[Guide] Thaumaturge: The Forgotten Class
I’m Tsuole Haa’toan from the Orsha server, an MMORPG player who takes pride in taking the least useful classes and builds and trying to make them useful. Suffering ensued.
I recently wrote another short complaint letter [Thaumaturge, The Forgotten Class], this is my follow up. The problem with Thaumaturge is that very few people I believe have played it to a high rank. There are many finicky skills in the Thaumaturge Skill Tree, and their interactions haven’t really been informing guides I have been reading.
Combined with the complete lack of high level Thaumaturge players there’s simply not enough information on it out there.
Therefore, this guide and thread is for those of you who wish to understand the class inside out.
This is not going to be a guide which tells you how ‘amazing’ the Thaumaturge Class is, because the reality is that it’s not a very amazing class at the moment. In all the areas that it should excel, the Thaumaturge loses out to the Chronomancer.
I hope the guide illuminates which are the strong points and weak points of this class so that you might make your own decision.
I also have included my personal build for Thaumaturge here, which I think is a pretty unique one that has yet to be suggested.
The guide isn’t complete yet and there are parts of it in note form but I hope you come back and look forward to seeing it grow as I complete it over time.
Thaumaturge_Skill Builds
See [The Maximizer] for my personal build.
Thaumaturge_c1_builds && Thaumaturge_c2_build
There are many more ways to use the Thaumaturge’s c2 and c1 circles than there are c3, however I do not know them nor have I invested as much time into them. My specialty of understanding is around maximising the use of c3. Personally I think people who understand the class the best will only take c1 and c2 as they are the strongest parts of the kit at the moment.
Thaumaturge_c3_builds
Wizard_Wizard_Wizard_Linker_Thaumaturge_Thaumaturge_Thaumaturge
[The Maximizer]
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This build has a strong balance between DPS such that solo play is efficient and powerful whilst sacrificing very little in a party environment thanks to the versatility of the Thaumaturge’s Transpose skill.
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The idea is to maximise the potential of all three classes, Wizard, Linker and Thaumaturge through this unique pairing.
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Little can be done against bosses.
Wizard_???_Linker_Thaumaturge_Thaumaturge_Linker_Thaumaturge
[The Damage Enhancing Support]
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This plays similarly to other Wizard Supports like a Link2Chronomancer3. It still has access to most of the skills on the combo list however Thaumatruges just offer less to grinding speed and efficiency than Chronomancers do. Also, it is painful to level.
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Deals a good amount of damage to bosses if Pyromancer is taken.
Wizard_Wizard_Wizard_Thaumaturge_Thaumaturge_Rune Caster_Thaumaturge
- Testing in Process.
[The Damage Dealer]
Thaumaturge_Roles
Thaumaturge_Roles_Solo
Thaumaturge_Roles_Party Play
Roles_Tank_Utility
Roles_Utility_DPS
Thaumaturge_Skill Analysis_Wizard
Wizard_Energy Bolt_c1
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Energy Bolt is one out of only two of this build’s attack spells. It is exclusively used while soloing. Whilst to many Energy Bolt is considered the worst damage dealing spell available to the Wizard Class, here we will be taking advantage of the 4 AoE attack ratio (rather than the 1 AoE attack ratio it had previously) that it has as well as the [Energy Bolt: Additional Sleep Damage] attribute. Furthermore because this build only uses two damaging spells, funds can go to purchasing the attribute bonuses for these abilities rather than spreading your wallet too thinly especially since a good amount of it needs to be spent on the Thaumaturge Attributes.
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See the Combo_Section for information about how to maximise the use of this skill.
Wizard_Lethargy_c1
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Lethargy is a support ability that will be exclusively used during Party Play in Boss Fights. It is only taken at LV.1 because the duration remains the same at all levels (30s) and the debuff is lackluster for all higher levels. The important part of this skill is its Attribute [Lethargy: Additional Damage] which can increase the damage of [Strike] attacks by 100%. [Strike] based attacks are attacks from players who use [Maces] as weapons for dealing damage which is rare.
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Always check to see if anyone in your party is using a [Mace] before wasting your time casting this ability, it will significantly increase damage output.
Wizard_Sleep_c1
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Sleep is an important utility ability that will be used during both Solo and Party Play. It is taken at LV. 15, because not many other of the Wizard’s abilities are worth getting and the extra duration is very helpful. In Party Play [Sleep] should be used to disable mobs of enemies while grinding in order to halt their movement and make the leveling easier by keeping things organized and the mobs grouped together, or by controlling additional mobs during boss fights once again keeping the battle organized.
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Sleep is also a key component of one of this build’s main combos so see the Combo_Section for information about how to maximise the use of this skill.
Wizard_Magic Missile_c3
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Magic Missile is this build’s primary damaging skill and will be used in both Solo and Party Play. It is taken at LV. 5, and if possible should be upgraded with a [Templeslave Mage Gem] making it LV.6 and effectively increasing its damage output by 20%. [Magic Missile] makes this build extremely fun and easy to level solo, and provides strong burst damage which is necessary while dealing with mobs under the effect of [Swell Body] whether in or outside of a party.
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Furthermore because this build only uses two damaging spells, funds can go to purchasing the attribute bonuses and Monster Gems for this abilities rather than spreading your wallet too thinly especially since a good amount of it needs to be spent on the Thaumaturge Attributes.
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[Magic Missile] is a key component of a main combo. See the Combo_Section for information about how to maximise the use of this skill.
Wizard_Quick Cast_c3
[Quick Cast]
Thaumaturge_Skill Analysis_Linker
Linker_Joint Penalty_c1
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Joint Penalty is this build’s primary support skill and will be used in both Solo and Party Play. This is the Linker’s iconic ability, linking monsters together to multiply the damage dealt to any of the linked targets to other monsters. What this means is that a Lv.5 Joint Penalty which links 5 targets can increase your total effective damage output by 500%. A [Dadell Monster Gem] is suggested, since it increases the total number of targets linked to 6.
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Furthermore this means that by multiplying this effective damage output we are similarly multiplying the damage we are getting from [Quick Cast], [Swell Left Arm], [Swell Right Arm], [Swell Brain].
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Most importantly, there is a Maximum Number of Hits that [Joint Penalty] can share before disappearing. This is 10 Hits per Skill Level. A Linker c3 will be able to share 150 hits, so as a Linker c1 this is incomparably weaker but it is just enough to make you desirable for parties, bring mobs together and the 50 hits provides enough burst to deal with monsters under the effects of [Swell Body].
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[Joint Penalty] is a key component of a main combo. See the Combo_Section for information about how to maximise the use of this skill.
Linker_Hangman’s Knot_c1
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Hangman’s Knot is this build’s primary support skill and will be used in both Solo and Party Play. Together with [Joint Penalty] these skills comprise the Linker’s primary combo that they are desired for. It brings targets together into a single point and stuns them for a short duration allowing for skills and auto-attacks to hit multiple targets easily and makes dealing with mobs much more organized.
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The important part of [Hangman’s Knot] is actually its attribute [Hangman’s Knot: Splash Damage] which can decrease targets gathered by the sill for 5 AoE Defence. This is significant to understand since as Thaumaturge’s we are dealing with Size Manipulation. AoE Defence reduction or increases will not interact with [Magic Missile], but it does affect the effectiveness of [Energy Bolt].
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[Hangman’s Knot] is a key component of a main combo. See the Combo_Section for information about how to maximise the use of this skill.
Linker_Lifeline_c3
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Some daring Thaumaturges will use the ability [Lifeline] to share their absurdly high INT and CON stats through [Transpose] and [Swell Brain]. As a warning, activating Lifeline will cancel any Transpose buffs on you and your party on case. However you can use Transpose after Lifeline is already active. Because of the short duration on [Lifeline], sharing CON becomes taxing on your healers and very situational since everyone has to be healed for over 80k HP at max level every 60 seconds. Furthermore because of the heavy investment for this combo, I do not really recommend this Linker_c3 combo unless you are only taking Thaumaturge_c1, and the build is not centered around this mechanic. It is still a good combination to have on the side, but is generally overkill.
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It may have a place in PVP.
Thaumaturge_Skill Analysis_Thaumaturge
Thaumaturge_Swell Left Arm
11 / 15 -> 15 / 15 The most reliable buff - this is why onl c1 is necessary most of the time.
Thaumaturge_Shrink Body
0 / 15 -> 10 / 15 Bug note: Heals mobs fully after shrinking, not as planned. Apparently this is not the case anymore. Reduces mob physical and magical damage by 75% before defense reductions. Attribute deals 60% of your magic damage, does not multiply through link.
Thaumaturge_Swell Body
10 / 15 -> 12 / 15Does not increase EXP given as expected. Gives only approximately 30%. Heals mobs by 100% of their original max HP after increase. Attribute deals 60% of your magic damage, does not multiply through link.
Thaumaturge_Transpose
2 / 15 -> 5 / 15 Resets health on re-cast. Easily the class’s best spell.
Thaumaturge_Reversi
1 / 1 Steals an opponent’s / ally’s spell. Classifies as recasting it with your current stats and attributes at the time. Doesn’t carry the original caster’s attributes over.
Thaumaturge_Swell Right Arm
10 / 10 Weaker then Swell Left Arm, actually seems more like a defensive buff. Not every person is going to have a dagger equipped for the damage bonus. If your party members are equipping a Musket, Two Handed Bow, Spear, Sword, Staff it becomes an evasion/accuracy boosting buff.
It’s interesting with a shield, as increases both your defence and magic defence by a significant amount. While this is great for PVP, it feels lackluster when it comes to increasing your party’s leveling speed.
Thaumaturge_Swell Brain
5 / 5 Not as useful as you might think. INT from this doesn’t contribute to bonus attribute stats. 150 INT is 150 MATK fpr the most part. There are some abilities that scale with INT, but they are few and far between. INT is regarded as one of the most useless abilities right now too, since it only affects your MATK.
It awaits the kTOS patch of giving it a scaling magic damage bonus up to 25% which will completely rework the value of the Thaumaturge class.
Thaumaturge_Levelling
Thaumaturge_Levelling_Partying
Thaumaturge_Levelling_Partying_grind
Thaumaturge_Levelling_Parying_boss fights
Thaumaturge_Combos
Joint Penalty -> Hangman's Knot -> Swell Body -> Magic Missile
Standard Solo Combo / party does not deal enough damage to kill Swelled Mob
Joint Penalty -> Hangman's Knot -> Shrink Body
Standard Party Combo, tank role.
Joint Penalty -> Hangman's Knot -> Swell Body
Standard Party Combo, while you are supporting a party. It can help pull mobs if you are leading the party in lower leveled dungeons while ‘tanking’, and can re-position mobs for optimum damage and a Swell that hits all its targets.
Because our Joint Penalty is only level 5-6 and will break quite quickly the emphasis is on the burst it provides during the first 50-60 hits - ideal for synergising with Swell.
Swell Body -> Joint Penalty -> Hangman's Knot
The second variation of the standard combo, this is also the most ideal order to use the spells in. The reason being that Swell Body will increase the size and therefor the AoE Defence Ratio of all the mobs by 1, which could severely slow down your party’s kill speed. We Try to Hangman’s Knot AFTER Swell so that we can use its attribute to reduce the AoE Defence Ratio back to 0.
The other reason you would use Swell first is if the mobs are already closely packed together, or if your party does so much DPS that the mobs are dying before you can Swell them.
Joint Penalty -> Hangman's Knot -> Sleep -> Swell Body
Standard Solo Combo - Mobs are too strong to one shot.
Joint Penalty -> Hangman's Knot -> Sleep -> Energy Bolt
Standard Solo Combo - Magic Missile will not one shot / is on cool down.
Swell Left Arm -> Swell Right Arm -> Joint Penalty -> Hangman's Knot ->Swell Brain -> Quickcast -> Magic Missle
Full Power Solo Combo.
Swell Left Arm -> Swell Right Arm -> Joint Penalty -> Hangman's Knot -> Sleep -> Swell Brain -> Quickcast -> Energy Bolt
Full Power Solo Combo.
can u share this information? thx!