Thread: Dragon Nest Swordmaster Hybrid Skill Build

Some things to note before I start with explaining swordmaster skill builds.

• Looking at the swordmaster skill tree, the leftmost column contains all the physical-based skills and the rightmost column contains the magic-based skills.
• Pure builds means to ignore the other attack type. For example, pure physical build means to ignore all the magic-based attack skills.
• There can be full hybrid or half hybrid. For example, a half hybrid magic build means learning the magic ultimate skill and learning some of the physical-based skills but may not reach till the level 32 physical skill.
• What I mean by pre-requisite is that the skill has to be of a certain level in order to unlock another skill. You will see that many of the skills I learned, I only add them till pre-requisite level. I’ll only increase certain skills which I think is better if the level is higher.

The build below is actually for lvl 40 full hybrid Magic Swordmasters who want to learn the magic-based lv 40 skill. The build will also be changed when 2nd advancement is out due to some skill requirements in the 1st advancement tree. However, a free skill reset item will most likely be given out so you may want to follow this build to experience more on the different skills a swordmaster has.

Advantages:

• High Spammability – You will many skills to spam most of the time. This feels more exciting compared to the situation if you need to wait long time for your skills to cool down.
• Superb AOE capabilities – Almost all your magic attacks have good AOE. Even if you are playing a physical build, you will realise you will still use magic skills quite often for easier clearance of mobs.
• High DPS – Fast 8 sec cooldown Moon Light Splinter. Crescent Cleave on big mobs, especially bosses, if all 5 waves travel through the monsters.
• High Mana – You will be pumping Intelligence stats so your Mana will be high as well. This helps with spamming of skills. If you’re playing a physical build, then you will have to be careful with Mana usage.

Disadvantages:

• Low magic attack stat – As mentioned previously, there are both physical and attack stats. For warriors, it is easier to hit higher physical attack stats. For magic, it is harder to get high values for those who are not willing to spend real cash on games. People look at your attack stats when going for Nests.
• Not able to learn Infinity Edge (lv 40 physical ultimate) – Infinity Edge is an awesome skill which has insanely high damage if you can get all your hits done on the mob, especially useful on bosses. So the conclusion is whether you want this skill or you want the magic one with better AOE ability.

Warrior Skills

• Impact Punch and Heavy Slash – 2 very low damage skills. Leave them at pre-requisite will do. They can be used as filler skills while you spam other high damage skills due to their fast casting time. They are extremely useful in PvP as well to keep your enemy in the air.
• Tumble – Max it for faster cool down time so that you can avoid mobs better.
• Rising Slash – Put it on 6 to make it hit another time to combo with aerial. Very useful in both PvP (air combo) and PvE. In PvE, you can chain Rising Slash with Aerial Combo.
• Drop Kick – Very important skill in PvP for air combo as well. Not really useful in PvE.
• Sweeping Kick – Up to you if you want it or not. Basically, its just a front AOE normal physical sweeping kick to enemies in front but the damage is low. Not used often.
• Dash – Max it for higher movement speed if you have spare sp.
• Impact Wave – In this case, it is left at pre-requisite level as well. If you have spare SP available, you may want to add it till lv 10 to increase its range from 4m to 7m. This is a magic-based attack.
• Circle Break – Physical type attack which can break enemy’s defense. Lv 1 will do since you wont be spamming it. A filler skill as well.
• Highlander – A skill which requires no skill point to learn and yet VERY IMPORTANT. When used, you will get a buff which prevents you from dying. It works like this. With the buff on, even if the boss will KO you, your HP will still be left with 1.
• Relieve – Added till lv 2 to remove 2 negative buffs on yourself.
• Aerial Evasion – In this case, it is maxed at lv 3. You can choose to lower it if you find you can survive with longer cooldown for this skill.
• Wake-up Attack – A must-learn skill. Used when you are knockdown-ed. Use it at the correct time to recover.
• Physical Mastery – Personal preference whether you want to add or not.
• Mental Mastery – Lv 2 to unlock Mental Training for MP recover. Personal preference to increase or not.
• Mental Training – Personal preference to add or not. If you have good EQ with MP regen, you may want to drop this skill.

Skill Distribution Tree:

Swordmaster Skills

• Moon Light Splinter (MLS) – Moderate damage skill but has only 9 sec cool down. This means you will be spamming this skill the whole time! This contributes to high DPS. In this case, it is left at lv 2 just for pre-requisite because the damage improvement isn’t significant enough to increase it. However, you have to increase this to high levels if you’re going to advance as Moon Lord and then subsequently learn the new skill called MLS EX.
• Cyclone Slash (CS) – Moderate damage, usually used to disable mobs. Left at lv 3. While I was playing in TW server, I increased till lv 5 because I heard that the AOE gets larger. However, I don’t see much of a difference. So for this case, my personal preference will be to leave it at lv 3.
• Crescent Cleave (CC) – At lv 5, this skill unleashes 5 sword waves with huge front AOE. It helps to push back mobs also. This skill has strong DPS when all 5 waves travel through big mobs like bosses.
• Half Moon Slash (HMS) – Very strong damage but has a long cool down. It has a cast time of around 2 seconds (not sure of the exact figure). Using a heraldry plate which lowers its cast time helps this skill to be more effective in dealing high damage without getting interrupted due to the 2 sec cast time.
• Triple Slash – Slashing 3 times in front while moving forward. Good skill for continuing your attacks in combo.
• Foward Thrust – Filler skill. Character moves forward as well.
• Hacking Stance – Awesome skill which makes you slash many times. This can disable normal mobs as well, rendering them unmovable. Your combo number increases very fast also when you are using this on mass mobs. However, in this stance mode, you will not be able to move, tumble or dash unless you cancel it by using another attack skill. You can only move by pressing jump to dash forward for a short distance.
• Line Drive – Very strong damage skill which makes you dash and charge forward. Useful when you want to deal damage and at the same time, changing your position. All the lower tier physical attack skills are left at pre-requisite. I made this to lv 2 for higher damage. You may want to switch the extra SP to somewhere else.
• Parrying Stance – For this skill, the korean simulator and english simulator contradicts. KR says 100% parrying chance while EN says 80% chance. But nonetheless, it is still added at lv 1. Increasing the level of this skill increases the duration by 2 sec per lv. If you have spare SP, you may want to add this as well.
• Hemorrahage – Max this skill to maximise damage potential.
• Eclipse – I left it at lv 1. Personal preference to increase or not.
• Aerial Combo – Activated when you jump and then spam the attack button. Cool animation. It helps you sustain in the air for a longer time as well, useful in situations whereby you need to be in the air to avoid boss’ damage, for instance, manticore.
• Dash Slash – Most people learn this skill. Lv 1 will do.
• Dash Combo – Not a bad skill to learn to chain your skills. Lv 1 will do.
• Parrying – Lv 3 will do. Not much difference when increasing the level.
• Counter Slash and Counter Wave – Pre-requisite will do.
• Counter Exile – Lv 1 will do. Another way of surviving when being thrown in the air instead of using Aerial Evasion. Shoots a X-shaped wave.
• Great Wave – Superb AOE with high damage. Very useful in clearing mass mobs. The waves disable mobs as well, throwing them into the air, but not on bosses though. However, sometimes this skill does low damage on bosses like manticore. If you prefer high damage ultimate, go for physical then. In my opinion, this skill is more useful because of its AOE, disable-capability and coolness.
• Infinity Edge – As mentioned, this skill does crazy damage on bosses if you get all the hits done.

Skill Order Usage

Basically, you will be using Hemorrahage to debuff the mob first. Eclipse and Circle Break are also used to debuff mobs as well. Subsequently, this is the typical attack order I normally use. MLS->CS->MLS->CC->HMS. After this, if all the magic skills have not finished their cooldown, you can then turn to physical skills to spam.
Moon Light Splinter > Cyclone Slash > Moon Light Splinter > Crescent Cleave > (Physical Attacks)

by Peter