Level-by-level SP allocation for Magician. Every advancement below has one or more named builds - each with a per-level table, cumulative skill totals in every column, and a paragraph explaining why the build is shaped the way it is. Formatted after the classicAyumiloveconvention for MapleStory skill build guides.
1 advancementdocumented so far. Full ladder (2nd, 3rd jobs) landing in follow-up sprints. Skill max levels and IDs are CoT 2 verified; per-level plans reflect widely-accepted v83 meta.
Magician (1st Job)
Lv. 8–30· 23 SP total· Advancement at Grendel the Really Old, Ellinia
Magicians advance at Lv 8 (not 10 like other classes), giving 22 free levels + 1 SP at advancement = 23 SP. Advance early = more SP. Magic Guard MUST be maxed - it's the only reason mages don't die in 3 hits. The debate is just whether the last 3 SP go into Magic Claw (damage) or MP utility (safety).
Magic Guard Priority (Standard)
Recommended
MAX Magic Guard first, splash Magic Claw with the last 2 SP. The universally-recommended v83 build.
Magic Guard at max converts 85% of incoming damage to MP loss. At Magic Guard 1, that number is only 39% - you take 61% of hits to your HP pool of maybe 200. You WILL die at MG 1-9 without careful positioning. Rush Magic Guard to 20 as fast as possible; take 1 Energy Bolt at advancement to have an attack, then splash 2 leftover SP into Magic Claw for its double-hit. Total: 1 EB + 20 MG + 2 MC = 23 SP.
Lv.
SP
Improve MaxMP/ 10
Improve MP Recovery/ 16
Magic Guard/ 20
Magic Armor/ 20
Energy Bolt/ 20
Magic Claw/ 20
Note
8
+1
1
Advance at Lv 8 - need an attack skill
9
+1
1
1
Start Magic Guard - literal survival
10
+1
2
1
11
+1
3
1
12
+1
4
1
13
+1
5
1
14
+1
6
1
15
+1
7
1
16
+1
8
1
17
+1
9
1
18
+1
10
1
19
+1
11
1
20
+1
12
1
21
+1
13
1
22
+1
14
1
23
+1
15
1
24
+1
16
1
25
+1
17
1
26
+1
18
1
27
+1
19
1
28
+1
20
1
Magic Guard MAXED - now 85% damage-to-MP
29
+1
20
1
1
Splash Magic Claw for the double-hit
30
+1
20
1
2
MC at 2. Advance to Cleric / F.P. Wizard / I.L. Wizard
End state (23 SP spent)
Magic Guard: 20 / 20
Energy Bolt: 1 / 20
Magic Claw: 2 / 20
Magic Claw Hybrid (Aggressive)
Split Magic Guard 10 / Magic Claw 12. More damage, more risk. For confident kiters only.
Magic Guard at 10 already gives ~57% damage-to-MP conversion - enough to survive if you kite properly with Teleport (which you don't have yet - so DON'T do this build if you're new to mage). This build front-loads MG to a survivable 10 then pivots to Magic Claw for actual damage output. You'll clear mobs 30-40% faster than the standard build but you WILL die more. Blue potions get more expensive because your MP pool takes more of the damage load.
