Pirate Gunslinger guide

FireMushrooms intermediate guide to slinging guns like a Legend

It may not be possible to sling guns as well as figures like Rick shooting the moving dead, Megaman, Han solo or 007 but with enough practice and perseverance, maybe we can come close. Primarily a gun pirates job is to provide ranged damage. In comparison to other long range classes, use of a gun is probably on the less user friendly end of the spectrum but in exchange, a character with this job gains the potential to deal good damage without a heavy reliance on godly gear, although decent equipment is still beneficial. If any of this sounds interesting then I invite you to read on.

There are many reasons to play a Gunslinger but it is not really a requirement to settle on a specific one, the reasoning just might be something to think about later. This guide mainly concentrates on the mid game but for the sake of completeness, will go over some early gameplay and briefly touch on 4th job.

First some optional things, vote cash (or Nx) can be acquired by voting for the server. Since this greatly levels the playing field for everyone, I would encourage some voting. While these listed items are not mandatory, they do have an effect on long term gameplay and can help speed up some of the process. Depending on how hardcore you want to play Maplestory it is feasible to forego this whole section but the path to a high level is already fairly long already.

In no particular order:
Store permit, these are permanent, (thanks Legends staff!)
Pet, Meso loot and item loot
Use slot expansions (to hold more ammo or pots)

Like I said before, with Nx access we can cheat a little (not cheat as in breaking rules but cheat as in playability and quality of life) the items mostly improve bullet efficiency and meso gain.

FUN FACT
Some time ago, GMS had a feature on their website that allowed players to "Earn free Nx". This statement was true to a degree but also wildly unreliable. The service had everything from doing surveys to watching short video clips that rewarded small amounts of Nx cash. I bet you were not expecting something like voting for a server to be nostalgic, now were you?

Normally a Pirate will want to have the best equipment available for their level. It should not make a giant difference until after 2nd or 3rd job. A robe from the Showa town spa and Whitebottom shoes should last for a good while. (wearable starting in the mid twenties) Eventually you will want to trade out speed gear for more stats like STR and DEX.

Grab the best bullets that you find which match the level but I would not sweat them too much. It is more important to have extra sets of ammo than not enough of a better type.
I do not like promoting the stereotype of the drunk pirate always holding a bottle but Ciders (found in Showa) are a nice choice of ATT potion for any job that has lots of DEX. Warrior pills from Ludibrium are not as potent but are a noteworthy value. Other local ATT potions like NLC's Warrior pot are also good but fall somewhere in between the middle in terms of power or price.

One way to test a training map is to use a pot or other timer and then take note of the EXP bar. After some time has passed fighting on the map, (usually 5 or 10 minutes) the EXP gained can be compared to the remaining time in an hour. This is how some people get their percentage per hour.

I will not be covering everything and the training maps that the guide mentions are only base level suggestions. My recommendation is that every player experiment with different skills and training styles to find what suites them best. If a person is going to play a Pirate then might as well have fun, right?

1st job - Pirate
Ahoy matey! If you have made it this far then you have already found the Nautilus and met captain Kyrin. Take note of the warp pad in the corner, it will become important depending on how long you intend to play.

All that I am going to say about AP is the standard pattern is STR = level with the rest going into DEX. At higher levels the goal would be to keep STR as low as humanly possible through equipment but at this early stage, I would favor adding a few extra points to STR in order to make your kick attack a little better.
For certain skills, in addition to making comments I will grade them in 3 categories:
Power (P) The strength of the attack relative to the job level.
Bullet efficiency (BE) How good the skill is at consuming or saving bullets
Ease of use (EOU) An overall idea of how hard/easy it is to get the most out of a skill.
(the ratings are mostly just guidelines. If you really like a specific skill, I say try to use it!)

Double shot
P: C / BE: C / EOU: A
Uncanny speed, almost like a mini Hurricane but low power. If you want to use it then you can but it is not fully effective without mastery. (Needs to be max level by the end of 1st job)

Somersault kick
P: B /BE: A /EOU: B
Believe it or not, Pirates have a somewhat easy first job compared to other long range attackers. While others are stuck with weak one vs one skills, Pirates get to mob 6 enemies and can use multiple weapons on top of that! Bonus points if you can find something with a fast/faster ATT speed.

There are other skills but they are not super important to a Gunslinger. So long as Double shot is maxed, the remaining skill points can be divided up according to preference.

Notable training locations:
Either Hidden street outside of Kerning city near the tops of the construction sites.

Slimes, at the tree that grew north of Ellinia.

2nd Job - Gunslinger
At level 30 Captain Kyrin will be taking care of the second advancement. If you pass the Double shot test, you will be promoted to the next class of Gunslinger. I hope you enjoyed first job because it gets tougher from here and the other long distance classes can now catch up or surpass a Gunslingers ability to do damage. No need to worry, it is not a race and now there are some stronger skills to learn.

Gun Mastery
You desperately need this, although SSK still has its uses for a while longer. With Mastery at a high level and the improvement to minimum damage, Double shot becomes a force to be reckoned with but it only hits one mob at a time.

Gun booster
Increases ATT speed. Almost a requirement for Invisible shot but Double shot can do fine without it.

Recoil shot
Fire and jump backwards. Not needed right away but helpful later.

Wings
Jump and float. Not needed right away but it can be part of a macro combo with Recoil shot for better movement.

Blank shot
No mastery but can stun up to 100% to non boss enemies. Activates fast and has no minimum range.

Grenade
Use charge time to increase throw distance. While it possess a unique attack range and hits 6, Grenade lacks rapid fire and can be hard to manage. The best I ever did with it was against Cold eyes in Sleepywood and maybe Roids. As a skill, it is something of an enigma.

Invisible shot
P: A / BE: A / EOU: C
A Gunslingers mobbing skill. Hits 3 and consumes only one bullet. Good damage and vertical range but watch out for monsters that get too close!

You can max everything but one skill, or split up the points if you prefer.

Notable training locations:
Cacti near Ariant

Roids in Magatia (drops the level 60 gun!)

In the late 50's or 60's you can attempt Windraiders at Lower Ascent in Masteria but the commute can be very treacherous.

Remember the warp pad in the Nautilus? Eventually a member of the crew will offer a delivery quest and the reward for completion will be a limited number of warp cards. With one of these you can move to the Omega Sector (Ludibrium) in an instant. A VIP teleport rock from the Cash shop can do nearly the same thing but using the warp pad is way cooler. If you plan to go all the way to 120 or higher and can afford the inventory slot then you might want to try and save a couple. If not then the cards can be used whenever. (to quickly travel up Eos tower, either buy rock scrolls in the Free market or finish the quest "Disgruntled Roly Poly worker" which can be found on the lower floors of Eos tower and is repeatable)

3rd Job - Outlaw
After completing the lengthy 3rd job test (which begins in El nath at level 70) you shall be acknowledged as a more advanced gun pirate. The real party starts here, as it becomes even harder to level up and monsters start to get dangerous. Fret not because Outlaws gain a new set of skills to bring forth into battle!

Burst fire
P: A /BE: B /EOU: A
Attack three times for respectable damage. More than likely this is going to be the workhorse skill for most players in this job. It is not incredibly powerful but does level up fast (only 20 levels) and gets the job done. (needs to be maxed before the end of 3rd job)

Homing beacon
Throws an egg and the bird that comes out directs all of your attacks to the target. Deals moderate damage and costs one bullet. (needs to be maxed before the end of 3rd job)

Gaviota
Summons a Seagull to throw grenades. Only one attack per activation but it can hit up to 3 monsters with moderate damage. (needs to be at least level 15)

Octopus
Summons some stationary octopi that will periodically attack enemies. Highly situational and only the larger one attacks but the summon monsters do have plenty of style. It can save you a few bullets but they are really more like mascots at this stage. (needs to be maxed out before the end of 3rd job)

Flamethrower
P: B / BE: B / EOU: C
Slowly shoot fire to burn up to 6 enemies and cause damage over time. The damage potential is actually pretty good but there are a few conditions. Requires special and uncommon ammo to do full damage. Mobbing can be difficult and gun users do not have any skills to off set the extra HP loss from getting hit more often. Even with the drawbacks, I believe the skill can still have possibilities if you are ok with burning through more pots than normal. (D.O.T does not affect bosses)

Ice splitter
P: B / BE: B / EOU: B
Damage and freeze up to six enemies. (requires special ammo for full damage)
A versatile skill that incapacitates targets and against foes weak to ice, its damage becomes more comparable to other Outlaw skills. Mobbing can still be quite tricky however.

Ice + fire, fire + ice Macro
Both skills combo attack and activate much quicker. Enemies are effectively frozen, set on fire and then frozen again. The potential of this combo is really good but only against mobs who are not resistant to both fire and ice. Like the individual moves themselves, if it appeals to you then it may be possible to make it work.

FUN FACT: When Pirates first arrived in GMS, on some servers the items Blaze and Glaze capsule sold for upwards of 10m or more. If you ever wondered why there is not more information about fire or ice builds first, this could be one of the reasons why. For a long time only the exceptionally rich or lucky had real access to the special ammunition.

Notable training locations:
Windraiders (lower ascent) The quest item Mark of Heroism makes getting here easier but there is still a fair chance of dying after repotting. If you can survive the climb at least once than teleport rocks can help if you register a nearby map.

Jr. Newties, Destroyed dragon nest.
Outlaws are uniquely qualified to snipe the beasts. Octopus and Gaviota can be fully utilized as well, should you choose to call them. Simply stay behind the rope on the middle platform and fire away. Looting the drops is a challenge, I would not expect to make a profit here.

Galloperas (near Singapore)
If you are ready to do a lot of stunning and freezing then you can attempt them but it will be tough at this level. Galloperas drop the best bullets currently available. (level 110 set)

I would advise trying to save at least 10 million mesos in storage because it will probably be needed for the job test at 120.

4th Job - Corsair/ Captain
All hands on deck, the captain has arrived on the bridge! Kudos to you if you achieved 4th job. Depending on extracurricular activities and grinding efficiency, a generous estimate is that it takes somewhere in the ball park of at least 200 hours to reach level 120 on the Legends server. Maybe less, probably more. How do you like the view from up here? Personally, I think anyone who progresses into 4th job to already be a bit of an expert. (applies to non Pirate jobs too) After getting some of the 4th job skill quests from Kyrin, a visit to Ludibrium will be needed and if you have any warp cards left then this might be the right time to use them. The experience requirements to advance begin to get crazy from here on out, assuming that you didn't think they were that way before.

Battleship
Like a Ghost pirate or Spirit viking, ride and fight in a boat! Only compatible with certain skills and its speed is pre determined regardless of equips. When learned it is typically kept at level 1 for a majority of 4th job. (best repair time)

Battleship Torpedo
P: A / BE: A / EOU: C
Fire a piercing round from your ship to deal excellent damage on up to 6 targets. This could be called a Captains party skill because it seems to be most useful when clearing out an area while others take care of other places on a map. You can try to use Torpedo solo but in general, mobbing and low durability/ mobility do not mix. Not that it is impossible, only very hard.

Battleship Cannon
P: A / BE: B / EOU: C
The skill that strikes fear into the hearts of bad guys everywhere, Canon rapidly fires up to four shots with greater power and improved distance over Burst fire. It also has no minimum range, which means in combination with Homing beacon/ Bullseye, boss minions cannot block your shots! Even with average gear, it delivers consistent damage to a single target. There are a few drawbacks though, while on ship your move speed is set to be slightly more than the default and for the skill to really be effective, the Captain needs to avoid all if not most damage otherwise the boat will break and Cannon will not be usable until the repairs are done. The restrictions can be tough to adjust to but are a small price to pay in order to wreck nearly all lesser enemies that cross your path.

Bullseye
In addition to locking on to a target, it also grants bonus damage to said target.

Element boost
Improves Flamethrower and Icesplitter. If you liked using them in 3rd job then you can power up both with a single skill! It's hard to say if they can outperform Battleship cannon but I suppose it is possible.

Maple Warrior
Grants a small buff to base stats.

Air strike
P: B / BE: A / EOU: B
Call birds to drop bombs on up to six monsters. Flashy and has great range but is not spammable. Quite helpful in a support role and doubles as an impressive finishing move. Air strike cannot be triggered while riding a boat.

Rapid fire
P: C / BE: C / EOU: A
Super easy to use skill with the ability to pin. The power is not much and the attack also rapidly depletes ammunition. On the positive side, it does not need the Battleship and at higher levels can do more damage than Burst fire, so those are some things to consider.

Wrath of Octopus
This is where your Octopi begin to get smexy. Rather than summoning a few small creatures, this skill summons a mini octopus tower. At a high level they do more damage and the skill fires faster than the Outlaw version. The duration is not very long but it can be an extra source of Knock back. Helpful as a sniping aide and saves bullets over time.

Hypnotize
Charms one enemy to fight on your side for a short time. I have yet to think of a practical application for Hypnotize but if a Corsair really wanted to try and avoid damage then this skill might be worth looking into. Hypnotized mobs keep the same stats so they typically cannot defeat similar mobs unassisted. It can provide a decent enough diversion though.

Notable training locations:
Jr. Newties, as they are stationary and continuous spawn type enemies with an above average EXP to HP ratio, Jr. Newties will always be an option for ranged attackers.

Galloperas, you can fight them much better as a Corsair than as an Outlaw.


If we look at Maplestory as a marathon then it is possible to imagine smaller "finish lines" within the larger game. When I say finish line, I don't exactly mean quitting line but maybe a point to stop seriously grinding or take a rest. Possibly slowing down and to smell the mushrooms. There are countless goals to pursue in Maplestory but try to remember that less extreme versions of larger goals also exist.
Looking for bosses? Mano and Mushmom are attainable without getting super deep into the game. If you want to take on major bosses then be prepared to make major investments. A few places that I would consider to be good "finish lines" are around each of the Job advancements. The player is able to gain a few new skills and weigh that power increase against the EXP needed to level up and decide whether or not to keep going.
The market on the Legends server is big enough that one can try their hand at being a merchant relatively early as well.

So if anyone out there is looking to be a Pirate then you can accomplish that at level 10. If someone wants to be a stronger Pirate, it will need quite a bit more effort. Naturally.

Thanks for reading!