Blade & Soul: Force Master Guide by WuBiUPDATED April 18, 2015 chaose5 2 Comments

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Force Master is the long range damage dealer and spell caster class in Blade & Soul Online. This Force Master guide is written by WuBi 无币 of Freedom guild.

The following is simply an opinion-based guide. It covers some basic understanding needed to deal better damage and how to use the right skills at the right moments.

Introduction

Force master is basically the “mage” class in Blade & Soul Online. Force Master is one of the ranged class and most of their skills require users to target the enemy. There are pros and cons for this class and it is important to understand the basics in order for you to be good in it. Force master controls two elements, namely fire and ice. Fire skills are mainly damaging skills while ice is used for control/defence.

Ember/Ice Stack (On enemy)

When you deal damage to a target with fire skills, you are able to stack up ember and likely to gain fire orb – likewise with ice skills and ice orb. The maximum number of ember stack is 5 and the ember can be used to cause additional explosive damage to the target.

Once you have reached 5 ember stacks, you can detonate them manually to generates more damage. The faster you stack up these ember, the more explosion you can trigger (you can do it either manually or automatically).

Ice stacking is mainly used for freezing. It is good for pvp or non-boss monsters. There isn’t much extra damage you can deal with it.

Manual DetonationUse Shockwave (1)

Automatic DetonationUse Flame Palm (LB) 4-1, Heat Wave (F)

Fire/Ice Orb (炎玉/冰玉)

The fire/ice orb can only be generated only if you specs some skills to gain them.  The orbs can be stacked for up to a max of 3; each stack has a different % of buff given. (To know which skills have them, all you need to do is find these words 生成 1个火玉/冰玉)

Once you have stacked up to 3 orbs, you will be able to cast Flame/Frost Dragon Blast (F). If you stacked both 3 fire and 3 ice orbs as shown in the above picture, you will be able to use Twin Dragon Blast (F) which is a mixture of both fire and ice element.

Fire Orb 3 stack: When hit by enemies, deal extra 10% damage to the enemies that hit you and increase ember by 1Ice Orb 3 stack: When hit by enemies, they will receive ice damage (冰伤) and you recover 3 MP

It is good to get used to stacking  3 of both orbs because Warlock Spiritualism buff will awaken Twin Dragon Blast. Only 1 Fire and Ice orb is consumed when casting Awakened Twin Dragon Blast.

Flame/Frost Stance

Flame Stance 火系 – When you are critically hit by enemy, the following attack to that enemy will increase 1 ember stack.Frost Stance 冰系 – Randomly freeze opponents. (Only apply to those which can be frozen, not applicable to boss. Easily seen in pvp arena.)

Force master’s skills are very straight forward and once you understand the above, all you need to do is balance up how you want to play your character. Either you push up ember stack, gather orbs or allocate enough points to do both.

Ember Stack Combo

If you look at Blaze Palm (X) skill, there is an additional description below the damage.

Blaze Palm creates a 9 seconds Burn effect (灼伤) on the target. This burn deals certain amount of damage to opponents over time and even allows another 3 fire skills, namely Flame Palm (LB) 4-2, Pyroblast (2) 3-2 and Meteor Shower (V) 3-2, to stack 2 embers each time they are used.

During the 9 seconds Burn effect, it is advisable to spam the 3 skills because it increases fire stack easily which will cause more explosion to your opponents.

Force Master PVE Build – Singe Target

Once you have understood the general idea of force master’s stacking mechanics and buff, there shouldn’t be any problem on what skill to add. It is totally up to you on how you want your build to be. Below is just how I want to play my FM skills.

Ember Stack skills:F, Z, C,

Detonation Skills:LB (4-1),F

Ice Support Skills:3, C, V, F( Ice for regen), Tab (ice)

Fire Orbs:F, C

Ice Orbs:X, 3, F, RB

Ignored Skills: 1 & Tab (Fire)

My build mainly balances up the important parts. The reason why I choose automatic detonation of ember stack is because I would rather spend more time casting other skills. Explosion (Tab path 2) is preferred as a block skill which I usually use it in Mushin tower against 7 & 8.

However, if you require Searing Flame (Tab path 3) to knock down enemies (like Snow Jade Palace‘s 2nd boss), then spec for it. Depending on circumstances, it might prove useful.

Two usual combos:Fire combo: X (x2 if crit) – V(Stack) – 2(Stack) – LB (Explodes) – 2 (Stack) -LB

Ice combo: All Ice dps to stack ice buff – then move to fire buff skills

Other skills: Used whiling waiting for the cool down of other skills. Example Skill 4 (Charge for 5 sec)

Force Master PVE Build – Multiple Target

In this section, I would just describe the build I use while facing a group of enemies. The skills are mostly AOE and a few of them are single target. The single target skills are used because they help to recover your Hp/Mp. At this point, I usually ignore all the guidelines of stacking, buff, combos and try to spam as much as I can to kill more.

AOE Fire Skills:2, z, v

Ice Skills:3, z

Support:4

Try to collect both fire and ice orbs so you can cast Twin Dragon Blast to deal more damage.

 

Force Master PVE Build - Mushin Tower

Mushin tower is known to be challenging.  It is even more difficult for Force Master if your dps is not high enough or your skills are not used correctly. In order for you to challenge Mushin, you will need to master  the timing for i-frame block and damage stacks.

You will need both good dps skills and defense skills. Do not focus only in DPS skills because you will need to counter as well.  Slight modification for the PVE single target build is recommended for Mushin Tower. Here are the important skills that will definitely help you:

Explosion (Tab) – This skill work wonders in 7th floor because you can use it to break the boss combo. The down side of this is, it lasts for 0.5 second only and it’s very hard to time. The more you use it, the better you will be.

Searing Flame (Tab) – Works well in 8th floor and allow you to get yourself together

Protection Barrier (C) – Reduce damage for a certain period

Ice Flower (V) – Prevent yourself from being combo-ed at 7th & 8th floors

Cyroblast (3) – Stun and freeze

Try to keep a distance from the boss though it will be hard for you to stay far always. Change your build at each level and make full use of all your skills. Do consider using Force Grip (4) to hold and recover MP. It also helps in stopping the boss combos (7th, 8th floors).

There is no absolute right or wrong in skill building. I have even seen some players investing 1 point at  Withdraw (SS) which I probably won’t advise you to do so. As long as you can clear it, everything is good.