)
Slash Storm: 20 (max)

Reasoning for this build: At the very start you max out Slash Storm since it is your most useful skill out of everything given to you at the current level. 5 Slash Storm is useful as a aggro skill + gives you some good mobility. Fatal Blow is then maxed since it is your strongest 1v1 skill till 4th job. Slash Storm is maxed after, giving you full mobility + it's great for MP3 since you'll be training there soon after it's maxed. Mastery is then raised to 19 to make your attks fully stable. 16 Booster gives a good amount of time and is only 30 seconds off from Self-Haste on timer making it easier to keep up with both.
Now just max Dark Sight since there isn't much else better to put points in.

Becoming a Blade Specialist
When you reach lv 54 you will receive a quest from Sulhee, go to Arec (Thief 3rd job instructor in El Nath) and speak to him. Arec will bring up how you oppose the Dark Lord and you have to prove to him that DB are no longer trying to kill the Dark Lord, you'll have to kill White Fangs and collect their tails after you complete this he will give you a scroll as his recognition of the Dual Blade job. Once you hit level 55 return the scroll to Sulhee and you will advance as a Blade Specialist.

Blade Specialist Skills
Tornado Spin(20): Strike many of your enemies quickly with a strong spin attack.
Flash Bang(20): Toss a few flash bangs on the ground to decrease a number of your enemies' accuracy for a duration.
Flash Jump(20): While in the air after a jump, use this skill and the arrow for a second jump. The higher the skill level, the farther the distance for the jump.

Skill build
55: No SP gained upon job advancement.
56: +1 Tornado Spin (1), +2 Flash Jump (2)
57: +3 Flash Jump (5)
58: +3 Flash Jump (8)
59: +1 Flash Jump (9), Save SP (2)
60: Save SP (5)
61: Save SP (8)
62: Save SP (11)
63: Save SP (14)
64: Save SP (17)
65: Save SP (20)
66: Save SP (23)
67: Save SP (26)
68: Save SP (29)
69: Save SP (32)
70: Save SP (35)

Skills so far:
Dark Sight: 20 (max)
Disorder: 3
Double Stab: 10
Nimble Body: 0
Katara Mastery: 19
Triple Stab: 10 (max)
Katara Booster: 16
Endure:
Self-Haste: 20 (max)
Fatal Blow: 20 (max)
Slash Storm: 20 (max)
Tornado Spin: 1
Flash Bang: 0
Flash Jump: 9

Reasoning for this build: 1st point is placed into Flash Jump for some extra mobility, followed by 1 point in Tornado Spin and finishing up with 9 Flash Jump then saving the rest.
The reason we only get 1 point in Tornado Spin is because with GMS's available training options at these levels you'll either be training at MP3, Windraider, or Golden Temple.
MP3 you'd be using Slash Storm due to the line of huge mob, Tornado Spin doesn't have much need or use here.
Windraider has a medium - low spawn this is a spot where you'll be just using Triple Stab. Tornado Spin at 1 is great here because it rushes 3 monsters, and in conjunction Triple Stab hits 3 monsters.
Golden Temple is the same deal with Windraider pretty much.. it has a very low spawn but great exp gain.
The points you can save for your 3rd+ skills are more valuable atm also rather then getting higher Flash Jump or Tornado Spin.
And you won't really be using Flash Bang till 4th job so it can wait for now.

Becoming a Blade Lord
Dual Blade's 3rd+ advancement is the same as all other adventurer's 3rd job advancement. Go to El Nath and talk to your 3rd job instructor, return to Vic and talk to Dark Lord. Fight Dark Lord clone. Return to El Nath, do your job question quiz, and advance. You're now a Blade Lord.

Blade Lord Skills
Bloody Storm(10): A more advanced version of Slash Storm. Attack even more enemies quicker than before.
Advanced Dark Sight(20): Attack while in Dark Sight. With a certain probability, remain in dark sight after attacking.
Mirror Image(30): For a certain amount of time, your alternate self will appear, repeating your every move. There's no real stamina in it, and it will disappear after some time.
Owl Spirit(20): If your owl attacks and kills the enemy, your next few attacks will be increased by 1.5 times.
Upper Stab(20): Pop your enemies into the air. While your enemies are in the air, they receive more damage
Flying Assaulter(20): Attack in a downward, diagonal spiral to strike your enemies from above.

Skill build
70: +20 Flying Assaulter (20 - 1 SP from FA mastery book), +10 Bloody Storm (10), +7 Mirror Image (7)
71: +3 Mirror Image (11 - 1 SP from MI mastery book)
72: +3 Upper Stab (3)
73: +3 Upper Stab (6)
74: +3 Upper Stab (9)
75: +3 Upper Stab (12)
76: +3 Upper Stab (15)
77: +3 Upper Stab (18)
78: +2 Upper Stab (20), +1 Tornado Spin (2)
79: +3 Tornado Spin (6 - 1 SP from TS mastery book)
80: +3 Tornado Spin (9)
81: +3 Tornado Spin (12)
82: +3 Tornado Spin (15)
83: +3 Tornado Spin (18)
84: +2 Tornado Spin (20), +1 Mirror Image (12)
85: +3 Mirror Image (15)
86: +3 Mirror Image (18)
87: +3 Mirror Image (21)
88: +3 Mirror Image (24)
89: +3 Mirror Image (27)
90: +3 Mirror Image (30)
91: +3 Flash Jump (12)
92: +3 Flash Jump (15)
93: +3 Flash Jump (18)
94: +2 Flash Jump (20), +1 Owl Spirit (1)
95: +3 Owl Spirit (4)
96: +3 Owl Spirit (7)
97: +3 Owl Spirit (10)
98: +3 Owl Spirit (13)
99: +3 Owl Spirit (16)
100: +3 Owl Spirit (19)
101: +1 Owl Spirit (20), +2 Nimble Body (2)
102: +3 Nimble Body (5)
103: +3 Nimble Body (8)
104: +3 Nimble Body (11)
105: +3 Nimble Body (14)
106: +3 Nimble Body (17)
107: +2 Nimble Body (19), +1 Flash Bang (1)
108: +3 Flash Bang (4)
109: +3 Flash Bang (7)
110: +3 Flash Bang (10)
111: +3 Flash Bang (13)
112: +3 Flash Bang (16)
113: +3 Flash Bang (19)
114: +1 Flash Bang (20), +2 Advanced Dark Sight (2)
115: +3 Advanced Dark Sight (5)
116: +3 Advanced Dark Sight (8)
117: +3 Advanced Dark Sight (11)
118: +3 Advanced Dark Sight (14)
119: +3 Advanced Dark Sight (17)
120: +3 Advanced Dark Sight (20)

Skills so far:
Dark Sight: 20 (max)
Disorder: 3
Double Stab: 10
Nimble Body: 19
Katara Mastery: 19
Triple Stab: 10 (max)
Katara Booster: 16
Endure: 0
Self-Haste: 20 (max)
Fatal Blow: 20 (max)
Slash Storm: 20 (max)
Tornado Spin: 20 (max)
Flash Bang: 20 (max)
Flash Jump: 20 (max)
Bloody Storm: 10 (max)
Advanced Dark Sight: 20 (max)
Mirror Image: 30 (max)
Owl Spirit: 20 (max)
Upper Stab: 20 (max)
Flying Assaulter: 20 (max)


Becoming a Dual Blade
Dual Blade's 4th job advancement is exactly the same as a normal adventurer, you should already know how to advance by this point.

Dual Blade Skills
Maple Warrior(30): Increase stats by a certain percentage for everyone in the party.
Venom(30): Smear your Katara with venom. Stacks up to three times. This cannot make the enemy's HP fall below 1.
Final Cut(30): Charge up your power to launch a huge attack on your foes.
Monster Bomb(30): Throw a sticky bomb which attaches to one of your enemies. After a short duration, it explodes causing damage to all mobs surrounding the bomb.
Sudden Raid(30): Attack all monsters on the screen for huge amounts of damage
Chains of Hell(30): While in Dark Sight, fling a chain in front of you to attach it to a monster. Pull it close to you, and then attack your opponent 12 times.
Stack Effect(30): Summons your other self for a certain amount of time. While your other self is around, the monsters will attack it, not you
Thorns(30): Provides certain party members an ability to locate the enemy's weakness, and in turn inflict lethal damage by exploiting it.
Hero’s Will(5): Guard yourself from a particular state. The higher the level, the more states you can stay away from.

Skill build
120: +1 Thorns (1), +1 Final Cut (1), +1 Sudden Raid (1)
121: +2 Thorns (3), +1 Venom (1)
122: +3 Thorns (6)
123: +3 Thorns (9)
124: +3 Thorns (12)
125: +3 Thorns (15)
126: +3 Thorns (18)
127: +3 Thorns (21)
128: +3 Thorns (24)
129: +3 Thorns (27)
130: +3 Thorns (30)
131: +3 Stack Effect (3)
132: +3 Stack Effect (6)
133: +3 Stack Effect (9)
134: +3 Stack Effect (12)
135: +3 Stack Effect (15)
136: +3 Stack Effect (18)
137: +3 Stack Effect (21)
138: +3 Stack Effect (24)
139: +2 Stack Effect (26), +1 Chains of Hell (1)
140: +3 Chains of Hell (4)
141: +3 Chains of Hell (7)
142: +3 Chains of Hell (10)
143: +3 Chains of Hell (13)
144: +3 Chains of Hell (16)
145: +3 Chains of Hell (19)
146: +3 Chains of Hell (22)
147: +3 Chains of Hell (25)
148: +3 Chains of Hell (28)
149: +2 Chains of Hell (30), +1 Final Cut (2)
150: +3 Final Cut (5)
151: +3 Final Cut (8)
152: +3 Final Cut (11)
153: +3 Final Cut (14)
154: +3 Final Cut (17)
155: +3 Final Cut (20)
156: +3 Final Cut (23)
157: +3 Final Cut (26)
158: +3 Final Cut (29)
159: +1 Final Cut (30), +2 Maple Warrior (2)
160: +3 Maple Warrior (5)
161: +3 Maple Warrior (8)
162: +3 Maple Warrior (11)
163: +3 Maple Warrior (14)
164: +3 Maple Warrior (17)
165: +3 Maple Warrior (20)
166: +3 Maple Warrior (23)
167: +3 Maple Warrior (26)
168: +3 Maple Warrior (29)

After that it doesn’t really matter what you put your SP into.

Reasoning for this build: This build, gives you everything you need for partying, training and bossing. Since 95% of our training skills have been maxed out in 3rd job+, Thorns is to improve training, this also makes every class except Sins and Archers want us, after that get Stack Effect to 26 for that 90 second timer which is crucial to RGTS training, then max out CoH which gives us a ultimate weapon against any boss. Then max out Final Cut and Maple Warrior to make your damage better and make monsters fall to there knee's faster.

Recommended Training Locations
1 -> 10
- Maple Island Quest
- HHG1 leech
- Orbis item exchange
10 -> 15
- Thief training quest
- Octos
- Slimes
- Pig / Ribbon Pig
15 -> 20
- Octos
- Slimes
- Scorps
20 -> 30
- Scorpions (Magatia)
- Octos
30 -> 45
- Carnival Party Quest
- Skeletons
- Mutae's (Magatia)
- Golems
- MP3
45 -> 50
- MP3
- Roids
- Carnival Party Quest
- Truckers
- Golems
- STDs (Mu Lung)
50 -> 60
- Windraider
- Slimy, Selkie Jr (MP3 - Singapore)
- Carnival Party Quest 2
60 -> 70
- Windraider (Lower Ascent - NLC)
- Slimy, Selkie Jr (MP3 - Singapore)
70 -> 80
- Gallos
- Windraider / Stormbreakers
- Kents
80 -> 100
- Gallos
- Kents
100 -> 140:
- Gallos
- Skeles
- O1 / O2 (Temple of Time)
140 -> 150:
- Skele
- O4 / O5 (Temple of Time)
- Gallos
150 -> 200
- RGTS (Royal Guard Type S)
- O5
- Skele
- Gallo