Pragmatic Daopilled How to Survive MuhRO Guide by Sophie/Joan

Enlightenment before Understanding
Understanding before Enlightenment

Introduction

<page under construction>

Hello I'm Sophie/Joan (Guide Date: 7/Sep/2025). You would see me often AFK in the center of Prontera/Gonryun/Garden of Time with my Soul Ascetic (SA) char R.ClickToRename254519 or other characters. This guide is merely what I experienced in MuhRO and what I understand after playing for a mere 1 year's time as of when this guide is written. I do not claim my method to be the best nor the insight or knowledge to be the most accurate; not even close, in fact there are many other players, who are simply technically and knowledge-wise better, who is growing stronger faster and more efficiently, who make more friends, and who contributed more for MuhRO community (also feel free to dm me on discord/In-game for whatever reason I'll talk to you whenever my time/energy allows it). I just simply tried to write it out, because frequently I saw that there are people who simply wants to know what's others are doing and/or simply wants to know what's the benchmark, people who get into trouble and don't know what part they're doing wrong, or someone's who is feeling that they are not progressing, etc. While it is hard to give convincing or objective opinion on these issues without offending or sounding like a gossiper or condescending because, frankly, it is simply hard to explain things without a standardized unified perception of reality or an official authority. To be honest, I am not that sure that discussion demands regarding these matters from either new or old players are high even (as of 7/Sep/2025) because I think most people are casual about these matters. Though I think it will be somehow beneficial in the very long run for specific type of people with unique fate who is destined to read this compendium insights and stratagems of mine, and also for other people that randomly came across this writing and read it while they are bored and too tired to actively do anything meaningful in-game but still want to feel as if they are progressing the game somehow.

Lastly and most importantly, I have to state here: there's no Guide of Guide, for a Guide that can be written is not the True Guide, so much so that that you should always strive to find and create the better routine/pattern of action and decision making, and to endlessly experiment about and to try to know more about how the little world of this MuhRO server truly works. This Daoist Guide of subjective reality or Social Commentary if you want to take this humorously, is just here to help you to craft your own unique cosmology/world view, that in the end you are able to be the living guide for yourself. All in all, after reading this guide it is my greatest wish that people would be inspired somehow and hopefully with their own strength could escape their own individual prisoner's dilemma (classic scenario in game theory that shows why two rational individuals might not cooperate, even if cooperation would benefit them both) and by so eventually and by compounding create a nicer time for everyone in the MuhRO community while also alienating bad actors.

Scope/For whom this guide is intended for

Early, mid, to end game decision-making guide or a manual of some sort of eliminating not nice to be around people and not beneficial to do things for those players whom have reached the beginning of realization that this server is a marathon game not a sprint, that this server is here to stay and will outlast many if most official servers out there, and that the server is the best. And because of all these things, you realized that being good and smart by aligning yourself with the raison d'etre of this server will have better payoff than short term predatory behaviors and cheap thrills. As Sun Tzu once said, "Those who plan extensively before a battle are likely to win; those who plan only a little are likely to lose." and such I hope with this guide it would be easier to sort out what behaviors and what kind of people that you interact with will or will not help you reaching your long term goals and to avoid the trap of: Everyone else is doing it = Good. It is simply not, because everyone has different goals in mind and most of the top affluent people of the server hides what exactly their cashflow producing methods are. What matters the most is your own situational awareness, adaptability, and integrated understanding about all these to plan ahead and ultimately benefits just by positional advantage and having the correct latent capability.

Utilizing the major principles of plausible deniability, this guide is purposely made to be vague, intuitive/generalizing, and not-offending-as-possible as I do not provide exact namedrop and detailed plans/routine/action/judgment of which why some people or decision might or might not work as well for mine or your in-game goals and interests may it be socially, financially, or of any other aspects, and for that case you should not find me or anyone else to gossip about the types of people mentioned within this guide, and there is no exception to this; just keep things to yourself and be non-toxic and be as introspective as possible and think of these all as educational/fictional parables and of self improvement focused.

You are to be conditioned into a state akin to freely swimming in the blue ocean, and is not trapped as a turtle in a well. For this guide to work, you are assumed to have already know and/or at some point at least once have a quality interaction with: everyone that often shows up on #trade channel, every GM except Muh (because he is busy don't disturb him), every EM and Mods, every major Guild Leaders, top 20 zeny rankers, top contributors and build/item testers, and guide writers of the past, present, and the future. If you cannot do those all yet because you are very new or having shy personality like me, at least try to be familiar with their names and roughly try to remember or record what they said to understand them better even without so much active interactions from your side. Other important thing is that you have traded quite often (around 20 trades a week with different people or 50 buyings from vending and/or successful vending sells) of important commodities/current meta related items and interacted with people on #global, #trade, and various jobs #channels in MuhRO discord, and at one point have checked prices of commodities and valuable end game equips and MVP cards on your handphone when you were away touching grass far from your computer (because those crazy good deals could just pop out of nowhere amirite).

While hopefully able to simplify and covers the most basics of basics of strategic planning, one thing to state about the scope of this Pragmatic Guide is its limitation: that we are not putting fun any weight as factor in our decision making and so this guide will disregard those funsies in the planning, because it will require far more complex calculations and considerations, of which I think is pointless to ponder upon (just do it when u want to have fun and ditch the plans). Also lastly you are required to have the drive and tenacity to farm/grind and work hard and honest, and not making predatory behavior your main modus operandi (this is a warning).

Long-term Planning optimization problem is that for some people strategically, some behaviour/routine suit them better as it simply matching their personal energy-mental balance and currently owned assets (e.g. you will like to farm instances more as crit DK and/or that you kinda hate field farming), so we will not assume a narrow-minded stance on this issue and would tolerate a bit lesser realized/unrealized zeny per hour potentials ratios and whatnots as long as things work well.

Strata of purpose: General Objectives vs Specific Objectives

Long-term Goals

A priori reasoning would define our Long-term Goals (listed here by priority of importance) and permanent/temporary condition of losing would simply be defined by its a posteriori :

1. Ability to keep playing: this covers both non-physical aspects (e.g. master account integrity, social integrity, etc) and physical aspects (e.g. mood, attention, etc). And therefore losing conditions would be if you cannot play anymore (e.g. banned/jailed/muted, bad mood, deteriorating sanity).
2. Gaining strength in-game: this covers strength defined loosely (e.g. economic strength, network strength). And therefore losing conditions would be if you cannot make progress (e.g. you got enslaved by a bad guild/bad actor-> real case but I will not namedrop but it did happen).

General Objectives

Objectives are determined by Long-term Goals and would be split into 2 components namely the General Objectives and the Specific Objectives. As this is a Pragmatic Guide above being Daoist Guide, General Objectives will take precedes above Specific Objectives. The general objectives directly relates to securing specific conditions (e.g. account integrity) and specific IRL resources (time, energy, mood) behaviors traditionally known as 保精 (Jing Preservation), that function as key requirements that allow you to keep pursuing the 2 aforementioned long-term goals. Specific objectives are those related to the Daoist elements (e.g. objectives listed in Earth (地/Dì), Men (人, Rén), and Heaven (天, Tiān) parts) and its larger interaction with these deductives will later elaborated on their own parts of this guide.

The General Objectives (listed by priority of importance):

1. Securing your account/Avoiding behavioral risks that potentially compromises your account aka Integrity: Most easily achieved by reading, memorizing, and understanding the Server Rules and Best Practices (e.g. Norms, Mores, etc)
2. Securing and protecting your specific IRL resources (time, energy, mood, mental wellbeing, attention, etc): This part is more complex and for different levels of realities (Earth (地/Dì), Men (人, Rén), and Heaven (天, Tiān)) there are different treatments that could be applied but not limited to only what are listed on this guide.

First Level of Reality: Earth (地/Dì)

It's all about you and the land that you cultivate

If you want to exclusively operating on this level of reality, it is viable by treating the game as a strictly single player game: No interaction with other players, no interaction outside the game on discord, no buying and selling, just farm strictly by yourself and progress everything by yourself. Earth as in the Immovable Mountain (巍峨山, lit. majestic, towering, imposing, immense, Mountain (of unshakable height)). Just saying these so you will get the idea.

What to do generally to help progress this realm (the alternative is solo farming and solo crafting everything):

1. Know what you want vs what you need: buying wrong item at right price or right item at wrong price are both bad, but not equally bad (the former is generally worse than the latter). More on this, people have desire sensor so if you want something you should not show it too much because people will exploit it. Better to offer to buy both the thing you want and their materials so that it shows people you can't be fooled and that you know your stuff and able to make one if someone try to offer you some bulls*** price and that there are alternatives and there is more potential seller than sole buyer(you). On the side note don't offer too low too often because you will be blacklisted by people (it will affect your interactions in the next level of reality on Men (人) Realm) and it is bad unless you are already of higher strength classification (people will need you more than you need them).
2. Be as efficient (farm with better zeny per hour) and effective (farm at better maps) as possible: easier to do than said but it is the classic advice.
3. Knows your classification of strength and your relative positional advantage/disadvantage against the other party: Be aware that higher strength classification people (level 4 and 5) tends to be more immovable like a mountain precisely because they are very self sufficient. They can wait out for weeks if not months until the market situations turns in their favor, even some are selling or buying just for the sake of it (they don't really need your zeny). But surprisingly, they could also behaving unpredictably by offering the top zeny for the stuff they like; when they cough billions move. It is generally useless to haggle or be petty against them and it is them who shape the environment around them to their liking. The contrast is, if you are facing people of weaker classification, they tend to be more flimsy and will generally need your stuff better than you need their zeny relatively speaking. Even if you want to be ruthless they will most likely bend their knee to your demand (because at weaker progression even with buying overpriced stuff is generally still profitable to people, e.g. sub 50-100m items could triple someone's damage so they will farm x5 their farming speed) while the alternative is for them to wait a day or two or a week farming with sub-optimal gears waiting for the right price (it is making them lose potential profit), but don't do this too often though because people will remember you and possibly will have a grudge (it will negatively affect your interactions on Men (人) Realm).

Strength Classification

知彼知己，百戰不殆 If you know the other party(ies) and know yourself, in a hundred battles you will not be in danger.

不知彼而知己，一勝一負 If you know yourself but not the other party(ies), for every victory you will also suffer a defeat.

不知彼，不知己，每戰必殆 If you know neither the other party(ies) nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every battle.

-Sun Tzu, chapter 3.18–3.19-

Bi (彼) as interpreted here, it is not "enemy (敌, di)" as commonly written on more popular quotations and westernized interpretations. It simply means the other party. It also capture the essence of flexibility of interests and fluidity of the situations: one moment a friend beating a hard instance together and at the same time they could be your competitor aiming to buy the same set of materials for some end game stuff. The paradoxical situation doesn't matter, they could be both at the same time as you would be to them.

For this realm, to classify yourself is just to measure how materially self sufficient you are, while you should also actively try to measure the strength of the other party which is useful thing to do in many scenarios (trade, forum, even socially in general) that is how do make use of the informations you know. Doing it right it would limit your exposure to unnecessary risks and help curtain expectations (you can be seen as toxic if you demand too much from other parties without knowing their capabilities). What does it means? Practically, unique to this realm, assuming trade negotiations is conducted equally competently by both sides, the one with better positioning will be the one stronger and that is how you see and quantify any deadlock in negotiations. Just pull away from the negotiation table and see again after awhile who needed whom the most. Anyway the strength classification for this realm are:

1. Level 1 Earth; Not Self-Sufficient, Not Efficient, Not Effective / Void Stage (虚, Xū): Slow progress and will need to buy everything from other players or slowly farm it themselves. Most new players are here unless you donate the first thing you do after registering and get to sell muh vouchers for a lump sum.
2. Level 2 Earth; Not Self-Sufficient but Efficient / Flowing Stage (流, Liú): Obtained their first TDRC + Dimensions weapon combo. Able to start farming some of the most profitable maps (e.g. nif2). Still need to buy a lot of stuff from other players because it will still be slower if they farm those materials themselves.
3. Level 3 Earth; Self-Sufficient and Baseline Efficiency / Rooted Stage (根, Gēn): Able to farm on all the harder farming maps (Biosphere B for Zelunium/BSB, D2 for TDMR runes) and some solo instances (e.g. LoF). Will still be able to progress and gain strength even if the market supply is empty. Will still need to buy some stuff from the hardest contents or farm it slowly with/without help. Most players are here.
4. Level 4 Earth; True Self-Sufficiency / Harmonized Stage (和, Hé): Able to farm all farming maps and all solo instances. Still dependent on pub runs for some of the hardest group instance (e.g. HoL, ToT, Alice Hard). Most older players/veterans are here.
5. Level 5 Earth; Beyond Self-Sufficient with Surplus and Abundance/ Overflowing Stage (盛, Shèng): Able to farm all farming maps and all solo instances efficiently and some even able to solo farm group instance by themselves/with small group of 2-3 people. Very resourceful and have their own specialized networks for beating the hardest instances (e.g. ToT, HoL, Alice Hard). Market and trade speaking you can't bluff them, for they know for sure then will get what they want sooner or later on their own terms.

Comfortable Farming

On Earth (地/Dì), Objectives are (by priority):

1. Integrity (don't do stupid stuff like botting, afk farming, putting stones on your keys etc).
2. IRL resources (energy, mood, etc) preservation.
3. Map Monopoly/Map Conditioning: Don't openly challenge people on farming maps, you will only risk reporting. Instead record all your farming sessions when you are in a map with a troublemaker(s), you will soon recognize them by name, and you will have the opportunity to report them and by eliminating competitors on your farming maps you are increasing your farming efficiency.

Choices of Actions Available to do in this Realm of Earth (地/Dì)

Tools	Steps	Who to Use/Not Use Against	Explanations
Record and Report	W1B	W1C	W1D
Hoarding	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Bluffing	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Public Price Checking	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Trade Embargo	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Highball (Ethical)	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Lowball (Ethical)	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes

Relevant Entities of this Realm of Earth (地/Dì)

Species	Danger Level and Their Targets	Desc. & Behaviors	Explanations and Vulnerabilities
Pigheaded Salesman (most likely smarter than you)	W1B	W1C	W1D
Amateurish Salesman (clueless but still want to be profiteering from you)	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Beggar	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Scammer	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Toxic Farmer	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Slaver/Slaver Guild	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Solo Player (most likely older than you)	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Elitist (of Earth Realm)	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Class Hopper	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Highballer (Severe Seller)	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Lowballer (Severe Buyer)	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
MVP Camper	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes

Second Level of Reality: Men (人, Rén)

It's about you and fellow players whom you interact with

If you want to exclusively and solely operating on this level of reality, it is viable by treating the game as a strictly social and aesthetic game, maybe something like VRChat: No farming, no instance, only afk in towns, be pretty, and socialize with other players in full and entirety. Men is like grass: grow on Earth and bend under the Heaven. Men is like water: whose disposition is fluid and flexible. Men is like wind: invisible, mobile, carrying influence and spreading news or disorder. Just saying these so you will get the idea.

Strength Classification

圮地无舍 Ground that may collapse or is unstable, don’t station troops there. (Move! and be fluid)

衢地合交 On ground of withdrawal, unite and link. (Join forces with allies / keep the junction alive. Be flexible yet compact)

絕地无留 If you are on ground that severs retreat, don’t stay and linger around, act decisively. (Don't waste time, both yours and other people's)

圍地則謀 On dangerous ground, scheme (Plan ahead).

死地則戰 If you are backed into a place of death, fight. There is no other option. (Fight only if you are cornered, but even better if you are never to be cornered)

-Sun Tzu Art of War, Chapter 8.3-8.7 -

For this realm, to classify yourself is just to measure how connected and how knowledgeable you are towards the people, both the ones beneficial to you and the ones not so beneficial to you, and the social structures that formed around them. Here on this Layer of Reality, the essence of strength is to be fluid, able to fit in everywhere and to be the fastest to be informed and consequently more likely to be in favorable positioning. Socially to be useful for as many people as possible, or at least be seen as potentially beneficial rather than harmful (of which also affected by activities that you did on Earth Realm). On micro scale it may be that people are taking benefit from your existence, but on macro scale in a compounding fashion, you are the actual beneficiary because: it is easier for you to avoid unfavorable situations and able to read the rooms and the big picture better, more likely to avoid being stuck on something you cannot get rid off, and is generally harder to get pushed around/cornered by anyone because you are that resourceful and having various Plan Bs (could be economically related or not related doesn't matter). Anyway the strength classification for this realm are:

1. Level 1 Men; Not Connected(孤立無援): Knows noone and is clueless about this server both socially and rules-speaking. Most new players are here unless you are migrating together with some old friends from old server, or able to notice some old names you previously encountered on some other places some other times. If you are here just add the numbers and try to get to know as many people as possible. Honeymoon of post-migration/post-hiatus period.
2. Level 2 Men; Sufficiently Connected (通達有餘): Knows their peers, and some older friendly players. You start to get noticed, and people also actively want to get to know you from their side and to measure you. Usually happens when you start to gain strength on Earth Realm and try to bid your first end game equipment, generally becoming more significant both in actuality and potentially. More sinister force starts to target you as they assume you will have buying power, but not the knowledge to discern the good items vs bad items and good prices vs bad prices nor having the connections that is always available to be consulted about this matter. If you are here I would personally advice you to use #global and #support as much as possible and avoid DM unless it is with someone trustworthy.
3. Level 3 Men; Strategically Connected (謀通天下): Knows at least a guild worth number of people that have mutual/common interest. You have found your comfy zone. Most players are here. You are generally immunized against most common shady practices, and even if u haven't, you always know someone to ask.
4. Level 4 Men; Networked and Perceptive(網通明察): Knows a lot of people to chill with of which is probably one third of the server and have a long list who to avoid or to distance yourself with. People sometimes brand you as elitist at this phase but they don't understand that quality starts to matter more than quantity and that you don't have time for everyone. Knows good deals vs bad deals just by glancing the seller's name and you know from who to get the best prices of stuff you want and/or to sell your stuff to. Most veterans are here. Scammers will ignore you.
5. Level 5 Men; Connected with History, Aware of Men(通古知人): Knows a lot of people for years and generally everyone in the server that shared your timezones, at times it seems that there's more people that know you than you know them but then you remember them again after awhile. Probably you also have dirts on a lot of people (but ur not a snitch, you are the cool kids). Scammers will fear you.

Justification of Selfishness vs Selflessness as a Social Obligation as Member of the Collective

On this realm it is all mostly about balancing; your interests vs your friend's or other member of the community's interests, having crazy fun vs being strict of the rules and regulations, spending time for your own progress vs helping other people, etc. But all in all I think being selfish to a degree is fine, because above all reasons, it is you that choose to do this activity. The bottom line is everyone is doing this too and so by that awareness, we might guess the possible the limitation of being selfish: You start being a problem when you are disturbing people en masse and/or the greater cosmic order by your action, and by doing so you will start to attract watching eyes from the next level of reality: the Heaven (天, Tiān) realm.

Comfortable Social Distancing

The ideal scenario would be the right people with the right distance; but more often than not, placing the wrong people at the right distance would work well for a pragmatist.

The General Objectives rules still works here:

1. Integrity (matters more than Earth (地) Level of Reality, you are facing against plethora of various other people after all)
2. IRL resources (energy, mood, etc) preservation.
3. Building Long Term Relationship with the Best of People: Find and identify them. On long period, Quality matters far more than quantity. These people are competent, reliable, and trustworthy. Just keep them around you and you will enjoy playing more and somehow will grow better if not also faster. And if you do things with them do it sincerely and with self improvement mind set and nothing will go wrong. Try to also preserve their Integrity and IRL resources as they would or have done to you. These are your own people.
4. Maintaining Reputation and Growing Your Network: Don't openly challenge or annoy or disgust people even if they are weaker than you strength wise, you will risk isolation. Embargo and Block are very powerful tools on this realm. Instead try to embrace as much people as possible provided they don't post risks (e.g. on your Integrity, IRL resources). These are the public.
5. Marking and Recording: Make use of Discord Integration Policy of the server. Write down your impressions and key interactions between you and someone on the Discord Notes of their profiles to help you remember. It will slowly build History. Double the use if it is about someone you have negative impression of, so that you will not be preyed upon. Demand discord pm before confirming every major deals if you suspect the other person is someone you don't like or have done you wrong in the past and if that is the case, continue with the Embargo. These are the public mixed with the potential villains.

Choices of Actions Available to do in this Realm of Men (人, Rén)

Tools	Steps	Who to Use/Not Use Against	Explanations
Discord Block/Marking	Block (if severe) or ignore (if just annoying) in Discord App (ezpz)	Do against: People you don't like. Annoying people. Entities in Realm of Men but not limited to, especially those that trying to target you. Don't do against: Local Saints (of Heaven (天, Tiān) Realm)	Your most basic defense against those who eat away you IRL resources (time, energy, mood, mental wellbeing, attention, etc)
/exall	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Gossip/Information Gathering	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Multi Guild presence	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Fashion Boosting	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Public Withdrawal	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Gifting	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Public Congratulatory Statements	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Agree, Smile, and Nod (then do whatever you want to do from the beginning anyway)	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Sabotage	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes
Material Baiting	File:Xxxxxx.jpg	(your) Theme ratio Hero: Supporting: Accent:	(your) Theme notes

Relevant Entities of this Realm of Men (人, Rén)

Species	Danger Level and Their Targets	Desc. & Behaviors	Explanations and Vulnerabilities
Dramatic People / Attention Seeker (虚荣者, Xū Róng Zhě lit. Vanity Ones)	Damaging your IRL resources namely: Time, Attention, Mental Wellbeing, Mood Feeding you with false information (could damage your network strength if you ever acted upon that)	Usually have at least one Fashion Enthusiast/Social Butterfly in their group (usually more than one) while they will also pretend to be one (however you can consider them False Butterfly also because usually their senses are not as good as the true butterflies). When they heard something is going on, they will want to be involved in the said matters and temporarily feeling important from all the interactions and attentions showered on them. But they don't really solve problem and actually just muddying the water. They will lie a lot (you will never believe me how much it was).	Discord Block will works wonder. If they start cozying up to you and trying to be all friendly just tell them the next day you forget who they are. They will usually be furious because they are also a narcistic and doing that is the same as denying their very existence. Never talk to them ever again good riddance.
Unreasonable Haters: Toxic People (阴嫉, Yīn Jí lit. Hidden Envious One) / Toxic Gang (嫉魄族, Jí Pò Zú lit. Envious-Soul Clan)	First they will try to destroy your Integrity and Reputation if you are being targeted. After they do enough damage they will try to arrange things for you so that you got banned. They will celebrate after that and will try to find out new poor soul to replace your name on their list. Sometimes tries to also destroy your IRL resources namely: mood, mental wellbeing, etc.	They are hateful, envious, and greedy; they will target you if you have something that they don't have. Or if you are a new player that progressing faster than them and their gang. Or even for no reason at all. However they are smart and will do Agree, Smile, and Nod against you, whenever you are in front of them and if you confront them they will say you are their friend. Most of the time you will never know you are being targeted until it is too late.	Don't try to reason with these people they are most likely smarter than you and even if you are smarter it is pointless to try to change them or even one of them. And if you join them you will just compounding your suffering (just don't do it trust me). Agree, Smile, and Nod works against them to a degree. Always maintain apparent politeness in front of them so they can't find further reasons, at least for the time being. Or hopefully they will switch you into lower priority target (they will usually have at least half a dozen people on their list). Sometimes their influence are so great that you don't want a wrong Local Saint to help you, because it may make things worse. Public Withdrawal works the best. If you are in a single player mode and not talking to anyone at all, they can't damage your account integrity. While you are doing that, pray so that you will outlast them (can take months or years) but in the end they will get busted because if they don't have a target they will fight among themselves, or one of them will betray the gang that's the kind of these people are. Material Baiting and Sabotage might work against them but it also kind of damage your own Integrity so overall it is not reccomended unless you know what you're doing.
Fashion Enthusiast/Social Butterfly (游闻灵, Yóu Wén Líng lit. Wandering News Spirits)	Usually not dangerous unless they don't like you personally (but there will be signs). Don't push them farther if they don't like you though they don't like pressure or conflicts so they will just teleported away or something and you will never see them ever again (they are like fairies of medieval tales).	Knows most of the thing if not all that occurred in the server, or at least knows someone that do or was there when it happened. If they said they don't know it just means they don't trust you yet with that level of information. AFK most of the time and not really caring about things related to Earth (地/Dì) Realm (though some of them do, and the ones that do will most likely be stronger than you; think of some protein buff gymbros fairy, rare but it exists sometimes). Occasionally can be seen farming or buying materials for costumes. if you help them they will be happy. Rarely sold their costumes (their only valuables) so if you see them selling don't lowball them and be nice.	If they like you, they will tell you everything you ask. Cornerstone of information but the worth varies by individuals. Gifting works on them but only if you know how to be classy.
Emotional Vampire (吸气妖, Xī Qì Yāo lit. Qi-Sucking Fiends)	Damaging your IRL resources namely: Time, Attention, Energy Damaging your material resources Sometimes damaging your Integrity	Clingy, they keep bothering you with greetings, small talks, and demanding your attention while being all friendly after maybe helping you once or twice with minor activity, but in the end they just want to bind you with guilt and use you as a tool. The reason is usually because they are lazy or having the satisfaction to benefit from other people's effort of which they will frame to you as fair reciprocity (trading their not important small talks for your real efforts). Every day their demand will only grow greater. They will threaten you with something like quitting the game or something else. Don't bother because they will just stop playing for 2-3 days to make you feel guilty then appears again as if nothing happened and tried to be all friendly again (they thought you are stupid and forgiving).	Ignoring them is the best way. Don't ever reply to their DM to signal your uncooperativeness. If they are being persistent it is your chance to report them for bothering you incessantly (also don't forget to take screenshoot). Agree, Smile, and Nod works better for those that are more persistent on bending their will upon you (but never help them once because they will ask again and again shamelessly). Kick them out of your party if you notice them or their alts. Who knows what will they do. You should cut ties with them as soon as possible. Ask for mediation if possible but only from those Local Saints who understood the situations otherwise these Emotional Vampires will frame themselves as the victim (they are very good at it because it is habitual and they are masterful at it, you are not the only target). Will enslave you for all eternity if you have a weak will (also you can contact me if you are too deep in this situation)
People with Conditions / Social Outcast (异志灵, Yì Zhì Líng lit. Unusual-Will Spirits)	Damaging your IRL resources namely: time, attention, energy though unintentionally (they just try to be nice)	They will keep bothering you for whatever esoteric reasons only they understand, but for some reason the conversations just doesn't click. Happened cumulatively to everyone they approached leaving them alone in that state (it's no-one's fault either).	Ask any helpers or Local Saints (beings of Heaven (天, Tiān) Realm) to mediate. Don't be hatin cuz they're actually sweet person (well not always but more often to be than not), they are just misunderstood.
Elitist of Men Realm (选友者, Xuǎn Yǒu Zhě lit. Those Who Choose Their Friends)	Not posing real danger unless you try hard to make them like you (goodluck with that)	They ignore you when you are weak but then turns friendly only after you grow strong. When two of them speaks together (you are all in same guild or in same afk city) and you approach them to join the conversation, they will either ignore you or change their language into what they only mutually understand. If you press further they will report you (it may have happened in slightly different chronology). They will disrespect you in public and in private. They will treat you like a used rag and only call you around if they want you to help with some of their chores (they think you want them to acknowledge you; well some people do and did all these happily though, while these elitists live of them like weeds).	Not really pleasant to be around if you happened to find them in the same guild but because they don't directly harm you, you cannot do anything against them either. But try to at least maintain apparent politeness, for reasons that they are usually very influential on their group of which is a group of people that got ensnared and trapped into trying to get the validations from these Elitists. Ignoring them is the best way. Discord Block also works wonder. Agree, Smile, and Nod works better for those that are more persistent on bending their will upon you (but never help them once because they will ask again). Gather strength and leave the guild if there is simply too many of them in your guild, it is not a healthy environment. You don't need them. Gifting doesn't work no matter the value of your gift. It may make things worse because now they will start approaching you with greed and will lowball your valuables and you think by doing that they will like you, but no you are wrong. In the end you will never truly be counted among their ranks even if you spend billions and years trying to appease them and curry them favor (yes it happened to someone).
Hidden Avatars (幻圣影, Huàn Shèng Yǐng lit. Illusory Saintly Shadows)	Harmless but if you argue against them you will only embarrass yourself (yes it happened circa 1/16/2025)	They like to be cute while observing mortal's interactions also sometimes you see them farming for costumes materials or chilling in seasonal events maps. The stronger ones drops MVP cards but you won't see them doing that too often. If you ask around veteran people will usually tell you about their names.	Just don't report them to themselves (yes it happened too). Don't ask them to write ticket to themselves either.

Third Level of Reality: Heaven (天, Tiān)

It's about things that you and any other other players can't control

If you want to exclusively operating on this level of reality, it might be possible by volunteering while at the same time retiring your main game account. Those who are exclusively here would feel like the game (and the online community formed around it) as a project to be worked on: Not interacting with other players as a fellow player; nor treating the in-game environments as a player, but by functioning as code related programmers/developers, social managers, costume/skin workers, etc. Mods/EM/GM/helpers strictly operates on this level of reality if they don't do anything with their player account. Beyond this it would be the game's original directions (e.g. the updates original from kRO). Just saying these so you will get the idea of what this realm consists of.

Strength Classification of Heaven (天, Tiān) Realm

其火有日 The fire has the sun (heavenly fire / daytime fire): emphasizing timing, season, or celestial influence rather than literal flames. (The optimal use of fire aligns with solar timing or celestial conditions; fire attacks must consider season and timings. Fire here means whatever you do or trying to accomplish, as in what are you pouring your energy into)

时者，天之造也 Good timing is the creation of heaven. (Timing is beyond your control and will take its most natural path as understood in Daoistic context)

日者，月在箕、毕、乙、轸也 The sun and moon are positioned in Ji, Bi, Yi, Zhen, the four astral divisions by the four cardinal directions. (Timing depends on astral alignment; the moon’s position relative to these constellations signals favorable periods e.g. all these are beyond your control but you can read the signs)

反此四邪者，风起之日也 Those who counter the four evils, the day the wind rises. (The signs indicate when strong winds will come e.g. related to whatever will happen on the Men realm, crucial for maximizing your effectivity and efficiency and your positioning (勢, shi))

-Sun Tzu Art of War, Chapter 12.10-12.13 -

For this realm, to classify yourself is to measure your Heavenly Knowledge (天道之知, Tiāndào zhī zhī / lit. Knowledge of the Way of Heaven):

1. Level -1 Heaven; Negative Understanding(逆智, Nì Zhì, lit. Contrary Wisdom / Misaligned Knowledge): The troublemakers are here, either they will change their ways fast or bad thing will happen to them (my condolences).
2. Level 0 Heaven; Ignorance with Partial Common Sense (初慧, Chū Huì lit. Beginning Wisdom): Most new players are here. Still not getting or fully fit in into the server's unique culture but otherwise is blameless.
3. Level 1 Heaven; Sufficient Understanding with Common Sense (通達, Tōng Dá lit. Fully Connected / Understanding): Most players are here, both average and old. Those people have understood and generally fits in the bigger culture unique to this server. The better ones among the bunch are able to somehow take a peek at the heaven and gained limited revelations of what to come (e.g. meta shifting) and its various economic/non-economic consequences.
4. Level 2 Heaven; Beyond Principled and Sensical (洞慧, Dòng Huì lit. Penetrating Wisdom / Insightful Perception): Some Staff and Helpers are here. They have their own ways to correct others and autoregulate themselves (we mortals should just accept and respect it). Able to somehow move the heavens.
5. level 3 Heaven; Creator of the Principle (造化, Zào Huà lit. “Maker of Cosmos”): Realm of the unspeakable ones. Not much is known about them and one should not try to find out either lest unfortunate things will happen. Very powerful and profound. One cough (from them) shakes the nine heavens, creates and destroys myriad worlds (一咳震九天，生滅萬界).

Comfortable World Building

The General Objectives rules still works here:

1. Integrity (matters even more than previous Levels of Reality).
2. IRL resources (energy, mood, etc) preservation.
3. Subtlety, Impartiality, and Apparent Neutrality: Don't openly challenge those with higher strength, it will usually not end well for you, rather try to indirectly use those with the same level of strength against the other. Don't openly favor someone either on this Realm. At least pretend that you are working towards the Project or the Community as the whole. The rule of fighting on this realm is different than anything else (also not advised to).

Choices of Actions Available to do in this Realm of Heaven (天, Tiān)

Tools	Steps	Who to Use/Not Use Against	Explanations
Mute/Perma Ban	Exclusive tools for the Local Saints	The main weapon to use for suspected/proven Trouble Makers that broke the Rules and Regulation of the world or those who are actively targeting one of the Local Saints or ordinary denizens of this world by any means (but you have to let the Local Saints aware of your perdition).	If you get hit you will be sent into the shadow realm, either permanently or temporarily. Even if temporarily it is still leaving scars on you and it will be forever recorded in the Akashic Records so it is not recommended to brace against.
Forum Costume/Recolor Request	Post a request according to the demanded format (it is easy)	If you want something or its recolor for aesthetic reasons you may do it. Or if someone you don't like keep flaunting their rare source costumes you should remind the Local Saints with this tools to make those stuff available for everyone.	Very limited in power as the request may or may not accepted. More reliable method is to voluntarily join the costume mines as slave helper and work your stuff yourself.
Forum Suggestion	Post a request according to the demanded format (it is easy)	Request the Local Saint to provide miracles to profoundly change the terrain and mechanism of the world. Especially useful if you notice an unfairness among the mortals with less fortunate jobs.	Request might or might not be accepted and there may be discussion around your topic. Behind the scene here is a team of Wise Sages and Local Saints that take care of the details and the implementation of your wishes and might even sometimes double down on things.
Pub Runs Organizing/Participation	Shout in #LFG either if you are providing the run or you are requesting one	May use it if you want to help newer players. May request it if you wish some other players to help you or fellow new players to gather around.	One of the culture building best working gears to make everyone get to know each others and is encouraged: The older players need reasons to be present among newer players and to get to know them without being disruptive The newer players should be asking around as older players tell stories and answer every questions on this venue
General Reporting Contributions (Bug Reporting, Bad Actor Reporting, etc)	Make tickets in Discord	You are helping the Local Saints maintain this world if your reports are credible while also directly eliminating Evils and World Irregularities	You might be indicted and get sent into the shadow realm if you are profiteering through the World Irregularities so don't do that lol. Local Saints have access to Akashic Records which means everything you do could and will be checked if you are shady.

Relevant Entities of this Realm of Heaven (天, Tiān)

Species	Danger Level and Their Targets	Desc. & Behaviors	Explanations and Vulnerabilities
Community Contributors: Helpers (扶世者, Fú Shì Zhě) lit. Those Who Aid the World) and Writers (遗文者, Yí Wén Zhě lit. Keepers of Texts)	Not dangerous at all I can assure you	Ordinary Mortals that strive to do good in the world. Some of them have left, but also is leaving legacy behind in the terms of memories or tomes that guides the younglings for the future. Some still stay and you might occasionally see them chilling if not assisting the Local Saints for their Festivals and Ceremonies or other daily duties, and you can always talk to them for help if they are available.	They are not as powerful as the Local Saints so their help are limited in the variations, yet it is better than no help at all or if you need anything fast. Or if you might be needing the kind of help that the Local Saints cannot provide as they are bound by their own regulation of not micromanaging mortal's (ordinary players) affairs.
Trouble Makers (孽徒, Niè Tú lit. Karmic Miscreants / Wicked Followers) and Great Trouble Makers (扰世者, Rǎo Shì Zhě lit. World-Disruptors)	Dangerous if you don't know the rules of the server, not dangerous if you know the rules.	Some of them like the thrill of being edgy and will usually target new players especially of the same ethnicity as them (but not always). Some of them united and plotted against not only the ordinary players but also the Local Saints for some reason (bad decision). Various behaviors that either damage other people's Integrity or IRL Resources but not limited to, hence the Local Saints decided these behaviors are forbidden (even not explicitly) and are not welcomed to do in this world.	If you are being targeted: Pray to the Local Saints and tell them everything sincerely, honestly, and in entirety. Useless to hide things but you can say you don't know something if you truly don't know. Don't complicate things and make drama. Don't argue it is useless, better just to tell everything from your Point-of-View otherwise you will risk yourself being sent to the shadow realm (幽冥界) along with those who did you wrong and just pray for the verdict to be the best outcome for you (you can't do anything anymore at this point just give up). The Local Saints usually already have the long lists of repeating Trouble Makers, so if you are sure any of these Trouble Makers is doing you wrong (scamming, toxic, provoking, etc) and if the personage also hated by everyone (use your network to confirm this but don't do so blatantly), you will most likely come out unscathed against them or even sometimes indirectly rewarded.
Local Saints (司支圣, Sī Zhī Shèng lit. Overseeing Branch Saints)	Dangerous if you are a Trouble Maker Not dangerous for everyone else	Primary Caretakers of this world: They maintain the world and for it to be hidden from the evil eye of the Demiurge. They occasionally hunts for Trouble Makers especially if us mortals (normal players) sincerely pray for their help. Trouble Makers that get caught will usually get banished into the shadow realm (幽冥界) but not always. However they are still limited living beings and so will hate you if you are wasting their Integrity or IRL resources (time, energy, attention, etc) so approach them with caution and respect.	They are nigh invulnerable within this world so there's nothing that you can do about it. These local saints inherited the will of the Mysterious Profound Saints (玄圣) that waged war against the Demiurge approximately 230000 star years ago. Then they scatters to all the 8 cardinal directions bringing the seed of the world (rAthena) and each of their own blooms their own worlds and there have been eons passed since then.
Distant Evil God/Demiurge (虐混坤, Nüè Hùn Kūn lit. Cruel / Oppressive Primordial Earth)	Astronomically high, potentially apocalyptic.	The original creator of the world and is currently also house half a dozen of the largest worlds out there, but is inherently corrupt and possessive. Occasionally will try to send Evil Apostles to hunt down the Local Saints but otherwise will be prioritizing destroying worlds bigger than ours. Have successfully destroyed the previous world (of which its many denizens migrated here and form the bulk of the population).	Just muttering their name on #global will instill fear. Let the Local Saints know if you suspect anyone you are talking to, to be their Evil Apostles. The signs are that they will ask around regarding IRL information especially about the Local Saints.
Astrologer (星观者, Xīng Guān Zhě lit. Observer of the Stars)	Actually beneficial for the community as whole, while economically the information they bring shakes the economic value of commodities and items in this world.	They are the planewalkers who also partially living on the other worlds under the Demiurge (e.g. world of Goguryeo/高句麗) or somehow is able to gaze far into their worlds. They occasionally bring in news of the wind of change from the future.	While we do not exactly know why they are doing what they are doing, we don't need to be alarmed because the information and prediction they bring will not always accurately apply to this world as they would envisioned so. And also that the change will be of medium to long term (6 months to 1 year ++) and there is no 100% guarantee that the change will really happen. But all in all, it is never a bad thing to know things in advance if you know what you are doing.

Acknowledgements

• Special Thanks to whoever wrote Dao De Jing (道德經) and I Ching (易經) among any other books.
• Special Thanks to Prof. Chow-Hou Wee (黃昭虎) who wrote his elegant, clear, and timeless interpretations above and beyond many other scholarly translations of Sun Tzu's Art of War (and that he sourced and provided the most ancient and purest form of it).
• Hurt Locker's Wind Hawk Guide character picture format was used for picture formatting of this guide.