BDO Leveling: Guide to Gaining Character Levels

Lets level a BDO Character to 66. No problem! In this guide, I will show how to get a cute level 1 to dream of double 6! 🙂

Ha, I’m teasing you just a tiny bit before we get started.

The secret to gaining levels faster is increasing Combat Experience and selecting good grinding spots. It’s also important to know when to use side quests to your advantage.

4 Different Leveling Options:

• Grinding Mobs (best for characters level 61+)
• Side Quests (best for leveling from 58 to 61)
• AFK Leveling with Training Dummies and Books
• Life Skills most Life Skills give Combat Exp. However, AFK fishing feels like the best option. I was able to obtain level 58 in one week of AFK fishing with a +10 Balenos Fishing Rod, T3 Auto Fishing pet, and Exp Event.
  • Shai get Combat Exp buffs for Gathering & Alchemy

Leveling in a Party

Most grinding spots support solo grinding. There is usually a “main rotation” that is most popular because it has the best mob density. Because mobs die in one hit, most rotations can’t support a party.

Parties that are made up of 3 or more players get 50% experience for each party member. This mechanic makes it easy for a strong group of 3 players to power level one to two friends.

Party Leveling Spots

There are 12 grinding spots that were created for a party of 2 to 5 players.

They are marked as “Party Recommended” on the world map.

Season Leveling Buffs

Season gives great leveling buffs. There are also special Season events and items to help players level faster.

Season Servers provide a Life Skill, Combat, and Skill EXP buff. The EXP buff will be active regardless of a character’s level.

Season Leveling Spots:

• drop Tuvala Enhancement materials
• spawn a special Afuaru that gives enhancement mats
• can enjoy the hunt without concern of PVP
• optional PVP Season Server with +50% drops

BDO Power Leveling (or Boosting) is the fastest way to reach level 58.

Power Leveling occurs when another player with high level and good gear forms a party with you and kills mobs in a grinding spot.

You can reach level 59 in a couple hours doing this when there are high Combat EXP buffs of about +1500%.

POWER LEVELING NOTES:

• Guild/Party Chat and Stable is disabled until level 6.
• Characters that are power leveled have a lower amount of Skill Points than grinding alone. Expect about 510 SP at 59 and 640 SP after Simplified Quest Line. (with high Skill Exp buffs)
• Many grinding spots have safe areas where players can hide from mobs. (Example: Polly’s has a small area where nothing but trees spawn in the middle of a grinding spot. Mirumok has specific tree stumps to stand on.)

Mirumok and Gyfin are popular party spots for gaining levels and are frequently used to boost low level characters.

• Mirumok Ruins – 3 man
  • Standard main rotation allowing for parties under 261 AP Nouver or 245 AP Kutum
• Gyfin Rhasia – 5 man
  • parties that can kill stronger mobs than Mirumok, but can’t do 5-man Mirumok.
  • Good exp and fair silver
• Mirumok Ruins – 5 man
  • 261 AP Nouver or 245 AP Kutum
  • more specific party compositions
  • higher silver and exp than Gyfin and 3-man Mirumok

Black Desert Level Cap

There is no level cap in Black Desert Online. However, there is a “soft cap”, where it feels nearly impossible to obtain a certain level.

See the chart from Smite Datamining, which shows the amount of xp needed per level.

As you can see, the experience needed for level 63 is much more than the amount needed for level 56.

Reaching level 56 is quick, but after level 62, leveling gets much slower.

For more details, please view our Max Level & AP Cap page.

Leveling with Side Quests

Certain side quests and some main quest lines reward Combat Exp.

Side quests exclude main, life, fishing, adventure, trade, and repeat quests.

Look for NPC’s with quest icons that have a thin solid gold border. (They will also have an orange Combat EXP icon in the quest rewards list.)

Side Quest Experience Rewards:

With Chenga tome equipped…

• Beginner & Mid-Level Zones: Balenos, Serendia, Calpheon, Mediah, Valencia
  • Level 1 to 57: 1.3% EXP
  • Level 58: 1.04% EXP
  • Level 59: 0.13% EXP
  • Level 60: 0.044% EXP
  • Level 61+: 0.021% EXP
• Newest Zones: Kamasylvia, Drieghan, Star’s End, O’dyllita, Winter Mountain
  • Level 1 to 60: 1.3% EXP
  • Level 61+: 0.021% EXP

Think of quest exp as separate from combat exp. Combat exp items do not increase quest exp. Only the Chenga Tome raises quest exp.

Get details and instructions in our Chenga Tome Guide

Leveling Faster with Buffs

Combat Exp buffs are a great help to reduce leveling time while grinding mobs.

Combat Exp comes in a variety of ways:

• Combat Exp Items like scrolls, food, and elixirs
• Servers that reward Combat Exp buffs like Season and Olvia
• Special mechanics that reward a Combat Exp buff

Learn more in our Combat Exp Guide.