Black Desert Online – Leveling from 1 to 56

In this guide, I will try my best to share the best locations to grind for your combat experience and what each enemy will drop in the areas.

Other BDO Guides: 

• How to Start Your Work Empire.
• Ultimate Enhancing Guide.
• How to Get More Carry Weight.

About This Guide

In this guide, I will try my best to share the best locations to grind for your combat experience and what each enemy will drop in the areas. I’ve been playing Black Desert Online since it’s original release for North America, pre-ordering the then $100 edition and it is by far the funnest MMO that I’ve ever played and I hope to bring you all a fun and entertaining way to boost your characters up. I will also be expanding this guide as more spots become more efficient.

Why Grind?

Every Veteran of Black Desert will agree that grinding is the fastest way to level up your character. Questing will grant you space for your inventory and experience towards contribution and energy points, but will reward with minimal combat experience. If you’re looking at this guide, then those don’t matter right now and your main goal is to fly past those levels and get to your awakening as quickly as possible.

Before You Begin

Normally most sites and other players will tell you to skip the tutorial. This guide will follow the tutorial all the way to Heidel, as you’d want to get more space in your inventory and to recieve the free donkey mount. If you’re only focused on getting your level up, you may skip the tutorial, but if you care about making profit while grinding then that’ll be your best option as you recieve those previously mentioned rewards. Naturally, the guide will begin at the level you should be at the end of the tutorial, level 10.

Level 10-13: Forest of Seclusion

These mobs are basically innocent creatures. To my knowledge, they’re yet to engage a player in combat unless the player has provoked the enemy in some way. When you’ve grinded to level 13, return to Western Guard Camp and get a quest from Jarette Domongatt and finish it before going on. With this quest you’ll awaken your Black Spirit and you may enchant items.

MOB AMOUNT – OK
DIFFICULTY – POOR
EXP. RATE – GOOD
ITEM DROPS:

• Tree Spirit’s Token 

Level 13-15: Heidel Mine

Pretty simple enemies, easy to aggro and very easy to train them. The Small Mine Imps will spawn, they have a ranged attack. A Violent Imp (Elite) may appear equipped with a ranged spell that will inflict debuff on you. This is a very good spot to earn some starting out silver. The mob density is most at the top and bottom of the mine.

MOB AMOUNT – GOOD
DIFFICULTY – OK
EXP. RATE – GREAT
ITEM DROPS:

• Shoddy Pickaxe
• Magic Crystal of the Sun – Valor
• Magic Crystal of Crimson Flame – Precision 

Level 15-18: Scarecrow Farm

These mobs will deal plenty of damage and could easily one shot you if you don’t have decent gear. A Violent Scarecrow Ghost (Elite) may spawn that can drop Agerian Gloves. Due to this spot being a popular grinding area, some fields will have more enemies than others, feel free to run around and get a field you think you could handle.

MOB AMOUNT – GOOD
DIFFICULTY – OK
EXP. RATE – GREAT
ITEM DROPS:

• Wheat Necklace Keeper
• Scarecrow Spirit’s Log

Level 18-24: Castle Ruins

This spot is one of the best the game has to offer, not only will you receive amazing experience, you’ll also get a good amount of drops and can make a nice amount of starter silver instantly. You could grind outside, inside the castle walls or actually inside the castle. Enemies outside will have a mix of range and melee enemies and will drop Rusty Helmets, Demihuman weapons and Agerian Helmets. Inside the castle itself, the mob density is amazing and all are melee. All enemies in this spot also drop Heavy Armor Fragments, crystals and starter weapons. Personally, grinding inside the castle is the way to go.

MOB AMOUNT – GREAT
DIFFICULTY – GOOD
EXP. RATE – FANTASTIC
ITEM DROPS:

• Heavy Armor Fragment
• Rusty Helmet
• Agerian Helmet
• Bronze Dagger
• Demihuman Long Sword
• Magic Crystal of Crimson Flame – Carnage

Level 24-30: Blood Monastery

This spot will have a massive amount of enemies, especially in the courtyard. Be careful or you could get overwhelmed with the amount of enemies there are. A Violent (Elite) may spawn in the courtyard. If the courtyard is taken by a party, just move to the outside of the castle. The pulls are slightly smaller but you won’t be fighting over mobs.

MOB AMOUNT – FANTASTIC
DIFFICULTY – GOOD
EXP. RATE – FANTASTIC
ITEM DROPS:

• Black Stone (Armor)
• Old Hood
• Old Double-edge Axe
• Helrick Talisman
• Agerian Armor

Level 30-35: Khuruto Caves

This cave is great for grinding, but it is also very well known. If you’re able to have this spot to yourself, you will be able to easily earn yourself some experience and silver. The center of the cave is the best area to grind. A Violent (Elite) may be at the top of the stairs, his damage is very high so be careful near him.
MOB AMOUNT – GREAT
DIFFICULTY – GREAT
EXP. RATE – GREAT
ITEM DROPS:

• Black Stone (Weapon)
• Kalis Axe
• Talis Earring
• Jubre Talisman
• Kalis Amulet
• Oros Ornamental Knot

Level 35-40: Abandoned Land

This spot has a great amount of enemies scattered around, allowing you to run from camp to camp. A Violent (Elite) may be in the center, he hits very hard. There are also poles that have a ranged attack and may fire at you. The drops can be exchanged for a nice amount of silver.

MOB AMOUNT – GREAT
DIFFICULTY – OK
EXP. RATE – GREAT
ITEM DROPS:

• Black Fragment
• Brand
• Magic Crystal of Crimson Flame – Power
• Taritas Shoes
• Taritas Gloves

Level 40-45: Marni Cave Path

This spot is one of the best, especially if you find a large group. Unfortunately, it is a very popular spot to grind so you’ll have to try your best to find an area that is empty. Personally, this is my favorite spot when grinding. There is a spot you can find at the edge of the hill that is a path you could easily train back and forth.

MOB AMOUNT – GREAT
DIFFICULTY – GOOD
EXP. RATE – GREAT
ITEM DROPS:

• Bares Necklace
• Talis Necklace
• Magic Crystal of the Sun – Valor
• Magic Crystal of Crimson Flame – Power
• Trace of Death

Level 45-50: Catfishman Camp

This is easily one of the popular grinding spots. Spawn rate is very high and in large groups. Easy spot to grind for silver if you’re not focused on grinding for level.

MOB AMOUNT – FANTASTIC
DIFFICULTY – GOOD
EXP. RATE – FANTASTIC
ITEM DROPS:

• Black Stone (Armor)
• Black Stone (Weapon)
• Luck Armor of Fortuna
• Suspicious Pouch
• Trout
• Crucian Carp

Level 50-53: Helms Post

This are and Elric Temple are usually the spots most grind at. Personally, Helm Station is far better because of the amount of enemies you can group up. There’s a spot where 12-15 enemies spawn and outside of there most of them spawn on average 5-6 per group. There’s also a cave inside where you can easily build up a nice train, especially if you’re in a party.

MOB AMOUNT – FANTASTIC
DIFFICULTY – GOOD
EXP. RATE – FANTASTIC
ITEM DROPS:

• Black Stone (Armor)
• Black Stone (Weapon)
• Grunil Helmet
• Scarla Necklace
• Elixir of Worker
• Broken Helmet Ornament 

Level 53-56: Sausan Garrison

Before you come here you should know, some of these guys have abilities to knock you down and it can easily become one of the most annoying and repetitive things. Easily the best spot to build your cash up as you grind because of the three exchange items you’re able to recieve. Xiaoshan packs, 135,000 every 100 exchanged. Torn Pieces, 100,000 every 100 exchanged. Broken Armor Debris, 100,000 every 100 exchanged. MrProman47 mentioned something I forgot to add, the enemies here are pretty strong for a single person and that’s why you usually see channel chat being bombarded with people grouping up for Sausans. This is a spot you should definetly be in a full party for, so you could all kill enemies faster and recieve the combat experience equally.

MOB AMOUNT – FANTASTIC
DIFFICULTY – GREAT
EXP. RATE – FANTASTIC
ITEM DROPS:

• Black Stone (Armor)
• Black Stone (Weapon)
• Grunil Shoes
• Krea Amulet
• Broken Armor Debris