WarriorSTR · Melee fighters with the highest HP
MagicianINT · Spellcasters
BowmanDEX · Ranged attackers
ThiefLUK · Fast and evasiveShould You Quest or Grind in MapleStory Classic World? Do Both, Here's the Split
Grind for your levels, quest for your gear. In MapleStory Classic World most of your EXP comes from killing monsters, but a handful of quests are too good to skip: the cheap early ones that fill a big chunk of a level, the ones that hand out equipment or scrolls, and anything that sends you to the map you were going to train on anyway.
Our take: on Maple Island and in Lith Harbor, quest everything. From 10 to 30, grind, and pick up quests that overlap your training or give gear. Big chains like 2nd job (30) and Shumi's jump quests (35) are each worth about a tenth of a level.
Assumptions
This is a recommendation, not a rule. It assumes you're playing a normal solo or small-party character, you care about leveling speed and early gear, and you're not running a meso-farming alt. If you enjoy the story, do every quest. Classic World is built to be played slowly, and Inkwell has said the time players invest is meant to be part of progression.
What the numbers say
Quest EXP and the EXP needed per level are both from the launch game data.
| Level | Quest(s) | Quest EXP | EXP for that level | Share of the level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Olaf's two trainings + Teo's two hobbies (Lith Harbor) | 4 × 124 = 496 | 840 | about 59% |
| 20 | Jane and the Mushroom | 1,610 | 20,216 | about 8% |
| 21 | Proof of Companionship (KPQ) | 1,870 | 24,402 | about 8% |
| 30 | 2nd job chain, first two steps | 2 × 4,780 = 9,560 | 95,700 | about 10% |
| 35 | Shumi's three Construction Site quests | 3 × 6,720 = 20,160 | 174,216 | about 12% |
Two patterns stand out. Early quests are huge relative to the level, so they're always worth it. Later quests settle at around a tenth of a level for a whole chain, which is nice but won't replace grinding.
When to quest
- Maple Island and Lith Harbor, always. A full clear of Snail Hunting Ground II (29 Snails at 2 EXP, 13 Blue Snails at 4) is worth 110 EXP, so a single Maple Island quest is worth several full map clears. Do Pio's quest for The Green Relaxer chair before you leave, because you can't go back to Maple Island.
- When the quest gives gear or scrolls. Jane and the Mushroom gives a random Intermediate weapon attack scroll. Nella's Andre's Request (level 10, after Shumi's Request) gives Work Gloves. Gear quests save you mesos. Our level 10 checklist lists the early ones.
- When it overlaps your map. If you're killing Octopi anyway, a quest that wants Octopus Legs is free EXP.
- Story chains you must do anyway. The 2nd job chain is mandatory and pays 9,560 EXP on the way. See what to do at level 30.
When to grind
- Most of the time from 10 to 30. Kill speed on the right map is what moves your bar. Route: where to train from 10 to 30.
- When you need mesos. Grinding is the steadiest early meso source, because drops, ETC items and ores come in while you level. More in how to make mesos.
- When a quest wants rare drops from a map you'd never train on. Skip it, or come back later when you outlevel the map.
The middle ground
Party up. KPQ, open from level 21 in a party of four, is half quest, half grind, and its quest Proof of Companionship adds 1,870 EXP and an earring scroll. See the KPQ guide.