Sage

Sage
Job Base(s):	Mage
Job Type:	2-2
Race:	Human
Changes At:	Geffen
Number of Skills:	20
Total Skill Points:	116
Total Quest Skills:	2
Job Bonuses
STR AGI VIT INT DEX LUK +5 +5 +3 +9 +5 +3

Overview

Sages are a PvP-oriented class with the role of caster/anti-Mage. They do not have the offensive abilities of a Wizard, but are a slightly buffed version of Mage with their Free Casting. Sages shine in their defensive abilities, with many builds centered around Magnetic Earth. Dispell is also a popular and sought-after spell which is useful for removing buffs from the enemy. Many of their skills can only realistically be used in PvP, making PvM quite difficult, particularly for VIT/DEX builds that have difficulty solo leveling. Battle sages are a 'for fun' build which can become a powerful leveling build with the recent buffs to Autospell and the right gear.

Job Change Guide

See Sage Job Change Guide for detailed information.

Changing into a Sage from a Mage requires the player to complete a number of tasks:

• Item Collection
• Written Test
• Battle Test
• Thesis Composition

After completing these tests, the player will be transformed into a Sage. This takes place in Geffen.

Builds

Generally the best two Bolts to max are Fire Bolt and Lightning Bolt. The former is pretty much a given and LB is chosen because it is on the opposite side of the elements table. What this means is that having both FB and LB covers all the basic elements with no room for weakness. FB/CB on the other hand is weak to Water, as neither element is effective against it.

Leveling skills generally include Thunderstorm, Fireball, and Heaven's Drive for AoE. All three Bolt skills are not bad for single target damage. It is recommended to skip PvP oriented skills as a Sage, such as Stone Curse and Magnetic Earth, and only acquire these after rebirth.

Although a single target battle build can be enjoyable, if partied with a Priest or if using HP Healing Items, a pure PvM caster build yields much faster exp rates (AoE leveling is faster than killing single targets). Their endows can be indispensable for other classes, hence many Sages are built for slaving purposes only.

Basic Sage Leveling Build

• STR: 1
• AGI: 1
• VIT: 60-80
• INT: 80-99
• DEX: 50-80
• LUK: 10-30

Skill build: Skill Simulator

Sages start off with decent Magic AoEs with Thunderstorm and Fireball, and can pick off single targets with bolt spells. Unfortunately towards later levels (after about 85) it may not be possible to one shot monsters anymore with the bolt skills, and Thunderstorm and Fireball may not be reliable or quick enough to use. That is why players should prepare their builds with a decent amount of VIT for survivability to tank the monsters while recasting during solo leveling, or also survivability in party situations. Later levels will be spent either aiding with additional damage and Endow buffs in parties, or finding mobs weak to the Earth element to AoE with Heavens Drive. The rebirthed Sage, the Scholar gains access to very useful SP giving / recovering support skills with Soul Exhale and Indulge, and becomes an extremely useful support class.

Hindsight

• STR: 30-50
• AGI: 80-99
• VIT: 50-80
• INT: 80-99
• DEX: 40-60
• LUK: 10-30

CRIT Build

• STR: 30-50
• AGI: 80-99
• VIT: 50-80
• INT: 80-99
• DEX: 20-40 (ONLY if not at 100 CRIT)
• LUK: 10-30 (if using dagger of counter, little to no LUK will be needed other then for MATK and ATK damage boost)

CRIT build is the better of the two non-soul linked builds because it offers higher damage hits, and requires little to no DEX to land hits. This means STAT points can be put into other stats such as VIT or more STR. Additionally, LUK not only adds CRIT, but also adds MATK, which helps with Hindsight. This build WILL require CRIT gear due to the lack of DEX. Dagger of Counter or Soldier Skeleton Cards in an Encyclopedia are the best options.

Skill build: Skill Simulator

Free Cast and Hindsight allows this build to melee with books while raining bolts from above on their foes. Despite being a melee build, their main offensive power does not come from having STR, but rather from the high ASPD to trigger the moderate damage bolts. Some even prefer to drop their STR to a marginal amount, and wield a Bazerald dagger for the added MATK bonus. Coupled with the Sage Spirit buff of Soul Linkers, leveling them in Ice Dungeon with Lightning Bolt is very effective. Hindsight Sages should not use any shield because using them will lower their ASPD by a significant amount.

It is not recommended to play this build without FLEE gear because Mages do not get any extra FLEE bonuses the way Thief classes do with Improve Dodge. Mages also tend to have lower HP. This build requires points into LUK, DEX or STR to make up for the poor bolt damage to ensure that players hit their target. Relying solely on bolt casts will lead to many deaths.

Hocus-Pocus!!

• STR: 1
• AGI: 1
• VIT: 70
• INT: 130+
• DEX: 70
• LUK: 9

Skill build: Skill Simulator

During the early days of the introduction to the Sage class, it was the glory days of the Hocus-pocus Sages. Sadly the yellow-gem nerf and Hocus-pocus Boss nerf meant the end of their era. The build aims at the most INT possible for a good regen rate, since casting HP repeatedly can drain the SP considerably. It also doesn't go for maxed DEX, but focuses more on VIT instead to avoid death by random Hocus-pocus skills.

Equipment

General Equipment Recommendations

Main article: Equipment

The Equipment article lists some general all purpose equipment that is useful through the PVM phase and also for endgame use as well.

Weapons

After considering what requirement skills have (some skills can only be used with certain weapon types), the Weapon Search tool within the iRO Wiki DB site is very helpful. Generally, for physical classes (both melee and ranged), something with high ATK is best. For magic classes, something with high MATK is best.

Book

Encyclopedia [2]

Knife

Fortune Sword

Grimtooth

Combat Knife

Dagger of Counter

VIT/DEX Sages can use Fortune Swords, Grimtooths, or Combat Knives for defensive purposes.

Battlesages can use Dagger of Counter for crits.

Rod

Arc Wand

This easy to get item is the best weapon a Sage has access to until rebirth. It offers the highest mAtk of all non-trans staffs and is only 1-handed so the Sage can also wear a shield with it for damage reduction.

Headgear

Top

Mage Hat

All around useful headgear for mage classes. Gives 2 INT and increases SP by 150.

Bottom

• Cigarette or Pipe
  3% damage from Insect race monsters.

Shield

Don't bother with the Mage-class Card combo (Parasite), just go for a racial card.

• Guard/Memory Book
  Slotted memory book is very useful for caster sages, it has the same function as a guard with an additional +1 INT. Memory Book is also part of the Pocket Watch set.

Accessory

• Clip
  Clips are good for utility cards, for example Creamy, Phen and Vitata. It is almost essential to get these cards, otherwise it will be significantly harder to level. Once the player reaches level 90 alternatively they can be slotted into Gloves/Rosaries for a small boost in stats and to make switching easier.

Class Data

Skills

See Mage Skills for first class skills.

Skill	Description	Levels	Type
Cast Cancel	Cancel the casting of your skill and regain some of the SP.	5	Active
Deluge	Use a Yellow Gemstone to create a 7x7 area of water on the ground.	5	Active
Dispell	Use a Yellow Gemstone to remove all buffs from the target, with several exceptions.	5	Active
Dragonology	Increases INT up to 3, and increases ATK and MATK versus Dragon-race enemies.	5	Passive
Earth Spike	Attack a target for up to 500% Earth-element damage.	5	Offensive
Endow Blaze	Use a Red Blood to endow a party member's weapon with the Fire-element.	5	Supportive
Endow Quake	Use a Green Live to endow a party member's weapon with the Earth-element.	5	Supportive
Endow Tornado	Use a Wind of Verdure to endow a party member's weapon with the Wind-element.	5	Supportive
Endow Tsunami	Use a Crystal Blue to endow a party member's weapon with the Water-element.	5	Supportive
Free Cast	Allows you to walk and attack while casting spells.	10	Passive
Heaven's Drive	Earth-element AoE attack dealing up to 500% MATK to targets in a 5*5 area.	5	Offensive
Hindsight	Allows the Sage to choose a skill from a short list and autocast that skill when physically attacking.	10	Active
Hocus-pocus	Use 2 Yellow Gemstones to invoke a random non-Transcendent skill, or one of a few Hocus Pocus-specific effects.	10	Active
Magic Rod	Absorb a single-target skill that is targeting you, negating its damage and giving you SP.	5	Active
Magnetic Earth	Use a Blue Gemstone and Yellow Gemstone to create an area that cancels ground-targeting spells.	5	Active
Sense	Reveal basic information about the target monster.	1	Active
Spell Breaker	Cancel the skill that the target is currently casting and absorb it as SP.	5	Active
Study	Adds +3 ATK and +0.5% ASPD per skill level to Book weapons.	5	Passive
Volcano	Use a Yellow Gemstone to create a 7x7 area of fire on the ground.	5	Active
Whirlwind	Use a Yellow Gemstone to create a 7x7 area of wind on the ground.	5	Active

Quest Skills

Skill	Description	Levels	Type	Job Level Requirement	Quest
Create Elemental Converter	Allows the Sage to create Elemental Converters, which can be used for short term endows.	1	Active	None	Create Elemental Converter Quest
Elemental Change	Uses an Elemental Converter to permanently change the element of a monster.	1	Active	40	Elemental Change Quest

Job Bonuses

Stat\Amount	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6	+7	+8	+9
STR	42	44	46	47	48
AGI	3	6	13	22	33
VIT	4	11	18
INT	1	8	15	24	30	37	38	45	50
DEX	20	25	27	32	39
LUK	17	35	40

ASPD

Equip Attack Speed From Mage Bare Handed 151 +5 Shield -10 0 Dagger -8 −8 Rod (One Handed) -10 −5 Rod (Two Handed) -10 −5 Book +2 N/A

ASPD Potions Usable Concentration ✔ Awakening ✔ Berserk ✘

External Links

• Himeyasha's Skill Simulator