ARK: Survival Evolved Leveling Guide: Fast Ways to Gain XP

ARK: Survival Evolved offers the unique feature of being able to gain experience from virtually anything you accomplish, from crafting to exploration and combat. But the amount of experience earned by doing tasks like making tools or building foundations may seem minuscule over time - and with so much end-game to see, it's important to level fast. With that, this ARK: Survival Evolved leveling guide covers some of the easiest and fastest ways to gain XP in the game, and a walkthrough to reach level 100 that's perfect for newer players as well!

How To Level Fast In ARK: Survival Evolved

Note that the following leveling methods assume that you’re starting from a new character. But follow these techniques, and you can go from level 1 to level 100 faster than doing tasks like taming small dinosaurs for an entire day.

1. A Quick Head Start

Assuming that you recently finished creating your ARK: Survival Evolved character, select The Island as your map of choice to spawn into. Next, select West Zone 1 as your starting location. Enter the nearby forest and cliff areas. Search these areas for one 4x and 2x Experience Notes to begin your in-game journey with a head start. As a bonus, here are the coordinates for the 4x Experience Notes you can find on The Island:

• 89.2, 24.3
• 75.6, 60.4
• 36.1, 79.0
• 44.3, 23.6
• 23.6, 78.2

Tip: Leave all your important items in storage if you’re going for an Experience Note run to prevent losing them if you die.

2. Complete Tasks on Genesis

After completing your Experience Note run on The Island, you should be about level 70 by now. The next step is to transfer to Genesis because certain items and tasks are only available on this map. Here, your main objectives will be getting Cryopods and Metal Picks. Once in Genesis, search for glowing beacons called Glitches. Interact with the Glitches to obtain Hexagons, which you can spend on different items only available on this map. Farming Hexagons will also give you some nice XP along the way. Next, find a safe spot above ground and activate the Hexagon Exchange window. Buy a Cryopod for 500 Hexagon Points. Then, look at your Engram list and activate the Smithy and Pickaxe recipes. While you’re on this map, gather the following materials:

• Fiber
• Thatch
• Wood
• Hide
• Stone
• Metal

Then, craft a Smithy with these resources, and while you’re near that structure, craft Metal Pickaxes. It's worth also making some Crossbows while you’re at it because you may need them for the next parts of this ARK: Survival Evolved leveling guide. Then, find a Mission Terminal and interact with it. Open your Inventory and select Transmitter. Next, place your crafted items into the Ark Data tab, along with other objects you may want to bring with you.

3. Tame A Crystal Wyvern

This time, transfer to the Crystal Isles map. Choose the bottom of the southwest area as your spawn location. Have your Metal Pick ready and find Crystal Nodes in the area. Your goal is to farm at least 50 crystals to feed to a Crystal Wyvern. Once you find a Crystal Wyvern, go up to it and hop on its back. Similar to other survival games like Smalland, you’re going to feed the Crystal Wyvern to tame it. Your taming session begins when you open the creature’s inventory and feed it crystals. Tip: If the Crystal Wyvern knocks you out, open the Taming Progress window and select that creature. That way, the creature will show up on your map so you can track it. With your new Crystal Wyvern, search the Crystal Isles map for an airdrop. Download the Cryopod that you acquired from Genesis and place your Crystal Wyvern in it. This time, transfer the Crystal Wyvern Cryopod to your next destination – Extinction.

4. Gather Extinction Notes

Once you're in Extinction, travel to the green obelisk structure. Download your Crystal Wyvern data in the terminal at this location. Here are some Extinction Note locations to get you started on your run:

• 47.1, 22.5
• 47.7, 12.2
• 73.1, 42.5
• 70.6, 53.6
• 58.6, 73.4
• 43.0, 90.8
• 31.8, 81.7
• 18.3, 15.3
• 13.1, 28.3

Your next destination is the map’s Death Zone. Here, you’ll kill Corrupted T-Rexes and the other creatures in the area for massive XP. Stop farming XP in this area once you reach level 81.

5. Tame A Megatherium

Return to Crystal Isles and make a trap for a Megatherium. You’ll need Stone Foundations, Stone Doorways, and some ramps for it. Once you have these building materials, create a “room” for the Megatherium. Shoot some arrows with your Crossbow at a Megatherium or punch it. Then, lead it to your trap. Ensure that you’re climbing up the ramp to make it fall into the setup. Once it’s in the trap, use your Crossbow to shoot Tranquilizer Arrows on its head to knock it out. Put it in another Cryopod once you tame the creature and upload its data.

6. Craft Scuba Gear

While you’re still in Crystal Isles, ride your Crystal Wyvern to the floating islands. These areas are in the northern part of the map and are home to large crab creatures. Kill these enemies to farm 43x Polymer. Next, search the area for the other materials needed to create the Scuba Gear, which include:

• 87x Hide
• 23x Fiber
• 12x Chitin or Keratin
• 16x Metal Ingots
• 6x Cementing Paste
• 7x Silica Pearls
• 10x Crystal

Note: Remember, you must unlock the crafting recipe for the Scuba Gear before you can craft it. It’s not the same as other games like Terraria, wherein you may only need to be near a crafting table to make an item.

7. Return to The Island

In your final steps to a fast ARK: Survival Evolved leveling experience, spawn on the northern part of The Island and craft a Megatherium Saddle. Then, hop on your Crystal Wyvern and travel to the Swamp Cave. Ready your Scuba Gear and ride your Megatherium when you’re ready to enter the cave. Here, you can kill the Meganeura until you reach level 100!