MapleStory Night Lord Guide ⎯ Comprehensive Plan
This comprehensive guide details the Night Lord’s skill progression, equipment choices, and bossing capabilities within MapleStory, aiding players from early to late game stages.
It covers optimal skill builds, star recommendations, and inner ability considerations for maximizing the Night Lord’s potential.
The Night Lord, a thrilling fourth job advancement within the Thief class, stands as a formidable damage dealer in MapleStory. Players embark on a journey beginning as a Rogue at level 10, progressing to Assassin at 30, and ultimately achieving Hermit status at level 60.
This class excels in swift, high-damage attacks utilizing throwing weapons and claw-based combat. Night Lords are renowned for their mobility and burst potential, making them highly sought-after for bossing and efficient training. Mastering the Night Lord requires strategic skill allocation and understanding of its unique mechanics, as detailed in this guide.
Prepare to delve into the shadows!
Night Lord Job Advancement
Night Lord follows a distinct job advancement path originating from the Thief class. The journey begins at level 10, where players become a Rogue, laying the foundation for stealth and agility. At level 30, Rogues advance to the Assassin job, honing their skills in critical strikes and evasion.
The pivotal moment arrives at level 60, where Assassins transform into Hermits, unlocking the Night Lord’s signature abilities. This final advancement grants access to powerful throwing skills and claw-based attacks. Understanding this progression is crucial for optimizing your character’s development.
Each stage builds upon the last!
Thief Class Overview
The Thief class in MapleStory serves as the base for the Night Lord, emphasizing dexterity, speed, and cunning. Thieves excel at evasion and dealing consistent damage, relying on quick attacks and strategic positioning. They possess inherent skills focused on stealing, dodging, and exploiting enemy weaknesses.
Early-game Thieves focus on building agility and critical hit rate. This foundation is vital for transitioning into the Night Lord, as many core skills build upon these attributes. Mastering the Thief’s basic mechanics is essential for a smooth and effective job advancement process, setting the stage for powerful throws.
Job Advancement Levels (Rogue, Assassin, Hermit)
Night Lords follow a specific job advancement path, beginning as a Rogue at level 10. This initial stage focuses on foundational Thief skills and establishing core combat mechanics. At level 30, players advance to Assassin, unlocking more aggressive skills and enhancing damage output.
The pivotal moment arrives at level 60, where players become Hermits, gaining access to the signature throwing skills that define the Night Lord. Each advancement unlocks unique skill trees, progressively building towards the Night Lord’s ultimate potential. Understanding this progression is key to efficient leveling and skill allocation.
Skill Build ⎯ Early Game (Levels 10-60)
Early game for Night Lords centers around building a solid foundation for future skill specialization. Prioritize maximizing core Thief skills for efficient mobbing. From levels 10-30, focus on skills that enhance movement and basic attack power. As you transition into the Assassin class (levels 30-60), begin investing in skills like Shadow Step and Smoke Screen for survivability.
Crucially, start allocating points into skills that will eventually synergize with Hermit abilities, like Throwing Star. A balanced approach ensures both effective leveling and preparation for the mid-game power spike.
Initial Skill Allocation (Levels 10-30)
Levels 10-30 as a Rogue demand a focus on foundational skills. Begin with maximizing Hiding and Quick Escape for mobility and safety. Allocate points into Thief’s Eye to improve item acquisition rates. Prioritize skills that boost attack speed and critical hit chance, even at a basic level, to enhance early-game damage output.
Consider a 1:1 ratio between Hiding and Quick Escape initially. Don’t neglect basic attack skills; they remain relevant. This phase is about establishing a comfortable leveling rhythm and preparing for the Assassin advancement.
Assassin Skill Focus (Levels 30-60)
Levels 30-60, as an Assassin, prioritize maximizing Shadow Step for enhanced mobility and evasion. Invest heavily in Triple Throw, aiming for a substantial number of points, as it becomes a core damage skill. Begin allocating points into Maple Weapon Mastery to increase weapon proficiency and damage. Shadow Star should receive at least one point to unlock further skills.
Focus on skills that synergize with throwing attacks. While leveling, maintain a balance between damage output and survivability. Prepare for the transition to the Hermit advancement by building a solid foundation of offensive capabilities.
Skill Build ⎻ Mid Game (Levels 60-120)
Levels 60-120, as a Hermit, prioritize maximizing Triple Throw for consistent damage. Focus on Hermit skills like Shadow Star, allocating points to enhance its effectiveness. Maple Weapon Mastery should be maxed to boost overall damage output. Begin investing in skills that will become crucial later, such as Claw Mastery, unlocking Critical Throw.
This phase is about refining your core damage rotation. Efficient skill usage and understanding skill synergies are key. Prepare for late-game content by building a strong foundation of offensive and defensive capabilities.
Hermit Skill Prioritization
Hermit skills are central to the Night Lord’s damage output. Immediately after job advancement, maxing Triple Throw is paramount for consistent damage. Following this, invest in Shadow Star, allocating at least one point to unlock further skill progression. Maple Weapon Mastery should be prioritized to amplify overall damage. Claw Mastery is next, aiming for at least three points to unlock Critical Throw, a significant damage boost.
Focus on skills that directly enhance your primary damage rotation, building a solid foundation for later skill investments.
Triple Throw Maximization
Triple Throw is the cornerstone of the Night Lord’s early and mid-game damage. Maximizing this skill is crucial for efficient mobbing and bossing. Prioritize leveling it to the maximum rank as quickly as possible. Its consistent damage output and relatively low skill point investment make it incredibly efficient.
Combine Triple Throw with enhancements like increased attack speed and critical rate to further amplify its effectiveness. Remember to consider boss mechanics when utilizing this skill, positioning yourself for optimal throws.
Shadow Star & Maple Weapon Mastery
Shadow Star, while not a primary damage dealer, offers valuable utility for mobility and positioning. Invest a single point to unlock its benefits, allowing for quicker map traversal and strategic maneuvering during boss encounters. Following this, focus on Maple Weapon Mastery.
Maple Weapon Mastery significantly boosts damage output with claw weapons, the Night Lord’s preferred armament. Maxing this skill is essential for maximizing overall damage potential. Prioritize it after Triple Throw and before investing heavily in other damage skills.
Skill Build ⎯ Late Game (Levels 120+)
Late-game Night Lord skill allocation centers around maximizing burst damage and sustained DPS. Critical Throw and Claw Mastery are paramount; fully invest in both to unlock the skill’s full potential and enhance claw-based attacks. Subsequently, prioritize Claw Booster for a substantial damage amplification effect.
Dark Screen provides significant damage, but its cooldown necessitates strategic usage. Maximize it alongside core damage skills. Remember to continually reassess skill points based on evolving game mechanics and personal playstyle, optimizing for peak performance.
Critical Throw & Claw Mastery
Critical Throw is a cornerstone of the late-game Night Lord, demanding full investment after unlocking it via Claw Mastery. Initially, allocate three points into Claw Mastery to enable Critical Throw, then dedicate all remaining points to maximizing its damage output. Following this, invest five additional points into Claw Mastery to unlock Claw Booster.
Critical Throw’s effectiveness scales with Claw Mastery, making both skills essential for substantial damage increases. Prioritizing these ensures a powerful, claw-focused build capable of tackling high-level content.
Claw Booster & Dark Screen
After maximizing Critical Throw and sufficiently investing in Claw Mastery, focus on Claw Booster to further amplify claw damage. This skill significantly boosts the Night Lord’s offensive capabilities, synergizing perfectly with Critical Throw. Subsequently, allocate points into Dark Screen, a crucial skill for both damage and survivability.
Dark Screen provides a damage buff while also offering defensive utility, making it invaluable in boss encounters. Prioritizing these skills ensures a well-rounded build, maximizing both damage output and survivability for challenging content.
5th Job Skills ⎯ Prioritization
When unlocking 5th Job skills, prioritize Throw Blasting first, as it provides a substantial damage boost to your throws. Following this, invest in Throwing Star Barrage for consistent area damage and increased mobbing efficiency. Dark Lord’s Omen is next, offering a powerful damage amplification effect crucial for bossing encounters.
Finally, allocate points into Shurrikane, which adds another layer of damage to your rotation. This skill order ensures a balanced progression, maximizing your Night Lord’s overall damage output and utility in both PvE and PvP scenarios.
Throw Blasting
Throw Blasting is a core 5th Job skill for Night Lords, significantly enhancing throw damage. It launches a concentrated burst of energy with your thrown weapons, dealing substantial damage to a single target. Maximizing this skill is paramount for optimizing bossing potential, as it synergizes exceptionally well with Critical Throw and Claw Mastery.
The skill’s effectiveness scales with weapon attack and critical rate, making investment in these stats crucial. Prioritize leveling Throw Blasting early in your 5th Job progression to immediately see a noticeable increase in damage output.
Throwing Star Barrage
Throwing Star Barrage is a powerful area-of-effect 5th Job skill for Night Lords, unleashing a rapid succession of throwing stars. This skill excels at clearing mobs efficiently and provides consistent damage in multi-target scenarios. While not as impactful as Throw Blasting for single-target bossing, it remains a valuable asset for map clearing and training.
Leveling Throwing Star Barrage after Throw Blasting offers a balanced approach to 5th Job skill progression. It complements the Night Lord’s existing mobbing capabilities, making it a worthwhile investment for overall gameplay efficiency.
Dark Lord’s Omen
Dark Lord’s Omen, a 5th Job skill for Night Lords, is a potent damage amplifier, though it requires strategic timing for optimal use. It doesn’t offer the immediate burst of Throw Blasting, but provides sustained damage increases when utilized correctly during boss encounters. Mastering its activation window is crucial for maximizing its effectiveness.
Prioritizing Dark Lord’s Omen after Throwing Star Barrage offers a solid progression path. While not the highest priority, it adds a layer of complexity and potential damage output to the Night Lord’s skillset, enhancing overall bossing capabilities.
Shurrikane
Shurrikane, the final 5th Job skill for Night Lords, serves as a supplementary damage source, though it’s generally considered the least impactful of the four. While it adds to overall damage output, its contribution is noticeably smaller compared to skills like Throw Blasting or Throwing Star Barrage.
Investing points into Shurrikane is typically done after maximizing the other 5th Job skills. It’s a decent addition for completing the skill tree, but shouldn’t be prioritized during initial skill allocation. It provides a minor damage boost, but isn’t essential for effective gameplay;
Equipment Recommendations
Night Lord equipment progression focuses on maximizing damage and critical hit rate. Early game, prioritize items with high attack and potential. As you progress, Absolab and Gollux sets become crucial. Aim for full Absolab for consistent damage, then supplement with Gollux for increased stat caps.
Consider potentialing your gear with attack % and critical damage. A well-rounded setup includes a high-tier weapon, a suitable shield (if applicable), and appropriate accessories. Players currently at 18k luc are actively working towards completing these sets for optimal performance.
Early Game Gear
Early game Night Lord gearing centers around affordable, readily available items. Focus on maximizing attack power and potential. Prioritize weapons with decent damage and consider upgrading them as funds allow. Basic pendants and rings offering attack percentage are beneficial.
Look for equipment with potential lines that boost damage or critical hit rate. While expensive sets aren’t necessary initially, building a foundation of solid attack-focused gear is vital. Remember to consistently upgrade your equipment as you level to maintain optimal damage output throughout the early stages of progression.
Mid-Game Gear (Absolab, Gollux)
Mid-game Night Lord progression significantly benefits from Absolab and Gollux set pieces. Absolab provides a strong all-around stat boost, enhancing damage and survivability. Aim for at least a few pieces, prioritizing the weapon and armor. Gollux gear, particularly the shoulder and belt, offers crucial stat increases like attack and HP.
Supplement these sets with star force enhanced equipment. Focus on achieving a respectable star force level on your weapon and armor. Prioritize potential upgrades to maximize damage output. This gear foundation will enable efficient training and bossing.
Stars and Inner Ability
Optimal star choices for the Night Lord lean towards Steelys, offering a balanced stat distribution. However, if cosmetic preferences are strong, consider other options. The key is consistent star forcing to maximize potential. Regarding Inner Ability, focus on options that boost damage output, such as Lucid or Willpower.
These provide significant damage multipliers. Crit rate and boss damage are also valuable considerations. Prioritize an Inner Ability that complements your overall build and playstyle, enhancing your Night Lord’s effectiveness in both training and boss encounters.
Optimal Star Choices
Steelys are widely considered the best star choice for Night Lords due to their balanced stat distribution, providing a solid foundation for damage and survivability. While other stars exist, Steelys offer consistent benefits. Players hoping for cosmetic variety might consider alternatives, but acknowledge potential stat trade-offs.
If Nexon were to introduce a system allowing cosmetic star changes, this decision would become more flexible. Consistent star forcing is crucial, aiming for high-tier stars to maximize potential and overall character power. Prioritize consistent upgrades over purely aesthetic choices.
Inner Ability Considerations
For Night Lords, prioritizing Inner Ability choices revolves around maximizing damage output. Focus on abilities that directly enhance critical hit rate, critical damage, and boss damage. Consider options that synergize with the class’s reliance on consistent, high-damage throws.
Stat-boosting Inner Abilities, like increased Strength or Dexterity, are also valuable, contributing to overall attack power. Carefully evaluate each option based on your current gear and skill build, tailoring your choices to complement your playstyle. Consistent upgrades to Inner Abilities are vital for sustained progression.
Bossing Potential
Night Lords excel in bossing due to their consistent damage output and mobility. Their ability to rapidly reposition and deliver high bursts of damage makes them effective against various boss mechanics. However, they can struggle with bosses requiring extremely high single-hit damage or those with significant damage reduction.
Proper positioning and timing of skills, particularly Critical Throw and Dark Screen, are crucial for maximizing damage. A well-geared Night Lord can comfortably handle most end-game content, but strategic play is essential for overcoming challenging encounters.
Night Lord Bossing Strengths
Night Lords demonstrate significant bossing strengths through consistent, sustained damage. Their mobility, facilitated by skills like Shadow Step, allows for quick repositioning to avoid boss attacks and maintain optimal damage output. The class excels at applying debuffs, enhancing team damage.
Furthermore, Night Lords possess strong burst potential with skills like Critical Throw, enabling them to capitalize on boss vulnerability windows. Their relatively simple rotation makes them accessible for players learning bossing mechanics, while still offering a high skill ceiling for optimization.
Night Lord Bossing Weaknesses
Night Lords can struggle with bosses requiring precise timing or complex movement patterns due to reliance on consistent auto-attack weaving. Their damage output, while steady, may be lower compared to hyper-burst classes, potentially extending boss fight durations.
Furthermore, Night Lords are somewhat gear-dependent to reach optimal damage levels, requiring investment in equipment like Absolab and Gollux. Certain bosses with high defense or immunity to debuffs can mitigate the Night Lord’s effectiveness, demanding strategic adaptation and team coordination.