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 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

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

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 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.

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 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

Or higher, if you are also doing crafting writs.

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

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

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.

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.

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.