Beginner's Guide: Your First Hours in Ancient Online, Step by Step
From creating an account to your first skill path, from PvP protection to trading: a step-by-step beginner's guide to your first hours in Ancient Online.
When you start out in Ancient Online: Remastered, a handful of decisions you make in the first hours (empire, class, skill path) stay with your character for a long time. This beginner's guide takes you, in order, through what to expect from the moment you create your account to the moment you choose your first skill path, so you know what to watch out for when you log in.
Ancient Online: Remastered is in development and no release date has been announced. This guide is based on the development build; details may change before launch.
1. Check your device
The game is being developed for PC and mobile. Before you start, check that your device meets the system requirements. If you are not sure which graphics settings to choose, the system requirements and graphics settings guide will point the way.
If you have trouble connecting, the first place to look is the server status page: it shows whether the login server and channels CH1–CH4 are up.
2. Create your account inside the game
There is no sign-up form on the website; accounts are created on the game's login screen:
- Enter your email address, a username and a password of at least 8 characters.
- Type the verification code sent to your email into the game.
- Your account is ready. One account can be opened per email address.
We recommend turning on two-step verification (2FA) as the very first thing you do. How to do it is covered in the account creation and security guide.
3. Choose your empire
There are three empires: Shinsoo, Chunjo and Jinno. Your empire is set at account level; every character on your account flies the same banner. If you are going to play with friends, choose the same empire: players from different empires cannot be in the same party and see each other's speech as scrambled text. Details are in the guide to choosing an empire.
4. Choose your class
You choose from six classes:
- Warrior for a durable, forgiving start,
- Ninja for fast, mobile play,
- Sura to combine the sword with magic,
- Shaman to support your team,
- Lycan for aggressive melee,
- Artemisia for agile, acrobatic combat with a spear.
If you cannot decide, the character classes guide covers the weapons and skill paths of every class.
5. Learn the controls
On PC
- Move with WASD or the arrow keys.
- I opens the inventory, M opens the map.
- You can also use a gamepad.
On a phone
- Touch an empty spot on the left half of the screen: the joystick appears under your thumb. Push it gently to walk, push it all the way to run.
- Your character keeps hitting for as long as you hold down the large attack button.
- Tap a monster to select it; tapping empty ground clears the selection.
- The Pick up button collects items that have dropped on the ground.
On both platforms your character can jump, crouch, lie prone and swim in deep water. The full set of mobile controls is in the PC and mobile cross-platform guide.
6. The first levels: quests and the right area
In the early levels, following the quests is the most comfortable way to progress. As you level up, the game sends you notifications reminding you of the hunting area suited to your level: first the surroundings of your empire's first village, then the surroundings of the second village. Follow these notifications and you will not waste time on monsters that are either too easy or too hard.
Tip: Open the map and look over the regions; you can mark a spot on the map and head towards it.
7. Level 5: choose your skill path
When you reach level 5, the game sends you a letter and marks the teachers in the village. Warrior, Ninja, Sura and Shaman players choose one of two skill paths by talking to a teacher. The Lycan and the Artemisia each have a single path, and it is assigned automatically at this level.
This choice shapes your playstyle for a long time; read about both paths in the class guide before you decide.
8. Understand PvP: you are protected until level 15
- Characters below level 15 are protected in the regions of their own empire: they cannot attack and cannot be attacked.
- At level 15 your character switches to peace mode. From then on, players from rival empires can attack you in the open world; their names appear in a separate colour.
- In safe zones such as village squares, damage between players is turned off; the only exception is a duel that both players have accepted.
- You can fight a duel with another player by mutual agreement.
9. Tael, trading and the offline market
The game's currency is Tael. You can sell the items monsters drop to NPC shops or trade them with other players. There is also the offline market: once you have set up your shop, your sales carry on even if you log out. You can sell at a fixed price, take offers or open an auction.
Tael cannot be bought with real money; the in-game shop only offers costumes, appearances and convenience items. Details are in the no pay-to-win post.
10. Upgrade your equipment
You can upgrade your weapon and armour step by step at the blacksmith. Every attempt has a cost and a chance of failure; before you upgrade a valuable item, check the materials required and the risk.
11. Don't play alone
- Party: Form a group with players from the same empire and hunt together.
- Guild: Found your own guild or join one; guild skills and guild wars await you.
- Voice chat: It starts in push-to-talk mode. You hear nearby players more strongly and distant ones more faintly. You can mute a player for yourself alone.
- Whisper: You can send a private message to another player.
12. Rewards for playing regularly
The development build has an account-wide login calendar, rewards based on the time you spend in the game, and a single-tier, free battle pass; there is no paid upper tier. The details of these systems may change before launch.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play with the same account on my phone and my PC?
The game is being designed as a single world, played with a single account on every platform.
What happens if I delete my character?
Character deletion works with a 14-day waiting period, during which you can cancel. To delete your entire account, see the account deletion page.
What is the maximum level?
- It is a fixed ceiling and there are no plans to raise it; we explain why in our design pledge.
When will the game open?
There is no release date yet; announcements will be made on this website and in our Discord community.
Next step
For the big picture of the game, read What is Ancient Online: Remastered?; for the banner decision, read the guide to choosing an empire.
