F - Chain Duelist

Learn the Chain Duelist build in Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth, focusing on Chain skills like Chain Killer and Chain All for maximum hits.

Key Skills and Mechanics:

• Chain skills: These skills are designed to maximize attacks per turn.
• Sonic Blade: A passive skill that has a 40% chance to perform an extra hit when performing a normal attack. Requires Rapier Mastery (3).
• Chain Killer: An attack skill that performs a follow-up attack with amplified damage when the target is afflicted with any ailments, binds, or stun. If allies inflict ailment and bind / multiple binds simultaneously, the follow-up only occurs once. This skill's follow-up may also activate when sealing is done through Therian's _Binding Force_ 's follow-ups. Requires Chain Boost (3) and Chain Burst (3). Must equip a sword.
• Chain All: A support charge skill that increases the maximum number of hits of any Chain skills on the next turn to 9, and any activated Chain skills will target all enemies. Requires Chain Killer (5).
• Chain Plus: A buff skill that increases ATK by 50% and the activation rate of Chain skills by 80% for 6 turns, specifically for Chain-related skills. Requires Chain Killer (5).
• Chain Double: A passive skill that has a 40% chance to perform an extra hit when performing a follow-up attack due to Chain skills. This extra attack is excluded from the main Chain skill's maximum amount of follow-up attacks. With _Chain All_, the extra hit will also target all enemies. Requires Chain Killer (5).
• Sylphscreen: A passive skill that increases DEF and the chance of being targeted by 6% for each attack the user manages to land until the end of the turn.
• Multi-Stab: An attack skill that deals multiple 2-5 hits of stab damage to one enemy's row. Requires Optic Thrust (3). Must equip a sword.
• Resonance: An attack skill that deals amplified stab damage based on how many times the user landed hits on the last turn. Each attack grants a 250% power boost for a maximum of 9 stacks. Stack won't increase if the attack misses. Enemy-wide attacks are counted for each hit. Counterattacks from Phantom Duelist's _Lure_ are also counted. Requires Deft Thrust (5). Must equip a sword.
• Phys ATK Up: A passive skill that increases physical ATK by 15%.
• Speed Up: A passive skill that multiplies action speed by 1.4 and increases accuracy and evasion by 10%.

Synergies and Party Composition:

• The Chain Duelist typically needs partners that can launch matching elemental attacks or classes that can provide them, such as Shaman and Warlock.
• Creative combinations with Shaman skills, Shield Bearer’s _Counter Guard_, and Phantom Duelist’s _Lure_ can lead to substantial damage.
• Using bows (Rover, Shaman, Botanist) or stabbing physical skills also synergizes, though often with less phenomenal results than elemental attacks.
• A Chain Duelist using an elemental Chain Skill fully benefits from all damage buffs and debuffs.
• For a Chain Killer build, allies that excel in landing ailments or binds are crucial, such as Barrage Brawler, Harbinger, Rover, and Graced Poisoner.
• The Therian's _Binding Force_ Union can give all physical attacks a chance to bind an enemy, greatly increasing Chain Killer's damage potential for a single turn.

Recommended Race(s): Therian (Highest STR), Earthlain.

Possible Equipment: Sword, Light Armor, Clothes, Shield.

Stat Growth (Max Lv Effect):

• Lv 20: HP +4, TP +9, STR +3, VIT +3, WIS +3, AGI +3
• Lv 30: HP +5, TP +10, STR +3, VIT +3, WIS +3, AGI +3
• Lv 40: HP +6, TP +12, STR +4, VIT +4, WIS +4, AGI +4
• Lv 50: HP +7, TP +14, STR +5, VIT +5, WIS +5, AGI +5
• Lv 60: HP +8, TP +17, STR +6, VIT +6, WIS +6, AGI +6
• Lv 70: HP +10, TP +20, STR +7, VIT +7, WIS +7, AGI +7
• Lv 80: HP +12, TP +24, STR +9, VIT +9, WIS +9, AGI +9
• Lv 90: HP +14, TP +28, STR +10, VIT +10, WIS +10, AGI +10
• Lv 99: HP +16, TP +32, STR +12, VIT +12, WIS +12, AGI +12