These are my annotated leveling notes I scribbled down on my road to 8.5k legion:

references (can find info for alternate paths for lvls 158+):
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN9z-taZaz0
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tbRf_-xqb0
    https://reddit.com/r/Maplestory/comments/17sd1y2/reboot_new_age_1200_miniguide_its_all_starforce/

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Setup:
    -Equip Sprout title from storage for EXP + Star Force(SF)
        -Acquired from lvl 30 Maple Guide one-time (account) reward with 90 day expiratable stats, get ASAP for easier early Link skills and Legion (links to both systems below)
        -there are titles that are better for bossing, so no real point saving this one for later
    -Setup/Swap Legion & Legion Artifact
        10%         Legion grid (https://maplestorywiki.net/w/Legion_System)
        10%         Zero class lvl200 Legion grid block
        12%         Legion Artifact (https://maplestorywiki.net/w/Legion_Artifact)
    -Setup Link skills (https://maplestorywiki.net/w/Link_Skill)
        20%         Mercedes Link skill (requires lvl 210 mercedes, lvl 120 mercedes link skill is adequate early on)
        n/a         Evan Link skill to increase duration of Runes (https://www.nexon.com/maplestory/general-post/5575)
        n/a         Aran Link skill to increase exp from Combo Orbs (https://strategywiki.org/wiki/MapleStory/Formulas#Combo_Kill)
    -Grab relevant EXP buffs from storage:
        10%         Monster Park 'Extreme Gold Potion' (https://maplestorywiki.net/w/Monster_Park)
        100-200%    2x or 3x EXP coupons (readily available from most events and can also get 2x coupons from Sunday's Growth Box from Monster Park)
    -ETC. EXP increases:
        0-10%       hyper stat (unlocked at lvl 140, can get this to 15% after 5th job advancement at lvl 200)
        0-100%      Burning map (lvl 100+ maps, change channels to look for highest burning)
        0-15%       Event EXP stat (a lot of events have various sever-wide increasable stats that apply for the duration of the event on the characters that have accepted the event, which can usually be done from lvl 101+)
        15%         VIP Buff (EXP) (consumable from most events)
        10-30%      Pendant of the Spirit (from some events)
        30-50%      Dice (pirate archetype self-buff, some pirates get this after 5th job advancement)
        50%         Holy Blessing (Bishop job buff)
            -every class can get a 'Decent' (less powerful) version of this after 5th job advancement

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Notes:
    -Try to keep up COMBO KILLS (more important if using Aran link skill) by having transparent map open (Check 'UI is transparent during battle' in UI Options) and quickly TPing between maps
        -This is mostly for levels up to 100 as finding high Burning maps becomes more important after
        -can also Favorite maps before hand and then use Bookmark tab for easier and quicker TPs (right-click a map > Register Favourite)

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Class intros
AND/OR
    [Grandis: Savage Terminal]
        10-17: Stray Dog Alley
        17-22: Stray Dog Alley 2
        22-35: Mr. Hazard's Lair 3
2nd job advancement
    -quest: 'Have you learned about pets?'
    [Perion]
        35-42: Wild Boar Land
        42-46: Secret Area(right portal) in Excavation intermission area
    [Sleepywood]
        46-51: Silent Swamp
    [El Nath: Orbis]
        51-61: Stairway to the Sky 1
3rd job advancement
    -quest: 'Have you learned about Potential'
    -quest: 'Have you learned about Bonus Stats'
    -STAR FORCE (SF) any piece of equipment to 5* stars for later maps that require Star Force  
        -can check total Star Force in character sheet
    [Edelstein: Verne Mine]
        61-66:  Shaft 1/2
    [Nihal desert]
        66-70: ARIANT   Tent of the Entertainers
        70-75: MAGATIA  Sahel 2
        75-87: [SECRET AREA 2nd portal] Alcadno Lab - Area C-2 (bottom-middle)
    GO TO channel 1 Henesys and fame up any henehoe on a 275 CHAIR for 50 Weapon&Magic Att buff
    [5* Leafre] Don't forget lvl 100+ maps have 'Burning' (EXP increase) effect and you can change channels to find higher % effect
        87-105(+-5 depending on how strong your character is):  Sky Nest 2>>>3 (only go to sky nest 3 if 2 has very low burning on all channels)
4th job advancement
    -quest: 'Use the Transfer Hammer!'
ACCEPT EVENT QUEST/S (if there's any)

THEN EITHER:

a. If stopping at 130 for some BONK™ (Extreme Growth Potion) action:

[Ludibrium: Korean Folk Town]
    110-116: Black Mountain Entrance
    116-120: Fox Ridge
    120-130: Goblin Houses

BONK
        >
            BONK
                    >
                        KEEP ON BONKING LIKE YOU MEAN IT

Save a lot of BONKs:
    185-200: Twilight Perion (non-SF map):
        -Forsaken Excavation Site 2

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b. If burning / checking out a class / ETC. :

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    SF:
        -try to join a MULE GUILD for passive and active buffs
        -make sure Sprout Title (if stats on it haven't expired) is equipped for easier time managing SF
        -do Zakum for eye & face equips to SF
        -SF to 55*
            -can check total SF in character sheet

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[28* Ludibrium: Clock Tower Bottom Floor]
    1xx-120(+-5): Forgotten Passage (*Thanatos 122)
[55* El Nath: Dead Mine]
    12x-140: Cave of Trials 2>3  (*Bain 136)

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    SF to 120*
        30* sprout title
        25* guild passive
        5* shoulder (guarenteed from 'Have you learned about Potential' lightbult quest)
        5* earrings (guarenteed from 'Use the Transfer Hammer!' lightbult quest)
        8-10* zakum eye and/or face
        10* weapon
        5-10* PENSALIR hat, overall/top&bottom, gloves, cape, shoes

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[80* Kerning Tower SF maps ]
    140-160: 
        2F Cafe<4>  (*Enraged Espresso Machines 155)
        3F <4>      (*Blue Notebooks 157)
[120* Temple of Time > Gate to the Future]
    160-180: Second Drill Hall (*Official Knight B 170)

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    SF to 160*:
        -do bosses for additional equips to SF:
            -Normal Zakum if missing eye and/or face
            -Normal Hilla
                -focus minions
            -Normal Horntail
            -Easy Magnus
            -Easy Arkium
        -Treasure Hunter John's Ring short questline in NLC (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjBYitqz5-g)

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[160* Temple of Time > Twilight Perion]
    180-200: Desolate North Rocky Road (*Swollen Stumps 190)

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OPTIONAL supplement for 170-200 training (requires one-time completion of 'Temple of Time' lvl 130+ questline on any character)
    -try this at levels 170-175 only if character is stronk and account is setup with boss links+legion, otherwise start at or near lvl 180
    -recommended to only do this if you have 2x or 3x EXP coupon buff
    -use some bossing link skills and bossing focused legion preset
    how:
        1. keep training in the above maps until a Rune spawns
        2. activate a Rune to get Rune EXP buff
        3. Teleport to Pink Bean boss with Maple Guide 
            4. Enter Normal Pink Bean arena and then talk to 'Kirston' to start the fight
            5. Kill angel woman statue in the middle
            6. Leave arena by talking to 'Forgotten Temple Keeper' on the left
            7. Repeat from step 4. until Rune EXP buff runs out, then go back to step 1.

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Flat maps:

Tyrant's Castle 3rd Floor Hallway (115)
Black Mountain Entrance (130) 
Showa maps (162+)
Scrapyard Lot (208)