A Beginner's Guide to PVM Soul Linkers

[Session]

Thats a good point joe.

Never really thought about it. I'd just full melee taekwon, and reset as soon as I can turn into a soul linker. If you were really patient, as a taekwon you could use melee attacks+ww+flying side kick, and just kill things with elements. Even with no attack or str boosts, you will do a permenant 100+ damage from the running skill (when maxed). Best places probably being wolves forever and ever, moscovia, Bylan, soils, or even mobbing for other players/luring early on. Especially for a vit build, couldn't do too bad I'd imagine.


Also never thought about Osiris, either. That'd be amazing at 99/50. ;D


Edit: Oh, and if you had it somehow, autocast gears. Would be lame damage with no +% modifiers from a rod, but still additional damage I suppose.

[ABlueJelly]

Ah, linkers, one of my loves.
Aedra tried to do me justice (did a decent job of it to boot), but I saw this and was like ZOMG! MUST CHECK IT OUT!

While I do commend you for saying to get level 10 Running (you have no idea how many people have said you only need it high enough to get instant cast), I do have a few issues with it XD


Firstly, some credentials.
I am the owner of two linkers on heRO.
Koishi Komeiji, KoJ's second linker back in the day, and now a proud linker in DoE. While she is now in a WoE build, she leveled to 95 in an Esma build.
Ilyasviel von Einzbern, my Esma linker who is currently level 98.

I kinda want to make a third linker to build as a lure, however, I am out of slots on my female account. I may repurpose a friend's linker named Nue to serve as this. However, I'll first need to finish leveling her up and get said friend's permission XD

I also have an Esma linker on a max-level-255 high rate that has Es- PvP enabled. While I haven't participated in any actual PvP, every person I've fought over an MvP kill has been rolled hard, even with my Alice shield on, except for one or two Rangers (who are kinda BS with negative redux XD).


Linkers are, in my opinion, agile, single target mages. They have access to some of the best DPS in the game, THE best mobility spells (with the mana pool to use them), and some of the most game-changing buffs.
Their Strength lies in two locations. Firstly, the fact that they have no cooldowns. The base cooldown for level 10 ___Bolt is 2.8 seconds (1.0 for level 1). The base cooldown on Estin/Estun and their chained Esma are 0.5 seconds. This is like having bragi on a sage 24/7. Secondly, their damage output from Esma is not just >any< element besides Poison and Undead (though I think it might be those props if your basic attacks would be; never tested this theory), but also scales over 1:1 matk (40% + 1% matk per level; at level 60 it's 100%, at level 99 it's 139%) WITHOUT locking you into specific cards (siroma/imp).
Their Survivability lies in their ability to be mobile. High Jump instantly snaps you 10 cells, cannot be interrupted even without a phen, and can go over walls. Running makes you move a little faster than a peco in a straight line. Adding in Estin's knockback and the UNINTERUPTABLE FAST CAST SEVEN SECOND RIDICULOUS SLOW that is Eswoo, and nothing will get up to you. On top of this, you have your aforementioned lack of cooldowns, so you *can* weave these in with your damage output.

Note that while I say they are "Agile" I DO NOT mean they should stack flee. I mean they are highly mobile and able to be in the right place much more easily than other mages; they seek the high ground instead of trying to force the enemy to take the low.

COMMENT ON THE STAT BUILD SUGGESTION:
I agree, vit is important for them, and int to 99 asap (just like bolter sages and profs (re: all single-target casters)) is also very very important. However, I disagree on the importance of Dex.
Due to the nature of High Jump in escaping and how honestly long of a cast time Esma is (unless you run uninteruptable, it feels overly long at first if you're used to a bolter prof (who runs 75% redux before dex XD)), I opt for a lot more dex, going with:
99 int
90 dex
rest vit


Important skills NOT covered by this guide:
Eswoo
Eswoo is my most favorite crowd control spell, however, it is also the most difficult to use.
Firstly, its cast is NATURALLY UNINTERUPTABLE, meaning phen be damned nothing will stop this.
Secondly, it is a very strong slow. So much to the point where Estin will almost permanently keep your target at arm's or longer-than-arm's length during its duration. If you've ever been to Nyd's Nest or fought Tatachos, the slowing spell they cast is Eswoo.
Thirdly, it has a SEVEN second duration at max level. Because of your lack of cooldowns, mobility, and decent base casting speed, this is a VERY long time; my Esma linker gets 3 casts of Esma without an isilla proc (and still has some breathing room).
Fourthly, it's a very fast cast on its own- one second base at all levels with the standard half-second cooldown.
HOWEVER, all of this amazingness comes at some cost.
One, it has the worst poslag in the game, as the client does not respond to the non-debuffed movespeed (or monster size) when the spell wears off, meaning you have to track (count) the debuff yourself.
Two, if you accidentally try to apply it on something that still has the debuff on it, you will stun for 5 seconds, no matter how much stun resist or stun duration redux you have.
It's a very high skill cap, but it is very, very powerful.
NOTE: It has a 1.4 sec duration on Boss-property monsters.

Rogue Link
This link allows a Stalker to lure at Dimentional Gorge, do MvP checks, pot liek a baws, be immune to dispell, and go zoooooom with chasewalk. It's one of the better links.

Blacksmith Link
This link allows BS/WS to use Full Adrenaline Rush. This has a wider range of applicable weapons than Adrenaline Rush, causing it to be much more useful for the party.

Alchemist Link
This buffs alche pot pitch's efficiency by a lot. (1% per blvl on the SL) as well as enabling TWILIGHT ALCHEMY which is a good thing for brewing.

Super Novice Link
Allows SNs to become a lot more powerful than normal- to the point of instacast with chain-bolts and high matk, and other such stuff.

Eske/Eska
Both of these have very rare uses, and are a lot more important if you're intending on stealing an MvP from someone (you can epicly buff an MvP to 300% atk and stupid high mdef and random def). Since both of these can be used to enhance a Sniper's (or other non def ignoring physical attacker's) damage versus a target, these can be useful in preventing someone from KSing (or trying to KS) someone's MvP (which are very close to FFA, meaning it's LIKELY LEGIT. Ask a GM to confirm though, as I am not a GM, nor do I play one on TV).



On Ka- Spells

Kaina is amazing, you got that right. Without this, you >will< be oom all day every day, as you have no cooldowns to slow your casting to thus regulate your omnomnomming of your mana. Even then, when farming, I can easily go oom before hitting 50% weight, using lv7 of this at 98.

Kaite is mostly only useful in PvP, as it completely fails on high level monsters, you got that right.

Kaizel is usually not very useful until you're 99, you got that right. However, when combined with an Osiris card, lv1 of this makes Death a full Heal, HP and SP. On that Highrate, this is why I win every 1v1- even if I die, I just kill them with my second life.

Kaahi is both amazing and a curse at the same time. Linkers, especially when constantly casting, are very very mana hungry. When BBing, even in a party, I generally have to b to get more mana after every good branch unless I was constantly dieing. And that's without Kaahi and a 2.4k mana pool (and lv7 Kaina). Plus, one thing I've found from my two profs is that ECoat is more of a curse when you're getting mobbed, as it eats through your mana very quickly- and kaahi will potentially be more mana intensive due to its cost not decreasing as you get lower.
An OOM Linker is a Dead Linker. While this lets you tank a ridiculous amount of damage (reason I wanna make a lurinker), it limits your ability to cast something like High Jump to get yourself into a better position.

Kaupe is an amazing skill. Inside of PvP, you can and will make every Crea give up- even before you know how to use it. Once you get good, you'll make lolsura and sonic blow users rage hard- I've even dodged Combo Asura with with this gem.
In PvM, it is a little less useful if you're going with Kaahi (though it does allow you to use kaahi as a pure heal no matter the auto damage the attacker can do), as it only blocks one hit and kaahi focuses on outhealing all hits. Yet, it is all but necessary if you just evade (not dodge, >evade<) damage.



Aaaaanyways, my method had me soloing anubis at lv70 with the only issue being miscounting my eswoos or lagging.

As for gears....
+4 Morpheus Hood
Aria Sunglasses [1] [Isilla Card]
+4 Aerial Wings
Wizardry Staff
+4 Morpheus Shawl
+4 Shoes of Witch [Eggyra Card]
Morpheus Ring
Morpheus Bracelet

just lols XD
Works good for kaahi, there is one switch I would suggest for yourself.
Either Isilla Zodiac Wings (due to 2 more effective isillas, +4 int, 2% matk, and some spell resist) or Flower Wings (highest defense wings possible). Walk speed isn't that important, as you have the two best mobility spells in this game, and both of those are very useful options for a soul linker.
Another consideration might be a quad necro rod[4] for spellpen or a necro carded int survivor's rod for the increased max HP and a *little* spell pen.
As for isilla sunnies, there are a lot of people who would consider those a derp, and are quite expensive. Much easier to get access to Red Glasses (+1 int) or Robo Eye (+2% matk) depending on which gets you more (based on int bonuses). I agree though that they are likely ideal (unless +2 int doesn't land you an int bonus)


If you go for how I play esma (non-kaahi, meaning you don't need a morph ginormous sp pool or uninteruptable), consider this for your item build:

Aria Maiden's Hat (Isilla card; net +3 int +2% matk (1% more if you can +7 or more))

Aria Sunnies, Red Glasses, or Robo Eye, depending on your int and budget

Aria Zodiac Wings (+4 int, +2% matk)

over-refined Of Ignoring Int Surv Rod (Necro Card; net +4 int, +400 HP, 2% mpen; each overref is +1% matk with Surv Mant)

Memory Book or any carded shield, depending on your int

over-refined Survivor's Mateau (+10 vit, +300 HP, with slotted surv rod, each refine is 3% neutral resist; +5 is a Vali's, +7 is better than a Raydric)

Vidar's Boots (+9% HP and SP) or Verit/Sohee/Hibram carded HQS or whatevs.... Sleips if you got 'em.

2x Spiritual Rings (+2 int +1 Dex each) if you aren't PvP minded.
If you are, consider a Mage MoH from Battlegrouds (+600 HP, +5% atk and matk, 1% chance to stone attackers) if your int allows it
And of course, add in an Osiris Earing (+1 int, epic Kaizel)




All in All, linkers are a severely underplayed class for how powerful they are, and good guide for the basics of how to make one work. My setup requires a bit better reflexes and more focus on counting your eswoo (you will die in 90% of cases if you eswoo-stun yourself), but has a very high, very rapid damage output (especially when you get isilla instacast), and can effectively solo Nameless Island (itself and floor 1) and other places.

As a side note, whenever you have bragi, consider popping Zerk potions, as linkers- especially with bragi- are more hindered by Animation Delay than the actual skill-specific cooldowns.

[Gabihime]

Updated with some brand new information!