Fast XP and Leveling in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

*Assassin’s Creed Shadows* offers a plethora of skills for players to unlock and master, making it essential to level up your Samurai and Shinobi quickly by earning XP. Here’s how you can maximize your XP gains efficiently.

What Awards XP in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, XP can be earned through a variety of actions and activities. From eliminating enemies and assassinating targets to completing quests and engaging in side content, every action contributes to your XP total. However, the XP awarded varies significantly across different quests and activities, so it's crucial to focus on those that offer the highest returns on your time investment.

To gauge the XP potential of a quest or activity, simply hover over it on the map or in the objectives tab. The fastest and most lucrative sources of XP in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* are castles and optional assassinations.

How to Get Fast XP from Castles in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Across Japan in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, castles stand as formidable XP farms. Each castle is teeming with basic and elite enemies, as well as Samurai Daisho that you need to defeat. Upon eliminating the required number of Daisho, you can access the area’s chest, which contains high-tier loot.

Clearing a castle not only rewards you with thousands of XP but also offers additional XP from each enemy defeated, with elites and Samurai Daisho providing significant bonuses, around 250 XP each. Moreover, many castles feature synchronization points that grant a few hundred XP and serve as fast travel points, enhancing your mobility between characters.

While castles are excellent for XP, they can be challenging. Here are some tips to optimize your XP farming:

• Choose your protagonist wisely. Naoe’s Eagle’s Vision can quickly locate Samurai Daisho, and her stealth abilities allow for swift assassinations. Enhance Naoe’s assassination damage through mastery and engravings to ensure one-hit kills on Daisho.
• At lower to medium levels, Yasuke is better suited for a direct assault. Intentionally get detected and engage enemies in open combat, triggering the alarm bell to draw more enemies to you for efficient XP gains.

With these strategies, a skilled player can earn up to and possibly over 4,000 XP in just a few minutes, making castles a powerhouse for XP farming.

Assassinating Targets Nets Large XP Bonuses in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Apart from the main quest assassinations, *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* features numerous optional assassination targets. These can be uncovered by interacting with specific NPCs and using scouts to track targets. By strategically placing fast travel points like Kakurega, you can quickly reach a target’s vicinity, mount up, and execute the assassination.

Each assassination grants an XP bonus for completing the quest, typically around 2,000-3,000 XP, alongside the XP from the kill itself, similar to that of elite enemies. Completing an entire group of assassinations and returning to the quest giver will yield an even larger XP bonus, often around 5,000 XP.