Around the World in Eighty Hours: From 0 To Level 300 in Four Days

. . . by Faye Kalius

I was curious whether the all Energy character was viable, so I decided to build one for myself. This is the detailed story of how to climb levels as fast as humanly possible.

Joey "Packing Peanut" Scarparelli, an Energeticly Fearless Guy

First, it was necessary to give this new character every possible legal advantage, just to see how far the system could be pushed. Here's a list of necessary ingredients, all starting at Level Two:

• Energy regeneration shouldn't be a factor, so no need for a Maniac. I chose a Fearless to take advantage of the Wheelman bonus.
• A key element was Promoting the character from the word Go. He got to be my Mastermind and Wheelman - the others are all about fighting, and he wasn't designed as a fighter. As he grew in level and power, I promoted again to keep my main character from suffering too much.
• Pick the best Top Mafia you can. It's essential to have 10s or 11s in Mastermind and Wheelman. Those email lists gave decent values early on, and of course I used my own character for the tough ones.
• When I created the character, I used my main account to give him a complete set of all the collectibles I had, especially the ones that gave extra energy. (I didn't have Billiards or Boxing.) These were vaulted at level 2.
• For protection, he needed a large mafia, so he invited the largest mass email list I could find (from the Top Mafia Wars page, http://mafia.monkeytooth.net/ )
• Those family members needed equipment, so I gifted about 150 each of 2nd tier New York loot (Armored Cars, RPGs and Grenade Launchers, Night Vision Goggles and Bodyguards). All were better than the stock stuff you can buy, but not top of the line.
• Also gifted myself enough of the basic weapons that are job requirements, from Tactical Shotguns to Humvees. That way I could start working a job without wading through the prerequisite.
• To minimize the incredibly annoying repetitive tasks, I handed him about 100 each of Cell Phones, Computers, Cameras, and Illegal Transactions, plus about 70 Blackmail Photos. Obviously you can't do this unless you've already got a Master Boss 'sponsor', or are an avid and successful beggar. This was enormously helpful with getting to Consigliere, but there weren't' enough for Master Boss or Underboss. Those had to be earned in-game.
• I used Firefox and Google Chrome. I couldn't have done it in IE.

Second, what I didn't do

• I didn't join a single group
• Didn't post a single "Add Me" post
• Didn't buy or complete offers for GF points
• Didn't use a Status Set line (because they weren't working)
• Didn't seek out and Add a single Facebook user apart from Faye Kalius
• Didn't plan on getting any "Give help on a job" requests - I got exactly one the whole time (and it wasn't Faye - I wasn't fast enough!)
• Didn't do any trading - well, I ended up trading 30 spare ITRs for 30 Photos. I got to Master Boss a bit faster, but I had to pay for it later when I went back to Underboss. It was worth it.

Third and finally, you're only supposed to have one Facebook account. Mea Culpa - I'm sure I'm not the only one. Besides, it was in the name of Science.

Energy Strategy

• The key to this strategy is energy management. Every technique is based around leveling up without waiting for the Energy timer to recharge.
• Every single point - EVERY SINGLE POINT - goes into energy. That includes level bonuses, Mastery points, the 4 skill points from 14 Godfather Favors, Achievements, EVERYTHING. If someone attacks you, you will lose ... but we don't care. It's just money, and they rarely kill you.
• The best energy management tool is the "ExpEnergy" bookmarklet (EE for short) from http://www.spockholm.com/mafia/bookmarklets.php. This little gem did all the calculations.
• At the start of each turn, click EE to get the minimum ratio to level up. As Mafia Wars tiers increase, the ratio goes up. Within the tiers, there are high ratio and low ratio jobs. Do the highest available jobs at first, checking the ratio to see if you can budget some low ratio jobs like Rob an Electronics Store. With careful shepherding and a little luck with Mastermind and Wheelman bonuses, you can do everything you need.
• Watch your energy / experience ratio closely as you close on a level. If you have extra energy (and you usually do), squeeze the last XP out of lower jobs and then level up with the biggest job you have (or can afford).
• Don't do any job unless you get Mastery credit for it. There are obvious exceptions with the consumable loot jobs, but in general you should be able to pick something somewhere that hasn't been completed.
• Shifting back and forth to Cuba is essential. Not only do you get more Mastery points, Cuban jobs have a better XP/energy ratio than their equivalents in New York. (You may have to rework jobs you've already mastered to buy loot, but that's just on Tier 1 of each level.)
• Use your Stamina points and win some early fights to take advantage of your superior numbers and weapons. In particular, pick an early target with a superior mafia for the easy Napoleon Complex. Later, you lose a lot.

Leveling Strategy

• Your objective is to complete Consigliere for the energy timer reduction, then Master Boss for the Golden Throne (2 for 1 energy). Everything else is gravy.
  
  

  Edit: in retrospect, I should have gone for Master Underboss and the 5% job discount first, since the strategy didn't depend on energy regeneration.

• As soon as a new level becomes available, start working the high ratio jobs. Leave the low ratio jobs in Associate and Soldier for later ... much later.
• You'll go back and clean up those jobs (and their cheap Mastery points) when you get your Energy Pack. That's the only time you'll actively seek out low ratio jobs.
• You can't Vault Cuban collectibles until you get to Level 35. Do so immediately.
• In Cuba, never move up a tier until you've mastered all three of your current levels. Those bribe penalties will kill you, and the job ratios are high even on the lower levels.
• Save your Cuban jobs for when you need high ratio. You want to work in New York whenever possible until you have Master Boss.
• Those annoying Enforcer jobs with Job Preparation items are actually some of the highest ratio jobs out there. Another great job to repeat occasionally is " Bank Heist" under Associate - the best Exp / Energy ratio in the game. It's cheap too if you just need a little at the end.
• Loot strategy will take care of itself. You'll get enough naturally - you can go back later when you're done to fill in any desired holes. (Cuban loot rules!)

Money Strategy

• Money doesn't matter in New York but it's vital in Cuba. Different rules apply
• In New York, only buy the minimum weapons need to do the job, AS you need them. You DO realize that you can click on a required weapon and buy it right from the Jobs screen, right?
• You'll level so fast that you don't need to worry about Banking your proceeds. When you can start buying Mafia Mikes, do so. Don't buy any land or properties except in blocks of ten. You'll look up and suddenly realize that you've got enough cash on hand to buy those 10 Casinos quicker than you can imagine.
• In Cuba you don't bank at all. You do jobs rapidly and invest your proceeds into either the next required loot or into businesses. You time your jobs to provide just enough, then buy something and bank the tiny remainder. Then go to New York to finish your level.
• Don't do the Boss Fights at all. Save them for when you have 2000 energy and you can burn 400 Energy from a wasted Energy Pack and earn 800 XP (and possibly billions of $$ - it's a percentage of your unbanked funds). Doing them again only yields 75% of the first time bonus.

Time Strategy

• You can almost go straight through, but a girl's got to work and sleep occasionally.
• I played at least every other hour apart from sleep time, taking short breaks at work instead of lunch. Energy regeneration was almost meaningless in that context.
• When leaving the computer overnight, pick some middle ratio jobs and do about half the level. That leaves plenty of room for accumulation, plus plenty to spend it on when you wake up. You don't want to get close to leveling and then walk away - you could end up wasting a whole potful of energy

Fearless Character's Timeline.

Day 1, Saturday, 13 June,

15:00 Created account
16:00 ~1500 Friend requests sent out
16:00 Level 2, vaulted all Group 1 NY collections (gift)
17:00 Level 10
22:00 Level 27, vaulted Billiards
23:00 Level 35, vaulted 3 Cuban collections (gift)
00:15 Level 44, Street Thug, Associate, Enforcer, Skilled Street Thug, Master Street Thug thanks to Energy Pack
00:19 Level 45, completed first Cuban job
00:26 Level 48, Skilled Associate,
00:27 Level 49, Consigliere
00:45 Level 52, almost done with first Cuban Tier, almost done with Master Associate, bedtime

Day 1 Final stats --- Attack: 6, Defense: 21, Health: 125, Energy: 384, Stamina: 6
Mafia: 57, income 2.8 mil
(Mafia would have been 167 but for Zynga issue with Status invites.)

Day 2 Sunday 14 June

09:15 5 Bonus GF newb rewards points (now with a secret key and a timer)
11:30 Level 60, purchased at least 10 of all properties
12:30 Level 70, waiting for recharge due to slow Consigliere jobs
13:00 Level 71, Master Associate
13:02 Level 73, Skilled Consigliere
19:00 Level 83, deposited first $ billion
21:30 Level 85, Second energy pack - Soldier, Skilled Soldier, and Master Consigliere
23:30 Level 94, El Soldado
01:20 Level 100, Underboss, Skilled Enforcer, bought Sugar Plantation, 500 Towncars, Bonus Weapons

Day 2 Final stats --- Attack: 11, Defense: 21, Health: 125, Energy: 689, Stamina: 6
Mafia: 156, income 14.8 mil
(Mafia would have been 299 but for Zynga issue with Status invites.)

Day 3 Monday, 15 June

07:30 Level 111, El Soldado, working through Boss jobs
07:50 Level 124, El Soldatao Experto
12:00 Level 133, El Soldato Principal, Tobacco and Sugar maxed out
12:30 Level 140, El Capitan
13:00 Level 144, Master Soldier, Master Enforcer
13:20 Level 146, El Capitan Principal
13:30 Level 148, Hitman, Skilled Hitman
14:20 Level 166, Boss
14:40 Level 168, Master Hitman, Capo
18:30 Level 172, El Capitan Experto
19:00 Level 178, El Jefe, Factory maxed out.
20:00 Level 183, El Jefe Experto, bought Coca Plantation
20:45 Level 186, Skilled Boss
22:00 Level 200, trudging thru Camera Hell with Energy Pack, remnants of each level
23:30 Level 215, El Jefe Principal, down to last 81 Blackmail Photos for final Boss Tier job
23:45 Level 220, bedtime

Day 3 Final stats --- Attack: 11, Defense: 21, Health: 125, Energy: 1453, Stamina: 6
Mafia: 228, income 64 mil
(Mafia would have been 385 but for Zynga issue with Status invites.)

Day 4 Monday, 16 June

07:30 Level 222, El Patron
07:50 Level 227, El Patron Experto
08:10 Level 229, Coca Plantation maxed out
10:30 Level 232, El Patron Principal
11:30 Level 238, Master Boss (the Golden Throne is MINE!)
13:30 Level 249, Skilled Capo
15:00 Level 253, Skilled Underboss
16:00 Level 266, El Padrino
18:00 Level 272, El Padrino Experto
18:05 Level 274, Master Underboss
18:10 Level 275, Master Capo, New York completed!
18:12 Level 277, El Padrino Principal. Cuba completed!
18:45 Level 300+, Top Mafia Wheelman 11%

Day 4 Final stats:

Attack: 14, Defense: 21, Health: 125, Energy: 1820, Stamina: 6,
Mafia: 281, NY income 71 mil, Cuban income maxed.
Roughly 5 each of all NY Collectibles, 4 each of Cuban collectibles.
Lots of looted weapons, armor, and vehicles.

Total time, 76.5 hours from newbie to Master Boss / El Padrino Principal

(I'm not going to give you this character's name - he's a bit of a pushover at present.)