"Fast XP and Leveling Guide for Assassin’s Creed Shadows"

Author: Lily Mar 24,2025

In *Assassin's Creed Shadows*, mastering the skills of your Samurai and Shinobi characters is crucial, and the key to this is earning XP as quickly and efficiently as possible. Whether you're navigating the shadowed paths of a Shinobi or wielding the strength of a Samurai, understanding the best methods to accumulate XP will greatly enhance your gameplay experience.

What Awards XP in Assassin's Creed Shadows? Answered

In *Assassin's Creed Shadows*, XP can be earned through a multitude of actions and activities. From eliminating enemies and assassinating high-value targets to completing main quests and engaging with various side missions, every action contributes to your XP tally. However, the XP rewards vary significantly, so it's essential to focus on activities that offer the most substantial returns on your time investment.

To maximize your XP gains, you can preview the XP reward for any quest or activity by hovering over it in the map or objectives tab. Among the most lucrative activities for XP are castle takeovers and optional assassinations.

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

Sakamato Castle awards 3,000 XP in Assassin's Creed Shadows.

Sakamato Castle awards 3,000 XP in *Assassin's Creed Shadows*.
Throughout Japan in *Assassin's Creed Shadows*, castles stand as fortresses filled with enemies, from basic guards to elite warriors and Samurai Daisho. Completing a castle takeover by killing the required number of Daisho not only unlocks high-tier loot but also grants thousands of XP. Additionally, each enemy defeated, especially elites and Daisho, contributes significantly to your XP, with bonuses around 250 XP per elite kill.

Castles also offer synchronization points that not only award XP (usually a few hundred) but also serve as fast travel points, enhancing your mobility across the game's expansive world. To maximize your XP from castles, consider these strategies:

  • Choose your protagonist wisely: Naoe's Eagle's Vision can help you locate and stealthily assassinate Daisho, speeding up the process. Enhance Naoe's assassination damage to ensure instant kills.
  • For lower levels, use Yasuke to clear castles quickly by engaging enemies in open combat and triggering the alarm bell to draw out more foes.

With these tactics, you can potentially earn up to and beyond 4,000 XP in a few minutes, making castles a prime location for XP farming.

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

Naoe perches to assassinate an enemy from above, Image via Ubisoft

Naoe perches to assassinate an enemy from above, Image via Ubisoft
In addition to the main quest assassinations, *Assassin's Creed Shadows* features numerous optional assassination targets. These can be discovered by interacting with specific NPCs and using scouts to track targets. Utilizing fast travel points like Kakurega can get you close to your target quickly, allowing for swift assassinations.

Each successful assassination not only grants XP equivalent to completing a quest (typically 2,000-3,000 XP) but also awards additional XP for the kill itself, similar to defeating elite enemies. Completing an entire group of assassination targets and returning to the quest giver can net you a significant XP bonus, around 5,000 XP, making this a highly rewarding method for XP accumulation.