# MapleStory Classic class comparison: choose your second job HTML source: https://maplefieldnotes.com/guides/class-comparison Canonical HTML: https://maplefieldnotes.com/guides/class-comparison Choose the routine you want to repeat: groups, range, one target or party support. Editorial review: 2026-10-28. Official release announcements take precedence. Community sources can lag the live client. Source review is not in-game testing. Class tiers, build priorities and planning methods are editorial advice, not measured optimal builds or guaranteed leveling rates. ## At a glance - **Context:** Global Grand Launch · second jobs - **Editorial review:** 28 October 2026 - **Skill-source snapshot:** 23 October 2026 - **Measurements:** No controlled live DPS or cost sample ## Choose a routine before a ranking This comparison adds practical decision criteria to the dated class tier list. Funding pressure and difficulty are editorial descriptions, not measured cost rankings. Early game describes the branch foundation; the developed second-job columns assume levels 30–70. A newly advanced character does not have the whole kit. The underlying skill-source snapshot remains October 23, 2026. We reviewed the comparison and linked build plans on October 28 without claiming a new client patch or live test. Current client tooltips and newer official updates take priority before permanent AP or SP spending. - [MapleStory Quest: launch class roster](https://maplestory.quest/classes): Checked 23 October 2026. Community client-data reference separates ten launch second jobs from historical CoT2 third jobs; it does not provide our tier placements. - [Nexon: Grand Launch release notes](https://www.nexon.com/maplestory/news/general/46506/grand-launch-release-notes): Official release post. Its JavaScript article was not extractable during our audit; launch changes are cross-checked with the linked community digest. - [MapleStory Quest: Grand Launch skill diff](https://maplestory.quest/changelog?s=skills): Grand Launch view checked 23 October 2026: twelve revised skills, including recovery, Final Attack duration and Dark Sight prerequisites. The default view may advance after future updates. ## All ten second jobs side by side | Class / build | Early game | Developed second job | Funding pressure | Party value | Difficulty | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Fighter | Compact melee route | Groups and party attack support | Weapon and contact recovery | Rage | Straightforward loop; contact positioning | | Page | Melee foundation | Control-oriented melee | Weapon, accuracy and recovery | Conditional debuff value | Target selection and debuff timing | | Spearman | Melee foundation | Steady close-range sustain | Weapon choice and potion reserve | Current second-job kit only | Range and recovery management | | Ice/Lightning Wizard | Magician foundation | Group clearing and movement | MP reserve and usable equipment | Meditation | Elemental matchup and pack positioning | | Fire/Poison Wizard | Magician foundation | Group poison with a fire option | MP budget and target selection | Meditation | Damage timing and resistance | | Cleric | Magician foundation | Party support; situational undead route | Recovery still needs measuring | Heal and protection | Party awareness and target suitability | | Hunter | Ranged spacing | Ranged groups with control | Bow upgrades and resupply | Control; no assumed unique damage buff | Firing lanes and close-range pressure | | Crossbowman | Ranged spacing | Group damage with weapon commitment | Crossbow upgrades and resupply | Primarily damage contribution | Lanes and spacing without Hunter’s stun | | Assassin | Mobile ranged foundation | Single-target uptime | Claw and ammunition planning | Haste | Spacing, movement and resupply | | Bandit | Close-range thief foundation | Single-target concentration | Dagger upgrades and contact recovery | Haste and conditional utility | Close-range uptime; limited groups | > These are decision prompts, not live market quotes. No class is declared free, and future third jobs are outside scope. - [MapleStory Quest: Fighter skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/fighter): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Used for Rage, Rush and weapon-path context; our tiers are editorial. - [MapleStory Quest: Page skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/page): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Used for Threaten and Rush, not its unspecific comparative damage claim. - [MapleStory Quest: Spearman skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/spearman): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Iron Will and Final Attack are in the current kit; Hyper Body is associated with historical CoT2 Dragon Knight. - [MapleStory Quest: Ice/Lightning skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/il-wizard): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Used for Thunder Bolt, Cold Beam, Teleport and Meditation roles; no observed EXP rate is implied. - [MapleStory Quest: Fire/Poison skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/fp-wizard): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Poison Breath has group coverage; historical single-target-only assumptions are not carried over. - [MapleStory Quest: Cleric skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/cleric): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Used for Heal, Bless and Holy Arrow roles. We do not adopt its claim that training costs nothing. - [MapleStory Quest: Hunter skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/hunter): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Arrow Bomb control and Soul Arrow utility inform the comparison. - [MapleStory Quest: Crossbowman skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/crossbowman): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Iron Arrow and weapon-specific skills inform the comparison. - [MapleStory Quest: Assassin skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/assassin): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Used for Haste, claw specialization and recovery tools; no market-price ranking is claimed. - [MapleStory Quest: Bandit skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/bandit): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Savage Blow hits one target. The Steal skill page reports an earlier temporary disable; availability must be checked in the current client. These are not guaranteed boss-uptime figures. ## Read the matching tier column The same table supplies both pages, so a comparison cannot quietly disagree with the tier list. S/A/B is an editorial order within one task. It is not an overall score and does not convert into EXP per hour, boss time or a promise about your equipment. | Second job | Solo | Single target | Party | Main tradeoff | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Fighter | S | A | A | Groups and Rage; melee contact and weapon choice matter. | | Page | A | A | B | Useful melee control; less broadly useful party support. | | Spearman | A | A | B | Sustain and steady melee; no launch Hyper Body. | | Ice/Lightning Wizard | S | B | A | Mobile group clearing; MP budget and elemental matchup matter. | | Fire/Poison Wizard | A | B | A | Group poison and fire; damage timing and resistance matter. | | Cleric | B | B | S | Heal and protection; solo rating improves on suitable undead. | | Hunter | A | A | B | Ranged groups with stun; needs a good firing lane. | | Crossbowman | A | A | B | Ranged group damage; Iron Arrow lacks Hunter’s stun. | | Assassin | B | A | A | Mobile ranged single-target play; limited group coverage. | | Bandit | B | S | A | Strong single-target potential; close range and weaker group clearing. | - [NiaMeowDB: level-70 class comparison](https://meowdb.com/msclassic/tier-list): Checked 23 October 2026. Model of saved level-70 builds, neutral zero-defense target by default. No overall rank; map travel and actual potion use are excluded. Directional context, not our own live gameplay measurements. - [MapleStory Quest: launch class roster](https://maplestory.quest/classes): Checked 23 October 2026. Community client-data reference separates ten launch second jobs from historical CoT2 third jobs; it does not provide our tier placements. ## Which class is best for a beginner? For a compact solo melee loop, consider Fighter. If you prefer groups and movement, consider Ice/Lightning and reserve MP for normal sessions. If you have a regular party and want a support role, consider Cleric. Those are conditional starting points, not one universal winner. Warrior versus Thief is a choice of routine before it is a damage comparison. Fighter values compact groups and contact management; Assassin values range and movement; Bandit values single-target uptime at close range. Ask which problem you are willing to solve for an entire session. - [MapleStory Quest: Fighter skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/fighter): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Used for Rage, Rush and weapon-path context; our tiers are editorial. - [MapleStory Quest: Ice/Lightning skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/il-wizard): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Used for Thunder Bolt, Cold Beam, Teleport and Meditation roles; no observed EXP rate is implied. - [MapleStory Quest: Cleric skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/cleric): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Used for Heal, Bless and Holy Arrow roles. We do not adopt its claim that training costs nothing. - [MapleStory Quest: Assassin skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/assassin): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Used for Haste, claw specialization and recovery tools; no market-price ranking is claimed. - [MapleStory Quest: Bandit skills](https://maplestory.quest/classes/bandit): Grand Launch community reference checked 23 October 2026. Savage Blow hits one target. The Steal skill page reports an earlier temporary disable; availability must be checked in the current client. These are not guaranteed boss-uptime figures. ## How to compare funding without inventing prices Write down your next usable weapon, required stats and a recovery reserve. Compare the attack pattern before and after an affordable upgrade. If an enemy still needs the same number of attacks, the upgrade may contribute less to the session than the character-sheet increase suggests. For an MP-heavy route, include recovery interruptions. For ranged classes, include ammunition or resupply where relevant. For melee, include contact recovery. Use the same observation window and avoid a rare drop making one run look sustainable. We did not collect a comparable current market basket for these classes. - Read the branch foundation before selecting second job. - Inspect the current skill prerequisites before spending. - Test two ordinary sessions, including walking and recovery. - Choose a build that solves your actual problem, then use the AP/SP guide. ## Class comparison questions Should I reroll because my class has a B? A B in one task is a conditional recommendation, not a claim that the class is unusable. Name the problem a switch would solve before abandoning a working character. Is the single-target column a bossing tier list? It describes attack potential under stated assumptions, with a directional community benchmark. It is not our measured boss-clear ladder; real uptime, survival and mechanics can change the result. Which second job is cheapest? This review has no controlled current cost-per-level dataset. Use the funding pressures above to prepare a budget, then measure your own session rather than treating an invented price table as evidence. ## Related reading - [MapleStory Classic class tier list: launch jobs ranked](https://maplefieldnotes.com/guides/class-tier-list) - [MapleStory Classic first-week guide: a practical checklist](https://maplefieldnotes.com/guides/first-week) - [MapleStory Classic second job guide: prepare for level 30](https://maplefieldnotes.com/guides/second-job) - [MapleStory Classic AP & SP guide: avoid old-build mistakes](https://maplefieldnotes.com/guides/ap-sp) - [MapleStory Classic Fighter build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/fighter) - [MapleStory Classic Page build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/page) - [MapleStory Classic Spearman build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/spearman) - [MapleStory Classic Ice Lightning build: skills & maps](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/ice-lightning) - [MapleStory Classic Fire/Poison Wizard build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/fire-poison) - [MapleStory Classic Cleric build: Heal, party & mesos](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/cleric) - [MapleStory Classic Hunter build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/hunter) - [MapleStory Classic Crossbowman build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/crossbowman) - [MapleStory Classic Assassin build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/assassin) - [MapleStory Classic Bandit build: skills and training](https://maplefieldnotes.com/builds/bandit) Original editorial guide text is offered under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Attributed community material retains its applicable terms. This does not relicense Nexon assets or the underlying ShipAny code.