This post is part of the [Nexon PEAK Post Challenge].

If you enjoy games, there are usually a few things you think about before starting one. One of them is how much spending it expects. That standard differs from player to player. Some people spend heavily because gaming is their main hobby, or because they feel that if they are going to play, they may as well enjoy it properly. Others set a monthly budget and stick to it. And some users think 무과금 is the most enjoyable way to play. Personally, I think every kind of player matters, whether they spend or not, because a healthy player base is essential to keeping a game going. I do not know how that looks from the development or operations side, but from a player’s perspective, a game simply feels better when more people are around.

In that sense, Mabinogi Mobile is a game that can accommodate a wide range of spending tiers. 무과금러, 소과금러, 과금러, and even full spenders can all enjoy it in their own way. Maybe I see it that way because I am closer to the 소과금러 side myself, but even so, I think it is fair to say that both no-spenders and low spenders can enjoy this game without much difficulty.

Mabinogi Mobile for no-spenders

If you are a 무과금러, what is the best way to enjoy Mabinogi Mobile? I am on day 493 now, and although I have since moved into the light-spender category, I spent the first six months after launch playing as a no-spender. The reason is simple. Put nicely, I am cautious. Put less nicely, I am timid. It is just my own way of measuring how much I am really going to enjoy a game. If I think I might quit soon, then spending on it feels wasteful, right~? I had been waiting for Mabinogi Mobile for a long time, of course, but that is one thing and this is another.

No-spender tip #1: aim for the daily free items

After about half a year as a no-spender, I eventually shifted into the 소과금러 category. Even so, I do not think there would be any problem continuing as a no-spender. Why? Because this really is a game that 무과금러 can enjoy. With that in mind, I want to share a few of the benefits no-spenders can make use of. First, once you clear the main story, defeat Glas Ghaibhleann, and return to Erinn, you can find a free daily item on the first page of the cash shop. It is one of the best value things in there, so it is absolutely worth picking up every day.

That is because you can get more than just colorless, green-grade, and blue-grade outfits there. You can also pick up one dye and one fixed dye every day. Recently, the lineup has become even more varied, with dyeable elite-grade outfits, Deca, catalysts, and more. You do need refresh tickets, but those are also obtainable in-game in decent amounts, so it is worth using them. I used this a lot myself. If there was an outfit I wanted to wear, I would try to pull it there, rank it up, dye it, and wear it around.

No-spender tip #2: use Cash Shop - Item Shop - Gold

Gold is a currency that anyone who keeps playing will eventually accumulate. Once per day, you can buy up to 10 Fragmented Gem Treasure Chests. It may not look like much at first, but if you buy them consistently every day, they help a great deal when it comes to filling your equipment sockets with gems. For a 무과금러, this is one of the essential resources, because gems are one of the key items for progression.

Why fashion outfit rarity matters: it is not just about dyeing.

Dyeing fashion outfits is incredibly important. If you play Mabinogi Mobile, I doubt there is anyone who would disagree on that point. The difference in value between outfits you can dye and outfits you cannot is huge... honestly, bigger than that. But fashion rarity matters for progression too. The simplest example is comparing an elite hat, which can be dyed, with a rare hat one tier below it. The equipped hat’s defense and durability consumption are different. And upgrading to elite is also possible with in-game currency.

Make use of the fashion tickets you can get in-game

Regular fashion tickets are something you can collect in-game without much trouble. Among the outfits you can pull with those tickets, there is a very slim chance of getting an elite-grade outfit. Of course, most of the time you will probably get normal-grade or rare-grade outfits instead. Still, even those can be upgraded to elite with in-game resources alone, without spending.

So how do you actually collect refresh tickets and fashion tickets?

There are quite a few sources, but the most straightforward one is Deep Dungeons. If you run Deep Dungeons, you can get refresh tickets and Fashion Ticket Fragment Treasure Chests. Beyond that, you can also get them from other dungeons, events, and various other places, so there are plenty of chances to make use of them. On top of that, when a season changes, a major update arrives, or there is a Campfire live broadcast, you can often get a variety of resources through coupons or gifts, so those are also worth keeping an eye on. Sometimes those rewards include not only freely obtainable in-game currency, but also Premium Fashion Tickets and Premium Pet Tickets that would normally require spending, so it is definitely worth claiming them whenever you can.

Make use of the marketplace where player-to-player trading is possible: Deca.

Deca is a currency you can obtain through player-to-player trading. Of course, you can also buy it with real money, but since it is still a resource you can earn in-game, it is too important for 무과금러 to ignore. A wide range of goods are traded on the marketplace, and when I was playing as a no-spender, the item I sold most often was Holy Water. The price was 10 Deca per bottle, and after fees that meant I actually received 9 Deca each. Still, small amounts add up. And once they do, they become a real asset. So what do you actually use that accumulated Deca for?

At the Adventurer Guild Support Center run by Evan in Dunbarton, you can also use Monster Extermination Tokens to buy a Deca Ore Box. Monster Extermination Tokens are a currency that any adventurer exploring Erinn is bound to gather, because they pile up whether you are doing dungeons, hunting grounds, Abyss, or raids. The most efficient place to earn them is Abyss. If you use 3,000 Monster Extermination Tokens, you can get 30 Deca Ore, which comes to a total of 300 Deca.

Deca is hard to earn, but easy to spend

There is quite a lot you can buy with Deca. Some outfits that normally require spending can be bought that way, and package items can be purchased with Deca as well. You can even buy clothes that normally only come from the 39,800 won Total Package or the 19,800 won Premium Pass. Of course, because this is player-to-player trading, prices move around. If demand rises, prices go up, and if supply increases, prices fall. When I checked today, that package was just over 4,000 Deca, but I bought it for 9,000 Deca (tears). Still, I tend to think buying it right away and enjoying it immediately saves time and cost in its own way, so I am not quite at the point of full despair.

There are also packages under Cash Shop - Package - Consecutive Package that can be bought with Deca. They do require a fairly large amount of Deca, but they include useful items like Rebirth Stones, Premium Fashion Tickets, and Pet Tickets that would normally require spending. This is another option that no-spenders can take advantage of.

If you go to Cash Shop - Item Shop - Deca, you will find various items you can buy with Deca. That includes things like gender change tickets for outfits you cannot wear due to gender restrictions, as well as action boxes, dyes, and more. Personally, I almost always buy motion boxes. Why? Because I am a bit of a motion fan... the reason is... they are cute.

Mabinogi Mobile for light spenders

If a 무과금러 has spent exactly 0 won, then a 소과금러 is someone who puts in only a minimal amount. That is also the spending tier I am in now. Of course, even small monthly spending adds up over time, so it is not accurate to call it insignificant. Still, compared with the enjoyment I get from this game, it feels very cost-effective. And compared with no-spenders, a 소과금러 can obtain many of the same useful resources much more easily. Actually, not just a little more easily... much more easily. So from here, I want to share the order I personally recommend for spending efficiently as a light spender.

Light spender, first step - Cash Shop - Package - Starter

For your first purchase, I would say these three items in the Starter tab are the clear pick. The “Am I the Only One Without a Cat?” package gives 330 currency and a Cat Choice Bag for 3,300 won. The Hot Deal! Fashion Ticket Package gives 330 cash and fashion tickets for 3,300 won. And the Hot Deal! Premium Fashion Ticket Package gives 550 cash and Premium Fashion Tickets for 5,500 won. The reason is simple: if you top up cash normally, the standard rate is just 990 cash for 9,900 won, but here you get extra resources on top of that. So if you buy these three, you will end up with 1,210 cash.

Light spender, second step - Cash Shop - Package - Mission Package - Erinn Life! Attendance Return Package

The Attendance Return Package is effectively a 100% cashback product. In other words, for 1,200 cash, simply checking in can get you Premium Fashion Tickets, Gold Ore, Rune Fragments, and similar rewards. If the 14-day attendance period feels too slow, then there is not much to be done about that. But unless you made your first purchase on the exact day you started the game, there is a good chance you have already completed the attendance requirement. And if it is your first day... well, this level of waiting is not too hard for a 소과금러. And really, this is just the beginning. Start here, then spend gradually within whatever range you personally consider to be light spending.

Light spender recommendation #1: Fantasy Life Total Membership.

One of the two things I have used consistently since becoming a 소과금러 is the Fantasy Life Total Membership. It offers a range of benefits, but the ones that stand out most are the extra 300 bag weight and the fact that dismantling a 10-star legendary rune gives you 20 fragments. There are other benefits too, like receiving double materials while gathering. The difference between using the membership and not using it changes quality of life in Erinn quite noticeably.

Light spender recommendation #2: Adventurer Pass Premium Ticket

This premium pass refreshes roughly every 42 days. It is already an important source of resources for 무과금러, but it is also a very solid package for light spenders. Because it gives a fair amount of progression materials, it is another purchase I keep up with consistently.

If we calculate the total based on a 42-day cycle, the least common multiple of 30 and 42 is 210, since 6 x 5 = 30 and 6 x 7 = 42. Over 210 days, if you buy the membership 7 times and the pass 5 times, that comes to 12,900 x 7 = 90,300 won and 19,800 x 5 = 99,000 won. So across 210 days, the total is 189,300 won. Broken down by day, that is about 901 won per day. Converted back to a monthly figure, it comes to 27,043 won. In other words, you can enjoy the game for under 30,000 won a month. And since cash shop points accumulate at 10%, after 7 months you would have built up 1,893 points. You can buy various items with those points too, so it is a pretty decent bonus. As for why mine says 5,000, it is because I do not only pay for those two things... sometimes my judgment slips a little... and in the end, what counts as 소과금 is different for everyone.

What Mabinogi Mobile is for no-spenders and light spenders

To me, it is a game you can enjoy without much burden. The shape your spending takes will naturally depend on what you want to achieve in the game. My own goal is to enjoy the game while experiencing all of its content, especially the main story and main gameplay content. Because of that, I can honestly say I am enjoying it plenty at my current spending level. Of course, I am not trying to chase record-setting runs, which are part of the endgame. But even that seems possible with good game sense, a lot of grinding, and a little investment. It is only natural that you cannot beat full spenders. I do not find that unfair, because we are aiming for different things. Personally, I find games burdensome when spending feels mandatory from the very start. That is why I would recommend Mabinogi Mobile as a game you can enjoy in a practical, budget-conscious way.