Getting Started on the Mainland Server: Your First 48 Hours

The first two days in any new MMO are crucial, and New Swordsman is no exception. This is where you set the foundation for your entire journey. The most common mistake I see—and one I made myself—is rushing through the initial storyline without paying attention to the exclusive Mainland Server launch events. Think of the main quest as your tutorial and primary source of early experience and silver. But running parallel to that is a whole suite of time-limited activities that offer rewards you simply cannot get later. For example, during the server’s launch week, there was a “Hero’s Welcome” event where simply logging in for seven consecutive days netted me a rare mount and a set of epic-quality starter gear. If I had just focused on leveling, I would have missed it entirely.

Let’s talk about creating your character. This isn’t just about aesthetics; your initial class choice dictates your playstyle for dozens of hours. The game offers the classic archetypes, but with a wuxia twist. You have the straightforward, high-damage Blade Master, the agile and control-focused Assassin, the supportive and healing Melody Sect, and the durable, crowd-controlling Guardian. Last week, a friend of mine, who usually plays tanks, picked the Assassin because it “looked cool” and spent the next 20 levels frustrated that he couldn’t take hits. My advice? Think about how you like to play in other games. Do you enjoy being in the thick of the fight, or do you prefer supporting from the back? I personally main a Melody Sect, not because it’s the most popular, but because I love the strategic element of managing healing melodies and buffs during chaotic guild battles. It fits my preferred support role perfectly.

Once you’re in the game, your immediate goals should be hitting Level 30 and joining a guild. Reaching Level 30 unlocks the core daily activities and the first major dungeon. The fastest way to get there is a combination of following the main quest (it’s the yellow marker on your map) and completing the “Jianghu Log” daily tasks. The Jianghu Log is your bread and butter for consistent rewards. It includes things like completing 5 bounty missions, finishing 3 runs of the current experience dungeon, and participating in a set number of PvP matches. Completing the entire log each day gives you a massive bonus chest. I make it a ritual every morning with my coffee—knock out the Jianghu Log, and I know I’m making solid progress even if I don’t have hours to play later.

Now, about resources. You’ll be flooded with items: experience pills, enhancement stones, soul jades, silver, and bound currency. The instinct is to use everything immediately. Resist that. Here’s a pro tip I learned the hard way: hoard your high-grade enhancement materials until you get your first set of level 40 Epic gear from the “Forgotten Temple” dungeon. I wasted so many precious “Flawless Sharpening Stones” upgrading my level 20 Rare gear, only to replace it two days later. Use the common materials freely to get a boost, but save the purple and orange-quality items for your long-term equipment. The official New Swordsman community forums have several economy guides from top guilds that consistently advise this same strategy, which really validates the approach.

Understanding the Core Daily & Weekly Loop

After the initial rush, the game settles into a daily rhythm. Mastering this loop is what separates active players from powerful ones. Your daily priority list should look something like this:

Your weekly reset is just as important. Every Monday, big events like the Cross-Server Team Battle and World Boss raids refresh. These are your source for the absolute best gear and rare crafting materials. Mark them on your calendar. My guild schedules two fixed World Boss runs every week (Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9 PM server time), and that consistency has helped us secure kills and loot reliably, whereas pug (pick-up group) raids are often chaotic and unsuccessful.

Navigating the Mainland Server Exclusive Economy

The Mainland Server has its own market dynamics. Because it’s a fresh server, everything is scarce at the start, and prices for crafting materials are high. This is actually a huge opportunity. If you focus on gathering professions early—like Herbalism or Mining—you can make a small fortune in the first month by selling materials on the auction house. I dedicated my first character to Herbalism and Alchemy. For the first two weeks, I spent an hour each evening gathering rare herbs that were in high demand for crafting critical battle potions. It funded my entire gear enhancement process on my main character. The key is to check the auction house regularly to see what’s selling. Look for items required for current event turn-ins or popular gear crafts; their prices will be inflated.

Mastering Your Class and Endgame Progression

Okay, you’re settled in, you’re level 40 or above, and the initial shine has worn off. Now you’re facing the real game: optimizing your build and tackling content that requires strategy and coordination. This is where your choice of Meridians and Internal Skills becomes the most important decision you’ll make. Meridians are like your talent tree, allowing you to specialize within your class. For my Melody Sect, I had to choose between deepening my healing output (the “Gentle Rain” path) or boosting my group damage buffs (the “War Drum” path). I chose Gentle Rain because my guild needed a dedicated healer for high-level dungeons. There’s no “best” path, only the best path for your role in your team.

Gear is the other half of the equation. You’ll transition from dungeon drops to crafted and raid gear. Each piece has random attributes, and finding the right combination is the eternal hunt. For a DPS class like the Blade Master, you’re prioritizing Critical Hit Chance, Critical Damage, and Attack Power. For a Guardian, you want Health, Defense, and Damage Reduction. Don’t just look at the gear score; look at the stats. I’ve seen players equip a higher-score item with useless stats and actually perform worse. A good rule of thumb from top players on sites like MMO-Champion (a respected resource for MMO theorycrafting) is that correct secondary stats are often worth more than a small increase in base attack or defense.

Let’s get practical. Here’s a comparison of two common endgame gear sets for a mid-level player, so you can see how stat priorities play out:

What’s the most important thing I should do right after creating my character on the Mainland Server?

The absolute first thing is to check the “Events” tab for time-limited launch rewards. Don’t just blast through the main story. I missed a great mount by ignoring this. Focus on the main quest to level up, but always complete the daily “Jianghu Log” tasks and keep an eye out for special login calendars or beginner challenges that give gear and resources you can’t get later.

Your other top priority in the first 48 hours is to hit Level 30 and join an active guild. Level 30 unlocks vital daily dungeons and activities, and a good guild will offer help, guides, and groups for content, speeding up your progress massively.

I’m overwhelmed by all the upgrade materials. When should I use them?

This is a super common feeling. The golden rule is to save your high-quality (purple and orange) enhancement stones, soul jades, and protection charms. I wasted mine on low-level gear and regretted it. Use your common (green and blue) materials freely to get a comfortable power boost for leveling.

You should hoard those premium materials until you get your first set of level 40-50 Epic gear from dungeons like “Forgotten Temple.” That gear will last you much longer, and investing your best resources into it is the most efficient way to power up for mid-game content.

How do I make silver (in-game currency) on a fresh Mainland Server?

The economy on a new server is a gold rush for gatherers. If you pick up a gathering profession like Herbalism or Mining early, the basic materials you collect will sell for a surprisingly high price on the auction house for the first 2-4 weeks.

Check what’s in demand for current event turn-ins or popular crafting recipes. Also, never let your daily “Vitality” points cap out—spend them on resource dungeons that yield sellable items or raw silver. Completing your full Jianghu Log every day also provides a consistent income.

What does a typical daily play session look like after the initial leveling?

It revolves around a core loop. First, knock out your Jianghu Log for the big completion bonus. Then, do your Clan (Guild) donations and tasks. After that, use up your daily Vitality in instance dungeons and do a few Arena PvP matches for participation rewards.

Once your dailies are done, that’s the time for the fun stuff: working on your professions, exploring, socializing, or preparing for weekly events like the scheduled World Boss raids or Cross-Server battles that reset every Monday.

How do I choose the right Meridian path for my class?

Don’t stress about a “meta” build right away. Think about the role you want to play. For example, as a Melody Sect, do you want to be a stronger healer or provide more damage buffs? I chose the deep healing path because my guild needed it.

The best advice is to talk to your guildmates or check class-specific discussions. Often, the “best” path depends on whether you focus on solo play, PvP, or group PvE. You can respec, but it costs resources, so it’s good to have a direction in mind from levels 40-50.