In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, mastering the art of leveling up your Samurai and Shinobi hinges on efficiently earning XP. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to maximize your XP gains to reach new heights in the game.

What Awards XP in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, XP can be earned through a variety of actions, from eliminating enemies to completing quests and engaging with side content. Each activity offers different XP rewards, so strategic prioritization is key to maximizing your progression. To gauge the XP potential of any quest or activity, simply hover over it in the map or objectives tab. The most lucrative XP sources in the game are castles and optional assassinations.

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

Scattered across Japan in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, castles stand as prime XP farms. These fortresses are teeming with both basic and elite enemies, alongside Samurai Daisho, whose elimination is crucial for claiming the castle's chest filled with high-tier loot. Completing a castle challenge alone can net you thousands of XP, with additional XP gained from defeating each enemy, especially the elites and Samurai Daisho, who can reward around 250 XP each. Furthermore, synchronizing at high points within these castles not only grants you a few hundred XP but also unlocks fast travel points, enhancing your gameplay efficiency.

However, conquering castles can be challenging. Here are some tips to streamline your XP farming:

• Choose your protagonist wisely. Naoe’s Eagle’s Vision helps in quickly locating and stealthily assassinating Samurai Daisho, which is more efficient than direct combat. Enhance Naoe's assassination damage through mastery and engravings to ensure instant kills.
• For lower to medium levels, opt for Yasuke. Trigger the castle's alarm to draw out enemies and engage them in open combat for rapid clears and significant XP gains.

With these strategies, you can potentially earn up to 4,000 XP or more from a single castle in just a few minutes.

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

Beyond the main storyline's required assassinations, *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* offers numerous optional assassination targets. These targets can be found through interactions with specific NPCs and tracked using scouts. Utilizing fast travel points like Kakurega and riding to the target's location can expedite the process. Each assassination not only completes a quest but also awards a substantial XP bonus, typically around 2,000-3,000 XP, with additional XP for the kill itself, similar to elite enemy eliminations. Completing a full group of assassinations and reporting back to the quest giver can yield a massive XP reward, often around 5,000 XP.