ShmaRO

How to Aura

A Levelling guide for ShmaRO

Part 1: Level 1 to Level 87 reborn.

• Introduction
• Section I: N is for Novice.
• Section II: First Day on the Job
• Section III: Promotion and beyond
• Section IV: Pre-Trans, oh yes.

Introduction

I've talked to a lot of people who say "leveling's the name of the game." They live for it, and to them it's the main event. It's their Holy Grail. Their limited-edition Xbox 360. Of course, I can't say it's bad to enjoy leveling, and I'm sure we've all heard the age-old saying of "the journey is more important than the destination". However, I know deep down what all of you are really thinking. You want to be max. You want to be max right now. You want to win those Tournaments, take all those Castles, kill all the MVPs, and have all the ladies (or guys, if you so desire) swooning over your wealth, good looks, and exceptional prowess.

So here's where I come in. I'll do my part and show you how to max in a fairly painless way, but the rest is up to you. Dream big. Work hard, play hard, and before you know it, you'll be that Lv170 walking around loaded up with MVP gear and standing in the queue for your next easy tournament win. Just remember that with great power comes great responsibility. Flaunt your power too often, and you will find your fame to be short-lived. Great rewards may not come as often to those of us who are humble, but those that do will last a lifetime. Let's begin.

Section I: N is for Noob n00b newb Novice.

So you've just spent the last half hour staring at the char creation screen and you've finally settled on a name you can live with, since unfortunately all the good ones were already taken. Even that one name you've always used on every server didn't work but don't worry, we'll get even in time.

Now for the good stuff.

Tip box I

If this is your first character, welcome to the server! Now would be a good time as any to set up all your keybindings with the new UI. Hit Esc -> Shortcuts, and map everything out however you'd like. Once that's done if you're still totally lost or have nothing to do, check out my ridiculous Novice Guide to get yourself on the right track. Just note that whatever you do, don't warp directly to Prontera to start asking players for frees. Reality is harsh in the regard that there's no room for career improvement in the Begging Industry. Even the most skillful and seasoned beggars can never match the wealth of those who worked at it the hard way, or those who have ridiculous luck and always end up winning at the slot machine I just wasted 200 dollars on.

Your first step would be to talk to Shion twice for base level ten. Just like that and you've shaved off a whole ten levels. Damn you're good. Men, take this opportunity to go grab a cold one in celebration. Ladies, feel free to grab a cold one as well, or do whatever it is you ladies do to celebrate. Phone all your friends. You're that much closer to the goal!

Since I've already written a guide for training grounds, I'll start here by assuming you stayed as far away from that place as humanly possible. If you do decide to go through it (which I recommend) you can almost skip the entire first section of this guide. Sounds appealing when I put it like that doesn't it?

But if you really insist on skipping it, go ahead and talk to the warper and warp to a town that isn't heavily populated. Since you're only job level 1, you can't trade others, but the five-second rule still applies. If you have another character, or a buddy who's loaded, call them on over and have them drop you some starter gear. (A few butterfly wings, 100 flywings, some potions if you're a melee class, maybe a better weapon, a few cold ones, a burger... it's going to be a long trip, so bring everything.)

Tip Box II

If you're a melee class and have HP cards collecting dust, save yourself some grief and put them to use. Pupa, Remover, Roda Frog, Fabre, Incubus/Succubus combo, this stuff speeds up low leveling by a longshot. Also, if you're lacking weapons, visit Einbroch and buy yourself a Kindle Dagger, which can be used right from Novice Level 1. Up it to +7, and you've just made a beastly Payon Dungeon knife.

Now that you're loaded, you have two good choices:

1. Ant Hell Level 1. You know why the ants call it hell? They know you're coming. Take out those eggs until you're Job Level 10 and go hand in your resume.
2. Fields. Prontera Field 5, 6, 7, Geffen Field 0, 4, 7, any of these are good. Our goal's to get Job Level 10, so just a couple kills will get us there.

Now that you're JLvl 10, max out Basic Skill and warp to Prontera to join the workforce. New players, if you're looking for the Stylist she's in the house South-West of the fountain in the middle of town. If you're looking for free zeny or items, don't even ask.

Section II: First Day on the Job

Tip Box III

Much like a real job, these first decisions count. If you show up to work hungover, naked, and looking to party, chances are you're not going to suceed unless you're part of the 1% of the population that deals in that line of work. So make sure you're fully buffed, clothed, and rolling solo. The town healers will Buff you until you're Base Level 70, so be sure to abuse this service as often as possible. I even go back right before I hit 70 just because I can. Every little bit helps.

If you're a melee class, be sure to keep using that Kindle Dagger from Einbroch I was mentioning about unless you've already made something meaner. If you're a caster class and have multiple elements at your disposal, you'll want to prioritize Fire as your weapon of choice. We're not here to put on a light show or give someone the sniffles, we're here to show them we mean business.

Job Level 1 - Second Job Change:

1. Payon Dungeon 1. Sometimes the dead just don't stay dead. Put these fools out of their misery, and stay here until Base Level 40. Melees, depending on your gear and build, it might not be a bad idea to stay here a little longer. Acolytes, this place was made for you. Once you feel you're strong enough, venture down to level 2 and start killing there. Casters, get ready to rock, we're leaving town. Supernovices, stick as a Fire caster for now and you won't regret it.
2. More Fields - Mjolnir Field 7, Morroc Field 2 (Peco Pecos), Geffen Field 9, 13, Payon Forest 1, 6, or if you want my advice, Morroc Field 18. Mukas. They're easy to kill, and they have an excellent HP/EXP ratio, much better than anything you'll find in the first floors of Payon Dungeon. Not to mention if you're still rocking that Kindle Dagger, or if you're a Fire caster, they're weak to it.

Tip Box IV

If you're a new player, the benefits of Payon Dungeon 1 may out-weigh the extra experience from leveling in the field. Opals and Skull Rings which drop here vend for 3000 and 5000 before Overcharge, which can help incredibly if this is your first character. If your character isn't a Merchant class, I recommend creating one and leveling it up so you have Level 10 Overcharge and Discount. Getting into the habit of DC/OCing everything you buy and sell will add up to millions and millions by the time you finally get bored of RO. Acolytes, make sure to save an Opal you find in this place since you'll need it for your Holy Light Quest.

Base Level 30 - Second Job

Time to start getting serious. Ranged classes - all you Archers, Mages, Gunslingers, Ninjas, rich Swordies/Merchants with a Fireblend, you now have two awesome choices: Geographers or Droseras. Hunting Geographers is your safer bet, as the best field of Droseras (Rachael Field 9) also has a few Hill Winds running wild that you're likely not strong enough to handle... for now. Einbroch Field 7 is my field of choice for Geos, as there are Metalings you can take out for quick exp as well. If you're capable of killing either Geos and Dros, expect to level like crazy.

Melees, I haven't forgotton about you. Tried-and-true methods usually range from anything to Orc Dungeon, Sandmen, Savages, Payon Dungeon 2-4, Toy Factory 1 and 2, or you can also head to Metalings and do the same thing as the casters. I tend to keep my leveling spots the same on all my chars, but the choice is yours. Use Bash or Mammonite to get the job done fast. Thieves, even though you're going to be a super-mega-god-of-PvP-Assassin-Cross, for now you're still a ranged char in my books, so stick to the fire arrows and blast those Geos!

Tip Box V

Always look ahead with your character. Archers, choosing to level at Droseras instead of Geographers is highly beneficial if you can score some Drosera cards for yourself. Sometimes it's more time-effective to mix your farming and leveling together, than leveling slightly faster on something else, and coming back later for hours in search of a card.

Acolytes, stay in Payon Dungeon 2 until you just can't handle it anymore, and then head to Glast Heim. Glast Heim Churchyard and St. Abbey are both awesome maps, so take your pick. Note though that Churchyard is a PvP enabled map since it's Dark Lord's crib. Be sure to keep an eye out for other players on PvP maps, and don't take it to heart if they kill you. Leveling on one is taking a risk in the first place, so keep your cool, just get back at them later!

Section III: Promotion and Beyond

Once you're Job Level 40, switch to your second class (unless you're extended) and head back to the field you've been leveling at. Since we'll be transing very soon, 99% of the time you can get away easily with only Job Level 40 - it's only after you've trans'd that you'll want to shoot for 50. If you're fighting Geos or Droseras, it's safe to stay on these until Base Level 60+. So take it from me, don't waste time when you don't have to!

Once this chump-change starts getting slow, it's time to move up to stronger targets. Everyone has different opinions on the best spots to level, but here are some basic examples to point you on the right track:

Dungeons:

Pyramids Level 4 (PvP)

Isis is your target, and they're great. Note that killing the Matyrs isn't a bad idea either, as they drop a good footgear card. Just remember this is a PvP map, so watch out for the MVP Osiris, Ancient Mummies and other players.

Sphinx Level 4

Anubis - Priests, use Turn Undead, Millionaires, use Ygg Leaves

Ice Dungeon 1

(Siromas. If you're a caster class and have a Wind spell at your disposal (Jupital Thunder, Thunderbolt, North Wind etc.) you should be able to one shot these guys, provided you've been stacking Int. Plus, if you plan on doing the Rachael Sanctuary Quest, hang onto the Glacial Hearts! You'll need 40 of them for the quest.

Glast Heim Churchyard/St. Abbey

Evil Druids are still good, and Rogues, you'll want their card. Trust me on that one.

Thanatos Tower 2

Ancient Mimics aren't half bad, and if you're planning on creating your own guild, be sure to kill the regular Mimics too, as they can drop Emperiums.

Fields:

Comodo Field 2

Seals! They're good, no lie.

Einbroch Field 6

Goats. if you can handle them. I never bothered, as they only drop herbs and bottles, and the EXP/HP ratio isn't the best around.

Geffen Field 14 (West Orc Village, PvP)

High Orcs. Oh yes. These guys are excellent for EXP. They're weak to water and slightly weak to poison, so use these to your advantage. Watch out for the MVP Orc Hero, and also other players.

Note that these are just a few examples, as there are many different places you can go to continue on leveling. If a certain field is too populated, be creative! Or take a chance and check out random fields, you never know what you might find. I also left out Rachael Sanctuary on purpose. This is because we won't be doing that quest quite yet, and once we do you'll be far too powerful to even bother. It'll be on farm status by then.

Tip Box VI

Be smart with your class. Learn to use your skills as effectively as possible, not just for PvP but also for faster leveling. Assassins can head to Juperos Core and Grimtooth the Venatus for fast leveling and fast money. Wizards, Sages and Supernovices will want to JT/TB Siromas as they're passive, and easy to one-shot. Experiment a little, you'll find it'll pay off in the long run.

Once you hit Base Level 60, it's time to give yourself a boost. We're going to be completing the Lost Child Quest and turning in the first part of the Rachel Sanctuary Quest. If you're looking to level as fast as possible, I highly recommend you complete them now.

• Lost Child Quest
• Rachel Sanctuary Quest

In short, here's how it's going to go down. You complete up to step 12 in the Lost Child guide, then you start the Rachael Sanctuary Quest and complete up to Step 12 in that one as well. This will grant you 2 EXP rewards: one from turning in the Fireworks, and one for completing the Lost Child Quest by talking to Zhed. Whether you choose to complete the Rachael Sanctuary Quest as well at this point is up to you. I would recommend not to at this point.

Once you turned those in, it's time to abuse Manuk Field 2 if you're able. This will be more difficult for Melee classes, but if you're able to find a tank or a party, do it. Tatachos have one of the most amusing AIs ever. They're passive, and if you hit them and walk far enough away, they'll go back to sleep. These guys are my kind of mob. Hit and run tactics work nicely here, and the EXP is unbeatable for the low level of difficulty to kill. If you're able, stay here until Base Level 99.

For those of you less fortunate, you have two options. You can complete the Rachel Sanctuary Quest to give yourself one more boost, or you can stay on the fields you've been leveling at. If you're planning on questing, be sure not to turn in the Curse of Gae Bolg quest until later. Extended classes, knock yourself out as you guys can laugh at everyone else once they've trans'd, and continue along with your super-fast leveling speed.

Section IV: Pre-Trans, oh yes.

So you've hit 99/50, and you're just about ready to head to Prontera to start it all over again. Wait up. There's one more thing we're going to do first, and you will thank me later for stopping you.

This quest is going to be the most awesome thing you've done yet, and you'll phone all your friends to tell about it after. The quest itself isn't all that amazing, but the reward is. Make sure you have 1 Yellow Gemstone, 1 Green Potion and 1000z on you beforehand. The trick to this is we're only going to complete this quest up to Part 15 in the guide, and choose to see Father Bamph first. Once you've done this, go to Prontera, become Reborn, and continue the rest of the quest. You'll waltz right into the Prontera Church a lowly Level 1, and come out a beastly Level 87. Cheers! You just earned another cold one.

The funny part for me is that I've walked many people through this quest and the reactions are always priceless. Cheats. Hacks. Holy mother of god. Call it whatever you will, it is awesome and you know it. Getting to your second Job will take you mere minutes now, and you can laugh quietly to yourself whenever you meet someone who didn't know of this little trick.

Tip Box VII

Don't feel bad if you forget this too, as I've done it a couple times myself. Make sure before you trans, to unload all your extra stuff in storage, especially if you're going from a high STR class like a Knight or Monk. Also while you're rooting through storage, grab yourself a Knife so you don't frustrate yourself trying to bare-hand barbrawl mobs for your first few job levels. This is exceptionally frustrating if you're a Mage class with no STR.

For now, this will be all. This post is long enough, and if you made it through it all you have my thumbs up. Part II of this guide will pick up where this one leaves off, and it will carry you all the way to 170 with several tricks for speeding things up along the way. In closing, I'll leave you with a few useful links you can also find at the bottom of my Training Grounds Guide.

Useful Links

Rate My Server

Everyone's favorite RO database

IROWiki

Everything you wish you never learned about RO and then some

Item Refining Success Rates

Weapon Type vs. Monster Size Table

Yes Champs, asura with a mace, not a fist, unless you're hunting baby chars.

ShmaRO Control Panel

Hey, some people don't know about it!

Useful @commands

@who, @who2

Shows the Name/party/level/joblevel/class of the specified character. Example: @who2 Redline would result in: Name: Redline | L:170/50 | Job: Badass. No more needing to ask people what level they are! Covert OPs yo, this is military stuff.

@mi

Shows all information for the current Monster including stats, drops, and drop rates. You must input the Mob ID in order for this command to work. Example: Typing @mi 1031 will show all the information for a Poporing. Since the drop rates here are based on a Logarithmic system, the actual rates will vary greatly from what you see on RateMyServer.net.

Good luck, have fun, and don't feel too bad if you've been putting off leveling. Look at it this way, procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.

Thanks to Redline for the guide.