*Assassin’s Creed Shadows* offers a plethora of skills for players to unlock and master. To level up your Samurai and Shinobi efficiently, you'll need to maximize your XP gains. Here’s a detailed guide on how to do that effectively.

What Awards XP in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?

In *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, you can earn XP through a variety of actions and activities. From killing enemies and assassinating targets to completing quests and engaging with side content, every action contributes to your XP. However, the XP rewards vary significantly, so it's crucial to focus on activities that offer the most XP to optimize your time.

To see the XP potential of a quest or activity, simply hover over it in the map or the objectives tab. The activities that yield the highest XP in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* are centered around castles and optional assassinations.

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

Castles are a goldmine for XP in *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*. Completing the castle activity alone can net you several thousand XP. Additionally, you can earn XP by defeating each enemy, with elites and Samurai Daisho offering substantial bonuses, typically around 250 XP each. Many castles also feature synchronization points, which not only provide a few hundred XP but also serve as fast travel points, enhancing your mobility across the game world.

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

• Choose your protagonist wisely. Naoe’s Eagle’s Vision allows her to scan and tag enemies, making it easier to locate and stealthily assassinate Samurai Daisho. Enhancing Naoe's assassination damage through mastery and engravings ensures instant kills.
• For lower to medium levels, Yasuke is the better choice for clearing castles quickly. Intentionally get detected, engage enemies in open combat, and trigger the alarm bell to draw most enemies to your location for a swift takedown.

With these tactics, skilled players can earn up to and potentially beyond 4,000 XP in just a few minutes.

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

Each assassination grants an XP bonus for completing the quest, typically ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 XP, plus 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 reward a significant XP bonus of around 5,000 XP.