When it comes to MapleStory you’ll figure out that having a lot of different characters is better than just maxing out one character. The reason is, the benefit of link skills and stats. Links skills are acquired when a character hits a certain level (70,120, 210), and can grant you a ton of bonus stats.
You technically have 13 link skills that are available to you since each character has it’s own permanent one on it. So just build around it and add in something from the other options I give to maximize gains.
Best Links To Prioritize When Starting Out
Mercedes (EXP)
Aran (Combo Orbs)
Evan (Rune Duration)
Kinesis (Crit Damage)
Luminous (Ignore Enemy Defense)
Demon Avenger (Damage)
Phantom (Critical Rate)
Hayato (Crit Damage)
These links should be prioritized because they will be useful to any character you make and will help you progress in the game a lot faster. The trio of Mercedes, Aran, and Evan are almost always going to be your first links. This is because of how useful they are when it comes to training and quickly leveling up your characters. Kanna, Demon Avenger, Phantom, and Luminous are all about doing more damage for both training and bossing. (IED is only relevant in bossing btw)
Best Link Skills To Use For Training
The best 12 links for training are:
- Mercedes (Elven Blessing)
- Aran (Combo Kill)
- Evan (Rune Persistence)
- Kinesis (Judgment)
Ark (Solus)
Demon Avenger (Wild Rage)- Hayato (Moonlit Blade Learnings)
Lara (Nature’s Friend)
Xenon (Hybrid Logic)
Explorer Pirates (Pirate Blessing)
Cygnus Knights (Cygnus Blessing)
Kanna (Elementalism)
Hoyoung or 
Sia if you are playing one of the above 12 classes and need to add one.
The goal while training is to get the best EXP rates possible. To do that you must check off certain things like, being able to 1 shot, having a good rotation, and maximizing EXP multipliers. A good rotation depends on the map and your character but you just want to be able to kill as many mobs as you can in that map.
These links should give you the highest ratio of Damage to EXP multipliers.
Phantom link is very important if you’re just starting out and do not have Critical Rate at 100%. It is very important when it comes to consistently 1 shotting but as you progress your account your legion will grow and you can replace this link with a damage one.
Luminous is not on this list because IED is unnecessary when mobbing and only useful when bossing. Hoyoung is potentially the strongest one but it only works on the 1st hit.
Lara’s link skill only works for training since the damage increase is only when you defeat normal monsters. It is great since you can get 16% extra damage.
Best Link Skills To Use For Bossing
The best 12 links for bossing (in order) are:
Mo Xuan (Qi Cultivation)- Hayato (Moonlit Blade Learnings)
- Kinesis (Judgment)
Angelic Buster (Terms and Conditions)- Demon Slayer (Fury Unleashed)
- Kanna (Elementalism)
Cadena (Unfair Advantage)
Explorer Mage (Empirical Knowledge)- Ark (Solus)
- Xenon (Hybrid Logic)
Explorer Thief (Thief’s Cunning)- Demon Avenger (Wild Rage)
This list is in order of most damage to least so if you need to replace something, start from the bottom (Demon Avenger) and go upwards.
Archer Class Best Links
- Mo Xuan (Qi Cultivation)
- Hayato (Moonlit Blade Learnings)
- Kinesis (Judgment)
- Angelic Buster (Terms and Conditions)
- Demon Slayer (Fury Unleashed)
- Kanna (Elementalism)
- Cadena (Unfair Advantage)
- Explorer Mage (Empirical Knowledge)
- Ark (Solus)
- Xenon (Hybrid Logic)
Lynn (Spirit Guide Blessing)- Phantom (Phantom Instinct)
Archers benefit a lot from critical rate on burst because of vicious shot. So links like Lynn and Phantom perform better than some others.
Situational Links
- Luminous (Light Wash) If you have less than 95% IED you should add this in (replace starting from #12)
Adele (Noble Fire) If you have 4 or more party members, use this for extra damage
Kain (Time to Prepare) If you are playing a class that is a part of the 12 add this skill. But only if lumi or adele do not apply in the situation.
Survivability and Healing Links
Resistance (Spirit of Freedom)(Extra invincibility timer when respawning)
Explorer Warrior (Invincible Belief)(Healing when HP reaches a certain %)
Ren (Grounded Body)(damage reduction)
Shade (Close Call)(chance to survive a 1 shot)
Khali (Innate Gift)(damage + healing)
Zero (Rhinne’s Blessing)(damage reduction)
One of the worst feelings is being the only one dying out of a boss and your entire party has to rerun or even worse.. they just clear without you. There are other ways to stop that from happening but these links will give you the best chance to survive in a boss fight.
Use these links to help you when you are learning the boss as well.
Extra Tip: Craft and use the auto recovery 2 special node for extra healing.
MapleStory Links Skills List and Explained
This list and explanation will only be about the Links that are mentioned in this article!
Explorer Mage – Empirical Knowledge
From Explorer Magicians (Bishop, I/L Arch Mage, F/P Arch Mage). Inflicts a curse mark when attacking to increase damage dealt and ignore DEF of marked targets.
Level 70~119 provides 1 point (Level 30~119 if the owner is also an explorer magician)
Level 120+ provides 2 points.
| Skill Level | Effect |
| 1 | Inflicts a curse mark at a 15% chance. Curse mark lasts for 10 seconds, stackable up to 3 times. Each stack increases damage dealt and reduces DEF by 1%. (DEF reduced is summed before multiplied for multiple stacks) |
| 2 | Inflicts a curse mark at a 17% chance. Curse mark lasts for 10 seconds, stackable up to 3 times. Each stack increases damage dealt and reduces DEF by 1%. (DEF reduced is summed before multiplied for multiple stacks) |
| 3 | Inflicts a curse mark at a 19% chance. Curse mark lasts for 10 seconds, stackable up to 3 times. Each stack increases damage dealt and reduces DEF by 2%. (DEF reduced is summed before multiplied for multiple stacks) |
| 4 | Inflicts a curse mark at a 21% chance. Curse mark lasts for 10 seconds, stackable up to 3 times. Each stack increases damage dealt and reduces DEF by 2%. (DEF reduced is summed before multiplied for multiple stacks) |
| 5 | Inflicts a curse mark at a 23% chance. Curse mark lasts for 10 seconds, stackable up to 3 times. Each stack increases damage dealt and reduces DEF by 3%. (DEF reduced is summed before multiplied for multiple stacks) |
| 6 | Inflicts a curse mark at a 25% chance. Curse mark lasts for 10 seconds, stackable up to 3 times. Each stack increases damage dealt and reduces DEF by 3%. (DEF reduced is summed before multiplied for multiple stacks) |
Explorer Thief – Cunning Thief
From Explorer Thieves (Night Lord, Shadower, Dual Blade). Increases damage shortly when you inflict an abnormal status. Not affected by buff duration increases, cooldown reduction and cooldown resets.
Level 70~119 provides 1 point (Level 30~119 if the owner is also an explorer thief)
Level 120+ provides 2 points.
| Skill Level | Effect |
| 1 | When an abnormal status is inflicted, damage +3% for 10 seconds. Cooldown 20 seconds. |
| 2 | When an abnormal status is inflicted, damage +6% for 10 seconds. Cooldown 20 seconds. |
| 3 | When an abnormal status is inflicted, damage +9% for 10 seconds. Cooldown 20 seconds. |
| 4 | When an abnormal status is inflicted, damage +12% for 10 seconds. Cooldown 20 seconds. |
| 5 | When an abnormal status is inflicted, damage +15% for 10 seconds. Cooldown 20 seconds. |
| 6 | When an abnormal status is inflicted, damage +18% for 10 seconds. Cooldown 20 seconds. |
Mercedes – Elven Blessing
Originated from Mercedes. Boosts EXP gain and gives the ability to teleport to Elluel.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Mercedes) | Monster EXP +10% permanently. Can teleport to Elluel with a cooldown time of 10 minutes. |
| 2 | 120 | Monster EXP +15% permanently. Can teleport to Elluel with a cooldown time of 10 minutes. |
| 3 | 210 | Monster EXP +20% permanently. Can teleport to Elluel with a cooldown time of 10 minutes. |
Demon Slayer – Fury Unleashed
Skill from Demon Slayer. Increases your inner rage to deal more damage against boss monsters.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Demon Slayer) | Damage to Boss Monsters +10% |
| 2 | 120 | Damage to Boss Monsters +15% |
| 3 | 210 | Damage to Boss Monsters +20% |
Phantom – Phantom Instinct
From Phantom. Use high levels of insight to locate enemies’ weaknesses, thus increasing critical chance.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Phantoms) | Critical Rate +10% |
| 2 | 120 | Critical Rate +15% |
| 3 | 210 | Critical Rate +20% |
Luminous – Light Wash
From Luminous. Ignores a portion of monster defense.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Luminous) | Ignore 10% DEF |
| 2 | 120 | Ignore 15% DEF |
| 3 | 210 | Ignore 20% DEF |
Angelic Buster – Terms and Conditions
From Angelic Buster. Increases damage for 10 seconds. Cooldown time 90 seconds. Targeted characters will receive half of the original amount.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Angelic Busters) | Damage +30% |
| 2 | 120 | Damage +45% |
| 3 | 210 | Damage +60% |
Demon Avenger – Wild Rage
From Demon Avenger. Your rage goes wild so your damage increases.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Demon Avengers) | Damage +5% |
| 2 | 120 | Damage +10% |
| 3 | 210 | Damage +15% |
Xenon – Hybrid Logic
From Xenon. Using logic, increase all stats.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Xenon) | All Stat +5% |
| 2 | 120 | All Stat +10% |
Hayato – Keen Edge
From Hayato. Increase overall power.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Hayato) | All Stat +15, Weapon ATT and Magic ATT +10 |
| 2 | 120 | All Stat +25, Weapon ATT and Magic ATT +15 |
Kanna – Elementalism
From Kanna. Concentrate and focus your mind to increase damage.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Kanna) | Damage +5% |
| 2 | 120 | Damage +10% |
Lynn – Focus Spirit
From Lynn. Focus and increase overall power.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Lynn) | Critical Rate +4%, Damage to Boss Monsters +4%, HP and MP +3% |
| 2 | 120 | Critical Rate +7%, Damage to Boss Monsters +7%, HP and MP +4% |
| 3 | 210 | Critical Rate +10%, Damage to Boss Monsters +10%, HP and MP +5% |
Shade – Close Call
From Shade/Eunwol. Save yourself from an attack which would otherwise kill you at a chance.
| Skill Level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Eunwol) | 5% chance |
| 2 | 120 | 10% chance |
Kinesis – Judgement
From Kinesis. Increases critical damage.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Kinesis) | Critical Damage +2% |
| 2 | 120 | Critical Damage +4% |
Aran – Combo Kill Advantage
From Aran. Provides additional EXP when absorbing a Combo Kill Orb.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Aran) | Combo Kill Orb EXP +400% |
| 2 | 120 | Combo Kill Orb EXP +650% |
| 3 | 210 | Combo Kill Orb EXP +900% |
Evan – Rune Persistence
From Evan. Increases rune buff duration by intensifying the magical powers of runes. For runes with special 1-minute or 30-second effects, the duration of these effects will be increased as well, up to 1.5 minutes and 45 seconds respectively (for Level 2 link skill).
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Evan) | Rune Buff Duration +30% |
| 2 | 120 | Rune Buff Duration +50% |
| 3 | 210 | Rune Buff Duration +70% |
Cadena – Intensive Insult
From Cadena. Indirectly insult monsters weaker than you by dealing extra damage to them.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Cadena) | Damage +3% on monsters lower level than you, Damage +3% on monsters inflicted with any status conditions. (Total: Damage +6% on monsters lower level than you that are inflicted with status conditions) |
| 2 | 120 | Damage +6% on monsters lower level than you, Damage +6% on monsters inflicted with any status conditions. (Total: Damage +12% on monsters lower level than you that are inflicted with status conditions) |
Illium – Flow of Battle
From Illium. You get increasingly powerful as you keep your momentum. Not affected by buff duration increasing effects.
| Skill level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Illium) | Damage +1% for 5 seconds for every 500 pixels moved. Maximum: Damage +6%. Cooldown between stacks/refreshes: 1 second |
| 2 | 120 | Damage +2% for 5 seconds for every 500 pixels moved. Maximum: Damage +12%. Cooldown between stacks/refreshes: 1 second |
Ark – Ecstasy
From Ark. Concentrate and lose yourself in combat to increase damage as you fight longer. The buff resets when the character did not attack for 10 seconds straight. Not affected by buff duration increasing effects.
| Skill level | Level requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Ark) | Damage +1% for attacking at least twice within 5 seconds, stacks up to 5 times. The 1st stack gives additional 1% damage (Maximum: +6% Damage). Cooldown between stacks/refreshes: 5 seconds (1st stack only applies after 5 seconds of the 1st attack made). |
| 2 | 120 | Damage +2% for attacking at least twice within 5 seconds, stacks up to 5 times. The 1st stack gives additional 1% damage (Maximum: +11% Damage). Cooldown between stacks/refreshes: 5 seconds (1st stack only applies after 5 seconds of the 1st attack made). |
| 3 | 210 | Damage +3% for attacking at least twice within 5 seconds, stacks up to 5 times. The 1st stack gives additional 1% damage (Maximum: +16% Damage). Cooldown between stacks/refreshes: 5 seconds (1st stack only applies after 5 seconds of the 1st attack made). |
Hoyoung – Self Confidence
From Hoyoung. Increases DEF ignored and increases damage to monsters with full HP.
| Skill Level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Hoyoung) | Ignore DEF +5% and Damage to monsters with full HP +9% |
| 2 | 120 | Ignore DEF +10% and Damage to monsters with full HP +14% |
Adele – Noblesse
From Adele. Increase damage against boss monsters, and depending on your party size, further increases damage.
| Skill Level | Level Requirement | Stats |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Adele) | Damage to boss monsters +2%, for every party member including yourself (non-party is counted as 1 person party), damage +1% up to +4% |
| 1 | 120 | Damage to boss monsters +4%, for every party member including yourself (non-party is counted as 1 person party), damage +2% up to +8% |
Kain – Prior Preparation
| Skill Level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Kain) | When you kill 8 enemies or hit a boss monster 5 times, complete 1 preparation When you have 5 preparations, your damage is increased by 9% for 20 seconds Cooldown: 40 seconds |
| 1 | 120 | When you kill 8 enemies or hit a boss monster 5 times, complete 1 preparation When you have 5 preparations, your damage is increased by 17% for 20 seconds Cooldown: 40 seconds |
Lara – Nature’s Friend
| Skill Level | Level Requirement | Effect |
| 1 | 70 (10 for Lara) | Damage +3% Activate nature’s help upon defeating 20 normal monsters. Increases Damage Against Normal Monsters by 7% for 30 sec when nature’s help is active. Cooldown: 30 sec |
| 1 | 120 | Damage +5% Activate nature’s help upon defeating 20 normal monsters. Increases Damage Against Normal Monsters by 11% for 30 sec when nature’s help is active. Cooldown: 30 sec |