AcornStory -- Questing and Enjoying Episode I

http://maplestory.nexon.net/FunStuff/GMB...ageIndex=1

Welcome to AcornStory, our ongoing feature where we help you get started in Maple World – everything from choosing a class to finding friends to understanding combat to tips for account security. MapleStory is easy to learn, but once you learn the basic game mechanics, where do you go and what do you do? That’s where AcornStory can help.

[SIZE="4"]Questing and Enjoying Episode I![/SIZE]

In a previous AcornStory we discussed how to level up your character. Your character levels up by battling monsters and completing quests. Each time you kill a monster or complete a quest, you'll gain a certain amount of experience points (EXP). When you gain a certain amount, your character will go up a level and gain in power. While the experience points and treasures you might gain are reasons enough to go on quests, the main reason to do them is because they're fun! You'll get involved in a little story within the bigger world of MapleStory and get to be a hero for people in need!

[SIZE="4"]What is a Quest?[/SIZE]

Quests are tasks or requests made to you by the people of Maple World. There's a lot of danger out there and there's a constant need for heroes. By talking to the people of MapleStory, you can find out what they need and if you successfully help them out, they'll reward you with exprience points and treasures.

In order to start a quest, you'll need to look for a character with a light bulb over their head. That means that they're looking for help. Double click on the character to begin talking to him or her.

[SIZE="2"]

I have a quest!

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Pro Tip: Sometimes you'll see a light bulb over your own head when you first log in to the game. That means you've recieved a special quest. You can accept it by double-clicking on the bulb and accepting it. These quests are usually special quests that you recieve during special events such as holidays.

Once you click on the character, a window containing text will pop up on the screen. This is quest text. It explains the character's story, what his or her problem is, and what they need you to do in order to solve it. This usually involves battling against monsters until you kill a certain number or collecting a certain number of things out in Maple World. Once you complete the conditions of the quest, you can return to the quest giver for your reward.

Sometimes you'll see a blue "Next" button at the bottom of the text. That means the character has more to tell you. Once you've finished reading the story, you'll see an "Accept" and a "Decline" button. You may decline the quest if you think it's too hard for your level or you're not interested in the task. Hitting "Accept" will move the quest to to your quest journal.

[SIZE="4"]The Quest Journal[/SIZE]

You may access your quest journal at any time by hitting the quest journal hot key (default: "Q").

Your journal is divided into three tabs:

Available: This tab displays the quests that are available at your level. These are the same quests that are given out by non-player characters (NPCs) and you can read the quest text and accept them just as if you were talking to that character. In order to complete the quest though, you will need to talk to the quest giver in person. This tab is often used by more advanced players to avoid long trips to find quest givers.

In Progress: These are quests you've accepted. Clicking on the quest will let you re-read the information about the quest and give you information about your progress toward completing it.

Complete: These are quests you've finished.

[SIZE="5"]Episode I[/SIZE]

Not all quests are created equal! Some are fun and simple to do but don't provide much in the way of rewards. Others are very difficult and may provide great rewards. The toughest quests may require you to join up with other players to take down a monster that's too powerful for one person to defeat alone. These are sometimes referred to as Party Quests or PQs.

Episode I is a series of quests that can be undertaken by relatively low-level players. They provide a lot of experience and a number of rare and powerful items as a reward. They also provide an excellent example fo the different types of quests available in the game including "class quests," "general quests," and "Party quests" (or PQs).

[SIZE="4"]Getting Started[/SIZE]

Episode I becomes available when a player makes their first job advancement. Job advancements are when beginning characters have achieved sufficient level to select their class (See here for details on choosing classes for Explorers and Cygnus Knights. Evans and Arans have their classes set when they're created) (See here and scroll down to Job Advancement for details on job advancement). Episode I will remain available until a character reaches level 40.

Episode I is well worth doing for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that players can obtain a powerful hat that's unique to their class as well as participate in an exciting storyline that culminates in defeating a mighty demon.

How you begin Episode I depends on what class you're playing. Each class has a different quest that they and only they may complete. These are referred to as class quests. If you're not of the proper class to accept a class quest, you won't be able to accept it and may be pointed toward the quest giver who can offer you the equivalent quest for your class.

When you have found the proper quest giver for your class, he or she will give you an initial quest. Once you finish this and return to them, they will give you a follow-up quest. Related quests in a series like this are often called a quest chain or a quest line. The final quest of this series will have you battle against a powerful demon. This monster will be tougher than the usual monsters you will face and you may have to try multiple times to defeat it.

Check the classes below to find out which class quest line you should be pursuing.

Warrior Quest Line: This line can be pursued by Warriors, Dawn Warriors, and Arans.
Story: Investigate a problem with the city of Perion’s water supply.
Quest Giver: Find Dances with Balrog in Perion.
Final Class Quest Boss:

Andras

Magician Quest Line: This line can be pursued by Magicians, Blaze Wizards, and Evans.
Story: Find out who is spreading a virus around Victoria Island.
Quest Giver: Find Grendel the Really Old in Ellinia.
Final Class Quest Boss:

Marbas

Thief Quest Line: This line can be pursued by Thieves, Dual Blades, and Night Walkers.
Story: Discover who robbed Ellinia’s treasury.
Quest Giver: Find the Dark Lord in Kerning City.
Final Class Quest Boss:

Valefor

Bowman Quest Line: This line can be pursued by Bowmen and Wind Archers.
Story: Discover the secrets of an ancient bow that is deep in a forest.
Quest Giver: Find Athena Pierce in Henesys.
Final Class Quest Boss:

Amdusias

Pirate Quest Line: This line can be pursued by Pirates and Thunder Breakers.
Story: Repair a mysterious treasure map and finding out who created it.
Quest Giver: Find Kyrin in the Nautilus.
Final Class Quest Boss:

Crocell

If you are unsure where to go or who to talk to at any point during a quest, open your quest log and look in the "Job" category under the "In Progress" tab.

Once you complete these first series of quests, you'll receive rewards made especially for your class. These include a powerful hat made from the head of the demon you killed!

[SIZE="4"]Astaroth[/SIZE]

Once you have completed your class’ quest line, another quest line then becomes available. Unlike your previous quests, this quest line is open to every class. These kinds of open quests are sometimes called general quests. To find them, open your quest log, look under the Available Quests tab for a section called "Victoria Island."

Once you start this quest chain, you will follow a story in which you look for clues about who was controlling the actions of the demon you destroyed. You will eventually come to the town of Sleepywood. There a character called "The Rememberer" will help you piece together the clues you found and figure out the identity of the malevolent force. You'll follow another quest designed to prepare you for your battle with that evil -- a much more powerful demon named Astaroth.

The battle with Astaroth is an example of a Party Quest. Astaroth will be too tough to defeat on your own. You'll need to find and party up with three to five other Maplers in order to defeat him. If you do though, it's well worth it for the experience points and the many potions he drops when he dies. If you keep a sharp eye out you might even be able to catch one of the powerful weapons he occassionally drops. After your victory, return to The Rememberer to receive your reward!

Happy questing, Mapler!

Old Quest window.

This is massively ironic due to the fact that I am about to finish something related to quests.

This is massively ironic due to the fact that I am about to finish something related to quests.

I don't see the irony.

I don't see the irony.

You don't even know what I was talking about therefore it would be impossible for you to see it.

You don't even know what I was talking about therefore it would be impossible for you to see it.

I'm basically asking what's ironic.

For the 5 year's I've been playing this game, I have possibly enjoyed... 10/Countless quests.

This is massively ironic due to the fact that I am about to finish something related to quests.

The massive quest guide thing?

The massive quest guide thing?

touche

They never explained why warrior, magician, bowman and thief bosses all have heads of an animal and the pirate boss (which looks like a raccoon-woman) has a female human face. Unfair? at the Funfair?

They never explained why warrior, magician, bowman and thief bosses all have heads of an animal and the pirate boss (which looks like a raccoon-woman) has a female human face. Unfair? at the Funfair?

Which if I recall correctly turns out to be a male reguardless of that.

touche

They never explained why warrior, magician, bowman and thief bosses all have heads of an animal and the pirate boss (which looks like a raccoon-woman) has a female human face. Unfair? at the Funfair?

I figured it looks like a cat.

I figured it looks like a cat.

I figured it was supposed to be Inuyasha or something the first time I saw it.

Which if I recall correctly turns out to be a male reguardless of that.

Still my favourite, though...