Snook's All-Around Guide for Beginners

www.maplestory.com - The official MapleStory Website

No sticky paws for this guide please. Thanks to www.sleepywood.net 's marketplace for price information, and www.hidden-street.net for other various information.
Use Alt+F to find what you are looking for.

New to maplestory, and would like some tips and tricks? Reading my in-depth guide should give you a pretty good idea, and hopefully get you started upon your journey into Maplestory.

As some of you know, I've quit maple and have been off for some time now. So if you see any mistakes in prices, or anything else please just inform me and I will change it ASAP. This goes the same with any monster information too.
Also please don't make any attempts to contact me in-game. There are people playing my account, although none of them are me.

I also respect everybody's oppinion about the information in this guide, so please don't hold back with your comments/suggestions. I'll read every one of them, and take them all into consideration.


Introducing MapleStory

Welcome to the fascinating world of Maplestory, where you'll experience everything that may have been, until now, left to imagination.

At Maple World, hunting and engaging in battles are not the only options you'll have.

You can explore a totally new and unknown world you have never been to, put on beautiful clothes and gorgeous accessories, and even attract other users in the process. You may begin the journey to explore the world of unknown alone, but you may come out on the other end with numerous new friends through hunting and chatting. If you're tired of hunting and competition, how about playing minigames with a friend for a change?

You'll become a brave adventurer protecting the Maple World, and if you're exhausted from all the intense battles and competition, you may one day build your own house at a quiet rural village, enjoying the life of a recluse who welcomes visitors


At Maple Island, you will learn from the NPC's simple hunting skills and basic control of the game to help you ease into the game. Then, you'll board the ship that heads to Victoria Island, and that's where your journey REALLY begins.
From Lith Harbor that welcomes you from a long journey from Maple Island, you'll run into such fascinating towns as Henesys - the village of bowmen with comfy mushroom-shaped houses gathered together; Ellinia - the village of magicians with mysterious spells embedded between tall trees; Perion - the village of warriors with the fighting spirit typical of the Indians living in highlands; and Kerning City - the village of thieves that reminds you of the back alleys of dark cities.

You'll be playing the game at Victoria Island where all these diverse and unique towns and fields coexist.

Here, you are going to be just a regular gamer hunting down monsters and protecting yourself in the process. You'll be given 4 paths to choose from, 4 that will define your life in MapleStory: Warrior, Bowman, Thief, and Magician. Through leveling up and meeting some requirements, you'll be able to make job advancements and nurture your character in your own, unique way.


Time to break down the classes.
note - For any class, when I note weapon attack, weapon attack speed, and price, I am referring to the average level 60 weapon of that class.

WARRIOR

Advantages:
High HP
High HP regain
High base damage
Multiple enemy striking attack

Disadvantages:
Slow-Normal attacking speed
-10% EXP when you die
Close range

Equipment prices : Average

I PERSONALLY reccomend a Warrior if you are new to maplestory. It is good for a support character as a beginner if you plan to make a second character, and great as a main character also. Due to its fast HP regain, and high base damage, not many potions are required. And you will save a LOT of money if you do not use many potions. Remember, this is YOUR story. None of us can pick a class for you. It's all about personal preferences.

Snook's personal favorite: Warrior (Spearman) using Pole Arm

Warrior (Fighter)

Weapons: Swords and Axes

One-handed Sword:
Speed - Fast
Attack (comparing to other warrior weapons) - Low[est] (77)
Price (comparing to other warrior weapons) - Average

Two-Handed Sword:
Speed - Normal
Attack - Average (80)
Price - Average-High

One-Handed Axe:
Speed - Fast (low level) // Normal (high level)
Attack - Low[est] (77)
Price - Low

Two-Handed Axe:
Speed - Normal-Slow
Attack - High (82)
Price - Average-High

Unique Abilities:
Fury-
Temporarily boosts the weapon attack level of everyone in the party around the area, but also decreases the level of weapon defense.
Power Guard-
Returns a portion of the damage received from the enemy. Can't return more than 10% of the enemy's Max HP at once, however.

Warrior (Spearman)

Weapons: Spears and PoleArms

PoleArm:
Speed - Slow
Attack - High (82)
Price - High

Spear:
Speed - Slow
Attack - High (82)
Price - High

Unique Abilities:
Iron Wall-
Temporarily increases the level of weapon and magic defense on every member of the party around the area.
Hyper Body-
Temporarily increases the Max HP and Max MP of all members of the party around the area.

Warrior (Page)

Weapons: Swords and Blunt Weapons (maces)

One-handed Sword:
Speed - Fast
Attack - Low[est] (77)
Price - Average

Two-Handed Sword:
Speed - Normal
Attack - Average (80)
Price - Average-High

One-Handed Mace:
Speed - Normal
Attack - Low-Average (79)
Price - Low

Two-Handed Mace:
Speed - Slow
Attack - High (82)
Price - Low-Average

Unique Abilities:
Threaten-
Use MP to temporarily threaten an enemy. Decreases the level of weapon attack and weapon defense of every enemy around the area
Power Guard-
Returns a portion of the damage received from the enemy. Can't return more than 10% of the enemy's Max HP at once, however.


MAGICIAN

Advantages:
Fast leveling level 20+
High MP
Fast/High MP regain
Ranged attacks
Elemental, specific monsters are weak to your attacks

Disadvantages:
Very tough to level up until level 20 or so
Requires a lot of money to support
Elemental, specific monsters are strong to your attacks

Equipment Prices - High

All classes of Magician use either a Wand or a Staff. Each person has their favorite of the two, but you will most likely have to alternate between them because of their difference in level.
Example:
Highest level wand - Level 48 (cromi) || Many mages use this for the rest of their maple carreer, unless they decide to shoot for the two higher level Staffs, which each happen to be VERY expensive.
There are two Staffs higher leveled than the Cromi, Which are the level 55 (Thorns) and the level 65 (Evil Wings) Both which cost tens of millions of Mesos.

Wand-
Speed - Normal
Attack - Normal (comparing with Staff)
Price - Average-High

Staff-
Speed - Slow
Attack - Normal (comparing with Wand)
Price - High

A magician seems to be a very popular choice of class. Which is logical, seeing they are excellent money makers and support characters once you pass the tough early levels. Be warned though, some of the most expensive items in-game belong to the Magician class. Remember, this is YOUR story. None of us can pick a class for you. It's all about personal preferences.

Snook's personal favorite - Magician (Fire/Poison Wizard)

Magician (Cleric)

Advantages:
Little potions needed once Heal and MP Eater are maxed

Disadvantages:
Lowest damaging class of all mages

Skills:

MP Eater
Master Level: 20
Type: Passive
Description: Soak up an enemy's MP after every magic attack. But if its MP reaches 0, no more.

Heal
Master Level: 30
Type: Recovery
Description: Recovers the HP of all party members around the area.
The amount of healing depends on the number of people being healed, and the undead monster in the vicinity of this will receive damage.

Invincible
Master Level: 20
Type: Supportive
Required: Heal Lv 5
Description: Temporarily decreases the weapon damage received. Doesn't decrease the spell damage, however.

Teleport
Master Level: 20
Type: Supportive
Description: Use the arrow keys to teleport to other places in the same map on a set distance. The higher the skill level, the less MP you spend.

Bless
Master Level: 20
Type: Supportive
Required: Invincible Lv 5
Description: Temporarily increases the weapon def., magic def., accuracy and avoidability of all party members around the area. BUT, it can't be used if combined with a skill or a potion.

Holy Arrow
Master Level: 30
Type: Active
Description: Fires holy arrows at an enemy. Applies major damage to the undeads and devil-based monsters. http://www.onrpg.com/boards/26.html