MapleStory Classic World vs Original MapleStory: What Changed

Quick summary

• Classic World is a permanent, free-to-play world inside Global MapleStory that recreates the pre-Big Bang game (2003 to 2008). It launches for everyone on October 21, 2026, and Founder's Access progress carries over (wiki Differences page, citing Nexon).
• What changed: the Magician's first job moves from level 8 to 10, starting stats are chosen instead of rolled, scrolls come in four named tiers, and two systems are new: six crafting professions from level 10 and Citizenship in Henesys or Kerning City. The level cap is 100.
• What's held back: 3rd job, Orbis, and El Nath aren't in the launch build. Nexon says they'll be reworked and added later, with no date. Pirates aren't in, and the wiki finds no way to form a guild at launch.
• What stayed: Maple Island for levels 1 to 10, Victoria Island's six towns, the four job branches, and the Free Market, with no auction house.

Checked against the Founder's Access build on October 13, 2026. Grand Launch is October 21, 2026; see the end of the guide for what may change.

Understand what Classic World is

• Not a separate game. It runs as a permanent world inside the modern Global MapleStory client, not a seasonal event. It's free to play, in the GMS regions: North America, Europe, and other non-Asian territories (Differences page).
• One world, called Windia, divided into channels (wiki Classic World page).
• Launch dates: Founder's Package sales started September 2, Founder's Access opened October 6, and Grand Launch is October 21, 2026. There won't be another test (Nexon's Ossyria Exploration Report, via the wiki). Our Founder's Access guide covers the packages.
• New controls: gamepad support, which the original game never had, plus three starting key layouts, three saved presets, and a twelve-slot quick bar (wiki Classic World page).
• Shared accounts: maplestory-classic.com points to Nexon's memo that account sanctions apply across GMS and Classic World. Check Nexon's FAQ for which currencies and benefits are shared.

See the launch world at a glance

What	At launch
Continents	Maple Island (Lv 1–10) and Victoria Island (Lv 10 and up)
Victoria Island towns	Lith Harbor, Henesys, Ellinia, Perion, Kerning City, Sleepywood, plus Florina Beach by ferry
Monsters	56 at launch (50 regular plus 6 bosses), from the level 1 Snail to the level 80 Jr. Balrog
Maps	278
Quests	276
NPCs	186
Skills	80
Items	2,465
Shops	30

These counts come from the wiki's Classic World page, built from the launch client. The max level is 100, per Nexon's Founder's Access release notes (planet-helper).

Check what changed

System	Original MapleStory	Classic World	Status (source)
Classes	Four branches at launch, Pirates later (2008)	Warrior, Magician, Bowman, Thief only	Pirates absent: confirmed — Nexon's Founder's Access notes list Warrior, Magician, Bowman and Thief only (wiki)
First job	Magician at 8, others at 10	All four at 10	Confirmed (Nexon test notes, wiki)
Second job	Level 30	Level 30	Same
Starting stats	Dice roll, re-rolled at creation	Each stat starts at 4, plus 9 points to place freely	Confirmed
Starting outfit	Fixed kit	Pick from short lists of tops, bottoms, shoes, and weapons	Confirmed
Scrolls	Named by percentage (10%, 60%, 100%)	Four tiers: Lesser 100% (+1), Intermediate 60% (+2), Greater 10% (+3), Chaos 10% (+4, 50% chance to destroy the item on a fail)	Launch data (planet-helper)
Crafting	None	Six professions from level 10: Smithing, Weaponcrafting, Tailoring, Woodcrafting, Leatherworking, Arcforge	Confirmed (Nexon test notes, wiki)
Town reputation	None	Citizenship in Henesys or Kerning City from level 12	Launch data
Attack buffs	One attack stat	Weapon Attack (gear) and Attack Power (buffs) count separately. Rage adds Attack Power	Launch data
Skills	Original values	50 skills changed between the second test and launch. Final Attack's trigger chance is a flat 25% at every level. Slash Blast hits up to 6 targets	Datamined (our skill changes guide)
Trading in NL/BE	Allowed	Players in the Netherlands and Belgium can't trade, drop, or loot items	Confirmed (Nexon notice, wiki)
Cash Shop	Mixed	Nexon says it focuses on cosmetics and convenience, with no items that directly raise EXP or character strength	Nexon statement

For the details, see our scrolling guide, crafting guide, and Citizenship guide.

Example: you remember re-rolling a Thief at creation for 4 STR, 25 DEX, 4 INT, and 13 LUK. That spread is gone. You start every stat at 4 and place 9 points yourself, so the most a single stat can open at is 13.

Check what's held back

Content	In the original	In Classic World at launch	What to do instead
3rd job (level 70)	Yes	Not in the launch build. It was in the second test. Nexon says it'll be reworked and added gradually, with no date	Plan your build to level 70 on second-job skills
Orbis and El Nath (Ossyria)	Yes	Not in the launch build, for the same reason	Train on Victoria Island. It has monsters up to level 80
Ludibrium, Aqua Road, Leafre	Yes	Never in any test build, and unconfirmed by any official source	Don't plan around them
Guilds	Yes	The client has a guild system, but its only NPC (Heracle) and Guild HQ are in Orbis. The wiki says a character can't form a guild at launch	Use parties and buddy lists. Recheck when Orbis arrives
Zakum	Yes	No Zakum boss. "Zakum" is a Founder's Package tier name	See our bosses guide for the bosses that are in
Forgotten Hollow (new area)	Never existed	The wiki says it's not in the game at launch (version 0.9.0). planet-helper says it's closed during Founder's Access and Nexon will open it later	Treat it as future content
Pirates	Added 2008	Not in the test builds. Absence rumored, high confidence	Pick from the four branches

Check what stayed the same

• The early route. You start in Amherst on Maple Island, train to level 10, and take the boat from Southperry to Lith Harbor.
• The four job towns and their instructors: Perion (Warrior), Ellinia (Magician), Henesys (Bowman), Kerning City (Thief). Sleepywood leads to the dungeons.
• Second-job choices: Fighter, Page, and Spearman; Fire/Poison Wizard, Ice/Lightning Wizard, and Cleric; Hunter and Crossbowman; Assassin and Bandit.
• The Free Market. The wiki's Differences page tags it Unchanged. There's still no auction house. Our Free Market guide covers stores and Hired Merchants.
• Party quests. The Kerning City Party Quest is in, with King Slime at the end.

Know which bosses are in

maplestory-classic.com's October 8 update cites Nexon's Founder's Access release notes naming Mano, Mushmom, Shade, Zombie Mushmom, and Jr. Balrog, plus King Slime inside the Kerning City Party Quest. The wiki's Classic World page lists Mano (20), King Slime (32), Mushmom (40), Shade (48), Zombie Mushmom (55), and Jr. Balrog (80); Shade and the Lv 55 Zombie Mushmom were added for launch.

Check your memory in five steps

maplestory-classic.com suggests a short routine for returning players. Here's our version, using the tables above:

1. List the places you plan to visit. Keep Maple Island, Victoria Island, and Florina Beach. Move anything in Ossyria or beyond to a "later" list.
2. List the bosses you want to fight. Keep Mano, King Slime, Mushmom, Zombie Mushmom, Shade, and Jr. Balrog. Zakum and anything in El Nath wait.
3. Check your build against second job. If it relies on a 3rd-job skill, it can't work yet.
4. Recheck your stat plan. Starting stats are placed, not rolled. Our AP build guide covers the targets.
5. Recheck any skill numbers you remember. About half of the skills that changed moved a real number, according to our skill changes guide.

Plan your first character around the launch ceiling

• Your character tops out on second-job skills. Third job isn't in, so plan SP and AP to level 70 on your second-job kit. Our first-character party plan compares the jobs.
• Learn one craft early. Crafting opens at level 10, and it's the only source of gloves and most weapons from level 35 for some jobs.
• Pick a Citizenship town at level 12. It's new, so returning players often skip it.
• Don't save mesos for Orbis or El Nath gear. Nothing there is reachable yet.

If you're returning, boosted, or making an alt

• Returning after years away? Write down the places, bosses, and items you remember, then check each against the held-back table above. Anything from Ossyria or later can wait.
• Powerleveled or boosted? Your second-job skills are the same ones you'd have earned, but check the skill changes guide before you spend SP. Old builds from 2008 may not fit the launch numbers. Our powerleveling page describes that service category.
• Making an alt? Every new character starts at 4 in each stat with 9 points to place, so you can open an alt's main stat at 13 without re-rolling.

Want a hand with this?

If you would rather skip the grind that goes with this, MapleStory Classic powerleveling services are listed on FullBoosts. Read Nexon's Terms of Service before you buy any service from anyone, FullBoosts included — a marketplace listing isn't publisher permission.

What may change at Grand Launch

This guide describes the Founder's Access build as it was on October 13, 2026. Re-check these against Nexon's Grand Launch notes on October 21: whether crafting still stops at craft level 8, whether Forgotten Hollow, Orbis and third jobs stay closed, KPQ channel limits, NPC shop stock, and any Founder's Access-only events or packages mentioned here. Nothing here assumes a closed area or feature will open.

FAQ

Is MapleStory Classic World the same as old MapleStory?

Mostly, but not exactly. It recreates the pre-Big Bang game with the same islands, towns, and jobs. It changes starting stats, scroll tiers, and some skills, adds crafting and Citizenship, and holds back 3rd job and Ossyria.

Does MapleStory Classic World have 3rd job?

Not at launch. Third job (level 70) was in the second test, but Nexon held it back to rework it and hasn't given a date.

Are Pirates in MapleStory Classic World?

No. The launch classes are Warrior, Magician, Bowman, and Thief. The wiki rates Pirates' absence as rumored with high confidence, and they weren't in any test build.

Can you make a guild in MapleStory Classic World?

What is the level cap in MapleStory Classic World?

Level 100, according to Nexon's Founder's Access release notes.

Is there an auction house in MapleStory Classic World?

No. Trading happens in the Free Market, which the wiki lists as unchanged from the original.

Is MapleStory Classic World free to play?

Yes. It's a free-to-play world inside Global MapleStory. Founder's Packages gave early access from October 6 and cosmetics, with no stats, according to planet-helper.