Pure INT Build
Advantages :
1. Time saving in terms of looking for armour for mages.( Here is where bathrobe and sauna robe works. As you can use it during low level, you do not need to worry for finding mages armour when higher level. )
2. Longer max MP.(Well, this is not proven.)
3. Saving cost.( Making reverse equipments is going to make you cry unless you rich :P )
4. Higher damage during low level.
5. Get more INT with Maple Warrior.
6. Higher magic defense.
Disadvantages :
1. Limited equipments that can be used.
2. Costly EXP upon death. ( 10% loss of EXP per death unless you have a Safety Charm from Cash Shop )
3. Lower avoidability. ( Hardly to avoid monster body damage or magic attack )
4. Lower physical defense. ( As you can't wear normal mages armour )
5. Do not have extra LUK gain from Maple Warrior.(4x15%* is about only 0.6 which is not even 1)
*Maxed level Maple Warrior gives extra 15% stat for 900 seconds
Normal Build
Advantages :
1. Variety of mages equipments that can be worn.
2. Less EXP loss upon death. ( 5% I guess. That's what I heard)
3. Higher avoidability. (But still lower than thieves :P)
4. Higher physical defense as you can wear mostly all mages equipment.
5. Can get extra LUK from Maple Warrior during activision.(Maple Warrior only add stat based on your BASE STAT only)
6. Deals higher damage compare to pure INT build.(After big bang)
Disadvantages :
1. You'll need quite some time to make reverse equipments.(Piece of time are not really easy drop even with 2x drop rate)
2. Get less INT from Maple Warrior.
3. Lower magic defense.
4. You'll need a lot of meso for making reverse equipments.(Again, not a problem if you are rich enough)
From the above advantage and disadvantages, I make some suggestion for mages whether should play with pure INT or low LUK.
Arch Mage (Fire/Poison)
1. Pure INT - If you plan to only use Orb of Fire Wand all the way to level 200, this is one of my suggestion. Orb of Fire Wand deals 25% extra damage for Fire Element attack and 10% extra damage for Poison Element attack. The best part is, there is no stat requirement for Orb of Fire Wand. Deadly Poison Wand is another option that you can choose. It almost same as Orb of Fire Wand. The difference is it gives only 10% extra damage on Fire Element attack but 25% extra damage on Poison Element attack.
My Orb of Fire Wand. As you can see, no LUK is required. 2. Normal build - With normal build, the highest level of weapon can be used is level 163 Red Phoenix Staff and Blue Dragon Staff. Both give 178 magic attack*. However, they require 165 LUK* to equip it. Red Phoenix Staff gives extra 25% damage on Fire Element attack and 10% extra damage on Poison Element while Blue Dragon Staff gives 10% extra damge on Fire Element and 25% extra damage on Poison Element. However, this staff can only be obtain from Gachapon(You can try to look for it in Free Market as well as MTS, but it is quite rare and costly)
*Info obtained from HS.MapleSEA
Arch Mage (Ice/Lightning)
1. Pure INT - You'll need an Iceberg Wand or Thunder Storm Wand. Both require you to be at least level 130(Without any effect from seals that reduce level requirement to wear equipments) to equip one of them. Same as other elemental wand, it does not require any stat. Iceberg Wand gives 25% extra damage on Ice Element attack and 10% extra damage on Lightning Element attack. Thunder Storm Wand gives 25% extra damage on Lightning Element attack and 10% extra damage on Ice Element attack.
2. Normal build - Same as F/P mages, elemental staff is the best option to ensure you to deal a higher damage. For I/L mages, Green Turtle Staff and White Tiger Staff is the highest level of all staff that can be used. Both need player at least at level 163 to equip any of them. Green Turtle Staff gives 25% extra damage on Ice Element attack and 10% extra damage on Lightning Element attack. White Tiger Staff gives 25% extra damage on Lightning Element attack and 10% extra damage on Ice Element attack.
Bishop
Pure INT build is not advisable for any player that wish to play Bishop for long time. Therefore, I suggest just play Bishop normal way, that is, add LUK until you can wear equipments. As big bang patch applied, normal LUK Bishop will deals higher damage than pure INT Bishop as normal LUK Bishop can equip higher magic attack wand or staff. Elemental wand/staff should be never be used for Bishop as it will decrease your damage by 25%(None of Bishop's skill are Fire, Poison, Ice or Lightning.)
Evan
Among all types of mages, Evan consists most type of elemental attack(Fire, Ice, Lightning and Dark Element)
Evan's attacking skill elemental type distribution
Fire - Fire Circle, Fire Breath, Earthquake, Flame Wheel and Blaze.
Fire - Fire Circle, Fire Breath, Earthquake, Flame Wheel and Blaze.
Poison - None of Evan's skill are poison elemental
Ice - Ice Breath
Lightning - Lightning Bolt
Dark - Killer Wings, Phantom Imprint, Illusion(perhaps), Dark Fog
*Magic Missile and Magic Flare still unknown for me. So far I never face any mobs that will reduce those 2 attack damage and I rarely use them now.
Both pure INT and normal LUK build is suitable for Evan as its mobbing skill are mostly Fire Element. So it would be suitable to use Fire Elemental wand/staff. However, do remind that using elemental staff will decrease some skill's damage like Dark Fog for 25% as it is not out of the 4 element stated. Reverse staff/wand is a good option also but however, lower damage compare to level 130 elemental wand and 163 elemental staff and it does not provide bonus damage for Fire Elemental attack.
Battle Mage
This class is quite mysterious for me as it haven't launch in MapleSEA. However, I did get some information from Basil Market about this new class that has been launch in KMS. But I have no idea what type of elemental attack it would be for Battle Mage but for sure is Battle Mage are only allowed to use staff(NO WAND) as it's booster and mastery skill has mentioned, Staff Booster and Staff Mastery. Since they can only use staff, pure INT build is strongly not advisable as you can only use Maple Widam Staff until level 200. If you wish to make a Battle Mage, just make a normal LUK one will do as the highest level LUKless staff for now is level 64 which damage is far lower than reverse staff(may be MapleSEA will launch lvl 77 staff as new maple weapon but damage still far lower than reverse staff)
Well, before I ends up, here's my conclusion~
Arch Mage F/P
Pure INT - Recommended
Normal - Recommended
Arch Mage I/L
Pure INT - Recommended
Normal - Recommended
Bishop
Pure INT - Not Recommended
Normal - Recommended
Evan
Pure INT - Recommended
Normal - Recommended
Battle Mage
Pure INT - Not Recommended
Normal - Recommended
Reference and Credits
*Note : The above guide is just a suggestion from me. It is your decision to decide what type of mages you are going to make.
Happy Mapling~
