Leveling to 30 in MapleStory Artale
Leveling from scratch all the way to level 30 in this nostalgic, grind-heavy version of MapleStory. Let's walk through everything from stat rolling, early quests, and efficient training spots to job advancements and gear tips to help you relive or start your old-school MapleStory journey in Artale.
Rolling Your Stats the Old-School Way
In Artale, just like in the classic MapleStory experience, your adventure begins with the dice roll to set your stats. And yes—this still matters. Unlike modern MapleStory, classes in Artale still require secondary stats to equip gear and even to hit monsters effectively. So, rolling the right stats can make a big difference early on.
For optimal stat setups, aim for:
• 4 INT and 4 LUK if you're making a Warrior, Pirate, or Archer.
• 4 STR and 4 DEX if you're rolling a Mage.
• 4 STR and 4 INT if you're making a Thief.
You only get one character per Nexon account in Artale, unless you want to delete that character or create a brand new account entirely. You'll also need two-factor authentication (2FA) and a verified phone number to access Artale, so be prepared for that setup.
Maple Island: Slow and Steady Wins the Race
As expected, the early game in Artale is incredibly slow compared to modern MapleStory. Even though monsters give double EXP until level 70, don't expect to zoom through the levels. Grinding is real here.
To speed things up, complete every quest on Maple Island. They offer solid EXP gains early on and help ease the tediousness of grinding.
Pro Tip: Prioritize learning the Snail Shell Skill. It costs just 3 SP to max and will significantly boost your damage early game. You'll be using this skill all the time, even during second job advancement quests, so max it out early. After that, I recommend going for the Speed Boost skill since movement in old Maple is painfully slow.
Job Advancement Requirements
Don't forget these classic stat requirements for job advancements:
• Mages can job advance at level 8 with 20 INT.
• Pirates at level 10 with 20 DEX.
• Thieves and Archers at level 10 with 25 DEX.
• Warriors at level 10 with 35 STR.
Also, a reminder—Thieves need DEX to job advance, even though their main stat is LUK. And if you're a Mage, don't waste any points in STR—just stick with snail shell skill and grind it out.
Leaving Maple Island and Heading to Victoria Island
Once you're done with Maple Island, hop on the boat to Victoria Island. Make sure to talk to the travel NPC for a 90% discount on your ticket, which is great for new players who are still broke.
If you're starting as a Warrior, skip Perion for now. While I went to Perion out of nostalgia, it's better to train elsewhere and just start the relevant Perion quests like:
• Stump Horror Story (kill 50 Stumps)
• Fixing Blackbull's House (33 branches from Stumps + 50 firewood from Axe Stumps)
Axe Stumps are tanky, so you don't need to complete Blackbull's quest right away.
Start These Key Quests Early
Don't forget to pick up Wing the Fairy's quest in Ellinia. You'll need:
• 10 Slime Bubbles
• 33 Tree Branches
• 30 Squishy Liquids
You must complete this to unlock the Escape quest, which grants you a Speed boost, one of the best early-game rewards.
Also, look for I.M. Board's quest in Kerning City. He needs:
• 40 Squishy Liquids
• 43 Tree Branches
Both of these quests can be completed while grinding in Ellinia or Henesys areas.
Best Grinding Spots from Level 10–20
If questing isn't your thing, no problem—there are a few great spots to train manually. The best one by far is the Empty House on the road to Mushmom in Henesys. Here's why:
• The map is small—less walking.
• Orange Mushrooms spawn fast and have exactly 80 HP, making them perfect targets for your snail shell spam.
• It's a busy map with lots of players (and unfortunately, sometimes hackers).
If it's too crowded, try these alternatives:
• Slime Tree – Far left of the map; spawns Slimes and occasional hidden items.
• Rainforest East of Henesys – Smaller map, less walking.
• Forest West of Henesys – Bigger, but with great spawn density.
• Pig Beach – Pure nostalgia, but it's a long walk and has a large map.
Bonus tip: Pick up Gin Shoes from the Kerning armor shop (+2 speed for any class) and a Sky Blue Wooden Chair from Lith Harbor for better HP recovery.
Quests Worth Doing for Easy EXP
A solid EXP boost around level 15 comes from the quest "Find Abel's Glasses" in Nautilus. Talk to Abel, search the bushes on the right side of the map, and return the glasses to earn EXP and Return Scrolls to Nautilus—very useful for fast travel.
Level 20 Gear and Min-Max Tips
Once you hit level 20, gear starts to matter more. If you're a Warrior and don't already have a decent weapon:
• Buy a Level 20 Iron Axe from Perion. It has 42 weapon attacks and normal speed—an optimal choice for the price.
• If you're rich, you could go for the Bamboo Spear from Showa (via Zangwu). It's fast and a +1 attack but usually very expensive.
Also, if you complete Blackbull's quest, you'll receive a shield. Don't make the same mistake I did—don't sell it! If you're playing a Page later, you'll need it.
Quick Teleport Trick to Ariant
If you complete the quest from Manji in Perion that requires killing 20 Dark Stumps, you unlock the quest “To the Desert”. Accept the quest and talk to Manji again to teleport to Ariant. If you're not ready to explore Ariant, just forfeit the quest to use it later as a free teleport. You can repeat this teleport as long as you haven't completed the full chain.
Level 21–30: Party Quest Time
• After hitting level 21, you unlock the classic Kerning City Party Quest (KPQ). In Artale, PQ EXP is doubled, making it the fastest way to reach level 30.
• Find a party and start queuing up. Even if you feel useless at first (especially if you lack accuracy or enough DEX to hit), the EXP gain is worth it. Just contribute what you can and you'll level up quickly.
How to Get the Brown Bamboo Hat
You can still get this classic look without paying. At level 15, visit Maya in Henesys to start a quest that rewards the hat. You'll need:
• 40 Charms of the Undead
• 50 Squishy Liquids
• 50 Leaves
• 20 Octopus Legs
Don't sell your ETC drops—you'll need them later for this quest and others. The hat gives solid early stats and nostalgia points.
Final Thoughts
Leveling from 1 to 30 in MapleStory Artale is a long but rewarding process. You need a lot of Artale Mesos to boost yourself. You'll grind, you'll walk slow, and you'll probably die a few times—but it's all part of that old-school charm we remember. Whether you're here for nostalgia or experiencing classic Maple for the first time, enjoy the slow, community-focused journey.
And remember: hold onto your drops, max out your snail skill early, and get those quests rolling. Party Quests will carry you to 30 faster than any grinding map, and small gear upgrades (like a simple pair of speed boots or a snail chair) can go a long way.
MMOexp MapleStory Artale Team