Pathfinder Best Skill Build MapleStory

Pathfinder is one of the best archers to play if you’re looking for something simple and easy to use. It has great mobility, party support, good mobbing, and a short condensed burst. 

Best in SlotMain
BiS Weapon 
Genesis Ancient Bow
BiS Secondary
Princess No’s Immortal Relic
ClassBowman
Shared Cash ShopAll Explorers
Legion EffectDEX +10/20/40/80/100
Link Skill
Adventurer’s Curiosity – Monster Collection + Critical Rate
Primary StatDEX
Secondary StatSTR
BiS Inner Ability Top Line20% Boss Damage
Does it benefit from max Attack speedNo
2 min or 3 min burst type?2 min

Pathfinder uses a macro of 2 skills (Cardinal Deluge + Cardinal Burst) which makes Attack Speed not important. You can still use Green Pot and Speed Infusion if you want faster animations on certain skills but overall, it’s not any damage gain. 

If you’re making a PF boss mule you’ll be good with Abso/Arcane Ancient Bow, 15-20% Boss Damage, and only the Primary node.

The Archer’s 1st Job Skill Build

  • Cardinal Deluge (+1)
  • Double Jump (MAX)
  • Forceful Shot (MAX)
  • Archery Mastery (MAX)
  • Cardinal Deluge (MAX)

The Archer’s 1st Job Skill Explanation 

The most notable skill is Cardinal Deluge. It will be a mobbing skill you use forever when combined with 2nd job Cardinal Burst.

Skill NameMax Lvl DescriptionPurpose

Curse Dampening I
Activated when attacking with a Cardinal Force skill

Accumulates up to level 10, with a Critical Rate increase of 2% for each level

Can only be activated when the curse is reducing your Critical Rate
Passive Skill

Cardinal Deluge
MP Cost: 10, Max Enemies Hit: 4
Blasts an arrow that deals 90% damage 4 times
Mobbing Skill

Double Jump
MP Cost: 10, allows you to jump a greater distanceFlash Jump Mobility Skill
(right click to change how you up jump)

Archery Mastery
Range: +120, Movement Speed: +30, Attack Speed: +1
Max Movement Speed Increased to 160
Passive Buff

Forceful Shot
Critical Rate: +40%Passive Buff

The Ancient Power and the Dark Curse 2nd Job Skill Build

  • Cardinal Burst (+1)
  • Ancient Bow Mastery (+5), Agile Ancient Bows (+1)
  • Cardinal Deluge Amplification (MAX)
  • Bountiful Deluge (MAX)
  • Cardinal Burst (MAX)
  • Swarm Shot (MAX)
  • Ancient Bow Mastery (MAX)
  • Physical Training (MAX)
  • Agile Ancient Bows (MAX)

The Ancient Power and the Dark Curse 2nd Job Skill Explanation

Pathfinder 2nd job is where you’ll get introduced to the main identity of the class, the Macro and the Relic Gauge. The Relic Gauge has 3 forms, Deluge, Burst, and Torrent. Using certain skills is what changes your gauges form and the nature of some attacks. Explained more in the later jobs. 

Notable skills are Cardinal Burst, Swarm Shot, and Bountiful Deluge

Cardinal Burst is the other half to your main mobbing and bossing skill. You’ll want to go to skills, macro, and set it up. Refer to image below.

Swarm Shot is a helpful mobbing tool that has good horizontal range and makes arrows fly out and hit mobs. Useful in bossing when you have to kill mobs around the boss, like in Gollux. 

Bountiful Deluge is one of the main reasons you want to use macro. Extra arrows come out when you use Cardinal Burst while your gauge shows Deluge. The macro makes it so that you’re constantly switching back and forth without you having to press 2 separate keys.  

The macro of Cardinal Burst and Cardinal Deluge will be your mobbing and bossing skill forever. 

Skill NameMax Lvl DescriptionPurpose

Relic Charge I
Relic Gauge Maximum Charge: 1000

Attacking an enemy with a Cardinal Force skill charges the relic gauge by 10, and by 5 for every guided arrow of Cardinal Deluge that hits an enemy

If a different Cardinal Force skill is used next, the cooldown for all Ancient Force skills will be reduced by 0.5, except for the 5th Job Advancement skills
Passive Gauge Skill
(the gauge has 3 forms and is needed to use Ancient Force skills)

Curse Dampening II
Activated when attacking with a Cardinal Force skill

Accumulates up to level 10, with a Defense increase of 2% for each level

Can only be activated when the curse is reducing your Defense
Passive Buff

Cardinal Deluge Amplification
MP Cost: 15. Fires an arrow that deals 200% damage to up to 5 enemies 4 times

If a boss is within the attack’s range, fires 1 additional arrows

The additional arrows target the boss with the highest HP first
Passive Buff

Cardinal Burst
MP Cost: 15, Max Enemies: 5, Damage: 200%, Attack Count: 4, when the arrow explodesMain Mobbing and Bossing Skill together with Cardinal Deluge

Swarm Shot
Relic Gauge Cost: 50, Max Enemies Hit: 8, Damage: 200%, Attack Count: 4

Creates 2 magical arrows that deal 100% damage 4 times each time this attack pierces an enemy

Cooldown: 10 sec
Mobbing Skill
(costs relic gauge to use)

Agile Ancient Bows
Attack Speed: +2, DEX: +20Passive Buff

Bountiful Deluge
When using Cardinal Burst while the relic displays the Deluge emblem, there is a 40% chance to create 3 magical arrows

These magical arrows will chase and attack nearby enemies for 2 sec, dealing 100% damage 3 times
Passive Skill

Ancient Bow Mastery
Ancient Bow Mastery: +50%, Attack Power +30Passive Buff

Physical Training
Permanently increase STR by 30 and DEX by 30Passive Buff

Soulchaser Strategies 3rd Job Skill Build

  • Cardinal Torrent (+1), Triple Impact (+1), Shadow Raven (+1)
  • Cardinal Burst Boost (MAX)
  • Bountiful Burst (MAX)
  • Archer’s Essence (MAX)
  • Guidance Of The Ancients (MAX)
  • Shadow Raven (MAX)
  • Cardinal Torrent (MAX)
  • Evasion Boost (MAX)
  • Triple Impact (MAX)
  • Cursebound Endurance (MAX)

Soulchaser Strategies 3rd Job Skill Build Explanation

This is where you will have access to all 3 forms of the Relic Gauge. They are differentiated by color and image, Burst is Purple, Deluge is Blue, and Torrent is Yellow. You can switch forms by using the skill it’s attached to. 

Most notable skills for Pathfinder 3rd job are Cardinal Torrent, Triple Impact, Shadow Raven and Guardian of the Ancients. 

Cardinal Torrent is basically a teleport that you can use left, right, or up. Works just like a teleport too so you can dodge attacks or debris. It cannot be spammed since you get a maximum of 5 charges which recover over time. Using it will also put you in the Torrent Relic Gauge.

Triple Impact is a useful skill not for the damage but for its air stall and super knockback resistance. Great in bossing and proper use of the skill makes you look like an expert. 

Shadow Raven on its own is a lackluster skill that slightly helps mobbing and bossing but, when combined with a 5th job skill it really shines. 

Guardian of the Ancients gives you a big buff when you fill up your gauge. Timing this is really important while bossing. 

Skill NameMax Lvl DescriptionPurpose

Curse Dampening III
Activated when attacking with a Cardinal Force skill

Accumulates up to level 10, with a Status Resistance increase of 2% for each level

Can only be activated when the curse is reducing your Status Resistance
Passive Buff

Cardinal Burst Boost
MP Cost: 20, Max Enemies: 6, Damage: 420%, Attack Count: 4, when the arrow explodesPassive Buff

Cardinal Torrent
MP Cost: 20, Consumes 1 Swiftstrike Charge
Deals 400% damage 5 times to up to 6 nearby enemies

You gain 1 Swiftstrike Charge every 7 sec, and can store up to a maximum of 5
Teleport Mobility Skill

Triple Impact
Relic Gauge Cost: 50, Explosions deal 265% damage 5 times to up to 4 enemies

Cooldown: 10 sec

[Passive Effect – Swarm Shot Normal Enemy Damage: +120% points]
Active Skill for Air Stall and Knockback Resistance

Shadow Raven
MP Cost: 70, summon a Raven for 220 sec 
Deals 390% damage to up to 4 enemies at once

[Passive Effect: Increases your Defense by 30%]
Summon Skill

Cursebound Endurance
MP Cost: 58, increases Status Resistance by 30 for 300 sec 

If afflicted by an abnormal status while this skill, Status Resistance will be increased by 20, and can be stacked up to 5 times

[Passive Effect: Increases Status Resistance by 30 and all Elemental Resistances by 30%]
Active Buff
(no cooldown buff that helps you get out of stuns or status ailments quicker)

Guidance of the Ancients
Each time the Relic Gauge has been filled up by 500, your Final Damage is increased by 8% for 40 sec

Restores HP & MP by 8% when activated

[Passive Effect: Increases Max HP by 50% and Final Damage by 20%]
Passive Buff
(easy to get full FD buff when doing a proper burst)

Bountiful Burst
When using Cardinal Deluge while the relic displays the Burst emblem, there is a 40% chance to create 2 magical arrows

These magical arrows will chase nearby enemies for 2 sec and explode on contact, dealing 150% damage to up to 4 enemies 3 times
Passive Buff
(inverse of bountiful deluge meaning you should always be spawning arrows if using the macro)

Evasion Boost
Dodge Chance: 30%, all attacks following a successful dodge for 1 sec will be critical hits, Knockback Resistance: +40%Passive Buff

Archer’s Essence
Critical Rate: +10%, Damage: +10%, Ignore Defense: +30%Passive Buff

Master of the Ancient Bow 4th Job Skill Build

  • Advanced Cardinal Force (+1), Combo Assault (+1), Glyph Of Impalement (+1)
  • Advanced Cardinal Force (MAX)
  • Illusion Step (MAX)
  • Ancient Archery (MAX)
  • Sharp Eyes (MAX)
  • Ancient Bow Expertise (MAX)
  • Glyph Of Impalement (MAX)
  • Combo Assault (MAX)
  • Bountiful Torrent (MAX)
  • Maple Warrior (MAX)
  • Hero’s Will (MAX)

Master of the Ancient Bow 4th Job Skill Explanation

Notable skills are Curse Enchant Force, Glyph of Impalement, Combo Assault, and Curseweaver.

Curse Enchant Force is a skill you use to lock your Relic Gauge to 1 curse. It is important to lock Burst for bossing so you don’t have to press extra keys trying to switch over to the right curse. While mobbing you can turn it off or keep it in Torrent.

Glyph of Impalement is a short cooldown attack that hits around you. While bossing you want to use it whenever it is up and it also helps you mob by hitting all around you while you flash jump. 

Combo Assault is similar to Glyph while mobbing but for bossing it is considered a damage loss to use. 

Skill NameMax Lvl DescriptionPurpose

Relic Charge II
The Relic Gauge is charged by 20 when attacking an enemy with a Cardinal Force skill, and by 10 per hit from Cardinal Deluge’s guided arrows
The Shadow Raven will charge the Relic Gauge by 10 for each enemy hit by its attacks

When you use another Cardinal Force skill, all Ancient Force and Enchant Force skills will have their cooldowns reduced by 1 sec, except for 5th Job Advancement skills
Passive Buff

Curseweaver
Using certain skills will inflict enemies with the Ancient Curse debuff, which lasts for 30 sec and can be stacked up to 5 times

Skills that utilize the Ancient Bow deal an increased 4% Critical Damage to enemies for each stack of the curse debuff currently afflicting them
Passive Buff

Curse Enchant Force
MP Cost: 80, Select a curse to inscribe on Enchant Force
Cooldown: 1 sec
Toggle Skill
(lets you choose and lock your Relic Gauge to a specific curse)

Advanced Cardinal Force
When using Cardinal Force skills, MP Cost: 30

Cardinal Deluge – Fires an arrow that deals 300% damage to up to 6 enemies 5 times
Fires 1 additional arrow if a boss is within range.
The additional arrow targets the boss with the highest HP first.
Bountiful Deluge Normal Enemy Damage: +100%

Cardinal Burst – An exploding arrow deals 600% damage to up to 7 enemies 5 times
Bountiful Burst Normal Enemy Damage: +100%

Cardinal Torrent – Consumes 1 Swiftstrike Charge. Deals 540% damage 5 times to up to 7 nearby enemies

You gain 1 Swiftstrike Charge every 7 sec up to a maximum of 5

You cannot be pushed back while casting, and each enemy hit will receive 1 stack of the Ancient Curse debuff
Passive Buff

Glyph of Impalement
Relic Gauge Cost: 100, Max Enemies Hit: 8, Damage: 880%, Attack Count: 6

Final Damage increased by 10% per stack of the Ancient Curse debuff

Cooldown: 15 sec
Active Skill
(really good to weave in while mobbing or bossing)

Combo Assault
Relic Gauge Cost: 100

Bow attack deals 500% damage to up to 4 enemies 7 times, inflicting 1 stack(s) of the Ancient Curse debuff

Arrow attack deals 550% damage to up to 10 enemies 5 times.Cooldown: 20 sec

[Enchant Force]Attack nearby enemies with your bow, then let loose a magical arrow to attack enemies in a wider range

Deluge Enhancement – Increases the magical arrow’s effectiverange

Burst Enhancement – The bow attack will deal a powerful strike to a single enemy

Torrent Enhancement – The bow attack inflicts additional stacks of the Ancient Curse debuff on enemies
Mobbing Skill
(changes based on your relic gauge and is good for mobbing and applying curse debuff on targets)

Sharp Eyes
MP Cost: 45, Critical Rate: +20%, Critical Damage: +15%, Duration: 300 secActive Buff
(critical rate and critical damage for you and your party)

Maple Warrior
MP Cost: 70, Increases all stats assigned APs by 15% for 900 secActive Buff for stats

Hero’s Will
MP Cost: 30, Cooldown: 300 secActive Skill that clears status effects

Bountiful Torrent
When using Cardinal Force and Enchant Force skills with the Deluge or Burst emblems, your attack has a 40% chance to apply 1 stack of the Ancient Curse debuff

Permanently increases your Attack Power by 20%
Passive Skill
(applies debuff while you use the macro that makes you deal more damage)

Ancient Archery
Bountiful Deluge Damage: +65%, Bountiful Burst Damage: +70%

Swarm Shot First Arrow Damage: +350%, Additional Magical Arrows’ Damage: +200%

Final Damage of Ancient Force and Enchant Force Skills: +10%, Boss Damage: +50%
Passive Buff

Ancient Bow Expertise
Ancient Bow Mastery: +70%. Attack Power: +60, Critical Damage: +10%Passive Buff

Illusion Step
DEX: +80, Bonus Avoidability Chance: 30%, Damage Taken: -20%, Knockback Resistance: +60%Passive Buff

Pathfinder Hyper Skill Build

Pathfinders hypers are straightforward and this build can be used whether you’re making a main or a boss mule. 

Passive 

  • Cardinal Force – Reinforce
  • Cardinal Force – Bountiful Enhance
  • Cardinal Force – Extra Strike
  • Ancient Force – Boss Rush
  • Ancient Force – Guardbreak

Active 

  • Ancient Astra
  • Epic Adventure
  • Awakened Relic

Ancient Astra is a defensive skill that also deals a bit of damage. It is a skill you can hold down and while the skill is active you take reduced damage. Useful when the boss does one hit ko moves since you can use this skill and live through it. Also has 3 forms depending on the Relic Gauge but it shouldn’t matter since you should only be using this as a defensive skill. 

Epic Adventure is an active buff mainly used for bursting.

Awakened Relic instantly fills up your Relic Gauge to maximum which is great to set up for bossing bursts (procs Guidance of the Ancients). Also, your Torrent charges come up faster and you spawn more arrows for a short duration. 

Pathfinder 5th Job Skills

When you reach level 200 you’ll get access to your V Matrix and new 5th job skills. The best way to level them up is through Nodestones and Experience nodes. Pathfinder V Skills in order of importance are, Raven Tempest, Nova Blast, Obsidian Barrier, and Relic Unbound. 

Pathfinder 5th Job Skill Explanation

To get the most damage out of Nova Blast you want to use Awakened Relic first. It should be the final part of your burst and where you’ll deal a lot of damage. 

Raven Tempest direction can be controlled by pressing the skill again to change it. It has another form if used with Fury of the Wild skill. It makes the tornado have a shorter duration but it deals more damage during so it is ideal for bossing. 

Obsidian Barrier is Pathfinders party support skill. It gives the party Critical Damage when attacking an enemy with the Curse Debuff as long as they are within the barrier. It has 3 forms but best to just stick with Burst while bossing since it is the largest and deals the most damage.

Skill NameMax Lvl DescriptionPurpose

Nova Blast
Relic Gauge Cost: 200 or more required to use the skill

Consumes all energy built up in the Relic Gauge to activate an explosion 6 times that deals 1000% damage 15 times to up to 15 enemies

Invulnerable while casting

If the consumed Relic Gauge exceeds certain thresholds (25%/50%/75%/100%), Final Damage will be increased by 25%/50%/75%/100%, respectively. Ignore Def +100%

Cooldown: 120 sec
Big Burst and I-Frame Skill
(stronger the more gauge you have and it consumes)

Raven Tempest
Relic Gauge Cost: 300
Raven Tempest: Duration: 27 sec, Max Enemies Hit: 12, Damage: 1000%, Number of Attacks: 5

Fury of the Wild Tempest: Duration: 10 sec, Max Enemies Hit: 12, Damage: 1000%, Number of Attacks: 6

Charges the Relic Gauge by 20 when attacking

Direction Change Cooldown: 2 sec, Cooldown: 120 sec
Summon Skill
(must have Shadow Raven out to use)
(use the Fury of the Wild Tempest for bossing)

Obsidian Barrier
Relic Gauge Cost: 300, Duration: 12 sec, decreases damage taken from attacks that deal a fixed percent of damage by -20%

The shield will deal 760% damage 4 times to up to 8 enemies within its radius
Cooldown: 120 sec
Summon Bossing Skill
(allies get a crit damage buff when inside of the barrier)
(also decreases damage taken while up)

Relic Unbound
Relic Gauge Cost: 250
Deluge Enhancement: rapidly shoot arrows that periodically deal 1100% damage for 22 sec

Burst Enhancement: shoot arrows that explode 4 times periodically dealing 1375% damage up to 10 enemies 8 times for 10 sec, can shoot up to 4 arrows

Torrent Enhancement: sets up to 3 Relics that periodically attacks up to 6 enemies with 1540% damage 5 times for 40 sec
Cooldown: 120 sec
Summon Skill
(Use Burst while bossing and Torrent while mobbing for extra help)

Pathfinder Perfect Trio Nodes

In the V Matrix you’ll also have Boost Nodes. They are there to level up your 1st – 4th job skills past their initial cap. You’ll want to level up the most useful skills for your class and those will form your perfect trios. 

For Pathfinder these are the perfect nodes you’ll want to look for,

Primary NodeSecondary Mobbing NodeSecondary Bossing Node

Cardinal Deluge and Bountiful Deluge

Cardinal Torrent

Shadow Raven

Cardinal Burst and Bountiful Burst

Swarm Shot

Triple Impact

Glyph of Impalement

Combo Assault

Ancient Astra

For Pathfinder you’ll want to boost all your skills if you’re making a main. If you’re making a boss mule you just want the Primary Node. 

An explanation of perfect trios and full list of all classes and their perfect trio nodes here.

All Useful 5th Job Skills for Pathfinder

These are all the skills you’ll need to get the most out of Pathfinder. Any other skills are not useful and can be disassembled. 

Do not level up your Decent skills past level 1 unless you’re at the end game and min/maxing to get an extra 5 stat at max level. At level 1 all your decent skills have 100% uptime since the duration will be longer than the cooldown. Holy Symbol is the only exception since you’ll get more exp and drop rate as you level it. 

 
Decent Combat Orders
 
Vicious Shot
 
Guided Arrow
 
Fury of the Wild
 
Maple World Goddess’s Blessing
 
Erda Nova
 
Decent Holy Symbol
 
Blink
 
Decent Advanced Blessing
 
Will Of Erda
 
Erda Shower
 
Decent Speed Infusion
 
Rope Lift
 
True Arachnid Reflection (Obtained from Will boss)
 
Solar Crest (Obtained from Seren boss)

The ones that are underlined and bolded are not necessary if making a boss mule. For Pathfinder you do not need Decent Speed Infusion at all but I like it since it does make PF feel a tiny bit smoother.

Pathfinder 5th Job V Matrix Node Slot Priority

This is the order of what skills you should equip first, 

  • Raven Tempest, Nova Blast, Relic Unbound, Vicious Shot/Erda Shower, Primary Boost Node, Erda Nova/Holy Symbol
  • Fury of the Wild
  • Obsidian Barrier, Guided Arrow
  • Maple World Goddess’ Blessing
  • Level 1 Decent Combat Orders, Decent Advanced Blessing
  • True Arachnid Reflection  

If you want to get better training rates I would suggest putting more focus on Boost Nodes, Decent Holy Symbol, Raven Tempest, Relic Unbound and Erda Shower. 

If you want to know what skills to put EXP Node priority on, it would be, in order, Raven Tempest, Nova Blast, Relic Unbound, Vicious Shot, and Maple Goddess’s Blessing.

Pathfinder 6th Job HEXA Skills

The HEXA matrix is split up into Skill Node (6th job Origin skill), Mastery Node (enhances 4th job skills), Boost Node (5th job enhancement), and Common Node (Job specific skills)

You’ll get your 1st Origin skill for free once you finish the quest line and the rest you’ll have to unlock yourself. Link to a Guide for HEXA Matrix so that you’ll have the best start possible.  

Node TypeSkill NameMax Lvl DescriptionPurpose
Skill Node
Forsaken Relic
MP Cost: 1500, invincible during casting
Max Enemies Hit: 15, Damage: 8400%, Number of Attacks: 8, Number of Shockwaves: 5, then Max Enemies Hit: 15, Damage: 9900%, Number of Attacks: 13, Number of Explosions: 5

Relic Liberation Duration: 30 sec
Relic Liberation – Ancient Force and Enchant Force Skill Final Damage: +15%

Using another Cardinal Force skill gives 100% chance to create 1 magical arrows that deal 2700% damage to up to 4 enemies 3 times

When direct skill attacks hit, Ancient Wrath is activated

Ancient Wrath: [Ancient Force] Max Enemies Hit: 10, Damage: 2400%, Number of Attacks: 8, Cursed Explosion Activations: 3, Cooldown: 10 sec
Cooldown: 360 sec
Big Bind and Burst Skill
(This is your Origin skill which binds the boss and gives a big buff to your skills for a duration) 
(This bind is different than a regular bind (erda nova) which means you can use your regular bind right after your Origin bind 
Mastery Node
HEXA Cardinal Burst / Bountiful Burst
MP Cost: 45, Max Enemies: 8, Damage: 990%, Attack Count: 5, when the arrow explodesPassive Boost to Skill
Boost Node
Nova Blast
Nova Blast Final Damage: +60%Passive Damage Boost to Skill
Boost Node
Raven Tempest / Fury of the Wild Tempest
Raven Tempest and Fury of the Wild Tempest Final Damage: +60%Passive Damage Boost to Skill
Boost Node
Obsidian Barrier
Obsidian Barrier Final Damage: +60%, Duration: 20 sec, Damage Reduction: -30%, increases damage reduction by 55% when enhanced by emblemPassive Damage and Duration Boost to Skill
Boost Node
Relic Unbound
Relic Unbound Final Damage: +60%Passive Damage Boost to Skill

6th Job Pathfinder HEXA Skill Priority 

When starting your HEXA Matrix you’ll want to unlock everything then start putting focus on depending on if you’re a solo progression player or a party player. 

If you’re a party player you’ll want to focus on your burst and getting that as high as possible. Especially important in late/end game bosses. For Pathfinder you’ll want to prio HEXA Cardinal Burst, Forsaken Relic, Nova Blast, and Obsidian Barrier.

If you’re a solo progression player there are infographics online and in the Pathfinder discord that you can follow. 

6th Job Pathfinder HEXA Stat Priority

For Pathfinder, your 1st HEXA stat node, you’ll want

  • Main Stat: Attack
  • Additional Stat: STAT
  • Additional Stat: Boss Damage

HEXA stat is an RNG type system and it doesn’t matter what you get in the beginning since it is not worth it to reroll until your entire 6th job is maxed. Once it gets to level 20 leave it there and no matter what you got it would still be at least a 2-3% FD gain. 

Ideally, you want 10/10/0 but that is very costly and you shouldn’t try to go for unless you have an excess of fragments or everything is done.

James Chow

My goal is to tell you everything you need to know about the topic at hand. Hope that the guides/information help! Feel free to msg me any questions or thoughts.

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