Black Desert Online: A Guide to Leveling from 56-60
Because of Black Desert Online’s fairly established history, it’s now quite easy to reach level 56 in the game. In our first leveling guide, we covered some of the basics you need to know about the game, as well as some areas where you can easily grind experience. However, we also stressed the importance of not rushing to the awakening level and ignoring large parts of the game. This advice was given so that by the time you do reach level 56, you can continue on your upward trajectory. The game changes considerably for higher-level characters, so if you’re unprepared, the game can soon become a chore.
In another guide, we’ve outlined some of the things you can do when you reach level 56. Much of this is focused on further exploring the games key mechanics. However, we also mention that it’s entirely possible to reach towards level 60 and beyond. In this guide, we’ll go into detail about exactly this. Our leveling guide from level 56-60 covers some of the best advice we have, as well as some of the key areas of the game you should target. By the time we’re done, you should be able to fly through the process with relative ease.
56-60 Leveling Advice
Before we get into the specifics of exactly where to start your next steps of leveling, it’s worth covering a few things you should know in preparation. The chances are that you’re going to spend a fair bit of time grinding out experience points. By preparing properly, you can avoid the process becoming too tedious.
Below are some of our top pieces of advice:
Improve Your Gear
Gear is fairly irrelevant until you hit level 50. Once you do, the game seems to appear a lot harder if you’ve not been paying attention to it. However, the higher level you reach, the more important your equipment becomes. Arguably, much of the endgame content revolves around increasing your equipment’s AP and DP stats. It’s therefore essential that you plan for this once you hit level 56. Otherwise, you simply won’t be able to gain experience effectively. Mobs will seem a lot harder to kill, and you will appear quite squishy, dying within a few hits.
Enhance your gear to improve your AP and DP stats. You won’t be able to level without doing so.
The map gives players a fairly good indication of where they should be leveling and questing based on their AP. Once you’re past level 55/56, recommendations for difficulty are only be made in AP. You shouldn’t try to tackle mobs that have a higher level than you’re currently at, they’re too difficult to make it worthwhile. Instead, you should focus on either enhancing the gear you currently have or buying replacements.
We’ve covered enhancing in detail in another guide so we won’t go into it here in detail. It’s an often frustrating process, but if you prepare correctly, you can make big gains in a relatively efficient way. The marketplace is expensive, but the game is generous in handing you silver. There are also multiple ways to earn large amounts, as we saw in our nodes and workers guide. Regardless, improving your gear should be your number one priority when you reach level 56. It will make everything else that follows a whole lot easier.
Use Your Buffs
One of Pearl Abyss’ incentives to get new and returning players to engage with BDO is to give daily buffs to experience. This applies to levels 1-56 inclusive and includes boosts to both combat and life skill experience. They can be used in tandem, and are well worth activating before a long session of grinding. Doing so can help give you momentum from 56-57.
There are also a variety of scrolls that you may have accumulated over the preceding 55 levels. These range in type and duration, but there are some combat experience scrolls that are given out, as well as the item Book of Combat Experience, which gives a 24-hour boost. Most of these can be stacked, but be sure to read the descriptions to find out which ones can’t.
Daily buffs to experience should be utilized when you’re trying to level up.
Finally, if you’re still new to the game, or have been away for 30 days, you can take advantage of the Olvia servers. These also give a boost to experience gained while playing. This buff makes all the difference when it comes to grinding out exp points. With all of the available buffs activated, grinding sessions can be incredibly fruitful, provided you’re able to take full advantage of it (with sufficiently high gear).
Manage Your Inventory
The inventory system in Black Desert can be quite frustrating at times. Characters have a limited bag space/weight, which can be expanded through the (paid) Pearl Store and questing. City storage is also restricted, although you can increase it through spending Contribution Points. When you’re killing enemies, you’ll want to ensure that you have as much space as necessary. A lot of loot drops, which can make you a tidy sum after a while. Some items need to be exchanged with NPCs for silver, while others can be sold at vendors. Better items, such as weapons and armor, can be sold on the marketplace.
A variety of quests can help you gain inventory expansion slots. It’s more than worth it.
It’s definitely worth trying to expand your slots through the available quests and having a pet or two means you can focus on combat while they pick up the loot as you go. Also, consider the fact that your mount and boat have their own storage, so try to utilize them as much as possible. You want to maximize the amount of time you can kill mobs and collect loot when your exp buffs are active, and managing your inventory is an essential part of this process.
Group Together
BDO is a game that can largely be a solo experience. However, there are definitely options to play with others. It can be useful to do so when you’re leveling up. Although experience points are split between party members, you’re able to kill more enemies with your combined efforts. In the harder areas, this can be invaluable. Some players will group up with higher-level comrades in the early stages and have them tackle the combat; they still get the experience points.
You should also consider joining a guild. There are benefits that this brings aside from the social aspect. For example, some guilds will have a boost to various stats, provide a daily salary, and access to guild equipment. These benefits make the game a lot more approachable, particularly as you venture to the high-level areas. The help offered by guildmates can also be invaluable; boss fights, for example, require a group, as do certain areas of the game.
Mix it Up
Even if your heart is set on reaching level 60 as soon as possible, spending all your game time killing the same enemies on a loop can quickly get boring. It’s therefore advisable to swap up your activities. BDO has a lot to offer players, aside from combat and leveling. It could be the perfect time to work on your production and trade or crafting empire, for example. Alternatively, you could work on some of the many life skills that are on offer. If PvP is your thing, try your hand at battling other players or joining a node war.
Building a boat and exploring the waters is a good distraction from the endless leveling grind.
Even if you decide to take a break from the game, there is plenty you can do while AFK. Fishing, gathering resources, or increasing your strength can all be done when you’re not physically sat at the game. Don’t forget, the daily attendance rewards can give you significant advantages too. You should also consider seeing through the main story and Black Spirit quests; you won’t have finished them by the time you reach level 56.
Black Desert Online 56-60 Leveling Guide
Now that we’ve covered some of the groundwork and tips you’ll need to see you through the process, it’s time to jump into the specific areas that you should be targeting. We’ll outline where each place is, what type of enemies you should expect to meet, how hard the area is, and what kind of loot drops there.
Level 56
Below are some spots that are appropriate for when you first reach your awakening level:
Sausan Garrison
A great place to start gaining exp once you hit the 56 mark is Sausan Garrison. In our previous leveling guide, we outlined that this was a good place for 55-56, but realistically it’s possible to level as high as 57 or 58 here. The mobs aren’t particularly difficult provided your gear is good, but there are a lot of them. If you haven’t quite gotten around to improving your equipment, you might want to group up to tackle this area. Some enemies have knockdown abilities that can stop you in your tracks.
The convenient location of Sausan Garrison means you can easily repair and sell during long sessions.
In terms of drops, you can expect quite a lot of decent loot. These mobs drop plenty of Black Stones, as well as pieces from the Grunil and Heve armor sets. Broken Armor Debris items can be sold at the nearby Kusha and Sarma Outpost, and you can also repair your equipment and clear your inventory there.
Pirate Island
The recommended level for this area is 55-56, and there are a variety of story quests that eventually lead here. However, it can be pretty tricky if your AP and DP aren’t up to scratch. There are in fact two islands, but the northern, Kuit Island, has the better grinding. Mobs are fairly difficult as they swarm in large numbers, but once you’re enhanced your armor and weapons, you should be able to solo them. If not, a group of 2-4 can rotate around the key spots in good time.
You’ll ideally want to have a boat for your excursions here. A fishing boat will do, but a frigate or Epheria boat has a lot more storage. Take your horse with you too, and you can load up on the various pieces of equipment and items that drop. Red and Blue Coral Necklaces and Earrings can be found here, as well as Black Stones. There are also a variety of vendors on the island, so you can repair as and when you need to.
Pirates can be tough when you first level-up, but they’re a great spot for experience throughout the 50s.
Level 57
Both of the sports mentioned above can be used as your hunting ground up to and including level 58. However, it’s always good to mix up the areas, enemies, and loot that you encounter.
Below are some slightly harder spots you can challenge at level 57:
Desert Naga Temple
You’ll find that the main questline takes you to this region by the time you reach the mid-50s. The recommended AP is 100, but ideally, you should have at least 150 AP by the time you attain level 57. This will make the combat significantly easier and means you can cruise through on a cycle. It’s not the most difficult area, nor is the loot the best, but you’ll likely be questing around here anyway, so it saves you having to sail halfway across the map to visit the pirate isles.
Desert Naga Temple is located near Sand Grain Bazaar at the edge of the Red Desert.
Regarding loot; aside from the usual trash that you can sell, there Serap’s Necklace and Scroll Written in Ancient Language items found here. Both can be quite sought after, and the latter allows you to take on boss quests. Of course, there are also plenty of Black Stones, as usual.
Titium Valley
Another spot that’s located in the desert is Titum Valley. Once again, the recommended AP is only 100, but you’ll want to have both your AP and DP quite a lot higher than that to farm exp points; at least 150AP/210DP is preferable. It’s quite far out of the way at Titum Valley, which means you’ll often get the place to yourself. This solitude is perfect if you’re a solo player who wants to have a rotation they can use for leveling up. The mobs aren’t too difficult, but they’re not as densely populated as other areas are. Despite this, it’s worth the long trek out to it; just make sure you take a mount with you. As it’s in the desert, you’ll also need to prepare for that undertaking with plenty of purified water and star anise tea.
The desert is unforgiving; make sure that you’re properly prepared before entering.
You can expect to find more Serap’s Necklace and Scroll Written in Ancient Language items here, along with Black Stones. However, due to the remoteness of this location, ensure that your bags are empty before you begin; otherwise, you’ll have to keep tripping back to empty them.
Level 58
By the time you reach 58, you should aim to have improved your DP and AP considerably. If your stats aren’t at around 170AP/220DP, you should either invest in new gear or enhance that which you currently have.
Once you’re there, the below spots are good for gaining experience points:
Cadry Ruins
Cadry is tucked away just north of Rock Post. There are lots of quests you can pick up here when you first arrive, which is a good way of earning some contribution exp. It’s an area that’s not overly high in experience gain, but there are lots of nice drops to be had. The mobs are pretty difficult; they block and stun, which can seriously interrupt your flow. There are also some elite enemies which can deal some hefty damage. If your stats are up to it, you make a fair amount of money grinding here. But if not, you may find it harder than some other spots to make progress.
Cadry Ruins has plenty of quests and is a good spot for finding rare loot.
One of the draws of Cadry is the Rosar weapon drops, which are quite sought after, along with the Ring of Cadry Guardian.
Bashim Base
Bashim Base is an area that’s popular from level 56 and beyond. It’s a slightly easier than Cadry Ruins in terms of AP and DP requirements, which means you’ll be able to kill a lot of monsters in a relatively short amount of time. These factors make it a great location for solo grinding, but not so great if you want to be part of a group.
Loot drops are similar here to that of Cadry. Rosar weapons and Black Stones are the main attraction, although there are plenty of sellable junk items too. There aren’t as many elite enemies here, which means you’ll have an easier time of things. However, it’s quite a popular spot so you may have competition for exp.
Bashim Base can be utilized from level 56 onwards.
Level 59
Once you’re at or nearing level 59, you’re going to have to really dig deep to push on to 60. You need a lot of experience points to reach these levels. However, hopefully, you’ll be pretty well geared to access some higher-level and more interesting areas. You should be aiming for around 190-200 AP, as well as 230-250 DP as a minimum for when you get to this stage.
Here are some areas you can target once you do:
Basilisk Den
This area is easy to reach, just northeast of Rock Post, but if you stray in there at a lower level, you’re soon going to know about it. The enemies here hit hard. However, if you’re well-geared, you can soon make light work of them and earn some good experience and loot. Your defenses need to be high; otherwise, you’ll have to take regular breaks to restore your health. This tactic can be tricky, as the mob density is fairly high.
Basilisk Den requires a high AP, particularly in context of the surrounding areas.
As for the drops in this area, Basilisk’s Belt, Rocaba armor, and Scrolls Written in Ancient Language can all be found. It’s easy to make a considerable amount of silver if you can spend a lot of time in the Basilisk Den.
Taphtar Plain
Another area you don’t want to mistakenly stray into when you’re a lower level is Taphtar Plain. Huge centaurs roam this area, and the map recommends at least 190 AP to be able to successfully navigate it. The density of enemies is quite high, but this can sometimes be spread out across various pockets, which can make it hard to find your rhythm. Furthermore, the centaurs are immune to knockdown attacks, making them quite formidable. All of these factors combined mean that it’s not always the greatest area for fast experience; however, the drops are quite good.
Centaurs at Taphtar Plain can be pretty tough unless your gear is sufficiently high.
You can find rare Centaur Belts and a variety of armor crystals in Taphtar Plain, as well as Rocaba Helmets and plenty of Black Stones. Whether or not it’s worth it depends on how quickly you can take down the centaurs, and how much defense you have.
Level 60
Congratulations! You’ve made it to level 60. Or at least, you’ll know how and where to reach there by the time you’re reading this. The work doesn’t stop here though; it’s possible to add another level or two with the way the game is currently. There aren’t many players who have passed the 62 mark, but a few have managed it.
You’ll find that you can tackle most areas of the game by the time you get to level 60. Your gear should have improved throughout the process of getting there, which means you’ll not have many areas to fear. Areas such as Forest Ronaros, Mirumok Ruins, and Gyfin Rhasia Temple will be open to you, and that’s where you should target as soon as you’re able to.
Black Desert Online 56-60: Final Thoughts
When it’s laid out in an article such as this one, it doesn’t seem like too much of a daunting task to reach level 60. However, it can take quite a long time depending on how much you’re able to give to the game. If you have your tactics and preparation right, you’ll soon be accumulating experience points at a good rate. However, it’s important that you improve your gear score as you’re leveling up.
The money and items that you obtain through grinding should all be put towards improving your weapons and armor. The game can be unforgiving at higher levels, so ensure that you’re able to compete. It can be incredibly frustrating if you’re gear is even slightly sub-par for an area you’re leveling in. Good luck, have fun, and happy leveling.
