The Aran is a Warrior-like class that utilizes a combo system, using Polearms as their main weapons. When you create an Aran, the new character will have a default tan skin (except in GlobalMS). Arans starts in an area called Rien, an icy snow covered island with very low temperatures, located in a warm place due to a curse. More than half of the island is covered with snow and ice. Similarly to a Cygnus Knight, an Aran character has a bamboo backdrop on the character-select screen.
To make the Arans even more unique, they have a game mechanic that no other class gets to use: the combo system. Players are able to increase their combo counter by continuously hitting monsters. As their combo counter increases, so does their damage. Some Aran skills require the player to build up their combo counter before they can use them.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Aran
- Pros
- A passive defense rate ignore skill in third job.
- Due to having an HP draining buff in second job, fewer HP potions are needed.
- The skill combo counter can allow for up to +20 attack when it is mastered.
- Excellent mobbing abilities.
- Unlike other warriors, Aran has the ability to use Combat Step which shifts the player forward a distance. If used on a cliff face, the player will traverse a much vaster distance than on a flat plane.
- Snow Charge in second job grants the user the ability to attack with the Ice element.
- A skill that automatically grants a set amount of combo in third job.
- Can knockback enemies easier due to a third job buff which reduces the amount of damage required to knockback.
- A 4th job party skill called Combo Barrier (reduces damage taken by a certain percentage) only requires 200 Combo Counts.
- Potential for a high critical rate.
- Can solo end game bosses if built correctly.
- The skill Body Pressure in second job negates physical attack damage when on top of or next to a monster.
- In fourth job, the skill Sudden Attack allows for the use of Final Charge and Final Toss without a preceding phase of Full/Over Swing.
- Combo based buffs cannot be dispelled.
- Cons
- Aran lacks party buffs that can be easily accessed. The only class unique party buff is Combo Barrier and it requires at least 200 combo to activate.
- One of the more physical oriented jobs, requiring one to rapidly hit the attack key to allow for successive attacks.
- Until fourth job, Aran can not rush monsters as efficiently as other classes.
- Due to an Aran's damage dependence on combos, fighting enemies that have stunning or seducing attacks can require additional time to kill.
- Sustaining a high level combo can be an issue in big maps.
- To keep their combo counters up high they must train on slightly higher leveled monsters.
- Repetitive. They only have a few main attacking skills that don't require some combo counter amount to use.
- Lower HP than the average warrior due to lack of the skill HP Increase.
Lore
Long ago, five heroes came together to fight against the Black Magician to save the Maple World. Despite their powerful skills, they couldn't defeat the Black Magician. To save the residents, the heroes sent them to Victoria Island before they went to search for the Black Magician for one last time.
But the Black Magician was stronger and froze one of the heroes, Aran, with a curse. During this period, Aran lost his memories and abilities. After hundreds of years, Aran awakes to the sound of a girl's voice.
Lilin, the only human on Rien and a member of the Rien clan, has waited for the Hero to return. She believes that one day an ancient prophecy will be fulfilled. Lilin is trying to help Aran recover all of his memories and abilities.
With Lilin's help, Aran is slowly beginning to recover and adjust to civilization. With training, he will be able to get back his formidable power that he once had before he got sealed by the Black Magician.
The heroes are aware that the Black Magician will come back to the Maple World very soon and that this time they will have to defeat the Black Magician for once and for all.
Places to train
Arans are pretty easy to train, but it is recommended to be an experienced MapleStory player before making one; it's easiest to already have a main character so you can easily fund your Aran. DEXless Arans may not be able to train on higher leveled monsters, depending on how well they are equipped, so use your best judgment.
- Levels 1-10: After you come back to life in Rien, there will be quite a few Aran job quests. Complete them and you should get to level 10 in no time.
- Levels 10-14: After you make the first job advancement, similar to the Cygnus Knights training program, you will be given special places to train in Rien. Training Slimes, Training Orange Mushrooms, Training Pigs will give adequate experience.
- Levels 14-20: If you should go to Victoria Island, a few quests will be waiting for you. Complete them to level up quick. Or, you could participate in HenesysPQ, but with your melee attacks, it would be pretty difficult attacking the flying monsters within the PQ. It's best to PQ with a higher-leveled friend (or just a stranger, for that matter). Once you get near level 15, Rowen the Fairy in Ellinia will request you to kill Green Mushrooms and Sickly Green Mushrooms. They give great experience and might drop goodies such as a Pan Lid, which can be sold at a high price to other players. If you can kill Horny Mushrooms and Zombie Mushrooms in one or two hits, and you're able to burn and spam pots, you might want to try Ant Tunnel.
- Levels 21-25: KerningPQ is available now, but it isn't recommended to do it at these levels, because you lack DEX (which would cause trouble when fighting Ligators and King Slime within the PQ). Instead, do as many quests as you can until an NPC in Perion requests you to kill Depressed Ghost stumps. You might want to do this quest at the same time as Winston's Planting Trees quest, so you get monster kills for both quests. (If you've not already visited the Ant Tunnel): Once you are ready to go down to Ant Tunnel, head down there and kill Horny Mushrooms and Zombie Mushrooms.
- Levels 26-29: You are now strong enough to do KerningPQ! It gives you decent amounts of experience, and rewards (such as ores). But don't forget to do quests, as the NPC in Perion wants you to kill Zombie Mushrooms and Murderous Zombie Mushrooms this time. A great place to train is the 'Cave Where Mushrooms Grow' Mini-Dungeon in Ant Tunnel III, where large amounts of Zombie Mushrooms and Horny Mushrooms spawn. At level 29, an Aran job quest requires you to find and kill Francais the Puppeteer. He is found in a small room located in Evil Eye Cave 3.
- Levels 30-35: At level 30, complete the second job advancement. You will have to kill Scarred Bears to complete it. If you made it, congratulations! Even though you might go to CarnivalPQ, you are not likely to get picked for a party, and you will likely lose and be harassed. Skip it for now, and just go do quests in Mushroom Kingdom. There are scarce amounts of Aran quests in second job, so there's not much choice.
- Levels 36~39: Now you can most likely join CPQ without getting harassed. Go to CPQ and be sure to collect Maple Coins inside; that's all that is needed. Or, if CPQ gets boring, you could go to Ludibrium and do some quests.
- Levels 40~49: This is when things get a bit more exciting. You should go to Nett's Pyramid. It's best to solo, as with each successful 'Easy Stage' run-through, with rank S, will give about 70,000 experience (which is amazing at level 40). Not only is the EXP great: if you complete the bonus stage, you can get up to 30 treasure boxes, which can give you potions, elixirs, and sometimes even a Pharoah Belt. Do this until level 49, while selling all those potions you get to other people or to an NPC shop.
- Level 50: It's time to Ludi PQ and Carnival PQ! Alhough it gives less EXP, it's definitely more exciting, and you should get Broken Glasses from LPQ and Spieglmann's Necklace in CPQ. If you are near leveling up, die a few times, and continue.
Second Job Advancement
- Requirements: Level 30
Talk to Lilin, and the Spirit of the Polearm (Maha) will appear. Talk to Maha and a cutscene will occur, showing Maha. Talk to Lilin again and she will ask you to go to the cave at the very north of Rien.
Once you enter the cave, a dream sequence will occur. Talk to the panda blacksmith who is forging your polearm which you used in the opening sequence and he will ask you to hunt some bears for a few items. Once you have collected these items, talk to the panda blacksmith again and a cutscene showing the polearm that you used in the opening scene will appear.
Now that you're out of the dream, head back to Rien and talk to Maha again to complete your 2nd job advancement.
Third Job Advancement
- Requirements: Level 70, Maker skill
When you reach level 70, speak to Maha in Rien, and he will ask you to defeat a Thief Crow in Penguin Harbor. Head over to the dock and you will see this Thief Crow. Defeat it and head back to Rien to talk to Maha again. He will then ask you to talk to Lilin, who will guide you to the cave at the very north of Rien.
Once you enter the cave and enter the portal, you will be in a dream sequence. Talk to Tititi the Yeti and he will say a Thief Crow is causing mischief (it is the same crow you fought earlier.). Defeat the crow and then talk to Tititi again eating your quest item in the process. He will give you the directions of making an exact replica of the jewel he ate.
Head out of the dream sequence and head back to Rien. Following the directions of Tititi, collect a Dark Crystal, 3 Sapphire ores, and 3 Garnet ores.
Use the Maker skill to create the quest item that Maha needs. Talk to him again to complete your 3rd job advancement.
Fourth Job Advancement
The fourth job advancement for Aran is surprisingly the most simple of the job advancements. All you are required to do once you reach level 120 is to talk to Lilin, who will then ask you to talk to Maha. Maha will then turn berserk as part of a test and you will need to kill this berserk form. Once you have killed it, talk to Maha again, and you will achieve your fourth job advancement.