EDIT: The following guide is outdated as of 6-21-2017 with the "Rise: Revolution" update, and I will no longer be updating this guide.
Introduction
Lynn is widely considered to be one of the hardest classes to master because of the learning curve, but her game-play mechanics are pretty straightforward once you unlock all her skills. Know that you won't really be playing Lynn "properly" until you reach level 30 and unlock Little Rat (her main dodge mechanic).
There is a refined way to spend your AP for a smooth leveling experience, but it will differ slightly based on if you are a new player or an experienced player with some knowledge on how Lynn works. Newer players typically spam their dodge a lot more since they are unfamiliar with boss patterns, and so they should max their dodge skills first. After leveling 4 Lynns and observing many other rookies, I've determined that experienced players don't actually need to spend any AP into Thunder Leg until around level 50.
NOTE: Lots of changes have been made since I first wrote this guide, and I haven't leveled a new Lynn since these changes have occurred, but two readers have informed me that there is currently a lot of AP available to new characters, so you may actually find yourself sitting on some AP if you're following this guide closely.
Lynn's AP cap is currently 131, 304 AP. Only about 100k AP worth of skills will be useful during end-game raids.
General Tips & Recommendations
-Never EVER put AP into a skill unless it is enough to rank it. If the skill requires 130 AP to rank up, do NOT put points into it if you only have 69!
-AP should only be spent in Meditation if you do not plan on playing the character very frequently because a maxed Meditation takes about two months to pay itself off, and the boost from having 2000 INT only decreases this time by two days.
-Gear. You'll primarily be provided free light and heavy type armor as you level up. These will be provided at the end of certain main stories, and you should rank up the appropriate armor and weapon proficiency when you obtain the gear. If you have to choose, always prioritize weapon proficiency over armor, and the heavier armor first.
-The number one thing you want to do is watch your stamina. You are extremely vulnerable when you run out. As in her description, Lynn is a hit and run character, so you'll be constantly engaging and disengaging until you master a boss (in which case you'll just be sticking the the boss the entire time).
-The most important thing to master is Windstep, and the hardest thing to master is performing empowered smashes (Fishtail Pole, Drunk Mantis, Flying Guillotine), but each of these needs to be unlocked as you level, so I wouldn't spend too much time until you hit level 50 and unlock all of them. Also, I will not be covering how to perform these skills because this is only an AP-spending guide, and I suggest looking elsewhere if you want to learn how to do these.
The Spending Guide!
As you level to 20, your priorities should be:
-Thunder Leg rank C (for new players) / Critical Hit Mastery rank E (for experienced players)
*Put spare AP into these after you accomplish what is available to you below
-Iron Machete rank D -> Fishtail Pole rank F (required to apply Swift Assassin)
-Swift Assassin, this will be your primary source of damage, always max it first from the moment you learn it
-Fishtail Pole rank C, allows you to perform empowered Fishtail and makes the smash more "flexible" or easier to use
-Glaive Mastery rank E + Heavy Armor Proficiency rank E, upgrade to Red Metal Glaive and Northern Pike set after the main story "Scattered Orders"
Level 20-30
-Swift Assassin, continue maxing this first
-Combat Mastery rank D -> Smash Mastery rank E
-Defense Mastery rank E, equip the Protection Ring you obtain from the main story "The People Who Left"
-Broken Sword rank D -> Drunk Mantis rank F (required to apply Swift Assassin)
-Little Rat rank F, you will max this after maxing Swift Assassin from now on
-Drunk Mantis rank C, allows you to perform empowered Mantis and makes the smash more "flexible" or easier to use
-Glaive Mastery rank D + Heavy Armor Proficiency rank D, only do this if you obtained the Silence Glaive and Blood Prince set from the optional main story "Evidence"
Level 30-40
-Swift Assassin + Little Rat rank, continue maxing these first
-Heavy Armor Proficiency rank C, you will get free heavy armor from sub-stories "Elite Commander" and "A Mercenary's Job"
-Battle Respiration rank D -> Stamina Mastery rank D, this is especially helpful to new players
-Willpower Mastery rank D -> Life Flare rank E, this is especially helpful to new players
-Glaive Mastery rank C + Light Armor Proficiency rank C, upgrade to Black Scar Glaive and War Edge Battle set after the main story "The Chase"
Level 40-50
-Swift Assassin + Little Rat, continue maxing these first
-Thunder Leg rank A + Critical Hit Mastery rank A (if you don't already have these)
-Centipede Strike rank D -> Flying Guillotine rank F (required to apply Swift Assassin)
-Smash Mastery rank A + Strength Mastery rank A, these increase damage output a lot, but are not a priority
-Flying Guillotine rank C, allows you to perform empowered Guillotine and makes the smash more "flexible" or easier to use
-Glaive Mastery rank B, upgrade to Ivory Glaive after the main story "Test of a True Soldier"
Level 50-60
-Swift Assassin rank A + Little Rat rank A, these should be maxed now
-Heavy Armor + Light Armor Proficiency rank B, upgrade to the Royal Cadet set you obtained from the main story "Test of a True Soldier"
*Upgrade to Blossoming Sun set after completing the optional main story "Suspicion", which can be completed on easy mode if you struggle.
-Stamina Mastery rank A + Battle Respiration rank A, this will help with stamina problems and is most helpful to new players
-Jade Fox rank A + Defense Mastery rank C, it'll be expensive but well worth the extra hits you can take if you are dying a lot
-Critical Hit Mastery, continue ranking this if you have no problems at all because it increases your damage output the most
-Smash Mastery rank A + Strength Mastery rank A, focus on these next if you didn't get to them before and Critical Hit Mastery is maxed
Level 60+
As you unlock level 60 raids, AP will become a lot easier to acquire, and you should deviate from my suggestions in order to explore what kind of Lynn you want to play and continue patching up the places where you are lacking. Below are the priorities to keep an eye out for when they become available.
-Plate Armor Proficiency rank B, upgrade to Lynn's iconic Dancing Blade set obtained from the optional main story "Those Who Run, and Those Who Fight"
*The raid can be completed on easy mode if you struggle.
*If the plate armor makes you overweight, try to enhance all pieces to +2 before putting points into Weight Endurance.
-Glaive Mastery rank A, upgrade to Enigma Glaive after completing Season 1 and the main story "Still Here: The Guardian"
-Plate Armor + Light Armor Proficiency rank A, upgrade to Apocryphal set after completing Season 1 and the main story "Still Here: The Guardian"
*If the plate armor makes you overweight, try to enhance all pieces to +2 before putting points into Weight Endurance.
-Glaive Mastery rank 9, upgrade to Dragonbolt after completing Season 2 Episode 1 and the main story "A Good Turn"
-Heavy Armor + Light Armor Proficiency rank 9, upgrade to Black Pearl set after completing Season 2 Episode 1 and the main story "A Good Turn"
Maximizing Order For Lynn's Skills
The following list is for maxing Lynn's damage output:
-Critical Hit Mastery, in case you still don't have it maxed because you patched up other problem spots
-Fishtail Pole -> Drunk Mantis -> Flying Guillotine, these are your primary smash skills
*If you are bad at performing empowered smashes, rank Iron Machete -> Broken Sword -> Centipede Strike first.
-Iron Machete -> Broken Sword -> Centipede Strike, these are the smashes that lead into your primary smash skills
-Flying Snow + Long-Armed Devil, max whichever you use more often first
-Five-Fingered Death -> Iron Flag
-Divine Spear + Chambers of Death, max whichever you use more often first
-Dark Cloud + Killer Dart + Iron Monkey + Golden Arm, max whichever you use more of first
-Rising Dragon
-Smash Mastery -> Combat Mastery -> Campfire -> Strength Mastery -> Willpower Mastery
The following list is for maxing Lynn's survival chances:
-Standing Endurance, only useful if you actually use the rank 9 ability
-Jade Fox -> Stamina Mastery
-Defense Mastery -> Health Mastery -> Life Flare
-Campfire + Stone Skin + HP Potion Proficiency
-Cloth + Light + Heavy + Plate Armor Proficiency, only rank the armor type you actually use because you gain bonus DEF regardless of requirement
-Agility Mastery -> Willpower Mastery
-Battle Respiration, it doesn't actually do much more after rank 9, but you can still complete the Skill Goals
The following list is for maxing Lynn's remaining skills which are either useless or only useful for specific purposes:
-Meditation, only max this if you do not play your character very frequently
*A maxed Meditation takes about two months to pay itself off, and the bonus from 2000 INT only shortens this by two days.
-Secondary Weapon Proficiency, only rank it if you want to use Sticky Bombs for break-offs
*Fine Spears and Fine Bombs are not as good as regular ones due to the amount you can carry into a mission.
-Intelligence Mastery, gives a slight boost to Meditation up to 2000 INT which is achievable with level 90 gear alone
-Weight Endurance, useless once you reach level 90 because you'll be able to wear anything without becoming overweight
