The Guide to AoE Blades.

Introduction

Welcome to my AoE blade guide. Since I created my 1v1 Blade guide, I have seen a lot of threads asking for the best AoE blade build. After I levelled for a while as a 1v1, I switched to an AoE build, and now wish to share my knowledge and experience with you.
Also, I would like to clear up the common misconception that AoE blades aren’t good. This is a complete lie. In fact Blades are one of the best AoE classes because their equipment allows them to have massive +HP% bonuses, and the high DEX in blade AoE builds gives high attack and block rates. The AoE blade is in fact, one of the best classes when you hit a high enough level to enter Volcane, as not only can you tank whole Cyclops spawns like other AoErs, but you usually kill them faster.
Build
These builds are based on the assumption you have Pang buffs
The AoE blade build relies on DEX. DEX controls the amount of Damage that a Blades skills do. This is why we pour as many of our stat points as possible into DEX. The reason that AoE blades do not use as much STA as other classes is because DEX provides a high block and evasion rate, meaning you don’t need to tank as much, because you aren’t hit as hard.
STR: 15
STA: 30-50
DEX:XXX
INT: 15

My Build-
This is my specific build. It allowed me to take a spawn in Volcane from 117, and level on meteos in there from 115.
STR: 15
STA: 55
DEX: XXX
INT: 15

Level Breakdown

15-60
For your mercenary days, you don’t really have a choice but to 1v1. As with the 1v1 guide, you should only need NPC equips, and probably don’t need to buy a set until level 53. For more information on how to level up to level 60, please see my 1v1 blade guide.

60-75
Congratulations on becoming a Blade!
For the first 5 levels of your Blade career, you are going to be 1v1ing. When you hit level 65 though, you get the first of your Blade AoE skills. Blade Dance. This AoE requires Swords, and has a short cooldown time. Naturally you should max it, if you plan to be an AoE Blade from 65, and start aoeing, at Cranes, unless you have an RM/FS constantly healing.
Although my preference is to get STA to the required level, then add DEX, this is really up to you. At this level, you should max Blade Dance and your self buffs, and then when you hit 70, Sonic Blade. When you get Sonic Blade, you should opt for Axes over Swords, as this AoE skill allows you to use either, and Axes do more damage. Until you get to 75, you can largely rely on NPC Equips, although if you have the money, 2 G Swords will increase your damage and tanking abilities.

75-90
At level 75, you get access to the Einy/Akan set. As with 1v1 Blades, this set is useful until 105. However, unlike 1v1 Blades, you have to get all 4 pieces to see any benefit. The 15% HP Bonus will help you tank more monsters. You should also get 2 Historic Axes if possible, as this will give you a total of +55% HP from your equipment. If you have the choice between Historic Axes or a full Einy/Akan set, you should opt for Historic Axes, as they are the best weapons for an AoE blade, short of Bloody Axes. As soon as you possibly can, you should start to AoE Yeti’s in Azria, for the better experience, and drops, but also because of the spawns. As an AoEr, you don’t get better spawns than in Azria. You are now free to use your skill points anywhere you desire.

90-105
At level 90, you should start getting parts of the Blain/Virain set, and upgrading it as highly as possible. You should keep your Historic Axes, and again, upgrade away. You should keep your equipment constantly elemented, if you haven’t been already to save on the amount of damage mobs hit you for, and how much you do to them.
At this point, you should know what to be training on, so I will leave it completely up to you whether you will be killing in Azria or not, and the decision relies on the availability of partners and spawns, and possibly to what your elemental preferences are.

105-120
At this point, you should consider restating to AoE if you haven’t already. As an AoE blade, you do a large deal of damage, and with the Blain/Virain set, and a high DEX build, you are able to tank a comparable amount of mobs to most other AoE classes. You should get the Blain/Virain set as soon as possible, and upgrade it to the highest possible, as this will probably be your end game set. You should element your suit and weapons to lightning in order to take on mammoths, move onto Cannibal Mammoths when you can.
You should begin to AoE Meteonykers in Volcane about level 115. When you get to about 117/118 you can begin to tank mixed Cyclops and meteo spawns, and this is when AoE Blades become one of the best classes in the game. At level 118 you can tank a whole spawn in Volcane, and do about twice as much damage as a similar equipped AoE Ringmaster.
You should keep your Historic Axes, and a Blain/Virain set throughout masterhood, unless you manage to get Bloody Axes, or the Nox/Noctis set.

Equipment
The equipment that AoE blades use generally revolves around increasing they’re tanking abilities. For this reason, HP and Block bonuses are best, although DEX and damage bonuses are fine.
Armour
In this section I will cover the green armour that you can equip as an AoE Blade, what sets you will be using, and why.




The Einy or Akan set will be what you are using between 75 and 105. The added HP Bonus will keep help keep you alive.




This set is not an AoE set, and therefore shouldn’t be used unless you plan to 1v1.




This set is what you will be getting as soon as possible, equipping at 105, and upgrading as heavily as possible. The Block rate increase and HP are invaluable to an AoE Blade.




The Hanes/Haganes set could be used for later level aoeing, if you’ve hit 100% block rate, and the 2% HP bonus doesn’t matter to you. The reflect damage +10% will be helpful in killing mobs faster.
__________________