Kerning Party Quest (KPQ) Guide

Kerning Party Quest (KPQ) is a multi-stage team challenge set inside the Subway under Kerning City. Instead of grinding mobs solo, your party works through a series of rooms full of puzzles, jumps and monsters, then fights a boss together at the end.

On Zipangu's 2x EXP rates, KPQ is a fast, fair way to gain levels in the early game without pay-to-win shortcuts. It's also the friendliest place to meet other players and learn party mechanics before you graduate to LPQ, OPQ and Monster Carnival. Because Zipangu runs a clean, player-driven economy, the items you earn here actually hold value.

KPQ is built for low-level adventurers. In v117 the standard entry window is roughly levels 21 to 30 — once you cross level 30 you age out and move on to the next party quest. Every Explorer, Cygnus Knight, and hero-class character (Aran, Mercedes, Demon Slayer, Phantom, Luminous, Cannoneer) can run it, so it's a great first PQ no matter what you rolled.

You'll want a full party to clear comfortably. KPQ is doable with fewer players, but the stage objectives and the boss go much faster with a complete team. Mixing a couple of attackers with a mage who can mob the password rooms is the classic, reliable setup.

• ▸Level range: ~21-30 (you must be at least 21 to enter)
• ▸Party size: form as full a party as you can for the cleanest clears
• ▸All classes welcome — Explorers, Cygnus, and all hero classes qualify
• ▸One party per instance; the run is yours, no competing groups inside

Head to Kerning City and find the NPC who runs the party quest at the Subway entrance area (Lakelis / the party-quest gatekeeper). The party leader talks to the NPC to enter; everyone needs to be in the party and within the level range or the instance won't start.

If you're not sure how to get to Kerning, it's the thief town reachable from Victoria Island. Once you're inside the PQ map, the timer starts — keep the team together and move with purpose.

The core loop of KPQ is: kill the monsters in each room, collect the items they drop, and solve a combination puzzle to open the door to the next stage. Communication is everything — call out passes and don't run ahead of the team.

Stages follow this general flow:

Don't disband mid-run. If a player leaves, the instance can break and you'll have to re-form. Patience through the puzzle rooms beats rushing and resetting.

• ▸Stage 1 — Jump & rope room: navigate platforms and ropes to reach the portal. A pure mobility check, no puzzle.
• ▸Combination stages: kill the monsters (Ligators / Curse Eyes and friends) to drop numbered passes, then arrange them to match the lock. Mages shine here for fast clearing.
• ▸Maze / second-floor stages: split jobs — some players clear mobs, others read the clue and input the answer to open the exit.
• ▸Final stage — King Slime: the whole party warps in to fight the boss together.

The KPQ finale is King Slime, a giant slime boss in its own room. It isn't mechanically punishing like Zakum or Horntail — it's mostly a damage check — but it summons smaller slimes and hits hard enough to knock low-level characters around.

Focus the boss down while keeping an eye on the adds. Bring potions, stay off the edges so you don't get bumped into a corner, and let your tankier party members hold aggro while ranged attackers and mages stack damage. Clear King Slime and the quest completes for the whole party.

• ▸Bring HP/MP potions — knockback and summoned slimes add up
• ▸Prioritize the boss; only clear adds if they're overwhelming you
• ▸Stay mobile and avoid getting cornered against the wall

KPQ pays out in three ways: EXP on each successful clear (especially strong with Zipangu's 2x EXP), mesos, and a reward roll at the end. The signature KPQ loot is the early-game eyewear/accessory set — the Cracked / Broken-glasses-tier items players chase to fill accessory slots while leveling.

Because the run is repeatable while you're in the level range, KPQ is one of the best EXP-per-minute options in the early game. Stack several clears back-to-back and you'll out-level the zone quickly.

A little prep makes KPQ smoother and faster for the whole party.

• ▸Have a mage in the party if you can — fast room clears save the timer
• ▸Stock potions before entering; there's no shop inside
• ▸Communicate passes and answers out loud in party chat
• ▸Don't leave the instance mid-run — it can reset the whole party
• ▸Stay within levels 21-30 to keep qualifying for re-runs