In a previous article I discussed the current state of careers in Warhammer Online. Next up are some tips and tricks to leveling your character in today's WAR. Since launch, Mythic has added a few new ways which make leveling by PvE or RvR even quicker.
Bolster. The bolster mechanic is one of my favorite things about WAR. It helps you compete in PvP regardless of your rank. Recently the mechanic has been adjusted a bit. When engaging in PvP, your rank will be increased to the tier limit.
Tier 1: 11
Tier 2: 21
Tier 3: 31
Tier 4: 40
Are you rank 1 and want to PvP? No problem, your stats will be adjusted to that of a Rank 11's. You will not gain any new skills and your gear is unaffected but at least you can compete.
The Land of the Dead can be flown to once your character reaches Rank 25. This zone does things a little differently and you will be bolstered to 40.
Apprentice. One of the newer improvements Mythic has made is the apprentice system. It will basically bolster the apprentice to the rank of the mentor. You do have to stay close to your mentor, else you will lose your bolster. To use the system, join a group with someone of a higher rank and have them make you an apprentice.
Now you can head to their tier (Tier 4 for example) and get some exp or even participate in open RvR. However, You will not be able to queue scenarios any higher than your true level. It's a great way to play with your friends even if they have advanced beyond your tier.
WAR Tract. Did you know you can obtain a scroll which gives you a free level? It's actually pretty easy to get and you can save it until you are Rank 39 and use it to reach the cap. Check out Gaarawarr's guide for the specifics.
RvR Quest. When you reach level 19, you should receive a mail about an important quest. The rewards from the quest-line are about 250k worth of XP. The mail will start the quest but the next stop is a Tier 3 RvR lake. You will need to get some open RvR kills to complete all of the steps but it is well worth the effort.
The quest may mention the Gates of Ekrund scenario, but I believe that part is obsolete due to the new scenario structure in 1.3.4.
Land of the Dead. The Land of the Dead is one of the fastest ways to level a character. While it is primarily a PvE zone, PvP can occur at any time, so watch your backs. Using the above mentioned apprentice system, you can actually hit the LotD any time after you hit level 12. Just find someone greater than level 25 to fly down to the zone and use a summoning stone to bring you down. Warning: If you are below rank 25, you will not be eligible for the bolster, but the apprentice system will still work.
Once there, you and your friend can hit any number of "grind" spots. Be sure to remember that you are an apprentice, if you wander too far it will lead to the effect being lost and a quick death. As you are bolstered or apprenticed to 40, you will probably want to skip the Rank 36 monsters and go after the ones which are 40. The XP is very good.
To get you started, I've circled a few of the grind spots (may not be exact) on the map below. There are many more of them, so do explore.
