Guide to Swordsman Skills & Builds

Default Swordsman Skill. Quickly deliver a Slash attack with high accuracy. Not so impressive but you get this free. And, you can use this skill in combo with the other Quick Slash Combo skills. Early stage, just keep this at level 1. Increasing the skill level also increases SP consumption. Making it expensive to use.

At max skill level, Merciless Blow & Banishing Blow does similar damage but only cost half the SP only of Quick Slash Combo 1.

At skill level 5, +260% Attack power, 1.0s Casting time, 0.5s Delay, and costs 16SP.

Best results when used with high Slash ATK weapon, such as swords, axes, and daggers.

Special Feature: This skill can be used to eliminate the long 3.0 seconds casting time of Quick Slash Combo 2 skill. The Quick Slash Combo skills can also be used to cancel the 1 second casting time delay of Blademaster job level 50 Specter Sword skill.

Max this skill later only if you’re planning to get all 3 of the Quick Slash Combo skills.

Passive skill that increases Maximum HP by percentage depending on skill level. Not important at low level, but becomes significantly important as your level and HP grows higher. Therefore, learn the weapon mastery skills first before taking this one.

Passive skill that increases your HP Recovery Rate when sitting, spiritual possession, using recovery items and HP recovery skills. Vates will thank you if you have this skill maxed.

Passive skill that increases Maximum SP by a fixed amount. Depending on your playing style, you’ll need to learn this early if you spam skills a lot.
Otherwise, learn this only after you’ve learn all the higher priority skills and still got extra unused skill points to spent.

At skill level 5, this skill gives +60SP.

Some may argue that the max level of this skill only gives a lowly +60SP. What they did not consider is that when in marionette form or in spiritual possession, having this skill also helps increase the amount of SP recovery.

Passive skill increase SP Recovery Rate when sitting, spiritual possession and using recovery item.

It is recommended that you get at least level 1 to get the big 18% boosts in SP recovery whenever you use recovery item or in spiritual possession.

At skill level 1 gives +18% increase in recovery.
At skill level 5 gives +30% increase in recovery.

Passive skill increases Minimum Attack Strength of Axe class weapons. If you decide to use Axe weapon, recommended to get this skill to level 5 as soon as possible.

If you don’t use Axe class of weapon and want to save skill points, then no need to learn this.

NOTE: Best to only choose 1 of the weapon mastery skill. Save skill points for other skills. Only learn secondary weapon mastery skill when you still have extra skill points to waste.

At skill level 5 gives +30 Min. ATK +12 Hit(M) to Axe weapons.

Passive skill increases Minimum Attack Strength of Dagger and “Short Sword” class weapons. If you decide to use Dagger weapon, recommended to get this skill to level 5 as soon as possible.

If you don’t use Dagger or “Short Sword” class of weapon, then no need to learn this.

At skill level 5 gives +30 Min. ATK +12 Hit(M) to Dagger or Short Sword weapons.

Passive skill increases Minimum Attack Strength of Sword class weapons. If you decide to use Sword weapon, recommended to get this skill to level 5 as soon as possible.

At skill level 5 gives +30 Min. ATK +12 Hit(M) to Sword weapons.

Passive skill increases Minimum Attack Strength of Mace and Hammer class weapons.

Active skill. Strike an enemy with ferocious might. This skill can be used with any weapon or with bare hands and has no cool-down delay.

At skill level 5, +260% Attack power, +1.0 Casting time, no delay, and cost 8SP only.

Best results when used with high Hit ATK weapon, such as hammers and axes.

Compared to Quick Slash Combo I level 5, this skill does the same +260% attack damage without the 0.5s cool-down delay and only cost half the SP.

If you are skill spammer type, choose between maxing this skill or Banishing Blow skill. Optionally, you can take both. The job level 28 Banishing Blow skill at level 5 does +10% more attack damage than Merciless Blow level 5 and knocks back target but costs 1SP more.

Active buff skill. Increases your Short Range Accuracy for this skill’s duration.

At skill level 5, +30 Hit(M), effect lasts for 1 minute, costs 3MP and 15SP.

1 minute effect seems too short and the skill costs too high to cast every minute.

Becomes unnecessary when you have enough DEX and the required weapon mastery passive skills. Only take this skill if  you don’t plan to have at least 30 DEX, or when using weapon without the mastery skill, or just hate to miss a lot.

Active buff skill.  Increases your Maximum Attack Strength for this skill’s duration. Only maximum attack power is affected. Minimum attack power remains unchanged.

As shown on table, this skill adds a FIXED amount of maximum physical attack power. The +20 extra attack power at maxed skill level  for 50 seconds is not impressive. Useful if you use Blow or Combo skills a lot.

Also note that increasing the skill level increases SP cost and decreases Effect duration.

Active skill. Quickly rush and push an enemy backward.

Can be hard to use.

At skill level 5, +250% attack power, 1.5s casting time, 0.5s cool-down delay, and knockbacks 4 squares, for 15SP.

Active buff skill. Enable the blocking of one weapon attack.

When activated, gives around 3% percent chance to auto-guard against attack. At skill level 5, it costs 27SP for 12 seconds effect.

Cannot be combined with Counterattack skill and cannot be used while in possession.

Active skill. Provoke an enemy to draw his attention and attack you.

You can use this still to lure a single monster to attack you. Also, useful if you want  to save a party member or someone being attacked or chased by monster.

Active buff skill. Immediately respond to an enemy’s attack with a counterattack.

When this skill is active, immediately attacks the attacker once upon receiving a physical attack.

Cannot counterattack magic skills. Will not counter attack while casting. Only counter attacks after casting the skill. Cannot be combined with Parry skill and cannot be used while in possession.

Active buff skill. Throw an enemy off-balance when attempting to cast Parry or Counterattack. You’ll be temporarily immobilized if this skill fails.

Passive skill. Increase Attack Accuracy Rate when using Sword class weapons.

Passive skill. Increase Attack Accuracy Rate when using Axe class weapons.

Learn this only is you choose to use Axe.

Active skill. Smash an enemy on the head with the added probability of inflicting the Confusion status.

Increasing skill level increases success rate and effect duration.

In confusion state, target can still attack but at random targets. Useful if monster resists the other abnormal status ailments.

Active skill. Attack an enemy’s wrist with the added probability of inflicting the Stun status.

Increasing skill level increases success rate and effect duration.

In stun state, target cannot attack you nor move. But there are monsters that are resistant to stun. So it’s generally a good idea to learn either Head Blow or Leg Blow if you have the skill points.

Active skill. Critical attack that knocks the enemy back. This skill can be used with any weapon or with bare hands and has no cool-down delay.

At skill level 5, +270% Attack power, +1.0 Casting time, no delay, and cost 9SP only.

Compared to Quick Slash Combo 1 level 5, this skill does the 10% more attack damage without the 0.5s cool-down delay and only cost almost half the SP.

Furthermore, the knockback effect makes you less susceptible to counterattack.

If you are skill spammer type, choose between maxing this skill or Merciless Blow skill. Optionally, you can take both. The Merciless Blow skill at level 5 does 10% less attack damage but does not knockback target and cost 1SP less.

Active buff skill. Masterfully and nimbly wield Sword class weapons without the clumsiness of a novice.

Cancels the delay after attacking with a sword. At skill level 3, cost 36SP for 20 seconds duration.

This is the most recommended skill to learn before you change to 2nd job, specially for STR & AGI type swordsman.

If you do not intent to use the Quick Slash Combo series of skills, you can switch to Blademaster after maxing out this skill.

Active Skill. Quick Slash combo skill which can be immediately cast right after the Quick Slash Combo 1. Independent use of this skill causes a skill casting delay.

At skill level 5, +270% Attack power, 1.0s Casting time, 2.0s cool-down delay, and costs 15SP.

Special Feature: This skill can be used immediately right after using Quick Slash Combo 1 skill, without the 1.0s casting time.

Disadvantages: Hard to use combo when lagging. 2.0s cool-down delay is long compared to all other skills.

Useful if used in combination with Quick Slash Combo 1 and Quick Slash Combo 3.

Active skill. Slashes an enemy in front of you in a horizontal motion. Looks cool. Can hit up to 3 enemies right in front of you. If used diagonally, can only hit 2 targets.

At skill level 5, +300% Attack power, 3.0s Casting time, and cost 30SP.

High skill cost and 3.0s casting time makes it impractical to use.

Active skill. Quick Slash combo skill which can be immediately cast right after the Quick Slash Combo 1 and Quick Slash Combo 2. Independent use of this skill causes a skill casting delay.

Strongest of the 3 Quick Slash Combo skills. But has long 3 seconds casting time if used independently.

At skill level 5, +290% attack power, 3.0s Casting time, 0.5 cool-down delay, and costs 14SP.

Special Feature: This skill can be used immediately right after using Quick Slash Combo 2 skill, without the 3.0s casting time.

Disadvantages: Hard to use combo when lagging. 3.0 seconds casting skill is long if used independently.