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Diablo 4 leveling guide – How to gain XP fast

Take on the hordes of hell and grow stronger as you level up in Diablo 4 with our guide on how to get leveled fast and gain the most XP possible.

Diablo 4 levelling guide: Two barbarians stand side by side adorned in blue paint and shining metalwork.

How do you gain XP fast in Diablo 4? We’ve got you covered. The latest iteration of Blizzard Entertainment’s action role-playing series has now launched for those with the Ultimate Edition, and players are raring to go.

Our Diablo 4 fast XP and leveling guide discusses the different facets that can boost your character further. We explain the methods that worked for us for all classes to get XP fast, including the best builds, world tiers, and more.

Diablo 4 leveling guide

Here are the fastest ways up level up in Diablo 4:

  • Choose the best class
  • Play at world tier 2 and above
  • Play co-op
  • Use elixirs
  • Complete dungeons
  • Clear strongholds
  • Complete world events

Before we discuss the best Diablo 4 leveling and XP boosting methods in detail, let’s first discuss what the whole system entails. First, there’s the initial leveling system from 1 to 50, where you earn skill points. These, along with those that you obtain from reputation rewards, are allocated in your chosen class’ skill tree. Past level 50, however, things drastically change. That’s because leveling is now tied to the Paragon Board. If the initial steps were about creating the core of your build, then Paragon Points later on are to fine-tune your setup.

All of this leads to Diablo 4’s endgame activities, of which there are several. We won’t discuss them in detail in our Diablo 4 leveling and XP guide, because we cover that in the endgame article. However, let’s just say that you’re going to need to boost your character further if you want to succeed.

This follows the gameplay loop of grinding for XP and gear, and continuously turning your character into a powerhouse. In any case, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about the best Diablo 4 leveling and fast XP methods.

Choose your class wisely

To be clear, every Diablo 4 class is viable for the endgame. In fact, there are those that truly shine many hours later once you’ve got the right gear and aspects. However, if we’re talking solely about the leveling process, then two options are head and shoulders above the rest: the Sorcerer and the Necromancer.

The Sorcerer’s Frost build, from the beta and review stages up to the present, is a wonder to behold. With it, you can chill and freeze your foes so easily, making the campaign a breeze. The Necromancer, meanwhile, relies on undead minions to do the heavy lifting, all while casting spells in the background. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bother with the three other classes. But, if you want a smooth leveling experience, even while soloing, you can’t go wrong with the Sorc and Necro.

Diablo 4 levelling guide: A battle occurs in the dark depths of Sanctuary

Switch to World Tier 2 and keep climbing up when you’re ready

One of the best Diablo 4 leveling methods we can suggest is switching to World Tier 2. This can be done at the character selection menu, or by interacting with the statue in Kyovashad.

The reason we advise you to do this is that World Tier 2 automatically grants 20% XP from enemy kills. For reference, I completed the campaign on both World Tier 1 and World Tier 2 and learned the following upon reaching Act 5:

  • World Tier 2: I was level 36, which was well within the recommended level for the next zone.
  • World Tier 1: Conversely, I was only level 28 by the time I reached Act 5, since World Tier 1 doesn’t provide an XP bonus. That meant I had to grind a few more levels prior to heading to that zone.

This also applies to higher difficulties, such as World Tier 3: Nightmare, and World Tier 4: Torment. These provide +100% and +200% XP, respectively. Of course, this also implies even greater challenges, which brings us to…

Diablo 4 levelling guide: world tiers affect how fast you will level up

Make friends and play co-op when possible

There are benefits to being in a party in Diablo 4. While enemies do scale up depending on how many players there are, you also gain +10% XP if you’re in a group. Likewise, there’s a +5% bonus if you’re near another player (assuming neither of you is in a party). As such, even if things get tough, having people to back you up with their own classes and capabilities leads to faster and more efficient clears.

Craft and use elixirs from the Alchemist

The Alchemist NPC isn’t just there to upgrade your potions every now and then. They can also provide you with some useful elixirs, assuming you have the ingredients. Make sure you take a look at their wares, and look for those that provide a bonus. For instance, the Elixir of Fortitude and Ironbarb Elixirs have their own stat effects. Still, they both confer +5% XP for 30 minutes.

Diablo 4 levelling guide: You can craft Elixirs via the Alchemist, and some of these grant bonus XP.

Do World Events, Dungeons, and Strongholds

As you’re exploring the world of Sanctuary, you’ll come across many activities that will grab your attention. First and foremost among these are World Events. As soon as you see one, make sure you complete it, preferably with the mastery challenge as well. There’s a good chance that these events spawn numerous mobs, and more kills mean more XP.

From there, you’ll also want to tackle dungeons. There are over 100 of these scattered across several regions and sub-zones. Ideally, you’ll want to prioritize those that reward a legendary aspect for your class so you can fine-tune your build further. Dungeons tend to have high monster density, too.

Lastly, there are Strongholds, which are more akin to overworld dungeons. They might be daunting at first due to higher level requirements, as even Act 1 dungeons will have enemies that are always two levels above your own. Still, you’re bound to fight numerous foes, all providing much-needed XP gains.

Naturally, all of these Diablo 4 leveling and XP boosting activities lead to more renown/reputation. By claiming these rewards from various regions, you’ll also receive bonus XP and gold, as well as additional skill points and potion charges.

You’ll also find this advice useful to grind out those Diablo 4 battle pass levels, as your in-game successes will translate to more experience there as well. For more tips and strategies about the game, you can visit our Diablo 4 tips and guides page, which has links to all of these methods of farming XP and more.