Symbols are the only lasting way to move the base stats of a character. This page explains who draws them, how many dyes are needed, which limits apply at each class change and what every stat really gives.
How a symbol is made
A Symbol Maker stands in the magic shop or the grocery of every town; Marsden is one of them. Bring ten identical dyes and pay a fee of about a tenth of their price plus the town tax. Each dye raises one stat and lowers another, for example Greater Dye of Strength <Str+1 Con-1>.
Limits by class
- Before the first class change no symbols can be drawn.
- After the first class change, from level 20: two symbols, made of ordinary dyes sold by the traders of the same shop.
- After the second class change, from level 40: three symbols, made only of greater dyes. Those are not sold in shops: they drop from monsters or are bought from the Merchant of Mammon.
- Symbols made before the second class change stop working after it. Remove them and draw new ones.
- One stat cannot be raised by more than 5 points in total.
The Symbol Maker also removes a symbol for a fee and gives back half of the dyes that went into it, so think the set over before you pay for greater dyes.
What each stat gives
- STR: physical damage.
- DEX: attack speed, accuracy, evasion, the chance of a physical critical hit, shield use and running speed.
- CON: maximum HP and CP, HP regeneration, weight limit and resistance to stun, poison and bleeding.
- INT: magic damage and the chance that curses and debuffs land.
- WIT: casting speed, the chance of a magic critical hit and resistance to hold and curses.
- MEN: magic defence, maximum MP, MP regeneration and a lower chance of an interrupted cast.
The best dyes give as much as they take: +1/−1, +2/−2, +3/−3 or +4/−4. The worse ones take more than they give, and that is why they are cheap.