General

@Chris949: Yes, your opinion is fine topics like these are pure preference. However you said "Everyone" not "my" opinion which is not true as the person you quoted has proven.

Another person who quoted me had a point so I'll break up the skills/uses in more detail.
Mortal blow: 15% chance when an enemy is below OR IF A HIT BRINGS IT BELOW 30% hp to instantly kill said enemy. This does not work on bosses/party zone mobs (LHC/SH/Monster park).
Snap freeze: basic AoE splash damage, ice element, it's pretty and makes a funny sound...
Dragon's breath: a rush move you'll most likely use forever as needed(mostly areas like LHC or SH), benefits from pierce's damage bonus(+20% stacking damage for every enemy hit.)

The main argument for MB seems to be non party zone training and while it procs at a decent rate (15%) it's very rare for it to happen as it was designed for bow masters (every hurricane arrow is a single hit making it a 15% chance per arrow). Since marksmen use ultimate strafe/pierce the effect is greatly reduced as the enemy has to be knocked below 30% hp in a single shot and have the 15% chance proc. Basicly if it doesn't proc from the first hit it's pointless. However I can say from experience at 12x at ToT that it can be pretty useful when the first 1-2 enemies hit by pierce barely survive while the rest are 1hkod via pierce's multiplier.

Dragon's breath: the main reason for maxing this is simply damage. You'll use it alot for awhile. Maybe only once per mob. Basicly it's the only skill actively used all the way to 200 so why not boost it up?

Snapfreeze: it's a pretty blue explosion of ice.... max it for a little damage however using it at ToT or leafre is never really needed (even on ice weak pierce obliterates it and Frostprey freezes).

As stated it's pure preference. Just make sure you have 16 dragon's breath so it hits 6 enemies.
If you need to know I have max snapfreeze, 16 DB, rest in MB because my marksman was made ages ago and I love blizzard.

[quote=Chris949]You confuse yourself too much. Maybe you should keep your mouth shut and not respond to my posts and then you wouldn't confuse yourself. [/quote]

You can also stop being an ass about it. She just needed some clarification, there's nothing wrong with that.

[quote=iVege]Because I was just confused because those three brought up one or more point(s) similar to yours. Unless you're implying that you're also partially confused, then I don't quite understand.

I didn't mean to come off as 'a little punk'. I just wanted confirmation whether those people I tagged was included in your 'everyone'. I already know thanks to your previous post, though. So, everything's resolved. :[b][/b]D[/quote]

You confuse yourself too much. Maybe you should keep your mouth shut and not respond to my posts and then you wouldn't confuse yourself.

[quote=Chris949]Then why did you waste your time responding to my post like a little punk when I don't give a crap what you say. [/quote]

Because I was just confused because those three brought up one or more point(s) similar to yours. Unless you're implying that you're also partially confused, then I don't quite understand.

I didn't mean to come off as 'a little punk'. I just wanted confirmation whether those people I tagged was included in your 'everyone'. I already know thanks to your previous post, though. So, everything's resolved. :[b][/b]D

[quote=iVege]Personally, I could care less if you offended them or not.[/quote]

Then why did you waste your time responding to my post like a little punk when I don't give a crap what you say.

[quote=Chris949]I meant what I said. Don't like it? Tough. <3[/quote]

No, I was just confused because those three brought up one or more point(s) similar to yours. Unless you're implying that you're also partially confused, then I don't quite understand.

Personally, I could care less if you offended them or not.

[quote=iVege]Yeah... careful use of 'everyone' next time.

@SoulStreak, @airforce1 and @Azuriena clearly know what they're talking about. @ryuushinou too, of course, but she responded afterwards.[/quote]

I meant what I said. Don't like it? Tough. <3

@SoulStreak: We still train in 4th job. I still notice it works on mobs I train on (I do tend to train in Time Temple from time to time). Mortal Blow and Dragon Breath are both skills that are not as important as everything else. I decide to use it, its my preference and opinion and if people are saying it is useless, then that is their opinion and preference.

I see valid reasons to max Mortal Blow over Dragon Breath just as you see it the other way around, but if there is anything we should be able to truly agree on, its that neither skill [i]needs[/i] to be maxed. The only reason though that we should use Dragon breath in 4th job is to rush mobs... I do not remember talking about Pierce, as it is not needed when you reach 4th job. If you want to use Dragon Breath over Pierce in 3rd job, thats fine, but when I mention skills that matter quite a bit in 4th job, it is only because I am trying to help the player prepare for it, and to know what to expect. It would be awesome if they changed Snapfreeze Shot to affect boss monsters in training party maps.

I guess if an SP reset is available when you hit 4th job, you can decide then what to do for your own preferences for when you train and boss.

You decide
blizzard/snapfreeze is the good stuff for great high damage looking single hit and good freezing on enemies
dragons breath pushes enemies, get dat extra space for piercing arrow, does plenty of hits and you spam the crapp outta that
mortal blow is useful if basically when you hit 4th job and basically gonna be normal mob grinding for the rest of your life
arrow eruption is good all round mobbing and that sealing effect is a good bonus on some mobs

personally i maxed dragon breath, mortal blow and eruption and dumped the rest into blizzard since used it less when i got to forth job
and because i still monster grind, mortal blow is good

but like lvl 180 ish or whatever you have left over skill points after maxing out basically everything in 4th job just invest random points into previous job advances
but since i have empress dat 2+ skill makes everything a great bit easier on everything

@iVege: Agreed iVege.
snap freeze and AE have uses in 4th job. Snapfreeze mostly lower 4th as a way to quickly disperse weaker enemies that an uncharged pierce cannot ( lower level zakum soloing marksman tend to worship this as the summons effectively eat your strafes and PQs where pierce would be a waste). It also adds some flare to your skill book (I find it flashy and love the sound it makes)
Arrow eruption has uses out side regular training and can hit stuff behind you (With AE, Snapfreeze, and elite puppet I can ks an entire jester map with minimal movement(walk left and right slightly) Comes in handy with these new classes.)

If you truly want end game uses MB is by far the worst. Everything it effects I one shot already(only normal, non LHC type non boss enemies...even zakum summons are unaffected).

Ultimately do whatever you want. the effect on you is minor.

[quote=Chris949]Everyone who's responded is just as confused as the OP. First things first, you will be training at LHC/SH from 110-200 so AE and Snapfreeze will be USELESS after 3rd Job when considering your training spots alone. But when you factor in your 4th Job skills (PIERCE, Snipe, and Ult Strafe) you really won't be using too many other skills from 3rd Job. Mortal Blow isn't AS useless as Snapfreeze and AE since it could always kick in anywhere outside of LHC/SH on the off chance you are killing lots of mobs somewhere else for some ODD reason and is nice when it does. Snapfreeze and AE are so situational in usage late in your MM career they no longer warrant use. As for DB, it is a sub par rush skill that doubles as a decent mob skill. It has a Piercing effect (the special multiplier) which was randomly added I guess to make it unique since it also can't rush bosses? It is used well into 4th Job for rushing but early on is a good damage skill until you max Pierce. Once you're my level though you will have trouble keeping it on your key setup since you have other skills the are higher priority (and don't forget Hypers are coming).[/quote]

Yeah... careful use of 'everyone' next time.

@SoulStreak, @airforce1 and @Azuriena clearly know what they're talking about. @ryuushinou too, of course, but she responded afterwards.

[quote=ryuushinou]@Chris949: PQ is absolutely a viable alternative to LHC for the level range of 110-130, where snapfreeze would work and AE has slight uses. Ofcourse from 130+ you probably won't see yourself using much of the two (works magnificently in RLH).

I can't see why key estate is an issue as a MM. Play a Mercedes. I literally have no room and I dont even bind chairs to my keys (I think I have 2 mounts though).

To the OP: Go to the Bowman forum page and find Verrkol's BM/MM guide.[/quote]

LOL I have a Mercedes too and you are right on that one; it is INFINITELY worse. And that's before getting hyper skills. Mercy mercy me.

@Chris949: PQ is absolutely a viable alternative to LHC for the level range of 110-130, where snapfreeze would work and AE has slight uses. Ofcourse from 130+ you probably won't see yourself using much of the two (works magnificently in RLH).

I can't see why key estate is an issue as a MM. Play a Mercedes. I literally have no room and I dont even bind chairs to my keys (I think I have 2 mounts though).

To the OP: Go to the Bowman forum page and find Verrkol's BM/MM guide.

Everyone who's responded is just as confused as the OP. First things first, you will be training at LHC/SH from 110-200 so AE and Snapfreeze will be USELESS after 3rd Job when considering your training spots alone. But when you factor in your 4th Job skills (PIERCE, Snipe, and Ult Strafe) you really won't be using too many other skills from 3rd Job. Mortal Blow isn't AS useless as Snapfreeze and AE since it could always kick in anywhere outside of LHC/SH on the off chance you are killing lots of mobs somewhere else for some ODD reason and is nice when it does. Snapfreeze and AE are so situational in usage late in your MM career they no longer warrant use. As for DB, it is a sub par rush skill that doubles as a decent mob skill. It has a Piercing effect (the special multiplier) which was randomly added I guess to make it unique since it also can't rush bosses? It is used well into 4th Job for rushing but early on is a good damage skill until you max Pierce. Once you're my level though you will have trouble keeping it on your key setup since you have other skills the are higher priority (and don't forget Hypers are coming).

With Frostprey everything that you look at is frozen anyways (unless it's a boss and why would you be using Snapfreeze then?), I personally left it at 15 for the 3 second freeze in the event I ever touch it as DB is much more useful in things such as Azwan or mob creation.

Max DB not Snapfreeze. DB is much stronger (post Tempest) and the freezing status is pretty useless.

MB is an OKish skill and can be left at 5 if you want.

Arrow Eruption is good at max because that's when it hits 10. Any level below hits 9. It also has a chance to seal, which isn't as good as stun, but's something. Leave Mortal Blow at 5. Your choice should be Blizzard or Dragon breath. One of these will be only one point from Max, so it doesn't matter TOO much.

i would say dont max mortal blow. snapfreeze shot are usefull when attacking fire elemental mobs. if you say you wont max snapfreeze because PA. then dont max
arrow eruption.

EDIT: new to the marksman community ughh... BANDWAGONER! lawl jk

I guess I'll just max out everything but Snapshot Freeze since I don't think I'll be using it once I get PA.

Thanks a lot guys, and I'm new to the Marksman community! ^_^

[quote=darklord666]"15% chance to instantly finish an enemy below 30% HP. 5% HP & MP recovered after a successful finish"; Despite the slim chance it has, it is much more useful than a skill that only has the use to rush mobs while being uneffective against most major bosses. Mortal Blow does work and it stacks with the instant death rate of the character card effects Marksmen give as well. I honestly hope we get more core skills, as you only need Dragon Breath at 1 (good rule of thumb when applying skill points to more important skills early on) and those extra points would be needed elsewhere. Mobbing is the only thing good about Dragon Breath and the damage and number of hits it has on multiple monsters is no where as efficient as u.strafe and snipe combo.[/quote]

Mortal blow only works on non boss/non party zone mobs making it near useless in 4th job. dragon's breath has the same multiplier as piercing arrow making it an absurdly powerful 3rd job move that is still used in 4th job. Blizzard is there.... I maxed it because I love ice moves and was 4th job long before dragon's breath was good.

[quote=razormana]Dragons Breath is one of the most useful attacks for 3rd job, it only takes 10 points to max and has great mobbing potential.
IMO dont max Mortal blow, it will never work for you and is utterly useless except for the fact it is needed for arrow eruption.[/quote]

"15% chance to instantly finish an enemy below 30% HP. 5% HP & MP recovered after a successful finish"; Despite the slim chance it has, it is much more useful than a skill that only has the use to rush mobs while being uneffective against most major bosses. Mortal Blow does work and it stacks with the instant death rate of the character card effects Marksmen give as well. I honestly hope we get more core skills, as you only need Dragon Breath at 1 (good rule of thumb when applying skill points to more important skills early on) and those extra points would be needed elsewhere. Mobbing is the only thing good about Dragon Breath and the damage and number of hits it has on multiple monsters is no where as efficient as u.strafe and snipe combo.

Dragons Breath is one of the most useful attacks for 3rd job, it only takes 10 points to max and has great mobbing potential.
IMO dont max Mortal blow, it will never work for you and is utterly useless except for the fact it is needed for arrow eruption.

I was able to max everything but Dragon Breath at first. Everything else, in most cases you would want to max because Dragon breath is made for gathering mobs through rushing and you have u.strafe and snipe in forth job to deal massive damage. Focus on that. @Rimkii has the right idea.

On my setup, i have everything maxed except dragon breath. if you wanted to, you can skip out on freeze since you have frostprey and i hardly touch freeze skill anymore. -but make sure you have frostprey and strafe maxed above anything else since they'll be required for 4th job skills.

straf is needed for ultimate straf