Choi's SVS Arch Mage Guide
Introduction
The main purpose of this guide is to provide information on the gear progression for Soul Vulcan Strike-focused Arch Mages. However, as the gear and concepts are similar across different builds, this should also be helpful for other Arch Mage builds as well as other Magic Damage classes like Soul Ascetic and Elemental Master. Please feel free to reach out to me (IGN: Choi) for any questions or feedback!
Also, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has helped me, as I learned and continue to learn AM!
Notes
The Soul Vulcan Strike build has a very fluid progression that will allow the user to be strong throughout all parts of the game. Among the Arch Mage skills, Soul Vulcan Strike has the shortest Fixed Cast Time at 1s. Along with its short cooldown, high damage, and 11 x 11 AoE, Soul Vulcan Strike is a very effective ability for leveling and farming. Additionally, with the Warlock Telekenesis Intense skill providing a 3x damage buff for ghost damage, the Soul Vulcan Strike scales very well into the late game allowing you to MVP even the toughest MVPs.
However, due to the nature of Dim Glacier Weapons providing large damage bonuses to specific abilities and the strength of specific elemental MVP cards, you will be mostly gated to having Soul Vulcan Strike as your main magic damage ability. As such, you will be weaker against Neutral, Holy, Poison, and Shadow Elemental MvPs and mobs (The main one to note here is Betelgeuse). Even so, you will still be a highly effective MVPer!
For other classes and builds, the gear progression and concepts should be fairly similar other than a change in weapon and gear.
Relevant Skills
Soul Vulcan Strike: Soul Vulcan Strike is your bread-and-butter ability. The formula for Soul Vulcan Strike is MATK (((250 * Skill Level) + (15 * SPL)) * (Base Level/100))%.
Mystery Illusion: Mystery Illusion will be your secondary ability due to the enchantment on your Dim Glacier Weapon. It also pairs well with Soul Vulcan Strike as Mystery Illusion does Shadow Property damage which is effective against holy and not resisted by Neutral.
Telekinesis Intense: Telekinesis Intense provides a 3x Ghost Magic Damage and 50% Variable Cast Time Reduction Buff for 1 minute or until death. However, it has a 5-minute cooldown, so use it wisely, but don't be frugal about it!
Mystical Amplification: Mystical Amplication provides a 1.5x Matk buff. It has no cooldown, so you should always try to keep it up!
Recognized Spell: Recognized Spell provides a buff that lets you do the maximum damage. It's a great overall buff and also allows you to test different gear effectively.
Drain Life: Drain Life has a 90% chance to absorb 40% of the damage you do with this skill. It should basically full heal you when you use it on a mob.
Rain of Crystal: Rain of Crystal is a water elemental 13x13 AoE skill that hits targets around you. Very useful for farming.
Comet AKA 
Reading Spell Book and 
Release: Comet is a large AoE skill that provides decent damage. However, it's main use is that it applies a 50% elemental resist decrease debuff for 20s to targets hit by it. However, rather than casting the actual ability, most Arch Mages opt to using Reading Spell Book with 
Spell Book (Comet) (100073) and using Release to cast it to avoid any cast time.
Your other Arch Mage skills are still powerful, so feel free to use what you would like!
Gear Progression
Yvonne's Guide has a very useful section for Gear Progression and Useful Cards, so please check that out! The information I will provide for Gear Progression will be more specific to Magic Damage Classes, particularly SVS Build Arch Mages.
It may be tempting starting out to want to rush your end-game gear. However, I do not recommend doing this and instead recommend improving your gear gradually, so you can farm more effectively.
Phase Eden
At Level 100, you can talk with Labraham and Louis at @go Eden to get your Advanced Paradise Gear. These gears will require 
Old Pick (7318) , 
Blue Hair (1034) , and 
Elastic Band (7200) .
Additionally, you can talk with Lucy in the same room to receive your Advanced Paradise Shadow Gear by renting it for 20 Eden Coins for 3 days or buying the set permanently for 230 in total.
Phase One
Moving forward, your main priority is to see where you can reduce your fixed cast time, and your second priority will be increasing your damage output (for now).
Abilities will have a specific Fixed Cast Time and Variable Cast Time. For Soul Vulcan Strike your fixed cast time is 1s and your Variable Cast time is 3s.
Fixed Cast Time can be reduced by equipment (Most often through Shoes, Costume Enchant Stones, Accessories, and Higher Level Headgear).
Variable Cast Time can be reduced by gear (all types of gear) and stats. The formula for Variable Cast Time is (((Int + (Dex*2))/530) * Bonus VCT from gear).
For now, just assume that your VCT will come in time and go full int and dex for your stats.
At Level 150, you can start using 
Grace Magic Boots [1] (470021) , which can be obtained after completing the 17.1 Questline from the Sentinel NPC. The boots are the easiest way to obtain some Fixed Cast Reduction, providing .5s at Refine Level 7.
At Level 170, you will have access to the Illusion of Labyrinth and its related equipment. The Illusion Morpheus Set will provide a good boost in damage, and a +9 
Illusion Morpheus's Hood [1] (19428) will give you Skill Cast Interruption Protection.
Lastly, the Advanced Paradise Equipment does not provide a Middle or Lower Headgear, so getting middle and lower headgears will provide an easy upgrade.
| Type | Item | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Upper | +9 to +11 Illusion Morpheus's Hood [1] (19428) |
You can use  Rune of Intellect Lv2 (29001) Rune of Intellect Lv2 (29001) depending on how long you plan on staying on Illusion Morpheus Hood. Make it +11 if you decide to enchant it.
|
| Middle |  Cor Core Booster (410091) or  Cor Core Booster [1] (410092) |
Depending on if you have a card or not. |
| Lower |  CD in Mouth (420003) |
|
| Armor |  Advanced Paradise Robe (450186) or +7 to +9  Grace Crimson Robe [1] (450110) |
Crimson Bolt is a good secondary ability while you level. |
| Weapon |  Illusion Thorny Staff of Darkness [2] (550030) ,  Illusion Staff of Bordeaux [2] (26109) or  Illusion Wizardry Staff [2] (2039) |
|
| Shield | N/A | The Two Handed Mastery Passive provides +20 S.Matk, so use Two Handed for now. |
| Garment | +9 to +11  Illusion Morpheus's Shawl [1] (20948) |
You can use Rune of Intellect Lv2 (29001) Rune of Intellect Lv2 (29001) depending on how long you plan on staying on Illusion Morpheus Shawl. Make it +11 if you decide to enchant it.
|
| Shoe | +7 to +9 Grace Magic Boots [1] (470021) |
|
| Accessory (Right) |  Illusion Morpheus's Ring [1] (32238) or  Grace Magic Ring [1] (490020) |
Use the Grace Ring if you're using the Grace Robe. |
| Accessory (Left) |  Illusion Morpheus's Bracelet [1] (32239) |
Zeny Tip: Illusion of Underwater 2 and Illusion of Labyrinth are great places to farm zeny starting out, and you'll be able to get 
Underwater Refinement Box (100425) and 
Labyrinth Refinement Box (100423) to upgrade your gear or to make Safe to Refine tickets!
Phase Two
1s Fixed Cast Reduction is what you need. However, 1.5s is better since most of your other skills (Mystery Illusion, Rain of Crystal, etc.) have 1.5s Fixed Cast. It's up to you to decide whether you want to upgrade to 1.5s by getting the 
Gray Wolf Shoes [1] (470088) with the 
Wolf Orb (Fixed Casting) Lv.3 (310602) or whether you want to sit on the Grace Magic Boots [1] (470021) until Phase Three.
- For Soul Ascetics and Elemental Masters, go for the Gray Wolf Boots; the 1s Fixed Cast Reduction is necessary for you.
The Brilliant/ Sinful Sapphire Accessory Pairs give a good amount of damage and provide .2s and .3s FCT reduction respectively. With the 
Minor Casting Stone (Garment) (25170) that gives .3s FCT reduction, you'll have a total of 1s or 1.1s FCT reduction. Additionally, you can get a 
Warlock Stone (1000614) for .5s FCT reduction. I do not recommend getting a 
Cast Stone (Garment) (25067) ; it's too expensive, and you'll already have enough FCT!
Moving forward, we're just working on damage; let's up those numbers!!
In terms of Priority:
- Weapon, Accessories, Minor Cast Stone
- Armor and Headgears
- Garment and Shoes.
Zeny Tip: Thanatos 11 and 12 are great places to farm at this point and in general, and you'll be able to farm the materials for your accessories. 
Guyak Pudding (12710) will help tremendously to prevent the 
Decrease Agility debuff effect.
Phase Three
You can sit pretty comfortably on the Phase Two gears for a while. The best spots to upgrade are probably the Garment and Shoes if you're still on Grace. Now would be a good time to start farming your Master Shadow gear as well!
Dim Glacier Weapons are a great place to start dipping your toes into the painful world of item grading! Luckily, the 
Dim Glacier Reinforcement Device (101637) helps ease you in. Dim Glacier and Snow equipment can be obtained after completing Episode 19. The Dim Glacier Staff is much stronger initially, but the s.matk you gain from 
Two-Handed Staff Mastery will lose value as you gain more s.matk.
- For other magic classes, the main difference here is going to be in the weapon you use.
To craft the 
Convertible Magical Wing [1] (480125) , you'll need a +7 
Supplement Part VIT [1] (20732) , a +7 
Upgrade Part - Engine [1] (20733) , a +7 
Pile Bunker S [1] (16030) , 5 
Opal (727) , and 3 
Repair Robot Turbo Card (27015) .
- The Supplement Part VIT [1] (20732) and Upgrade Part - Engine [1] (20733) can be bought from the Mass Charleston npc with
Charleston Component (6752) which are farmed in the Charleston Crisis instance or exchanged for instance coins. They are also a random drop from the MVP in the Charleston Crisis - The Pile Bunker S [1] (16030) require 300
Dented Iron Plate (6751) , 1 
Pile Bunker (1549) , and 15 
Broken Engine (6750) , and will be exchanged with the Mass Charleston npc. - The Pile Bunker (1549) requires 200
Steel (999) , 30 
Flexible Tube (7325) , and a 
Brocca (1415) . The Pile Bunker (1549) can be exchanged with the Gomer npc in Yuno with a mechanic class. - You need Episode 15 done (you can use a clear ticket)
- You can use Safe to Refine Tickets on Supplement Part VIT [1] (20732) , Upgrade Part - Engine [1] (20733) , Pile Bunker S [1] (16030) , and Convertible Magical Wing [1] (480125)
Zeny Tip: You should be able to farm comfortably at Clock Tower Basement and Niflheim 2 now, and they'll provide a lot of great end-game material as well.
Phase Four
We're almost at End Game. Time to make some of the tougher gears. You can skip to Phase Five if you think you can comfortably get the Equipment from Constellation Tower (Hard).
Note: The Vesper Headgear is time-gated, requiring mysterious ores from a 24hr cooldown instance. I recommend going ahead and farming these daily with some friends before you get to Phase Four.
| Type | Item | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Upper | +11 to +12 [A] Vesper Headgear [1] (400111) |
|
| Middle |  Battle Processor [1] (410017) or  Deep Blue Sunglasses [1] (410080) |
|
| Lower |  Young Leaf of World Tree (Intelligence) (420022) |
 SPL Lv2 (311081) or  S.MATK Lv.2 (310985) ,  Spell Lv2 (4814) or  MATK Lv.2 (310989) ,  INT+3 (4712) . Do not change to Young Leaf until you switch to the Vesper Headgear. Any Young Leaf is fine; it's the enchants that matter.
|
| Armor | +11  Gray Wolf Robe [1] (450178) |
 Wolf Orb (Shadow Spell) (310532)  Wolf Orb (Mage) Lv.3 (310510)  Wolf Orb (Mage) Lv.2 (310507)
|
| Weapon | +12 [A] Dim Glacier Staff [1] (640034) or +12 [A]  Dim Glacier Wand [1] (550089) |
 Glacier Flower Spell (Magical Grade) Lv5 (311458)  Glacier Flower Spell (Illusion Soul Magic) (311294) Glacier Flower Spell (Illusion Soul Magic) (311294)
|
| Shield | +11  Illusion Silver Guard [1] (460018) |
Rune of Intellect Lv2 (29001) Rune of Intellect Lv2 (29001) Use the shield if you're using a One-Handed weapon.
|
| Garment | +11 Convertible Magical Wing [1] (480125) |
|
| Shoe | +12 [A]  Moan of Corruption [1] (470204) |
|
| Accessory (Right) |  Temple Rune Ring [1] (490304) |
 Intelligence of Varmundt Lv5 (311958)  Fragment of Varmundt (SPL) Lv5 (311998) Second Slot Enchant is your choice. Best is  Brilliant Biosphere Gem (Boss Type) (311943) but its a .05% chance.
|
| Accessory (Left) |  Temple Magic Ring [1] (490307) |
Intelligence of Varmundt Lv5 (311958) Fragment of Varmundt (SPL) Lv5 (311998) Second Slot Enchant is your choice. Best is Brilliant Biosphere Gem (Boss Type) (311943) but it's a .05% chance.
|
Phase Five
AKA the final phase. I was considering combining Phase Four with Phase Five, but Phase Five is essentially gated by the Gear that you get from Constellation Tower. The Enchants on the Stellar Spell Seal provide a large boost in VCT reduction that you'll need after losing the Convertible Magical Wing and Wolf Robe. I don't recommend switching out of the Convertible Magical Wing until you get the Stellar Spell Seal fully enchanted and upgraded.
For pure damage, Temple Rune Ring [1] (490304) is better than 
Stellar Spell Seal [1] (490136) due to the power of the Second Slot Enchant. However, the Second Slot Enchant is limited to two races (unless you get the normal/boss enchant). Additionally, the Stellar Seal gives 30% variable cast reduction from a single accessory which is very powerful.
Sinful Sapphire Ring [1] (490052) and 
Sinful Sapphire Necklace [1] (490053) will still be relevant later on due to its race modifiers against dragon which will be very strong against Betelgeuse
Misc
Shadow Gear: the Master Shadow Gear provides the greatest damage boost for magic classes. Especially those that primarily focus on one ability, as the enchants will increase the damage for one ability.
Costume Stones: The Arch Bishop (
Arch Bishop Stone (Top) (1000857) , 
Arch Bishop Stone (Low) (1000859) , and 
Archbishop Stone (Garment) (25709) /
Archbishop Stone II (Garment) (1000019) ) Combo provides the largest Magic Damage increase.
Cute Pets: 
Gloom Under Night Egg (9122) or 
White Knight Egg (9134) are good choices.
| Type | Item | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Upper |  Lichtern Green Card (4598) or  Katrinn Card (4366) |
Depends on how much VCT you need |
| Middle | Lichtern Green Card (4598) or  Dark Illusion Card (4169) |
Depends on how much VCT you need |
| Armor |  Observation Card (4392) or  Two Eyes Dollocaris Card (300376) |
Observation Card (4392) Pairs with  Eldest Card (300269)
|
| Weapon |  Mutating White Knight Card (27384) |
|
| Shield |  Mutating Khalitzburg Card (27385) |
|
| Garment | Eldest Card (300269) or  One Eye Dollocaris Card (300375) |
|
| Shoe |  Nightmare Verit Card (4658) |
|
| Accessory (Right) |  Elvira Card (4577) |
|
| Accessory (Left) |  Wasted Intermediate Rgan Card (300370) |