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

by Scarlett May 18,2025

Unlocking and mastering the array of skills in *Assassin's Creed Shadows* is key to elevating your Samurai and Shinobi gameplay. To level up swiftly, you'll need to maximize your XP gains. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to accelerate your XP accumulation.

What Awards XP in Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Answered

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, a multitude of actions and activities contribute to your XP growth. From eliminating foes and executing targeted assassinations to completing main quests and engaging with side content, every action you take can add to your experience points. However, the XP reward varies, making it crucial to focus on the most lucrative activities.

To see the potential XP gain from a quest or activity, simply hover over it in the map or objectives tab. The most efficient ways to earn XP quickly in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* are by tackling castles and carrying out optional assassinations.

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

Sakamato Castle awards 3,000 XP in Assassin's Creed ShadowsScattered across Japan in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, castles are not just fortresses but goldmines for XP. Each castle is guarded by a mix of basic and elite enemies, along with Samurai Daisho, whom you must defeat to unlock the area's treasure chest filled with high-tier loot.

Completing a castle's objectives alone can net you a few thousand XP. Additionally, each enemy you dispatch adds to your total, with elites and Samurai Daisho offering substantial bonuses, sometimes up to 250 XP. Don't forget to synchronize at the castle's high point for extra XP and to unlock a fast travel option, which is particularly useful for switching between characters.

While castles are excellent XP farms, they can be challenging. Here are some tips to streamline your approach:

  • Choose your protagonist wisely. Naoe's Eagle's Vision ability helps in quickly locating and tagging Samurai Daisho, making stealth assassinations more efficient. Enhance Naoe's assassination damage through mastery and engravings to ensure one-hit kills.
  • At lower to medium levels, Yasuke can be more effective. Deliberately get detected, engage in open combat, and let an enemy trigger the alarm bell to draw out most of the castle's defenders for a swift clear-out.

With these strategies, you can potentially earn up to and beyond 4,000 XP in just a few minutes.

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

Naoe perches to assassinate an enemy from above, Image via UbisoftIn 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 pinpoint their locations. Utilize fast travel points like Kakurega to get close, then swiftly ride to and eliminate your target.

Each assassination not only completes a quest but also grants a significant XP bonus, typically ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 XP. The act of killing the target itself yields XP similar to that of defeating elite enemies. Completing an entire group of assassinations and returning to the quest giver can reward you with a hefty bonus of around 5,000 XP.