Trucidus’ Memory Book

 

Trucidus’ Memory Book

“A Magic Book Filled With Long, Impractical Spells”

A Guide By: Trucidus



Welcome! If you’ve stumbled on this page, you’ve possibly found yourself at a major center of learning. Here, I hope to teach you the ins and outs of my favorite class: The High Wizard.

High Wizard is an interesting class. You’re able to spread damage and status ailments over a large area, defend yourselves and teammates, and link status effects with elements to deal massive amounts of damage. This diversity between your crippling offenses, and amazing defending capabilities makes a well-trained and well-prepared wizard truly a force to be reckoned with!

Here I will cover some of the basics of elemental weaknesses/resistances, spell descriptions, and tips and tricks that you may not know. By the time you’re done scrolling through my endless babbling, you’ll bring excitement and fun experiences to whatever server you’re on!





Table of Contents

Section 1: Magic Fundamentals

I. Your Spellbook
II. Utilizing Combos
III. Strategies and Tips
IV. Research Resources



Section 2: Pursuit of Knowledge
I. What’s Your Type?
II. Build Overview
III. Choosing Your Equipment
I
V. Refining Your Taste

Section 3: The Art of War
I. Preparation
II. Basic PVP Strategies

III. BattleGrounds Strategies
IV. WoE First Edition Strategies
V.
WoE Second Edition Strategies









SECTION 1: Magic Fundamentals


The first step is to analyze the tools to your trade. Your skills are best utilized by increasing Magic Attack and decreasing Cast Time and After-Skill Delay, as well as taking Status effects and Elemental Resistances into account.


  • Magic Attack (MAtk) – It is influenced by your INT stat, and Equipment, Cards, and Staves with MAtk modifiers. The Sage Skill Mind Breaker, and the High Wizard Skill, Mystical Amplification also add a significant amount of MAtk.



  • Cast Time – Affected by your DEX stat, and Equipment and Cards with MAtk modifiers. Most players focusing time on achieving 150 DEX, also known as the “Instant Cast” number. This is also affected by the Mistral skill Magic Strings.

  • After-Skill Delay – After each spell cast, there is a small frame of time that you are unable to use any other spell. This delay can be reduced with certain equipment and cards. This is also affected by the Minstrel skill Magic Strings.

  • Status Effects – When attacking, spells also have a chance to inflict a Status Ailment. Status Ailments debilitate a foe in a variety of ways. Two status effects Wizards can inflict are Frozen, and Stone Curse. Both of these statuses modify the MDef and Elemental Property of the victims, leaving them open for potentially more damage.

  • Elemental Properties - The element of a Monster/Player should also be taken into account when attacking. This decides if a spell will be devastating or a dud.



I. Your Spellbook



Here, I will talk briefly on the uses of each skill and my thoughts on every passive buff. If you are interested in the raw formulas, skill descriptions, or a list of items that affect said skill; please click the name of the skill to direct you the appropriate IROwiki page.


FIRE ELEMENT

Fire Bolt

Fire Bolt, while being extremely useful for leveling, is not a particularly useful skill outside of that. When used in conjunction with an Imp Card, it can be useful as a cast interruption or to dispatch of Undead Element Foes.

Fire Ball

I have never used this skill, even while leveling. I suppose it could be annoying to a distant precast, a well-aimed AoE spell would do a better job.

Fire Wall
Once again, it’s a skill that has it’s uses for PVM. WoE’s knockback immunity renders this skill useless.

Fire Pillar
Fire Pillar can be somewhat useful if you have enough time to put up a blockade. Although frowned-upon for the most part, it’s ability to stun-lock in place for a short duration of time can assist a Wizard while fleeing, or in conjunction with another player to exploit their moment of vulnerability.

Meteor Storm

Meteor Storm, the AoE that Stuns, Stacks, and does a decent amount of damage. Although the cast time for it is rather long, when used in conjunction with a Bard Class as well as large amounts of Dex can create a massive volley of fire damage. Meteor Storm has slight stun-lock capabilities with a chance to inflict the “Stun” Status Ailment. Amazing in a precast, or any other narrow area.

Sight Blaster

Sight Blaster is an amazing skill. When cast it circles a character much like sight. However, when any character (cloaked or uncloaked) enters it’s radius, they will be simultaneously revealed, pushed back, and inflicted with a low amount of fire-based damage. This ability can be followed-up with a debilitating spell to keep most Melee characters at bay. This buff should be kept up as much as possible, especially when Assassin Cross and Champions are present.

 

WATER ELEMENT

Cold Bolt

Cold Bolt, the not-quite-as-good-as-Firebolt. When paired with Siroma Cards, it can be useful for leveling. However, outside of that, it’s only real use is to interrupt people casting skills. Nothing really remarkable.

Frost Driver

Think of this as your rapid-fire skill. It’s irritatingly quick to cast, useful for interrupting cast times, as well as it’s relatively high freeze chance makes it a threat to the ill-prepared. Useful for when you can’t cast Storm Gust.

Water Ball

If there were more puddles of water laying around, or a Deluge Scholar/Water Escape Ninja to follow me around, maybe I’d give this skill a shot. Truth it, it’s a pain in the ass to use. It’s unfortunate, but true.

Frost Nova

Frost Nova is a skill I’d like to like, however, it isn’t useful. If you encounter a lot of melee units without freeze protection, you can use it to freeze the people attempting to break through your safety wall. Unfortunately, Storm Gust does a very good job of that.

Ice Wall

Ice Wall has it’s uses in PVM, which are quite obvious. Using it to block a passage, and cast spells over the other side of it to hit monsters that can’t hit you back, or just hiding from sight of a nearby MVP while your guild prepares to attack.

Storm Gust

Storm Gust is probably my favorite Wizard skill. Besides the damage and AOE properties of the spell, Storm Gust is guaranteed to freeze anything freezable after it’s third hit. Want to know if that person is wearing a Marc/Evil Druid? This is a great way to get your answer. At lower levels, Storm Gust still retains this property, while having a reduced cast time.


WIND ELEMENT

Lightning Bolt

There is no Accessory Card to improve this skill, and Jupital Thunder is better. Not commonly used.

Thunderstorm

Much like Fire Ball, I don’t find myself using this move. Ever.

Jupital Thunder

Jupital Thunder is a great move. It is Lightning Bolt with increased number of hits, added knockback, with a decent amount of stun-lock. It’s a good spell to use against single-target enemies.

Lord of Vermillion

The annoying AoE. Though not particularly powerful, it has the ability to stun-lock enemies to a noteworthy degree. It can have it’s uses, but generally is outshined by Storm Gust and Meteor Storm.


EARTH ELEMENT

Stone Curse

Stone Curse is your alternate to Frost Driver. Though this, too, is ineffective against undead foes, it can be used against players using Marc cards in it’s place.

Earth Spike

Earth Spike’s delay makes it an interesting tool against hide-dodgers. Though by no means a damaging spell, it is a must-have for any PVP combat situation.

Heaven’s Drive

It’s quick cast and ability to uncloak makes it very useful in battle scenarios. Once again, a must-have for combat!

Quagmire

Quagmire is a great spell, though it must be used with care. It cancels Attack Speed and Agility related buffs, as well as reducing Attack Speed, DEX, AGI, Walk Speed, and increases Cast Time for anyone standing in it. However, that literally means ANYONE, including you and your ally. Watch your placement!


GHOST ELEMENT

Napalm Beat

I don’t see any particular use for this, but it’s a multi-hit ghost element spell that does splash damage around the target. I mean… it interrupts, but it’s not too special.

Soul Strike

This could be thought of as “Ghost Bolt”. Though it’s not too useful, it has the uncanny ability to hit Evil Druid users really hard and really fast. It’s a fun, irritating spell.

Napalm Vulcan

Napalm Vulcan, while not being a particularly damaging spell, has the ability to “Curse” it’s target. This status can help make an extremely quick getaway, and is generally unpleasant to be affected by it.


DEFENSIVE/UTILITY SPELLS

Safety Wall

The best spell you’ve got, hands-down. Prevents 10 physical attacks on whatever is standing in it. Asura Strikes, Sonic Blows, Sacrifice, and Bowling Bashes are all rendered useless. Any time you cast an AoE spell, you better be standing in one of these babies.

Mystic Amplification

This buff will power-up for MAtk by 50% until you cast your next spell. However, that means ANY spell, even skills not meant to deal damage.

Energy Coat

Energy Coat is an amazing defensive buff. Being able to reduce damage in the place of SP is a unique trait that should be exploited in this class. Doesn’t matter how you’re playing, use the buff!

Monster Property

Though you can use it if you WANT, I’d just go to IROwiki or RateMyServer.Net.

Sight

Useful to keep up to uncloak enemies. Though not as useful as Sight Blaster, it doesn’t hurt to keep this buff up!

Magic Crasher

This is a really fun and unique spell. It converts your Matk to a single physical hit. Since the damage is physical, any weapon effects (including cards) are a potential effect of your spell. Because of it’s spamability, it’s the best skill for interrupting another person’s casting.

Gravitation

I’ve been reading on this skill, and though I don’t know if it truly has a
practical use, there seem to be a couple accounts of this skill having
some use. It doesn’t seem particularly useful to me at all.

Ganbantien

Ganbantien is a useful spell that can be used to clear the ground of hazards. This is used to punch holes in any AoE/Trap skills, though most commonly it’s used to cut holes in a Scholar’s Land Protector.


Passive Skills

Increase SP Recovery

When you’re training, obviously this can help you level a little faster. Outside of that, I don’t recommend this skill except for being a prerequisite.

Soul Drain

This skill works as a way of recharging your mana as you go, though AoE skills will not activate Soul Drain. Some people may prefer to put their skill points elsewhere, but the Max SP bonus obtained through this passive buff is really nice to have, though maybe not completely necessary. Distribute skill points with discretion.




II. Utilizing Combos

 

 

Through knowing properties (and a little help from some friends) it’s possible to hit 200,400 or more damage. That’s just with a Cold Bolt!

 

Knowing how to inflict certain status ailments can make fighting much easier for any High Wizard. However, you may not always be able to freeze or stone curse an enemy. When this happens, it’s best to resort to a “Plan B”.

Quagmire is an excellent spell to use. It’s ability to slow down enemies can open a decent window of opportunity to lay a Safety Wall down. Since it cancels a Whitesmith’sCart Boost” you can also use this skill to temporarily incapacitate them. You should always be careful not to cast it over yourself unless completely necessary, as it will result in a slower walk speed and cast time.

Using Napalm Vulcan’s cursing ability can help you to cover some ground if you’re under attack. Once again, linking it up to Safety Wall or Quagmire is always a safe bet.

A commonly overlooked strategy lies in the spell “Magic Crasher”. As I had stated in it’s description, it has the ability to carry weapon properties into itself. This creates the potential to status opponents with a Knife [4] enchanted with the card of your choice. Multiple daggers can be carried to exploit any weakness.

 

Status Cards

Savage Babe Card – Inflicts [Stun] Status at 5% per card. [Useful]

Stun is great, since it incapacitates the enemy completely. No items, no moving, and no attacking make for a very easy battle.

Metaller Card – Inflicts [Silence] Status at 5% per card. [Useful]

If an opponant isn’t expecting it, hitting them with silence can wreck a bit of havok. Be wary of opponents using Green Potions or Royal Jelly!

Plankton Card – Inflicts [Sleep] Status at 5% per card. [So-So]

Sleep is a step down from stun. While it still has the same effect, the duration is ended upon receiving another hit. Use it if you don’t have Savage Babe Cards.

Magnolia Card – Inflicts [Curse] Status at 5% per card. [So-So]

Curse is fun for it’s ability to annoy, and to make a quick getaway. Tied in with Magic Crasher’s almost non-existent cast time, and it’s crazily short after-cast delay, it can be used to curse more efficiently than Napalm Vulcan.

Marina Card – Inflicts [Freeze] Status at 5% per card. [Not Useful]

I don’t see the purpose of using this when you have Frost Driver and Storm Gust.

Breeze Card – Inflicts [Bleeding] Status at 5% per card. [Not Useful]

Bleeding is just a poison that can kill you. Doesn’t incapacitate, doesn’t help.

Familiar Card – Inflicts [Blind] Status at 5% per card. [Not Useful]

Some players have removed the “blind” fading, thus making this effect useless.

Snake Card – Inflicts [Poison] Status at 5% per card. [Not Useful]

While it throws in some extra damage, the amount it does is so insignificant that you might get laughed at.

Requiem Card – Inflicts [Chaos] Status at 5% per card. [Unsure]

I’ve never tested the effects of Chaos cards. Though, it should be noted I’ve never SEEN them used, I can only guess it’s not particularly useful.

 


III. Strategies and Tips

 

Now that you’ve got an idea of how to increase damage, and the various uses of the spells at your disposal, we can begin discussing ways to integrate them into your play. Before you jump into combat, these are a few pointers to help you start strong.

  • Guard yourself! Make sure to keep Energy Coat, Sight, and Sight Blaster up constantly. As soon as you stop moving, or if you know your destination, instantly drop a Safety Wall. With your low HP modifier, it is most certainly better safe than sorry.

  • As soon as you set foot in a Safety Wall, cast Amplify Magic Power. You should be prepared to attack immediately. Covering yourself with yourself with level 1 Storm Gust can keep distance between you and opponents.

  • When encountering the enemy, it is best to hit them with a Quagmire ASAP. Quagmire has no cast time and is a strong debuff. This can give you extra time to react, or flee if need be.

  • Use low level, or fast-casting spells to interrupt enemy spell-casters. This can help make crucial openings in WoE and Battlegrounds.
  • If an enemy is hide-dodging your spells, hit them with Earth Spike. Earth Spike will knock them out of hiding and do a small amount of damage.




  • Do not forget to use Ganbantien to clear hazards such as Land Protector and Sniper Traps. Taking Land Protector out from beneath an opponent can be a deadly surprise!

  • Estimate the amount of time an enemy remains frozen, and cast another Storm Gust before they thaw. If they do not swap armors, they will be left with insufficient time to heal.

 

 


 

IV. Research Resources

Obviously it takes more than just knowledge of your skills and well-placed clicks to do well as a High Wizard. A good portion of skill goes into constantly updating and tweaking your stats and equipment. Though this can be a daunting task at first, through using a few different calculators and databases you’ll find it’s not very hard at all. Here, I’ll list a couple of the resources I use most often.

  • RateMyServer is a great choice, obviously. They’ve got a Renewal Search, as well as a Pre-Renewal for both monsters and items. You can also see the script for each item, making it possible to see if an item isn’t functioning correctly. I’m also absolutely in love with their search form. You can narrow down your search results with options like “Items that affect DEX”.
  • IROwiki isn’t a bad place to go either. If it exists in the realm of RO, you can find it.
  • IROwiki Character Simulator – This is used to simulate the gear on your character, buffs, etc. to see your stats were you to use the selected items. I believe this is the most updated version.



 

SECTION 2: The Pursuit of Knowledge

 

Now that we’ve made it through the basics, we can begin going in-depth on the math that goes behind a High Wizard. Here you will discover a few types of builds, what they’re like, and opening the potential to explore and improve your builds. We’ll also explore the items involved in getting your WoE/BG supplies, and some my recommendations/comments on commonly used equipment.

The first question this section seeks to answer is, “What am I attempting to do as a Wizard?”

 


 

I. What’s Your Type?




Choosing your build will determine your role as a Wizard. Some Wizards focus simply on eliminating the target quickly, or trying to stir a panic by hitting hard. Other Wizards rather attempt to get as close to instant-cast as possible by wearing DEX gear. Some Wizards choose to use the defensive and support skills for the sake of the team, and focus on some degree of survivability. Each of these types have their own pros and cons that you will be left to judge on when faced with different situations. I’ll go over some of the basic build archetypes.

Sweeper [MAtk/INT Focus]

MAtk Wizards are devastating on their own, as long as they maximize their
use of defensive spells. They combine the use of Status Effects and raw
power to kill foes rather than subdue them. They will have extreme
problems when encountering a Professor, Creator, Sniper, or other ranged
characters. However, they are very capable of dealing with close-ranged
fighters like Champs, Assassin Crosses, and Whitesmith.

Cast Wizard [DEX Focus]

Though able to be out-potted, they have no problem dispatching enemies through
casting as fast as possible. Achieving instant-cast is a very rewarding
goal to set for one’s self. Able to fend off professors much better than
any other Wizard Build. May not be able to defeat enemies with high HP
levels/weight limits.

Support [DEX/VIT Focus]

Wizards aren’t just offensive classes. Having access to Ganbantien, Safety
Wall, Quagmire, and Magic Rod make this class handy for support. Though
your HP Modifier may not be very good, the immunity to close-range fighters
gives you the opportunity to debuff everyone in sight.
You’ll use bare-minimum attack spells to inflict status and annoy, rather than to inflict lethal damage.

 


II. Build Overview

So, we know what stats contribute to spells, how the spells are used, and by now, you’ve probably got an idea on what kind of wizard you want to make. This is where the fun really starts, and you being working on a build that is comfortable and productive. Let’s take a look at how each stat can be thought of for your character.

STRENGTH

Strength on a wizard isn’t particularly useful, since it’s only contribution is an increased weight limit. Use it for that, and that alone. Works as a decent dump stat.

AGILITY

Agility doesn’t have any real use to a High Wizard.


VITALITY



INTELLIGENCE



DEXTERITY



LUCK

 

… to be continued …


2 Responses to “Trucidus’ Memory Book”

  1. Wow. Im amazed that this writings have been here only last year. I never thought that anyones playing ragna anymore. So cudos to you my friend.

  2. Excellent, thank you.

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