Introduction
This guide focuses on leveling via grinding for the most efficient way to level alt characters.
There are multiple ways to level your character and depending on whether this is your first character or not, the path you choose may be different.
Leveling EXP Buffs
There are two different types of EXP buffs:
- Combat EXP
- This increases your Level EXP gained when killing monsters. It doesn’t affect the EXP you gain from questing.
- Skill EXP
- This increases your Skill EXP gained when killing monsters. When your “Skill Level” gets to 100%, you will gain Skill points to allocate to your class skills.
Party EXP
Although most spots are designed for solo grinding, there are a few places that support groups of 2, 3, or 5 players, and will drop separate loot for each player. When monsters are killed in a party, the combat EXP from the monster is shared between all party members. However, the EXP you gain isn’t just equally split depending on the number of people in the party. The share is actually higher, to incentivize leveling in a group.
For example:
- With 2 people in the party, a monster that gives 100 EXP, would give 60 EXP to party member 1, and 60 EXP to party member 2.
- With 3 people in the party, a monster that gives 100 EXP, would give 50 EXP to party member 1, 50 EXP to party member 2, and 50 EXP to party member 3.
There is also no difference in your EXP gain when you have 3 party members, compared to having 5 party members. This makes 3 person grind spots, like Mirumok, a great place to power-level others.
| Party Members | Combat EXP per person |
|---|---|
| 1 (solo) | 100% |
| 2 | 60% |
| 3 | 50% |
| 4 | 50% |
| 5 | 50% |
AFK Leveling
- You can AFK level at the Training Dummies using a Book of Training if you are level 50 or higher.
- AFK leveling can boost your Skill and Combat EXP.
- The Book of Training costs 1 million silver per hour and the amount of EXP you get is reduced compared to grinding.
- You can use EXP buffs to increase the amount of EXP you get when AFK leveling.
- For more information check our AFK Leveling guide.
Power leveling
Power leveling is when a high-level player kills monsters while you are in a party and standing nearby. You will get EXP from the monsters killed and can level very quickly. Powerleveling can take as little as 2 hours to get to level 56 if the person helping you has high AP and you use all available EXP buffs.
However, I only recommend power leveling if it is an alt character and NOT your first or main character. This is because power leveling leaves you with very few skill points ( approx 400 – 500) and you will not be able to get all the skills you need to grind on your own. As well, if it is your first character, then it’s recommended to create a season character so that you can get a good start with gear. Season characters require you to do the main story quest, so you will have to do it eventually anyway.
If your friends are willing to help you all the way then you should be fine, but please understand that power leveling to the level you want to be will not stop you from having to grind more for money/skill points.
One of the benefits of tagged characters is that any Combat and Skill EXP gained through killing monsters is shared with both characters.
- For example, if you grind on Character A, the same amount of EXP will be gained on Character B. You can also level with Character B and gain shared EXP on Character A.
*AFK Leveling via Training Dummies or Combat EXP gained through life skills is not shared.
After gaining EXP on one of your tagged characters, you must collect the EXP by logging onto the other character and pressing the “Get EXP” button in the Tag window.
Max Level and EXP required per level
Black Desert does not have a level cap, but the “soft cap” for levels is considered to be 62. Once you have reached level 62, there are very minor buffs for reaching higher levels and it is not essential or required to grind purely for EXP.
After reaching level 61/62, you can focus on grinding for other goals to improve your gear or collect treasure items.
The highest current level reached by a player is level 66.
Starting Zone and Tutorial
All new characters must select a starting zone when they create their character. You can choose between Ancient Stone Chamber and Mountain of Eternal Winter.
I would personally recommend choosing the Ancient Stone Chamber for the smoothest leveling experience. You can still complete the Mountain of Eternal Winter questline at a later date on your character.
When you load into the game on a new character, you will also have to complete a short tutorial. This takes approximately 10 minutes and unfortunately, you can only skip it if you have already completed it before on another character.
Recommended Leveling Zones
Levels 1 – 15
Season Characters:
For the early levels, follow the main story quests. When you arrive at Velia town, you will talk to Alustin and will have the option to follow the Main Story, or take the Simplified Questline.
- If you are a new player and it is your first character, please level to 56 by selecting the “[Crossroad] Main” option and following the main story quests: Balenos > Serendia > Calpheon > Mediah. You can use our Beginner/Returning Guide for more information about leveling your first character.
- Take the Simplified Questline option if this is an alt character and you would like to level via grinding.
Requirements for the Simplified Questline:
- Completed the “[Pet] Bareed’s Junaid” quest from Bareed in Mediah
- This pet quest can be found in your Suggested quest tab under “[ADV Support] Pets, Loyal Companions”.
After taking the Simplified questline, go to Fughar to take the next quests up to “[Season] Following in His Footsteps”. Now you can grind to reach higher levels and follow our recommended leveling spots. After reaching certain levels, you can talk to your Black Spirit to obtain all the rewards you would normally get by completing the main story quests.
Kill the monsters outside of Velia to level up to 15.
Levels 15 – 21
Next, we will move to Moretti Plantation just outside of Heidel. You want to kill the monsters here until you are level 21.
Levels 21 – 25
For levels 21 to 25, kill the monsters at Glish Swamp.
Levels 25 – 30
Next, move over to Bloody Monastery, located south of Glish, for level 25 to 30.
Levels 30 – 35
Move to Red Orc Camp (west of Heidel/Glish) for level 30 to 35.
Levels 35 – 40
You can kill monsters at Keplan Mine (north of Keplan) for level 35 – 40.
Levels 40 – 45
Next, move to Saunils Camp (southwest of Keplan) for levels 40 to 45.
Levels 45 – 48
For levels 45 to 48, kill the monsters in Mansha Forest (west of Calpheon)
Levels 48 – 52
For levels 48 to 52, you can kill the Catfishmen at Lake Kaia.
- When you reach level 49, a popup will appear at the top of your screen saying “To complete the [To Level 50!] Go Beyond Your Own Limits quest and level up, you must summon the Black Spirit (,).”
- Summon your Black Spirit and take the quest “[To Level 50! Go Beyond Your Own Limits“
- Then use the Chat option at your Black Spirit to complete the quest
- You cannot level past 49 if you don’t complete this quest.
Levels 52 – 56
For levels 52 to 56 you have a few options to grind at, the location depends on your current gear.
Easier Spots:
Helms Post
- Recommended AP: 80
- Recommended DP: 120
Manes Hideout
- Recommended AP: 80
- Recommended DP: 120
Harder Spots:
Polly Forest
- Recommended AP: 160
- Recommended DP: 200
Levels 56 – 58
For level 56 – 58 you also have a few options for where to grind.
At level 56, you also want to go and complete your class Succession and Awakening quests to fully unlock your skill tree. These quests are obtainable from your Black Spirit, and can be found in your quest log (O) under Suggestions.
Polly Forest
- Recommended AP: 160
- Recommended DP: 200
Desert Naga Temple
- Recommended AP: 100
- Recommended DP: 200
Titium Valley (Desert Fogans)
- Recommended AP: 100
- Recommended DP: 200
Gahaz Bandits
- Recommended AP: 140
- Recommended DP: 230
Shultz Guard (Party spot for 3 members)
- Recommended AP: 240
- Recommended DP: 270
Level 58 – 61 (Questing)
Between levels 58 to 61, you have the option to grind via questing if you would like to. You can still grind monsters if that is what you prefer, but questing can be quicker and does not require monster killing, so you don’t need gear to get a high level. Leveling via questing is also the fastest way to reach 60 – 61, taking approximately 1 hour.
In order to level via questing, you will need to complete a long questline to obtain the “Chenga Tome“. This item can be equipped on any of your characters (including Season Characters) and gives increased EXP from quests – making it vital if you would like to level via questing.
Use the following guides if you would like to level via questing:
Level 58 or higher (Grinding)
These are the recommended spots after you have reached level 58 or higher.
There are also various other grinding locations in the game and all have different requirements, silver per hour, item drops, etc. At this point, you want to basically grind where is best for you and what you are looking to achieve. For example, you may want to start grinding for the Infinite Potions if you are a new player.
- If you are a Season character, I would recommend grinding various places for the Regional Season Quests
Taphtar Plain (Centaurs) – High silver grind spot with low gear requirements
- Recommended AP: 175
- Recommended DP: 220
Roud Sulfur Mine – Drops Archaeologists Map Piece
- Recommended AP: 200
- Recommended DP: 250
Best End-game Spot for EXP
The best grind spot for EXP at end-game if you would like to push for high levels is Gyfin Rhasia Temple (Underground).
This grind spot has a recommended AP of 300, and recommended DP of 380.
I do the first part of the main quest to red nose then go to Mask Owls with either enhanced “old” weapons” and any accessories I can muster or the naru from the simplified main quest and stay at mask owls from about 15-20 until 48 or approaching 50, usually about an hour or so, then I go to Helms. I used to go to catfish men but I find with the damage buffs to everyone’s PVE kits you can go straight to Medea from Mask Owls. Then I do Helms into the 50’s, but when leveling starts slowing down on to Manes until 56. Not a lot of people seem to know about mask owls though, its a fast grind, all in one spot, the only trouble is you need a little accuracy so enhance your weapons to pri before trying.
(“50” “whatever gear they may need” damn sleepy typing typo’s)
Another note, I do have a firm belief that most people that manage to do 1-5 in 8 hours also have money to buy whatever gear they made, But also on that note I managed it myself without a huge cache of money in just like 10 hours sooo its hard to say exactly but some classes will certainly be slower then others.
Just a slight amendment ive seen is that oze pass has a chance to drop Blackstone weapon, in about an hour i was lucky enough to grab 2
i have luck 4 and using luck scroll
I can´t believe that it´s possible to hit 50 in ~6 hours. I am lvl 33 and grind at khuruto cave. I nearly 1 shot them but it took me about an hour for 1 lvl up. Could some1 tel me where my mistakes are?
Greetings
I got some Elisha rings over at the forest of seclusion and it dropped an Elisha belt once as well. Those mature tree spirits drop them.
The places where you can get a black stone (armor) will also drop a black stone (weapon) sometimes.
I miss one grindspot here; the watchtower, where those shadow knights dwell. They drop black stones as well as hesus rings and necklaces and seleth longsword. Area is not big, but they spawn quite fast and you can travel towards the tomb and back. Watch out for the priests.
I got some Elisha rings over at the forest of seclusion and it dropped an Elisha belt once as well. Those mature tree spirits drop them.
The places where you can get a black stone (armor) will also drop a black stone (weapon) sometimes.
I miss one grindspot here; the watchtower, where those shadow knights dwell. They drop black stones as well as hesus rings and necklaces. Area is not big, but they spawn quite fast and you can travel towards the tomb and back. Watch out for the priests.
I’m on your spot but in 2hours 16=21 :/. Are you in party of 5 member’s ? (sry i’m noob)
Right now the spots are very busy. It is much faster to grind in a party of 5 so bring along friends if you can. There were quite a few people who got to 50 in ~8 hours but they knew exactly what they were doing so don’t feel too bad 😀
Hi, did you do this on KR, or on EU/US during the beta?
The guide is currently based on KR but we will be updating it shortly after CBT1 is over to match the xp rates and add more optional zones.
Just a note under 18. Optional, there’s a typo ‘The monsters have a CHANCE of dropping…”