L2 Leveling guide Expanded version : General Discussion

Hunting Locations: Pros and Cons
Please notice that l2world's current status might differ from these information as I will try to use correct c4 info.
Please use the option to edit the article and add correct drops, drop chance and as much exact information as possible. Thank you very much.
E.g. put correct drops and chances instead of simple "A grade" in the interesting drops box, link the armor drops to the correct armor set pages (nightmare drops to "nightmare" page etc), weapons to their pages etc etc, <3

Dark elven village area
location: the very northwest part of the old c1-c3 map, near the dark elven village.
level: starting area, very low. 1-15 max.
monsters: classic bunch of goblins, keltirs and whatnot. Spiders and zombies in the marshland. Zombies do drains as usual.
interesting drops: none
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Talking Island
location: one of the southest parts of the map and the only real island.
level: starting area, very low. 1-19 max.
monsters: classic bunch of goblins, keltirs and whatnot. Ruins are a bit more difficult as the mobs spawns are high and the mobs are often social and aggressive. There are golems named Crashers near the entrance to the ruins that are the highest level, one can even hit lvl 20 on them.
interesting drops: none
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Elven village area
location: Almost exact middle of the map, near the elven village.
level: starting area, very low. 1-15 max.
monsters: classic bunch of goblins, keltirs and whatnot. You can run to Gludio with no prob, meeting dryads and spiders on the way. Elven ruins are much more difficult as the mobs are again many, aggressive and social.
interesting drops: none
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Dwarven area
location: Unaccessible part of the map, can only be accessed by the gatekeeper, in c5 the area will finally be connected through the normal landscape.
level: starting area, very low. 1-19 max.
monsters: classic bunch of goblins, keltirs and whatnot. The snow is kinda romantic. Mobs in mithril mines are abit stronger and deep they drop dss recipe.
interesting drops: dss recipe, mob name: nightmare weaver ; drop chance: 1/283 (retail rate)
info actuality c1-c3 = world. According to the c4 dropbase the dss recipe is no longer dropped.

Orc area
location: see the dwarven village.
level: starting area, very low. 1-15 max.
monsters: classic bunch of goblins, keltirs and whatnot.
interesting drops: none
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Gludio area
location: central west of the old c1-c3 map, near the gludio castle town.
level: lowbie area.10-22 max.
monsters: Near the town there are bears and pumas, very easy monsters. On a classic training plain west from the town, there are skeletons (on a low level avoid attacking when they're near with skeleton scouts as they'd all aggro you), slow zombies and aggresive bears. From higher levels there are ratmen and wondering eyes. Watch out for the eyes, if you plan to kite (means run and shoot/cast), there is a possibility the eye will cast root upon you, thus disable the kiting.
interesting drops: top ng dagger, swordbreaker. Mob: wondering eye; chance 1/8787 (retail rate)
pros: fast exp, slow mobs (zombies)
cons: often PK area, often crowded
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Ruins of Despair
location: south of gludio castle town.
level: low level area.15-25 max.
monsters: from the slow mobs there are zombie soldiers and warrior. Watch out for the warriors' drain, it's quite powerful. Higher mobs are represented by tumran bugbears and tumran bugbear warriors. Ruin bats are ideal for mage training because of their wind weakness - advantage for dark elven mages. ruin imp elders are nuke only mobs (c4)
interesting drops: composition bow, ruin imp elder - chance 1/8791 (retail rate)
pros: fast good exp, mage friendly
cons: sometimes PK's
info actuality c1-c3 = world
, c4

Ruins of Agony
location: west of gludio castle town.
level: very similar to ruins of despair. 15-25.
monsters: more undead mobs
interesting drops: unknown, probably top ng
pros: fast good exp, cleric friendly, not crowded
cons: mobs are often social and aggro
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Turek Orc barracks
location: the very west part of the old c1-c3 map, gludio level.
level: low level area 20-30.
monsters: different types of ketra orcs.
interesting drops: unknown
pros: unpopulated
cons:
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Felmere lake
location: a bit south from turek orcs
level: low level area 20-30.
monsters: various monsters, c4 raid boss princess Molrang.
interesting drops: none
pros: unpopulated
cons:
info actuality c1-c3 = world, c4 (not yet implented)

Wastelands
location: far south from Gludio.
level: lower level area. 25-40 max.
monsters: A mix of slow golems with mdef resistance - mage unfriendly (c4), ants and more powerful 2× hp ants (again c4). There is a dungeon named the ant nest. It's more like party only since it's literally packed with ants. Deep inside one can encounter the ant queen, a raid boss that you need a decent group to kill as she's being healed by her nurses really often.
interesting drops: the queen ant has many interesting drops such as elven long sword, unique sage's rag or boss jewel - ring of queen ant (c4 drops). Drop rates unknown.
pros: fast good exp, absolutely unpopulated
cons: need a good party for the ant's lair, mage unfriendly golems (c4)
info actuality : mostly c4 (not yet implemented)

Dion area
location: near the Dion castle town.
level: low level area. 20-30 max.
monsters: ranged ol mahums, weak hobgoblins and other.
interesting drops: top ng light armor. drop rate unknown. hobgoblins spoil coal at a high rate.
pros: unpopulated, good area for 20-30
cons:ranged crits generally hurt
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Execution grounds
location: east from Dion castle town
level: low level area 25-38 max.
monsters: Slow zombies and golems, undead strains and hangman trees. The trees give root so watch out if you plan to kite. When you go to the higher floor you can meet easy ghouls and ghoul berserkers
interesting drops: lower D grade bows, drop rate unknown
pros: cleric friendly
cons: crowded, often target of PK
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Giran areas
location: Near Giran castle town.
level: low level area. 22-30 max.
monsters: Aggresive skeleton marauders and raiders, passive silenos.
interesting drops: D grade shield aspis, very commond drop from silenos
pros:
cons: small, low respawn time, usualy populated
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Breka stronghold, Gorgon's flower garden
location: north from giran.
level: low level area 25-35 max.
monsters: good army of various breka orcs, deeper into the gardens there are medusa's, wyrms, harpies and basilisks
interesting drops: none
pros: good area for 25-35, unpopulated, enough mobs for swift training
cons: possibility of getting ganked by aggro mobs
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Death Pass
location: north of breka stronghold.
level: lower lvl area 30-40 max.
monsters: arrow resistant wyrms, weak basilisks, road scavengers needed for the hatchling quests.
interesting drops: full elven jewelery dropped by road scavengers
pros:
cons: populated, low mob respawn rate
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Dragon Valley
location: the very northwest part of the old c1-c3 map, near the dark elven village.
level: lower to upper medium. 45-62 max.
monsters: At the entry there are shackles and cave servants, going deeper we meet stronger cave servants, headless knights, cargoyles. Even deeper there are malruk succubi, thunder wyrms, then drakes and cave maidens, cave keepers. Near the dragon valley cave there are bloody queens.
interesting drops: various C grade, from rare swords as katanas,raid swords or shamshirs (cave servant captains), over great helmets (headless knights), samurai longswords (drakes), top C jewels (cave keepers), proofs of blood (clan lvl 3 quest item - bloody queens) to zubei and avadon heavy breasplates, gaiters, boots and gloves (cave maidens)
pros: good drops, large area, unpopulated spots, cleric friendly
cons: populated spots, bloody queen do annoying mana drain(not anymore in c4), sometimes target of high lvl PK's

Oren and surroundings
location: see the title.
level: lower lvl. 28-40 max. (Also, with full buffs you can effectively level there from 20 to 40 without having to kill steal monsters.
monsters: Wide variety of lizardmen. Watch out for the ** of plain group. They are NOT aggresive, however they are social and will all attack you if you harm one.
interesting drops: strenghtened longbow - from the lizardman shammans
pros: very large, unpopulated, good area for finishing the lvl 40
cons: The monster groups are quite far from each other and there are some invisible walls near the camps.
info actuality c1-c3 = world
, there are completely different mobs near Oren in c4

near the Hardin's private academy
location: accessible from Giran through teleport.
level: lower lvl area. 30-43 max.
monsters: variety of mobs, watch out for strong and aggro (not anymore in c4) fettered souls, they are also ideal for cleric training as they're undead.
interesting drops: maingauche (grandis), sword of revolution(fettered soul)
pros: very easily accessible
cons: often crowded or targeted by PK's, fettered souls are waste of mana for mages
info actuality c1-c3 = world

near Aden castle town, plains of fierce battle etc
location: see the title.
level: lower medium to medium. 40-55 max.
monsters: Whole variety of vanor silenos. Watch out for the shammans (they are needed for clan lvl 4 quest), they give orc spell "flame" which outrageously decreases your hp and it cannot be cured until the effect wears off.
interesting drops: plated leather top and bottom, greatly priced C grade light set
pros:plated leather drops, unpopulated. Also at that level the monsters got rather low hp and you go through them really fast.
cons: flame is one hell of pain in the !@#$%^&*
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Tower of Insolence
location: west from aden castle town.
level: medium to high. 58-75 max.
monsters: Huge variety of mobs offering very wide variety of B and A grade drops. Couple of raid bosses also needed for "path to the subclass" quest and noblesse quest. Super raid boss Baium at the very top of the tower. He is also needed for the sublcass quest, however you only need to hit him, not neccesarily kill him
interesting drops: huge variety of drops containing S grade from the raid bosses
pros: awesome drops, high spawn rate
cons:usualy terribly packed
info actuality = 99% c4

Blazing Swamp
location: accessible through gk from Aden.
level: high level area. 67-75.
monsters: variety of mobs, raid bosses present
interesting drops: B to A grade
pros: good drops, nice surroundings
cons: sometimes packed
info actuality c4 (not yet implemented), atm the blazing swamp at l2world is a 45-60 location with custom drops on Tulben which drop the bow of peril

Enchanted Valley
location: near hunters village.
level:lower to lower medium level area. 40-52 max.
monsters: All mobs drop spellbooks. The satyrs are 4×HP (c4). Valley treants are magic resistant (c4), liele and fline have water/wind resistances
interesting drops: spellbooks, plated leather set parts
pros:ideal level area, nice surroundings, spellbooks
cons: unfriendly for spellsingers and spellhowlers
info actuality mostly c4

Ivory Tower crater
location: the very surroundings of the ivory tower.
level: lower medium 40-48 max.
monsters: slow gloems, shackles.
interesting drops: spellbooks
pros:ideal training spot for a mage
cons:
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Cruma Marshlands
location: very surroundings of the cruma tower.
level: low lvl area 25-35.
monsters: variety of mobs, stakatos, toads needed for the hatchling quest.
interesting drops: none
pros: unpopulated
cons: depressing =D
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Cruma Tower
location: north of dion.
level: lower medium to medium 40-52 max.
monsters: huge variety of mobs, mage friendly slow mobs, golems.
interesting drops: karmian gloves (krator), part of the most commonly used karmian mage set
pros: good exp, karmian gloves drop
cons:strong mobs, aggro groups (snipe + snipe coohorts), often packed
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Forest of Mirrors
location: accessible on feet, east from hunters village.
level: lower medium to medium 40-56.
monsters: harit lizardmen, most of them 2×, matriarchs 3× (c4). Good training spot just near the anghel waterfall, many mobs, good respawn rate.
interesting drops: divine tunic and stockings (shaman), eminence bow (matriarch)
pros: eminence bow drop, good leveling spot, unpopulated
cons:
info actuality c1-c3 = world
, c4

the Cemetary of Kings
location: east of Aden castle town.
level: medium 48-56.
monsters: Mix of mobs, spoilable emi bow recipe, droppable the bow itself. Grave guards needed for the clan lvl 5 quest, imperial gravekeeper needed for the quest is present too.
interesting drops: eminence bow (orc supply leader)
pros: plenty of mobs
cons: guards aggro and arrow resistant, everything stuns, often populated

Forbidden Gateway
location: just next to cemetery.
level: upper medium 58-64 max.
monsters: bloody queens (see above), mage unfriendly kadios who give silence. Wyrms drop precious zubei helmets and avadon circlets, doom knights are the only mobs to get doom boots/gloves or blue wolf boots/gloves from (c3)
interesting drops: avadon circlet, zubei helmet (wyrms) zubei/avadon boots/gloves (mob uknown), zubei/avadon leather (falime or whateva), doom/bw boots/gloves (doom knights), sprite staff (kadios)
pros: very good drops
cons:terribly packed, mage unfriendly
info actuality c1-c3 = world

Giants Cave
location: accessible through GK from Aden (custom change, probably gonna be canceled in c4).
level: upper medium 60-67.
monsters: Giants, parts of exploration of the giants cave quest (c4), all giants are social and *× HP (c4).
interesting drops: top B grade (c4)
pros: very good drops
cons: party only location (c4)
info actuality c4

Field of Whispers
location: very short trip from Heine.
level: lower to lower medium 40-48.
monsters: mix of alligators, alligator knife throwers and alligator shammans (nuke only) = c4.
interesting drops: none
pros: very very good leveling spot, nice money and exp, unpopulated
cons: strong nuking mobs
info actuality c4

Garden of Eva
location: the southest map's spot, accessible from Heine on feet.
level: lower to lower medium 40-48.
monsters: same mobs as field of whispers, plus 2× hp warriors who spam silence.
interesting drops: none
pros: beautiful location
cons: mage unfriendly, need to swim through an underwater tunnel to reach the area
info actuality c4

Devil's Isle
location: very south of the map, accessible from giran bazaar through swim (c4)
level: lower to medium 40-55.
monsters: undead zaken archers and pikemen (stronger 4× hp elite versions), strong nuking only mobs, fast respawn time, dark resistant archers deep inside.
interesting drops: none
pros: high respawn rate, cleric friendly
cons:more like party needed, danger areas (c4), necro unfriendly
info actuality c4

Dragon Valley Cave, Antharas Nest
location: north of giran, accessible from the dragon valley.
level: medium to very high 60-80.
monsters: very very wide variety of monsters as the dungeon is huge. Undead malruks, very strong mobs deep inside, great crowds of them, totally throng near the Heart (the deepest spot). Kariks drop S grade accessories and death waves are nuke only and they can actually anchor you(c4)
interesting drops: top B grade, A grade and even minor S grade (tateossian jewelery from kariks)
pros: awesome drops, awesome exp, awesome money
cons: strong mobs and huge ammount of them, need of a very good party
info actuality c4

[size=18][u][b]Imperial Tomb
location: east of goddard castle town.
level: high to very high. 68-78.
monsters: variety of mobs, all are 5× and even 6× HP (c4)
interesting drops: A grade
pros: extreme exp and money, droppable A grade, spoilable S grade mats
cons: mobs very strong, nearly impossible to solo. Scarabs are sleep resistant. (c4)
info actuality c4

Stakato Hive
location: east of rune castle town.
level: upper medium to high. 60-70.
monsters: variety of mobs (c4)
interesting drops: A grade
pros: unknown
cons: unknown. (c4)
info actuality c4

Forest of the Dead
location: very short trip from rune castle town.
level: upper medium to high. 60-74.
monsters: mostly only undead mobs - very cleric friendly. Strong nukers, social mobs, more suitable for a party(c4)
interesting drops: A grade
pros: very good exp and money, very good leveling spot for a bishop/cleric class
cons:Very hard to solo deeper in the forest, hard mobs, strong nukers. (c4)
info actuality c4

Beast Farm
location: north of rune castle town.
level: high. 68-70.
monsters: variety of mobs, however easy to solo (c4)
interesting drops: A grade
pros: easy mobs, relaxed levelling
cons: you have to kill those cute buffalos =(. (c4)
info actuality c4

Valley of Saints
location: approx same distance from rune castle town as the beast farm.
level: high. 65-70.
monsters: variety of mobs, all egyptian style with "of shine" suffix. They do low damage and are easy to solo, only threat poses a group of judges of shine, they all three nuke.
interesting drops: A grade
pros: easy mobs, relaxed levelling
cons: nuker groups. (c4)
info actuality c4

Hot Springs
location: north of goddard castle town.
level: high. 65-70.
monsters: variety of mobs, mostly beasts, plants and animals. The huge spiders and some plants give special "hot spring" debuffs that can only be cured by standing in a hot spring.
interesting drops: A grade
pros: good exp, money
cons: ugly mobs. (c4)
info actuality c4

Varka Silenos stronghold
location: west of goddard.
level: very high. 75-85.
monsters: mostly varka silenos, despite their level they are easy even to solo. All are 2× HP. There are nukers and social groups. Varka silenos are also all social with each other. Very good respawn time, extremely good money and exp compared to their HP. Varka silenos raid boss included. The mobs help each other and use soulshots. (c4)
interesting drops: A grade to top A grade and S grade from raid boss, S grade spoils
pros: very very good leveling spot by almost every attribute, mage very friendly
cons: big trains are hard to handle, the soulshot crits are hard, nukers kind of strong, they often give fighter debuffs. (c4)
info actuality c4

Ketra Orc outpost
location: north of goddard
level: very high. 75-85.
monsters: variety of ketra orcs, attributes very similar to varka silenos
interesting drops: A grade to top A grade and S grade from raid bosses, S grade mat spoils
pros: same as varka
cons: same as varka, mobs stun a bit often. (c4)
info actuality c4

Forge of Gods
location: far north from goddard castle town.
level: very high, extreme. 78-90.
monsters: variety of mobs, all 4× HP and more, very fast respawn time, very very crowded by mobs, super raid boss Valakas deep inside
interesting drops: A grade to top A grade from mobs, top A grade and top S grade from raid bosses, S grade mat and rec spoils
pros: extreme exp and money, never ending carnage because of the very very swift respawn
cons:very hard to solo at the doorway, impossible to solo in the deeper locations, scropions give anchor, need a very very good or large party to handle the mobs.