MapleStory/FAQs

This page contains a listing of some Frequently Asked Questions. If you have a question that is not answered anywhere else in this book, please add it to the relevant section here and you should receive a reply within a few days. Questions may be removed at the discretion of the authors and editors. (For example, price checks and questions that only pertain to a very small group of Maplers do not belong here.)

New Questions
If you have a question, please ask it here. It will be answered as soon as possible.

What are the Minimum system requirements, and where can I find them?
The requirements for MapleStory can be found at the download page on the MapleStory homepage.

CPU: Celeron 500 MHz RAM: 64 MB HDD: 500 MB space needed OS: Windows 98/ME/2K/XP VGA: 3d acceleration card Sound: - Network: 56kbps MODEM Please note these are MINIMUM requirements, not recommended.

~Noted I originally started on 800Mhz and 64 MB RAM and... let's just say run double the recommended speed and RAM if you don't want to disconnect between screens... But yeah, it will run, just really badly...

Can I choose another character without quitting the game and logging in again?
No. You must go to "Quit Game" and then log in again to change characters/servers.

What should I do about disconnections?
You should:
 * 1) Restart MS or computer
 * 2) Stop any P2P programs or downloads
 * 3) Wait a while and try again.
 * 4) Check your internet connection.

There are some areas in the game where hackers have actually been able to force anyone who logs in to immediately disconnect from the game. This happened once in the Sauna area in Sleepywood*. The best way to escape the map in this situation is to cause as much lag on purpose; and then walk out of the portal while you are in the lag.

For example, start downloading 20 YouTube videos at once, or turn on BitTorrent at a max upload rate, or do both. Then hold down the quest button as you walk out of the Sauna. Another possible solution is to connect using an old modem, or a dial-up modem. You should disconnect one last time, and you'll be able to play again.

The Sleepywood Sauna is the only verified place where this has occurred. There is no known solutions for any other area in MapleStory.


 * A hacker used a special sort of vac-hack to pull all of the NPC's in the game to that location, so that when a user walked in, they disconnected, or DC'ed. This hacker also did it in other areas, too. He announced what areas would be "disconnection hotspots". These places are usually small, and were places that sold items like weapon shops.

Another reason I often disconnect is generally slow power computer or moving between too many screens. Resetting when you crash helps clear the RAM so you won't disconnect again as soon.

Is MapleStory appropriate for young children?
MapleStory is a game suitable for all ages. The game EULA restricts play to 18 years old, and as young as 13 with parental permission. This change occurred recently. However, the players may not be. There is a very strict "curse word filter" that blocks certain curse words, even if the curse word is separated by a space. For example, the phrase "Cash items" is blocked, even with the space in the middle.

Nonetheless, there are always users bringing in immature jokes and trying to bypass the curse word filter; but this is to be expected in any community-based game.

There is no suggestive artwork; everything is done in "Chibi-style", also called Super Deformed, a popular anime/manga style in which characters have large heads to show off facial features, and the overall style is very cute. There is no blood or gore; the violence level is equivalent to early SNES/Genesis games (enemies fall over and disappear). Death in the game is rather comical: a little ghost-shape replaces your avatar, and your chat bubble becomes a thought bubble.

In terms of difficulty, the basic gameplay is easy enough for a 5-year-old to learn. In fact, there has been videos on Youtube and such of people as young as 2 playing (albeit with parental supervision). However, some advanced stuff such as marketing, or avoiding scammers, may be over the head of a young child.

~Be warned that regular users also swear, insult, harass... there's quite a few who seem to be on Maple only to harass people for fun. The main problem with online games is, quite simply, the fact that you cannot control what other people do. No amount of swear filtering stops people from being racist, for example, and it does happen from time to time. The game itself is very well built considering all that.

How do you save?
In most single-player games, you must save the game otherwise your progress will be lost. As this game is online, progress does not need to be saved. If you leave the game or get disconnected, you will be back in the same location (map that you were in) when you reconnect with all the stuff you found before.

What are these different versions of MapleStory?
MapleStory is different in different parts of the world. Therefore, each of the versions are given a name based on where they are.
 * Official MapleStory South Korea [MapleKR/KoreaMS/KMS] (in Korean)
 * Official MapleStory Japan [MapleJP/JapanMS/JMS] (in Japanese)
 * Official MapleStory China [MapleCN/ChinaMS/CMS] (in Simplified Chinese)
 * Official MapleStory Taiwan [MapleTW/TaiwanMS/TMS] (in Traditional Chinese)
 * Official MapleStory Thailand [MapleTH/ThailandMS/ThaiMS] (in Thai)
 * Official MapleStory Global [MapleGL/GlobalMS/GMS/OMS] (in English)
 * Official MapleStory South East Asia (for Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand) [MapleSEA/MSEA] (in English)
 * Open Beta MapleStory Europe (in Dutch, English, French, German and Spanish)
 * Tester MapleStory South Korea [MapleKRt/KoreaMS test/KMSt] (in Korean)

Thailand residents can play both MapleStory SEA and MapleStory Thailand. Many versions feature IP blocking, Like MapleGlobal, to encourage people to play their localized version.

How do I access the MapleStory website without using Internet Explorer?
The MapleStory Global website checks to see if the browser you are using is Internet Explorer or not. If it isn't, it will block you from accessing the website. This check is done using Javascript, so to access the website you need to disable Javascript. You will need to enable Javascript again once you are done to continue browsing other websites as some may not work properly without Javascript.

Disabling Javascript varies between browsers. If using Firefox, click on the "Tools" menu, then select "Options". Click the "Content" button and there should be a number of checkboxes to enable/disable certain features. Clear the checkbox beside Javascript, and select "OK". Now, when you visit the website it should allow you in.

Another option is to download the IE Tab extension from the Mozilla website. Once downloaded, select the Sites Filter tab from the top, then add the MapleGlobal website to the URL list. Make sure that the box at the top of the window is checked.

Taxes? Why taxes?
Taxes in MapleStory sounds like quite a bad idea. However, looking at the economic structure of the MapleStory community, we have a source of infinite income (killing monsters) and at the same time, few sources of taking money out of the economy, which only consists of NPC shops and Quests.

Just as the federal government raises interest rates to control inflation, Wizet decided to implement a tax system to curb inflation. Inflation occurs because as the general population gets wealthier, item prices rise, making it difficult for new players to get started.

Having a tax system is a smart way to make everyone in the world more poor, to counteract this inflation. If the world went from 2,000,000 Mesos to 1,000,000 Mesos, then work gloves will drop in price. Additionally, this gives an edge to the lower-level characters in MapleStory. As players reach higher levels, they earn more money faster. Thus, we don't have a case where everyone has 2,000,000 Mesos, we have a case where 30 people have 20,000,000 Mesos who can buy that +10 ATK work glove, while the rest of the community can't. By making the taxes higher for more expensive purchases, this serves to even the playing field out a little between high level players, and low level players.

The main disadvantage of taxes comes when pure Meso transactions are involved, i.e. lending a friend 2 million Mesos. Mesos will be lost although no actual sale took place.

Taxes are usually circumvented in MapleStory by dropping Mesos in isolated locations or paying in rates lower than the tax rate. This applies to all players that have trustworthy trade partners. It can be quite risky as hackers may come in and suck all the money away.

Maple Story Doesn't Work/Doesn't Run Smoothly...

 * Check the system requirements.
 * The system requirements listed are minimum requirements. Minimum requirements are only enough to get the program running. For better performance, get a system that at least doubles the requirements.
 * Close all other programs.
 * Run virus scans and check for spyware, adware, and other programs that secretly run in the background.
 * Occasionally, Maple Story is updated. This means download the latest version or patch, or wait for the update to finish.

~One more thing... though it has already been mentioned. After a while your RAM memory fills with loaded screens, character info etc... if you find yourself disconnecting or lagging heavily try shutting down the computer to empty the RAM, then reboot it. That usually helps.

Will all the versions of MapleStory eventually have the same features?
Eventually they should have very comparable features. For example, they should all eventually get most of the same content like fourth jobs, the party/guild quests, and the new locations. However, some things will remain specific to a few versions, like Pachinko in JMS or Premium Road. It's just a matter of waiting to see what comes out.

Where can I find a list of all the available pets?
The currently available pets should be accessible in the cash shop. Some pets are only available seasonally will be announced on the main MapleStory page for the relevant version. Sauna has a page which lists all the pets in the Global MS client. However, there may be pets that are not patched in yet, and the pets that are listed there may not be released yet. A pet page may be constructed on here in the near future.

How do you activate a skill?
Open your skills window (usually by pressing the "K" key) and you can see the list of your skills. These are sorted by job. Now, open the key settings window (usually by pressing the "\" key) and click on the skill icon you want to assign to the key on your keyboard.The cursor will "pick up" the skill after clicking on the skill icon. Move your mouse over to the key on the key settings window that you want to assign that skill to, and click. The skill icon should now be visible on that key. Close the key settings by clicking save, and now anytime you want to activate the skill, just press the key you have assigned it to. Another way is to double click the skill in the skill book, although this is very slow.

What is the difference between weapon attack and magic attack?
Weapon attack (Abbreviated Att or ATT) affects physical damage from a warrior, thief, archer, or (but not as much) a magician. and magic attack (Abbreviated M Atk or M ATT) affects the magical damage from a magician's skills. M. Atk does not effect damage for skills in any other class. Additionally, weapon attack plays a MAJOR part in calculating damage, especially for Assassins. This causes the overpricing of Work Gloves or other gloves that have been scrolled for Attack.

Can I use first job points for second job skills? What about the third job?
No. Any skill points you gain in the first job MUST be used before the second job. The same is true of second job points on Third job skills, and so on. It is okay to use second job points for the first job, but this is generally not recommended. Beginner skill points can only be assigned to beginner skills. Some skills, such as monster rider or Legendary Spirit, are automatically maxed when the player receives them.

What are some good ways to make money, both in general and class specific?
The best way to make money is to train on something that you can kill in 2 or less hits consecutively. For Warriors, this shouldn't be too much of a problem before 2nd job. Warriors tend to make money very easily early on, due to low touch damage.

Thieves should train on whatever suits best, during levels 21-30 it is recommended NOT to PQ all of the time if unfunded. It can consume a lot in potions that, if poor prizes are received, cannot be replaced.

For magicians to save money, They should only buy red and blue potions until level 30. At level 25 magicians will entirely destroy the Kerning PQ so you should be able to get potions and ores from there easily.

For archers, As a new bowman you should find or buy a melee weapon (metal axe, for example, drops from slimes, and wooden swords from Orange Mushrooms) until level 15, and only then buy the level 15 bow. Save up on stiff feathers, tree branches, and firewood to make arrows for free.

In addition, remember Mana Potions cost about twice what Health ones do, and using Skills can rapidly burn money throughout the course of a level.

When buying Armor and weapons focus on only the next set of body armor and weaponry. Check the actual bonus offered for the price... 10,000 isn't worth 2 more defense when 2 defense barely changes the damage taken. The recommended order for upgrading equipment is as follows:
 * 1) Weapon
 * 2) Top/Bottom
 * Hat
 * 1) Gloves
 * 2) Shoes

Pick up everything that drops. Everything. Even the stuff that sells for 1 meso (Monster Cards) adds up.

Only buy potions that heal you half of your HP and MP when you can. That way you can get the full affect of each potion, saving mesos.

As a mage, master MP Recovery VERY early. Mages can't make do without magic attacks and MP Recovery rapidly starts to heal 50 MP every 10 seconds WHILE ATTACKING! That means 300 MP every minute. That's a lot of free MP.

What happens if I don't use up all the points before advancing?
Your job instructor simply won't let you advance to the next job advancement.

Why should I max skills?
The argument usually goes: Skills cost more when they are at a higher level, and most of the time, they don't give the same mana/damage efficiency as lower levels. So why max skills at all?

The simple answer is when at a higher level, players generally make much more money. At level 10, 10,000 Mesos is doing well. At level 60, weapons may cost as much as 15 million Mesos.

The money "wasted" from maxing out skills is minuscule when compared to the money used on equipments, scrolls, and so forth. You will always make more money, but you cannot always do more damage.

And this goes for 'all mana- or HP-based skills, including Slash Blast, Double Shot, Magic Claw, Lucky 7, etc.

More importantly, when maxing out a damage skill, you save time. 2 level 10 Slash Blasts may do more damage than a level 20 Slash Blast, but a level 20 Slash Blast saves time, especially since that level 20 Slash Blast has a much better chance of a one-hit kill than a level 10 Slash Blast, and costs less MP.

Is xxx skill good?
Check out the Jobs section with your specific job for the answer. A number of skills are considered useless irrespective of the build used and are only necessary if they are prerequisites for other, more powerful skills. Those skills are listed here.

Mage
 * Magic Armor (not to be confused with the skill "Magic Guard")
 * Magic Armor removes at most 30 or so damage. If fighting Yetis at level 50, It won't matter that they do 470 damage to you instead of 500.


 * Energy Bolt
 * Energy Bolt is good if you want a skill to knockback enemies. Magic Claw out damages Energy Bolt anytime, but doesn't knockback most of the time, due to the fact that the damage is split into two hits.


 * Poison Brace (second job, Fire/Poison Wizard)
 * It is weak, and the poison doesn't last long enough to warrant use. However, there are poison mages that like going against the crowd. Given the fact that Poison Mist and Magic Composition (both third-job skills) are more effective Poison-based spells, one would wonder why Poison Brace even exists. A maxed Poison Brace can do around 347 to 578 damage  plus, if poisoned, 70 HP or 1/40 HP damage, whichever is greater. If the enemy has roughly 3000+ HP the Poison will hit for 1/40 HP doing 75+ damage over time. This can allow Fire Wizards to hunt fire creatures they normally would not be able to, such as Fire Boars or other Fire-based monsters. Some creatures that are weak to poison give good EXP. It is recommended, however, that only advanced Fire Wizards should consider maxing Poison Brace after Fire Arrow has been maxed.

Bowman
 * Blessing of Amazon
 * Bowmen have the best accuracy in the game, and can generally hit monsters before they can even break that monster's armor. The only exception is Jr. Neckis in the beginning of the game. However, getting a skill for a single monster is a bad plan, especially when you gain enough accuracy to kill Jr. Neckis efficiently by level 28 or so.

Warrior


 * Improving Hp Recovery
 * Due to the chair that recovers 50 Hp per 10 seconds, this should either be left at 5 or maxed


 * Endure
 * Recover while hanging on a rope. Quite useless since you'll be using potions to get HP. With 4000 HP at Level 60 it would take a long time to recover your total health. Besides, the best option to recover health while being idle is to sit down somewhere. Only put the required 3 points into endure so you can put some points into Iron Body.


 * Iron Body
 * This skill can be handy at lower levels but around Level 60 it loses its value because of the much more powerful power guard skill. The main and only reason to have Iron body is to negate the weapon defense penalty of Rage. Theoretically you could do with only 1 point in Iron body to undo the -10 wdef effect of Rage. There are some builds online that suggest maxing Iron body and only putting 6 points into sword/axe booster. This isn't really recommended as with a duration of 60 seconds the recasting can become really annoying. Instead, maxing booster and maxing out Rage is better, since Rage and Iron body are casted at the same time this will make recasting easier and less annoying. Also consider this: having 16 versus 40 weapon defense doesn't really do a lot for the damage you take. A tauromaci touch would be around for example 450 versus 500 damages. However if you have maxed Power Guard(which is very likely) it will reflect 40 % of the damage so you only take 300 out of a total of 500.

Third job Crusader and Page skills, warriors already have huge weapon defense, and Shield Mastery barely increases it. Also it limits the player to one handed weapons.
 * Shield Mastery

Warriors still get some of these skills because there are too many first job points. It is recommended you get at least 1 SP in Endure and some HP Recovery to help at areas such as El Nath or Underwater maps where the area slowly drains your HP, but there are not enough points to max any of these skills.

Thief
 * Disorder
 * It has been quite a debate between many maplers about the "Which is better, disorder or dark sight?". Disorder will not be often used when you are training and mostly only when fighting boss monsters and such. Dark sight, however, is used when you want to pass a map without being disturbed by monsters or when you ran out of potions and only have a little bit of hp left, you will die easily. This is where dark sight comes in to prevent yourself from dying. I feel that both skills are useful and you will have to choose one to add in 1st job advancement and maybe the other in the late 2nd job advancement. Dark sight is also required for the Ludibrium Party Quest, where only a thief with Dark Sight can get past two certain invincible monsters.


 * Shield Mastery 3rd job, Bandit. Gets you about 10 extra weapon defense points assuming the best shield for a Thief, which will block about 4 damage from the enemy. Fairly worthless.
 * Steal
 * Steal is more of a "fun" ability as its not to be used seriously. It CAN help to get something good, but it doesn't happen often. It may be useful in the Ludibrium PQ so you can get extra passes, however this glitch was passed.

Why am I training so slow?
You will only train at a reasonable pace if you consistently use your skills. Never use a "regular" attack for any class after level 25, and if you're an assassin or mage you will probably need to use skills WAY before that. To keep up the pace of your mana-consumption, you must buy potions to consistently up your mana. By level 35 mages should hold AT LEAST 60 mana potions so they don't have to go back and forth to buy more.

Additionally, players must always have HP potions ready. Sitting still for 10 minutes every time when hit is not a fast way to train. By level 35, any class should have 50 ORANGE potions.

Upon reaching level 40, start scrolling weapons, on top of using your skills, to keep a reasonable pace of experience. 60% scrolls are the general recommendation, and if feeling lucky, buy 10% scrolls off of other people. 100% are a safe choice, but add less than 60%.

For assassins, get the best stars you can afford at all times. Kumbi tend to be the ones people get the most. Or, if funded, get icicles at early levels and kill much faster.

Actually, getting a +7 100% claw is more important than getting stars, especially with Meba. Also, once in possession of Kumbis/Icicles, start spending money on work gloves scrolled with attack. Get 6 attack gloves before getting Tobi, 8 attack gloves before getting Steely, and 10 attack gloves before getting Ilbi. Also, starting from level 50, consider getting +5 or more 60% scrolled claws. Just look at the next upgrade cost for your claw, glove, star, and determine which one is cheaper. Don't go out thinking that getting a better star is the only option to raise your attack.

If you are low on money, here is the list of priorities if you want to continue training at a fast pace:


 * 1) HP potions and Mana potions
 * 2) Most powerful Weapon/stars money can buy
 * 3) Scrolls for weapon Attack, or intelligence/magic Attack if a Mage
 * 4) Best Top/Bottom/Overalls money can buy

For archers, starting with level 50, overalls are the main equipment. Overalls feature 10 slots, which can be scrolled easily for dex. Buy 100% dex scrolls from the various NPCs for 35,000 and get an easy 10 dex. This is also an option at level 30 with the sauna robe, or level 20 with the bath towel if your version has Showa town, but generally players at that low of a level don't have enough money to afford it. It is recommended that you don't waste money on gloves or shoes, unless they are upgraded with weapon attack, speed, or jump. The level 15 or 20 glove will suffice for a while for any class; in fact, most mid to higher levels (level 50+) use a level 10 work glove (upgraded with weapon Attack)!

So what does this list mean? It means, if poor, buy as many Health and Mana potions as you can. If you saved up enough money, then buy a more powerful weapon. If you still got money, then scroll your weapon. If you still got money, then buy your armor.

Parties are another good option, as mesos from other members' kills will go to everyone.

How do I get to (insert place here)
If it is a hidden street, you must find a secret location somewhere, and press "up" on it. They are scattered all around.

If looking for a place in Victoria Island, check the world map by pressing "w". Soon, Ossyria Island will feature world maps as well.

Where do you find ***** item?
Refer to the in-depth item sections at Hidden-Street. They list all the enemies that drop a specific item.

Where do I find a good build for my Character?
Builds in general require a lot of thought and time to put together. There is simply not enough room in this page to describe all your builds. In your specific Job section however; you should be able to find a build for your specific character. Also keep in mind that a perfect build does not exist, every character is supposed to suit the player's style.

Why do people like to buy Solid Horns?
100 Solid horns can be exchanged at the Exchange Quest for 500 experience. While this is not much at higher levels, you can bring a level 10 player into the Exchange Quest and constantly get around 500 exp for every 100 horns. This is most likely the fastest way to level up at early levels, although it can be quite expensive if you do not gather the horns yourself.

Zombie's Lost Teeth, Jr. Yeti Skins, and Hector Tails are also popular choices, as they provide better rewards than Solid Horns. Though being more expensive, in these cases most people will hunt the items themselves. Zombie Teeth also have a relatively high supply due to the sheer number of players that train on Coolie Zombies for a large number of levels (60-80 for most classes).

Again, if you have a main, stronger character, use that to get the solid horns or any other exchange quest items. That way, you get exp for both of your characters.

What Job should I choose?
This has been answered in the Jobs section.

How do you jump and attack in the air with magicians and archers?
Assassins can do this much easier. For archers, this is answered in the Archer guides here. Magicians use the same technique, except with their spells. Magicians can also attack and teleport at the same time, and it is the same technique again, except using teleport instead of jump. But since they CANNOT jump and attack at the same time...it is possible to hit the JUMP and *insert special attack here* keys, it will make it look like that your character is "charging up" before he hits the ground. When doing an attack normally, your character is unable to move for a short period of time until the attack animation is complete. With the jump shot, you are able to move while performing the attack. However the arrow/spell acts as if it were shot/cast while on the ground. It should be noted that different keyboards have different responses to the jump-attack glitch. Some keyboards can do it very easily, while some keyboards require attack and then jump button, some keyboards require the reverse. So try doing it differently if it doesn't work the first time. Also, the internet connection of the user has an affect on the jump shot.

Is anything known about the fourth jobs?
Fourth jobs have currently been released in the Korean, Japanese, and soon Chinese versions. A few things are known about this job advancement:
 * The general procedure of the 4th job advancement test
 * The names of the fourth job classes.
 * There is a skill that is common to all classes.
 * A few skills require certain 2nd or 3rd job skills to be maxed.
 * The skill book received only gives a few skills, and to learn more, scrolls must be obtained from monsters.
 * Each skill starts off with a max level of 10 when obtained. Scroll-like items are required to raise this to its maximum of 20 or 30.

How do I open a shop in the Free Market?
To do this, a Store Permit must be purchased from in the Cash Shop. The Permit will last for 90 days, during which it may be used as often as liked within the numbered Free Market areas. Another option is to hire an "employee", an elf NPC that will vend items for the player. Buying an elf employee will only last 24 hours, or 7 days depending which version is bought. It will expire at the time purchased, whether it is used or not.

What Is Scrolling?
Scrolling is the process of buying (usually) expensive scrolls (70,000 mesos for cheap 100% scrolls, weapon attack for gloves can rise as high as several million mesos), and then using them on your items. Usually, a fully scrolled item is better than the next item. For example, a +7 Red Viper (level 35 bow) can have 68 weapon attack and 7 accuracy if scrolled with 60%s. An unscrolled Vaulter 2000 (level 40 bow) has up to 59 weapon attack if you are lucky.

Because of the level 40/50 gap, it is recommended that you start scrolling your weapons at level 40. 10 levels take a long time, and most level 50 weapons are rare (though they can be created in Ludibrium). So you may be using your level 40 weapon well into level 55 or even level 60! Scrolling allows you to make your weapon stronger without buying a new weapon.

10%s, 60%s and 100%s are three kinds of scrolls that are available. 10%s give the best stats, but only work 10% of the time. 60%s do best on average, but they are usually very very expensive. 100% scrolls are usually cheap, as most are available from NPCs scattered across the Maple Story world, and they always work. However, 100%s won't get you the best possible weapon. However, even when a scroll fails, an upgrade slot is still deducted from the item, so think carefully when scrolling.

From Gachapon, and certain Zipangu monsters, there are also "cursed" 30% and 70% scrolls available. These give the same benefits as 10% and 60% scrolls, except they may destroy the weapon in the process (50% chance if the scroll fails). these are typically only recommended on the first slot.

All items can be scrolled, even pet equipments! If you are a warrior, thief, or archer, weapon attack affects damage the most, usually 3 or 4 times more effective than increasing the primary stat. Mages should focus on getting intelligence on their items, usually on the earrings. 60% Jump scrolls on shoes are recommended for warriors, thieves, and archers, while if you go with 100%s, speed on shoes works out better.

How long does it take for (name) to spawn?
The following are estimates:


 * Chief Grey: 10 minutes
 * Rombot: 15~20 minutes
 * MT-09: 30~45 minutes
 * Mushmom: 45~60 minutes
 * Jr. Balrog: 4~6 hours
 * Zombie Mushmom: 45~60 minutes
 * Blue Mushmom: 48 hours
 * Pianus: 8~12 hours

How long will it take to get [certain starting ability point allocation]?
In general, it is more likely to generate evenly distributed ability points (e.g. STR6 DEX6 INT7 LUK6) than skewed ability points (e.g. STR4 DEX13 INT4 LUK4). The total ability points is 25, and the minimum for any ability is 4. The maximum for an ability is 13, though that is rare (see below).

The way starting abilities are generated: (Not verified, though seems to be a good approximation)
 * 1) All abilities are set equal to 4.
 * 2) Randomly choose STR, DEX, INT, or LUK and add one point to that ability.
 * 3) Repeat until STR + DEX + INT + LUK = 25.

The below table shows approximately how long it will take to generate certain ability point distributions. These times are approximate and actual results may vary. One person may get a certain distribution within 1 minute whereas another person will take 10 minutes, depending on clicking speed and pure luck. The table shows how hard it is to get large numbers like 12 and 13, especially where you want them. Therefore, don't set your goal too high, unless you have time for 3 days of nonstop playing!

Remember that this is theoretical probability, meaning this is very different from experimental probability. In other words:

- If you are extremely lucky, you can get 13,4,4,4 in your first few tries. - If you are unlucky, 7,6,6,6 could take you days.

What should I do to avoid being scammed?
Three important points:
 * 1) Learn how scammers scam. (Go to the Introduction.)
 * 2) Use common sense, be smart, and watch for suspicious offers.
 * 3) Report possible scams.

Common Scams:
 * "Drop Game": Someone dares you to drop a valuable item. That person picks it up before you can. (Don't do something because someone dares you to!) They often bring you to specific areas where another character can hid behind walls and run out to get your items when you drop them too.
 * "Tab Tab Space Enter": That key sequence accepts any trade that's going on. If you put something valuable up for trade, the other person can take it. (Don't press keys unless you know what they do.) It doesn't work any more, and causes the other person in the trade to be automatically reported.
 * Any Unsecured Trade: Don't do it. You never know if someone will keep their promise.
 * "Middleman": A person is making a really good trade offer to you, but you don't have the specific thing they want. Luckily, you find someone who offers just that thing, but at a high price. You buy it, but when you go back to the first person to make the trade, they refuse. (This is a co-op scam between the two people.)
 * "Tax Evasion": Paying for an expensive item in parts is risky, because either the scammer gives only 49999 for your expensive item and doesn't pay up the rest, or the scammer makes you pay until you are short about 50000, then leaves without giving you anything.
 * "The Hold Enter, Keep Clicking Trick": This happens in the Free Market, the title usually says, "To Enter, Hold Enter and Click". When you actually enter, you would have clicked on something twice, and the pop up says 'You sure you want to buy ______ for ___ mesos" or something similar, while holding enter will trigger you to pressing 'OK' on that item, thus buying the item. The trick is you will not be able to see the pop-up since your holding enter which instantly presses 'OK'.  You could accidentally buy a useless item(eg.Snail Shell) for 1 million mesos even.
 * "Scroll Switch" You are about to purchase an expensive scroll, but the trade window closes. The person with the scroll re-trades apologizing that the window was closed by mistake and puts a scroll of the same % but is a worthless scroll and quickly trades. So you spend a large amount of mesos on a useless scroll if you do not check the item again.
 * "Drop Trade"*: This usually happens in the Hair Salon in Kerning. _____ would like to trade and tells you to meet him in the Kerning Hair Salon. They would then tell you to drop your item on the platform above near the left edge while _____ would drop his on the stairs. Then he would go up while you drop off the left edge. He would then collect his own item and then collect yours because you were too far away.

Miscellaneous:
 * Always check the trade one last time before accepting. Carefully examine all items the other person is offering, and make sure you are putting up the correct items, too.
 * Beginners: learn the average prices of items on reliable websites or through browsing of shops before making expensive trades.

If anyone has any more tips, feel free to add them here.

After your first job advancement, can you still get skill points after level 30, or does it stop giving you skill points?
You will always get skill points after your job advancement. You need to use all the skill points earned at level 30 and below before you can take the test. If you go over 30 before taking the test you still get the skill points and they do not have to be used. They can be held over until after the job advancement. You may use points obtained in 2nd job/3rd job on first job skills, to do that you click the skill book and apply, however, it is not recommended to do this.

How do you get to Sleepywood without the VIP cab?
You can get there from Henesys, Kerning, or Perion. In Henesys, take the top right portal, in Perion take the bottom right one that says dungeon over it and in Kerning, go through the sewers.

What is the point of a Hybrid Spearman?
Hybrid spearmen seem like a dumb idea at first; you don't get final attack and you max out a weapon that you think you won't use.

However, maxing out both weapons gives a massive advantage in 3rd job. In 3rd job, there are 2 main attacks for a Dragon Knight, and those are Spear Crusher, and Dragon Fury. Dragon Fury will always be stronger with a pole arm because it always swings, while Spear Crusher will always be stronger with a spear because it always stabs.

The idea is not to switch weapons in the middle of battle, but to switch to another weapon when the map calls for it. For example, flatter maps would prefer Spear Crusher because stabs have a bit more horizontal range, while in hilly maps, Dragon Fury's swing motion would cover more vertical grounds.

Do I need Final Attack or Not?
Many warriors wonder, whats final attack, and why should I have it? Final Attack is much like an MP free Power Strike. When it is maxed it has a 60% chance of following any attack with a damage of 250%. Now the real question is "Do I need it?" Well if you are a Fighter FA is almost required. It is fast MP free and powerful. Now with a Page I personally think it is a very good idea to max FA. At 3rd job the page gets elemental skills that work for a certain amount of time. Since FA is fast you can get a few extra hits with each element. Final Attack will definitely NOT work with 3rd job skills. It is only triggered by Power Strike and Slash Blast. Final Attack diffuses its damage with Slash Blast. Basically this means instead of doing 500, 500, 500 with Slash Blast you'll find your attack broken up with 500, 100, 500, 100, etc... whilst it's still free damage, and you'll level faster with Power Strike getting the free fast FA off it, it does mess with Slash Blast. It apparently goes down in damage as it spreads through the mob too. I've heard figures of 2000 normal damage, 20 on the mob edge with FA.
 * with SB FA each following monster will receive 50% of the damage(up to 6 monsters). ex. 1000, 500, 250, 125, 63... thats why when you SB a mob the last 1 or 2 need an extra hit.

Still, it's recommended you get it because there's not much else and it saves MP. Adding to the confusion, it is possible for the first monster hit by a slash blast final attack to take more damage than a regular slash blast is capable of doing. It seems capable of doing 30% to 40% more damage than regular slash blast. there isn't a real reason as a fighter NOT to get it, because you can easily max all your skills as a fighter (as long as you pick either axe of sword) and it will GREATLY increase leveling speed if this skill is maxed.

Fire/poison vs Ice/lightning vs Cleric
Also known as Fire wizards, Ice/Lightning wizards, or Clerics.

This is answered in the Magician Guide already.

How does MP eater work?
For any magic attack you do, you have a chance of draining a good amount of MP from the enemy, While it does nothing to the enemy, this basically means with max MP eater, you would only be able to drain so much MP from 1 foe. Every magic attack you do, there is a 30% chance that you would gain MP from the enemy. This includes magic claw, energy bolt, and even the cleric's "Heal" attack on undead monsters. Because of this, it is highly recommended that mages get 1 MP eater at level 30, to heal back MP at a rate even faster than MP recovery. MP Eater is especially effective with mob attacks such as Heal or Lightning, for obvious reasons.

How do mages teleport backwards?
The Mage and Cleric Teleport skill work by sending you a certain distance in the direction of whichever arrow key is pressed, given that there is a platform to stand on at that location. A mage teleports backwards by pressing teleport then very quickly pressing back on their arrow keys. Most mages use this technique for bosses etc. as the attacks miss them if they teleport at the right moment. You can also do this forward. Telecasting can also be done vertically.

~It's not a glitch. Teleport can be used at any time provided that:
 * 1) You have enough mp
 * 2) You're teleporting to a valid location
 * 3) You're not in the middle of teleport

What is a Banditsin?
A Banditsin (also known as a Sindit) is a bandit that uses Lucky 7s in 1st job, and then turns into a Bandit 2nd job. Lucky 7s is a much better skill than Double Stab, as it is ranged, has innate mastery and does more damage. While this is more expensive than the typical Bandit build, it is much faster if you got the money to burn. But it may cause financial problems after you make the 2nd job advancement.

One problem with Sindits is that because they cannot use Double Stab, they have to waste more MP with Savage Blow or otherwise save MP using regular attack. Also, some Sindits choose to continue using claws regularly after their 2nd job advancement, though often on weaker monsters. Once there are enough points on Savage Blow and Dagger Mastery, sindits will usually make the switch to daggers. 3rd job sindits will usually be identical with regular Chief Bandits. The only difference between a Bandit and a Sindit is that the latter won't have Double Stab. Considering that Savage Blow will be more effective than Double Stab past Level 45, and that the AP build doesn't change, it can be concluded that Sindits are just as powerful as Bandits.

Double Shot or Arrow Blow?
This has been answered here in the Archer section completely.


 * Doubles Shot has better rate of hitting a monster because it shoots 2 arrows. When maxed, uses more MP than Arrow Blow.
 * Arrow Blow does more damage. Uses less Mp, but has a smaller chance of hitting.

Final Attack or No Final Attack??
The debate of FA vs FAless is different for Archers than warriors, so warriors who want that answer should check out the Warrior specific questions. As for archers, it has been answered in the builds section of the Bowman Guide.

Crossbow or Bow?
Before changing classes to a Bowman or Crossbowman, the player can switch back and forth between bows and crossbows with no penalty. It is purely based on preference. In depth information about the advantages and disadvantages of both weapons can be found here.