Home News "Quick XP Gains and Leveling in Assassin’s Creed Shadows"

"Quick XP Gains and Leveling in Assassin’s Creed Shadows"

by Elijah Apr 01,2025

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, mastering the art of leveling up your Samurai and Shinobi characters hinges on efficiently earning XP. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to maximize your XP gains quickly and effectively.

What Awards XP in Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Answered

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, XP can be earned through a diverse range of actions and activities. From eliminating enemies and assassinating targets to completing quests and diving into side content, every task contributes to your XP total. However, the XP rewards vary significantly depending on the activity, so it's crucial to focus on the most lucrative options.

To see the XP potential of a quest or activity, simply hover over it in the map or objectives tab. The fastest ways to earn XP in Assassin’s Creed Shadows are by tackling castles and executing optional assassinations.

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

Sakamato Castle awards 3,000 XP in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*.

Throughout the game's rendition of Japan, Assassin’s Creed Shadows features numerous castles. These fortresses are teeming with basic and elite enemies, as well as Samurai Daisho who must be defeated to claim the area’s chest filled with high-tier loot.

Castles are a goldmine for XP. Completing a castle alone can net you a few thousand XP, but there’s more to gain. Each enemy you defeat, especially elites and Samurai Daisho, awards XP, with bonuses around 250 XP. Additionally, synchronizing at the castle’s high point not only grants you a few hundred XP but also unlocks it as a fast travel point, facilitating character swaps.

However, conquering castles can be challenging. Here are some tips to streamline your XP farming:

  • Choose Your Protagonist Wisely: Naoe’s Eagle’s Vision helps quickly locate Samurai Daisho, and using stealth to assassinate them is faster than engaging in combat. Enhance Naoe’s assassination damage through mastery and engravings to ensure one-hit kills.
  • Yasuke’s Approach: At lower to medium levels, Yasuke’s combat prowess is ideal. Intentionally trigger the alarm to draw enemies to you and clear them out swiftly.

With these tactics, you can amass up to and beyond 4,000 XP per castle in just minutes.

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

Image via Ubisoft

Naoe perches to assassinate an enemy from above, Image via Ubisoft

In addition to the main quest assassinations, Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers numerous optional assassination targets. Discover these by conversing with specific NPCs and using scouts to track targets. Utilize fast travel points like Kakurega to get close, then swiftly ride to the target and execute them.

Each assassination awards an XP bonus, typically around 2,000-3,000 XP, alongside the XP gained from killing the enemy itself. Completing a group of assassinations and reporting back to the quest giver can yield a significant bonus of about 5,000 XP.

By focusing on these high-reward activities, you can level up your Samurai and Shinobi characters efficiently and dominate the world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

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