Best Places for a Thief to Train from Level 1–30 in MapleStory Classic World

Kerning City is a different kind of hometown. Instead of open forests, you get construction sites, a subway and a chain of swamps, all within a few maps of town. This guide covers the best places for a Thief to train in MapleStory Classic World, from Maple Island at level 1 to the Dark Lord’s 2nd job test at level 30, with a stop at Kerning City’s party quest on the way.

Level 1–10: Maple Island

Everyone starts as a Beginner on Maple Island and moves on to Victoria Island later (Nexon’s Grand Launch Release Notes). The Maple Island guide lists every quest there. Here’s what you’ll be hunting:

The fastest way through the island is to follow the quests:

1. Sam’s Suggestion: Sam on Snail Hunting Ground I asks for 10 Snails; Mai on A Split Road pays 30 EXP.
2. Mai’s Training (level 3): 10 Blue Snails, 10 Shrooms and 5 Red Snails for 80 EXP.
3. Mai’s Final Training: one Orange Mushroom for 120 EXP and 150 mesos.
4. Letter for Lucas: Maria, also on A Split Road, needs a letter taken to Lucas in Amherst. Bringing back Lucas’s Reply pays 120 EXP and a hat.

Orange Mushrooms (Level 8) are the toughest monster on Maple Island. In a Small Forest and Snail Field of Flowers, near Amherst, are good places to finish up before Shanks in Southperry sails you to Victoria Island.

Olaf’s training in Lith Harbor

From level 8, Olaf in Lith Harbor has Olaf’s First Training (8 Stumps and 8 Slimes) and Olaf’s Second Training (8 Pigs and 8 Orange Mushrooms). Each pays 124 EXP and 277 mesos; the first adds 8 Red Potions and 8 Blue Potions, and the second adds 3 Return Scrolls.

1st job advancement at level 10

Thieves advance with the Dark Lord in the Thieves’ Hideout in Kerning City (“Those that want to be a thief, come…”). Nexon names him as the level 10 Thief advancer (Grand Launch Release Notes). The Lith Harbor to Kerning City route shows the way, through the L Forest maps just before town.

Best places for a Thief to train: level 10–15

Octopuses (Level 12) are the monster of choice here, and you’ll find them on the construction sites around Kerning City.

Kerning City Construction Site is right outside town and mixes Octopuses with Stumps and Orange Mushrooms. Caution Falling Down, just beyond it, has Octopuses, Orange Mushrooms and a few Blue Mushrooms. If you’d like a change, L Forest I has Ribbon Pigs (Level 10), and Sunset Sky, another exit from town, has Stumps and Dark Stumps.

Level 15–20

The Kerning City Subway opens up for you at this level.

Line 1 <Area 1> is only two maps from town, through the Subway Ticketing Booth, and Bubblings (Level 15) are the only monster on it. It’s one of the simplest places to grind in the whole range. If you want something a bit stronger near 20, the Octopus maps Caution Falling Down and Northern Top of Construction Site also have a few Blue Mushrooms (Level 19).

Level 20–25

Go one map deeper into the subway, or start on the swamps.

The Transfer Area past Line 1 <Area 1> has only Stirges (Level 20). For Jr. Neckis (Level 21), The Murky Swamp I is reached through Niora Hospital in Kerning City. The Murky Swamp II, past it, was added in the launch patch (v1.0.0 patch notes). Both also have Ligators (Level 31), so stay alert. Past The Murky Swamp II is the Cabin of the Forsaken, where Shade is found. Shade is one of the six bosses Nexon lists for launch, so leave it alone for now.

Kerning City Party Quest at level 21

From level 21 you can also try Kerning City’s party quest, “First Time Together.” Nexon says you start it with Lakelis in Kerning City, and parties solve puzzles, defeat monsters and face King Slime (Grand Launch Release Notes). Lakelis’s quest Proof of Companionship (level 21) pays 1,870 EXP and 687 mesos. See the First Time Together questline for details.

Level 25–30

Ligators in the swamps right outside town take you most of the way, and Jr. Wraiths in the subway take you the rest.

The Swamp of Despair I is one map from town. Ligators are Level 31, a little above you, and they share the swamp with Jr. Neckis, Slimes and a few Horny Mushrooms. Stop at The Swamp of Despair III: the next maps, Dangerous Croko I and II, have Crocos (Level 52).

As you get closer to 30, Line 1 <Area 2> and Line 2 <Area 1> have Jr. Wraiths (Level 34). Area 2 also has Stirges, and Line 2 <Area 1> has Jr. Neckis. Don’t go farther down the lines yet: Line 1 <Area 3> and beyond have Wraiths (Level 48).

1st-job Thief skills worth knowing

Your skill book is Introduction to the Thief. In the skills’ own words:

• Lucky Seven: throws 2 throwing stars at a single enemy in front of you, “dealing powerful damage based on LUK.” Damage 60% at level 1, 140% at level 20. It uses LUK “regardless of Claw Mastery.”
• Double Stab: “Consumes MP to quickly stab a monster twice using a dagger.” Damage 80% at level 1, 160% at level 20.
• Dark Sight: hide in the shadows; you “cannot be attacked and cannot attack while hidden.” At level 1 it costs 50 MP and slows you by 20; at level 20 it costs 30 MP and you move at regular speed. It needs level 3 Disorder.
• Disorder: lowers an enemy’s Attack Power and Weapon Def. At level 20 it gives Attack Power -25 and Weapon Def. -5 for 30 sec.
• Nimble Body: Accuracy and Evasion +1 at level 1, up to +15 each.
• Keen Eyes: increases attack range for throwing weapons (needs level 3 Nimble Body).

Getting ready for 2nd job at level 30

Nexon lists two Thief 2nd jobs at level 30, both from the Dark Lord: Assassin and Bandit (Grand Launch Release Notes). Their skill books are Assassin Skills and Bandit’s Tricks.

The questline The Thief’s Next Journey works like this:

1. The Thief’s Next Journey (level 30, Thief): visit the Dark Lord again.
2. Finding the Instructor: deliver The Dark Lord’s Letter to the Thief Job Instructor at the Construction Site North of Kerning City.
3. Test of Qualification: the instructor sends you into a hidden area to collect 30 Dark Marbles. A hidden map called Thief’s Construction Site has Level 30 Blue Mushrooms and Cold Eyes.
4. Proof of Qualification: bring The Proof of a Hero back to the Dark Lord.

Steps 1 and 2 give 4,780 EXP each. The instructor’s map is one of your level 10–15 spots, two maps from town through Sunset Sky, so you already know the way.

For more monsters in this range, see monsters by level, 11–20 and 21–30, or the Training Spots by Level guide for the levels after 30.