OK, im not expierenced enough to say this is the best build, but from what ive seen, read about, and gave serious thought to. Here's my build, with explanations along the way.
Magician Build:
08 | 1 Energy Bolt
09 | 3 Improving MP Recovery
10 | 2 Improving MP Recovery, 1 Improving Max MP Increase
11 | 3 Improving Max MP Increase
12 | 3 Improving Max MP Increase
13 | 3 Improving Max MP Increase
14 | 3 Magic Claw
15 | 3 Magic Claw
16 | 3 Magic Claw
17 | 3 Magic Claw
18 | 3 Magic Claw
19 | 3 Magic Claw
20 | 2 Magic Claw, 1 Magic Guard
21 | 3 Magic Guard
22 | 3 Magic Guard
23 | 3 Magic Guard
24 | 3 Magic Guard
25 | 3 Magic Guard
26 | 3 Magic Guard
27 | 1 Magic Guard, 2 Improving Mp Recovery
28 | 3 Improving Mp Recovery
29 | 3 Improving Mp Recovery
30 | 3 Improving Mp Recovery
Totally standard, no surprises here. Its tried and true so we'll stick with it.
(I chose Magic guard before Improving as it allows you to train on higher monsters if you chose too)
Ice/lightning build
(Here's the build I felt to be the most fun and cost effective, it allows yo uto be effective in Cpq. It will also allow you to 1 hit Sakura Cellions quite early which will result in good money and quite fair equip drops. You'll also have Max Lightning if you get bored with Cold Beam. Also, I was able to kill red drakes without too much problem at 51, so if your feeling adventerous thats an option too.)
30 | 1 Teleport
31 | 3 Cold Beam
32 | 3 Cold Beam
33 | 3 Cold Beam
34 | 3 Cold Beam
35 | 3 Cold Beam
36 | 3 Cold Beam
37 | 3 Cold Beam
38 | 3 Cold Beam
39 | 3 Cold Beam
40 | 1 Mp Eater, 2 Lightning
41 | 3 Lightning
42 | 3 Lightning
43 | 3 Lightning
44 | 3 Lightning
45 | 3 Lightning
46 | 3 Lightning
47 | 3 Lightning
48 | 3 Lightning
49 | 3 Lightning
44 | 1 Lighining, 2 Mp Eater
45 | Meditation or Mp Eater
(Ok here, you can either max Mp eater to save yoruself money or max Meditation to increase your damage and possibly hunt bigger mobs. Either way its one than the other, so im not gonna totally write this out unless somone requests it.Once thats done you max telepor and the last point goes into slow.)
(heres another discussion area, ive read a bit about seal actually being useful once you hit 4th job, any high lvls able to back that up?)
Mage!
(this is the main reason im making this guide, as i wanna hear some debate abotu these 3rd job builds. Here's what seems to be the most popular build)
Level 70: Ice Strike: 1
Level 71: Ice Strike: 3
Level 72: Ice Strike: 3
Level 73: Ice Strike: 3
Level 74: Ice Strike: 3
Level 75: Ice Strike: 3
Level 76: Ice Strike: 3
Level 77: Ice Strike: 3
Level 78: Ice Strike: 3
Level 79: Ice Strike: 3
Level 80: Ice Strike: 2, Element Amp: 1
Level 81: Element Amp: 2, Magic Booster: 1
Level 81: Magic Booster: 3
Level 82: Magic Booster: 3
Level 83: Magic Booster: 3
Level 83: Magic Booster: 1, Thunder Spear: 2 or Magic Composition: 2
Level 84: Thunder Spear: 3 or Magic Composition: 3
Level 85: Thunder Spear: 3 or Magic Composition: 3
Level 86: Thunder Spear: 3 or Magic Composition: 3
Level 87: Thunder Spear: 3 or Magic Composition: 3
Level 88: Thunder Spear: 3 or Magic Composition: 3
Level 89: Thunder Spear: 3 or Magic Composition: 3
Level 90: Thunder Spear: 3 or Magic Composition: 3
Level 91: Thunder Spear: 3 or Magic Composition: 3
Level 92: Thunder Spear: 3 or Magic Composition: 3
Level 93: Thunder Spear: 1 or Magic Composition: 3, Element Amp: 2
Level 94: Element Amp: 3
Level 95: Element Amp: 3
Level 96: Element Amp: 3
Level 97: Element Amp: 3
Level 98: Element Amp: 3
Level 99: Element Amp: 3
Level 100: Element Amp: 3
Level 101: Element Amp: 3
Level 102: Element Amp: 1, Magic Composition: 2 or Thunder Spear: 2
Level 103: Magic Composition: 3 or Thunder Spear: 3
Level 104: Magic Composition: 3 or Thunder Spear: 3
Level 105: Magic Composition: 3 or Thunder Spear: 3
Level 106: Magic Composition: 3 or Thunder Spear: 3
Level 107: Magic Composition: 3 or Thunder Spear: 3
Level 108: Magic Composition: 3 or Thunder Spear: 3
Level 109: Magic Composition: 3 or Thunder Spear: 3
Level 110: Magic Composition: 3 or Thunder Spear: 3
Level 111: Magic Composition: 3 or Thunder Spear: 3
Level 112: Magic Composition: 1 or Thunder Spear: 1 Partial Resistance: 2
Level 113: Partial Resistance: 3
Level 114: Partial Resistance: 3
Level 115: Partial Resistance: 3
Level 116: Partial Resistance: 3
Level 117: Partial Resistance: 3
Level 118: Partial Resistance: 3
Level 119: Seal: 3
Level 120: Seal: 3
( I personally favor Magical Comp before T SPear as T Spear is incrediably slow. Also, ive given consideration to Magical Comp First, then Ice strike. What do you guys think?)
The ArchMage
120 - 1 Blizzard, 2 Ice Demon
121 - 3 Ice Demon
122 - 2 Ice Demon, 1 Ifrit
123 - 3 Ifrit
124 - 3 Ifrit
125 - 2 Ifrit, 1 Chain Lightning
126 - 3 Chain Lightning
127 - 3 Chain Lightning
128 - 3 Chain Lightning
129 - 3 Chain Lightning
130 - 3 Chain Lightning
131 - 3 Chain Lightning
132 - 3 Chain Lightning
133 - 3 Chain Lightning
134 - 3 Chain Lightning
135 - 2 Chain Lightning (MAX), 1 Ifrit
136 - 3 Ice Demon
137 - 3 Ice Demon
138 - 3 Ice Demon
139 - 3 Ice Demon
140 - 3 Ifrit
141 - 3 Ifrit
142 - 3 Ifrit
143 - 2 Ifrit, 1 Infinity
144 - 3 Blizzard
145 - 3 Blizzard
146 - 3 Blizzard
147 - 3 Ifrit
148 - 3 Ifrit
149 - 3 Ifrit (MAX)
150 - 3 Ice Demon
151 - 3 Ice Demon
152 - 3 Ice Demon
153 - 2 Ice Demon (MAX), 1 Blizzard
154 - 3 Blizzard
155 - 3 Blizzard
156 - 3 Blizzard
157 - 3 Maple Warrior
158 - 3 Maple Warrior
159 - 3 Maple Warrior
160 - 2 Maple Warrior, 1 Infinity
161 - 3 Infinity
162 - 3 Infinity
163 - 3 Infinity
164 - 3 Infinity
165 - 3 Infinity
166 - 2 Infinity, 1 Awakening (MAX)
167 - 3 Blizzard
168 - 3 Blizzard
169 - 3 Blizzard
170 - 1 Blizzard (MAX), 1 Maple Warrior, 1 Mana Reflection
171 - 2 Maple Warrior, 1 Mana Reflection
172 - 2 Maple Warrior, 1 Mana Reflection
173 - 2 Maple Warrior, 1 Mana Reflection
174 - 1 Mana Reflection, 1 Infinity (MAX), 1 Maple Warrior
175 - 3 Mana Reflection
176 - 3 Mana Reflection
177 - 3 Mana Reflection
178 - 3 Mana Reflection
179 - 3 Mana Reflection
180 - 3 Mana Reflection
181 - 3 Mana Reflection
182 - 3 Mana Reflection
183 - 2 Quantum Explosion, 1 Mana Reflection (MAX)
184 - 2 Quantum Explosion, 1 Maple Warrior (MAX)
185 - 3 Quantum Explosion
186 - 3 Quantum Explosion
187 - 3 Quantum Explosion
188 - 3 Quantum Explosion
189 - 3 Quantum Explosion
190 - 3 Quantum Explosion
191 - 3 Quantum Explosion
192 - 3 Quantum Explosion
193 - 2 Quantum Explosion
This is just a net build, as im not sure what to go with, and its mainly for discussion, so dicuss
(Props to BMX for the idea to throw this up, and his thread diserves a sticky btw)