Any scientific article begins with a justification of why these studies are conducted at all.
This article is notes on the way to study the Biolo job and is intended to preserve and transfer the experience gained and accumulated by playing that class and talking to MuhRO's Merchants community.
This article bears my name, but this title is akin to the Guinness Book of Records, which, generally speaking, is not about Guinness at all. The author expects that this work will be supplemented by active members of the community, each of whom will be able to subscribe to the part developed by them (if desire so).
Therefore, if you have any interesting or curious information that you would like to share with the community, or with newcomers, helping them on their difficult path, feel free to supplement this article with your blocks.
Just please follow the rules of intelligence, and the rules approved on this wiki, and also avoid disrespect and vandalism. No one needs it.
About Biolo
Genetic
Biolo
There is a widespread misconception in the community that playing a Merchant Class requires a lot of capital investment, and that this is an expensive process that is not suitable for beginners.
I will say right away, all this is not true. This class is great for new players and for people who like to earn and save zeny.
Advantages
Disadvantages
A lot of utility abilities
Built-in economics skills and the ability to vend stores
A lot of different playable builds to choose from
Great DPS potential
A natural predisposition for a solo gameplay
Has its own tasks and useful abilities when playing a party gameplay
Fastest movement speed
Great at farming things
Useful companion (Homunculus)
A lot of crafting skills
No magic builds (at all)
Not best survivability (negotiable)
Could be complicated at first sight
Choosing build
First of all, I will give a summary table that shows the current builds for each Job.
However, please note that builds of the third Job listed here are intended not only for leveling as Genetic.
Please keep in mind that playing with the skills of the third Job at fourth Job is possible, but it has its own features:
Most likely, the upper damage threshold that you can develop will be lower than the one that you could develop using the skills of the fourth profession
Most likely, the cost of a full-fledged development of such a build will be at least no less, and most likely comparable to the cost of developing a build of the fourth Job
At the moment, it is unknown whether these builds will be developed and supported in the future or not
Playing build of the third Job has features for which they are worth choosing. Usually these are narrowly defined builds for certain purposes
Use and choose this build only if you are absolutely sure that you need it and you will benefit from it. Well, or choose them just for fun and new adventures.
Job \ Role
Physical Ranged
Special Physical Ranged
Physical Melee
3rd Job Genetic
Spore Explosion
Cart Cannon Ignores Flee, Def & Res
Cart Tornado
4th Job Biolo
Acidified Zone Water Acidified Zone Ground Acidified Zone Wind Acidified Zone Fire
Mayhemic Thorns Can do critical damage
Explosive Powder
Details about builds
The builds listed here are listed in decreasing order of their relevance. This means that the higher the build in the list, the more useful and popular it is, and the lower, the more questionable its choice is (although it may be justified).
Build
Damage Type
Comments
Acidified Zone Water Acidified Zone Ground Acidified Zone Wind Acidified Zone Fire
Physical Ranged
Known for it's spamability, this build has the highest potential damage per second, but is tied to four main elements. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage in various situations. We will consider this a feature of the build. This build grows perfectly from POW , and the fact that there are as many as four skills, and their cooldowns are separate, allows you to use them in a chain, which eventually gives a mind-blowing final rate of fire. However, keep in mind that you will need to craft a lot of bottles to attack. Also note that build has rather modest 7x7 AoE and shortest range of using, which is only 8 cells away from caster.
Mayhemic Thorns
Critical Physical Ranged
This build is a typical representative of long-range critical builds, without being distinguished by anything special. You get decent damage, a normal rate of fire (0.7 seconds cooldown, neglible global cooldown), a typical firing range (9 cells), a good AoE (9x9, gold standard), the ability to deal critical damage that never misses. However, there may be problems with accumulating a critical rating (Cri ), because some MvPs and higher level enemies may have rather high critical shield, which lowers your chance of doing critical hits.
Cart Cannon
Special Physical Ranged
This build is primarily known for its convenience. When builded correctly, it has the highest rate of fire, decent damage, and a very high range of use (11 cells, which is great with wing-DD tactics), okay-ish AoE (7x7), wide selection of Cannon balls with any required element, which could be switched quite fast, also please note in-built ability of ignoring enemy Flee (you never miss) and Def & Res (you do not need quite expensive shadow gear pieces to do most damage from that part of calculations). Using turbo casting feature, you can just move the mouse around the screen and watch while everything under the cursor dies and you feel yourself like a god, who can kill with his sight. If you have never tried this, I highly recommend it, because it's truly unique experience. Just please note building that could be quite complicated and really expensive if maxing out DPS (probably you will need 2x [MVP] Kiel Card (4403) for that). If not maxing out, it could be effectively used for farming a lot of locations and instances (and it could be cheap, but still complicated: you need to balance a lot of timings stats like VCT, ACD, ASPD). Also note you need almost perfect ping to max out spamability of that build. If your ping is high, you will lose a lot of your fire rate and DPS as well.
Explosive Powder
Physical Melee
This build is a very modest representative of melee builds. It has mediocre cooldown (0.7 sec), mediocre damage, mediocre AoE (7x7 around yourself). However, if you have equipment for melee characters or you want to assemble it, this build will be able to do a decent job and even show some decent results, but do not expect any miracles. Current meta hates melee, you should consider that.
Spore Explosion
Physical Ranged
This is a very highly specialized build that will not cause much damage, but it has a huge attack range (11 cells) and the largest available attack area (11x11 AoE). You can literally destroy half of the screen with one click, and it also looks extremely impressive (like carpet bombing, you defenitely should see that). It can be used for fun or for convenient farming of not very difficult locations, because the max achievable damage per use of this build is comparable to a Cart Cannon, but at the same time Spore Explosion is used much less often (under all the kind of stuff - 2 times per second as best). Also keep in mind that you will not be able to use the strongest body armor in the game (like Depth or Nebula Stuff), because you will be tied to one specific armor (Snow Flower one). But if you want to blow up everything you see in CTB, then this may be a worthy and funny choice.
Cart Tornado
Physical Melee
You should not seriously consider choosing this build. It's so miserable that it should be performing in a circus of freaks. Here it is given rather as a museum exhibit, however, the developers for some reason laid the opportunity to raise the damage output of this build. But please don't. Only option is if you're going to do it for the sake of memes...
Mayhemic Thorns
Stat Build Example
Stats
Traits
STR
90 ~ 120
POW
100
AGI
1 ~ 100
STA
0 / 17 / 0
VIT
92+
WIS
0 / 18 / 35
INT
90 ~ 120
SPL
0
DEX
110 ~ 130
CON
35 / 0 / 0
LUK
1 ~ 125
CRT
100
Stats
Comment
STR
STR is important, because it scales weapon ATK and affects your damage output.
AGI
AGI is mainly used to get ASPD (you do not need much, like 2 hits per second, which is 175 ASPD). However, faster ASPD is, faster casting animation is, it helps to spam faster, so more is better. Second usage of AGI is for some statuses resistance.
VIT
VIT is for HP. It should be 92 at least to have stun immunity. The more HP you have, the better, but do not sacrifice too much here.
INT
INT is important offensive stat. It scales your SP pool (you will need it to spam a lot of skills), also it boosts your variable casting time.
DEX
DEX is used for accelerating variable cast time and for some card combos. Also it helps with ASPD a bit.
LUK
LUK scales your Critical Rate (chance of dealing critical damage). You will probably have a lot of Cri from equipment, so LUK stat is not first priority. You should note that some equipment and cards are scaled by LUK, so, if you have them, you should get more LUK. LUK helps to resist some statuses too.
Traits
Comment
POW
POW is your main source of damage output, so it should be maxed out no matter what.
CRT
CRT boosts C.Rate (that stat boosts your final critical damage modifier). For now CRT is main source of C.Rate, because C.Rate equipment modifiers are kinda rare and quite modest.
CON
CON should be used to max out damage output, because it gives P.Atk. But since P.Atk is not hard to get, while C.Rate is hard to get, you should not dump too much trait points here. There is also option to use those points for defensive traits instead of CON.
WIS
WIS gives MRes (final reduction of incoming magic damage). Since enemies' magic hits really hard, that trait becomes truly important. You can invest here instead of CON, if you need more survivability.
STA
STA gives Res (final reduction of incoming physical damage). You can invest here to boost your resistance to physical damage, if you need it. But STA trait is not very important, so it should be balanced with WIS or ignored.
Skill Build Example
This is an example of a skill build template. You can safely modify it at your discretion. I will also note that only the most important skills are listed in the builds and there are free points that you can distribute as you see fit.
Merchant Skill Build Example
I keep my Item Appraisal to use it in fields and instances, tho you can use that point at Vending.
Creator Skill Build Example
Genetic Skill Build Example
Sword Training skill could be useful in early game, when you do not have a lot of Cri and you need more Hit. Of course it only works with swords. Full Throttle skill could be used as emergency panic button to fully restore all your pools. Personally I don't like it because it has side effects.
Biolo Skill Build Example
The Whole Protection skill can be ignored if you do not participate in any party gameplay activities.
You can distribute those 4 points to:
Acidified Zone Fire and/or Acidified Zone Water to get lv 4 and use them to restore your AP fast
Bionic Mastery because why not
Creeper if you use it a lot to spend less resources
1st, 2nd, 3rd Job skills if you need points there
Core Skills
Mayhemic Thorns
As you can guess it's main offensive skill. Notable features:
Does Physical Ranged damage
Can do Critical damage, Critical chance IS NOT halved
9x9 Area of Effect, 9 cells from caster to target range
0.5 sec Fixed Cast Time, 1 sec Variable Cast Time
0.7 sec Cooldown, 0.15 sec Global Cooldown (aka After Cast Delay)
Damage scales with POW trait
Does more damage per hit and does more hits under Research Report buff
Click here to view more info
Mayhemic Thorns Max Level: 10 Requirement: Bionic Mastery 5 Explosive Powder 3 Skill Form: Active Type: Physical Ranged Target: 1 Character Cast Time: 0.5s Fixed / 1s Variable After Cast Delay: 0.15s Cool Down: 0.7s AP Recovery: 2 Description: Summons a giant thorn plant to the target and strikes the target, inflicting long-range physical damage 3 times to the target and its surroundings. While under Research Report effect, inflicts stronger ranged physical damage 4 times. Damage is additionally increased according to the caster's base level and POW, and critical damage is applied according to the caster's critical probability. In case of critical damage, half of the total critical damage increase options are applied. [Lv 1]: Per Hit: ATK 500%/650%(Research Report) AoE: 7x7 cells [Lv 2]: Per Hit: ATK 800%/950%(Research Report) AoE: 7x7 cells [Lv 3]: Per Hit: ATK 1100%/1250%(Research Report) AoE: 7x7 cells [Lv 4]: Per Hit: ATK 1400%/1550%(Research Report) AoE: 7x7 cells [Lv 5]: Per Hit: ATK 1700%/1850%(Research Report) AoE: 7x7 cells [Lv 6]: Per Hit: ATK 2000%/2150%(Research Report) AoE: 9x9 cells [Lv 7]: Per Hit: ATK 2300%/2450%(Research Report) AoE: 9x9 cells [Lv 8]: Per Hit: ATK 2600%/2750%(Research Report) AoE: 9x9 cells [Lv 9]: Per Hit: ATK 2900%/3050%(Research Report) AoE: 9x9 cells [Lv10]: Per Hit: ATK 3200%/3350%(Research Report) AoE: 9x9 cells
Cart Boost
Most important buff that greatly increases your movement speed.
You can use it to cancel Decrease Agility debuff.
Click here to view more info
Cart Boost Max Level: 5 Requirement: Cart Remodeling 3 Skill Form: Active Type: Supportive Target: Caster Cast Time: 0s Fixed / 1.5s Variable After Cast Delay: 0.5s Cool Down: None Description: Increases Movement Speed and Mastery ATK for 90 seconds. Requires Cart. [Lv 1]: Movement Speed +50%, Mastery ATK +10 [Lv 2]: Movement Speed +50%, Mastery ATK +20 [Lv 3]: Movement Speed +75%, Mastery ATK +30 [Lv 4]: Movement Speed +75%, Mastery ATK +40 [Lv 5]: Movement Speed +100%, Mastery ATK +50
Research Report
That ultimate buff increases your basic Mayhemic Thorns damage modifier from 9600% up to 13400%, which is almost 40% damage increase.
That buff costs AP to cast, you can get AP from using Mayhemic Thorns (it recovers 2 AP per cast).
Normally that buff has enough duration for you to recover all your AP back, so it could be always active.
If you died and you need to recover AP faster, you can spam Acidified Zone Fire and Acidified Zone Water to get AP back really fast.
Click here to view more info
Research Report Max Level: 1 Requirement: Acidified Zone Fire 3, Acidified Zone Water 3 Skill Form: Active(AP) Type: Supportive Target: Caster Cast Time: 0.5s Fixed / 2s Variable After Cast Delay: 0.5s Cool Down: 60s AP Cost: 100 Dispellable: No Description: Prepares and presents a report of the caster's research. Increases acid-type skills damage and increases damage against Formless and Plant race monsters. The damage of acid-type skills further increases based on the caster's Base Level and POW. [Lv 1]: Acid-type skill damage +50%, Material Consumption -1 Duration: 150s
Blood Sucker
That skill effect is invaluable, as it gives really huge chance to restore your HP when dealing physical damage.
You should use it always when you are grinding locations where you recieve a lot of damage.
Also you can use it according to the situation to restore your HP.
Summon duration of Homunculus is 30 minutes.
Please note that skill consumes Blood Sucker Plant Seed (6211) items, so you need them in your inventory to successfully cast that skill.
Click here to view more info
Blood Sucker Max Level: 5 Requirement: Special Pharmacy 3 Skill Form: Active Type: Supportive Target: 1 Character Cast Time: 0s Fixed / 1.5s Variable After Cast Delay: 0.5s Cool Down: None Description: Attaches Blood Sucker Plant Seed onto 1 party member and grants the effect to absorb a certain amount of damage as HP at a certain chance when physically attacking. The absorbotion and activation chance increases with the skill level. Consumes 5 Blood Sucker Plant Seed. [Lv 1]: Activation Chance: 1%, Absorption: 1%, Duration: 40 seconds [Lv 2]: Activation Chance: 3%, Absorption: 2%, Duration: 100 seconds [Lv 3]: Activation Chance: 5%, Absorption: 3%, Duration: 160 seconds [Lv 4]: Activation Chance: 7%, Absorption: 4%, Duration: 220 seconds [Lv 5]: Activation Chance: 9%, Absorption: 5%, Duration: 280 seconds
Call Homunculus
That skill calls your Homunculus, which has useful buffs and skills.
Having Homunculus summoned is great idea, because even without AI manipulations it takes aggro immediately after teleporting.
That means you save both your skin and your time, because enemies starts to group for your attack skills immediately.
Please note that skill consumes Seed of Life (7140) items, so you need them in your inventory to successfully cast that skill.
Click here to view more info
Call Homunculus Max Level: 1 Requirement: Rest 1 Skill Form: Active Type: Supportive Target: Homunculus Cast Time: None After Cast Delay: None Cool Down: None Description: Summons an existing Homunculus that was stored by using the Rest skill consuming 1 Seed of Life or create an Homunculus by consuming 1 Embryo.
Situational Skills
Hell Tree
That skill summons Hell's Plant Tree, which casts special Hell Dust skill on your character.
Under Hell Dust effect you deal more damage.
Please note that skill consumes Greater Plant Bottle (1000281) items, so you need them in your inventory to successfully cast that skill.
Since Greater Plant Bottle (1000281) are not very cheap to make, you should use that skill when you lack of damage.
Click here to view more info
Hell Tree Max Level: 5 Requirement: Wooden Fairy 3, Wooden Warrior 3 Skill Form: Active(AP) Type: Summon Target: Caster Cast Time: 1s Fixed / 1s Variable After Cast Delay: 0.5s Cool Down: 60s AP Cost: 100~60 Description: Summons the Hell Tree, which can attack with an aoe skill and buffs their master. Only 1 Hell Tree can be summoned at once. Consumes 3 Greater Plant Bottle. [Lv 1]: Duration: 60 seconds [Lv 2]: Duration: 90 seconds [Lv 3]: Duration: 120 seconds [Lv 4]: Duration: 150 seconds [Lv 5]: Duration: 180 seconds
Spore Explosion
That offensive skill applies AoE debuff, which increases physical ranged damage dealt to enemies under that effect.
You should use it when you lack damage, while MvPing, also to help your partymates.
That debuff has 5 sec duration, while Spore Explosion has 5 sec cooldown as well, so you should recast it everytime it cooldown ends.
Please note that skill consumes Bomb Mushroom Spore (6212) items, so you need them in your inventory to successfully cast that skill.
Click here to view more info
Spore Explosion Max Level: 10 Requirement: Special Pharmacy 4 Skill Form: Active Type: Physical Ranged Target: 1 Character Cast Time: 0s Fixed / 1.5s Variable After Cast Delay: 0.5s Cool Down: 5s Description: Attaches Bomb Mushroom Spore onto 1 target. The Bomb Mushroom Spore explodes by itself and inflicts damage to to the target and surrounding enemies. Targets will also receive increased ranged physical damage for 5 seconds. (Normal enemies: 10%, Boss enemies: 5%) Damage additionally increases according to the caster's Base Level and INT. Consumes 1 Bomb Mushroom Spore. [Lv 1]: ATK 600%, AoE: 3x3 cells [Lv 2]: ATK 800%, AoE: 3x3 cells [Lv 3]: ATK 1000%, AoE: 5x5 cells [Lv 4]: ATK 1200%, AoE: 5x5 cells [Lv 5]: ATK 1400%, AoE: 7x7 cells [Lv 6]: ATK 1600%, AoE: 7x7 cells [Lv 7]: ATK 1800%, AoE: 9x9 cells [Lv 8]: ATK 2000%, AoE: 9x9 cells [Lv 9]: ATK 2200%, AoE: 11x11 cells [Lv 10]: ATK 2400%, AoE: 11x11 cells
Crazy Uproar
That buff slightly increases your's and your's party STR and ATK.
You can use it to cancel Cart Boost animation lock.
Click here to view more info
Crazy Uproar Requirement: Finish Quest Skill Form: Active Type: Supportive Target: Caster and Party Members Cast Time: (Lv10)0.3s Fixed / 1s Variable After Cast Delay: None Cool Down: 30s Description: Screams with battle vigor to add +4 STR and +30 ATK for yourself and party members on the screen for 5 minutes.
Full Chemical Protection
That buff protects your gear from being broken and stripped.
You should use it at locations where enemies use those skills and while MvPing.
Please note that skill consumes Glistening Coat (7139) items, so you need them in your inventory to successfully cast that skill.
Click here to view more info
Full Chemical Protection Max Level: 5 Requirement: Chemical Protection (Helm, Shield, Armor, and Weapon) 5 Skill Form: Active Type: Supportive Target: 1 Character Cast Time: 1s Fixed / 0s Variable After Cast Delay: 0.5s Cool Down: None Description: Protects the targeted character with all four kinds of chemical protection. Consumes 1 Glistening Coat. [Lv 1]: Lasts 120 seconds [Lv 2]: Lasts 240 seconds [Lv 3]: Lasts 360 seconds [Lv 4]: Lasts 480 seconds [Lv 5]: Lasts 600 seconds
Full Shadow Protection
That buff protects your and your one ally shadow gear from being stripped.
You should use it at locations where enemies use those skills and while MvPing.
Please note that skill consumes Advanced Coating Potion (1000280) items, so you need them in your inventory to successfully cast that skill.
Click here to view more info
Full Shadow Protection Max Level: 4 Requirement: Bionic Pharmacy 5 Skill Form: Active Type: Supportive Target: Caster and Party Members Cast Time: 1s Fixed / 1s Variable After Cast Delay: 0.5s Cool Down: None Dispellable: Yes AP Recovery: 2 (1~2 Lv), 3 (3~4 Lv) Description: Protects shadow equipment of the target from being stripped or destroyed. Consumes 1 Advanced Coating Potion. [Lv 1]: Duration: 90 seconds [Lv 2]: Duration: 120 seconds [Lv 3]: Duration: 150 seconds [Lv 4]: Duration: 180 seconds
The Whole Protection
That buff protects your and your partymates gear from being broken and stripped.
You should use it at locations where enemies use those skills and while MvPing.
Please note that skill has huge AoE, but all party should be at one screen.
Please note that skill consumes Advanced Coating Potion (1000280) items, so you need them in your inventory to successfully cast that skill.
Click here to view more info
The Whole Protection Max Level: 5 Requirement: Bionic Pharmacy 5 Skill Form: Active Type: Supportive Target: Caster and Party Members Cast Time: 0.5s Fixed / 1s Variable After Cast Delay: 0.5 Cool Down: 10s AP Recovery: 20 Description: Protects weapons and equipment of the caster and nearby party members from being stripped or destroyed. Consumes 3 Advanced Coating Potion. [Lv 1]: Duration: 60 seconds, AoE: 15x15 cells [Lv 2]: Duration: 90 seconds, AoE: 15x15 cells [Lv 3]: Duration: 120 seconds, AoE: 15x15 cells [Lv 4]: Duration: 150 seconds, AoE: 31x31 cells [Lv 5]: Duration: 180 seconds, AoE: 31x31 cells
With great respect, I express my gratitude to the administrators of this wonderful project: Muh, Icecold and all of their team and stuff, the community of merchants, as well as Espresso, whos support is incomparable, Schier, whos wisdom is great, Spike, who made my first introduction to a job, Маюша Вреднюша, who inspired me to make my first biolo, and a guy who keeps buying all the acid bottles from paradise market a moment when they appears (I hope you sleep well at nights).
Spore Explosion
Cart Cannon 
Cart Tornado
Acidified Zone Water 
Acidified Zone Ground 
Acidified Zone Wind 
Acidified Zone Fire
Mayhemic Thorns 
Explosive Powder
Item Appraisal to use it in fields and instances, tho you can use that point at 
Vending.
Sword Training skill could be useful in early game, when you do not have a lot of Cri and you need more Hit. Of course it only works with swords. 
Full Throttle skill could be used as emergency panic button to fully restore all your pools. Personally I don't like it because it has side effects.
The Whole Protection skill can be ignored if you do not participate in any party gameplay activities. 
Bionic Mastery because why not
Creeper if you use it a lot to spend less resources
Research Report buff
Cart Boost 
Decrease Agility debuff.
Blood Sucker 
Call Homunculus 
Hell Tree 
Crazy Uproar 
Full Chemical Protection 
Full Shadow Protection 