Hello!

This time, the theme is Master of Expressions, which means taking a look at expression-related features in games.

With that in mind, I have put together a guide to the expressions characters can use in MapleStory, focusing on the expression quests unlocked at different levels of the Charm trait.

Basic expressions available to MapleStory characters

You start with a set of basic expressions that do not need to be assigned to hotkeys to use. Typing chat messages such as ㅎㅎ,ㅋㅋ,ㅠㅠ, sob sob, grr, blech, ㄷㄷ, shiver, or gasp will automatically make your character display the corresponding expression.

When the character you are talking to is nearby, you can see their chat and expressions together, making it easier to convey emotion.

Additional expressions: Cash Shop purchases — time-limited

There are currently 15 additional expressions available. One way to get them is through the Cash Shop, where they cost 100 Cash each; you can also purchase them with Reward Points.

As shown above, though, expressions purchased from the Cash Shop expire after 90 days. While 100 Cash for 90 days may not seem expensive on its own, repeatedly buying them can become a nuisance if you use them often.

Additional expressions: Charm trait quest rewards — permanent

To unlock these expressions permanently instead, you can complete the quests tied to your Charm trait level. At the time of writing, the level 30 Charm requirement for unlocking the Pocket Slot has been removed, so these quests could be considered the trait's only remaining benefit.

There are 15 quests in total, starting at level 30 and unlocking every 5 levels through level 100. Each completed quest rewards you with a permanent expression, with “Charming” added to its name.

As you will see below, some quests only require a conversation, while others involve a little more legwork. With a few exceptions, they do not take much time and are straightforward enough to be worth doing if the rewards interest you.

Each expression is obtained through a specific NPC, giving some of the less prominent NPCs a chance to share their stories in a way that feels similar to the World Archive. If you enjoy that side of the game, these quests are worth a look just for the stories. You can also see them below without playing through them yourself.

Charm trait quests: Preparation summary

You will be traveling between several areas of Victoria Island, so access to the Hyper Teleport Rock feature makes things easier. Most destinations are towns, which means the Maple Guide can help too, but I strongly recommend the teleport feature because some quests take you out to field maps.

The items you can gather before starting the quests are listed below. They become more tedious to collect as you go down the list, largely because lower-level monsters tend to spawn in smaller numbers. Stocking up in advance will make the quests easier.

• 300 Oranges: General Store

• 1 Pair of Scissors: Purchase from Doofus in Henesys Market

• 1 Diamond

• 425 Harp Tail Feathers

• 350 Curse Eye Tails

• 600 Stone Golem Rubble

You will also need to defeat the following monsters during the quests:

• 1 Crimson Balrog

• 450 Pirates and Dual Pirates

• 100 Ribbon Pigs and Blue Ribbon Pigs

You can accept the quests from Rina at the far right of Henesys Market.

Charm level 30: Hmm expression quest — Talk to Chief Stan

Charm level 35: Huffing and Puffing expression quest — Bring 350 Curse Eye Tails and talk to Hersha

• Hersha is in Ellinia.

Charm level 40: Gasping expression quest — Talk to Betty

• Betty is in Ellinia.

Charm level 45: Queasy expression quest — Talk to Tangyoon

• Tangyoon is in the Nautilus.

Charm level 50: Dozing expression quest — Defeat 100 Ribbon Pigs and 100 Blue Ribbon Pigs, then talk to Calico

• Calico is on a Nautilus field map, where you can defeat both types of pigs.

Charm level 55: Tongue Out expression quest — Bring 300 Oranges and talk to Wing the Fairy

• Wing the Fairy is in Ellinia.

Charm level 60: Teary expression quest — Bring 600 Stone Golem Rubble and talk to Camila

• Completing this quest lowers your Fame by 1.

• Stone Golem Rubble is the most tedious item to gather: you need a large quantity, and relatively few monsters spawn. Collecting it takes about 20 minutes.

Charm level 65: Ouch, Hot! expression quest — Obtain a Nependeath Fruit and talk to Alfonse Green

• Nependeath Fruit is a quest item, so it only drops after you accept the quest. It does not drop right away, but you should get it after defeating a few monsters.

Charm level 70: Squeal expression quest — Purchase a Pair of Scissors, then talk to Rinz

• Rinz is in the Orbis Hair Salon.

Charm level 75: Wink expression quest — Talk to Shirin

• Shirin is in Ariant.

Charm level 80: Blazing expression quest — Talk to 서나 and defeat a Crimson Balrog

• 서나 is at the Ludibrium-bound platform of Orbis Station.

• This quest lets you encounter a Crimson Balrog, which no longer appears on voyage maps. The ship is even docked at the station.

Charm level 85: Kiss expression quest — Bring a Diamond and talk to 플라스틱 로이

• 플라스틱 로이 is in the Orbis Plastic Surgery Clinic.

• You get to keep the Diamond.

Charm level 90: Sparkling expression quest — Defeat 450 Pirates and 450 Dual Pirates, then talk to Mini

• Mini is in the Ludibrium Hair Salon.

• Pirates and Dual Pirates each have maps where they are the only monsters that spawn, with plenty of them available, so this does not take long.

Charm level 95: Bright-Eyed expression quest — Bring 425 Harp Tail Feathers and talk to Pam

• Pam's house is in the upper-left part of Leafre.

• There are plenty of Harps, so you can gather 425 feathers quite quickly.

Charm level 100: Smitten expression quest — Talk to Elex, then return

• Elex is in Edelstein.

• The doubts about Elex's love tie into his story and the fact that he is in disguise.

• When asked to choose an expression that shows you are in love, selecting a different expression lowers your Charm by 10.

Appendix: Charm trait medal quests

Alongside the expression quests, medal quests unlock at certain Charm levels. Since this guide covers the Charm trait, I have included those as well. The medals offer next to nothing in terms of stats, but their wording and appearance may suit your outfit.

• Available at Charm level 20 or higher: Talk to 나미녀 at the Henesys Tanning Salon

• Available at Charm level 60 or higher: Talk to 르티에 in the Verne Mine, then defeat 600 Big Spiders

• Available at Charm level 100 or higher: Bring 1 Whale's Helmet (Dodo), 1 Knight's Mask (Lilynouch), and 1 Guardian's Horn (Lyka)

Thank you for reading.