---------------- CASTLEVANIA: ARIA OF SORROW - LEVELING GUIDE --------------- Guide Written by: Kuro-chan_101 AA |# A__|#__A o###__##_O#' ######## o###'O######/ V |# V /# ### ##| |# |#/ /# T M o##V ###| /##o /##xx#/ |# |# /##\ || #/ /##\ |# /# /\ /##o ###| ### /## ### |##\__ |# |# |# ## |#\ |#\ /## ### |#/### |# /## ### ###| ###O |#< ## \##/\#\ |# |# |# // |## |## |#< ## |# |# |# |#< ## O### |##| \##O##\ #\ ##//##\ |# |#/ \##/#/ \##O##\ |# |# |# \##O##\ ###O O##V \#/ \# \###/ \##/ \#/ \##/ \## \#/ \# \# |#/\#/ \#/ \# ###OO##V / 'O##########O A R I A O F S O R R O W ''OOOOO - Copyright 2003 Konami & Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo - ******************************************************************************* --- WARNING: This Guide may contain mild spoilers. --- ******************************************************************************* ******************************** VERSION INFO ********************************* ******************************************************************************* Version 1.00 - The guide has been completed. ******************************************************************************* ******************************** INTRODUCTION ********************************* ******************************************************************************* This really isn't a guide so much as it is collecting research and posting the results while noting whatever I can along the way. Since I did not find any documentation relating to this, I decided to make some. ******************************************************************************* ************************************ NOTES ************************************ ******************************************************************************* This covers the observations made about Soma and how he levels up during the game, from levels 1-99. General Info: - The stat boosts given during a level up are fixed. There are no random numbers involved in the process (Unlike other Castlevania games, such as Symphony of the Night). - The leveling up and experience required for all levels is the same on both difficulties (Normal & Hard). - The biggest stat gains appear to happen between levels 30-70. Anything after that is mostly for HP and MP. HP (Health Points) - Always goes up by 12 points with each level up. MP (Magic Points) - This replaces the traditional Heart system used in most other Castlevania games. Collecting hearts from torches, enemies, etc. will restore MP. - There does not appear to be any real pattern to when the Max MP quantity increases. Every increment adds 1-2 points to Max MP value when leveling up. (+5, +6, +8, etc.) - Increment Levels: 11, 16, 21, 26, 31, 41, 56, 61, 66, 81, 86, 91 and 96 STR (Strength) - Goes up 1-3 points, depending on the level you reach. - Levels 1-10 -> +1 STR - Levels 11-30 -> +2 STR - Levels 31-60 -> +3 STR - Levels 61-70 -> +2 STR - Levels 71-99 -> +1 STR CON (Constitution) - Goes up 1-2 points, depending on the level you reach. - Levels 1-15 -> +1 CON - Levels 16-35 -> +2 CON - Levels 36-45 -> +3 CON - Levels 46-65 -> +2 CON - Levels 66-99 -> +1 CON INT (Intelligence) - There does not appear to be a consistent pattern, since (sometimes) INT only goes up 1 point at some levels, even amidst going up 2 or 3 points the previous and next levels. LUCK - Always goes up 1pt. per level. EXP (Experience) - Experience uses a fixed incremental system. The increment itself increases by 18 with each level up, which is added to the NEXT value. So for the amount of experience for NEXT, it goes: Current NEXT + 40 + (18 * Current Level) If you are at: Level 1 Level 2 NEXT = Current NEXT + 40 + (18 * Current Level) = 62 + 40 + (18 * 1) = 120 Level 2 Level 3 NEXT = Current NEXT + 40 + (18 * Current Level) = 120 + 40 + (18 * 2) = 196 Level 3 Level 4 NEXT = Current NEXT + 40 + (18 * Current Level) = 196 + 40 + (18 * 3) = 290 NEXT (Next Level) - How much experience must be accumulated before leveling up. ******************************************************************************* ******************************** LEVEL CHART ********************************** ******************************************************************************* Level HP MP STR CON INT LUCK EXP NEXT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 320 80 10 12 11 9 22 62 2 332 85 11 13 12 10 84 120 3 344 90 12 14 13 11 204 196 4 356 95 13 15 14 12 400 290 5 368 100 14 16 15 13 690 402 6 380 105 15 17 16 14 1092 532 7 392 110 16 18 17 15 1624 680 8 404 115 17 19 18 16 2304 846 9 416 120 18 20 19 17 3150 1030 10 428 125 19 21 20 18 4180 1232 11 440 131 21 22 22 19 5412 1452 12 452 137 23 23 24 20 6864 1690 13 464 143 25 24 25 21 8554 1946 14 476 149 27 25 27 22 10500 2220 15 488 155 29 26 29 23 12720 2512 16 500 163 31 28 31 24 15232 2822 17 512 171 33 30 32 25 18054 3150 18 524 179 35 32 34 26 21204 3496 19 536 187 37 34 36 27 24700 3860 20 548 195 39 36 38 28 28560 4242 21 560 205 41 38 39 29 32802 4642 22 572 215 43 40 41 30 37444 5060 23 584 225 45 42 43 31 42504 5496 24 596 235 47 44 45 32 48000 5950 25 608 245 49 46 46 33 53950 6422 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level HP MP STR CON INT LUCK EXP NEXT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26 620 256 51 48 48 34 60372 6912 27 632 267 53 50 50 35 67284 7420 28 644 278 55 52 52 36 74704 7946 29 656 289 57 54 53 37 82650 8490 30 668 300 59 56 55 38 91140 9052 31 680 312 62 58 57 39 100192 9632 32 692 324 65 60 59 40 109824 10230 33 704 336 68 62 60 41 120054 10846 34 716 348 71 64 62 42 130900 11480 35 728 360 74 66 64 43 142380 12132 36 740 372 77 69 66 44 154512 12802 37 752 384 80 72 67 45 167314 13490 38 764 396 83 75 69 46 180804 14196 39 776 408 86 78 71 47 195000 14920 40 788 420 89 81 73 48 209920 15662 41 800 433 92 84 74 49 225582 16422 42 812 446 95 87 77 50 242004 17200 43 824 459 98 90 80 51 259204 17996 44 836 472 101 93 83 52 277200 18810 45 848 485 104 96 84 53 296010 19642 46 860 498 107 98 87 54 315652 20492 47 872 511 110 100 90 55 336144 21360 48 884 524 113 102 93 56 357504 22246 49 896 537 116 104 94 57 379750 23150 50 908 550 119 106 97 58 402900 24072 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level HP MP STR CON INT LUCK EXP NEXT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 51 920 563 122 108 100 59 426972 25012 52 932 576 125 110 103 60 451984 25970 53 944 589 128 112 104 61 477954 26946 54 956 602 131 114 107 62 504900 27940 55 968 615 134 116 110 63 532840 28952 56 980 629 137 118 112 64 561792 29982 57 992 643 140 120 113 65 591774 31030 58 1004 657 143 122 115 66 622804 32096 59 1016 671 146 124 117 67 654900 33180 60 1028 685 149 126 119 68 688080 34282 61 1040 700 151 128 120 69 722362 35402 62 1052 715 153 130 122 70 757764 36540 63 1064 730 155 132 124 71 794304 37696 64 1076 745 157 134 126 72 832000 38870 65 1088 760 159 136 127 73 870870 40062 66 1100 776 161 137 129 74 910932 41272 67 1112 792 163 138 131 75 952204 42500 68 1124 808 165 139 133 76 994704 43746 69 1136 824 167 140 134 77 1038450 45010 70 1148 840 169 141 136 78 1083460 46292 71 1160 856 170 142 137 79 1129752 47592 72 1172 872 171 143 138 80 1177344 48910 73 1184 888 172 144 139 81 1226254 50246 74 1196 904 173 145 140 82 1276500 51600 75 1208 920 174 146 141 83 1328100 52972 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level HP MP STR CON INT LUCK EXP NEXT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 76 1220 936 175 147 142 84 1381072 54362 77 1232 952 176 148 143 85 1435434 55770 78 1244 968 177 149 144 86 1491204 57196 79 1256 984 178 150 145 87 1548400 58640 80 1268 1000 179 151 146 88 1607040 60102 81 1280 1017 180 152 147 89 1667142 61582 82 1292 1034 181 153 148 90 1728724 63080 83 1304 1051 182 154 149 91 1791804 64596 84 1316 1068 183 155 150 92 1856400 66130 85 1328 1085 184 156 151 93 1922530 67682 86 1340 1103 185 157 152 94 1990212 69252 87 1352 1121 186 158 153 95 2059464 70840 88 1364 1139 187 159 154 96 2130304 72446 89 1376 1157 188 160 155 97 2202750 74070 90 1388 1175 189 161 156 98 2276820 75712 91 1400 1194 190 162 157 99 2352532 77372 92 1412 1213 191 163 158 100 2429904 79050 93 1424 1232 192 164 159 101 2508954 80746 94 1436 1251 193 165 160 102 2589700 82460 95 1448 1270 194 166 161 103 2672160 84192 96 1460 1290 195 167 162 104 2756352 85942 97 1472 1310 196 168 163 105 2842294 87710 98 1484 1330 197 169 164 106 2930004 89496 99 1496 1350 198 170 165 107 3019500 0 ******************************************************************************* ***************************** PLACES TO LEVEL UP ****************************** ******************************************************************************* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Best place to level up: Arena: the room across from the boss, Balore It is the room at the bottom of the Arena where you have to ride the platform and press directional buttons at certain points to continue (Same length where you can collect the Rare Ring). It also has a dozen Beam Skeletons, which offer 3,840EXP after clearing them out. NOTE: Before you use this room, make sure you have already solved the puzzle and opened the entrance along the other side. This will speed up the process of using this area to level up. This guide suggests the following Equipment and souls to deal with this room as quickly as possible: Optimum Equipment: - Claimh Solais (+7 INT) - Death Robe (+13 INT) or Elf Robe (+10 INT) - Chaos Ring (For the MP required to do this) Optimum Souls: - Red: N/A (Since it won't be used) - Blue: Manticore (Requires the lowest INT) - Yellow: Lubicant (If a boost in INT is needed) or Erinys for bonus EXP The key to making this work fast is to have enough INT so you can take out the entire row of Beam Skeletons in one pass. You will not be walking along this chamber, dodging spikes and lasers along the way. No. Instead, you will charge into them by transforming into a large, rushing, MP-guzzling beast. The best transformation soul to use is Manticore, since it requires the lowest amount of INT needed to do 400 damage. INT requirements for transformation souls: Manticore - 104 (Normal), 134 (Hard) Devil - 122 (Normal), 163 (Hard) Curly - 144 (Normal), 190 (Hard) Devil and Curly are better are performing multiple hits while you are moving slower, but since you will be plowing through most of the Beam Skeletons at top speed, it is not that beneficial enough to use them. In addition, the transformations are not affected by the damaging spikes along the floor; you can pass right over them. If you are still sitting at a low level (Under 44 on Normal and under 58 on Hard), you will need a soul to raise Intellgence. Stolas, Bael, Lilith and Red Crow can do this. Headhunter (If you have collected enough souls) can push you up to +33. Lubicant can push you much further than that if you need a considerable boost at the expense of HP. If you are careful in executing your rushes, a low HP amount should not be a problem. It is possible to tackle this as low as level 20 on Normal and level 27 on Hard. It is not possible to have enough MP to do enough runs before gaining a level. That, plus the near-absence of torches/hearts makes having a source of MP critical to making this work. Worst-case, there is a save point not far away which could replenish your MP, but if you are using the Lubicant 'hack' to boost your INT, you would need to reduce your HP again to make things work. Kuro's best times (Levels 27-50): Normal "Best Place to level up" in Arena: 45:25:52 - 45:48:07 = 22:15 Suggested "New Place" to level up: 45:24:50 - 45:37:26 = 12:36 So, it took Kuro 10 less minutes to get from level 27 to level 50 using the area suggested in this guide. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other good places (Depending on level) Castle Corridor (Level 1+) - The 2x2 room by the save room has a large pool with Mermen who keep popping out. While they are only worth 2 EXP each, they do pop out at a good pace, giving you a chance to build up a couple levels. Clock Tower (Level 15+) - The room leading up to Death's Chambers there are three Harpies fluttering about. Luckily, they are not very tough and should give you an easy 300 EXP. With a nearby save point to keep your replenished, it should be no problem to pick up a few levels, here. Underground Reservoir (Level 20+) - There is a 2x1 room leading to Ancient Book 3 that has two Nightmares and a Flesh Golem. This easily amounts to 1000 experience if you wish to defeat all three, or if you prefer to take out just the charging Nightmare, it is a quick 300 EXP, out and back in to repeat. Underground Reservoir (Level 25+) - The room with the Golem. Assuming you can beat it each time, it's 1000 EXP, plus you can stay very close to a save point, so feel free to waste all your MP on it. The Arena (Level 30+) - A popular room involves one in the upper level of Arena which has 2 Red Minotaurs, plus a Killer Mantle and Weretiger. There are plenty of torches along the hallway, so feel free to spam whatever souls you wish to raise your levels. ******************************************************************************* ********************************* LEGAL STUFF ********************************* ******************************************************************************* Copyright 2003 Konami & Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo Version 1.00 Guide Written By: Kuro-chan_101: kuro101@kuro-rpg.net This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other website or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited. Current sites with permission to host this Walk-through/Guide: GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com) The following sources were used for research and information for this guide. Keep in mind, a lot of the data presented was also the result of research, testing, trial and error, etc.: - GBA game cartridge: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow ******************************************************************************* ******************************* FINAL COMMENTS ******************************** ******************************************************************************* Thank for you reading through this guide. In all honesty, I am not sure why I actually made this guide. I figure, it was one piece of info I could not find on the gameFAQs FAQ section, so I decided to take a crack at it and see what I could find. Special thanks to ShadowWarriorLuke for proof-reading this for me. :) - Kuro-chan_101