Levels, Skills & First Steps
Seventeen trophies: the six that pop in your first hour or two, and eleven level milestones from level 2 to the cap of 50. The world settings make the grind as short as you want, and none of them block trophies.
What level to be in each region
| Region | Opens at | Enemy levels | Move on at about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springlands | Flame 1–2 | 3–9 | level 11 |
| Revelwood | Flame 3 | 11–15 | level 16 |
| Nomad Highlands | Flame 4 | 16–20 | level 21 |
| Kindlewastes | Flame 5 | 21–27 | level 28 |
| Albaneve Summits | Flame 6–7 | 28–35 | level 36, with Flame 8 done |
| Veilwater Basin | Flame 8–9 | 37–45 | level 46 |
| Cinder's Cradle | Flame 10–11 | 46–50 | the level cap (50) |
Every level from 2 to 50 gives 2 skill points (98 in total), and the world gives another 114: 1 per Shroud Root and 3 per Elixir Well. That's 212 points, enough to max several of the 12 skill branches.
Skills worth taking first
| Skill | Why |
|---|---|
| Double Jump | Reaches ledges, tower tops and shrine platforms without building anything. Several Guard of the North pieces are much easier with it. |
| Updraft | Lets you gain height while gliding. Huge for the Ghost Glider temple, the spires and every far-off shrine. |
| Inner Fires | +1 minute in the Shroud per rank (3 ranks). Deep roots and Elixir Wells stop being a race against the timer. |
| Your build's damage skills | Any build works for the trophies. Mixing branches is normal: one PS5 finisher maxed 4 of the 12 branches by the end. |
The fastest XP
Mining is the best steady XP in the game. The Flintstone deposit right next to the first base in the Springlands gives a level or two every ten minutes early on, and deposits regrow after about 30 minutes away or when you reload. Late on, Veilwater and Cinder's Cradle enemies give the most per kill, and raising enemy spawns in the world settings means more of them.
The trophies
Doing something right
BronzeFull guideCollapse Reach level 2.
Doing something right
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Reach level 2. It comes from your first kills and crafts in the starting area, just after you climb out of the tomb. Every level from here to 50 gives 2 skill points, so this is also usually when you unlock your first skill (Erudite).
Tip
Can't be missed. This is the moment to set the XP world settings to 200% if you want the shorter platinum.
Thus it begins
BronzeFull guideCollapse Craft a simple item.
Thus it begins
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Craft your first item. The opening quests ask for a pickaxe and an axe, both made straight from your inventory: you need Stones (pick them up off the ground), Plant Fibre and Twigs (gathered together from bushes) and String, which you craft from Plant Fibre in the same menu. Better axes and pickaxes come from the Blacksmith once you rescue him.
Tip
Can't be missed. It pops in your first few minutes.
A place to call home
BronzeFull guideCollapse Create a flame altar.
A place to call home
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Build a Flame Altar. It's one of the first quest steps after you leave the starting tomb: collect 5 Stones, craft the altar from your inventory and place it to found your base. The altar is the heart of the game: upgrading the Flame later is what pushes back the red-mist barriers and lets you into new regions.
Tip
Can't be missed. Only an altar you build counts here; the ones you find in the world are for the Spark trophies.
Leave a mark
BronzeFull guideCollapse Mine terrain for the first time.
Leave a mark
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Dig into the ground or a rock face with your pickaxe for the first time. Everything in Embervale is made of voxels, so any swing at stone or soil counts. You'll be doing a lot of this: when a Shroud Root or shrine has no obvious way in, stand above it on the map and dig straight down.
Tip
Can't be missed. It usually pops while you're mining your first Flintstone or Salt.
Erudite
BronzeFull guideCollapse Unlock your first skill.
Erudite
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Spend your first skill point. You get one every level, plus extra points for every Shroud Root and Elixir Well you clear, so you'll have one within minutes. Good first picks are the movement skills: Double Jump and the glider Updraft (rise while gliding) make every region trophy faster.
Tip
Can't be missed. You can't lock yourself out of a build: skills can be reset at a Flame Altar later.
Shortcut
BronzeFull guideCollapse Craft or obtain a grappling hook.
Shortcut
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Craft or obtain a Grappling Hook. Build it at the Workbench once the Blacksmith is at your base: 4 Metal Scraps (from enemies and from smashing metal crates and barrels with the pickaxe), 7 String and 10 Shroud Spores (dropped by creatures inside the Shroud). The Blacksmith's own "Grappling Hook" quest (around level 3) walks you through it.
Tip
Can't be missed. Grapple points are everywhere, and many shrines and roots can't be reached without one.
Freefall
BronzeFull guideCollapse Craft or obtain a glider.
Freefall
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Craft or obtain a Glider. Also a Workbench recipe: 8 Shroud Wood (chop dead trees inside the Shroud with your axe), 2 Animal Fur, 2 String and 2 Shroud Spores. The Blacksmith's "Glider" quest covers it around level 3.
Tip
Can't be missed. Craft it as early as possible: gliding from the Ancient Spires is the fastest way around every region.
On the way
BronzeFull guideCollapse Reach level 5.
On the way
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Reach level 5. The Springlands' opening quests (rescuing the Blacksmith, the axe and pickaxe, the Flame Altar), a few Vukah camps and your first Elixir Well with the Fell Thunderbrute get you here. Around this point the Blacksmith's quests also hand you the glider and grappling hook.
Tip
Can't be missed. Mine every Flintstone and Salt deposit you pass: it's XP and it pops Mole of the Springlands.
Things are coming together
BronzeFull guideCollapse Reach level 10.
Things are coming together
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Reach level 10, roughly the point where the Springlands are done and you're ready for Revelwood (enemies there sit around level 11–15).
Tip
Can't be missed. If you're short, mine: mining gives surprisingly good XP early on.
Getting a feel for it
BronzeFull guideCollapse Reach level 15.
Getting a feel for it
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Reach level 15, usually while finishing Revelwood. Pikemead's Reach is where most of it comes from: the Shroud Wyvern, its Elixir Well, two roots, three shrines and the five Guard of the North chests. Enemies in the Nomad Highlands next door sit around level 16–20, so this is the right level to move on.
Tip
Can't be missed.
How far we have come
BronzeFull guideCollapse Reach level 20.
How far we have come
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Reach level 20, usually as you finish the Nomad Highlands: the spire, two Obelisks, 7 roots, 3 Elixir Wells and 13 shrines are a lot of XP. The next region, the Kindlewastes desert, starts around level 21.
Tip
Can't be missed. Kill the Fell Monstrosity here early: its head is what the Flame 5 upgrade needs.
Impressive journey
BronzeFull guideCollapse Reach level 25.
Impressive journey
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Reach level 25, mid-way through the Kindlewastes. The desert is the biggest of the early regions, with 4 Elixir Wells, 8 roots and five Sun Temples, so it's a level or two on its own. Grab the Ghost Glider from the South-east Sun Temple around now: the faster you move, the faster the XP comes.
Tip
Can't be missed.
Climbing to new heights
BronzeFull guideCollapse Reach level 30.
Climbing to new heights
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Reach level 30, around your arrival in the snowy Albaneve Summits (enemies around 28–35).
Tip
Can't be missed. Bring cold-resistant gear and food before you go up.
Reaching the top
BronzeFull guideCollapse Reach level 35.
Reaching the top
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Reach level 35, the top of the Albaneve range and about where you want to be for the Dragon on Howling Peak. Albaneve has the most Shroud Roots of any region (11), and each one is a skill point as well as XP.
Tip
Can't be missed. Don't go west into Veilwater until you're past 35 and have Flame 8: the level gap there is the biggest in the game.
Ready for new lands
BronzeFull guideCollapse Reach level 40.
Ready for new lands
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Reach level 40. There's a big jump between Albaneve (top end 35) and the Veilwater Basin (enemies around 37–45), so level past 35 before you head west.
Tip
Can't be missed. This is where the XP sliders start to matter.
Onto new horizons
BronzeFull guideCollapse Reach level 45.
Onto new horizons
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Reach level 45. Veilwater's enemies are the best XP before the finale; be close to level 46 before you push into Cinder's Cradle (enemies 46–50).
Tip
Can't be missed.
Above the clouds
BronzeFull guideCollapse Reach level 50.
Above the clouds
BronzeFull guideCollapseHow to earn it
Reach the level cap of 50, new in 1.0. Turn the Combat, Mining, Quest and Exploration XP world settings up to 200%; they don't affect trophies and cut the grind roughly in half. The quickest farm is mining: the Flintstone deposit right next to the first base in the Springlands is good for a level or two every ten minutes, and deposits regrow after about 30 minutes away from the area or when you reload the game. Cinder's Cradle's quests and dense enemy packs are the other big XP source late on.
Tip
Can't be missed. You'll likely hit 50 naturally if you clear every region with the XP sliders up.
More Enshrouded guides
Review & Platinum Roadmap
Our review, the roadmap and all 59 trophies on one page.
Region Completion Guide
All 7 regions: every Ancient Spire, Obelisk, Flame Shrine, Shroud Root and the exact ores for each Mole trophy.
Bosses & Special Gear
The Fell Thunderbrute, the Shroud Wyvern, the Dragon and Lord Vorgoth, plus all 5 Guard of the North pieces and the Ghost Glider.