Hello, i'm Akai and played a fells weeks in the game.
My advice for people who are new in the game and want be a weapon master(wm) and chose a elemental mastery, is to start with the elemental mastery instead o the weapon master(wm).
Edit: Other thing much important the kunai(80ryo) is even better than a wooden katana and the other 3 basic swords in the shop, because have more attack speed
and better dmg scaling with str (lose for fan, because fan is even better scale and have a ranged dmg), so this make more suitable to start with a elemental mastery than a weapon mastery, because if u start with a weapon mastery u will need the basic swords(worst than a 80 ryo kunai) so i don't recommend this way for new players.
Reasons why its better start with a elemental mastery instead of weapon master(wm)
1. Level 10 you can get a range skill who will help u farming with kunai(80ryo and 10int) and deal a good dmg.
For exemple: Phoenix Fireball Technique - lvl 1 does 25 dmg Earth Pillar Technique - lvl 1 does 16 dmg
Lightning Senbon Technique - lvl 1 does 22 dmg
Water Bullet Technique - lvl 1 does 18 dmg
All of them need just 15 int.
The only elemental mastery i don't see as good starting is wind.
2. After you reach lvl 15 or above (depends the elemental mastery u will chose) can get a new aoe jutsu.
Now i explain to you why put wind mastery as a good start, is just because you will be able to get a aoe dmg.
Weapon master lack in aoe dmg in the start, if you say 'but you forgot the explosive kunai', i don't forgot, listen to me, in my past life(rp on now) as a sand ninja i started with wm and the first skill i take is that instead of other wm skills like shockwave Slash technique and ended sufer alot to kill coy because i need buy kunais all time and a new player inst have enough ryo to buy kunais all the time, so for a new player explosives kunais e a bad jutsu to get in the start(later i reset my account and come sand again).
3. You can farm more than 3 mobs and don't take much damage, just cast jutsu and cait the mobs
4. If you are a sand ninja listen to my advice try get 20str(you will take rise str late so anyway) and a fan(500 ryo) later u will spend 15 points in int for get the elemental jutsu will help u grind alot whitout taking dmg.
If you chose mist, try get a kunai first and later get a bubble pipe (the same price has the fan) will help u farming boars and giant ants, but is quita bad at passive mobs like dragonfly, fox etc.
Uh ? Ah! about Leafs, i don't care, all Leafs are scum! (jk)
I never played leaf and just played lvl 20 sand and now i'm a mist ninja lvl 19.
5.Starting with wm will be good for 1v1 but not much eficient for farming alot of mobs in the same time.
I writing these things because i don't want to see new players quit the game the same has me in the first time i played.
I hope this will help more Ninjas in ninjourney!
Thanks for the atention.