If you’ve spent even a few hours exploring Embervale’s mist-shrouded wastelands, you know just how brutal early and mid-game Enshrouded can be when you’re underleveled. You’ll get one-shot by basic shroud mobs, can’t harvest high-tier resources, and can’t unlock the most useful skills in the game’s skill tree. This guide breaks down exactly how to level up in Enshrouded without wasting hours on mindless grinding that doesn’t move your progression forward. I’ve tested every XP farming method over 120+ hours of playtime, so every tip here is tried and tested for both solo and co-op play.
Prioritize quest progression first for steady, low-effort XP
Most new players make the mistake of grinding random mobs for their first 10 levels, but questing gives far more consistent and high-value XP for very little effort. Main story quests tied to your Flame Altar give 2-3 times more XP per hour than random mob clears, and they also unlock critical upgrades like higher tier crafting recipes and expanded shroud access. You’ll also unlock access to higher level shroud areas as you complete quests, which opens up even more options when you want to figure out how to level up in Enshrouded faster later on.
You don’t need to grind mobs at all for the first 10 levels if you stick to the quest line. Side quests from rescued NPCs are also worth prioritizing, as they often give large XP chunks plus unique rewards like exclusive building skins or combat buffs. If you play in co-op, every party member gets full quest XP for completed objectives, so running quest lines with friends cuts your early leveling time almost in half.
How to level up in Enshrouded fast with targeted XP farming runs
Once you hit a progression wall, like needing 2 more levels to equip a rare weapon or unlock a core skill, short targeted farming runs are the fastest way to get the XP you need. The best farming methods give you both XP and useful resources, so you never feel like you’re wasting time on useless grind. I’ve tested dozens of farming routes, and these three methods deliver the highest XP per hour by far:
- Shrouded village mob runs: Head to any medium-sized village inside the shroud, clear all the zombie and ghost mobs, then fast travel away and back to reset the spawns. You’ll get 50-100 XP per mob, plus rare crafting drops like shroud cores that you need to upgrade your Flame Altar. A full clear only takes 10 minutes and gives enough XP for half a level up to level 20.
- Resource harvesting loops: Place a bed near a dense forest or mountain node cluster, then spend 20 minutes chopping wood, mining ore, and picking wild plants. Every harvest action gives small XP that adds up extremely fast, and you’ll stock up on building and crafting materials you’d have to farm later anyway. This method is perfect for players who hate combat-focused grind.
- World boss clears: Once you have at least rare tier gear, farm the roaming world bosses scattered across the map. Each boss gives 2,000+ XP per clear, plus unique legendary gear drops that make future runs even faster. This method works best in co-op, as a full party can take down most bosses in under 2 minutes per run.
I stick to village runs when I’m short on time, but I switch to harvesting loops when I need to stock up on materials for base building or gear upgrades. You can mix and match these methods based on what you need for your current play session, so you never have to do grind you don’t enjoy.
Optimize your skill tree to boost XP gains passively
The Enshrouded skill tree has several hidden passive nodes that can boost your XP gains by up to 25% if you unlock them early, and you don’t have to commit to a specific build to get them. These nodes work for every playstyle, from combat-focused players to casual builders, so they’re worth prioritizing no matter what you want to do in the game.
The "Harvest XP Boost" node is the first one you should unlock after your basic combat skills, as it gives 10% extra XP from all gathering actions, which stacks for every harvest you do. If you prefer fighting over gathering, grab the "Combat XP Boost" node in the Warrior tree first, it gives 15% extra XP from all mob kills. The Survival tree also has an "Exploration XP Boost" node that gives extra XP for uncovering new areas of the map, which is perfect if you love wandering and discovering hidden secrets.
Each player’s skill nodes apply only to their own XP gains, so if you’re playing in co-op, every party member can grab the nodes that match their playstyle to make the whole group level faster. You can also reset your skill points at any time for a small resource cost, so you can swap to XP-focused nodes when you’re grinding, then swap back to combat or building nodes when you’re done.
Avoid these common mistakes that slow down your leveling progress
Even if you follow all the best farming tips, small mistakes can add up to hours of wasted time over the course of your playthrough. Most new players make these mistakes without even realizing it, so avoiding them will immediately speed up your leveling.
Don’t waste time fighting mobs outside the shroud unless you have a specific reason – those mobs give 30-50% less XP than shroud mobs of the same level, and they don’t drop valuable shroud cores you need for upgrades. Also, don’t skip upgrading your Flame Altar, because the higher your altar level, the higher level the mobs in your surrounding area are, which means more XP per kill.
Don’t hoard skill points either. Use them as soon as you get them to make your character stronger, which lets you take on higher level content faster. It’s also a bad idea to try to take on content 5+ levels above you, you’ll just die over and over and waste time. It’s better to run a quick 10 minute farming run to get the extra level you need, then go back to the higher level content once you’re strong enough to handle it.
There’s no secret hack to max out your character in a single hour, but following these tips will cut your total leveling time in half compared to mindlessly wandering the map. Whether you’re a solo player focused on questing or a co-op group that loves running mob farms, you can easily adjust these strategies to fit your playstyle. Next time you log in and hit a progression wall, you’ll know exactly how to level up in Enshrouded without wasting hours on low-value tasks. Take it slow, prioritize content that gives you both XP and useful resources, and you’ll be dominating Embervale in no time.