Introduction
The way ZNM works is that monsters are grouped into tiers and paths. Obviously the higher the tier the more difficult the monster. And as we approach the higher tiers, it becomes more difficult to pop again. This is because to get items for the next Tier NMs you have to kill whatever is below it.
However, the point is everytime you wish to purchase a pop item above Tier I, you have to go back to Tier I to reobtain the item that unlocks your permission to purchase Tier II items. And so on for the Tiers above.
If you’re still confused, the best analogy/explaination would be this:
You’re in a corridor (within a house/castle/etc) with a series of doors. There’s a person selling a key to the first door before the series of doors for $10. You buy the key from this person which gets you through the first door. Upon going through, you find a token on the floor with another door ahead of you. You, not knowing what this token is for, goes back to the person selling keys. Upon handing in the token, he decides to sell you the key to the second door for $30. You go back to the second door and go through it, but this time you find 3 more doors.
To unlock these 3 doors, you pick up the 3 tokens in front of the doors and hand them to the person again. This time he sells you 3 keys which can unlock the 3 doors for $50 each. You go back to the 3 doors and unlock them, only to find 3 more tokens and a single door.
And so on…
That’s how it basically works, as confusing as it may sound. There are exceptions though. For ZNM, once you’ve killed a Tier I NM and obtained the item to unlock Tier II NMs. The moment you purchase a Tier II NM item, you LOSE the right to purchase another Tier II NM item until you go and rekill a Tier I NM. Each ZNM drops a specific Rare/Ex item which when traded to the NPCs in Whitegate will grant you a key item (the key) which unlocks the above Tier NMs. It’s a series of one way doors essentially. Moving on now to the more detailed explaination…
ZNMs/The Paths
There are 3 paths to choose from in terms of ZNMs, upon completition of all 3 paths will unlock a Tier V NM, Pandemonium Warden. But that isn’t a NM we need to consider thinking about yet. At the time of writing, July 17th 2008, it hasn’t been killed yet. The paths are listed below with their respective tiers per NM.
The Mamool Ja Path
Tier I: Chamrosh | Cheese Hoarder Gigiroon | Vulpangue
Upon trading the Rare/Ex item from these NMs to Sanraku will grant you the key item Maroon Seal (used to purchase Tier II pop items)
Tier II: Iriri Samariri | Iriz Ima | Lividroot Amooshah
Upon trading the Rare/Ex item from these NMs to Sanraku will grant you the key item Apple Green Seal (used to purchase Tier III pop items)Tier III: Armed Gears | Dea | Gotoh Zha the Redolent
Trading Armed Gears’ Rare/Ex item will grant you the key item Charcoal Grey Seal
Trading Dea’s Rare/Ex item will grant you the key item Chestnut-colored Seal
Trading Gotoh Zha the Redolent’s Rare/Ex item will grant you the key item Deep Purple Seal
All 3 key items must be obtained to purchase a Tier IV pop item.Tier IV: Tinnin (Hydra)
The Rare/Ex item has a low drop rate. Upon trading this item to Sanraku will grant you ONE of the THREE key items to purchase a Tier V pop item, Lilac-colored Seal.The Troll Path
Tier I: Brass Borer | Claret | Ob
Upon trading the Rare/Ex item from these NMs to Sanraku will grant you the key item Cerise Seal (used to purchase Tier II pop items)Tier II: Anantaboga | Dextrose | Reacton
Upon trading the Rare/Ex item from these NMs to Sanraku will grant you the key item Salmon Seal (used to purchase Tier III pop items)Tier III: Achamoth | Khromasoul Bhurborlor | Nosferatu
Trading Achamoth’s Rare/Ex item will grant you the key item Copper-colored Seal
Trading Khromasoul Bhurborlor’s Rare/Ex item will grant you the key item Gold-colored Seal
Trading Nosferatu’s Rare/Ex item will grant you the key item Purplish-grey
All 3 key items must be obtained to purchase a Tier IV pop item.Tier IV: Sarameya (Cerberus)
The Rare/Ex item has a low drop rate. Upon trading this item to Sanraku will grant you ONE of the THREE key items to purchase a Tier V pop item, Bright Blue Seal.The Lamia Path
Tier I: Chigre | Lil’ Apkallu | Velionis
Upon trading the Rare/Ex item from these NMs to Sanraku will grant you the key item Pine Green Seal (used to purchase Tier II pop items)Tier II: Verdelet | Wulgaru | Zareehkl the Jubilant
Upon trading the Rare/Ex item from these NMs to Sanraku will grant you the key item Amber Seal (used to purchase Tier III pop items)Tier III: Experimental Lamia | Mahjlaef the Paintorn | Nuhn
Trading Experimental Lamia’s Rare/Ex item will grant you the key item Taupe-colored Seal
Trading Mahjlaef the Paintorn’s Rare/Ex item will grant you the key item Fallow-colored seal
Trading Nuhn’s Rare/Ex item will grant you the key item Sienna-colored
All 3 key items must be obtained to purchase a Tier IV pop item.Tier IV: Tyger (Khimaira)
The Rare/Ex item has a low drop rate. Upon trading this item to Sanraku will grant you ONE of the THREE key items to purchase a Tier V pop item, Lavender-colored Seal.
Summary/Notes
Each purchase of a Tier II NM pop item loses your key item. Likewise, a purchase of a Tier III item is the same result. Purchase of a Tier IV item will result you in losing all 3 key items from the Tier III NMs.
So to pop anything above Tier I several times, we will need to repeat a lot of the work done previously. This is where the point system falls in. It helps other members obtain items they otherwise might not have gotten.