Having a really hard time with leveling

NightStrom

Can someone please give me some tips about leveling a new character? Obviously I'm doing something wrong because it feels like it's taking ages to level a character to 15! Dungeons in this game look really fun and entartaining and I really, really want to level in dungeons but I don't even have a level 10 character... I'd be really glad if someone could help me with the basics of leveling.

PS: How long does it take to be 15?

Fleshreaper

That depends on if you listen to the quests or just blow through it or if you are grinding. It shouldn't take more than 2 or 3 evening to get to level 15, if you are going slow.

UrQuan

It basically boils down to this: explore and do quests.

Now for more details.

First, did you do your faction's starter zones? If you are Aldmeri Dominion this would be Khenarthii's Roost, for Daggerfall it would be Stros M'kai and Betnikh, and for Ebonheart it would be Bleak Rock and Bal Foyen. If you haven't done them go to the quest giver who sends you there (should be just outside the house or boat where you woke up after the intro tutorial in Coldharbour), and then take a boat to the starter island. There are quests there that are intended to be your first real introduction to ESO. Follow the quest markers, kill any mobs you come across, grab any sky shards you find. By the time you're done with the starter zones, you should be level 7-9.

Second, don't just follow your quest markers. Explore. Explore everywhere it looks like you can reasonably get to (and maybe even some places you don't think you can reasonably get to). If you see a marker on your compass at the top of the screen that looks hollow instead of solid, go towards it: it's something that you either haven't discovered, or haven't completed. Just discovering those locations gives you XP (and you won't discover them all if you just follow your main quest markers), and they frequently have things to do there that will earn you more XP (they might have quest givers, they might be delves where you can gain XP for killing the delve boss and grab a sky shard while you're at it, they may be dark anchors that give you XP if you help stop them, they may be world bosses that give you XP for killing them, whatever).

Even if there is no location marker that you see in a particular direction, still explore, there may be something interesting that way anyway. Possibly lorebooks, possibly treasure chests, possibly quest givers (they're not always at locations that have markers), and possibly even M'aiq the Liar (although he won't give you any XP). Oh, and if you see a merchant being attacked by bandits, help him! If you see a merchant with a horse, extort him! If you see a couple of people arguing over an unlit fire, light it! If you see someone tied up asking for help, help them! If you see a summoner summoning a daedra that he can't control, kill it! If you see a couple of mages having a duel, interfere! All of these things can be found at various places around the world randomly, and all give you XP.

Third, when you hit level 10 and gain the notice that you can now go to Cyrodiil for PVP - do it! I'm not saying go there and immediately start doing some PVP. That may or may not be something that interests you. What I am saying is that when you go there for the first time there's a training quest/tutorial that you should do. It's some easy no-risk XP, and it also gives you gold, some equipment, and skill points. The skill points in particular are super valuable at level 10.

In theory, by the time you've done more or less everything there is to do in your first full zone (Auridon for AD, Glenumbra for DC, Stonefalls for EP) you should be level 15. In practice, I've found with my alts that I've never been lower than level 18 when I've completed the first full zone.

Or, you can always find a place to grind mobs, but to me that's the most boring thing to do in the game. It is a viable method of leveling, though.

Hope this helps.

NightStrom

Hey, thanks a lot everyone. I'll try these.

Maybe I should try some quest addons, hmm?

Or maybe I'm comparing it to how much time it takes in WOW and doing wrong.

UrQuan

NightStrom wrote: »

Hey, thanks a lot everyone. I'll try these.

Maybe I should try some quest addons, hmm?

You could try the Destinations or Undiscovered add-ons if you wanted, but I think those are best used by people wanting to make sure they've done everything in a zone before moving on to the next one. So maybe get one of them, but disable it until you think you're done with a zone, then turn it on and see what you missed.

NightStrom wrote: »

Or maybe I'm comparing it to how much time it takes in WOW and doing wrong.

Well, yeah, you really shouldn't compare it to WOW. The content of ESO is geared towards the leveling process. It's a game that's about the journey more than the destination. Explore and have fun, and the levels will come. Did I mention explore? Because I really can't emphasize that enough

Natjur

With a fuil set of L1 gear with Exploration trait, you can get a new toon from L1 to L15 in about 10 mins by just teleporting to players and getting wayshrine discovery exp. (either teleport to players in your guilds, or have a mate who is porting to each wayshrine and you port to them)

Then swap it for training trait gear

So for me, a new toon take 10mins to get to L15........ But for a new player who is listening to all the quest dialog and going slowly between each quest hub and does not have a fast horse or large guilds to port to players.... You are going at the 'designed' rate

NightStrom

Are these exploration gear expensive/hard to get? I'd really like to try that option.

Robbmrp

Any blacksmith with the traits researched on the item can make them for you. Most of the times free if you supply the materials for them. If your a member of a guild, you could also request in guild chat for help with them.

UrQuan

NightStrom wrote: »

Are these exploration gear expensive/hard to get? I'd really like to try that option.

What server are you on? If you're NA server, let me know what level and type of gear you want (light, medium, or heavy armor pieces or a mix of them) and let me know your in-game user name and I'll make you some.

NightStrom

Oh, thanks a lot mate!

You know, eventhough I'm on EU server that idea sounds really good. Hey, I just started anyway, what do I have to lose? The only thing bothering me is the latency issues. But I played some other games on NA just fine, wondering if I'll be ok with ESO too.

UrQuan

NightStrom wrote: »

Oh, thanks a lot mate!

You know, eventhough I'm on EU server that idea sounds really good. Hey, I just started anyway, what do I have to lose? The only thing bothering me is the latency issues. But I played some other games on NA just fine, wondering if I'll be ok with ESO too.

Give it a shot and see what the latency is like for you first. You may find it's fine, or you may find it's nearly unplayable... But either way it's worth trying out. Keep in mind that you can't just switch servers - you have to have a second installation of ESO for the other server. It doesn't cost anything extra, but you need 2 installations in order to play on both servers.

newtinmpls

NightStrom wrote: »

PS: How long does it take to be 15?

Depends on your play style. I have a character I've played intermittently for months who just hit 11. I'm having fun with her.

If that's not fun, do something different.

NightStrom

UrQuan wrote: »

NightStrom wrote: »

Oh, thanks a lot mate!

You know, eventhough I'm on EU server that idea sounds really good. Hey, I just started anyway, what do I have to lose? The only thing bothering me is the latency issues. But I played some other games on NA just fine, wondering if I'll be ok with ESO too.

Give it a shot and see what the latency is like for you first. You may find it's fine, or you may find it's nearly unplayable... But either way it's worth trying out. Keep in mind that you can't just switch servers - you have to have a second installation of ESO for the other server. It doesn't cost anything extra, but you need 2 installations in order to play on both servers.

Wait, I have to download ESO again? Mate, you just destroyed my dreams. I'm living in a country with internet usage limit (to explain it simple: if you exceed a certain amount of download limit your net speed goes down).

newtinmpls wrote: »

NightStrom wrote: »

PS: How long does it take to be 15?

Depends on your play style. I have a character I've played intermittently for months who just hit 11. I'm having fun with her.

If that's not fun, do something different.

Sounds fun! Just not my style.

UrQuan

NightStrom wrote: »

Wait, I have to download ESO again? Mate, you just destroyed my dreams. I'm living in a country with internet usage limit (to explain it simple: if you exceed a certain amount of download limit your net speed goes down).

Well, you have to have a second installation of it. I just downloaded it again overnight because I don't have any usage restrictions, but it might be possible to somehow copy the files that you've already downloaded in order to create a second installation. I really don't know if that'll work, but you could always try...

NightStrom

UrQuan wrote: »

but it might be possible to somehow copy the files that you've already downloaded in order to create a second installation. I really don't know if that'll work, but you could always try...

Exactly!

http://www.gameskinny.com/85tfx/elder-scrolls-online-how-to-change-servers-on-pc-with-pictures

Lithium Flower

You don't have to change your megaserver, just download the Destinations addOn, and follow the quest chains.

As soon as you leave your spawn house, you should see an NPC with an arrow over his head - talk to him/her and they'll send you to your starting Island. Just do every quest and point of interest, by the time the story brings you back to the first zone (Stonefalls, Auridon or Glenumbra), you'll should be Level 10 or close - then do the quests in and around the first city, then keep expanding outwards by following what the main faction story is telling you to do and where to go next.

You should be level 18 by the time you are done with your first zone.

newtinmpls

Or higher, if you are also doing crafting writs.

Woolenthreads

NightStrom wrote: »

UrQuan wrote: »

but it might be possible to somehow copy the files that you've already downloaded in order to create a second installation. I really don't know if that'll work, but you could always try...

Exactly!

http://www.gameskinny.com/85tfx/elder-scrolls-online-how-to-change-servers-on-pc-with-pictures

You can copy all the information but it still has to download server specific files AFAIK but that doesn't take very long .... it's like a repair *laughs maniacally*

UrQuan

How did the copy go @NightStrom? Are you playing on NA server now, or are you sticking with EU?

NightStrom

Hello again everyone,

Decided to stick with EU after failing so many times while trying to switch servers. I created a Templar to try a fresh start, spent 5 hours for questing and reached level 8. Did some research and saw that grinding is faster, don't me wrong, I really, really like how combat is in ESO, I love the art style and dungeons. I really want to play this game, but I feel like I'm wasting my time while doing quests. I'm open to all suggestions about grinding, for example I'd like to know some tips about some farming spots and how can I maximize my XP per hour.

Oh and thanks to a generous player I got a set with exploration trait, but I found the XP gain pretty lackluster.

Surfinginhawaii

Check youtube for great videos on grinding spots, you can easily level a character to V1 in a week or less.

NightStrom

Thanks, actually I already did that and found some spots but after seeing so many comments about spots getting nerfed I thought asking in the forums is necessary.

kargen27

At the very least you will want to do every dungeon and find every skyshard in each zone. You are going to want the skill points when you start doing the end game stuff.

I took my time with my first character finishing each zone (even the fishing) and had a great time doing it. I went really slow, tried to climb a few trees, jumped on some beds and in general just ran around seeing the world. My next character I hurried through the zones but still hit all the places that would give me a skill point and did some of the more interesting quests over.

I can understand wanting to rush a character through to get to the end and start doing the pledges, PVP and all the other stuff available, but somewhere along the way you really should create a character that will go slow and see/do everything you can find.

NightStrom

Thanks, using SkyShards Addon for that purpose and find it very helpful.

I'll probably try the grinding way when I have time for ESO, also find this guide helpful too:

https://rakashieso.wordpress.com/2014/04/19/complete-daggerfall-covenant-1-50-power-leveling-guide/

As a long time Skyrim player I actually don't feel like I really want to explore the RPG aspects of the game, I guess everyone has a different understanding of having fun. What I really like about ESO is the combat, the build variety and definitely the art style (can't say I'm a big fan of cartoonish graphics *cough* WOW *cough*).

Maybe I'll try PVP later.

Frawr

Yep mobs grind is your friend. Do the main Glen umbra quest chain for the skill points though. It is a chain that takes you by the bull ring.

Mob grind is the fastest xp gain by far. Wont write locations on here because of the nerf batters but you can find out easily enough by asking in game.

A mate of mine has done 1-50 in 16 hours of playtime. That's the fastest that I've heard of though someone might have been faster. He did have some time fannying around.

Dagoth_Rac

NightStrom wrote: »

Thanks, actually I already did that and found some spots but after seeing so many comments about spots getting nerfed I thought asking in the forums is necessary.

I don't think I have seen much evidence of low-level grind spots being nerfed. It is mostly the VR11+ grind spots in Craglorn that have been nerfed.

NightStrom

Frawr,

Sent you a PM.

Dagoth_Rac,

Have no idea, mate. After all I didn't even progress that further. But it's good to know if we can still level up fast until VR levels.