General

Updated DrK Guide

Since it's been a few months without an update from Shinku's guide (he's working on editing fine details), I'm posting the current edition of the guide that has been updated for the Hypers Patch. The guide here will be removed and replaced with a link to the actual guide once Shinku gets around to updating.

-Plusle

EDIT: Removed a chunk of the SP guides in order for it all to fit. The H2 tag doesn't work, so you'll have to bear with that.

[header][/header]
[header]Guide updated for the Hypers patch[/header]
[size=3]PROTIP: Sacrifice ignores Boss Defense [/size]

[header][/header]
[header]Introductions[/header]

The journey towards darkness has begun and I'm here to guide you through it with help provided by several other members of the forums, who are listed at the end of the guide.

A special mention, however, goes to daniel3b. He is the former owner and caretaker of this guide since before I can remember and has guided as many Dark Knights to success as the number of tentacles that I possess whilst writing this. He made these accomplishments when getting to level 69 and beyond was something to be admired.

If you have something to contribute to the guide or wish to contact me, post a comment with the quote tag @[b][/b]darkspawn980:

[header][/header]
[header]Why seek the darkness? Dark Knight Pros and Cons[/header]

Let's go straight to what those interested in the darkness want to know; what separates Dark Knights from the other classes? Are they good as a class?

In short, Dark Knights are nice. That'd be the best way to describe it. They have a bit of all the other warriors, but they don't really excel above the others; in the same kind as a jack of all trades does. A Paladin has better defense, a Hero has better attack, an Aran can hit big numbers with much less funding while Demon Slayers are pretty much invulnerable to status effects.

There are two things, however, that differentiate Dark Knights from all the other warriors. The first is our attacking range, where with Dragon Fury and Dragon Roar in 3rd Job and Dark Impale in 4th Job, allows us to hit rather far for a warrior. The second is our great healing skill Dragon Wisdom which, in my opinion, surpasses that of Arans' due to our higher base HP. As long as you're attacking, you shouldn't die.

Our two rather large issues with the class are namely our damage and our survivability. With damage, we fall short of all warriors save for a Paladin's. With survivability, despite our great healing skills, our survivability is still considered the worst because we lack an Achilles-type skill that all other warriors possess. This leaves us at the mercy of attacks that lower both HP and MP to 1. Combined with seduce or potion lock, this combination proves fatal most of the time for us.

Putting it into a list:

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Pros: [/h2]
[*] Amazing healing system which lowers pot usage to nearly nothing
[*] Relatively stable damage
[*] Lots of critical hits for those that like big, red numbers
[*] With Hyper Body being a party skill, it helps some classes survive better
[*] Strong damage during the start of 4th job
[*] Very fast training
[*] Sacrifice ignores all the monster defense, allowing good damage on early bosses with regular funding

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Cons[/h2]
[*] Bad damage compared to other classes with an equal amount of funding once past 160
[*] Lack of Achilles-like skill, making surviving certain bosses unreliable
[*] Terrible training experience until level 70

So even if the list of Cons is small, it provides the highest problems. To be a Dark Knight that stands out amongst the warriors, you're going to have to go the extra mile for better equips and weapons. This means more money spent trying to get this class on par with others.

In conclusion, if you're looking for raw damage, this is not the class for you. If you're looking for an interesting easy-to-play class, however, you might enjoy it.

[header][/header]
[header]Should I be an Ultimate Adventurer? Is there any difference? [/header]

In short, there's barely any difference. Ultimate Adventurers have one slight advantage over regular Dark Knights and that's the "soul" summon. In exchange for this they lose some equip and use slots. The 2 attack medal is nice too I guess, but it's replaceable.

Those are the only major differences between UA's and regular adventurers. Soul driver is for the most part useless, even in third job. Our natural attacks are just that good. Only good points for Soul Driver are its slightly longer vertical and downwards range and the fact that it hits both sides of the player.

Don't forget that having a level 120 Cygnus knight or Mihile can give you up to 30 weapon attack on all your characters on that account though, so if you don't have one, it's probably a good idea to train one and use that to make a Spearman UA.

[header][/header]
[header]Spears and Polearms, what's the difference?[/header]

A long, long time ago, back when Big Bang had not occurred (MapleStory's Big Bang, not the one that began the universe), Spears did more damage when stabbing while Polearms did more damage while swinging. This was a very important aspect of our class.

This is no longer the case. A Polearm and a Spear that have the same stats will do exactly the same things and exactly the same damage.

End-game Polearms tend to lack a bit in power, but are faster at a Fast (5) speed while most end-game Spears are one speed slower at a Normal (6) speed and greater attack. Of course this is not the norm; there are also a few strong high-leveled Polearms that are VERY slow.

[header][/header]
[header]Before starting our journey, terms you should know[/header]

There are a lot of skills that Dark Knights use. Some are not even ours; therefore here's a list of terms that I'll be using through this guide that you'll see when playing or using the forums:

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]General:[/h2]

[b]CD: Cooldown:[/b] A term used for some skills that need time to recharge before being usable again.
[b]"d" prefix: Decent:[/b] With the introduction of the Potential System, several party skills have a 'decent' version which is obtainable on equips.
[b]SE: Sharp Eyes:[/b] A fourth job Bowman skill that grants critical hit chance and damage. Incredibly useful for Dark Knights.
[b]SI: Speed Infusion[/b] A fourth job Buccaneer skill that increases your attack speed.
[b]PDR: Physical Damage Reduction:[/b] This means that damage dealt to a mob with a certain PDR rate will be reduced by the PDR rate of the monster. PDR Ignore, which is often referred to as PDR or Ignore DEF, involves a particular skill or equipment allowing the user to negate the PDR rate's effect, dealing more damage to the monster.

[h2] [/h2]
[h2] Class-related terms:[/h2]

[b]DK: Dragon Knight:[/b] Since Dragon Knights came before Dark Knights did, DK was short for Dragon Knight even though DrK makes more sense. This is for the sake of simplicity for older players and to keep a constant when referring to things.
[b]DrK: Dark Knight:[/b] The fourth job equivalent of the Spearman path. Refer to above for why it's not something like DaK (which sounds ridiculous anyway).
[b]PA: Polearm:[/b] A weapon category that can be used by Dark Knights and Arans.
[b]HB: Hyper Body:[/b] A second job Spearman skill that grants 60% HP and MP to the whole party.
[b]FA: Final Attack"[/b] A second job Spearman skill that adds an extra hit at a 40% chance with no penalty to the player.
[b]ER: Elemental Resistance:[/b] A third job Dragon Knight skill that increases resistance against elemental attacks.
[b]Crash: Magic Crash:[/b] A third job warrior skill that is very useful against bosses.
[b]Sac: Sacrifice:[/b] A third job Dragon Knight skill that is useful for bossing due to the fact that it ignores all monster defense.
[b]Wisdom: Dragon Wisdom:[/b] A third job Dragon Knight skill that grants up to 50% hp at a chance. A Dragon Knight's main healing skill.
[b]Roar: Dragon Roar:[/b] A third job Dragon Knight skill that allows you to hit everything in the screen with a 10 second penalty CD.
[b]Impale: Dark Impale:[/b] Also known as DI, it is a fourth job Dark Knight skill that is also our main training and bossing move.
[b]Beholder: Beholden:[/b] Throughout this guide, in other guides and in the forums, you will see Beholden be referred to as Beholder. This is for simplicity's sake, as the original name sounded better and the change was only made for copyright issues.
[b]Hex/Heal/Aura: Hex of the Beholder/Aura of the Beholder:[/b] Fourth job Dark Knight skills, with the former providing a strong attack buff amongst other small benefits and the latter providing 600 hp every four seconds when Beholder is active.
[b]Dark Synthesis/Potato Explosion: Nightshade Explosion:[/b] Dark Synthesis is the translation from the KMS hyper skills. When Hypers was introduced to GMS, however, it was given the ridiculous name of Nightshade Explosion. All three names refer to the same skill.

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Boss-related:[/h2]

[b]Zak/Czak (helm): (Chaos) Zakum (helm):[/b] Two bosses, the latter being stronger than the former. The bosses also represent the respective helmets that can be obtained off them.
[b]HTP/CHTP: (Chaos) Horntail Pendant:[/b] Two pendants that give off a lot of all stats and are obtained as drops off Horntail and Chaos Horntail.
[b]MoN: Mark of Naricain:[/b] A pendant obtained off the bosses in Crimsonwood Keep PQ (CWKPQ). Gives a nice amount of all stats and weapon/magic attack.
[b]DR: Damage Reflect:[/b] A dangerous buff casted by a number of higher leveled bosses that negates damage dealt to the boss and deals damage back to you. Damage Reflect often hits a set amount of HP that will OHKO most players. Different bosses that use Damage Reflect have the same icon indicating Damage Reflect, but each have different animations that they use to cast it.
[b]W.ATK Cancel:[/b] While it's not referred to with a shorthand, it reduces damage dealt to the boss to 1 and can prove deadly if you're relying on Wisdom to drain back your HP.
[b]Defense Up:[/b] A buff casted by higher leveled bosses that reduces the amount of damage dealt to the boss.

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Status Conditions:[/h2]

[b]Sed: Seduce:[/b] A status condition that forces you towards one side of the room or towards an object, the latter killing you upon impact. The form that forces you towards one side of the room is dangerous in itself, as you can die from other attacks during the duration of the status condition. Cured by using Hero's Will.
[b]Dispel:[/b] A status condition that dispels all buffs on your character.

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Weapons:[/h2]

[b]PSB/SSPSB: Purple Surfboard/Super Summer Purple Surfboard:[/b] A level 95 PA available from summer events. Considered a decent weapon due to its fast speed and is easily accessible.
[b]Glaive: Crimson Arcglaive:[/b] A level 100 PA that is no longer craftable. Not very recommended unless if it's well scrolled due to its normal speed.
[b]Loveless PA: Loveless Diesra:[/b] A level 135 PA that has more base attack than a Partisan. A decent end game weapon.
[b]Partisan: Lionheart Partisan:[/b] A level 140 PA from the Empress set. Considered a decent end-game weapon, though there are stronger alternatives now.
[b]Fuscina: Lionheart Fuscina:[/b] A level 140 Spear from the Empress set. Has more attack than the Partisan, but is slower.
[b]Fafnir: Fafnir Moon Glaive:[/b] A level 150 PA that is considered one of the best end game weapons available. Fast speed.
[b]Amaterasu: Amaterasu's Pelting Rain:[/b] A level 150 that is considered one of the best end game weapons available at the moment. Fast speed.

[header][/header]
[header]AP Build[/header]

So you decided to walk the path of the Dark Knight huh? Then the first thing you need to know is how to set your AP.

ACC is determined by level now, not DEX. Adding STR also gives you accuracy. Just dump all your AP into STR, keeping DEX, LUK and INT at 4.

If you made a char with DEX before the Big Bang, it just matters whether you want to spend the money to get a little more damage, or you're fine with that basically wasted AP. Remember that you never HAVE to reset and you can ALWAYS improve gears a bit more; it's impossible to have low damage after BB and I'm still going strong with 224 wasted AP. Full AP resets are also more commonly available now.

For reference to those that didn't play before Big Bang, killing one of the guard dogs that stand before Zakum would take over 20 hits and the exp we needed to level was over twice as much as what's required now, with barely any 2x experience events.

[header][/header]
[header]The Path of Batman: SP builds [/header]

[quote=darkspawn980]I'd put a detailed SP build with explanations and numbers here... If there wasn't a guide that had already done so, which can be found here:

[url=http://www.basilmarket.com/MapleStory-Guide-Sp-Guide----Level-by-Level-364.html] Sp Guide -- Level by Level[/url]

Therefore, I'm just going to post here how should your skills look at the end of each job, great if you get a Full SP reset (which are being handed out like candy lately) and I may add a little note or two if it's something really important.[/quote]

(... Is what I'd keep if it didn't bother me already to go around clicking links. Hmph, what does he take us for? Obviously our lives are much too busy for something that trivial /s

I'll be fleshing out the builds here, but explanations for the choices made will not be posted here. That's why we have a separate SP guide. -Plusle)

[h2][/h2]
[h2]First Job: The first steps[/h2]

[b]Build Pathway:[/b] Power Strike (1) > Slash Blast (20) > Power Strike (20) > HP Boost (10) > Iron Body (14)

[b]Result:[/b]
[b][Max][/b] Power Strike
[b][Max][/b] Slash Blast
[b][Max][/b] HP Boost
[b][14][/b] Iron Body

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Second Job: No turning back [/h2]

[b]Note:[/b] You can choose to max Ground Smash and sacrifice Iron Will [b]if it's a new character[/b], but if you're using an SP reset, follow the first given build as Ground Smash is useless past Second Job.

Basically, [b]Build 1 is for SP resetters and those who don't mind the damage loss by not maxing Ground Smash[/b], while [b]Build 2 is for people who need or want the damage in Second Job[/b]. Both builds are viable, but Ground Smash does become obsolete in 3rd Job, so choose well.

[b]Build 1: Maxing Iron Will[/b]
[b]Build Pathway:[/b] Ground Smash (1)> Weapon Mastery (1)> Slipstream (5)> Weapon Mastery (5)> Weapon Booster (6)> Weapon Mastery (10)> Ground Smash (4)> Physical Training (5)> Iron Will (3)> Hyper Body (20)> Weapon Booster (10)> Final Attack (20)> Iron Will (20)

[b]Results:[/b]
[b][Max][/b] Weapon Mastery
[b][Max][/b] Weapon Booster
[b][Max][/b] Hyper Body
[b][Max][/b] Final Attack
[b][Max][/b] Physical Training
[b][Max][/b] Slipstream
[b][Max][/b] Iron Will
[b][4][/b] Ground Smash

[b]Build 2: Maxing Ground Smash[/b]

[b]Build Pathway:[/b] Ground Smash (1)> Weapon Mastery (1)> Slipstream (5)> Weapon Mastery (5)> Weapon Booster (6)> Weapon Mastery (10)> Ground Smash (10)> Physical Training (5)> Iron Will (3)> Hyper Body (20)> Weapon Booster (10)> Final Attack (10)> Iron Will (14)

[b]Results:[/b]
[b][Max][/b] Weapon Mastery
[b][Max][/b] Weapon Booster
[b][Max][/b] Hyper Body
[b][Max][/b] Final Attack
[b][Max][/b] Physical Training
[b][Max][/b] Slipstream
[b][Max][/b] Ground Smash
[b][14][/b] Iron Will

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Third Job: Harnessing the power of the Dragons[/h2]

[b]Note:[/b] Dragon Buster is absolutely outclassed by everything and Elemental Resistance isn't incredibly important. If you're SP-resetting, you can sacrifice points from Fury to max resistance, since you'll be using Dark Impale. Fury still has uses though, due to its bigger upper and downwards range and slightly faster speed.

Again, [b]Build 1 is for SP resetters and those who don't mind the minor damage loss.[/b] Build 2 is for those who are training and following the guide.

[b]Build 1: Maxing Elemental Resistance[/b]

[b]Build Pathway:[/b] Dragon Wisdom (1)> Dragon Fury (14)> Dragon Wisdom (10)> Sacrifice (3)> Dragon Roar (20)> Dragon Strength (20)> Sacrifice (20)> Endure (20)> Magic Crash (10)> Elemental Resistance (10)

[b]Results:[/b]
[b][14][/b] Dragon Fury
[b][Max][/b] Dragon Strength
[b][Max][/b] Dragon Wisdom
[b][Max][/b] Sacrifice
[b][Max][/b] Magic Crash
[b][Max][/b] Dragon Roar
[b][Max][/b] Endure
[b][Max][/b] Elemental Resistance
[b][0][/b] Dragon Buster

[b]Build 2: Maxing Dragon Fury[/b]

[b]Build Pathway:[/b] Dragon Wisdom (1)> Dragon Fury (20) > Dragon Wisdom (10)> Sacrifice (3)> Dragon Roar (20)> Dragon Strength (20)> Sacrifice (20)> Endure (20)> Magic Crash (10)> Elemental Resistance (4)

[b]Results:[/b]
[b][Max][/b] Dragon Fury
[b][Max][/b] Dragon Strength
[b][Max][/b] Dragon Wisdom
[b][Max][/b] Sacrifice
[b][Max][/b] Magic Crash
[b][Max][/b] Dragon Roar
[b][Max][/b] Endure
[b][4][/b] Elemental Resistance
[b][0][/b] Dragon Buster

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Fourth Job: Owners of Sealed Evil[/h2]

[b]Note:[/b] You'll notice towards the end of your journey as a Dark Knight that you have an excess amount of SP from 193, where you max everything (even skills in first, second and third jobs). This is not a glitch.

In the event of you not possessing mastery books for core skills (Dark Impale, Berserk, Hex of the Beholder, Aura of the Beholder, Power Stance), [b]make sure you save the appropriate amount of SP regardless of whether or not you have passed the books.[/b] Save points for Monster Magnet and Rush before you throw points into other jobs. Maple Warrior is the exception for this, as books are expensive.

* If you're uncomfortable with level 10 Berserk's threshold, you can add more points to Berserk before maxing Impale. Do not go past 20, though as the threshold should be bearable at that point.

[b]Results:[/b]
[b][Max: 10][/b] Beholder
[b][Max: 30][/b] Berserk
[b][Max: 30][/b] Dark Impale
[b][Max: 30][/b] Monster Magnet
[b][Max: 30][/b] Power Stance
[b][Max: 30][/b] Maple Warrior
[b][Max: 10][/b] Hex of the Beholder/Revenge of the Beholder
[b][Max: 20][/b] Hex of the Beholder
[b][Max: 20][/b] Aura of the Beholder
[b][Max: 5][/b] Hero's Will
[b][Max: 30][/b] Rush
[b][38][/b] Unmaxed skills (depending on previous builds, this can include: Iron Body, Ground Smash, Iron Will, Dragon Fury, Dragon Buster, Elemental Resistance)
[b][21][/b] Spare SP points for no skills

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Hypers[/h2]

[b]Note:[/b] This is the standard build for Dark Knights. If you want to look into more detailed information about the numbers involved, check SilentXynh's Hyper skills guide, found [url=PLACEBOURL]here[/url].

Resetting your skills is possible by paying a meso fee; 100k for the first reset, 1m for the second and capping at 10m for third and beyond.

Level 140: + 1 SP to Hyper Strength
Level 149: + 1 SP to Berserk: Reinforce
Level 150: + 1 SP to Dark Thirst, + 1 SP to Hyper Dexterity
Level 160: + 1 SP to Dark Impale: Reinforce
Level 170: + 1 SP to Potato Explosion
Level 174: + 1 SP to Hyper Magic Defense
Level 180: + 1 SP to Dark Impale: Guardbreak
Level 192: + 1 SP to Hyper Health
Level 195: + 1 SP to Dark Impale: Extra Strike
Level 198: + 1 SP to Hyper Critical
Level 200: + 1 SP to Hyper Mana, + 1 SP to Epic Adventurer, + 1 SP to Berserk: Critical Chance

The passive boosts are fairly straightforward and apart from Hyper Strength and Hyper Critical, you're free to pick what you want.

You're given 3 SP for the actives and there are only 3; do the math.

[header][/header]
[header]Training[/header]

As Dark Knights are natural mobbers, your training spots will generally be limited to high spawn areas. Thanks to Big Bang, you can now train just about anywhere as the HP:EXP ratio isn't as important. Just find a place that isn't extremely crowded that has a high spawn and is easily maneuverable for you. The following are merely a guide.

In the event that you have no idea where to train, there is a training guide available that offers training locations.

The following guide follows a mix of grinding and questing, taking advantage of Tot's guides that offer free levels upon completion. To get the levels, simply complete the recommended quests that Tot offers.

Mobs marked with an * indicate it being a rather popular training spot, so you may have trouble finding a channel to yourself. Alternatives are offered for the same level range. Mobs in italics are an alternative and should not be prioritized over mobs without italics.

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]1st Job[h2]

[b]Levels 1-10:[/b]
[*] Beginner Quests at Maple Island

[b]Levels 10-20:[/b]
[*] (Level 13) Blue Ribbon Pigs

[b]Levels 20-30:[/b]
[*] (Level 20) Skeletons*
[*] (Level 26) Mixed Golems

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]2nd Job[/h2]

[b] Levels 30-40:[/b]
[*] (Levels 30-35) Mushroom Castle Questline
[*] (Level 34) Royal Guard Pepes
[*] (Levels 35-40) Kerning Square Questline
[*] (Level 47) CDs
[*] (Level 50) Scarecrows*
[*] (Level 50) Copper Drakes

[b] Levels 40-50:[/b]
[*] (Levels 40-60) Tot's Questlines
[*] (Levels 40-60) Gold Beach Questline
[*] (Level 50) Scarecrows*
[*] (Level 58) Dark Drakes
[*] (Level 67) Trojans

[b] Levels 50-60:[/b]
[*] (Levels 40-60) Tot's Questlines
[*] (Level 50) Scarecrows*
[*] (Levels 55-63) Chryse Questline
[*] (Level 61) Robos
[*] (Level 63) Master Robos
[*] (Level 67) Trojians
[*] (Level 70) Jesters*

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]3rd Job[/h2]

[b] Levels 60-70:[/b]
[*] (Level 67) Trojians
[*] (Levels 70-80) Sakura Castle Questline
[*] (Level 70) Jesters*
[*] [i](Level 70) Ultra Grays[/i]
[*] (Level 77) Sand Rats
[*] (Level 80) Scorpions
[*] (Level 88) Roids
[*] (Level 89) Neo Huroids

[b] Levels 70-80:[/b]
[*] (Level 70) Jesters*
[*] (Levels 75-160) Silent Crusade Questline
[*] (Level 88) Roids
[*] (Level 88) Security Camera
[*] (Level 89) Neo Huroids
[*] (Level 90) Alien Cogs*
[*] (Level 90) Selkie Jr.*
[*] (Level 93) Slimy*
[*] (Level 94) Gallopera*
[*] (Level 95) Alien Miners*

[b] Levels 80-90:[/b]
[*] (Level 70) Jesters*
[*] (Levels 80-160) Silent Crusade Questline
[*] (Level 88) Roids
[*] (Level 88) Security Camera
[*] (Level 89) Neo Huroids
[*] (Level 90) Alien Cogs*
[*] (Level 90) Selkie Jr.*
[*] (Level 93) Slimy*
[*] (Level 94) Gallopera*
[*] (Level 95) Alien Miners*
[*] [i](Level 98) Mr. Anchors[/i]
[*] [i](Level 99) Mr. Alli[/i]
[*] (Level 103) Kru
[*] (Level 105) Captains

[b] Levels 90-100:[/b]
[*] (Level 90) Alien Cogs*
[*] (Level 90) Selkie Jr.*
[*] (Level 93) Slimy*
[*] (Level 94) Gallopera*
[*] (Level 95) Alien Miners*
[*] (Levels 96-160) Silent Crusade Questline
[*] (Level 103) Kru
[*] (Level 105) Captains
[*] (Level 110) Ghost Pirates
[*] [i](Level 112) Blood Harps[/i]
[*] (Level 112) Death Teddies
[*] (Level 114) Dual Ghost Pirates
[*] (Level 116) Master Death Teddies
[*] (Level 118) Black, Red and Blue Kentaurus
[*] [i](Level 119) Spirit Vikings[/i]

[b]Regarding Training Areas:[/b]
[*] From level 60, you can participate in Pyramid PQ, but it's not recommended to enter until your early to mid 80s as it may be difficult to kill mobs fast enough. Go with friends or party with people who don't mind the possibility of having to help cover your platform.
[*] From level 70, be sure to be maxing Romeo and Juliet PQ (MPQ) and Pirate PQ (PPQ) daily for max EXP gained alongside training.
[*] The reason why Silent Crusade levels fluctuate as each level range progresses is because of the minimum level required to fight the boss, which changes as you move throughout the questline.

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]4th Job[/h2]

[b] Levels 100-110:[/b]
[*] (Level 90) Alien Cogs*
[*] (Level 95) Alien Miners*
[*] (Levels 100-160) Evolution System
[*] (Level 103) Kru
[*] (Level 105) Captains
[*] [i](Level 110) Ghost Pirates[/i]
[*] (Level 114) Dual Ghost Pirates
[*] (Level 116) Master Death Teddies
[*] (Level 118) Black, Red and Blue Kentaurus
[*] (Level 119) Spirit Vikings

[b] Levels 110-120:[/b]
[*] (Level 90) Alien Cogs*
[*] (Level 95) Alien Miners*
[*] (Levels 110-160) Evolution System
[*] [i](Level 103) Kru[/i]
[*] [i](Level 105) Captains[/i]
[*] (Level 114) Dual Ghost Pirates
[*] (Level 115) Crocky the Gatekeeper*
[*] (Level 116) Master Death Teddies
[*] (Level 118) Black, Red and Blue Kentaurus
[*] [i](Level 134) Red Wyverns[/i]
[*] [i](Level 137) Blue Wyverns[/i]

[b] Levels 120-130:[/b]
[*] (Level 114) Dual Ghost Pirates
[*] (Level 115) Crocky the Gatekeeper*
[*] (Level 116) Master Death Teddies
[*] [i](Level 118) Black, Red and Blue Kentaurus[/i]
[*] (Levels 120-160) Evolution System
[*] (Level 134) Red Wyverns
[*] (Level 137) Blue Wyverns
[*] (Level 141) Dark Wyverns
[*] (Level 142) Dark Cornians
[*] (Level 142) Memory Monk

[b] Levels 130-140:[/b]
[*] (Level 115) Crocky the Gatekeeper*
[*] (Levels 130-160) Evolution System
[*] (Level 141) Dark Wyverns
[*] (Level 142) Dark Cornians
[*] (Level 142) Memory Monk
[*] (Level 147) Skelegon
[*] (Level 150) Nest Golems
[*] (Level 153) Skelesaurus

[b] Levels 140-170:[/b]
[*] (Level 115) Crocky the Gatekeeper*
[*] (Levels 140-160) Temple of Time Questline
[*] (Levels 140-160) Evolution System
[*] (Level 142) Memory Monk
[*] (Level 144) Memory Monk Trainee
[*] (Level 146) Memory Guardian
[*] (Level 147) Skelegon
[*] (Level 148) Chief Memory Guardian
[*] (Level 150) Nest Golems
[*] (Level 151) Qualm Monks
[*] (Level 153) Skelesaurus
[*] (Level 153) Qualm Monk Trainees
[*] (Level 155) Qualm Guardians
[*] (Level 157) Chief Qualm Guardians
[*] (Level 160) Oblivion Monks
[*] (Level 162) Oblivion Monk Trainees
[*] (Level 162) Mutant Snails
[*] (Level 164) Oblivion Guardians
[*] (Level 166) Chief Oblivion Guardians
[*] (Level 168) Mutant Ribbon Pigs

[b] Levels 170+:[/b]
[*] (Level 115) Crocky the Gatekeeper*
[*] (Level 147) Skelegon
[*] (Level 148) Chief Memory Guardian
[*] (Level 150) Nest Golems
[*] (Level 151) Qualm Monks
[*] (Level 153) Skelesaurus
[*] (Level 153) Qualm Monk Trainees
[*] (Level 155) Qualm Guardians
[*] (Level 157) Chief Qualm Guardians
[*] (Levels 160-200) Future Henesys/Stronghold Questline
[*] (Level 160) Evolution System
[*] (Level 160) Oblivion Monks
[*] (Level 162) Oblivion Monk Trainees
[*] (Level 162) Mutant Snails
[*] (Level 164) Oblivion Guardians
[*] (Level 166) Chief Oblivion Guardians
[*] (Level 168) Mutant Ribbon Pigs
[*] (Level 168) Official Knight A
[*] (Level 170) Official Knight B
[*] (Level 172) Official Knight C
[*] (Level 174) Official Knight D
[*] (Level 176) Official Knight E
[*] (Level 177) Advanced Knight A
[*] (Level 179) Advanced Knight B
[*] (Level 180) Advanced Knight C
[*] (Level 182) Advanced Knight D
[*] (Level 184) Advanced Knight E

[b]Regarding Training areas:[/b]
[*] From Level 100, Evolution System is available. The system is available for entry 5 times daily and creates mobs for your level at a cap of 160. Link 3 is ideal for grinding and farming event boxes.
[*] Continue maxing MPQ/PPQ up until you decide the EXP is no longer worth it. Dragon Rider PQ (DRPQ), Kenta PQ (KePQ) and Escape PQ are PQs to max should you find a consistent party to max with.
[*] LHC is available from level 110, with the first wall containing Crocky the Gatekeepers. You must complete the LHC questline to access the deeper areas of the castle and to face Guard Ani and Von Leon.
[*] From Level 140, the Temple of Time (ToT) Quests are available. You must complete them all as prerequisites for Pink Bean and to access the deeper areas of the temple.
[*] From Level 140, the Dimensional Invasion PQ is available. You can participate a max of 10 times a day and is excellent EXP.
[*] From Level 160, Future Henesys Quests are available. You should complete them to continue the storyline.
[*] From Level 170, Stronghold Quests are available. You should complete them to continue the storyline and as a prerequisite for Empress Cygnus.

[header][/header]
[header]Potions[/header]

Nowadays, due to the fact that there's a multitude of methods to obtain potions at low levels, this section isn't really required. You will level quickly and potions fall from the sky with quests.

From personal experience, Ice Cream Pops and Unagis are the way to go before Third Job; these potions recover 2k HP and 1k HP respectively. After hitting Third Job and maxing Dragon Wisdom, you should move to NLC's Honsters. A single stack of 150 should last quite a while, provided you're training of course.

In terms of MP, Sorcerer Elixirs are a good alternative to the Alchemy potions; they heal 1.5k each and can be purchased from New Leaf City.
If you're considering undertaking Alchemy as your job, you can make your own potions using Alchemy. While gathering materials for higher level potions can be tedious, the most basic potion (ones that heal 1k of either HP/MP) are excellent for lower levels and even higher levels if you choose to continue making MP potions. Be wary though; 1k HP potions are more expensive to make than buying Unagi, so you may want to stick with making MP potions if you have no intentions of keeping Alchemy permanently.

Regarding attack potions, I don't particularly recommend using any since the improvement is insignificant for regular training, where most mobs are killed in a few hits. I would only recommend using them if you plan to tackle a boss or something of that calibre; there are plenty of other less costly methods of increasing your strength permanently.

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[header]How Much STR/ATT is this equal to?[/header]

Since there are so many threads about this, I decided to make a section for this. This can apply for all warriors in general.
Put simply, to find the rough ATT:STR ratio, divide your ATT from equips and skills by your STR from equips and skills, paying attention to all equips that give off ATT or STR (Consider potential, accessories, codex, set bonuses, etc.)

If you have a 90 ATT weapon, an 8 ATT work glove and a 2 ATT cape where your total STR from equips is 400, you divide 100 into 400 and so your ATT:STR ratio is 1:4.

This changes by level because at lower levels you'll be gaining attack very quickly; weapons already start off at 20 or so ATT and rise very quickly every 5 or so levels, while you only gain 5 STR per level. At very low levels, such as during 1st or early 2nd Job, your ATT:STR ratio is likely to be roughly 1:2 or 1:3. As you near 3rd it rises to roughly 1:3 or 1:3.5 and around 4th Job it rises further to 1:4 and around 120 it's around 1:5 where it continues to rise or lower depending on what equips you eventually use and whether you have a preference for ATT or STR.

This is why equips such as Taru's cape and empress equips are often recommended at higher levels. At Level 50 a 2/6 ATT PAC would only give you the rough equivalent of 10-12 STR, while at level 150 a 2/6 ATT PAC would probably give the rough equivalent of 18-20 STR, which is almost double the amount.

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[header]Recommended Equips[/header]

A long time ago, DEX and ACC equips were useful. That was a long time ago. So don't get them. Instead, just get everything scrolled for either ATT or STR with the consideration that ATT is worth more than STR.

One thing that I'd recommend though is the Empress set. Getting 4 pieces of the set grants you a nice set bonus of 15 weapon attack on top of individual equip stats. The only downside of the Empress set is that the pieces are rather expensive, with the cape going into the billions and simultaneously being rare and elusive (note that prices vary per world).

It's also recommended to obtain equips above level 80 as the potential tier is higher. Aside from the weapon you should aim for some STR% depending on your funding. Remember that a bunch of 3% STR equips are a better use of money than a single 9% STR earring that costs the same amount of money. Invest in event scrolls to scroll your equipment and take advantage of the gear they offer.

[h2][/h2]
[h2]Weapon[/h2]

The most important thing (aside from having fun, of course) that you will need is a good weapon; it's the place where the bulk of your power comes from and determines whether you attack quickly or whether you attack slowly. Try to always shoot for a Fast speed weapon as the extra speed when attacking provides a lot more damage than a few extra points in attack on a slower weapon would.
Of course, what weapon you choose will depend on your funding. Lionheart Partisans are towards the top end of choices at the moment, with weapons such as the Loveless Diesra and Amaterasu's Pelting Rain being end-game. PVP and Aswan polearms exist as well but require more work than money (especially now as you can't obtain emblems for the time being), while the Super Purple Surfboard is the fast and cheap alternative.
Normal Speed weapons aren't recommended, though there are a few nice ones such as the Lionheart Fuscina (which is traditionally cheaper than the Partisan) alongside the PVP/Aswan spears and weapons like Sky Skis.

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[header]Skill Books and Mastery Books[/header]

While the two names sound the same, they do not equate the same thing. A Skill Book allows the user to obtain a skill related to their class. A Mastery book will upgrade existing 4th Job skills to allow them to be leveled further. Both types of books will only work for the class or classes that are listed in the description.
4th job skills in general are obtained in the following ways:

1. They are available as soon as the advancement is completed. The core skills are typically there for most classes. Maple Warrior is common for all classes and does not initially appear in the skill window, but upon advancing you are given a skill book that adds the skill. Nearly all skills for Dark Knights are available upon advancement.

2. They require a skill book to be used. Skill books have a 100% chance of working, unlike mastery books. Skill books are monster drops and are untradeable unless a Scissors of Karma is used to enable one transfer (whether by trade or by storage). They are obtained from Zakum (Advanced Combo Attack, Advanced Charge, Angel Ray, etc.)

3. They require a questline to be completed. While the amount of skills available to be obtained from questlines has been considerably narrowed down, the skill Hero's Will requires a quest to be unlocked for use.

Now, the use of mastery books is different. These are used on skills that were obtained in one of the three ways listed above. There are up to two different Mastery Books per skill that requires one: 20 and 30. When you get a skill in 4th job, the max level by default is 10, or 5. Some skills are maxed at level 10 such as Beholder. Most skills, however, can be upgraded to a max level of 30. To upgrade a skill, Mastery Books can be used once the skill you're trying to use it on has at least 5 points (for the level 20 book) or 15 points (for the level 30 book). These are not always successful like skill books are. Level 20 mastery books have a 70% success rate while level 30 books have a 50% success rate. Mastery books are dropped by specific monsters or boss monsters. Most higher leveled mobs now drop Mystery Mastery Books, which form a random 20 or 30 Mastery Book for any class. They can be purchased from the FM at varying prices. There are also class-specific mastery books that are given as rewards for some questlines such as Lionheart Castle and Silent Crusade.

Basically, mastery books can only be used on a skill you already have, assuming you have enough points in the skill for whichever book you're using.

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[header]Tips for Bossing[/header]

Bossing is what interests most people here, so I'll give some tips to tackling most bosses in the game. Unfortunately some bosses require a mix of luck and insane funding to finish safely, but that's what we get for not having an Achilles-type skill.
[h2] [h2]
[h2]Papulatus[/h2]

Papulatus is... a boss so easy I don't even know why I'm mentioning it here. You can fight him at 120 and that's enough to down him easily. It's recommended to rush him towards the left and striking from afar with impale, since Sac can miss under him sometimes. Be careful of his 1/1s, though; keep your potion button close. If you have stance, you can stand on the top platform to avoid the 1/1 attacks.
[h2] [h2]
[h2]Zakum[/h2]

While now a shade of his former self, Zakum has become a very easy boss but shouldn't be underestimated. As soon as the fight starts, it's recommended to kill the second arm from the bottom left as it casts a bunch of irritating status effects (don't forget your all cures). Once that's over, though, the fight should become rather easy. The second arm from the bottom left casts buffs on Zakum, so you may want to crash it to prevent it from decreasing the amount of damage you deal to him.
It's recommended to have stance though, as the top right arm will knock you down continuously and is not only annoying but will make you waste a lot of time.
Once you reach the body, I suggest you stand on it and use Sacrifice. This should help you avoid the 1/1 attacks he spams. If you're iffy about using Sacrifice, you can use Impale as an alternative. Should the summons begin to clutter up the map, simply roar them away. Keep attacking until he's dead.

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Chaos Zakum[/h2]

Chaos Zakum is like Zakum, but on steroids. Very deadly steroids. The "deadly" part meaning that it's not him that dies easily.

The basic strategy against the arms is the same with the only difference being that the problem arm now seduces on top of everything else and that each arm now has a lot more HP now so your defenses must be good to take all the punishment. The top two arms now dispel too, so be careful with that and keep stance first in your macros when buffing.

The body... oh dear, for starters it can now seduce on top of spamming 1/1, so I recommend you stand on the left side spamming Impale or Sac. This is so that when seduce sends you walking to the right, you can tank the body and protect yourself from 1/1's for a few seconds. Leaving the summons alive is also a good idea for the same purpose.

Use crash to prevent the defense ups; this will make your run a lot faster if you do it effectively.

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Von Leon[/h2]

Von Leon is a very easy boss... and a very annoying one too, at that. Start by whacking him a few times and luring him to the left corner. Once he's there...

... You hold your Sac button of choice and never let go; keep whacking him. If you die rebuff, go back in and keep at it. He'll summon pigs and golems; he'll eat the golems and eventually will have so many pigs summoned that he won't be able to call more golems, at that point he's unable to heal and should go down fast.

The myriad of status effects he uses are very annoying though, but just remember, forget about everything and keep hitting VL. Use crash if you see him using damage reflect; he takes so long casting it that you should be able to stop it on its tracks.

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Horntail[/h2]

Horntail is a very annoying boss; you'll have to fight the pre-heads, and then the whole thing. The pre-heads use summons, seduce and 1/1.

Yep; you'll be under sed+1/1 danger for most of the fight. I recommend getting a good enough range so that you can down the parts fast and just keep hitting at it, attempting to prevent the defense ups with Crash.

You have to attack the pre-heads from as far as possible with impale since attacking up close makes you lag and hit much slower. Try saving your Hero's Will for when you know the 1/1's coming, summons may help you here but be careful with the black ones since they dispel.

With the body, stand on the bottom right and whack the tail and the legs with impale until they're both dead; they deal some heavy damage you don't want to take when you get seduced in the next part.

After the legs and tail are dead move up and start hitting the right arm and wings. The arm will start seducing you and the wings will start summoning Cornians. Leave these alive to survive the seduces and use Hero's Will to destroy the arm as fast as possible. Once the arm is gone you won't be seduced on that whole side so you're free to kill the middle and right head. They use defense up so be sure to Crash when you see the magic defense go down.

After everything but the left arm and head are dead, take it personally with the head and kill it. Don't hit the arm though or it will start seducing you and you'd be dying after the worst part has ended. Once the head is gone, congratulations; you've beaten Horntail! Just kill the arm, which is incapable of dealing enough damage to kill you on its own and can only annoy you with seduce.

[h2] [/h2]
[h2]Chaos Horntail[/h2]

Oh boy, now you're taking a big bite. Just like HT, you can be sed+1/1 anytime, so dealing with everything fast and simultaneously taking good care of your Hero's Will and Crashes are a necessity. The same strategy for Horntail here applies, though there's only one difference; the top right head will use magic damage reflect, which doesn't affect you at all, but the left one does physical damage reflect for 5k-ish damage. This can get you into a lot of trouble if you're not careful, so remember to time it (it lasts 7 seconds and has a CD of a minute since the time it's casted)

[h2][/h2]
[h2]Root Abyss Bosses[/h2]

For most Dark Knights, you will be tackling these bosses in a party, but it's important to know how to remain useful and not become a hindrance to your party. If you're soloing the bosses, it's still important to make notes of their attack patterns so you can come to predicting their moves and what you need to do in correspondence to that.

Before anything, it is important to remember that the bosses will still follow you after you're dead; Von Bon can be lured into a white clock near your tombstone, Pierre will still pursue you even when dead, the Crimson Queen can follow you and so can Vellum.

[b]The First Seal Guardian: Von Bon[/b]

A fancy chicken in a suit and a monocle, surely he can't be that hard, can he? WRONG. If you don't manipulate him into certain areas, you will be losing time for your party. If the timer hits zero, you're gone.

So, how do we combat this situation? All around the flat map, white or black clocks will appear. White clocks [b]lose[/b] you time, while black clocks [b]gain[/b] you time. However, these time mechanics only work if Von Bon steps into them. That means that you have to constantly lure Von Bon away from white clocks and towards black clocks. This is to give your party members the maximum amount of time to attack.

Von Bon himself uses 5 attacks and it's important to know what attacks are the deadliest to you. The first attack you're likely to see is a short swing of his staff. This short ranged attack is mainly harmless compared to the other attacks and is easy to dodge with distance, but it is important to recover this hp in the event that you're hit by one of his other attacks. The second attack takes longer to cast (Von Bon is seen raising and swirling his staff), but will take out a sizable chunk of your HP and can be avoided by jumping over or ducking under the projectile. Von Bon's third attack is a slamming attack where he leaps into the air and slams down, hitting everyone in the map and dealing 90% of your HP. This attack can be dodged by jumping a small time after he does to avoid his slam, but keep your HP above 90% at all times once he begins jumping. The fourth attack occurs towards the end of the run where Von Bon disappears from the screen with a teleport-like graphic before reappearing in a tornado-like twister. Being anywhere close to this twister will send you flying backwards and takes roughly a third of your HP. This can't be avoided, even with Stance; you just have to get close enough to use Impale so you can hit it. Using potato explosion is also an alternative should you have trouble slipstreaming the distance lost and using Impale. The last attack is a spell that uses the same preparatory animation as the projectile; instead of throwing one at you, he raises it towards the ceiling and a clock appears above his head and a miniature clock appears above the victim's head. This attack isn't very dangerous, though can be if you end up in the middle of one of his attacks; it teleports you back to the location you got hit by the spell with after a set amount of time.

Von Bon's attacks typically follow patterns when attacking; a short swing followed by a projectile or a smash, a smash followed by a short swing or projectile and a twister followed by a projectile are the main combinations it uses when attacking. To combat these, it's recommended to tank the short swing only if you can use Impale to drain back the HP. Otherwise, stay far enough away that the short swing won't hit you; it does have a short range, after all. The feather projectile is easy enough to dodge; playing in full screen often helps with locating the projectile if you're not in screen with the boss. The slamming attack is easy enough; jump shortly after he jumps so you don't get caught in the smash, which takes a while to finish compared to some of his other attacks. It's important, however, to heal immediately after getting hit by a smash in the event that you do get hit; as Von Bon's smashes are often accompanied by a short swing or projectile, if you get hit again, it's one life down. By the time he begins to use the twister attack, clocks will no longer spawn in the map, so it's important to max out time if your party struggles with the boss.

[b]The Second Seal Guardian: Pierre[/b]

A miserable, purple clown armed with an umbrella. He even welcomes you in! But don't take this to be an act of courtesy; Pierre is right on you from the moment you enter the map so be warned! Once again, if the timer hits 0, your party is finished and promptly kicked out.

Pierre's gimmick is his magical ability to change the colour of his body; he alternates between three colors; purple, red and blue. Pierre begins purple, but will change colours further into the run. Once he first changes colours, jester hats of red and blue appear on all player's heads, replacing the appearance of any hat you may have been wearing at the time (cash item or otherwise). These hats determine when you can attack Pierre when he is of a certain colour. [b]A player of the opposite colour can attack a Pierre that is not purple, while if a player of the same colour as Pierre attacks him, the attacks will recover Pierre's HP[/b]. All players, regardless of hat colour, can hit a purple Pierre. Should a player die, their hat is removed until Pierre turns into a different colour. A player without a jester hat can attack Pierre regardless of his colour. Player's hat colours can change when Pierre changes colour, so it's important to keep note of what colour your hat is and what colour Pierre's hat is.

Almost instantly you may recognise a number of red circles on the ground upon entering. If you've learned anything about Maplestory, malicious looking circles on the ground are not to be trusted. Instead of a bundle of debris, flaming debris, ray of light and so on, however, you'll find a giant, novelty purple jester hat falling onto you. If you're unfortunate to have come under the influence of such a hat, spam the left and right directional keys to escape. Otherwise, you die after a set amount of time. Be warned! You can still be hit by Pierre under the guise of the hat.

Pierre, being the fabulously fancy clown he is, has a number of tricks up his sleeve. Some are even magical, one might say. Either way, the rest of his 4 attacks can prove dangerous if you don't respond accordingly. His first and most basic attack is three short swings of his umbrella. This attack is very simple and can easily be tanked as long as you're attacking him. His second attack has a chance of following up his first short umbrella swing and consists of him opening his umbrella to push you backwards (regardless of stance) and take out a sizable chunk of HP. This is an important factor, as if you are unsure whether you can recover your HP in the time frame of his short swings using DI, you are safer using a potion. Pierre's third attack occurs only when he turns red and involves him disappearing in a puff of smoke and reappearing to deal three deadly strikes that will instantly kill you, regardless of HP. The only way to avoid this is basically slipstreaming around to avoid being hit. Pierre's fourth attack occurs only when he is blue. He twirls around and leaves behind a trail of fire, pursuing a single member of your party. It is important for your party to keep him in a corner so everyone else can attack him if they're red. You can attack him too if you're red, though he repeatedly seals you so it may be a hassle. The attack is mainly harmless but by keeping Pierre in a corner, you sacrifice much of your HP and therefore should opt to keep your potion button close.

There are no real correlations between Pierre's attacks; you can't predict what colour hat you'll end up with nor what colour Pierre will turn into, nor can you predict when he will do so. Pierre uses the first two described attacks in any colour, but falling jester hats can occur with any colour, despite the jester hats being purple. Pierre tends to summon jester hats when he transitions from a colour to purple, so keep an eye out when he changes colour. This boss requires more firepower to plow through, as there aren't any gimmicks that can extend the amount of time you spend in the room.

[b]The Third Seal Guardian: Crimson Queen[/b]

Okay, I can't even make a joke about this one. The Queen is vicious, playful, scarily mournful and apathetic, all at the same time. Mainly because she has four heads. Talk about multiple personality disorder (okay, okay; so I can make a joke about this). But to the point. You get even more time to spend with her royal highness and chances are, you may need every second of it if things go wrong.

The Queen's gimmick is tied with her multiple personality disorder. Her four aspects bring about different attacks and some are more deadly than others. These four aspects alternate in no apparent order, with coloured messages that mark each change. She uses the same basic swipe in all forms, which can be easily tanked as long as you remain on the body with power stance on to prevent her from knocking you away.

The first aspect of her royal highness that you'll bear witness to is her apathetic aspect (where her expression is flat). This is marked by a pale, dull purple message that reads "To ashes!". Her special attack here is a dark flame-thrower that she fires from her mouth after her body glows in a purple-black colour for a moment and wisps of air seem to enter her mouth as she breathes in. This is your cue to promptly run to your other party members and huddle with them so you can all tank a lower amount of damage, or rush towards her body in the opposite direction. What makes the Queen's breath attack so dangerous is if she catches you alone with it. Her breath attack's damage splits between the amount of players that are hit by the attack. If she hits only one person, you get the full 36k blast and will end up dying unless if you have 36001 HP, where you have to immediately heal in order not to be hit by another swiping attack. She deals 18k damage to two people and 9k with 4 or more players. Her swiping attack brings a dark power quite literally as you have the chance of having your field of vision reduced to the small area around your player. This is dangerous should she change to another phase and use that specialty attack, as her warning signs are blind to you.

The vicious aspect of the Queen (where her expression bears her pointy teeth) is marked by a red message that reads "I'll destroy you all!". Her special attack while in this form is a black hole that sucks you into the epicentre of the graphic and deals a constant 2k damage for every second you remain in the vicinity of the attack. This attack is mainly harmless for DrKs as they can drain back the difference in HP as long as they're attacking the boss. She often casts the black hole near her body, so it's easy to reach her body with minimum effort and it's easy to slipstream out of the attack should you be unable to reach her. Her swiping attack brings no additional unpleasantries while in this stage.

One of the most dangerous aspects of the Queen is her mournful stage (where her eyes are missing and are crying blood), marked by a blue message reading "Feel my pain!". It is important almost instantly to stop attacking once you read that message as she will go off into her special move, Damage Reflect. Her Damage Reflect animation involves her raising both hands and steepling her fingers, forming a red oval barrier around her body. Damage Reflect cannot be crashed away, so it's recommended to stop attacking whenever she raises both hands if you're stuck in darkness from a previous stage. Her swiping attack has a chance to bring a poison effect that deals 1k damage to you per second. It's not very dangerous, but if you can't drain from the Queen during DR, you'll have to resort to using potions.

The other more dangerous aspect of the Queen is her playful stage (where she smiles and has a winky face), marked by a pink message reading "I'll be your next opponent." Her specialty attack here is seduce, where she raises a finger and drives a single member of your party towards the nearest spawned mirror, where they die upon impact. It's important to locate the mirror and destroy it as soon as possible, which can be difficult under darkness. Her swiping attack has a chance to inflict seal upon players they hit, so it's recommended to keep all cures on you to counter this without losing much time.

[b]The Last Seal Guardian: Vellum[/b]

Arguably the most annoying Root Abyss boss is the rock worm that you were attacked by during the prequests, Onix. (I'm kidding.) A servant of the person that sealed Alicia in the corrupted Root Abyss, Vellum will take the longest out of any other Root Abyss boss so far.

His gimmick, if you can even call it one, is periodically appearing and disappearing from screen. Vellum's entrances are marked by a yellow circle that varies in size depending on how deadly the worm wants to be on you. Once again, the timer makes its encore here, making it extra long so you can suffer with Vellum just that extra bit longer.

Vellum's basic attack is the process of popping up on screen like an unwelcome mushroom. Only that the mushroom takes either a really big chunk of HP away from you or a less damaging chunk of HP away from you, knocking you backwards in the event that you're standing on the patch of ground it decided to sprout up on. The direction that Vellum faces has a slightly larger hitbox than the direction he's not facing, so it's best to stay behind him if possible. He has larger rubble in the direction he's not facing when his movements are shown on screen.

His second attack is causing rubble to fall from the ceiling of the cave onto marked red and black circles. These bits of rubble will stun you, leaving you vulnerable to his basic attack and his other attacks. If timed correctly, you can avoid this through rushing towards the body or alternatively, stand in a gap that doesn't have the circle.

The third attack you'll experience is his fireball attack. There is a chance of him bursting into this attack should he be at full height; his body glows slightly with each fireball attack. The fireballs reach quite a way away from him, so steer clear if you're caught in the blast zone. Each fireball will one hit you regardless of HP. Rushing into his body if you're close enough is a good idea and his fireball attack is a double edged sword; he remains in view the longest during this period, leaving you time to attack.

The fourth attack you'll experience is his jumping attack. This is marked by the big yellow circle and will kill you instantly if you're stuck in the hitbox. It's easy to avoid this attack; slipstream as far away as possible. If you're feeling adventurous, you can try and attack, but it's not very worth risking an insta kill for.

The last attack you'll witness is the poison attacks. When his head is poking out of the ground, green circles marked out on the floor bear witness to where the poison will land; standing on one of these circles until the poison hits will take out a chunk of your HP and the damage over time is 4k per second. This can be avoided while he's summoning the poison; by draining the HP back, you can consistently deal damage.

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[header]HP Washing[/header]

[b]NOTE: I don't recommend HP washing anymore.[/b] The only reason before for DrKs to wash was so staying under 40%/50% for zerk was easier. Now that zerk works differently, more HP is still helpful, but definitely not required. Spend your money on more important things. I'll keep this section up though just in-case you still want to HP wash or want to wash on another class.

Basically, all HP Washing is the process of taking points out of MP and putting them into HP when you use AP resets from the Cash Shop.
First off, I want to state a few things. If you are thinking about HP washing, know that it will be expensive and make sure there aren't other things more important for you to do with the money before you hp wash. Also, HP washing is in no way necessary, and should simply be considered a luxury to those that have NX (Yes, another luxury for those that have NX)

The way to do it requires the following:
[*] 2 full AP reset
[*] A lot of money
[*] The best INT equips you can get
[*] The highest level you can get.

Something else to take note of is your minimum MP. A DrK's mp cannot go below a set amount. The formula for finding this is 4*[your level] + 156. So if you are level 100, multiply that by 4 to get 400, and add 156, so a level 100 DK would not be able to hp wash below 556 mp (not that you would want to HP wash so early anyway).

Method:

[b]1.[/b] Buy the first full AP reset from the CS or obtain it from an event.
[b]2.[/b] Determine how many points you plan to put on MP
[b]3.[/b] Use the full AP reset, and dump all the other points in INT
[b]4.[/b] Equip all your INT and %INT gear to get your INT as high as possible
[b]5.[/b] Dump the remaining AP into MP

You'll get approximately 1 MP per every 10 INT you have, so having 2k INT means getting 200 MP per AP used.

[b]6.[/b] Afterwards, use the second full AP reset.
[b]7.[/b] Dump as many points as you can wash into HP (accounting for the points into MP!)
[b]8.[/b] Dump the rest in STR
[b]9.[/b] Use individual AP resets to get all the AP from your MP out, and into STR
[b]10.[/b] You'll now have your normal STR, a lot of MP, and a lot of extra HP.

You can keep repeating this as long as you have AP in your HP/MP pool and have enough MP to wash (every reset takes 4 MP).

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[header]Credits[/header]

Thanks to zgtaf, poopymann, sedvyse, renma1234, khianiwest, djp2313, cookie4mesos, quietus, wenbodou, chickenpoodl, plusle4eva, SilentXynh, iVege, Celyfaye and all the other DrK sub-forum regulars that helped me gather info to put this together.

Hyper skills information courtesy of SilentXynh
Root Abyss information, training guide and editing courtesy of plusle4eva