Progression in L2M Diamonds is about more than just gear and leveling — your skills determine how effective your character is in combat, farming, and PvP. With so many abilities to choose from, one of the most common questions new players ask is: Which skills should I upgrade first?

Making smart choices early ensures you kill faster, survive longer, and progress efficiently through both PvE and PvP. In this guide, we’ll cover the best skills to prioritize in Lineage 2M, class-by-class, along with general strategies to maximize your growth.

Why Skill Upgrades Matter in Lineage 2M

Every class in Lineage 2M has its own unique set of abilities, but the principles of upgrading remain the same:

Damage Boost: Stronger skills increase your XP/hour by letting you clear mobs faster.

Survivability: Defensive and healing abilities keep you alive in tougher content.

Utility: Skills like stuns, slows, or mobility can turn the tide in PvP and boss fights.

Efficiency: Higher-level skills often reduce mana usage or improve cooldowns, making farming smoother.

Since skill points are limited in the early and mid-game, upgrading the wrong abilities can slow your progression significantly.

General Rules for Choosing Skills First

Before we break down each class, here are some universal rules to keep in mind when prioritizing skill upgrades:

AoE > Single Target (Early Game)

When farming mobs for XP, AoE (area of effect) skills always provide the best return.

Damage > Utility (Early)

Buffs and debuffs are important later, but early on, raw DPS ensures faster levels.

Survivability Is Essential

Don’t ignore defensive skills. Dying too often wastes time and hurts efficiency.

Adapt to Your Playstyle

PvP-focused players should invest earlier in stuns, control, and mobility. PvE grinders should max AoE and sustain.

Best Skills to Upgrade by Class

1. Knight (Tank / Frontline DPS)

Knights excel at surviving while still dealing decent melee damage. Their role in parties makes skill choice critical.

Best Skills to Upgrade First:

Cleave / Whirlwind Slash (AoE): Your bread-and-butter for farming mobs. Max this first.

Shield Bash (Stun): Crucial for PvP control and interrupting bosses.

Defensive Stance / Guard: Reduces incoming damage, vital for survivability.

Single-Target Strike: Invest later for bosses and elites.

Why: AoE ensures fast leveling, while Shield Bash gives PvP utility. Defensive Stance keeps you alive in group content.

2. Warrior (Berserker DPS)

Berserkers focus on heavy physical damage and sustained farming.

Best Skills to Upgrade First:

Whirlwind / Sweeping Attack (AoE): Your fastest way to grind mobs.

Rage Buff (Damage Boost): Increases attack power, crucial for maximizing DPS.

Leap Attack (Mobility + AoE): Helps clear mobs and chase targets in PvP.

Defense Skill: Add a few points to avoid frequent deaths.

Why: Berserkers rely heavily on fast AoE skills to gain levels, but Rage Buff ensures both AoE and single-target hit harder.

3. Archer (Ranged DPS)

Archers specialize in ranged combat, combining mobility and high DPS.

Best Skills to Upgrade First:

Multi-Shot (AoE): Absolutely essential for farming mobs quickly.

Rapid Fire (Single Target): Great for boss fights or PvP bursts.

Evasion Roll / Escape Skill: Survivability is key since archers are fragile.

Poison Arrow / Bleed Skill: Good for sustained DPS, especially in PvP.

Why: Archers depend on balancing farming efficiency with survivability. AoE first, survivability second, then single-target burst.

4. Rogue / Assassin (Stealth DPS)

Assassins thrive on burst damage, stealth, and quick kills.

Best Skills to Upgrade First:

Fan of Blades (AoE): Needed for leveling — don’t rely only on single-target burst.

Shadow Strike (Burst): High single-target DPS, essential for PvP.

Smoke Bomb (Escape/Utility): Keeps you alive when outnumbered.

Poison DoT (Damage Over Time): Adds sustained damage to your burst.

Why: Assassins should focus on burst and survivability to dominate PvP, but Fan of Blades ensures they aren’t slow grinders in PvE.

5. Mage (Elemental Caster)

Mages are glass cannons, excelling at AoE but weak defensively.

Best Skills to Upgrade First:

Fireball Explosion / Meteor (AoE): Always max these first for farming speed.

Ice Barrier / Magic Shield: Invest early to avoid frequent deaths.

Chain Lightning (Hybrid AoE/Single Target): Provides flexibility.

Teleport / Blink: Useful for PvP and dodging in PvE.

Why: Mages should never neglect defense. Pure DPS without survivability will only slow you down when farming higher-level mobs.

6. Cleric / Healer (Support Hybrid)

Clerics keep teams alive but can also farm solo effectively with the right skills.

Best Skills to Upgrade First:

Smite (AoE Damage): Needed for solo farming efficiency.

Healing Light (Core Heal): Upgrade early for dungeon runs and PvP.

Buff Skills (Attack/Defense Auras): Great for parties, invest after core heals.

Divine Shield / Invulnerability: Emergency skill that prevents wipes.

Why: Clerics should balance damage and healing. Pure heals will make solo grinding painfully slow.

7. Summoner

Summoners are unique in that their pets do much of the work.

Best Skills to Upgrade First:

Summon Damage Boosts: Stronger pets = faster leveling.

Pet Healing / Buffs: Keeps your companions alive in long grinds.

AoE Magic Damage: Supplements your summons’ DPS.

Control Skills (Stun, Root): Adds PvP strength and dungeon control.

Why: Summoners should focus first on pet upgrades since their summons define their power curve.

Universal Skills Worth Investing In

No matter which class you choose, these skill types should always be prioritized:

AoE Farming Skill: Always max first for faster leveling.

Survivability / Escape: Defense, shield, or roll skills keep you efficient.

Single-Target Burst: Needed for bosses and PvP.

Passive Attack Boosts: Long-term scaling for sustained farming.

Common Mistakes in Skill Upgrades

Many beginners waste points by spreading them too thin or ignoring survivability. Avoid these pitfalls:

Over-investing in Single-Target early: Slows farming drastically.

Ignoring Defensive Skills: Leads to frequent deaths and wasted time.

Neglecting Utility: PvP requires stuns, slows, and mobility.

Leveling Every Skill Equally: Focus on 2–3 core abilities first.

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By combining the right upgrade strategies with reliable Adena from MMOexp, you can maximize efficiency and hit your leveling goals much faster.

Final Thoughts

The best skills to upgrade first in cheap L2M Diamonds depend on your class, but the general strategy remains the same: prioritize AoE damage, balance survivability, and invest in single-target and utility skills when needed. By focusing on core abilities rather than spreading points thin, you’ll level faster, perform better in PvP, and become a reliable asset in group content.

Smart skill progression, supported by MMOexp’s Adena services, ensures that your adventure in Aden is as efficient and rewarding as possible.