New Bowman Class (Fan Made)

Before I made the 3rd branch thief class, this time I'm gonna do the ame for bowmen. If there was a 3rd branch of bowmen, what do you reckon it would be?
Here’s my idea of what I think the 3rd bowman subjob would be.

Bards
Bards are the 3rd branch of Bowmen and uses instruments as their weapon to fire instrumental arrows (as bow arrows is to bow and crossbow arros is to crossbow). (Yes I took the idea from Ragnarok Online)
They may not have high attack power with the latter two secondary classes but they are by far one of the most useful supportive characters using music to enhance their party members fighting ability.
Their music is divided into two classes: Solo and Ensemble. Solo are music that can be played singularily whereas ensembles require another bard to use this skill. In order to use an ensemble, a bard must be affected by any solo performance used by another bard and thus it can use an ensemble. Ensembles are generally considered more useful that solos.
With all the music, they DO stack up with your skills. Say a bard is playing the warrior bolero that gives +5 attack power, another bard who plays the same thing nearby that also gives +5 attack power will give the whole party 10 attack power as a result. So in short, a party of 5 bards with a warrior will give the warrior a bonus of +25 attack.
Performances however can be interrupted if a bard decides to use another skill or to use a potion.
Bards however are considered weak with their stats worse than rangers and snipers. Their attack and defense build is considered horrible but their MP growth is literally double the amount a ranger or a sniper can earn.

[SIZE="3"]2nd Job Bard Skills[/SIZE]
Instrument Mastery
Increases the instruments mastery and accuracy. It only applies when an instrument is in hand.

Instrument booster
Uses HP and MP to temporarily boost up the attacking speed of the instrument. It only works with an instrument in hand.

Solo: Bolero of the Warrior
An ability that activates when the key is held down. When active, this skill affects all nearby party members increasing their weapon attack and defense by a certain amount.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 12 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party will gain +1 weapon atk and weapon defense within range.
Level 10: 8 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party will gain +10 weapon atk and weapon defense within range.
Level 20: 3 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party will gain +20 weapon atk and weapon defense within range.

Solo: Minuet of the Magic
An ability that activates when the key is held down. When active, this skill affects all nearby party members increasing their magic attack and defense by a certain amount.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 12 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party will gain +1 magic atk and magic defense within range.
Level 10: 8 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party will gain +10 magic atk and magic defense within range.
Level 20: 3 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party will gain +20 magic atk and magic defense within range.

Solo: Allegro of Perception
An ability that activates when the key is held down. When active, this skill affects all nearby party members increasing their accuracy and avoidability by a certain amount.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 12 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party will gain +1 accuracy and avoidablity within range.
Level 10: 8 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party will gain +10 accuracy and avoidablity within range.
Level 20: 3 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party will gain +20 accuracy and avoidablity within range.
*EDIT: Originally called it "Gigue of Perception" but I changed the idea coz the skill name simply sounds too weird...

Sound Pierce
Fires up to six attacks with sound thus using no arrows in process.
All attacks will cancel out the enemies weapon defense.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 4 arrows, 2% damage
Level 10: 4 arrows, 20% damage
Level 20: 5 arrows, 40% damage
Level 30: 6 arrows, 60% damage

[SIZE="3"]3rd Job Minstrel Skills[/SIZE]
Thrust
Boosts up the moving speed.

Screech
An attack that hits up to six targets in front of the minstrel dealing damage, stuns and drops their weapon attack.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 12 MP, Basic attack 2%, 12% chance to stun, -2 weapon attack for 10 seconds.
Level 10: 12 MP, Basic attack 20%, 30% chance to stun, -20 weapon attack for 10 seconds.
Level 20: 20 MP, Basic attack 40%, 50% chance to stun, -40 weapon attack for 10 seconds.

Sonicboom
An Aoe ability that blasts monsters away from the minstrel and deals light damage.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 18 MP, Basic Attack 22%
Level 10: 18 MP, Basic Attack 40%
Level 20: 23 MP, Basic Attack 60%
Level 30: 28 MP, Basic Attack 80%
*Replaces the Rangers/Snipers Arrow Rain/Eruption. Damage is significantly weaker but the heavy knockback on surrounding monsters makes up for it.

Puppet
Summons a puppet (your other self) for a certain amount of time. While the puppet is around, the monsters will attack the puppet, not you.

Solo: Elegy of Encouragement
An ability that activates when the key is held down. When active, this skill affects all nearby party members maximising their attack speed.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 60 MP drained every 4 seconds, Partys attack speed is maximised.
Level 10: 42 MP drained every 4 seconds, Partys attack speed is maximised.
Level 20: 22 MP drained every 4 seconds, Partys attack speed is maximised.
*Basically this skill literally makes the booster skills useless but then again you cannot play mroe than one music at a time. Originally planned to call it 'A Poem for Bragi' but I wanna avoid copying names from other games so yea...

Solo: Pink Beens Lullaby
An ability that activates when the key is held down. When active, this skill affects all nearby party members giving them a buff that gives regeneration when active.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 50 MP drained every 4 seconds, Partys regenerates 5HP every 2 seconds.
Level 10: 32 MP drained every 4 seconds, Partys regenerates 50HP every 3 seconds.
Level 20: 12 MP drained every 4 seconds, Partys regenerates 100HP every 4 seconds.
*At this point you'd probably be thinking 'LOL' when you read the title of this skill. The reason it's so called is because the Time Temple BGM is so soothing that it makes me wanna sleep =). Hence I named it a lullaby that is supposingly related to Pink Been.

Ensemble: Fugue of Oblivion
An ability that activates when the key is held down. Unlike the other skills When active, this skill affects all monsters within range giving them the will to lose their aggressiveness. While n this state, the monster cannot use any attacks and cannot use their skills. However that does not mean you wouldn't be affected by their touch damage however...

 Spoiler

Level 1: 80 MP drained every 4 seconds, Monsters lose their will to attack when within range.
Level 10: 62 MP drained every 4 seconds, Monsters lose their will to attack when within range.
Level 20: 42 MP drained every 4 seconds, Monsters lose their will to attack when within range.
Level 30: 22 MP drained every 4 seconds, Monsters lose their will to attack when within range.

[SIZE="3"]4th Job Muse Skills[/SIZE]
Maple Warrior
Increase all players' stats within a party by certain percentage.

Solo: Sonata of Awakening
An ability that activates when the key is held down. When active, this skill affects all nearby party members first dispelling all buffs cast upon them and giving them a buff that grants immunity to all buffs (including seduce and other indispellable buffs caued by few bosses).

 Spoiler

Level 1: 120 MP drained every 4 seconds, Partys unfriendly buffs are dispelled at a 100% rate and giving them immunity to all unfriendly buffs.
Level 10: 102 MP drained every 4 seconds, Partys unfriendly buffs are dispelled at a 100% rate and giving them immunity to all unfriendly buffs.
Level 20: 82 MP drained every 4 seconds, Partys unfriendly buffs are dispelled at a 100% rate and giving them immunity to all unfriendly buffs.
Level 30: 62 MP drained every 4 seconds, Partys unfriendly buffs are dispelled at a 100% rate and giving them immunity to all unfriendly buffs.
Disclaimer: I only have just realised that this skill name is from Zelda the Majoras Mask, Again I didn't realise that this name is already being used >.>. Mite change the name sometimetime later on tho...

Solo: Nocturne of Fatigue
An ability that activates when the key is held down. When active, this skill affects all nearby monsters incapitating them (by literally putting them to sleep) as long as the key is held down. However they will awaken as soon as this skill is canceled.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 70 MP drained every 4 seconds, Incapitates the enemy as long as the key is held down.
Level 10: 52 MP drained every 4 seconds, Incapitates the enemy as long as the key is held down.
Level 20: 32 MP drained every 4 seconds, Incapitates the enemy as long as the key is held down.
Level 30: 12 MP drained every 4 seconds, Incapitates the enemy as long as the key is held down.

Solo: Improptu of Wrath
An ability that activates when the key is held down. When active, this skill affects all nearby monsters raining treble clefs on nearby monsters heads repeatedly dealing damage as long as this skill is held down.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 70 MP drained every 4 seconds, 60% base attack every 0.5 seconds
Level 10: 52 MP drained every 4 seconds, 80% base attack every 0.5 seconds
Level 20: 32 MP drained every 4 seconds, 100% base attack every 0.5 seconds
Level 30: 12 MP drained every 4 seconds, 120% base attack every 0.5 seconds

Ensemble: Prelude of Amplification
An ability that activates when the key is held down. When active, this skill affects all nearby bards playing music doubling the stats depending on the music. Does not work with bards playing ensembles however.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 80 MP drained every 4 seconds,
Level 10: 62 MP drained every 4 seconds,
Level 20: 42 MP drained every 4 seconds,
Level 30: 22 MP drained every 4 seconds,
*The description is kinda poor but I'll explain it:
When this skill us used while anothe bard is playing Pink Beens Lullaby at max level, the regeneration rate would double giving 200 HP every 4 seconds instead of the usual 100. This skill will not stack however so 2 bards playing this to strengthen another bard wouldn't amke any difference.

Ensemble: Sarabande of Defiance
An ability that activates when the key is held down. When active, this skill affects all nearby party members become invulnerable to damage but their movement speed is halved. The user however does not become invulnerable when using this skill.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 120 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party becomes invulnerable to attacks but their speed is halved.
Level 10: 102 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party becomes invulnerable to attacks but their speed is halved.
Level 20: 82 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party becomes invulnerable to attacks but their speed is halved.
Level 30: 62 MP drained every 4 seconds, Party becomes invulnerable to attacks but their speed is halved.

Ensemble: Requiem of Death
An ability that activates when the key is held down. When active, this skill affects all nearby monsters slowing them in addition to draining their life giving HP to the Muse.

 Spoiler

Level 1: 180 MP drained every 4 seconds, 22% base attack with 50% of the damage going towards the Muse HP.
Level 10: 162 MP drained every 4 seconds, 30% base attack with 50% of the damage going towards the Muse HP.
Level 20: 142 MP drained every 4 seconds, 40% base attack with 50% of the damage going towards the Muse HP.
Level 30: 122 MP drained every 4 seconds, 50% base attack with 50% of the damage going towards the Muse HP.

Instrumental Perfection
Increases the Instrument Mastery as well as weapon attack. The skill only applied with an Instrument in hand.

Heroes Will
Enables one to escape from abnormal conditions. The higher the skill level, the more variety of abnormal conditions one can escape from.

[COLOR="Magenta"]Wow, you are incredibly creative! Bards using music!? Haha, very neat indeed.

I hope my compliments inspire you to continue on with your lovely creativity! [/COLOR]

Ahaha, I saw the word "ensemble" and many memories came flooding back! (Obviously, I was a Dancer-going-on-Gypsy in a past life.)

The thing I always wondered about importing such lovely things as dancers and bards into maplestory was the fact that it's not a 3D game... otherwise I agree wholeheartedly!

Me no likey. You said it yourself that you copied the idea from runescape. It also just seems kinda lame to me. More boring than a cleric. Hardly any attacks. My idea for the 3rd branch of bowman was a boomerang user.

She said she got the idea from Ragnarok.

It's nice, but yes, it does look like it gets boring. =[

The Muse has SOME attacks in 3rd and 4th job namely Improptu of Wrath and Requiem of Death, not all are merely buffs.
The problem with Muse is it has a crappy stat build and it's very hard to use.

Of all the complaints I ever had about MapleStory, "too many support classes" was NEVER one of them! In RO, bards are of course secondary support - some healing but not most healing, and the main focus of their support is to increase the battle effectiveness of others.. although as OP has clarified, this MS version do have their own attacks too.

I find this a most enchanting niche. I personally dislike attack classes but a secondary support class would allow a player to be involved in improving the main attack, without necessarily competing in terms of numbers.

One thing I'd suggest is that the songs be more powerful and harder to use. In Ragnarok Online, songs and ensembles could be the key to a party's success. However the bard had to finish the song once started and moved at a very slow pace - during ensembles the bard could not move at all. Also MP was drained continuously while they were playing (up to half a minute of this slow, MP-draining, singing state). Clearly very powerful, and yet very limiting. Not sure how you'd integrate all that into MS... However I do believe that such limitations define the role better, while still keeping up demand for the class by making them a critical factor to the success of a party.

Of course we're all being hypothetical here... MS is a game of its own - I'm not suggesting that RO be made 2D and called Maple!

There has been a few people asking me how Solos and Ensembles work in ms so I should just point that out.
The performances unlike RO CAN be used while moving thus you can try to dodge enemies while playing music. However you cannot jump or use poitions otherwise you'd stop. Getting hit by a monster also stops a performance (even with touch damage).

Performances mostly affect in a range of the user, unlike bless or haste, the buff is removed off the party member when they wander out of range of the music. This should be unlikely coz the area of effect is very large taking up more than half the screen of the player.

And just to let everyone know, not all the music is supportive but some are AoE Keydown skills. Improptu of Wrath acts like an AoE version of the Bowmasters Hurricane except its not as fast (2 strikes on every monster in range per second.)

I Like it alot-
They need some sort of defensive HP-wise skill though.
Cuz....
If they have Bowman HP-they will die alot-
It would be nice to see an PURE support class though-

A devastating 4th job song would fit well too-



BTW- In first job- the Att one needs nerfing- and the Mattack on needs a bit more.
15-maxed
and 30- maxed would feel better

She said she got the idea from Ragnarok.

It's nice, but yes, it does look like it gets boring. =[

Meh, I wasn't paying much attention to every single detail.

Just a note, the Apple of Idun (which you called Pink Beens Lullaby here LOL) wasn't designed for the health regeneration, it actually boosted effected characters maximum HP temporarily. That would also be extremely usefull in this case; perhaps to keep the skills usefullness while a DK is in the party, it would be helpfull to make it stronger than HB -OR- make it stack.

Song range should increase with level. They should also be built to last for a bit (30 seconds perhaps?) after the character leaves it's range, allowing effected melee classes (or night lords) more freedom of movement when partying a bard/dancer.


Starblade of Defiance is insanely overpowered. It should have either a cooldown time,(Say, 2 seconds per 1 second used) or be limited to non-boss monsters.

Prelude of Amplification is 100% useless, why double another bards song effect when both bards can just play that song? Not to mention 2 different songs at the same time, if they so choose. Perhaps the effect should be increased to +150%, or mabye even triple effect (+200%).

The Poem of Bragi in RO decreases skill delay time, which would actually be more usefull here as well so that it doesn't make Speed Infusion or even just standard boosters useless. This would only help mages, but why not throw the mages a bone after speed infusion came out?

Minuet of Magic should certainly be upgraded; remember that +20 magic attack doesnt effect the magician as much as +20 weapon attack does.

One last thing; any bard song effects should stack with other skills, allowing bards to remain usefull despite better party buffs bing available.

Just a note, the Apple of Idun (which you called Pink Beens Lullaby here LOL) wasn't designed for the health regeneration, it actually boosted effected characters maximum HP temporarily. That would also be extremely usefull in this case; perhaps to keep the skills usefullness while a DK is in the party, it would be helpfull to make it stronger than HB -OR- make it stack.

Song range should increase with level. They should also be built to last for a bit (30 seconds perhaps?) after the character leaves it's range, allowing effected melee classes (or night lords) more freedom of movement when partying a bard/dancer.


Starblade of Defiance is insanely overpowered. It should have either a cooldown time,(Say, 2 seconds per 1 second used) or be limited to non-boss monsters.

Prelude of Amplification is 100% useless, why double another bards song effect when both bards can just play that song? Not to mention 2 different songs at the same time, if they so choose. Perhaps the effect should be increased to +150%, or mabye even triple effect (+200%).

The Poem of Bragi in RO decreases skill delay time, which would actually be more usefull here as well so that it doesn't make Speed Infusion or even just standard boosters useless. This would only help mages, but why not throw the mages a bone after speed infusion came out?

Minuet of Magic should certainly be upgraded; remember that +20 magic attack doesnt effect the magician as much as +20 weapon attack does.

One last thing; any bard song effects should stack with other skills, allowing bards to remain usefull despite better party buffs bing available.

I thought Apple of Idun was just HP regen O_O. Ah well, we do still have Hyper Body for that and even if PBs Lullaby did stack with HB, it would be considered too overpowered.

Personally I reckon two bards playing the same song with the stats stacking in the party would again be overpowered. Basically that can be overcomed with the Prelude (though the effect aint too great).

I thought 20 Magic attack would be enough but considering the wizards Meditation buff gives 20 magic attack, I reckon the Minuets effect should be 40 at max.

Sarabande of Defiance (where did you get the word 'starblade' from btw?) is I have to admit a bit overpowered here, I wasn't entirely sure on the cooldown since it's a 'hold down' skill. I was thinking of more the bard taking double damage if hit while playing this song.

However I do agree that mages should have a 'max magic attack speed' boost and to be honest, I never thought about that. Right now I can't think of a name but it definately should relate to a fast movement music like Gigue or Fugue.

Solo: Elegy of Encouragement

I'd change the name of that... Elegies are for funerals, and while they can celebrate a person's life, I don't think they'd necessarily encourage one to speed. =/ More like reflection, if not outright sadness and loss.

I'm worried about the ATK and MATK buffs being separate. Then parties of mixed physical/mage classes would have to choose which to buff. (Which would of course be the physical classes, at higher levels at least, since they would get more out of a constant addition no matter what.) I'd almost want the MATK buff to be %-based, but that's an idea to be explored elsewhere.

Definately needs some changes made, but I see a lot of potential. Making the buffs % based might be something to think about to make the more proportional to their level.