Blade and Soul characters attain maximum level 50 when gathering the necessary amount of XP. This is done by completing various types of game content such as quests, dungeons and PvP. The time needed to achieve maximum level depends on player's approach. Normal or casual leveling takes about 30 - 40 hours. With power leveling a character can obtain level 50 in 20 hours or even less. While power leveling may be appealing because it's much faster players will miss some parts of the game. New players are advised to opt for normal leveling especially on their first character. Power leveling is the way to go for veteran Blade and Soul players that are leveling alts.
Casual leveling may be slower but it's a great opportunity to discover the game. Blade and Soul features and mechanics are progressively introduced as players complete content. Having a max level character doesn't automatically grants access to all end game content. Players need to know how to play their class and be properly geared for the challenges ahead. Casual leveling can be seen as a tutorial that prepares players for end game activities. They will learn class abilities, understand character system, find out how to obtain the best gear and get familiar with the game. Blade and Soul has several types of quests. Campaign quests and training quests are mandatory to unlock new game areas and character's skills. Side quests and daily quests are additional missions that reward XP, items and money. Faction quests are optional PvP quests. When taking the casual approach players are encouraged to complete all side quests, take their time to read story quests and repeat daily quests for extra rewards. PvP quests are a great way to break the leveling routine.
Power leveling takes less time but requires certain resources. An alt character doesn't have the means to acquire all the needed items unless they are supplied by a main character. Players that want to power level an alt need food that provides XP buff, gems to improve their gear and various other items. Some are obtained as rewards but it takes a large quantity to properly power level. In terms of quests, power leveling simply means skipping some of the quests that are not mandatory. It's worth considering getting a Blade and Soul premium membership to speed up the leveling process.
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