MrShiny's Bandit Guide / MapleStory Classic

Guides / Thief / Bandit

MrShiny's Bandit Guide

Here's my guide that I've been gathering information for since launch on Oct.6. I'm currently level 64 with goals to reach 80+ in the next month or so. I stream daily but I also work a full-time job so it's for only a few hours a day.

Below you'll see a very basic version of a guide that I wrote up at work and used Claude to help build this site. It'll be updated as often as I can with new information I learn while leveling.

Pros

+ Highest single target DPS (in 2nd job)

+ Haste (max move/jump)

+ High evasion

+ Steal gives you additional drops.

Cons

– Melee (takes lots of damage compared to range)

– Expensive (all thieves are expensive)

– Overplayed (also applies to all thieves)

– Very poor mobbing

– Easily KS'd if undergeared

Why Strength Bandit

Traditionally in Classic MapleStory, STR Bandit wasn't worth playing because the weapons required both STR AND DEX to equip. Classic world changed two things regarding Strength weapons.

1ST CHANGE

STR daggers only require STR and LUK

No need for DEX at all. We completely AP reset to STR/LUK and wear common gear.

2ND CHANGE

STR daggers are faster

They made the speed of STR daggers Faster (3) while allowing us to breach the previous cap (2 speed) with Booster and bring our weapons to 1 speed. This is the fastest weapon type in-game now outside of niche examples like Meba.

Contents

1. AP allocation 2. Skill build 3. Weapons and gear 4. Training maps 5. Common mistakes

Description

Bandit does one thing really well - high single target DPS. We switch at 45 as that is the minimum level (technically 44) when we can max Mastery and Savage Blow will be 6 lines. At this point you can full switch out of DEX and go STR with your new Bazlud.

This will let you (hopefully) one-shot Lupins, eventually Zombie Lupins, and then 3-shot Dark Stone Golems when you get there.

When you head to a new zone make sure you test XP rates so you can make sure it's efficient for your time and money to swap.

AP allocation

You should only ever allocate DEX or STR if your gear requires it. The rest goes into LUK.

Follow the rows in order. A dash means no change from the row above.

Level

STR

DEX

LUK

Notes

Rest

Goal: 20 DEX.

–

Rest

To equip Igor

–

Rest

To equip Meba

–

Rest

To equip Guardian

45+

40 total

Rest

Full AP switch: STR to 40 total, everything else to LUK. Details below.

We skip the Lv15 and Lv30 claw because they don't let us hit any important damage breakpoints.

Lv45+ · STR dagger build

At 45 you use the 45 dagger, Bazlud, which requires 40 STR. Only allocate enough STR just to equip it, no more. When you've equipped all of your gear you should be at 40, not anything above. The rest goes into LUK.

STR

DEX

INT

LUK

With Squishy Shoes (+1 all base) and Sauna Robe (+1 all base). X depends on what level you are.

Next upgrade. Your next gear upgrade will push your STR higher, but we're unaware if Sai (level 50 dagger, 50 STR) is in the game yet. As of now we're hoping it drops from either Tauromacis/Taurospears or the new Excavation mobs. Will update when we find out.

Skill build

Below you'll find two builds. The recommended option is to go Sindit (this means you're a bandit using Lucky Seven) until 45 when you transition to daggers.

The alternative is the Purist build, which uses daggers the entire time but earns less money and XP.

Recommended Route

Lv10 to 70. The route changes at Lv45.

Show routeHide route▾

Lv10–30 · 1st job

Level

Put SP into

Notes

Lucky Seven

Nimble Body

Keen Eyes

Keen Eyes1

Lucky Seven

Keen Eyes at 8

Lucky Seven

Lucky Seven maxed (20)

Keen Eyes

Keen Eyes at 11

Keen Eyes

Keen Eyes2

Nimble Body

Keen Eyes maxed (15), Nimble Body at 5

Nimble Body

Nimble Body2

Disorder

Nimble Body maxed (15)

Disorder2

Dark Sight

Lv30–45 · 2nd job

Level

Put SP into

Notes

Haste

Haste2

Nimble Recovery

Haste maxed (20)

Nimble Recovery

Nimble Recovery maxed (20)

Steal

Hard Swap to Bandit!!

Next section

Lv45–70 · Bandit

Why switch at Lv45? The reasoning is in the Description section.

Level

Put SP into

Notes

Mastery1

Booster1

Haste24

Savage Blow

Booster stays at 1 (see note below)

Savage Blow

Savage Blow maxed (30)

Haste

Haste2

Steal

Steal2

Haste

Steal maxed (30)

Haste

Haste2

Nimble Recovery

Haste maxed (20)

Nimble Recovery

Nimble Recovery maxed (20)

Booster stays at 1. It gives the full 2-speed boost at level 1, and more levels only add duration.

Nimble Recovery saves a ton on potions.

Bandit Purist

This route is for those who don't want to play Sindit and would prefer playing with daggers the entire way through.

Show routeHide route▾

Lv10–30 · 1st job

Level

Put SP into

Notes

Double Stab

Double Stab2

Nimble Body

Double Stab maxed (20)

Nimble Body

Nimble Body maxed (20)

Disorder

Dark Sight

Dark Sight at 18 (max)

Lv30–70 · Bandit

Level

Put SP into

Notes

Mastery

Mastery1

Haste

Mastery1

Booster

Mastery at 5. Booster stays at 1.

Mastery

Mastery maxed (20)

Savage Blow

*See note below

Savage Blow

Savage Blow maxed (30)

Haste

Haste2

Steal

Steal2

Haste

Steal maxed (30)

Haste

Haste2

Nimble Recovery

Haste maxed (20)

Nimble Recovery

Nimble Recovery maxed (20)

*At Lv41 you can technically use Savage Blow, as it will out-damage Double Stab.

Booster stays at 1. It gives the full 2-speed boost at level 1, and more levels only add duration.

Nimble Recovery saves a ton on potions.

Steal

I've been using Steal now for 50+ hours and here's how I believe it works.

Steal is an AOE mobbing ability (2 targets max) that does mediocre damage. You use it for 2 reasons.

35 Attack Power Buff

This buff stacks with Warrior potion/Drake's Blood AND Rage.

Additional loot

Explained below.

When Steal procs

When Steal procs, you'll have a purple animation on your character with a fist above your head. This is a successful steal, which will grant you the 60 second 35 attack power buff. This does NOT guarantee you'll get loot.

Additional loot

Mobs can only drop additional loot ONE total time, but you can proc Steal infinite times. This means if you proc Steal and get the buff but nothing drops, you can continue stealing until something drops. Once it drops, nothing else will drop until the mob is dead.

Mobs will drop 1 of 2 things.

50% of their meso value

Meso value = Mob Level x 2.

Ex: Wild Kargo (Lv62) drops 124 meso on death (62x2).

When you steal from Wild Kargo it will drop 62 mesos. If it dies, it can ALSO drop the normal 124 in addition.

One item roll from its drop table

This can be literally anything that it can drop normally (equips, potions, ores, etc., throwing stars).

If it drops an item, it will NOT drop it on death. You cannot duplicate the same item it would drop normally.

This is under the assumption that drops are rolled at monster DEATH and when you steal, you are effectively getting an early roll on their table before death rolls. Once you steal an item it is pulled OFF of their drop table before death.

Using Steal in Action

Here's a clip from my stream of me stealing Steelys off a mob.

Watch the clip on Twitch

Weapons and gear

From Lv10 to 45, always wear maximum LUK if possible. If you drop any hat, top, bottom, or glove with higher LUK than you have, you should equip it. LUK is our best stat for damage.

Stat requirements

Item

Used at

Stat req.

Notes

Garnier

Lv10

Igor

Lv20

20 DEX

Meba

Lv25

25 DEX

Guardian

Lv35

35 DEX

Bazlud

Lv45

40 STR

45 dagger

Sai

Lv50

50 STR

Level 50 dagger. Unknown if it's in the game yet.

Lv45+ · Items to aim for

Slot

Item

Notes

Hat

Ribboned Pig Headband

+2 ACC. Scroll for accuracy. This lets you go to Zombie Lupins, Dark Stone Golems, Kargos, Tauros, and future Excavation mobs earlier.

Overall

Sauna Robe

Do the quest, takes maybe 45 minutes. +1 all stat. Scroll with whatever is cheaper between LUK or STR.

Boots

Squishy Shoes

+1 all base. Aim for one with either +2 STR or +2 LUK.

Gloves

Lv15 gloves or Work Gloves

Technically the Lv15 gloves are BIS because they give 1 stat and 1 crit, but if you plan on scrolling your gloves with ATT scrolls, you should use Work Gloves for resale value.

Cape

Black Napoleon

3 LUK, 4 ACC. Scroll with LUK.

Shield

Pan Lid

Higher weapon defense increases chance to block, specifically on the shield.

Weapon

Bazlud

Korean Fan (click here)

Requires 40 STR.

Why not Korean Fan?

Korean Fan has no stat requirements but also much less Weapon Attack. Overall, for a KFan to be better than a Bazlud it'd have to roll nearly perfect stats and perfect scrolling to outweigh the STR requirements of Bazlud. If you manage to get a perfect one or don't care about min-maxing, feel free to use one.

Training maps

Level

Map

Notes

10–14/15

Slime Tree or Mushroom Garden

Slime

Green Mushroom

15–20

Forest of Wisdom

Green Mushroom

20–35

Stirges (Sindit only)

Stirge

Make sure you have an Igor at 20 and a Meba at 25. You'll one-shot at level 20 and will become meso-positive immediately. It will be packed.

XP goal: 1.5k/minute (requires one-shot)

35–45

Ant Tunnel

Zombie Mushroom

Horny Mushroom

Make sure you are one-shotting both Zombie Mushrooms and Horny Mushrooms. Very busy area but try to find a spot.

XP goal: 1.9k/minute (requires one-shot)

45–48

Monkey Forest I

Lupin

One-shot Lupins. Join a party.

XP goal: 2.3k/minute (requires one-shot)

48–50

Monkey Forest II

Zombie Lupin

One-shot Zombie Lupins (if you don't have good gear, stay at Lupins).

XP goal: 2.6k/minute (requires one-shot)

45–50

Tree Dungeon, Forest up North IX

Curse Eye

Alternative to Lupins.

XP goal: 3k/minute (requires one-shot)

50–53

Drake's Meal Table

Drake

Two-shot Drakes.

XP goal: 3k/minute (requires two-shot)

53–66

Sleepy Dungeon IV

Dark Stone Golem

Three-shot Dark Stone Golems.

XP goal: 3.5k/minute (three-shot) or 4k/minute (two-shot)

66+

Currently undecided

Will update when we test Excavation.

Common mistakes

Training at a map you're meso-negative.

You need to do your absolute best to make sure you break even or profit no matter where you're training. You can achieve this from level 20 onward assuming you go Sindit.

Killing too high-HP mobs.

As a Bandit you should be able to one-shot most mobs you kill until level 55-60. I wouldn't recommend moving to a new map until you can one-shot.

Spending too much time thinking.

Some is more than none. Pick a place and gain XP/meso. Don't spend all day trying to find the most optimal 100% place, it's best to just make sure "number go up."

Watch on stream

[Stream schedule or a line about what you play on stream.]

twitch.tv/mrshiny64 youtube.com/@mrshiny64

Fan-made guide for MapleStory Classic. Not affiliated with the game's publishers.

twitch.tv/mrshiny64 youtube.com/@mrshiny64