A Biochemist with a Wizard's Heart-A Guide for Acid Bomb Biochemists v2.75

Foreword
This guide is dedicated for my co-Biochemists who were always there despite the ever changing winds of change and the degrading words of the others. To my “students” and friends. To my cousin Anne Ai Lin whose patience would be as everlasting. To Sieghart, Anemowave, Tensai, Kent, Yralyn of ragnaboards. To Vhalefort, Whyli, Raine and Vincent Van Gogh and other Biochemists. To my girlfriend Mikki, even though she hates Ragnarok Online now -_-. And to the real Creator who made us all. This guide is for all of you.

This guide is not martial law. Its main objective is to help, not to dictate. If you have nothing to say that will be relevant to the Alchemical Community.. please. STFU. ^_^!
S.A.

Introduction

Lighthalzen. One of the most sought after episodes in Ragnarok Online, especially for Alchemists who turned into Biochemists. In this episode it is believed to be the shining moment for the once underrated class, based on experience by the author. Mainly for two reasons, Acid Bomb and the Homunculus. But in this guide we will concentrate on Acid Bomb, a skill that requires a lot of patience and effort to see noticeable efficacy. Basically this guide aims to help aspiring Acid Bomb Biochemists to have at least a basic guide regarding the usage of the skill, the proper equipment and of course leveling and some encouragement.

This Guide contains the following:

i. Things to consider before proceeding..
ii. Ana Astalia Lunaris- The Alchemist in Moonlight
iii. The skill... what makes it so special and sought after.
iv. The High Merchant Days.. the stat distribution.
v. Leveling Methods
• The Reverse Resurrection Technique
• The Scrolling Technique
• The Auto-Casting Technique
• The Classic Leech
vi. The different prototype builds:
• Linna Deianara- Basic Wizard Build
• Carina Mystillia- Modified Wizard Build
• Mina Mierhea- Resilience Factor Build
• Carleslie Aleissa- Speedthrower Build
• Helia Valkyrie- The Dreamer’s Gift
vii. Gearing Up
viii. What skill to tag up with Acid Bomb? [the FCP-SP Dilemma]
ix. Proposed Skill Builds
x. What homunculus to get along?
xi. Skill Combos [Biochemist and Homunculus]
xii. Utilizing Scrolls and Status Cards
xiii. A Lecture Regarding Ailments
xiv. Gear Switching and PvP Scenarios
xv. Expanded Classes- Expanded Threat?
xvi. MVP Strategies
xvii. Acid Bomb Biochemist- A Scenario in Siege
xviii. Final Words
xix. Credits

I. Things to consider before proceeding...

Before doing anything please keep in mind that a Biochemists’ life was never easy. Many things should be considered. Try to answer this simple test honestly:
1. Do you have enough funds to support the character?
2. Do you have enough patience to level such class?
3. Do you have enough endurance from criticisms and such?
If you answered yes to all three, maybe you can be an effective Biochemist-player. Answer number one. Acid Bomb Biochemists need more funding than a Hunter or a Knight. On average, before starting an Acid Bomb Biochemists you must have these as the basics. A bit costly but you’ll need them:

At least 1 Ceremonial Sword-preferably Fireblende, since more earth-property monsters are accessible in the entirety of your leveling life, from Savages to Stings. Getting an Ice Falchion would expand your leveling options to fire-property monsters.

Basic overupgraded equipments-overupgraded gears of about +7 refinement are highly recommended. It gives noticeable defense though as not as expensive as +8s or +9s. Its defense bonus is good enough in field battle.

A Booster-I did not refer it as a tank, because basically you’ll need someone who will boost your attacking capabilities and not just gathering monsters and wait for years until you actually kill them. A booster is recommended at the younger levels of your High Merchant, at the time your hands are still weak and cannot fight well.

A Bazerald-Note: if you think you have enough INT then don’t get one. This dagger gives INT+5 bonus. That’s around 100-1200 more damage to your Acid Bomb. But for one thing, this small weapon is very expensive. If you cannot get one, you can stick to an NPC Haedonggum which gives INT+3. Its best bonus, the INT+5 and its Fire Property, making its damage ignore Immune garment.

Answer number two. On the younger levels of the AB Biochemists, they can’t kill as fast as a Lord Knight or an Assassin Cross. They don’t have buffs like a Champion aside from Crazy Uproar which doesn’t even give noticeable effect since you’ll have low STR. Is not as good as Offensive Professors or Wizards in terms of magical skills since we are very limited to Auto-Cast and Manual-Cast of Lv3 Bolts. Discouraging? No. The right word here is challenging. Besides, an alchemist life is always full of challenges. And we’ll overcome that if we could see alternatives to find a shortcut in the burden in leveling.

Answer number three. Of all the past episodes after Juno, alchemist class never became a threat to other classes except Acid Terror. We don’t have high powered skills like EF Monks and yet what do we have? Good sprites for vending. That was before. Now, the alchemist population starts to swell up because of the skill listed above. And this would be the spirit lifting for the Creators’ underrating-marinated esteem.

II. Ana Astalia Lunaris- The Alchemist in Moonlight

Excited to transcend? But how are you going to live as an Alchemist first? Here is a non-martial law tip for aspiring Biochemists for half the time. Well of course unless you will be leeched.

Lv99/50 Status. Job and Equipment bonus included.

STR-90
AGI-90
VIT-40
INT-24
DEX-50
LUK-5

Acid Bomb (Active Skill), LV 10
Skill Pre-requisites: Bomb LV 5, Acid Terror LV 5
Item Requirements: 1 Flame Bottle and 1 Acid Bottle
Target: Single Enemy
Element: Neutral (modifiable; not as another element but the immune reduction factor)
Cast Time: 1sec. can be reduced by DEX, Suffragium and Poem of Bragi.
After Cast Delay: 1sec. fixed irregardless of DEX but can be reduced by Poem of Bragi.
SP Taken: Fixed to 30.

Skill Description: Uses both flame bottle and acid bottle at the same time, to cause explosion. Skill level dictates how many times you hit in a row, for maximum of 10 consecutive hits. If this skill is used on a character instead of a monster, it deals only 50% of overall damage. Damage is increased by increasing your INT. Also, damage is increased if enemy's VIT is high.

Lv1 +1% chance to break weapon/armor; hits 1x
Lv2 +2% chance to break weapon/armor; hits 2x
Lv3 +3% chance to break weapon/armor; hits 3x
Lv4 +4% chance to break weapon/armor; hits 4x
Lv5 +5% chance to break weapon/armor; hits 5x
Lv6 +6% chance to break weapon/armor; hits 6x
Lv7 +7% chance to break weapon/armor; hits 7x
Lv8 +8% chance to break weapon/armor; hits 8x
Lv9 +9% chance to break weapon/armor; hits 9x
Lv10 +10% chance to break weapon/armor; hits 10x

According to a correspondent feedback, Acid Bomb is like a Double Spiral Pierce with Meltdown effect in terms of effectiveness. True indeed. Its damage relies on two major factors, the Biochemist’s INT and the target’s VIT. Almost a perfect MVP skill especially to those bosses who posses high VIT like Lord of Death (120VIT) and Orc Lord (149VIT). Despite its halved effect to players, it can easily deal massive damage when used on a suitable target. It can also be used to those characters that have average VIT but with low HP multiplier, this means that even if they only receive say 3000-5000, they are left with low HP. Plus it gives a good chance of breaking their weapon or armor. You can deal massive damage even if your Biochemist is naked. This is a skill imbued with a power within.

Acid Bomb features:
-ranged skill
-low after cast delay; spammability is moderate
-combines offensive and destructive capabilities
-ignores Defender (Crusader) and Energy Coat (Magician)
-in case the target is Ghostring Armor equipped, there is a good chance of breaking it within few throws, making his primary defense to melt

Acid Bomb limitations:
-Pneuma (Acolyte/Priest/Monk), since it is a ranged skill
-Wall of Fog (Professor), a skill that makes skills to miss or fail by high chance
-stocks, you may become to engrossed using the skill to everyone you won’t notice you are already running out of bottles
-player, true enough that the greatest limitation of the skill or any skill in general is the handler or the player of the character
-can miss if the target’s VIT equates to 0.

IV. The High Merchant days... how to level.

One tip. Wait for a modified experience and get your booster to maximize the leveling time. Since you’ll need the get the highest possible experience from your effort. It is strongly suggested but if is not possible, at least get a booster. Please bear in mind that boosters for AB High Merchants are not considered leisure, it is a need.

Depending on your preference after you turn into a High Novice, start allocating points to your fancy. For Acid Bomb Biochemist, you could start like this:

Lv1 High Novice (INT Path)
STR-1
AGI-1
VIT-9
INT-25
DEX-10
LUK-1

HP: 54
SP: 16

Lv13/1 High Merchant (INT Path)
STR-1
AGI-1
VIT-9
INT-35
DEX-10
LUK-1

HP: 185
SP: 82

Lv1 High Novice (DEX Path)
STR-1
AGI-1
VIT-9
INT-10
DEX-25
LUK-1

HP: 54
SP: 14

Lv13/1 High Merchant (DEX Path)
STR-1
AGI-1
VIT-9
INT-10
DEX-35
LUK-1

HP: 185
SP: 67

10DEX would be enough to hit basic monsters like Poporing. You could invest on INT first if you want to max it first or you could first establish your DEX since it will facilitate your melee attack damage output for the meantime. By the time you reach Lv13 you could work it out in Byalan Dungeon Lv1-2, just make sure to bring any Wind-element weapon preferably dagger type since it will give you an edge in ASPD. You can spam Cart Revolution just make sure you have a heavy cart to attain decent amount of damage to monsters. If modified experience is available you could stay here until you reach about Lv40 just spam Cart Revolution.

Lv64/50 High Merchant (INT Path with Job Bonus)
STR-1+5
AGI-1+1
VIT-9+4
INT-99+1
DEX-10+5
LUK-1+2

HP: 1675
SP: 504

The goal here is to max INT at the lowest possible and tolerable stat. When properly equipped, the DEF would be tolerable enough and easily reach this state.

Lv64/50 High Merchant (Split DEX Path with Job Bonus)
STR-1+5
AGI-1+1
VIT-9+4
INT-59+1
DEX-76+5
LUK-1+2

HP: 1675
SP: 403
It is split in INT and DEX so that when the time for the High Merchant to become a Biochemist, he can already inflict decent damage with elemental bolts and Acid Bomb. 75DEX halves the cast time for spells, thus shortening leveling period.

V. The Different Leveling Methods

This is the most time consuming part in the entire Biochemist career. These are some of unconventional but effective means of leveling. Please be guided that to lavish every experience possible, it is advised to equip an experience booster card compounded to footgear. It may hurt a bit [cards add exp% but may also add more damage received]. The following cards below give additional experience to specific monster class:

Gajomart- Plant
Mini Demon- Brute
Am Mut- Demi Human
Ancient Worm- Demon
Zombie Prisoner- Undead
Skeleton General- Insect
Explosion- Dragon
Gullinbursti- Fish
Cookie- Angel

• Reverse Resurrection Technique
This leveling method mimics the leveling mean of a Turn Undead Priest. A High Merchant may not have Turn Undead as a skill, but we can utilize the skill by buying Yggdrasil Leaves [lots of them for that matter]. It may take a bit to cast per leaf, and may also fail at the same time. A booster is recommended [for Blessing and Suffragium] because it will help a lot in hastening experience harvesting.

• The Scrolling Technique
Wizard in heart? Why not Wizard in deed? With the scrolling technique you can utilize your INT earlier and more… colorful? You can use Cold Bolt, Fire Bolt and Lightning Bolt depending on the availability of the scrolls you bought or collected.

• The Auto-Casting Technique
Jupitel Thunder!! Lex Aeterna!! Heal!! Fire Bolt!! Cold Bolt!!

Also called the Fireworks Technique because of its diverse effects. And all you need is to whack enemies and let auto-casting do the rest for you. All you need is to equip as much auto-cast cards as possible.

• The Classic Leech
This is the final and most boring yet very effective leveling method. You party along with friends and sit as they kill enemies from afar. Your character doesn’t even need to lift a finger.

VI. The Different Prototype Builds
The following prototypes are just guides to determine your actual Acid Bomb Biochemist build preference. Included in each prototype are statistics in character and brewing efficiency. Also included here are the equipments included to the build so you can see how it summed up in such numbers. Lastly are the basic features of the build and even the chances or probabilities in case you want your Creator to have a homunculus. Calculations are calculated as of the first quarter of 2006 and maybe subject to slight changes in value.

Biochemist Job Lv70 Stat Bonus
STR+4 AGI+6 VIT+3 INT+7 DEX+14 LUK+11

Linna Deianara- The Basic Wizard Frame Biochemist

STR-6+4
AGI-1+6
VIT-37+3
INT-99+8
DEX-93+17
LUK-3+11

Stat-Modifying Equipment:
Nimble Earring

Statistics:
HP: 8730
SP: 1050
HIT: 205
Weight Limit [with Lv5 Enlarge Weight Limit]: 4180
MATK: 332-548
Acid Bomb Cast Time: 0.26sec

Brewing Statistics [Lv10 Learning Potion; Lv10 Pharmacy]:
Normal Red, Yellow and White Potion: 91.75%
Blue Potion: 66.75%
Slim Red, Yellow and White Potion: 61.75%
Alcohol: 81.75%
Acid, Flame, Mine and Maneater Bottle: 71.75%
Coating Bottle: 61.75%
Anodyne and Aloevera: 76.75%
Homunculus Embryo: 61.75%
-chance of getting an Amistr: 9.8%
-chance of getting Filir: 5.3%
-chance of getting Vanilmirth: 40.1%
-chance of getting Lif: 44.6%

Features:
-basic abilities of Wizard; high MATK and fast casting
-good brewing success percentage

Mina Mierhea- Resilient Wizard Frame Biochemist

STR-16+4
AGI-1+6
VIT-57+3
INT-99+9
DEX-56+14
LUK-10+11

Stat-Modifying Equipment:
Earring

Statistics:
HP: 9977
SP: 1056
HIT: 189
Weight Limit [with Lv5 Enlarge Weight Limit]: 4480
MATK: 333-549
Acid Bomb Cast Time: 0.40sec