Wemade's latest MMORPG game, Night Crows, has been taking the Web3 gaming world by storm since its launch over a week ago. Night Crows features a whole new adventure, combining classic MMORPG elements like class systems, grinding mobs, and loot drops with the added twist of tokenized assets and NFTs. The game features a player-owned Exchange (marketplace) system where your grind pays off in more ways than one. If you're ready to jump in as a Free to Play (F2P) player, stick with this guide as I'll show you how to efficiently gain experience, loot, and, most importantly, earn diamonds and $CROW. 

The Tokens

Before we hit the grind, let's break down Night Crows' economy. Night Crows Economy introduces the players to 7 types of Multi-Utility Tokens. At first, it sounds like it's a bit too much but think of them as your RPG currencies such as gold, diamonds, food, upgrade scrolls, etc. The primary currency we'll focus on is $CROW. While other tokens like Papyrus and Morion play significant roles within the game's economy (they are core in-game items that can be minted), our primary objective is to accumulate $CROW tokens through strategic gameplay.

Since we already established that our goal is to get $CROW tokens, it will then lead us to a core economy mechanic which is converting the in-game currency "Diamonds" into $CROW. Diamonds are a premium currency on Night Crows which are used to purchase several items in-game from the Exchange (Player Marketplace) and other uses such as Summons, battle passes, etc.

Players can also buy diamonds from the game through conventional means such as credit cards but take note that only Diamonds earned directly from the Exchange and from the Request station (Player missions) are allowed to be converted into $CROW, thus these diamonds are called Value Added Diamonds (vDIA). 

Let the Grind Begin

Alright, now that we know what token we're aiming for, let's start grinding! This guide will focus on a free-to-play player's perspective on maximizing level-ups and earning diamonds. I'll divide the guide into pre and post-level 30 sections.

Pre-Level 30

At the start of the game, you will be prompted to choose a class. These initial classes are Warrior, Swordman, Hunter, and Witch. You don't have to stress much about which class to choose as the game allows you to change classes later on. But Since this guide is about maximizing your levels and earning potential, i recommend you go for the Hunter class. The Hunter class opens up the route for the range character build (archer) which provides an edge on farming Mobs as you can attack from a distance, possibly earning a little more EXP than other classes. 

Our main goal for Pre-level 30 is not earning diamonds, but instead power level to level 35 as fast as possible (level 35 unlocks you to Sell items on the Exchange). Here are some tips and tricks to do this:

Focus on completing main quests: As you explore the map, you might discover that monsters drop valuable loot, tempting you to farm them passively and neglect your missions. However, defeating these mobs early in the game doesn't yield significant experience points (XP), especially when compared to the rewards from completing your main quests. Therefore, avoid getting sidetracked and concentrate on clearing your main quests.  

Manage Your Potion Use: Potions are essential for keeping your character alive in Night Crows, especially since a significant part of the game involves AFK farming. The game features an "Auto use" potion mechanic. This function allows you to set an HP threshold at which your potion will automatically be consumed.

However, it's important to note that overstocking on potions before heading into battle is unnecessary. In fact, purchasing too many potions can deactivate the auto-regen feature. So, how many potions are "too many"? It depends on the capacity of your Bag. Whenever you buy a potion, a meter displaying your bag's capacity will appear. To prevent disabling your potion's auto-regen, ensure you do not exceed 70% of your bag's capacity.

NOTE: For new players, potions and other consumable items can be purchased from the Sundries Merchant, available in any of the villages (Bastium, Celano, Avillius).

Use your Mount to travel instead of Teleporting: As a free-to-play player, we try to save as many resources as we can, and this includes saving gold. Instead of spending gold on using waypoints, you can just use your mount to fast travel. After unlocking a mount, you can activate it by pressing "Z" on your keyboard.

Improve your Growth rate and focus on ACC stat: As you continue clearing the main quests, as a free-to-play player, you will eventually get into some walls like Boss levels that are too hard to clear, or Mobs that deal too much damage. To keep up with these obstacles you will need to Upgrade your stats, skills, and items.  

The main stats of your character are ATK, DEF, and ACC. ATK and DEF are pretty much self-explanatory, on the other hand, the ACC (Accuracy) stat is a crucial stat that affects the chances of your enemy evading your attack, this stat plays a much bigger role against higher level Mobs as level difference will make your attacks miss most of the time. 

To enhance your stats and overall "Growth Rate," upgrading your weapons and armor is essential. You can initiate an upgrade by selecting your weapon or armor and clicking the Upgrade button. It's important to note that a specific type of upgrade scroll is required to complete the upgrade process.

NOTE: As you reach higher levels of weapon or armor upgrades, there's an increased risk involved with further upgrades. At these advanced levels, attempting another upgrade introduces a chance that your weapon or armor could be destroyed rather than improved. 

Managing Your Skills Books

Skills play a crucial role in your character's growth rate, often dealing significant damage or applying buffs. You can access your character's skills tab by pressing "K" on your keyboard. Before learning a skill, players must first acquire and use the spellbooks that contain the specific skills they wish to learn. For new players, skill book merchants can be found in the villages within the game's regions.

A tip for purchasing skill books is to always verify that the spellbook you intend to buy is compatible with your current class. Additionally, it's important to check the requirements for each spellbook. Some spellbooks are part of a series that progressively increases a skill's level, and they must be purchased and used in order. Let us use the "Stone Shatter" Skill series as an example, to activate it. you must first buy and use "Stone Shatter 1," then "Stone Shatter 2," and finally "Stone Shatter 3." If you already have Stone Shatter 1 and purchase "Stone Shatter 3" without having "Stone Shatter 2," you won't be able to use it until you acquire and activate "Stone Shatter 2."

The Collection

Some items, gear, and loot are categorized as collectibles and can be registered through the "Collect" Menu. Registering these items means they are permanently consumed and cannot be retrieved. However, in exchange, it grants the character-specific stats depending on the collection they've unlocked. As a Free-to-Play player, you have the option to either hoard the items you've collected to sell on the Exchange later or register them to enhance your character's stats. If you choose the latter, I recommend completing sets that boost ACC (Accuracy) stats. Another beneficial stat is HP regen, which can help save resources by reducing the need for potions.

AFK MOB FARMING

Alright, so you've hit a wall and are stuck on some main quests, but you realize you just need some level-ups to progress. Where should you AFK farm then? (In classic MMORPGs, players will "AFK" idle farm mobs in specific areas to continue their characters' progress.)

Here's the tip: once you unlock the Exchange (player marketplace) at Character level 10, you can scout items that are trading at a good price. For example, let's say the item "Rabbit Meat" is trading at a good price. Note that "Rabbit Meat" is just an example, but it represents a plausible outcome compared to trying to farm rarer items.

You can then scout the Map and find a place where the rabbit meat has a chance to drop. You can do this by opening your map (press M on your Keyboard), hover on to some places on the Map and then checking the possible loot drops. 

Post-Level 30

Congratulations on reaching level 30! This milestone unlocks new features in the game, particularly the opportunity to earn more Diamonds. For Free-to-Play players aiming to maximize earnings, "Dungeons" become a key part of gameplay. Dungeons are special hunting fields available for limited periods, categorized into Normal and Special types.

Understanding Dungeons

• Land of Prosperity: Offers players a chance to obtain more gold and the rare currency Morion, which can be converted into its tokenized form.
• Forest of Training: Focuses on providing players with essential crafting materials.
• Irletta Temple: Players can find Ancient Papyrus (another vital currency for tokenization) and materials primarily used for gear and enhancement scrolls.
• Sancona Ruins: This dungeon is ideal for gaining additional character experience and weapon proficiency.
• Masarta Ice Cavern (Special Dungeon): Like other dungeons, it offers rare loot, but accessing higher levels requires a specific item.

To optimize earnings as a Free-to-Play player, prioritize completing Dungeons, especially the Land of Prosperity. Note that the Land of Prosperity and Forest of Training reset daily, allowing you to allocate 1 hour of game time to each. Other dungeons reset weekly and offer 8 hours of playtime each. A "time recharger" item can extend your playtime in a particular dungeon.

Continue Upgrading your growth rate: Advancing past level 30 also unlocks the Creed Inheritance system, enhancing your character's stats by adopting a creed that aligns with your class. Each level-up grants 1 point of Creed to invest in core Creed stats like Strength, Endurance, Dexterity, Spirit, Intelligence, and Vitality. Similar to other RPGs, certain stats are more beneficial for specific classes, Strength and Vitality for tanks and fighters, Dexterity for agile classes like rogues and archers, and Intelligence and Spirit for magic users like the witch class.

Trading on the Exchange

Reaching character level 35 allows you to sell items you've collected on the Exchange. However, it's crucial to understand the difference between "Bound" and Regular Items. Bound items, often quest rewards, cannot be traded on the Exchange. They can still be utilized by registering them in the collection or using them in crafting. On the other hand, regular items without the Bound tag can be freely traded.

Exchange Tips:

• When selling an item, reviewing market stats (like the latest price sold) can help you set a competitive price.

• The game deducts a small fee from the sale price (in diamonds), so the final amount received may differ from the listed price.
• When selling items in batches, the Exchange does not automatically adjust the total selling price to match the quantity. You must manually set the selling price to reflect the batch size accurately.

Moving forward, your daily Free-to-Play routine should focus on completing main quests until your character reaches a wall, clearing daily quests, clearing dungeons, and completing missions available in the free section of the battle pass.

And that wraps up our Night Crows Free to Play guide Night Crow Crew! The Diamonds you've collected can be converted into $CROW tokens once you hit character level 45. Reaching this milestone also unlocks the character NFT feature in the game, which we'll cover in a future guide. For now, enjoy your journey in the world of Night Crows, and we hope this guide helped.