MapleStory Classic Bandit Guide: Savage Blow Build, Daggers, Steal

Quick summary

• Second job gives 121 SP, but maxing all six skills costs 140. Every Bandit build has to drop 19 points from Steal, Nimble Recovery, or Dagger Booster (mscw-guidebook).
• Max Savage Blow hits one monster 6 times at 75% each, 450% in total, for 28 MP. It only beats a max Double Stab (320%) once Savage Blow reaches skill level 11.
• Classic reworked Steal. At max it hits up to 2 monsters for 180%, and a successful steal stuns them for 1.5 seconds and gives +35 attack for 60 seconds (planet-helper, mscw-guidebook).
• Planet-helper says to keep throwing Lucky Seven with a claw until Lv 40, then switch to a dagger. Craft a Gephart, or use a Korean Fan, which drops from Lorangs (Beta 2 confirmed).
• One point in Dagger Booster already gives the full +2 attack speed. More points only add duration and cut the cost.

Checked against the Founder's Access build on October 13, 2026. Grand Launch is October 21, 2026; see the end of the guide for what may change.

Decide whether Bandit fits you

Mscw-guidebook describes the Bandit as "close-range single-target combos." It suits players who move from target to target and keep buffs up. It warns that players who want to fight from range or grind with big multi-target skills should probably look elsewhere. Savage Blow hits one monster, and Steal maxes out at two.

Factor	Bandit	Assassin	Source
Range	Melee (dagger)	Ranged (claw)	planet-helper
Main attack	Savage Blow, 1 target	Lucky Seven	planet-helper
Multi-target	Steal, 2 targets	—	planet-helper
Sustain	Nimble Recovery	—	mscw-guidebook
Potion use	Higher (melee)	Lower	planet-helper

Our Assassin guide covers the claw branch.

Build first job for your route

Mscw-guidebook gives two 61-SP first-job builds:

Skill	Pure dagger	Claw first
Double Stab	20	0
Lucky Seven	0	20
Nimble Body	15	15
Keen Eyes	0	3
Disorder	6	3
Dark Sight	20	20

Disclosed difference: planet-helper's route assumes claw first. You throw Lucky Seven with a Meba and Wolbi Throwing Stars until Lv 40, because "Savage Blow is too low-level here to beat Lucky Seven." Mscw-guidebook's point order assumes pure dagger, attacking with Double Stab until Savage Blow is ready. Pick claw first if you're happy leveling at range. Pick pure dagger to melee from day one.

Advance to Bandit at Lv 30

Planet-helper lists the chain. Talk to the Dark Lord in Thieves' Hideout, then the Thief Job Instructor at Construction Site North of Kerning City. Collect 30 Dark Marbles (Thief) in Thief's Construction Site, then turn in The Proof of a Hero.

Learn the second-job skills

Skill	Max effect	Source
Dagger Mastery	Mastery 10, +20% crit rate, 20% knockback resist	planet-helper, mscw
Savage Blow	6 hits × 75%. 4 hits at skill levels 1–10, 5 at 11–20, 6 at 21–30	planet-helper
Dagger Booster	+2 speed from level 1; 100 seconds at 1, 300 at max	planet-helper, mscw
Haste	+30 speed, +10 jump, party-wide, 300 seconds	planet-helper, mscw
Steal	180% on up to 2; 90% steal; +35 attack for 60 seconds; 1.5-second stun	planet-helper
Nimble Recovery	After a dodge: heals 10% HP and 10% MP at max, 30-second cooldown	mscw-guidebook

Planet-helper notes that "there is no Endure in the launch-data Bandit tree."

Dagger Mastery's real value. Mscw-guidebook says the +20% crit rate adds only about 3.94% average damage. The bigger gain is minimum damage. In its Lv 50 example, mastery raises the minimum roll on a non-crit from 86 to 283.

Compare the four Bandit builds

Skill	planet-helper	mscw Build 1	mscw Build 2	mscw Build 3
Dagger Mastery	20	20	20	20
Savage Blow	30	30	30	30
Haste	20	20	20	20
Steal	30	30	30	11
Nimble Recovery	10	20	1	20
Dagger Booster	11	1	20	20

• planet-helper: Booster goes to 11 so three casts (200 seconds each) line up with a 600-second Warrior Potion. Savage Blow is maxed by Lv 42 and Steal by Lv 54.
• mscw Build 1: maxes Steal and Recovery. You refresh Booster every 100 seconds for 30 HP and 30 MP.
• mscw Build 2: maxes Booster, so you refresh it alongside Haste. Recovery drops to a 20% trigger chance that restores 1%.
• mscw Build 3: Steal 11 means a 50% success rate and +15 attack. You keep max Booster and Recovery.

Mscw-guidebook's guidance: take Build 1 if you don't mind rebuffing. If you want fewer rebuffs, take Build 2 if Steal matters more to you and Build 3 if recovery does.

Mscw-guidebook's point order (pure dagger): at Lv 34 you have Mastery 5, Booster 1, Haste 5, Steal 1, and Recovery 1. Next, Savage Blow reaches 21 (six hits) at Lv 41. Finish Mastery, then Savage Blow. Max Haste after Lv 50.

Know when Savage Blow beats Double Stab

Attack	Skill level	Total %	MP	Source
Double Stab	20 (max)	320%	16	mscw-guidebook
Savage Blow	1	260% (4 × 65%)	14	mscw-guidebook
Savage Blow	11	325% (5 hits)	19	mscw-guidebook
Savage Blow	21	390% (6 hits)	24	mscw-guidebook
Savage Blow	30 (max)	450% (6 × 75%)	28	mscw-guidebook

If you maxed Double Stab, keep using it until Savage Blow hits level 11. Mscw-guidebook adds: "If one Double Stab already kills the mob, don't spend another 12 MP every time."

Use Steal and Nimble Recovery well

Steal: mscw-guidebook found the +35 attack buff raises follow-up damage by about 11.8% at Lv 50. It still advises keeping Steal at 1 early and putting points into your main attack. Use Steal to open on a fresh monster, and again when the buff is about to run out. Each monster can be stolen from once (planet-helper). Whether Steal works on bosses "hasn't been confirmed" (mscw-guidebook).

Nimble Recovery: it triggers only after you dodge, not when you're hit. Mscw-guidebook's Lv 50 example puts a max trigger at about 157 HP and 129 MP. In an example scenario of one dodgeable attack every three seconds, that works out to about 92 triggers an hour. Level 1 heals very little. Mscw-guidebook says, "Don't take extra hits on purpose to trigger it."

Pick your daggers

Lv	Dagger	Attack	Speed	Source (planet-helper)
30	Cass	47	Very Fast	Zombie Lupin, no recipe (unconfirmed)
35	Halfmoon Zamadar	53	Fast	Weaponcrafting 7 (DEX requirement, mscw)
40	Gephart	58	Fast	Weaponcrafting 8; DEX 35
40	Korean Fan	55	Very Fast	Lorang drop (Beta 2 confirmed); LUK 70 only
45	Bazlud	62	Very Fast	Lupin, no recipe (unconfirmed)
50	Sai	67	Very Fast	Weaponcrafting 10 recipe (not craftable at launch, cap Lv 8); 45 STR
50	Shinkita	68	Fast	Tauromacis, no recipe (unconfirmed); 45 DEX (mscw)

Decide your Lv 50 dagger early. Our sources disagree:

Choice	Case for it	Case against	Source
Keep Korean Fan (all LUK)	No STR or DEX needed; strongest at Lv 40–44	Falls behind from Lv 45	planet-helper
Add STR for Sai	Planet-helper: 12–18% ahead from Lv 50; +22% Savage Blow per hit	Needs Weaponcrafting 10, which is above the Lv 8 cap at launch	planet-helper
Add DEX for Shinkita	Mscw: about +7.2% per Savage Blow over Sai	No recipe; source unconfirmed; slower base speed	mscw-guidebook

Mscw-guidebook warns that if you build DEX and then add STR at 50 for a Sai, "you end up paying for both stats." Meowdb says crafting stops at Lv 8 at launch, which would block both the Sai and the Halfmoon Zamadar. Check your craft window. See our crafting guide.

STR scrolls: Thieves can use STR scrolls on earrings, overalls, and capes (mscw-guidebook). A female character's Lv 35 Red Avenger overall comes with 6 STR, but mscw-guidebook found it adds only about 0.66% damage.

Train from 30 to 70

Planet-helper's route (claw until 40, dagger after):

Level	Map	Attack	Note (planet-helper)
30–33	Ant Tunnel I / Transfer Area	Lucky Seven	Next to Kerning for star refills
33–40	The Land of Wild Boar II / Ant Tunnel III	Lucky Seven	No Jr. Boogies, so 100% hits
40–45	The Burnt Land II / V	Savage Blow	Fire Boars, 2–3 hits with Korean Fan
45–50	Monkey Forest I / Tree Dungeon, Forest Up North IX	Savage Blow	Lupins, Curse Eyes
45–50 party	Another Path	Savage Blow	Cold Eye party
50–70	Monkey Forest II / Monkey Swamp III	Savage Blow + Steal	Zombie Lupins hit with magic

Planet-helper says that with DEX 25, the rest in LUK, and Nimble Body 15, every map on this route hits 100% at its level. The Jr. Boogie 1s at Land of Wild Boar are the exception. Mscw-guidebook gives the Thief accuracy formula: DEX × 0.3 + LUK × 0.15 + level × 0.5 + 15. It warns that monsters ten levels above you are mostly misses. Our training guide has every job's route, and KPQ is an option from Lv 21.

Example: At Lv 52 in Monkey Forest II, open on a Zombie Lupin with Steal to get the +35 attack buff, then Savage Blow it. When two stack, Steal again. Bring potions, because their attacks are magic.

Return, boost, or roll an alt Bandit

• Coming back from old GMS? Classic reworked Steal, added Nimble Recovery, and has no Endure (planet-helper, mscw-guidebook). Third job (Chief Bandit) is in El Nath, which isn't open (planet-helper).
• Powerleveled Bandit: check which of the four builds its SP matches, and whether its STR and DEX fit your planned Lv 50 dagger. A powerleveling service won't level Weaponcrafting or earn Kerning citizenship.
• Alts: a Warrior alt with Weaponcrafting can make Gepharts and Sais. Haste is party-wide, which makes a Bandit welcome in a party. See our world-first party plan.

Want a hand with this?

If you would rather not grind this part yourself, MapleStory Classic powerleveling services are listed on FullBoosts. Read Nexon's Terms of Service before you buy any service from anyone, FullBoosts included — a marketplace listing isn't publisher permission.

What may change at Grand Launch

This guide describes the Founder's Access build as it was on October 13, 2026. Re-check these against Nexon's Grand Launch notes on October 21: whether crafting still stops at craft level 8, whether Forgotten Hollow, Orbis and third jobs stay closed, KPQ channel limits, NPC shop stock, and any Founder's Access-only events or packages mentioned here. Nothing here assumes a closed area or feature will open.

FAQ

When does a Bandit switch to a dagger? Planet-helper says Lv 40, once Savage Blow reaches 25. If you took the pure dagger first-job build, you use Double Stab from the start (mscw-guidebook).

What does Steal do in MapleStory Classic? At max it hits up to 2 monsters for 180%, with a 90% chance to steal. A success stuns for 1.5 seconds and gives +35 attack for 60 seconds (planet-helper).

When does Savage Blow beat Double Stab? At skill level 11, when it gets a fifth hit for 325% against Double Stab's 320%.

Where does the Korean Fan drop? From Lorangs around Florina Beach, confirmed in Beta 2. It's a Lv 40, LUK-70-only dagger.

Is Nimble Recovery worth maxing? It depends. At max it heals 10% HP and MP after a dodge, with a 30-second cooldown. Mscw-guidebook's three builds put it at 20, 1, or 20, and planet-helper stops at 10.

Does Classic Bandit have Endure? No. Planet-helper says there's no Endure in the launch-data Bandit tree.

How many points should go in Dagger Booster? One point gives the full speed boost. Planet-helper raises it to 11 to line up with Warrior Potions, and mscw-guidebook's builds use 1 or 20.