"Boost XP and Level Up Quickly in Assassin’s Creed Shadows"

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, mastering the skills of both the Samurai and Shinobi is key to dominating the world of feudal Japan. If you're looking to level up quickly, earning XP efficiently becomes your top priority. Here's how to maximize your XP gains and progress faster in the game.

What Awards XP in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?

XP in Assassin’s Creed Shadows comes from a variety of actions and activities throughout the game. These include defeating enemies, assassinating targets, completing quests, and exploring side content. However, not all activities are created equal—some offer far more XP than others.

Before diving into an activity, you can hover over it in the map or objectives tab to see how much XP it rewards. This helps you prioritize the most valuable ones. Among the many ways to earn XP, two stand out as the most efficient: exploring castles and completing assassination missions.

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

Sakamoto Castle alone awards 3,000 XP in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Castles are one of the best sources of XP in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Each castle contains multiple opportunities for XP gain:

• Completing the main castle activity grants several thousand XP.
• Killing regular and elite enemies within the castle grounds provides additional XP.
• Eliminating high-priority targets like the Samurai Daisho gives significant XP bonuses—up to around 250 XP per kill.
• Synchronizing with a high point in the castle not only grants a few hundred XP but also unlocks fast travel to that location.

While highly rewarding, castles are also challenging due to their heavy enemy presence. Choosing the right protagonist can make all the difference:

• Naoe excels at stealth and scouting. Her Eagle Vision ability allows her to locate enemies and tag the elusive Daisho. Assassinations are more effective than direct combat, especially when optimized through mastery and engravings that increase assassination damage.

• Yasuke, on the other hand, is ideal for brute force. At lower levels, charge into the castle, trigger the alarm, and let enemies come to you. His combat prowess makes clearing large groups quick and efficient.

With proper tactics, a single castle can yield upwards of 4,000 XP in just a few minutes—making them excellent XP farms.

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

Naoe perches to assassinate an enemy from above.

Beyond the required assassination missions tied to the main story, Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers numerous optional assassination quests. These can be discovered by speaking with specific NPCs or tracking targets using scouts.

Once you've mapped out a target’s location:

• Use fast travel points such as Kakurega to teleport nearby.
• Ride your mount to reach the location quickly.
• Eliminate the target swiftly to complete the mission.

Each successful assassination grants XP:

• Around 2,000–3,000 XP for completing the quest itself.
• Additional XP for killing elite enemies.
• A substantial bonus of approximately 5,000 XP for finishing off an entire group of targets and returning to the quest giver.

These assassination chains provide a steady stream of high-value XP, especially when combined with exploration and castle raids.

By focusing on these high-yield activities—castles and assassinations—you’ll level up your characters faster and unlock new abilities in no time.