Legends of Aria is a skill-based sandbox MMORPG. In that matter, you are not stuck with a specific structured set of classes/professions, nor limited to where you can go or having to follow a specific story-line to evolve.
Thus the initial choices you will make are not going to limit the evolution of your character's skills.
However there are limits on the maximum amount of skills, stats and abilities points you can train. Certain tools, Weapons, armors and abilities might have specific requirements.
Celador offers protected areas where you can fairly safely roam through, but there are a number of unprotected areas where Open PVP is enabled, beyond the fact that higher level beasts also exist in those. You might want to make sure you achieve a comfortable level of skills and experience with the game before to navigate through those.
Online maps (static and interactive) do exist to help you navigate Celador.
New Player Guide
Character Creation
Upon character creation players are allocated 100 skill points that can be distributed between four skills, you're presented with 4 different starter templates however this choice doesn't have to be permanent for your characters, these are just initial set of skills for your character. You can even alter the skills of the starter templates, for example replacing Slashing on the warrior template with Bashing.
Skills
Legends of Aria relies on a proficiency based system, therefore skill points are gained by performing actions. There are currently 29 skills available, each character's skills are capped at a total of 600 skill points.
This enables you to have 6 skills at 100 skill each or any other combination with a total of 600 skill points.
Don't be afraid to pick up more than 6 skills on your characters at first, since maxing out skills takes quite a while.
Stats
Most activities in Legends of Aria which perform any form of success/failure checking are either dependent on or affected by the stats and/or the skill of the character performing them. There are six stats for players which affect proficiency at certain activities. Stats increase when a player successfully performs an action tied to that stat. For example, fighting with a weapon will affect strength & agility.
Upon character creation, the starting value of each stat is 20. A stat's minimum possible value is 10. The maximum value for any stat is 50. The maximum total value of all stats is 150.
- Strength Increases attack damage and weight capacity in your backpack.
- Agility Increases stamina pool and attack speed.
- Intellect Increases mana pool and slightly boost spells damage.
- Constitution Increases health pool
- Wisdom Decrease the damage you take from enemy spells, like a magic resistance.
- Will Reduces chance to be stunned.
A mighty warrior
Warrior
Starting skills
- Slashing - This is a melee skill, it governs your chance to hit with slashing weapons.
- Vigor - Increases damage output of weapons and the amount of health recovered by healing.
- Healing - Governs the amount of health healed with bandages, can also cure poison and resurrect other players.
- Blocking - Your chance to block attacks with a shield.
Playstyle
Warriors are upfront damage dealers, you'll be auto-attacking your melee targets, each weapon have two different abilities that can be performed, such as Overpower or Mortal Strike. Abilities differ on different weapons.
At a later stage you can learn Prestige Abilities which gives you additional actions to perform.
Your primary means of restoring health is with bandages, in tough spots you can drink a potion and between combat you can eat food which also restores health.
Warriors are a recommended starting template since they don't require any expensive resources, are easy to play and a good starting point to earn some money.
Initial Build
You can visit a NPC trainer to purchase skill training to 30.0 for 3 silver, which is an excellent way to get a head start in a new skill.
| Skills | About | Stats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon skill | Slashing, Bashing, Piercing or Lancing | Strength | 40 |
| Vigor | To increase your weapon damage and healing with bandages. | Agility | 30 |
| Healing | To recover health with bandages. | Intellect | 10 |
| Blocking | Decrease damage taken by blocking attacks with a shield. | Constitution | 30 |
| Armor skill | Light or Heavy Armor proficiency, decreases damage taken. | Wisdom | 30 |
| Fabrication | Up to 25.0 to craft bolt of cloth which can be turned into bandages. | Will | 10 |
Mage
Starting skills
- Manifestation - For casting healing and supportive type of spells.
- Evocation - For casting offensive spells.
- Magic Affinity - Increases spell damage
- Channeling - Recovers mana
Playstyle
Mages are able to cast a variety of spells to deal damage, restore health, create teleportation runes, open portals, resurrect players, etc.
Spells are divided into two different schools of magic. Evocation spells are offensive and damage dealing, while Manifestation spells are your healing and supportive spells.
When adventuring you'll be casting spells on enemies, preferably at some distance to avoid taking damage. Kiting enemies by slowing them down with spells. Healing yourself and your allies with the heal or Greater Heal spells.
Training a mage can be expensive, since each spell has a resource cost in the form of reagents. Make sure that you earn enough copper from each kill to resupply the reagents used.
Because of this it's recommended to train your evocation skill first, by killing enemies, to earn enough copper to train your other skills.
At a later stage you can learn Prestige Abilities which gives you additional actions to perform.
Initial Build
You can visit a NPC trainer to purchase skill training to 30.0 for 3 silver, which is an excellent way to get a head start in a new skill.
As soon as you've earned some profit from Evocation you should purchase training for healing, vigor and a weapon skill. In that order.
| Skills | About | Stats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evocation | Offensive spells, train this skill first. | Strength | 30 |
| Magic Affinity | Increases your spell damage, this skill will raise naturally alongside Evocation. | Agility | 10 |
| Channeling | Recovers mana, this skill will raise naturally when casting spells. | Intellect | 45 |
| Healing | Heal yourself with bandages to begin with until you start training your Manifestation skill | Constitution | 30 |
| Vigor | Increases healing received with bandages, this skill will raise naturally when healing or using weapons. | Wisdom | 25 |
| Weapon skill | Slashing, Bashing, Piercing or Lancing
Use a weapon to finish off enemies if you've run out of mana or if you've run out of reagents |
Will | 10 |
| Manifestation | Start training your manifestation once you have a steady income of copper from evocation | ||
| Fabrication | Up to 25.0 to craft bolt of cloth which can be turned into bandages. | ||
This starting build uses 8 skills, when you start reaching the total maximum of 600.0 skill points you can lower the skills you don't want or need anymore.
However you can reach these skill levels before you even need to start lowering a skill.
- 90 Evocation, where you can cast Energy bolt with just about 100% success rate
- 100 Magic Affinity
- 100 Channeling
- 80 Manifestation
- 60 Weapon Skill (Slashing, Bashing, Piercing or Lancing)
- 70 Healing
- 70 Vigor
- 30 Fabrication
Archer
Starting skills
- Archery - Ranged attack skill, it governs your chance to hit with ranged weapons.
- Vigor - Increases damage output of weapons and the amount of health recovered by healing.
- Healing - Governs the amount of health healed with bandages, can also cure poison and resurrect other players.
- (4th skill of your choice) - A secondary weapon skill is recommended.
Playstyle
Archers are ranged damage dealers, you'll be auto-attacking your targets, preferably at some range, each weapon have two different abilities that can be performed, such as Power Shot and Double Shot. Abilities differ on different weapons.
At a later stage you can learn Prestige Abilities which gives you additional actions to perform. This is where archers differ from warriors, being able to use the Rogue discipline prestige abilities.
Your primary means of restoring health is with bandages, in tough spots you can drink a potion and between combat you can eat food which also restores health.
Archers have some resource cost associated with them because of the ammo cost of arrows, which comes in three different tiers. So it's recommended to have a secondary melee weapon skill. To be able to finish off your target if you've run out of arrows.
Initial Build
You can visit a NPC trainer to purchase skill training to 30.0 for 3 silver, which is an excellent way to get a head start in a new skill.
| Skills | About | Stats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | For shooting arrows! | Strength | 30 |
| Vigor | To increase your weapon damage and healing with bandages. | Agility | 45 |
| Healing | To recover health with bandages. | Intellect | 10 |
| Weapon skill | Slashing, Bashing, Piercing or Lancing | Constitution | 30 |
| Armor skill | Light Armor Proficiency, decreases damage taken. | Wisdom | 25 |
| Fabrication | Up to 25.0 to craft bolt of cloth which can be turned into bandages. | Will | 10 |
| Hiding | Grants you the ability to hide and be invisible from enemies. | ||
| Stealth | Enables you to sneak around while hidden. | ||
Blacksmith (Crafter)
Starting skills
- Blacksmithing - Trade skill for crafting armor and weapons.
- Mining - Trade skill for mining ore used with blacksmithing.
- Bashing - This is a melee skill, it governs your chance to hit with slashing weapons, so you can defend yourself from bears and wolves near mines.
- Vigor - Increases damage output of weapons and the amount of health recovered by healing.
Playstyle
Crafters supply players with all manner of goods; weapons, armor, clothing, potions, scrolls, food, furniture, housing materials, etc.
You will need a steady supply of raw resources, gathered by lumberjacking, mining, fishing or harvested. Most of which can be gathered from relatively safe areas in or close to towns, occasionally some wildlife might attack you which is why it's recommended to have some fighting skills.
You can get work orders from NPCs who'll reward you with some copper, resources and often new recipes for your craft. However you'll earn very little copper from doing this, your main source of income will be selling your goods or resources to players.
A recommendation is to buy a piece of land and hire a merchant to sell your goods, you can also advertise your shop or goods on the official discord channels.
Most of the time you'll be walking around with one or several horses equipped with leather saddlebags, so they can carry resources for you. Remember to keep them safe from harm.
Initial Build
Whenever you wish to start a new trade skill it's strongly advised to purchase training to 30.0 for 300 copper because of the resource cost to train trade skills.
It's highly recommended to start your crafter in Helm because of the mines close by and abundant woodlands.
| Skills | About | Stats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksmithing or Carpentry | For crafting goods | Strength | 50 |
| Mining or Lumberjack | To gather material | Agility | 30 |
| Weapon skill | Slashing, Bashing, Piercing or Lancing | Intellect | 10 |
| Vigor | To increase your weapon damage | Constitution | 30 |
| Wisdom | 20 | ||
| Will | 10 | ||
Carpentry or Blacksmithing are the recommended starting trade skills.
- Fabrication uses bolts of cloth to gain skill up to 90. The most effective way of getting these resources is to purchase them from a Tailor shop in cities. Because of this cost involved it's recommended to pursue that skill after you have a steady income.
- Alchemy uses resources dropped as loot from monsters and enemies, it's better to farm these on a second character or buying them from other players before pursuing this skill.
- Inscription uses a variety of different quality (un-inscripted) scrolls, which also drops as loot and is very costly because of the reagents cost.
- Cooking has very little use in the game at this moment, as hunger is turned off. (As of Early Access v.0.8.3)
Advanced (Custom template)
You choose your own starting skills.
Need templates for the following styles
- Treasure hunter
- Rogue (Hiding stealth)
Fisher
Recommended starting skills
30 Fishing - This is your trade skill, you use it to fish in the ocean, lakes and rivers.
30 Lockpicking - To open sunken treasure chests.
20 Weapon skill - Slashing, Bashing, Piercing, Lancing or Archery
20 Vigor - To increase your weapon damage
Playstyle
The life of the fisher is one of relaxation, feeling the soothing ocean winds while performing your trade, occasionally though you'll fish up maps pointing to sunken treasure.
Your adventures will take you all over the lands of Celador while seeking out these treasures, some dangers may come your way so it's best to keep a weapon handy.
Initial build
You can visit a NPC trainer to purchase skill training to 30.0 for 3 silver, which is an excellent way to get a head start in a new skill.
As soon as you can afford to, you should purchase training for Healing. If you pick archery as weapon skill, remember to resupply with arrows.
| Skills | About | Stats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishing | To fish! | Strength | 40 |
| Lockpicking | Used to open locked chests | Agility | 30 |
| Weapon Skill | Slashing, Bashing, Piercing, Lancing or Archery | Intellect | 10 |
| Vigor | To increase your weapon damage and healing with bandages. | Constitution | 30 |
| Healing | To recover health with bandages. | Wisdom | 30 |
| Light Armor Proficiency | Decreases damage taken. | Will | 10 |
Animal Tamer
Recommended starting skills
30 Animal Taming - Your main taming skill, the ability to tame pets is accessed by equiping and using a crook.
30 Animal Lore - Complementary taming skill, determines your ability to issue pet commands and increases healing done to your pets with bandages.
20 healing - For healing yourself and your pet.
20 Vigor - Increases healing done to yourself with bandages.
Playstyle
Tamers are destined for great adventure, the end goal being able to tame and control a mighty Wyvern and riding an exclusive Dread mount.
The journey towards this however is quite an undertaking, it's a very time consuming build but with great rewards.
Your adventure will begin as the life of a ranger, training your skill by taming mundane forest animals, while spending time in the woods you can gather cotton and leather to earn some extra coin.
Before long you'll be able to tame horses which is always in demand from other players which will fill up your coin purse, necessary to continue you're adventures.
The Giant Beetle is one of the first strongest pets you'll be able to tame when you skill exceeds 60.0, at this point you'll be starting to rake in coin.
Initial build
You can visit a NPC trainer to purchase skill training to 30.0 for 3 silver, which is an excellent way to get a head start in a new skill.
You'll be hard for cash starting out, gather cotton, leather and horses to sell to other players.
As soon as you can afford to, you should purchase training for archery and purchase arrows from a carpentry shop so you can defend yourself when your pet doesn't suffice.
| Skills | About | Stats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Taming | Main taming ability | Strength | 40 |
| Animal Lore | Complementary taming skill. | Agility | 30 |
| Beastmastery | Increases damage done by pets (training cannot be purchased) | Intellect | 10 |
| Archery | Weapon skill. | Constitution | 35 |
| Vigor | To increase your weapon damage and healing with bandages. | Wisdom | 25 |
| Healing | To recover health with bandages. | Will | 10 |
| Light Armor Proficiency | Decreases damage taken. | ||
This initial build utilizes more than 6 skills, when you're nearing your skill cap you're gonna want to drop Light Armor Proficiency
Old guide
Armor
There are 3 choices of types of armors, more or less adapted to the skill-set you are targeting:
- Heavy Armor - Higher damage reduction / loss of movement bonus from agility / no mana regeneration. This is recommended for "tank/melee" builds. Uses the Heavy Armor Proficiency skill.
- Light Armor - Medium damage reduction/ No movement speed penalty / slowed mana regeneration. This is recommended for "agility" builds, e.g. Archer or Rogue. Uses the Light Armor Proficiency skill.
- Cloth Armor - Lower damage reduction / No movement speed penalty / unimpeded mana regeneration. This is recommended for mage builds. No specific armor skill.
Starting location
Several locations are offered as a starting point:
- Eldeir village: probably the most popular due to size/concentration of elements : a bit of mining/lumberjack is possible, there is a cotton field close to the center of the village for leveling fabrication and making bandages. Training dummies can be found after the town exit (bank/Inn side), on the left at the first crossroad. Sewers can be found on the side of the bank/Inn. Cemetery is close by as well. The portal to other towns can be found on the south cliffs overlooking the mages building. Chicken (for food) can be found downtown, and a fair amount of animals can be found for taming.
- Helm: The favorite starting point for mining and blacksmithing. The village is more spread than Eldeir however (thus can be confusing to navigate through). Chicken can be found close to the main mine and a larger choice of animals in the area for taming. The portal to other towns can be found west of the village, following the road from the main mine.
- Valus: Pretty popular, especially because of the vicinity of the graveyard outside of the city (additionally to the cemetery) and all prestige abilities disciplines trainers can fairly easily be located within the city. Chicken can be found through the city, while less concentrated than in the first two locations. A good amount of trees around the city for lumberjack. Sewers are located within the city, however, little to no Cotton can be found in the area. The portal to other towns can be found after the southern exit, close to the village.
- Pyros' Landing: Is one of the most recent additions to the game, and popular with higher levels players due to the closeness of the Deception dungeon. There is a Cotton field right outside the north exit (following this road also leads to the portal to other locations) of the city and a couple mines east (however less protected than in Helm). Training dummies can be found within the city limits, as well as prestige abilities disciplines trainers. There is a fair amount of animals around the city for taming.
Horse
A horse is a faster way to roam through Celador, besides portals and teleportation runes. They can be bought for 5 silver in stables right outside of any starting location listed above, or bought from a player with Animal Taming.
Be aware however that horses are pretty "fragile" and can be killed in the course of a fight (thus leaving you on foot if you're far from any city, especially if you don't use taming). Make sure you "dismiss" your horse before each fight (right click on the horse) so that it stays safe in your backpack.
Equipment
Armors, tools and weapons can not be repaired at this time, they degrade with use (e.g. in combat) and disappear once they are destroyed. The degradation process is as follows:
- New > slightly worn > worn > badly worn > damaged > badly damaged > destroyed
For such reason, it is recommended to keep a spare set of equipment in bank (cf. here under)
Money
Money can be acquired by killing monsters, opening bandits and orc chests, by selling items to other players or traders, or looting other players' backpacks after a PVP kill. Money drops from monsters are usually proportional to their difficulty.
Copper is pretty heavy to carry. Copper can be converted to Silver (and silver to gold, etc.) when purchasing from a player owned merchant or storing money in banks.
Conversion: 100 copper = 1 silver, 100 silver = 1 gold, 100 gold = 1 platinum
Bank
As your backpack carrying weight is limited (by strength), you will want to store stuff in bank. Banks in cities are "interconnected", i.e. your bank storage is the same for all cities' banks.
Also, because when dying you will leave on your body all your equipment and backpack's content, you better leave your money and anything of value in bank and keep your backpack to the minimum needed (bandages, food, etc.).
This is especially true in unprotected areas where PVP can occur, thus you can be completely loot. It is thus also advised to keep an extra set of equipment in bank.
Bank storage is limited to 200 items.
Bank storage weight limit, like most other storage, is 2000 stones.
Karma
Red players are Outcasts, Orange players are Chaotic. Outcasts can not go into town, guards will attack them. Chaotic can still go into town since they are not ‘kill on sight’.
Normal guards will attack red players on sight. Super-guards (the guards that appear to defend ‘blue’ players) should not attack other reds innocently standing nearby.
Housing and Merchants
Cf. the specific housing page.
You can station a Merchant at your house to sell your wares. The merchant system is pretty straight forward: talk to a Merchant in a Settlement and they will ask you to lead them to your house. You can collect the coins from your sales by using the Merchants menu. It appears that Merchants can not be attacked or killed at this time.
There are some areas currently that are seemingly impossible to have your Merchants follow you through, such as an island - Merchants will not board a boat with you to travel to an island. Hopefully solutions will be implemented soon for these trouble areas.
External guides & videos
The following guides are up to date as of Early access 0.8.3 and do not reference old or deleted content.
- Kurtlicious: New Player Melee Guide - Avaliable as a google doc.
- Oxfurd: How-to bandages - Available on youtube.
- Zedicide: Mission dispatcher - Available on youtube.
- Zedicide: How Skills work - Available on youtube.
- Zedicide: How Abilities work - Available on youtube.
- Zedicide: How stats work - Available on youtube.
- MarkeeDragon: How to train lockpicking - Available on youtube.
- MarkeeDragon: How to name your bags / make loot bag - Available on youtube.
- HurritGaming: Stealth and Hiding explained - Available on youtube.
- HurritGaming: How to bind hearthstones - Available on youtube.
- HurritGaming: Train Melee to 45.0 - Available on youtube.