Correction
The ladder
| Boss | Level | HP | EXP | Spawns | Weak to | Resists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mano | 20 | 7,420 | 148 | Thicket Around the Beach III | - | - |
| King Slime | 32 | 16,820 | 2,400 | Kerning PQ, last stage | - | Fire, Ice, Lightning, Holy |
| Stumpy | 35 | 19,220 | 276 | Parched Land | Fire | Lightning |
| Mushmom | 40 | 34,440 | 340 | Someone Else’s House | Fire | - |
| Shade | 48 | 47,000 | 488 | Cabin of the Forsaken (quest) | Holy | Poison |
| Zombie Mushmom | 55 | 66,640 | 668 | The Grave of Mushmom | Holy | - |
| Jr. Balrog | 80 | 325,400 | 2,188 | The Cursed Sanctuary | Holy | Poison (immune) |
Snapshot of the October 22 client data; the boss pages update with every data refresh. Spawn timers aren’t in the client data, and Nexon’s v1.0.0 patch notes say field boss respawn times were made “more randomized”, so if a boss is down, check other channels. Drops on the boss pages are community-reported (vote scores, not drop rates).
The shape of the ladder is the big change from traditional MapleStory: there’s a boss every few levels from 20 to 55, then a long gap to Jr. Balrog at 80 - the endgame boss for the Lv 70-100 stretch.
Lv 20: Mano
The first boss most characters meet, in Thicket Around the Beach III. At 7,420 HP he takes a solo Lv 20 character a few minutes and a stack of potions; his 252 attack is high for his level. No elemental modifiers and only 13 avoidability, so every class hits him reliably. Mano’s page.
Lv 32: King Slime (Kerning PQ)
The finale of the Kerning City Party Quest (“First Time Together”, Lv 21+, Channels 3 - 12). He’s strong against Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Holy, so elemental magic does reduced damage - Magic Claw and physical attacks are the reliable damage in a KPQ party. Per the MapleClassic Wiki he summons Slimes at half HP and splits on death. King Slime’s page.
Lv 35: Stumpy (new at Grand Launch)
In Parched Land, off East Rocky Mountain V near Perion. The Perion quest “Monstrous Tree Stumpy” (Lv 34+) asks you to defeat him once. Weak to Fire, strong against Lightning - Fire/Poison Wizards shine, Ice/Lightning Wizards should avoid lightning spells. 477 attack and 524 magic attack at Lv 35: party up or come in over-leveled. Stumpy’s page.
Lv 40: Mushmom
In Someone Else’s House. 34,440 HP and 532 attack at Lv 40, weak to Fire. Ilbi Throwing Stars lead her community-reported drops, which makes her an Assassin and Bandit target. Mushmom’s page.
Lv 48: Shade
Reached through the Henesys Citizenship quest “An Old Grudge” (from Arthur, after Lv 47) in the Cabin of the Forsaken. Weak to Holy, strong against Poison. 47,000 HP with 620 attack and 682 magic attack - the first boss on the ladder where a healer clearly pays off. Shade’s page.
Lv 55: Zombie Mushmom
In The Grave of Mushmom. Undead and weak to Holy, with 66,640 HP and 697 attack - a party fight for most groups, and a Cleric’s best showcase on the ladder. Zombie Mushmom’s page.
Lv 80: Jr. Balrog
In The Cursed Sanctuary, deep in the Sleepywood dungeon. 325,400 HP, 972 attack, 1,069 magic attack, immune to Poison, weak to Holy. This is the endgame boss of Grand Launch: plan on a full party in the 70s or higher with healers, and plenty of potions. He’s also the best EXP on the ladder at 2,188 per kill. Jr. Balrog’s page.
For the rest of the Lv 70-100 stretch, see the Lv 70-100 guide. Crimson Balrog appears in the client data at Lv 100 but isn’t on the live roster.
Elements by class
The client data’s elemental modifiers decide more of these fights than any traditional-MapleStory habit:
- Clerics: Holy is a weakness for Shade, Zombie Mushmom, and Jr. Balrog - the three hardest live bosses. Avoid relying on Holy against King Slime, which resists it.
- Fire/Poison Wizards: Fire is a weakness for Stumpy and Mushmom. Skip poison against Shade (resists) and Jr. Balrog (immune).
- Ice/Lightning Wizards: no live boss is weak to Ice or Lightning; Stumpy and King Slime resist Lightning. Expect to play support at bosses.
- Warriors, Bowmen, Thieves: physical attacks aren’t elemental, so your damage is consistent across the ladder - including against King Slime, where the mages struggle.
FAQ
What’s the best EXP boss?
Jr. Balrog at 2,188 EXP per kill, if your party can take a 325,400 HP fight. Below that, King Slime’s 2,400 comes with a full Kerning PQ clear.
Are spawns per channel?
Each channel has its own boss. If one is down, check other channels. The client data doesn’t include respawn timers, and the Oct 21 patch made field boss respawns “more randomized” (Nexon), so any fixed-timer advice from before launch is out of date.
Is there a Zakum fight?
No. Zakum isn’t on the Grand Launch roster, and Nexon hasn’t said when it will open.
Why do these numbers differ from other MapleStory guides?
Classic World restatted its monsters. Guides written from traditional MapleStory data - including an earlier version of this one - will show lower HP and different levels.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-22.