MapleStory’s Shadower excels in hunting, utility, and mobility, though canceling and installation present challenges; this guide details core enhancements and abilities.
Marty, a long-time Thief class enthusiast, crafted this comprehensive Shadower guide specifically for MapleRoyals, highlighting stealth, flashy skills, and gameplay.
What is a Shadower?
The Shadower, a fourth job advancement for the Thief class in MapleStory, is renowned for its exceptional mobility and deceptive tactics. This class distinguishes itself through a unique playstyle centered around stealth, evasion, and burst damage. Unlike traditional warriors or mages, Shadowers rely on positioning and precise timing to maximize their effectiveness. They excel at quickly navigating maps with Boomerang Step, a core skill enabling rapid movement and strategic positioning.
Shadowers aren’t about sustained, prolonged fights; instead, they focus on delivering significant damage through skills like Assassinate, capitalizing on vulnerabilities. Their strengths lie in hunting, utility, and a high degree of maneuverability, making them formidable opponents in both player versus environment (PvE) and player versus player (PvP) scenarios. However, mastering the Shadower requires understanding its limitations, including potential difficulties with skill cancellation and installation restrictions.
Shadower Strengths and Weaknesses
Shadowers boast impressive strengths, notably excelling in hunting efficiency due to their mobility and burst damage. Their utility shines through skills like Smokescreen, providing defensive options, and Shadow Shifter, enhancing evasion. Exceptional mobility, largely thanks to Boomerang Step, allows for quick map traversal and strategic positioning. However, Shadowers aren’t without weaknesses.
A significant challenge lies in skill cancellation, demanding precise timing and execution. Installation restrictions can hinder consistent damage output, and certain skill flaws require careful consideration. While capable of high damage, Shadowers may struggle with sustained fights compared to classes focused on continuous attacks. Mastering the class requires mitigating these weaknesses through strategic skill usage and optimized equipment choices to fully unlock their potential.
Shadower’s Role in MapleStory
Within MapleStory, the Shadower primarily functions as a highly mobile and versatile damage dealer. Their skillset allows for efficient map clearing, making them excellent for grinding and training. The class excels at burst damage, capable of quickly eliminating enemies with well-timed skill combinations, particularly utilizing Assassinate. Beyond damage, Shadowers provide valuable utility through skills like Smokescreen, aiding in survivability and team support.
They are well-suited for both solo play and party content, adapting to various situations with their diverse toolkit. While not traditionally considered top-tier in bossing, optimized builds and skillful play can yield impressive results. Shadowers thrive in roles requiring quick movement, strategic positioning, and the ability to exploit enemy weaknesses, making them a dynamic and engaging class to master.
Early Game Skill Build (Level 1-100)
Prioritize core skills like Boomerang Step, Assassinate, and Shadow Step during levels 1-100, focusing on maximizing early mobility and initial damage output.
Prioritizing Core Skills
Early skill allocation for the Shadower demands a strategic approach, focusing on foundational abilities that enhance both damage and survivability. Initially, invest one skill point into Assassinate, Shadow Shifter, and Venomous Stab to unlock their potential. However, the immediate priority lies in maximizing Boomerang Step.
From levels 1 to 121, dedicate skill points to Boomerang Step, aiming for at least 1/40. Subsequently, continue leveling Assassinate to 1/40, Shadow Shifter to 1/30, and Venomous Stab to 1/30. This initial investment establishes a solid base for efficient map traversal and consistent damage dealing, crucial for navigating the early stages of MapleStory. Remember to adhere to skill prerequisites during this phase.
Boomerang Step — Maximizing Early Mobility
Boomerang Step is undeniably the cornerstone of the early Shadower experience, providing unparalleled mobility for both training and bossing. Prioritize maximizing this skill to 40/40 between levels 122 and 134. This investment dramatically increases your ability to navigate maps quickly, dodge enemy attacks, and position yourself optimally for Assassinate combos.
The skill’s effectiveness stems from its ability to reposition you swiftly, allowing for hit-and-run tactics and efficient monster clearing. Mastering Boomerang Step’s timing and range is crucial. It’s not merely about reaching destinations faster; it’s about controlling the battlefield and maintaining a safe distance while dealing consistent damage. This early focus sets the stage for a fluid and dynamic playstyle.
Assassinate — Initial Damage Skill
Assassinate serves as your primary damage source in the early game, laying the foundation for your offensive capabilities. Begin with a single skill point investment at level 1, and gradually increase it alongside Boomerang Step. While not initially overwhelming, Assassinate’s damage scales with level and further skill investment, becoming increasingly potent as you progress.
Effectively utilizing Assassinate requires strategic positioning, often in conjunction with Boomerang Step for quick strikes and evasions. Aim for back attacks whenever possible to maximize damage output. Remember to prioritize maximizing your core skills before branching out, ensuring a solid damage base. This early focus on Assassinate establishes a reliable damage rotation.
Shadow Step ⎼ Utility and Positioning
Shadow Step is a cornerstone of the Shadower’s kit, providing crucial utility and positioning options. Invest one initial skill point at level 1, recognizing its value extends beyond pure damage. This skill allows for quick repositioning during combat, enabling strategic attacks and evasive maneuvers. Mastering Shadow Step is vital for navigating challenging encounters and maximizing your overall effectiveness.
Utilize Shadow Step to reach optimal attack positions, particularly for backstabs with Assassinate. It also serves as an escape mechanism, allowing you to quickly disengage from dangerous situations. While its damage isn’t substantial, its utility is invaluable. Prioritize understanding its range and cooldown to fully leverage its potential in both PvE and PvP scenarios.
Mid-Game Skill Build (Level 101-140)
Focus on Venomous Stab for poison damage, strategically allocating skill points; maximize Boomerang Step and begin understanding the nuances of Shadow Shifter.
Venomous Stab — Adding Poison Damage
Venomous Stab introduces a crucial element to the Shadower’s damage output: poison. While not immediately overwhelming, the consistent damage over time significantly boosts overall hunting efficiency, particularly against slower-moving monsters. Prioritize leveling this skill within the 101-140 range, aiming for at least level 30 by level 140.
The skill’s effectiveness scales with enemy defense, making it more valuable in later stages of the game. It synergizes well with the Shadower’s mobility, allowing you to apply poison stacks consistently while maintaining a safe distance. Remember to consider the skill’s relatively low base damage when evaluating its contribution to your overall damage profile; it’s the sustained poison that truly shines.
Skill Point Allocation Strategy
A methodical approach to skill point allocation is vital for optimizing your Shadower’s progression. Initially, invest one skill point into each skill to unlock prerequisites. Following this, prioritize maximizing Boomerang Step for enhanced mobility, a cornerstone of the class. Subsequently, focus on Assassinate and Shadow Shifter, building a foundation for damage and evasion.
Between levels 122-134, dedicate points to fully maxing Boomerang Step (40/40). From levels 135-147, allocate points towards Smokescreen (39/40). Remember to account for skill prerequisites. Any surplus skill points can be freely distributed based on personal preference and playstyle, allowing for customization.
Maximizing Boomerang Step
Boomerang Step is arguably the Shadower’s most defining skill, granting unparalleled mobility and positioning control. Prioritize reaching the maximum level (40/40) as early as possible, specifically between levels 122 and 134, to fully unlock its potential. This investment dramatically improves your ability to navigate maps, evade attacks, and efficiently clear content.
Mastering Boomerang Step involves understanding its range and cooldown. Utilize it strategically for quick repositioning during boss encounters and seamless map traversal while grinding. A maxed Boomerang Step is fundamental to the Shadower’s playstyle, enabling fluid movement and consistent damage output. It’s a core skill for both beginners and veterans.
Understanding Shadow Shifter
Shadow Shifter provides crucial evasion and mobility, becoming increasingly important as you progress. Initially, allocate one skill point (1/30) and gradually increase it alongside other core skills. While not as immediately impactful as Boomerang Step, Shadow Shifter offers a valuable defensive layer, allowing you to dodge incoming attacks and reposition during challenging encounters.
Between levels 149 and beyond, further investment in Shadow Shifter enhances its effectiveness. It complements Boomerang Step, providing an additional layer of safety and control. Mastering its timing and usage is key to maximizing survivability, particularly in boss battles where precise movement and evasion are paramount for a successful Shadower.
Late Game Skill Build (Level 141-200)
Focus on Smokescreen for defense, mastering Assassinate, and optimizing Shadow Shifter; distribute remaining points based on preference and playstyle.
Smokescreen ⎼ Defensive Utility
Smokescreen is a pivotal defensive skill for the Shadower, offering crucial survivability in challenging content. Reaching maximum level (40/40) by level 135-147 is highly recommended for consistent uptime. This skill provides temporary invincibility, allowing you to evade devastating attacks from bosses and powerful monsters.
Strategic use of Smokescreen requires timing and awareness. It’s not simply an “oh no” button; anticipate incoming damage and activate it proactively. Mastering its duration and cooldown is essential for maximizing its effectiveness. Combine it with Shadow Shifter for even greater evasiveness, creating a highly mobile and resilient character. Properly utilized, Smokescreen significantly enhances a Shadower’s ability to withstand punishment and maintain consistent damage output.
Assassinate Mastery
Assassinate serves as a core damage skill for the Shadower, and maximizing its potential is paramount. Begin with a single point investment at level 1, then progressively increase it alongside other key skills. By level 148, aim for 3/40, and continue prioritizing it throughout the late game; Focus on enhancing Assassinate through Hyper Skills, specifically the ‘Assassinate’ enhancements – Reinforce, Boss Rush, and Guardbreak – to significantly boost its damage output.
Effective Assassinate usage relies on positioning and timing. Utilize Boomerang Step to quickly maneuver into optimal attack angles. Mastering the skill’s animation and range allows for consistent hits. Remember to synergize it with other skills for maximum effect, creating a deadly and efficient damage rotation.
Shadow Shifter Optimization
Shadow Shifter is a crucial mobility tool for Shadowers, enabling swift repositioning and evasion. Initially, invest one skill point at level 1, then gradually increase it to 1/30 by level 121. Continue to level 149, allocating 2 additional points for a total of 1/30. Optimize its use by understanding its cooldown and range, allowing for precise and timely dodges.
Synergize Shadow Shifter with Boomerang Step for unparalleled maneuverability. Use it to escape dangerous situations or quickly close the gap on enemies. Mastering the timing of Shadow Shifter is key to maximizing its effectiveness in both PvE and PvP scenarios, enhancing survivability and damage potential.
Advanced Skill Point Distribution
Beyond level 148, Shadower skill point allocation becomes more flexible. After maximizing core skills like Boomerang Step (40/40) and Smokescreen (40/40), prioritize Assassinate to 3/40 at level 148. Continue enhancing Shadow Shifter to 1/30 and Venomous Stab to 1/30.
Remember, you’ll accumulate extra skill points. Utilize these to further refine your preferred playstyle. Consider investing in additional levels of Assassinate for increased damage output, or explore maximizing Venomous Stab for sustained damage over time. Experimentation is encouraged to tailor your Shadower build to your specific needs and preferences.
Hyper Skill Build
Prioritize Meso Explosion for passive income, then enhance Assassinate with Boss Rush and Guardbreak for damage and utility improvements.
Meso Explosion ⎼ Passive Income
Meso Explosion is a cornerstone of the Shadower’s hyper skill build, providing a substantial and consistent source of passive income. This skill dramatically increases the amount of mesos obtained from monsters, making grinding significantly more profitable. Investing heavily in reinforcing and enhancing Meso Explosion is highly recommended for players focused on wealth accumulation and funding their character’s progression.
Unlike skills directly impacting combat prowess, Meso Explosion operates in the background, steadily bolstering your financial resources. This allows for faster equipment upgrades, potential enhancements, and overall character development. Prioritizing this hyper skill is particularly beneficial for those aiming to achieve high Star Force levels or acquire premium cosmetic items within MapleStory.
Assassinate Enhancements
Focusing hyper skill points on Assassinate significantly amplifies its damage output, making it a core component of the Shadower’s burst potential; Reinforcing this skill is crucial, followed by enhancing it to maximize its effectiveness against both single targets and bosses. Prioritize the ‘Boss Rush’ enhancement within Assassinate, as it provides a substantial damage boost specifically against boss monsters.
The Shadower’s gameplay often revolves around strategically utilizing Assassinate in conjunction with other skills like Boomerang Step. Therefore, investing in its enhancements directly translates to improved overall performance. Consider allocating points to further refine Assassinate’s capabilities, ensuring it remains a reliable and potent damage source throughout your MapleStory journey.
Boss Rush ⎼ Increased Boss Damage
The ‘Boss Rush’ hyper skill is paramount for Shadowers aiming to excel in bossing content within MapleStory. This enhancement directly increases damage dealt to bosses, significantly improving clear times and overall efficiency. Prioritizing ‘Boss Rush’ alongside Assassinate enhancements creates a synergistic effect, maximizing the Shadower’s burst potential against challenging encounters.
Investing in ‘Boss Rush’ is particularly valuable given the Shadower’s reliance on burst damage. It complements the class’s mobility and utility, allowing for strategic positioning and maximized damage windows. Regularly reinforcing and enhancing ‘Boss Rush’ ensures the Shadower remains a competitive force in high-level bossing scenarios, contributing effectively to party play.
Guardbreak ⎼ Utility and Control
The ‘Guardbreak’ hyper skill provides crucial utility and control for Shadowers, enabling disruption of boss attacks and creating opportunities for sustained damage. This skill is invaluable in scenarios where bosses possess strong defensive mechanics or require precise timing for counterattacks. Combining ‘Guardbreak’ with the Shadower’s inherent mobility allows for strategic positioning and effective control of the battlefield.
Enhancing ‘Guardbreak’ alongside Assassinate and ‘Boss Rush’ creates a well-rounded hyper skill build, addressing both damage output and utility. Mastering the timing and application of ‘Guardbreak’ significantly elevates the Shadower’s contribution to party bossing, making them a valuable asset in challenging content.
Important Skills and Synergies
Shadower skill synergy revolves around ‘Boomerang Step’ and ‘Assassinate’ combos, ‘Smokescreen’ for defense, ‘Shadow Shifter’ for evasion, and ‘Venomous Stab’ for damage.
Boomerang Step and Assassinate Combo
The core of a Shadower’s damage output lies in the seamless integration of ‘Boomerang Step’ and ‘Assassinate’. ‘Boomerang Step’ provides the crucial mobility needed to quickly position yourself behind enemies, setting up the perfect angle for a devastating ‘Assassinate’ strike. Mastering this combo is paramount for efficient mobbing and bossing.
Maximize ‘Boomerang Step’ to its maximum level early on, as it’s your primary movement tool. Utilize it to repeatedly teleport behind targets, chaining ‘Assassinate’ attacks for consistent damage. This combo isn’t just about raw power; it’s about maintaining a constant offensive pressure, exploiting enemy weaknesses, and controlling the battlefield. Practice timing and positioning to truly unlock its potential.
Smokescreen for Survivability
‘Smokescreen’ is a cornerstone of the Shadower’s defensive capabilities, offering invaluable protection in challenging situations. This skill creates a cloud of smoke, granting invincibility frames and significantly reducing incoming damage. It’s not merely a panic button; strategic use of ‘Smokescreen’ can completely alter the course of a battle.
Employ ‘Smokescreen’ proactively to avoid predictable boss attacks or to disengage from overwhelming mob encounters. Its utility extends beyond damage mitigation, allowing for safe repositioning and setup for counter-attacks. Maxing ‘Smokescreen’ is highly recommended, as its duration and cooldown are critical for sustained survivability. Combine it with ‘Shadow Shifter’ for even greater evasiveness and control.
Shadow Shifter for Mobility and Evasion
‘Shadow Shifter’ is central to the Shadower’s identity, providing exceptional mobility and evasion capabilities. This skill allows for rapid teleportation across the battlefield, enabling quick escapes, strategic positioning, and seamless chaining of attacks. Mastering ‘Shadow Shifter’ is crucial for maximizing the class’s potential.
Beyond simple movement, ‘Shadow Shifter’ grants brief invincibility frames during the teleport, making it a potent defensive tool. Combine it with ‘Boomerang Step’ for unparalleled maneuverability and use it to dodge incoming projectiles or reposition during intense boss fights. Prioritize leveling ‘Shadow Shifter’ to reduce its cooldown and increase its range, enhancing its overall effectiveness.
Venomous Stab for Sustained Damage
‘Venomous Stab’ introduces a crucial element of sustained damage to the Shadower’s arsenal: poison. While not offering immediate burst, this skill applies a potent poison effect to enemies, dealing damage over time. This is particularly effective against bosses with long attack patterns or during extended combat scenarios where consistent damage output is key.
Leveling ‘Venomous Stab’ increases both the initial damage and the duration of the poison effect, maximizing its overall contribution. Synergize it with other damaging skills like ‘Assassinate’ to capitalize on the poison’s lingering effect. Remember to consider enemy resistance to poison when evaluating its effectiveness, and adjust your strategy accordingly for optimal results.
Equipment and Stat Allocation
Prioritize recommended equipment sets, focusing on Dexterity (DEX) for accuracy and damage; consider potential, Star Force, and carefully select Inner Ability choices.
Recommended Equipment Sets
For early to mid-game, the Von Bon set provides a solid foundation, enhancing damage and critical hit rates. Transitioning into the mid-late game, the Wild Hunter set offers increased attack speed and boss damage, crucial for efficient training. As you progress, consider the Abyssal Shadow set, known for its exceptional stat boosts and set effects tailored for Shadowers.
Prioritize equipment with high Dexterity (DEX) and potentially some Luck (LUK) depending on your preferred playstyle. Accessories should focus on critical damage, attack speed, and boss damage; Don’t underestimate the power of a well-refined weapon; upgrading it consistently is paramount. Remember to utilize potential abilities to further optimize your gear, aiming for desirable stat combinations.
Stat Allocation Priorities (STR, DEX, LUK)
Shadowers primarily benefit from Dexterity (DEX), as it directly increases attack damage and accuracy. Aim for a significant DEX investment throughout your leveling journey. Strength (STR) is less crucial for Shadowers, providing a minimal damage boost; allocate points sparingly, if at all. Luck (LUK) offers critical hit rate and potential for item drops, making it a viable secondary stat.
A common stat distribution involves prioritizing DEX until reaching a comfortable hit rate, then supplementing with LUK for increased critical damage. A ratio of approximately 70-80% DEX and 20-30% LUK is a good starting point. Adjust based on your personal preferences and encounter rates. Remember to consider potential stat gains from equipment and inner abilities.
Potential and Star Force Considerations
Prioritize potential lines that enhance your damage output, focusing on Attack Percentage and Critical Damage. Bonus stats like Boss Damage and Ignore Enemy Defense are also valuable. Aim for tier 5 or higher potential on all equipment pieces for maximum benefit. Star forcing is crucial for increasing overall stats; however, balance the risk of failure with the potential reward.
Generally, star forcing up to +10 is relatively safe, but beyond that, the risk increases significantly. Consider using protection scrolls or star force accelerators to mitigate potential losses. Focus on star forcing your weapon and accessories first, as they provide the most substantial stat boosts. Remember to factor in the cost of star forcing when budgeting your mesos.
Inner Ability Choices
For Shadowers, impactful Inner Ability choices significantly boost performance. ‘Sharp Eyes’ is a strong contender, directly increasing critical rate – vital for consistent damage output. Alternatively, ‘Willpower’ provides a flat stat boost to all stats, offering a versatile improvement. Consider ‘Magic Resistance’ for enhanced survivability, particularly in boss encounters where magical damage is prevalent.
‘Soul Weapon’ is also a viable option, granting an additional weapon attack, but its effectiveness depends on your overall gear. Prioritize Inner Abilities that complement your playstyle and address any stat deficiencies. Experimenting with different combinations is recommended to find what maximizes your Shadower’s potential.