DigitalTQ
Marksman is a 4th job Explorer Archer class that has a focus on range and single-shot attacks to deal heavy-hitting damage to enemies. Marksman is part of the original MapleStory classes, and has gone through a few updates to make it the class it is today. As an Explorer Archer, it shares many skills with it's Bowmaster counterpart, including party buffs such as Sharp Eyes.
- Marksman Overview
- Archer First Job Skill Build
- Crossbowman Second Job Skill Build
- Sniper Third Job Skill Build
- Marksman Fourth Job Skill Build
- Marksman Hyper Skill Build
- Marksman Fifth Job Skill Build
- Changelog
Marksman Overview
Explorer Classes were given a huge makeover in the MapleStory Red update and many classes were changed from what they looked like during the pre-bigbang era. Marksman was one of these classes and now plays quite differently to how it used to. That being said, the differences between Marksman and Bowmaster are subtle.
NEW: All Explorers got a major revamp in the Destiny V.233 Patch update, including Marksman!
The main difference between Marksman and Bowmaster is their 4th job attacking skills. Marksman use Snipe to fire single arrows at targets that deal heavy damage. Snipe will hit the mob with the highest HP, so when bossing the skill will bypass low-level mobs. With the new explorer update, Marksman skills all get refined and now are a very good mobbing class, especially when you get to 5th job you unlock Split Shot skill, which makes Marksman a top-tier mobber. The only issue with this 5th job skill is that is has a 50% uptime.
Marksman have some great bossing skills also, allowing them to solo end-game bosses with ease. Arrow Illusion allows you to create a dummy for bosses to attack, making many bosses in MapleStory super easy as you don't have to dodge their physical attacks. Blink Bolt allows you to dodge fatal attacks and it comes with an Iframe skill, allowing you to tank 100% 1-hit KO attacks.
Check our our MapleStory Training Guide to help find the fastest maps to level up your characters.
- Weapon: Crossbow
- Job: Archer
- Class: Explorer
- Shared Cash Shop Inventory: Explorer Jobs
- Legion Block: +Critical Rate (1%/2%/3%/4%/5%)
- Link Skill: Adventurer's Curiosity (+10% Critical Rate, +35% Chance to add monsters to your Monster Collection)
- Primary Stat: DEX
- Inner Ability: +1 Attack Speed
Did you know?
MapleStory Explorer Classes can switch between jobs once they are level 101+. For example, a Dark Knight can job change to a Paladin. They can only job change to characters within their class branch (i.e. archers to archers, thiefs to thiefs etc). You cannot job change a Dark Knight to a Bishop.
To do job change, you can either pay mesos or use a Job Advancement Coin (which is usually given out during events). Speak to your 4th job advancement NPC in Leafre to job change.
Archer First Job Skill Build
You can max all skills in first job. Follow this build:
- Arrow Bow (1), Double Jump (2)
- Double Jump (MAX)
- Arrow Bow (MAX)
- Archery Mastery (MAX)
- Critical Shot (MAX)
As an Archer you'll get lots of critical damage and critical rate. Your main mobbing skill in first job is Arrow Bow, which is pretty decent for a first job skill. Max double jump as soon as possible to help with mobility and training faster.
Skill Description & Overview
| Icon | Skill | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Arrow Blow | Shoot consecutive arrows at multiple enemies. | Main Attack Skill |
 |
Double Jump | Allows you to use the Double Jump skill to move very quickly. Double-tap the up arrow key to jump again while in mid-air. Double-tap the down arrow key to descend more quickly. | Flash Jump Skill |
 |
Critical Shot | Increases Critical Rate. | Passive Buff |
 |
Archery Mastery | Gain proficiency in the fundamentals of Archery. Increases Range, Movement Speed, Attack Speed and Max Movement Speed. | Passive Buff |
Crossbowman Second Job Skill Build
You can max all skills in second job. Follow this build:
- Piercing Arrow (+1), Crossbow Mastery (+2)
- Crossbow Mastery (5)
- Agile Crossbows (MAX)
- Piercing Arrow (MAX)
- Crossbow Mastery (MAX)
- Soul Arrow: Crossbow (MAX)
- Final Attack: Crossbow (MAX)
- Physical Training (MAX)
- Covering Fire (MAX)
Piercing Arrow is your main attacking skill in 2nd Job. Firing it will hit through several enemies in a horizontal line and combining it with double jump will allwo you to mob pretty efficiently.
You'll want to get your Agile Crossbows buff early as it improves attack speed; the rest of your skills are passive apart from Covering Fire, which you won't need to use until you go bossing.
Skill Description & Overview
| Icon | Skill | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Piercing Arrow | Fire a piercing arrow. Its effect increases with each enemy it hits. Unlocks Empowered Arrows at Level 20. Unlocks Piercing II at Level 20. | Main Attack Skill |
 |
Soul Arrow: Crossbow | Allows you to fire your crossbow without consuming arrows and increases Attack Power. The crossbow arrows in your inventory with the highest Attack Power will be used to calculate damage. | Buff |
 |
Covering Fire | Fire arrows while leaping backwards. While firing, you'll have 100% Knockback Resistance. If you press and hold the skill key, you will fire arrows rapidly while in mid-air. You will temporarily not be pushed back by any attack after casting. | Passive Buff |
 |
Physical Training | Permanently increases STR and DEX through sheer physical training. | Passive Buff |
 |
Final Attack: Crossbow | Chance to deal additional hits after a direct attack. Must have a crossbow equipped. | Passive Buff |
 |
Crossbow Mastery | Increases Crossbow Mastery and Final Damage. | Passive Buff |
 |
Agile Crossbows | Increases Attack Speed and Dexterity. | Attack Speed Booster |
Sniper Third Job Skill Build
You can max all skills in third job. Follow this build:
- Empowered Arrow (MAX)
- Reckless Hunt: Crossbow (MAX)
- Marksmanship (MAX)
- Bolt Burst (MAX)
- Frostprey (MAX)
- Blink Bolt (MAX)
- Mortal Blow (MAX)
- Evasion Boost (MAX)
- Aggressive Resistance (MAX)
- Pain Killer (MAX)
In 3rd Job, you'll get Empowered Arrow. This will increase the ability of your second job skill Piercing Arrow, generating an Empowered Arrow that will wipe out mobs. Bolt Burst is a cooldown attack skill that fires arrows all over the map.
The rest are just passive damage increasers apart from your summon Frostprey! Very easy to manage!
Skill Description & Overview
| Icon | Skill | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Empowered Arrows | Empowers certain attack skills as you use them. Enhances Piercing Arrow (Piercing Arrow II is unaffected). Unlocks Greater Empowered Arrows at Level 10. | Passive Buff |
 |
Bolt Burst | Fires arrows in all directions, striking multiple enemies nearby. | Cooldown Attack Skill |
 |
Reckless Hunt: Crossbow | Reduces Avoidability and increases Critical Damage. Can be toggled On/Off. | Toggle Skill |
 |
Pain Killer | Consumes a prepared Herb to remove Abnormal Status immediately. Additionally, increases all Elemental Resistances and Abnormal Status Resistances permanently. | Buff |
 |
Mortal Blow | Chance to deal additional damage to an enemy and recover HP & MP. | Passive Buff |
 |
Marksmanship | When attacking, ignores a portion of enemy Defense. Permanently increases your Damage. | Passive Buff |
 |
Blink Bolt | Mark the spot where you are currently standing. Use the skill again to ride a magical bolt back to that spot instantly. Use the skill again while holding the Down Arrow key to replace your original marker. | Teleport |
 |
Frostprey | Temporarily summons a Frostprey. This skill is not affected by enemy damage reflection skills. Also increases Defense. | Summon |
 |
Evasion Boost | Grants a chance to dodge enemy attacks. If you succeed, attacks you land in the next second will result in Critical Hits. Also increases Knockback Resistance and Max HP permanently. | Passive Buff |
 |
Aggressive Resistance | When attacking, create a barrier for a short time that reduces a percentage of incoming damage. Every attack creates a new barrier. | Passive Buff |
Marksman Fourth Job Skill Build
You can max all skills in fourth job. Follow this build:
- Piercing Arrow II (MAX)
- Greater Empowered Arrows (MAX)
- Crossbow Expert (MAX)
- Bolt Surplus (MAX)
- Last Man Standing (MAX)
- Sharp Eyes (MAX)
- Arrow Illusion (MAX)
- Maple Warrior (MAX)
- Hero's Will (MAX)
- Illusion Step (MAX)
- Snipe (MAX)
Finally, you reached 4th job Marksman! Piercing Arrow II is your main mobbing skill; using Greater Empowered Arrows alongside it really boosts the damage of this skill. You'll also want to put a point into Bolt Surplus to increase your mob hit count.
Arrow Illusion is a summon you can place down that will periodically damage enemies and increase your ignore defense stat.
Snipe is your main bossing skill, so you'll max that last as you won't be doing much bossing early on.
Skill Description & Overview
| Icon | Skill | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Piercing Arrow II | Enhances Piercing Arrow. Upon striking their first foe, your Piercing Arrow skill now fragments, dealing damage to additional enemies. | Main Attack Skill |
 |
Snipe | Fire a carefully-aimed shot to deal severe damage. Targets the enemy with the highest max HP within range. | Single Target Attack Skill |
 |
Greater Empowered Arrows | Further enhances the strength of your Empowered Arrows. Striking an enemy with Piercing Arrow or Snipe upgrades their next use to Empowered Piercing Arrow or Empowered Snipe, respectively. Empowered Piercing Arrow is enhanced to Empowered Piercing Arrow II. Striking an enemy with Empowered skills grants you the Marked Target buff, which is unaffected by duration increases. Permanently increases Final Damage and Ignore Defense. | Passive Buff |
 |
Sharp Eyes | Temporarily grants party members the ability to locate an enemy's weak spot to deal fatal damage to that enemy. | Buff |
 |
Last Man Standing | Attacks against a lone target do much more damage. | Passive Buff |
 |
Illusion Step | Greatly increases your DEX and Avoidability, and reduces damage taken. Also increases Knockback Resistance permanently. | Buff |
 |
Maple Warrior | Temporarily increases the stats of all party members. Does not stack with Maple Warrior, Call of Cygnus, Nova Warrior, Hero of the Flora, President's Orders, Anima Warrior, or Rhinne's Protection. | Buff |
 |
Hero's Will | Hones your resolve to ignore certain abnormal status effects. Immune to Abnormal Status for 3 sec after use. | Buff |
 |
Crossbow Expert | Increases Crossbow Mastery, Attack Power, and Critical Damage. | Passive Buff |
 |
Bolt Surplus | Increases the number of attacks for all multi-hit skills and final damage. Does not apply to Summon, 5th Job Common, or certain skills. | Passive Buff |
 |
Arrow Illusion | Summons an arrow illusion for a short time to draw enemies in and damage them. If you get hit during the skill, you will launch a powerful counterattack. Not affected by attack reflection. Also increases Ignore Defense permanently. | Summon |
 |
Last man Standing | Increase the attack's power by training your strong, indomitable mind. | Passive Buff |
Marksman Hyper Skill Build
Hyper skills are available at level 140. You get Hyper Skill Points as you level towards 200, but not enough to max all the skills, so choose wisely. These skills mostly help increase the damage of your current skills.
- Piercing Arrow - Reinforce
- Piercing Arrow - Extra Strike
- Snipe - Cooldown Cutter
- Snipe - Reinforce
- Snipe - Boss Rush
- High Speed Shot
- Epic Adventure
- Bullseye Shot
Marksman Fifth Job Skill Build
Upon reaching level 200, you will now have access to the V Matrix, which acts as your new fifth job skills. Each class gets their own skills to use, along with boosting nodes to increase the damage of existing skills. To obtain new skills, you open up items called Nodestones, which drop from every mob in Arcane River. You have limited number of slots in your V Matrix, so you want to obtain perfect nodes for maximize your character's damage.
Marksman's Nodes should include:
- Split Shot
- Surge Bolt
- Perfect Shot
- Repeating Crossbow Cartridge
- Trinode: Snipe, High Speed Shot, Piercing Arrow
- Trinode: Final Attack, Covering Fire, Bolt Burst
All 5th Job classes should try to also obtain these:
- Decent Holy Symbol
- Decent Sharp Eyes
- Decent Speed Infusion
- Erda Nova
- Rope Lift
- Vicious Shot
- Guided Arrow
- Fury Of The Wild
Skill Description & Overview
| Icon | Skill | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Perfect Shot | Catch your enemies square in your sights. Use the left-mouse button to attack and the right-mouse button to cancel the skill. | Iframe |
 |
Split Shot | Magically enchants your arrows to explode as they approach the enemy, releasing countless more arrows. | Cooldown Mobbing Skill |
 |
Surge Bolt | Concentrate and deploy a powerful spirit arrow. Concentrate by pressing the key down. Activates an enhanced Surge Bolt when used after concentration is complete. It won't be canceled if you use a different skill while you concentrate. You can activate the Surge Bolt while using Net Toss, Snipe, Piercing and High Speed Shot if you've concentrated for just a short time. | Cooldown Attack Skill |
 |
Repeating Crossbow Cartridge | Use a special cartridge that allows you to fire multiple arrows at once. Use the skill again to activate a Full Burst Shot with the same cartridge. | Cooldown Attack Skill |
Changelog
27/02/2023 - Updated for Remastered Skills
26/03/2021 - Added new 5th Job Skill from the Awake update.
12/11/2020 - First update
Discussion