Training your beginner
This is an article on training your beginner. For newcomers looking to register, join and start the game, see Registration and Beginning.
Starting the Game
Welcome to the article on the Beginner! If you had taken a look at the Registration and Beginning article (which I recommend you do), it left off here. So what DO you do after you've created your character? This article will explain it all.
If this is your first time playing Maplestory, I highly suggest you speak to every NPC (Non-Playable Character) at the beginning. Once you begin the game, you will receive a message describing the basics of gameplay. These controls will allow you to move, jump, fight, climb ropes, pick things up, etc. If you are new, it is very important to familiarize yourself with these controls.
Each NPC will give you information and small tasks to complete. It should only take a few minutes to do each task. With each task, you'll learn the basics of gameplay and you'll get a few items and experience points along the way. I highly advise you take the time to learn these aspects of the game.
Once you enter the first map with monsters, you should be ready to fight and play the game. As you play around, you will probably level up a few times or will find yourself thinking the controls just don't feel right.
Changing the Controls
Many people find the default controls hard to use and remember. To change these according to your tastes, click the "\" key while playing (make sure you are in a safe place away from monsters while doing this).
A screen similar to a keyboard will show up.
http://img471.imageshack.us/img471/1383/keyboard7kg.png
The keys with text on them are all keys you can use in game. If you are unsure what a key does, press the button and you'll easily find out. To move keys, click and drag them to the key of your choice. You can also put unwanted actions in the slots below the keyboard. When you are done editing the board, it could look something like this:
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/5370/keyboard27zg.png
Don't like your changes? Never fear! Simply press the green "Default" button and all the keys will return to their original settings.
- The screenshot key is unable to be changed via the keyboard menu. However, the location of screenshots can be changed:
"Menu"-->"System Option" Then use the scroll bar to choose a location.
Level Up!
Training to reach new levels is the main gameplay element of Maplestory. Whenever you complete a quest or kill a monster, you will receive things called experience points (EXP). Once you reach the set amount of exp for your level, you will "Level Up". Killing monsters in order to reach this number is calling "training". There are many benefits from training. Once you have a job, you can add new abilities to your character. You will earn ability points as well. These will be explained later. Your Hit Points (HP) and Magic Points(MP) will increase everytime you reach a new level.
http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/4607/lowerbar22ac.png
The amount of EXP required to level up also increases every time you level up.
Ability Points
Ability Points (AP) are used to increase your Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Luck. Every time you level up, you will gain 5 APs. Each job type has a formula for AP distribution:
Magician AP Formula
Luck is equal to your level+3 (Ex: [Level: 12] 12 + 3 = 15 LUK)
All other points go into Intelligence.
NEVER add points into Strength or Dexterity.
Warrior AP Formula
Dexterity is equal to double your level. (EX: [Level 8] 8*2=16 DEX)
The rest goes into strength
Thief AP Formula
Before reaching level 10, put AP into Dexterity until it reaches 25. From then on, put the rest in Luck.
After level 10, follow this formula:
Luck +5 for three levels.
Dexterity +5 for two levels.
For strength thieves, add 10 for each 10 levels (EX:[level 49] +5 str [level 50] +5 str)
By level 50, you should have at least 40(recommended). Many will fall behind the regular formula (+3 Luk +2 Dex) This is normal, and will only delay wearing equips for about 1-3 levels
Another way of spreading out the stats are:
Luck +3, Dexterity +2.
It is the same as above.
Good for people who can't remember what stat they have added for the past levels.
Bowman AP Formula
Bowmen
Strength is equal to your level +5.
All other points go to Dexterity.
Crossbowmen
Strength is equal to your level.
All other points go to Dexterity.
IMPORTANT: NEVER put AP into the HP or MP slots. This is a giant waste and will only make you weaker. You will fall behind the average formula and will deal less and less damage. HP slots can occasionally be added for the "Perma Noob" since they have much lower hp (about 200-300 lower for 1st job; 1st job instructor boosts your dmg, hp, mp by 200-250 in 1st joband 300-350 in 2nd job) For more detailed information on each job type, go to Mapletip
Go to Perma Beginner/supernoob section for details on exeptions.
Note from an experienced player: In my opinion, it is much better to try and get at least 9 in your main stat and a decent number in your sub stat. The highest you can get from the dice roll is 12 and when that came up as INT for my mage, I used it. This greatly helped her. Yes
Maple Island
Training on Maple Island
I suggest every job train on green snails until they reach level 10 (magicians leave the island at level 8). They may give less EXP, but they give a nice, constant flow. It's better to kill 4 green snails and get 12 exp points total than to kill only 1 red snail and get 8. If you are planning to be a warrior and become strong enough, you probably can switch over to killing Blue Snails, Red Snails and Shrooms (small mushrooms). To-be-Bowmen may also switch to these.
Maple Island Quests
Please see Quests to find descriptions of each of the quests on Maple Island.
Leaving Maple Island
Once you reach level 9 and 80 percent (level 8 for aspiring magicians), you need to leave Maple Island. It is important you do not level up again until you choose your job.
Head to Southperry and go east until you see a ship and a NPC named Shanks.
http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/8679/shanks1ae.png
Shanks will ask you if you are ready to leave and will tell you that you need 150 mesos to go to Victoria Island. If you are feeling patient and want to save 150 mesos, do the Lucas's recommendation letter quest, where you get a free pass without paying. Once you leave, you can never go back to Maple Island with this character. Say yes and cough up 150 mesos for him and you'll find yourself in Victoria Island's Lith Harbor. Congratulations!
Jobs
Job Requirements
Each job has a set of requirements.
Magician Requirements:
Level 8
INT: 20
Swordsman Requirements:
Level 10
STR: 35
Rogue Requirements:
Level 10
DEX: 25
Archer Requirements:
Level 10
DEX: 25
Pirate Requirements:
Level 10
- Note: Since patch 0.65, the AP resets after you fulfill the job advancement.
Job Advancement
Now it is time to go to the city specified for your job. Magicians go to Ellinia, Bowmen to Henesys, Thieves to Kerning City, and Warriors go to Perion. Because Beginners get highly discounted cab fees, I suggest you use the cab to go to the city of your choice. DO NOT click on the VIP Cab, that is a completely different thing. It will take you to a place that has monsters much stronger than you and will trap you in the island. It is usually used to "scam" noobs by giving them a 90% discount. When i was training in the ant tunnel, I occasionally see the level 8-10 noob, disorientated, and asking, "Where am i?" and i need to escort them to Henesys as a favor to them. The "cab" for Lith Harbor comes in the form of a man named Phil. He is inside a ticket booth to the right of the ship. Double click him and ask him to take you to your job's city.
Each city has a "leader" who will grant you your job.
Magicians have Grendel the Really Old.
Warriors have Dances with Balrog.
Thieves have [The]Dark Lord.
Bowmen have Athena Pierce.
Magicians, after reaching Ellinia, need to enter the building at the highest point in their town to find Grendel.
Warriors, after reaching Perion, need to enter the building at the highest point in their town to find Dances with Balrog.
Thieves, after reaching Kerning City, need to enter the basement of the Jazz Cafe to find the Dark Lord.
Bowmen, after reaching Henesys, need to enter "Mushroom Park" and enter the building to the west to find Athena.
Check Mapletip and other Maplestory fan sites for guides made specifically for your job type. This is a guide for beginners, so there's not much more for me to say on the topic of jobs.
The End?
Although almost everyone who plays MapleStory will decide to advance into a job at level 8 or 10, some might decide to not do so. These players are called Permanent Beginners (Perma Beginners, also known as supernoobs). To find out how a Perma Beginner works, consult the article on Perma Beginners.