MapleStory Ultimate EXP Guide: 8 Tips on Leveling Up Quickly

Pearl of Knowledge
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
This guide will help discover on how to find the best training spot with monster that provides the best EXP/Meso/Drop Rate and other aspects. So, you do not need to rely too much on others to spoon-feed you with answer to the commonly asked question: “Where to Train for [Job] at Level [XXX]“. Bookmark this page to visit this guide when indoubt, refresh on some techniques and to-be-updated! By completing this guide, you can create your own training-spot/leveling guide customized specifically for your job!

Where is the best training spot to level up quickly?
How to level up quickly in MapleStory? Where is the best place to train? How to get fast EXP? If you have all of those questions in your mind, you have come to the right place. This is a guide for those who would like to level up faster to achieve 4th job advancement quickly in MapleStory! In this guide, you will discover about the training basic concept and 8 great tips for fast EXP
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The basic training concept

For low level monsters [Monster Level 1 - 40]
- Close-Combat: 1-2 hit KO
- Range-Combat: 1 hit KO
For medium level monsters [Monster Level 41 - 80]
- Close-Combat: 2-3 hit KO
- Range-Combat: 1-2 hit KO
For high level monsters [Monster Level 81 - 140]
- Close-Combat: 3-4 hit KO
- Range-Combat: 2-3 hit KO
For higher level monsters [Monster Level 141 - 200]
- Close-Combat: 4-5 hit KO
- Range-Combat: 3-4 hit KO

Explanation
For close combat (warriors), they are able to inflict extra hit compare to range-combat because their skill takes the least MP (mana points). Those who inflict more hits to cover up the loss of less damage per hit will consume more MP (waste meso to buy MP potions) and it gives the chance for monster to recover from the attack and hit you. The lesser hit it takes to KO (knockout) a monster, you stand a better chance to clear mobs that come close to you. If you could not clear them as fast as possible, nearby monsters might bump into you and you will lose HP (hitpoints/life). As a result, you waste meso to buy additional HP Potions to cover up the loss. In short, less hit but each hit inflicts lots of damage on your target monster is preferred to achieve the optimum speed to gain EXP quickly.

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8 Tips to Gain Fast EXP: Switching Training Spots
# Step 1: Gain more EXP from Higher Level Monsters

Let’s say you are a newbie warrior, and you are now training on a monster which is a “Red Snail” that needs 2 hits to KO (knockout) it. Now, try to 2 hit KO a higher level monster that gives more EXP than “Red Snail”, such as “Orange Mushroom”. If you are able to do so, then switch your training target from “Red Snail” to “Orange Mushroom”.

# Step 2: Map with Higher Spawn Rate

Before you train on any map that has “Orange Mushroom”, you will need to determine the spawn rate. Spawn rate means how fast the monsters appear back into the map and within a certain platform. The faster it appears back, it is a good indicator of high spawn rate. Spawn rate relates to map size and party members. Refer to step 3 (for map size) and view 8 Factors to consider a Training Spot (for party members).

# Step 3: Map with Minimum Distribution

You will also need to check out how far is the monster being distributed across the map. If the map is large and has many platforms, chances are, these high spawn rate monsters will be distributes across the map, each monster positioned far from each other. As a result, you will need to walk a lot to get to the monster. The more walking you do, the less time you will get to enjoy to KO monsters quickly. So make sure you get into a map that is small and you do less walking, more KO-ing monsters to level quickly!

# Step 4: Map with Safe Platform. Protect yourself!

Often, many mapler lose EXP (die) due to AFK (away from keyboard) on a platform because they did not know a monster could either spawn there or getting hit by monster spell attack. (range attack) So, try finding a map that has a safe platform for you to rest when you need to AFK (visit the bathroom/help with chores/answering the phone/etc).

# Step 5: Changing Channels (CC)!

Also, you will need to know whether the map supports safe ground if you change channel in the same map. There are cases when a person switches channel within the same map, they will be teleported to a different platform which might be dangerous (bump into monsters) while lagging and your character might die accidentally. Lag means your screen freeze temporarily due to other player’s presence within a map. The more player, the more lag it becomes unless you have a good internet bandwidth to support those connections. Changing channel is great technique to clear the spawn in new map without waiting for them to respawn in the previous map.

# Step 6: Complete Quest for Additional EXP!

Frequently check on your quest log as you level up. There are a variety of quests for each level and each has different requirement. For example, a quest might ask you to collect some “Orange Mushroom” caps. So, visit the NPC that provides this quest and then start collecting/looting those caps given by the “Orange Mushroom” while you are training on “Orange Mushroom”. There are 2 types of quest, repeatable and non-repeatable. So, if the quest is repeatable, you can ask the NPC again for the quest after you have completed the previous one. This will give you a secondary EXP income!

# Step 7: Join Party Quest (PQ)!

There are different party quest which is available in Victoria and Ossyria Island. For example, Kerning Party Quest is available in Kerning City, Victoria Island. Party Quest is a good spot to gain fast EXP. The meso spent versus EXP gained from this quest is much better than normal training. Party Quest also awards players with valuable treasures along with potions/ores; which you can then sell it in freemarket to gain additional meso to payback the meso spent on this quests. This includes Zakum PQ, Ludibrium PQ, Henesys PQ, and others.

# Step 8: For Hardcore Players - Buy 2 EXP Card!

For those who want to level up even faster, you could either buy 2 EXP card with real cash in exchange with MapleStory currency or play during EXP Holiday Seasons. MapleStory occassionally have 2x EXP (double EXP) and 2x DROPS (double chance for a rare item to drop) events.

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Pearl of Knowledge: EXP Benchmark
If you gain at least 10% EXP per hour, the training spot you have chosen is alright. However, if you get below that par, that is a signal to change your hunting ground. This includes those who are with 2x EXP effect (card/EXP holiday season). Try to find a hunting ground that is able to give you at 15% or more EXP per hour to level up faster. For example, if you gain 20% EXP per hour, you would need 5 hours to level up in MapleStory. Time is precious, so start exploring places that is good for EXP or check out the recommended maps given by your senior MaplerStory players. (edit 3/8/08: To test new training ground you found, train there for 6 minutes. If you gain 1% within 6 minutes, it is equivalent to 10% within 60 minutes/1 hour.) To my discovery, this concept is applicable to level 140 unless the official MapleStory has come out with new monsters with better EXP Rate.

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8 Factors to Consider a Good Training Spot
Assuming that you discovered that a particular monster gives good EXP or decent meso or drop item often, or a monster that gives the things that you need. What’s next? You need to find a map that is populated with that particular monster. Below are some factors to consider before you select a (map/monster) for training/hunting/farming meso.
# Factor 1: Crowd - How crowded is the map?

Popular maps are often crowded on peak hours - during weekend. If the map is too crowded, its best to switch to less crowded maps to avoid KS (Kill Steal). Switching maps does not necessarily mean less EXP/Meso.

# Factor 2: Map Characteristic - Size, Terrain, Platform, Resting Spot

Map Size (Small/Average/Large)
The larger the map, the more walking you need to do thus slowing down your training pace unless you share the map with a few maplers (party with them). Spawn rate is determined on how fast you can clear the map. If the map is small, the monster you kill will spawn closer to you since a small map have lesser spot to spawn monster. If the map is big, and you kill a monster at 1 spot, it spawn some where else in the map far away from you.
Terrain (Flat/Bumpy)
Map with bumpy terrain is not favored for range players since their bullets will be block by high bumpy terrain.
Platforms (Small/Large)
Map with many platform is not favored as well since you need to climb on to ropes to get around the map, this consume time too. However, some platforms allow Sniping Positions while being on safe ground. For example, bowman and magician discover some safe spots where they do not get bump by monster while they could attack from far.
Resting Spot (Rope/Safe-Platform)
Map without resting spot is dangerous since you can’t AFK (away from keyboard) if you want to go to the bathroom, talk on the phone. (you can go into cash shop, but other players might think there are no one training the map, and they take over your map). Sometimes hanging on rope is dangerous because magical attack from monsters can hit you.

# Factor 3 : Monster Characteristic - 5 factors to consider

EXP/MESO/Valuable Drops
Some monster drops potion more often then others, some drop more meso, or some gives more EXP but least of others. For example, water goblin drop pure water and mana elixir often but drops little meso. Red Drakes drop decent meso and EXP but very little potion drops.
Attack Type (Physical/Magical attack)
Not all range attack from monsters are magical (some are physical). All MapleStory jobs except magician hate monsters with magical attack since they have the least magic defense compare to Magician, so they receive more damage from magic attacks and vice versa. Cleric (Magician Class) have a special skill called Invincible that reduces 30% physical damage received, and warriors (fighter and page) have Power Guard to reduce 40% phsyical damage received. This skill save their HP potion.
Defense (High or Low magic/weapon defense)
All classes except magician hate high weapon defense monster and vice versa. For example, warriors bowman pirate and thief have hard time killing Sentinel (high weapon defense but weak magic defense).
Ability (Stun/Darkness/Sweat)
Monsters that inflict this status slows down training. Jr Boogie is a good example that is commonly found in SleepyWood dungeon, Golem Temple and some parts of MapleStory world. They do not have strong weapon attack but they cast special skills that reduces your accuracy (non-applicable to Magician), reduces your EXP gain, disable you from jumping, etc. Best to kill them with 1 Hit KO.
Level and Avoidability (Accuracy needed to hit them)
If monster too high level, this increases their avoidability, so you tend to miss alot. So players need to train monsters that are not too high level for them, preferably not more than 10 levels difference.

# Factor 4 : Party Member - (Buff/Party Invitation/Leeching)

Supportive Party Skills
Having party with some people instantly gives everyone a 10% extra bonus EXp for each monster you kill. Some party member can provide you with good buff that aid your training speed (Sharp Eye for Critical Bonus, Bless for Accuracy, Rage for extra weapon attack, Haste for additional movement speed, Hyperbody for extra HP and MP capacity, Holy Symbol for Extra EXP).
Party Invitation
Sometimes, you won’t be lucky everyday to find a party member that is able to give you supportive skill (buff) to aid you training (Magician (except Cleric), Pirate, Bowman have the least supportive skill). However, if they are pretty strong in character (able to kill fast with their solo-ing skill), they should be invited into your party to speed up the monster spawn rate, particulary in a large map. Range attackers shines in large map since they cover the map faster than melee players.
Leeching
However if you party with someone too high level, you will get lesser EXP, the higher level party member would get the most since they require more EXP to level up (compensation). However, this can turn to a good benefit for those low levelers, if high level kill a monster that gives millions of EXP, its much faster for low levelers to level up. High leveler kills faster because they are stronger and have better mobbing skills. One good example is Gapped (Pirate in Khaini) who leeched EXP from Boss (BigFoot/Pianus/etc) all the way to reach 4th Job in 5 days! Super Power Leveling!

# Factor 5 : Combat - Range vs Melee Players

Take a look on “The basic training concept” to get a basic overview. Ranger players could handle bigger maps compare to melee players. Melee players need to walk more to reach to the other monster (consume time). Melee players prefer confine maps with mobs around them. Range players dislike small maps that gives them little space to shoot (assassin/bowman)

# Factor 6 : Character Stats

The monster listed in GOTS (Guide on Training Spot), does not depend on what level your character, but more accurately, how much damage you can inflict to the enemy.
To clarify: a low level pure STR (strength) warrior could inflict massive amount of damage similar to a high level normal warrior. Therefore, pure STR warrior does not train on the same level of monster with Normal warrior. Here is a useful damage calculator from Hidden-Street.net You might be interested to read this Monster EXP Report 10% Par

# Factor 7 : Job Skill Build (Single Target / Mob)

Sometimes different set of skill build is applied for different training ground, for example: Gunslinger (Pirate 3rd Job) that max both FlameThrower and Ice Splitter is able to train effectively in mob area since this skill kills 3-6 mobs faster than Burst Fire (Rapid Fire). Another good example is Fire/Poison Mage (Magician 3rd Job) who max Poison Myst first before Explosion (different style of training) and cast it to the whole map, and once he cycles through the map back, he just 1 hit KO them. Poison Technique works best on higher level monsters, so Poison Magicican level up faster than ordinary training (killing 1 monster at a time).

# Factor 8 : Decent Scrolled Weapon and Equipments

MapleStory players could not train effectively if they solely rely on stats (Pure STR/INT/LUK) and skill build. They will also need to be equipped with decent scrolled weapon and armour to boost their raw damage to kill monster quickly. Refer to “The basic training concept” for more information (located right after Pearl of Knowledge)

Recommended Training Spot - [Fast EXP / Good Meso / Decent Drops]
The links below help you to find area for [Fast EXP / Earn Meso / Hunt Rare drops / Spam Less Potion]
Click one of the link below base on the job you are pursuing.
Warrior | Bowman | Thief | Magician | Pirate

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Extra Reading on 10% Exp Par Research

Minor Updates:
After conducting a research on monster Exp, the concept of 10% Per hour could only be applied till level 140 (based on the most powerful non-boss monster on MapleStory: “Duku” that provides 5000 exp) with the assumption of a player could kill 1 of this monster in every 2 seconds without 2X Exp card. Apart from that, I realised that monster is good for training only for 5 levels before it reaches below 10% per hour (without 2X Exp Bonus). The 5-level-rule concept applies from 2nd job (level 30-70) to 4th job (level 70-140). Leveling 1 - 30, and 35 - 50 might be faster than the one shown below if you do party quest since rewards better Exp compare to training unless (party members are experience and no-queue for party quest)

Exp Reports 10/8/2008 (without 2X Exp effect)
Level 1 to 30 - Takes approximately 1.25 days (30 hours non-stop)
Level 1 to 70 - Takes approximately 14 days / 2 weeks (336 hours non-stop)
Level 1 to 120 - Takes approximately 29.94 days (718.63 hours non-stop)
Level 1 to 200 - Takes approximately 179.26 days (4302.14 hours non-stop)

Performance Report on Harcore Player’s Leveling speed
Assumption: 8 hours training per day with 2x Exp Effect.
Level 1 to 30 - Takes approximately 1.875 days (45 hours)
Level 1 to 70 - Takes approximately 21 days / less than 1 month (504 hours)
Level 1 to 120 - Takes approximately 44.91 days / 1 month + 2 weeks (1077.84 hours)
Level 1 to 200 - Takes approximately 268.89 days / less than 1 year or 9 months (6453.36 hours)

Conclusion (Advice/Recommendation)
For those who do not want to waste their time (spending at least 6453.36 hours of their life on level grinding / killing monsters) to reach level 200 or players who would like to try all the class skills/specialities, its best to play on a private server (just a recommendation) because they could provide better Exp and Meso rate. (e.g. 100X Exp Rate + 100X Meso Bonus sounds good?) With that rate, reaching level 200 would be easy, which only takes 3 weeks (training 2 hours per day!) Being high level, you could explore dangerous places and boss quest often! This also help players to feel accomplished when they reach XX levels quickly, probably bored them awhile, and indirectly they would do something else. (e.g. going outdoors / homework / shopping / etc). Private servers has other benefits like scrolling item (100% success on 10% scrolls?) This helps player to get the best stats item with little effort/meso and this includes cash items (there is no need to spend pocket money given by parents/salary for NX cash). However, private servers are not reliable compare to the official since most are not 24 hours online, might be laggy and encounter a few minor-major bugs.

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Extra Information
Usually (in forum), newbie people would ask senior MapleStory players 3 things:
1) What monster to train for my job level?
2) Where are these monster located ? (the map should be small, fast spawn rate, spawn in mobs)
3) How many levels should you stay there before switching training ground?

This is a great guide. ^^

But there is one more thing that speeds up levling..
Use buffs!!! Buffs are great when levling and they give a great extra magic- weaponattack and are almost free in shops :D

Another tip, the update that was made a while ago alowed us to travel to NLC (Finally). This means you not only can buy great 60-75% hp/mp pots, but also buy pots that give; 16+ weapon attack, 20+ magic attack, 9+ accuracy 15+ avoidability and one that gives 20+ avoidability. There is also one that gives 80% hp and 90% mp but only gives 2 weapon attack and probably ruin your other buffs that you have at that moment.

Assigning right keys for skills on keyboard is also a must, if you want to make your attacks and skills more personal and easier to train.

And don't forget to experimet with everything and have fun!