Table of Contents
Introduction
We recommend the AoE Assist build, especially for those who plan to transition into a Billposter later on. From what we’ve heard and seen, Assist and Billposter are quite limited in the auto-attack department, mainly due to their reliance on buffs. This isn’t to say that other classes don’t face similar challenges, but Assists have a unique disadvantage in that they primarily rely on a single skill—Temping Hole—to level efficiently.
Temping Hole can be effective, and we’ve heard of players who leveled from 15 to 60 using it. However, it’s not an appealing option for everyone, and it can feel monotonous. Personally, we’ve never found this skill particularly convincing, which is why we lean towards a different approach. The main challenge is getting to level 28 with Temping Hole, where you unlock Burst Crack. Unfortunately, there’s no way to skip this step, which can be a bit frustrating, but it’s manageable.
If you already had your 2nd job change here is the guide for the STR AoE Billposter.
Stat Points ("H")
Let’s talk about stat points, one of the more interesting aspects of character development. I recommend going full STA (Stamina) until level 28. This approach allows you to get a feel for how much defense and HP you’ll need, ensuring you don’t face the worst-case scenario of being unable to tank mobs at your level. At low levels, it’s nearly impossible to boost your HP through equipment upgrades, so focusing on STA early on is essential.
Skill Points ("K")
Skill allocation as an Assist is relatively straightforward. Focus on maxing Temping Hole first, followed by Stonehand, Burst Crack, and Prevention. These are the essential skills for your build.
For your supporter (or if you have spare skill points), make sure to max out key buffs such as 1. Heap Up, 2. Patience, 3. Cats Reflex and then 4. Beef Up.
The primary goal with skill allocation is to maximize your tanking ability so you can survive large pulls. Once you’re confident in your tankiness, you can start investing points in offensive skills to improve your kill speed. Skills like Quick Step are nice to have but not essential, so prioritize survivability and damage output first.
Sets
The Level 15 Sardine/Curus Set can be worn but is by no means essential. The 5% reduced casting time only benefits those using a stick for casting spells. If you’re using a knuckle, this bonus is irrelevant, as there’s no casting time reduction for physical skills like Temping Hole. While the set offers reduced MP consumption, this isn’t a significant advantage.
At level 28, you unlock Burst Crack, making the Level 30 Talin/Sayram Set obsolete if you’re switching to AoE attacks. While you can still wear it for the defense, NPC equipment with higher defense stats quickly outclasses it. The Level 45 Wedge/Flury Set, like the Level 15 set, reduces MP consumption but doesn’t offer much else beyond basic defense. As an Assist, you’re not reliant on any specific armor set, so you’re free to use whatever drops from mobs or buy better gear from NPCs. This flexibility makes gearing up straightforward, as you don’t need anything special when it comes to armor.
There is still one other option: CW Rashadain/Yuandain Set (Clockworks Set) Level 50-53, which offers excellent defense, 100 additional damage, this set is suited for AoE builds.
Shields
As an Assist, you’ll always use a shield, which plays a crucial role in your build. As always, the rare Shields (Light, Battle, Fury, Heavy, Avalon Shield) are your best bet with all stats +1~4. They provide additional all stats+ bonuses and have a high defense value, making them extremely useful. These bonuses might seem minor, but they contribute to your STR, which in turn increases both your damage and HP. While the stat boosts from shields may seem small, they become significant when combined with your overall build.
Knuckles
When it comes to knuckles, we recommend using the high attack value Level 30 Entanale Knuckle (from a quest). Before the knuckle you use isn’t too important. At level 45, the Paipol Knuckle becomes available, offering 5 STA.
At level 51, the Appel Knuckle provides 100 HP and 100 MP, which might be more beneficial than 5 STA depending on your needs. Finally, at level 57, the Zikmoon Knuckle offers 3 STA and a much higher attack value. Overall, all uncommon knuckles are appealing.
Jewelry
For jewelry, we suggest using Stam Ring+3 and Plug Earring+3, an a Gore Necklace+3—basically a full tank setup. While you can switch these out later, you get a free restat at level 60, so it’s better to go all-in on tanking early on. This approach lets you take advantage of high monster density in many areas, allowing you to pull large groups of mobs and deal with them efficiently.
If you find yourself practically unkillable, you can start adding STR (Strength) with each level up or swap out one of your STA-based jewelry with a Vigor Ring+3. Early on, your jewelry will provide minimal stat bonuses, so you won’t notice a significant difference. You can experiment with different setups, depending on your support situation. For example, having a Ringmaster or Full INT Assist supporting you will significantly influence how much you need to focus on defense versus offense.
Our personal recommendation is to stick with a full tank STA build, allowing you to pull more monsters at once. While you might kill mobs a bit slower, the overall result should be about the same as if you were killing fewer mobs more quickly. Of course, how you distribute your stats ultimately depends on your playstyle and the support you have available.
Source: The Guide was originally explained by Spielestyler in his YouTube video in German.
