Iop/Strength/1

=Strength Iop Guide=

So, you’ve decided to become an Iop? Great! Iops are among the simplest classes to build, and yet their nuances escape many. Including me when I first started :)

Why do people invite Iops to fight with them? To deal out the pain! You are in no way a support character. So your mind is free to strategize! Just don’t boss your teammates around too much :P

Class spells:
Intimidation Level 1 Neutral damage, knockback Pros: Knockback is quite useful. Useful to move enemies (or even allies) around. Cons: Low damage. Take this to level 4 after Pressure. You'll also want to take this to level 6 after level 100. Thanks to Muggsy and others for reminding me about the 3-tile pushback at level 4.

Pressure Level 1 Earth damage Pros: 2 casts per round at level 5. Cons: Concentration outguns it at levels 80+. Max this spell first.

Jump Level 1 Teleport Pros: Jump away from danger, or close on ranged enemies Cons: 1/15 critical failure rate. Max this after leveling Intimidation to 3.

Compulsion Level 3 Ally +damages buff Pros: If you have 4 extra AP, not bad to cast on a Leek Pie user or an Enu (for Coins). Cons: When do you have 4 AP to waste? No points into this.

Divine Sword Level 6 Air damage, +damages to the caster Pros: Your first self buff! Cons: Air damage… No points into this.

Sword of Fate Level 9 Fire damage, linear ranged Pros: First ranged spell! Cons: Fire damage, linear. No points into this.

Bravery Guide Level 12 Global ally +damages buff Pros: Buffs all allies, 2 AP. Cons: Static +damages become much less useful at higher levels. No points into this.

Increase Level 17 Self +damages buff Pros: Only 1 AP cost! Cons: ½ critical failure rate, small buff. No points into this.

Destructive Sword Level 21 Fire damage Pros: Good damage on a good roll. Cons: High AP cost, fire damage. Inconsistent damage. No points into this.

Cut Level 26 Fire damage, linear ranged; MP drain on target Pros: MP drain. Cons: Fire damage, linear. You have a choice: either this or Vitality.

Blow Level 31 Neutral damage, knockback Pros: Umm…an appropriate name? Cons: Higher AP cost and not much more damage than Intimidation. No points into this.

 Vitality Level 36 Self life buff Pros: More life allows higher level monsters to be faced. Cons: Loses usefulness at higher levels. It’s not a heal – the effect goes away after battle. Max this if you didn't max Cut.

Sword of Judgement Level 42 Air damage Pros: High damage on a good roll. Cons: High AP cost, air damage, inconsistent damage. No points into this.

Power Level 46 Self or ally percent damage buff Pros: Percent damage is always useful, can be cast on allies. Cons: High AP cost. Max this when you get it.

Mutilation Level 54 Self physical +damages buff, damage to caster Pros: High static damage buff, useful with several Concentration or Pressure attacks. Also useful at range when you have 2 extra AP. Cons: Only works on Earth or Neutral damage spells, self attack. Max this later…it’s most useful with Concentration. Or skip it and max Celestial Sword.

Strengthstorm Level 60 Fire damage, ranged Pros: High damage, even with little Intelligence. Low AP cost. Ranged. Cons: Minimum range of 3, Fire damage. Max this when you get it. It’s useful for ranged damage and for elemental versatility.

Celestial Sword Level 70 Air damage, ranged area of effect Pros: Good damage, area of effect. Cons: Linear. Air damage. Must cast it 3 squares away from you or you’ll hit yourself. You have a choice with this one. It’s nice for the ranged AoE damage and elemental versatility, but there are other spells you’d have to skip (likely Mutilation).

Concentration Level 80 Earth damage Pros: Low AP cost. Doesn’t end your turn on a critical failure. Cons: No range. Max this when you get it.

Sword of Iop Level 90 Earth damage, ranged area of effect Pros: Ranged. Area of effect. Doesn’t hit you when the enemy is close. Cons: Inconsistent damage. Difficult to avoid hitting allies sometimes. Max this when you get it. If you’re short on spell points, you can get away with leaving this at 4…you don’t get a whole lot more damage at level 5.

Iop's Wrath Level 100 Earth damage Pros: This is why you wanted to become an Iop. Over 3000 is possible on a good hit. Cons: High AP cost, ½ critical failure rate, 20 turn cooldown, huge damage range. This can wait until you get some of your spells to level 6. It’s just too unreliable.

Other spells:
Brokle Special spell – purchase from Iop temple for 10kk. Neutral damage to the 4 squares surrounding the caster. Pros: High damage, does not hit allies. Cons: High AP cost, 5 turn cooldown. No points into this. It looks tempting at low levels, I know…I recommend you get it for the rare occasion that it’s useful, but it won’t be often.

Sword Skill Weapon skill – rare drop from monsters…slightly higher drop rate from Kwoans. Percentage self buff to weapon damage. Pros: Increases weapon damage by much more than Power. Cons: 1/15 fail rate and 6 AP until level 6. Max this when you can.

 Cawwot Special spell – trade for 100 Cawwots. Plants a Cawwot in the ground with a healing glyph around it. Pros: Line of Sight blocker, small heal. Cons: High AP cost. Nice to have, but don’t level it.

Summoning of Chaferfu Special spell – reward for completing the Skeleton Dungeon. Summons a Chafer. Pros: Can be useful to force dodge rolls or block line of sight. Cons: Attacks a random target…not necessarily your enemy. Get it, but don’t level it.

Leek Pie Special spell - drops from Wild Sunflowers. Ranged low AP fire attack. Pros: Nice for finishing off an enemy with just a few HP left. Also for buffing Sacrier allies. Cons: Very low fire damage. Get it if you can, but it's not a priority. And definitely don't level it.

Souls Seek Special spell - reward for completing the Bulb Cave. Captures mob in a soul stone to fight again later. Pros: Fight mobs twice for double the chance at drops. Cons: Must equip soul stone to capture the mob. High cost of empty soul stones. Get it if you want, but it's better to actually use on an alternate Enu character if you have one.

Spell Guide
Level 11: Max Pressure Level 17: Intimidation to level 4 Level 23: Jump to level 4 Level 29: Swordskill to level 4 Level 36: Max Vitality or Cut Level 48: Max Power Level 50: Max Swordskill Level 60: Max Strengthstorm Level 70: Max Mutilation or Celestial Sword Level 80: Max Concentration Level 90: Max Sword of Iop Level 100+: Take Jump, Swordskill, Intimidation, and Cut to level 6. Max Iop's Wrath.


 * This is not 100% accurate if you add up the skill points: you'll be a couple levels behind. I left it simplified, think of it as a general guide of what you need at what level.  A fully accurate version would be...confusing.

Decisions to make
Mutilation: This spell is useful in specific situations: When you are facing a static damage reduction opponent (Feca, Xelor, Jellies, etc.). At range when you have a couple extra AP. Otherwise, your 2 extra AP is better spent on a Concentration hit. And remember it only works for Neutral and Earth spells.

Vitality: For me, this was useful for a long time. But at level 10x, I use it only occasionally...and I'll use it less and less as I approach 1000+ HP. If you can get by without it at low levels, don't put any points into it. And remember that if you do max it, it costs a million kamas to forget it back to level 1 at level 100.

Cut: Useful to drain MP of opponents. Especially good in PvP.

Strengthstorm: Damage can be very nice even with 0 base intelligence and a few inexpensive pieces of intelligence equipment. I recommend leveling it for elemental versatility. I also use it for a 3 AP ranged attack.

Celestial Sword: Damage can be pretty good with scrolled agility and an 8 AP agility set. This is more expensive to make useful than Strengthstorm. It can be useful for elemental versatility, but the linear casted area of effect damage makes it difficult to use in tight quarters. The range is 1-3, but you have to cast it 3 squares away from you or you hit yourself. Also, you’ll have to choose another spell to not level.

Pressure vs. Concentration
Level 6 Pressure and level 5 Concentration have roughly the same damage, for the same AP cost. Pressure has the range advantage, but Concentration doesn’t end your turn on a critical failure. What’s an Iop to do!?

I find that I rarely need the one extra range of Pressure. The non-fatal failure of Concentration allows greater flexibility, in my opinion. But hey…it’s your character :)

Stat Point Distribution
Scrolling as much as possible is recommended due to the boost in Initiative.

Strength: Increases both Earth and Neutral damage. This will be your primary stat.

 Vitality: Your secondary stat. You'll need quite a lot of life, since you're a melee character.

Wisdom: Increases XP gained. No points into this, mister! Or missy…anyway, scroll it when you can. Costs 3 stat points for 1 wisdom point…pricey.

Agility: Yes, Iops have several air spells. All of them suck until Celestial Sword. No points! Scroll it up.

Intelligence: Yes, Iops have several fire spells. All of them suck until Strengthstorm. And that doesn’t need much Intelligence to rock your face. No points! Scroll it up…after you do wisdom and agility.

Chance: Are you crazy!? Iops have no water spells. And if you want more drops, go make an enu :P Scroll it up if you have the time/patience/cash.

My plan: Strength to 100. Then Vitality to 100. Then Strength to 200. Then Vitality to 150 or 200. Then Strength to 300. Then Vitality all the way home!

This is pretty flexible – if you’re losing battles by just a few HP, feel free to pump Vitality early. Just don’t put any stat points into anything besides Strength or Vitality.

Swords
1-10: Move up the Twiggy Sword family.

10-25: Stick with the Gobball Hammer, or a Powerful Smithy Sword at level 15.

26-40: Powerful Knight Sword.

41-51: Earth Kwakblade, or stick with the Powerful Knight Sword. Thanks for the suggestion, Proust!

52-67: Get a Razielle if you can afford one. Otherwise stick with the Earth Kwakblade/Powerful Knight Sword or look at the Craft Knife or Evening Star family.

68-99: Sharp Claw or Bloody Craft Knife.

100+: Switch between Pink Claw and Fake Ceangal Claw.

Other Equipment
1-10: Get the Adventurer Set if you can, but don’t waste the time gathering it unless you have it already sitting around.

10-46: Go for Gobball Set. You can wear it all except the belt at level 10, and it gives more strength and vitality than the Adventurer Set.

46-80: Mix and match pieces of the Treechnid Set, Green Scaraleaf Set, and the Earth Kwak Set. You’ll also want to get a Prespic Set for leveling. Boots that give +1 MP are highly recommended: Jelloboots, Gobball Breeder boots, and Orino Boots.

80-100: It starts to get very expensive at this point. You’ll want parts of the Farle Set (Farle's Magic Bracelet and Farle's Ears are recommended), plus Orino Boots, Terrdala Hat, and Boowish Belt or Chafeuse Belt. Start collecting green larva skins for a Grazor (you need 220). You’re also going to want 8 AP by this point…a Gelano is optimal, but difficult to get. A Treecaska can work, but make sure you have another MP from your boots so that you keep at least 3.

100+: Your goal is 10 AP. Get that however you can, it makes for great versatility. A great way to do so is with Farle's Ears, Gelano, and a Powerful Dazzling Belt. All three are quite expensive, but well worth it in the end.

Leveling Guide
1-20: Gobballs, Mushd,  Boars.

21-35: Lousy Pig Knights,  Wabbits, Mushd.

36-59: Piglets, Lousy Pig Knights,  Wabbits,  Treechnids,  Fungi Masters.

60-100: Ouginaks, Blops,  Treechnids,  Plain Boars,  Fungi Masters.

100+: Dopples, Dreggons,  Ouginaks, Pandala Nolifs Land Ghosts (in a large group), Cemetary Ghosts,  Kanigrous.