MapleStory Guide - Trait System

Each trait also has a maximum number of points you can earn for the day. Most traits will let you earn 500 points per day, with the exception of charm which allows for 5000 (It's likely this was a typo-ed zero. Either that or nexon's scheme to get people to purchase more cash shop equipment). Once you hit that daily limit you have to wait until midnight server time to earn more of that trait. There are some exceptions to this. For example some quests will reward a trait, this usually does not count for the daily maximum. Another example is crafting, for instance if you level smithing to 10, you will earn +1280 diligence that does not count towards the daily maximum.

While I will explain how to earn each trait in it's section below, all traits can be earned (very slowly) in Spiegelmann's Monster Park. Each monster you kill has a small chance to drop a useable item that will increase a trait by 5. These items cannot exceed the daily limit for that trait. These items are also sometimes dropped by event spawns such as the Pirate Captain, or the Monster Trainee. When you find one, you can check all the channels for that map and have a good chance of finding a few more. The event spawns also drop some nice items like untradable scrolls among other things.

Traits generally only give stat increases every 5 or 10 levels. Some traits also give special abilities, for example level 25 insight gives you the skill "Perception Rank 1" which allows you to reveal hidden potiential on items level 30 or below, without the use of a magnifying glass. Every 25 levels of insight will unlock another rank of perception item. Presumably at rank 100 insight you will never need another magnifying glass again. [confirmation needed]

You can "overflow" most traits to maximize your daily limit. Overflowing is when you get as close to the daily limit as you can without going over. Then get as much as you can in one chunk. For example, ambition is earned by killing bosses, it's daily cap is 500. It's easy to get 495 or even 499 ambition for the day, then kill one more boss for +50 ambition. This will allow you to earn 545 ambition in one day, even though the daily limit is 500. (The same trick can be used for professions and fatigue - get to 199 fatigue, then craft something for 5 fatigue and it will still complete and put you at 200 fatigue. Essentially giving you 4 free fatigue points.)

"Your search for strength draws followers to you. Increase this trait by hunting boss monsters."

Ambition is earned by killing bosses. Bosses will give +25 to +50 ambition on average per kill. While bosses in Spiegelmann's Monster Park will reward ambiton; Mu Lung Dojo does NOT, even though you fight "bosses" in it.

"Hair Wax" from Spiegelmann's Monster Park and event spawns gives +5 ambition.

Ambition can be overflowed by +45 to +50 points per day fairly easily. Kill enough bosses to be at roughly 495 ambition, then kill one more boss for +50 to end the day at 545 ambition.

Stats

Every 5 levels of ambition will give you:

Ignore Monster DEF: +0.5%
Death EXP Loss: -0.55%

Every 10 levels of ambition will give you:

Battle Mode ATT: +1

Your caring empathy keys you in to the people around you. Increase this trait by harvesting herbs.

Empathy is raised every time you successfully harvest a plant with the herbalism profession. Each success will give you +5 empathy points.

Empathy can also be raised each time you level up your herbalism. It ranges from +5 at level one to +1280 at level 10. If you drop your main profession, and re-level it up, you can get these empathy points repeatably!

There are also a few quests that given empathy. These range from 10 to 100, averaging 20 to 30. [list of quests to be added]

At this time the only way to overflow empathy is to get as close to 500 as possible, then complete a quest for 20 or more empathy. However due to the limited number of quests that reward empathy, this is an unsustainable method of overflowing empathy.

Stats

Every 5 levels of empathy will give you:

Max MP: +100
Quest EXP: +1.5%

Your sharp insight seees through any ruse. Increase this trait by mining.

Insight is raised every time you successfully extract ore from a mineral vein with the mining profession. Each success will give you +5 insight points. Insight can also be raised by using magnifying glasses to reveal hidden potential. Each reveal will give you +8 insight points.

Every 25 levels of insight rewards a rank of the skill "Perception". This skill allows you to reveal hidden potential on items without using a magnifying glass. The rank of your skill limits the items this skill will work on. For example rank one will let you reveal items level 30 or below. To use this skill open your inventory and you will see a blue magnifying glass icon on the bottom of the window. Simply click it and then click on the item you want to reveal.

"Carrot Juice" from Spiegelmann's Monster Park and event spawns gives +5 insight.

Insight can be overflowed by revealing three items (+24 insight) then mining until you are 499 insight, and lastly revealing one more item for +8 insight for a daily total of 507.

Quests

At level 20 insight the quest Hawk's Eyes unlocks.

Stats

Every 5th level of insight will give you:

Accuracy: +10
Avoidability: +10

Every 10th level of insight will give you:

Accuracy: +5
Avoidability: +5

Level 25 of insight will give you:

Perception Rank 1: Reveals hidden potential without a magnifying glass on items level 30 or below.

Level 50 of insight will give you:

Perception Rank 2: Reveals hidden potential without a magnifying glass on items level 70 or below.

Level 75 of insight will give you:

Perception Rank 3: Reveals hidden potential without a magnifying glass on items level 120 or below.

Level 100 of insight will give you:

Perception Rank 4: Reveals hidden potential without a magnifying glass on any item level.

Your resolution carries you through any challenge. Increase this trait by joining party quests.

Willpower is gained by completing party quests. Only certain party quests work (for example Spiegelmann's Monster Park will not give willpower - outside of the dropped items as explained in the general section). You will usually gain the willpower points after each completed round of a party quest.

Willpower is also gained by staying logged in for at least an hour. You will gain +2 for first hour, then +4, +6, +8, and finally +10 for each hour online after that. You can earn approximately 260 willpower points by simply staying online for 28 hours in a row. Unfortunately leveling willpower doing nothing but staying online is fairly slow, especially if your client crashes. Every time you disconnect it will start over with +2. If you want to maximize your daily willpower you will have to use the other methods.

Willpower can also be gained by soloing the Mu Lung Dojo. MapleStory considers this a party quest even though it has a solo mode. You will gain willpower points every 5 rounds of the Dojo you complete. Round 5 gives +3, round 10 gives +6, round 15 gives +9, round 20 gives +12, round 25 gives +15, round 30 gives +18, and round 32 gives +21. Depending on how far you can solo you can hit the daily cap of 500 willpower in about an hour or two doing this. Unfortunately most of that time is waiting for the bosses to spawn... While this method gets the job done, it can be very boring.

Willpower can be overflowed using the Mu Lung Dojo or comparable party quest. Ideally you would gain 499, then complete the last round of the Dojo for +21, giving a daily total of 520. Realistically you will not be able to be that precise (unless you calculate what you will need to be exactly at 499 when you finish round 32 of the Dojo). Realistically you will have roughly 495 willpower, and earn +15 overflow for a daily total of 510. Of course this all depends on how far you can get soloing the Dojo. Another method would be to get 499 using the Dojo or party quests, then using the hourly willpower gain of +10 for a daily total of 509.

Stats

Every 5 levels of willpower will give you:

Max HP: +100
Weapon DEF: +5
Magic DEF: +5
Status Resistance: +1

Your untiring diligence is revealed in your handiwork. Increase this trait by crafting.

Diligence is raised every time you successfully complete a crafting attempt. Refining a mineral or extracting an herb's oil will give +10 diligence. Crafting an accessory will give +40 diligence, crafting a smith or alchemy item will give +50 diligence.

You will also earn diligence each time you level up your primary crafting (non-gathering) profession. It ranges from +5 at level one to +1280 at level 10. If you drop your main profession, and re-level it up, you can get these diligence points repeatably!

To overflow diligence is pretty easy. Simply refine an ore or extract an herb to get as close to 500 as possible (usually 490 unless you use a Spiegelmann Monster Park drop to reach 495). Then simply craft a normal item to receive +40 or +50 depending on your profession. It is by far the easiest trait to consistently overflow and reach 530 to 540 every day.

Quests

At diligence level 60 the quest Expert's Heart unlocks.

Stats

Every 5 levels of diligence will give you:

Double Mastery Chance: +1%
Scroll Success Rate: 0.5% (Excludes Special Scrolls)

Your sharp sense of style captivates your admirers. Increase this trait by gaining fame.

Charm is gained primarily by getting fame for your character. You can also earn it with Spiegelmann Monster Park drops. Some quests also reward fame (and therefore charm). There are only a few repeatable quests that give fame, such as "The Soul Collector" in Ludibrium, or "Urban Jungle" in New Leaf City.

Equipping certain cash shop equips, as well as "Trade disabled when equipped" items will give a decent amount of charm (+75 give or take). Unfortunately these items are fairly expensive whether it's in NX or mesos. This isn't a viable way to grind charm unless you are exceedingly rich.

"Cologne" from Spiegelmann's Monster Park and event spawns gives +5 charm.

So unfortunately there is no "easy" way to grind the charm trait. Unless you can find a good way to get people to fame you, your best bet is doing the repeatable fame quests as well as farming Spiegelmann's and hoping Cologne drops.

Quests

At charm level 30 the quest Excessively Charming unlocks.

Stats

I do not know of any stats charm gives other than unlocking the pocket slot at level 30.