New World: The Fastest Way to Reach Level 60

New World is finally here, which means that it’s time to lose yourself in another MMO and say goodbye to every other aspect of your life as you try to hit the game’s level cap as quickly as possible. 

Yes, while it’s always nice to advise people to stop and smell the roses in an MMO, the truth of the matter is that many modern players are more interested in leveling as quickly as possible so that they can finally start “playing the game.”

While leveling in New World is surprisingly slow compared to other modern MMOs, here are a few things you need to know about making the most of your time in the game and reaching level 60 as quickly as possible.

How Long Does it Take to Reach Level 60 In New World?

It’s a little difficult to say for sure how long it takes to reach Level 60 in New World given that it seems like nobody has managed to hit the cap in the retail version of the game quite yet (at least to my knowledge).

However, what we’ve seen so far during New World‘s first few days of retail availability and the earlier beta periods tends to suggest that it’s going to take you about 100 to 200 hours to reach level 60 depending on how you choose to play.

To be clear, that’s a more “cautious” estimate that accounts for the slow nature of the leveling process and the activities of the average New World player. It really does feel like leveling is intended to be a big part of the early New World experience and, as such, it’s pretty clear that you’re not meant to reach the level cap in less than 50 hours. Even early diehards are going to have to work hard and use optimized strategies to potentially reach that point closer to the 75-hour mark.

That being said, it’s going to be interesting to see how much that time estimate drops once players start hitting the level cap and discover the absolute best leveling methods and routes. It’s highly likely that gamers who start playing New World about a month or so from now will be able to hit the level cap in well under 100 hours. 

The Fastest Way to Level In New World

It’s going to be a little while before we know what the most optimized leveling route in New World is, but here are a few ways you can speed up the initial leveling process:

Use the Town Project Board As Often as Possible

The Town Project Board has actually been “nerfed” since New World’s betas, but it should still be your go-to option for questing and leveling. You’ll obviously want to prioritize the Project Board quests that offer the most experience points, but since most Project Board quests are easy and plentiful, it’s really just a matter of finding as much time as possible to complete as many quests as possible. 

Always Prioritize Main Quests

While New World’s Main Quests aren’t nearly as plentiful as its side quests, they’re often the most “efficient” source of XP in the game. While you’ll sometimes find yourself waiting to hit the next leveling milestone needed to unlock the next string of Main Quests, you should prioritize completing those quests whenever they appear.

Level Up Your Skills Along The Way (Especially Harvesting)

In games like WoW, it’s honestly somewhat counterproductive to try to level your job skills as you try to also level up your character. That’s not the case in New World, though, as leveling your skills not only yields small amounts of character XP but high skill levels in certain trades can make the leveling process much faster overall. Harvesting is an especially valuable skill for a variety of “little things” you’ll need to do along the way.

Choose XP Bonus Rewards Whenever You Can

As you gain reputation in your current territory, you’ll slowly unlock new rewards that grant you bonuses while playing in that territory. Obviously, the optional rewards that grant you bonus XP should be a priority if you’re just looking to level as quickly as possible. Having said that, don’t overlook the “gathering speed” bonuses and similar rewards in the late game as they could prove to be more valuable in the long run.

Complete Faction Quests in Level Appropriate Territories to Maximize XP 

You’ll learn early on that Faction Quests yield impressive XP rewards (including a shocking 200% XP bonus for your first few Faction Quests of the day), but what you might not realize right away is that your XP gains actually scale with the territory you’re currently in. As such, you’ll want to complete Faction Quests (and other quests, for that matter) in the most “difficult” territory you can survive in to maximize your XP rewards.

Here’s a rundown of the territories you should be questing in based on your current level:

Level 5: Everfall, Firstlight, Monarch’s Bluffs, Windsward

Level 25: Brightwood, Cutlass Keys

Level 30: Weaver’s Fen

Level 40: Great Cleave, Restless Shore

Level 45: Mourningdale

Level 50: Ebonscale, Edengrove

Level 60: Reekwater, Shattered Mountain

Use PvP to Level Up Your Weapons Quicker

While it’s technically possible to play New World without diving into the game’s PvP, sticking to the MMO’s PvE content means missing out on a big chunk of the experience. Actually, it also means missing out on literal New World experience as PvP combat is one of the quickest ways to level up your various weapons and use new weapon skills to mow through high-level enemies that much quicker.

It’s also possible to unlock Faction-based XP rewards by taking over territories, but at the moment, it’s difficult to recommend focusing on that side of the game if you’re just looking to hit level 60 as quickly as possible.

Expeditions Are a Fantastic Way to Level Up (Eventually)

You can start running Expeditions (New World’s dungeons) around level 25, and you really should run them as soon as you can. Not only do Expeditions offer incredible gear upgrades, but Expeditions and the quests associated with them are some of the game’s most reliable sources of respectable XP. Having said that, you will need to complete other quests between Expedition runs to maximize your leveling speed. 

New World Leveling Quick Tips

If you really want to optimize your New World leveling experience, consider utilizing a few of these tips that will help shave a few hours off your total leveling time.

• Fast travel as often as you can. While that obviously means unlocking as many fast travel shrines as possible, you can sometimes “game” the system by owning multiple properties or even just dying so you can respawn in a settlement. Do whatever you can to reduce travel time. 
• Pick up every piece of glowing “lore” you run across. Interacting with those items yields small XP rewards. 
• The fastest leveling weapon at the moment seems to be the Hatchet. Its quick attack speed and movement bonuses are natural allies for any speed leveler. Of course, it’s hard to go wrong by eventually leveling up your AOE weapons. 
• Play in a group when you can. A good group makes it that much easier to survive high-level areas and run more Expeditions.
• Help players attack mobs whenever you can. New World utilizes a “shared” XP system, so this is a great way to help yourself and other players. 
• Always log-off in settlements so that you’ll get the “Well Rested” XP bonus the next time you log back in.
• Always store your crafting materials whenever possible. You do not want to become over encumbered out in the wild or waste time with inventory management while leveling.