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Overwatch is awesome! We were disappointed when Blizzard announced they’d be canning their MMO, Titan, as we were deeply in love with it, but we admit that they did a great job salvaging what was left from and turning it into this fantastic team-based shooter.
One of the things that was confusing to new players was the fact that there was no explanation on how the leveling system worked and how to level up fast in the game.
So we decided to make a how-to on Overwatch’s leveling system and present ways to level up much faster than average.
How Does The Leveling System Work?
Before we get in-depth on how to level up fast in Overwatch, you really need to understand how the leveling system works. Below is a chart that showcases how much experience is needed to gain a level, so give it a look.
Level Progression
Level | XP for Next Level | Level | XP for Next Level |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2,000 | 13 | 15,000 |
2 | 3,500 | 14 | 15,500 |
3 | 5,000 | 15 | 16,000 |
4 | 6,500 | 16 | 16,500 |
5 | 7,500 | 17 | 17,000 |
6 | 8,500 | 18 | 17,500 |
7 | 9,500 | 19 | 18,000 |
8 | 10,500 | 20 | 18,500 |
9 | 11,500 | 21 | 19,000 |
10 | 12,500 | 22 | 20,000 |
11 | 13,500 | 23 | 20,000 |
12 | 14,500 | 24 | 20,000 |
Unfortunately, in the good old days, after level 100, the EXP needed was reset back to level one and people would march up the ladder again and level up really fast in Overwatch.
Just like most things, it seems all good things come to an end… Regretfully, this is not the case any more and each level after 22 needs 20,000 XP.
Long Watches Aren't Bad for EXP?
Before we get into the main points, we’d like to talk about a myth in the Overwatch community that long matches are a waste of time. This is entirely false! You see, the way that Overwatch’s EXP system is set up is that the longer the match goes on, the more EXP, in general, you earn for that game. So you’ll get more EXP for a 20-minute game than a 10-minute one. So next time you see someone in chat mention that long matches are a waste of time, don’t pay them any mind, as that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s move on to how to level up fast in Overwatch!
Group Up With Friends
If you don’t get anything else out of this article, please get this: Grouping up with friends offers a 20% EXP bonus on everything! This might not seem like a lot, but when you consider the fact that this stacks with all standard EXP gained, then you'll understand that this really speeds up the leveling process. So if you have any friends that are also playing Overwatch, definitely try to group up with them! It makes the game more enjoyable, and you get an EXP bonus. What else could you want?
Win
One of the best ways to level up in Overwatch is to WIN. Winning a match in Overwatch awards 500 extra EXP (100 more if you’re in a group). This is another reason we recommend grouping up. Even if you are a good player, Overwatch isn’t a game where one player can effectively carry an entire team. Grouping up greatly improves your chances of winning, since your team will be able to communicate much better.
Go For Gold
Have you ever received a gold, silver, or bronze medal for playing on Overwatch? You might not have known this, but if you get a gold medal you get 150 EXP, silver gets you 100 EXP, and finally, a bronze medal will get you 75 EXP.
One thing you should know is that these medals don’t stack. To give you a deeper insight, we’ll give you an example. If you receive two gold medals, one silver, and one Bronze, you’d only get 150 EXP for receiving a gold medal.
This is one of the bad things about the leveling system. So, every match, go for one gold medal, and that’s it.
Play Consecutive Matches
Blizzard wants you to keep playing Overwatch, and they’ll actually reward you for playing consecutive matches. If you play at least one game and then immediately queue into another one, you’ll receive a bonus of 200 EXP. While this isn’t much, it’s definitely a nice little bonus for your dedication.
Win Once a Day
Even if you’re a rather busy person, you should at least aim to win once a day. This is because you’re actually rewarded 1500 EXP just for this. This first win of the day stacked with all the other things, such as getting a gold medal, and group EXP can turn a 2500 EXP match into a 5000 EXP match.
Backfilling Matches is Awesome
Blizzard knows that no one really wants to join a match that is already in progress ( especially if the team you joined is likely to be losing), but as a reward to players for sticking it out, they’ll actually give you a 400 EXP bonus. Considering that the match is already halfway over by the time you join, and even if you win, you still receive this bonus. That actually makes backfilling pretty awesome.
Don't Leave Matches
One of the biggest tips to level up fast in Overwatch is, do not leave matches early. The reason for this is not only do you miss out on the match finish EXP (300 EXP), but more importantly, you get a leaver's penalty debuff, which lasts for multiple games.
This debuff is particularly nasty, as it results in a 75% decrease in EXP, which lasts for hours. Leaving matches midway is also pretty insensitive when you think of your team, but if you’re trying to efficiently get lootb oxes, don’t leave a match early.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this post has helped break down the way Overwatch’s leveling system actually works. Overwatch is fun by itself, but leveling up and getting loot boxes is definitely another great experience that adds a whole new element to the game. Need a cheap gaming PC to play Overwatch? Check out our awesome $350 PC gaming build!
We also have a great post on the best gaming monitor under $200 – so check it out if you’re in the need of a new one.
Please share this article with other members of the community so everyone can maximize their leveling!
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