Every level after level 8, you will receive 3 Skill Points. You can distribute
these however you like. With mages, where you put your SP (and when) can
greatly affect your stats later on. I have made 3 Skill Paths. The first is for
the first timer mage, who will want to conserve mesos. The second is for the
funded mage who will want to become as powerful as possible, as early as
possible. The final build is the “perfect” mage build, which will allow you
to have slightly more MP, at the cost of having to kill snails for another 5
or so levels (which, in my opinion is not worth it). Well, it’s your choice.

I will list the skill point(s) acquired at each level and where to distribute
them for that level. The one SP you receive at level 8 is from the Job
Advancement.

BUILD 1
For the First-Timer

Level 8: +1 Energy Bolt
Level 9: +3 Improving MP Recovery
Level 10: +2 Improving MP Recovery, +1 Improving Max MP Increase
Level 11: +3 Improving Max MP Increase
Level 12: +3 Improving Max MP Increase
Level 13: +3 Improving Max MP Increase (MAX)
Level 14: +3 Improving MP Recovery
Level 15: +3 Improving MP Recovery
Level 16: +3 Improving MP Recovery
Level 17: +2 Improving MP Recovery (MAX), +1 Magic Claw
Level 18: +3 Magic Claw
Level 19: +3 Magic Claw
Level 20: +3 Magic Claw
Level 21: +3 Magic Claw
Level 22: +3 Magic Claw
Level 23: +3 Magic Claw
Level 24: +1 Magic Claw (MAX), +2 Magic Guard
Level 25: +3 Magic Guard
Level 26: +3 Magic Guard
Level 27: +3 Magic Guard
Level 28: +3 Magic Guard
Level 29: +3 Magic Guard
Level 30: +3 Magic Guard (MAX)

For those who prefer it in words:
Energy Bolt > 1, Improving MP Recovery > 5, Improving Max MP Increase > MAX,
Improving MP Recovery > MAX, Magic Claw > MAX, Magic Guard > MAX

At level 30, your skills should look like:

Improving MP Recovery: 16 (MAX)
Improving Max MP Increase 10 (MAX)
Magic Guard: 20 (MAX)
Energy Bolt: 1
Magic Claw: 20 (MAX)

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

BUILD 2
For the Funded Mage

Level 8: +1 Energy Bolt
Level 9: +3 Improving MP Recovery
Level 10: +2 Improving MP Recovery, +1 Improving Max MP Increase
Level 11: +3 Improving Max MP Increase
Level 12: +3 Improving Max MP Increase
Level 13: +3 Improving Max MP Increase (MAX)
Level 14: +3 Magic Claw
Level 15: +3 Magic Claw
Level 16: +3 Magic Claw
Level 17: +3 Magic Claw
Level 18: +3 Magic Claw
Level 19: +3 Magic Claw
Level 20: +2 Magic Claw (MAX), +1 Improving MP Recovery
Level 21: +3 Improving MP Recovery
Level 22: +3 Improving MP Recovery
Level 23: +3 Improving MP Recovery
Level 24: +1 Improving MP Recovery (MAX), +2 Magic Guard
Level 25: +3 Magic Guard
Level 26: +3 Magic Guard
Level 27: +3 Magic Guard
Level 28: +3 Magic Guard
Level 29: +3 Magic Guard
Level 30: +3 Magic Guard (MAX)

For those who prefer it in words:
Energy Bolt > 1, Improving MP Recovery > 5, Improving Max MP Increase > MAX,
Magic Claw > MAX, Improving MP Recovery > MAX, Magic Guard > MAX

At level 30, your skills should look like:

Improving MP Recovery: 16 (MAX)
Improving Max MP Increase 10 (MAX)
Magic Guard: 20 (MAX)
Energy Bolt: 1
Magic Claw: 20 (MAX)

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

BUILD 3
To Maximize MP (makes levels 8-13 EXTRMEMELY hard – you must continue to use
your physical attack, because your first point goes into MP Recovery, which
means slightly more MP later since you max MP Increase earlier. In my opinion,
this is not worth it. I just put it here for you “different” people ;). I also
assumed you are not a first timer if you are using this build, meaning you max
Magic Claw before finishing Improving MP Recovery.

Level 8: +1 Improving MP Recovery
Level 9: +3 Improving MP Recovery
Level 10: +1 Improving MP Recovery, +2 Improving Max MP Increase
Level 11: +3 Improving Max MP Increase
Level 12: +3 Improving Max MP Increase
Level 13: +2 Improving Max MP Increase (MAX), +1 Energy Bolt
Level 14: +3 Magic Claw
Level 15: +3 Magic Claw
Level 16: +3 Magic Claw
Level 17: +3 Magic Claw
Level 18: +3 Magic Claw
Level 19: +3 Magic Claw
Level 20: +2 Magic Claw (MAX), +1 Improving MP Recovery
Level 21: +3 Improving MP Recovery
Level 22: +3 Improving MP Recovery
Level 23: +3 Improving MP Recovery
Level 24: +1 Improving MP Recovery (MAX), +2 Magic Guard
Level 25: +3 Magic Guard
Level 26: +3 Magic Guard
Level 27: +3 Magic Guard
Level 28: +3 Magic Guard
Level 29: +3 Magic Guard
Level 30: +3 Magic Guard

For those who prefer it in words:
Improving MP Recovery > 5, Improving Max MP Increase > MAX, Energy Bolt > 1,
Magic Claw > MAX, Improving MP Recovery > MAX, Magic Guard > MAX

At level 30, your skills should look like:

Improving MP Recovery: 16 (MAX)
Improving Max MP Increase 10 (MAX)
Magic Guard: 20 (MAX)
Energy Bolt: 1
Magic Claw: 20 (MAX)

Really it is just the order in which you acquire skills that makes the
difference in these builds. The overall outcome is identical in all 3.

If you have a question on anything skill-wise, chances are it is in
Section 16 (Skill Details).