There’s no denying that the Gachaverse has been experiencing something of a renaissance as of late. Perhaps it’s due to the rise of Genshin Impact a few years back that started this whole thing, but gacha games have been on a roll. In this particular case, I’m going to be talking about one that came out just a few days ago called Solo Leveling: Arise. So, here’s a little to guide on how to level up & raise Power Level to progress!
Yeah, I can see some anime fans perking up, especially because that new One Punch Man gacha didn’t exactly do anyone any favors.
That being said, remember that like all gacha titles, you need to spend responsibly. I know I might sound like a broken record at this point with previous guides, but gacha games can be addicting in all the worst ways. Without a doubt, the best way to play the game is patiently, and without spending.
How To Level Up & Raise Power Level To Progress
So, before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s first learn why people seem to be having issues with leveling up and raising the Power Level of Sung Jinwoo.
Tackling Story Mode
Of course, before we do anything else, one of the very best ways to level up in this game is by tackling the Story Mode. This goes through the (honestly gory) journey of Sung Jinwoo as he grows as a main character in a world filled with NPCs. It’s the reason why the protagonist is the only one capable of stat allocation — everyone else in an NPC (or Hunter) in his world.
However, those who have been playing the game for a while have probably reached a point where Sung Jinwoo needs a specific level to make progress. There’s nothing wrong with this, as like most other gacha games of a similar nature (such as Punishing Gray Raven), you will end up being too low to deal with Story Mode if you beeline the whole thing.
For myself, this happened when I was around Level 35.
Understanding the Game’s Core Progression
So, now that we know the game’s Story Mode will eventually plateau for Sung Jinwoo, what can we do? What I’d like you to do is to check the game’s menu, and to have a look at all of the stuff that you’ll eventually get to unlock. Learning how to level up & raise Power Level to progress means being thorough!
For those who have recently experienced a hangup around the level I was talking about, you’ll see:
- Story Mode – This one is pretty self-explanatory, and is the primary way you try to gain levels within the game.
- Gates – This mode is probably the only one that we can really count on outside of Story Mode that can get us some decent experience.
- Hunter Archive – This mode allows you to learn the different characters in the world of Solo Leveling: Arise. There isn’t much else to see here at the moment.
- Encore Missions – This is a mode that allows you to gain gear for the protagonist. Unfortunately, it’s not really a place to gain experience.
- Instance Dungeon – The Instance Dungeon is a mode that will only become relevant later on, so I won’t focus on that too much.
- Power of Destruction – We’ve yet to reach this one, but it doesn’t seem like it offers much in the way of experience. We’ll need to build our way to the top, first!
- Battlefield of Trials – The Battlefield of Trials is specifically for Resources, which is pretty useful, but it’s not necessarily the place you’d go through for experience.
Wait — there really isn’t much, is there?
Unfortunately, as of the moment there are only two modes that can get you the experience you’re looking for: Story Mode and Gates.
As far as Gates go, it’s a system where you get to control the overall difficulty (from ranks E to S), but it’s limited in a sense that when you finish everything you can, you’re stuck waiting for the reset. Of course, once the reset hits and you can tackle the content again, you’ll earn a decent amount of experience.
I would recommend trying to make the most out of Gates by rescanning to a difficulty that matches your level. It isn’t easy, but with a bit of practice you’ll learn what works for you. Of course, aside from leveling you’ll also want to upgrade your weapons and gear, which you can tackle in the Encore Missions.
How do I make the most out of Solo Leveling: Arise?
One thing I learned about playing this game is that you can gain a decent amount of experience by simply being patient. Slow and steady wins the race they always say, but of course, many gamers would prefer to be as optimal as possible.
So, if you want some tips about how to level up and progress as much as possible, here are a few easy ways to do it!
Tackle all of the Side Content in Story Mode (alongside everything else)
While this seems like an obvious thing to do when you’re trying to complete the game and gain levels, it’s still a tip that’s worth repeating. Store Mode stages are important, as the Side Chapters will still get you experience at the end of the day.
You’ll also want to make sure that you’ve gotten everything you need out of Story Mode, only stopping when you’ve hit the Level Gate. Even then, you’re still going to be grinding, which is why I have the tip below:
Grind out Hard Content to boost your experience
This is perhaps one of the most important tips I can give when grinding out levels in this game. For example, in the Hard Difficulty, the Gatekeeper (Chapter 5) gives you a grand total of 14867 experience points. As far as the game goes, that is a LOT of experience.
The cool thing about this is how it ends up pushing you into a cycle of growth. You grind out these chapters in Hard Difficulty, and then you find out that you’ve gone past the level barrier on your current Normal Difficulty run, allowing you to keep going. So, grinding out these Hard Difficulty chapters will help you make the most out of your time playing.
What about Power Level?
Of course, it’s not just about gaining experience, even if it’s one of the most important aspects of playing the game. Aside from gaining as much experience as possible, here’s how to ensure that you raise your Power Level accordingly.
Stat Allocation through leveling up
One of the most obvious ways to gain Power Level comes with earning experience. As you earn experience, you gain levels. With each level, you can allocate stat points. You’re free to choose the stats you wish, and you’ll see which stats are available here:
Naturally, if you want to do more damage, prioritizing Strength is a good idea. If you want more health, Vitality is the way to go. Take it slow and try to figure out how you want to incorporate these stats based on your overall playstyle.
One thing to remember is that aside from Stat Allocation and Runes, everything else I’ll mention below will apply to Hunters, which is your party in the game. These characters all have their own levels and whatnot that you have to deal with. Everything I talk about below can also be done to your Hunters, increasing your Power Level even more.
Running Artifacts and other Accessories
In Solo Leveling: Arise, the Power Level is tied to your overall gear. Similar to stat allocation, it seems like an obvious thing to say, but it’s still extremely important that we go through this. When you check your gear in the Artifacts menu, chances are some of it is still locked. You’ll eventually unlock these gear slots by playing through the game.
Ideally, you’ll want to level these Artifacts as much as you possibly can. By level 10, you’ll have received four substats for your Artifact. As you level it up further, the game will then upgrade the substats you’ve received randomly.
Keep in mind that you’ll also want to pair these Artifacts together, as some of these accessories have bonuses depending on the type of gear you have equipped.
Raising your Power Level through SSR Gear
You still need to get stronger, which is why it’s a good idea to either roll for SSR weapons, or earn SSR weapons through missions.
Keep in mind that when it comes to rolling for weapons, it’s important to note that RNG will play a significant role. Some people will luck out and get themselves some of the best SSR gear in the game with hardly any effort. On the other hand, you have players that weren’t so lucky, and they aren’t able to get a powerful weapon right off the bat.
Keep in mind that the game has mission that allow you to earn yourself an SSR weapon — a scythe.
Not only can you get this scythe by progressing through the game, but you’ll also gain a dupe.
Remember that these weapons also require very specific items when it comes to limit breaking. Just like Sung Jinwoo, you can level your weapon up and raise your Power Level. The items that you need will vary depending on the type of weapon (and how lucky you are with your rolls). So, you’ll want to be careful when it comes to choosing which weapons you limit break.
Always prioritize your rarest weapons. This means that SSR weapons should take priority over SRs.
SIDE NOTE: There are plenty of other fantastic anime games out there, such as Anime Spirits. Once you’re done with this guide, why not have a look at this Gilgamesh showcase?
Tackling the Rune System
Of course, another way you can build your Power Level in the game is by focusing on leveling your skills. Much like everything else, there is a gold and item requirement for leveling certain skills. Once again, you should grow these skills based on your favorites. After all, there’s no point in leveling a skill you aren’t fond of using in the game.
That said, there will come a point when you run out of the scrolls necessary to level skills. At this point in the game, you’ll want to check the Fuse option, which is right here:
You’ll find that as you play through the game, you’ll gain many different items that you’ll have no idea how to use. The items necessary for Fusing Runes is one such resource. Many players probably have no idea that they can do this.
So, the idea is to utilize the resources you’ve gained through playing the game to fuse skill runes. The more runes that you get that apply to a specific skill, then it will level that skill up accordingly. Naturally, this will also result in a higher Power Level.
The Armory
Now, aside from all of the things you might come to expect from gaining Power Level, there is also the Armory feature within the game. The neat thing about the Armory is you don’t really need to do much. It’s a place that allows you to feature your very best items. That means every SSR you get is useful in more ways than one.
Make sure to add your most powerful weapons to the Armory, as doing so will give you an increase in your overall Power Level. It might not feel like much, but you’ll see just how useful this feature can be when you finally start receiving the most powerful weapons in the game.
Much like everything else, you can also enhance your Armory, which will allow you to gain more Power Level overall.
My personal advice
Oh, before we conclude this handy little guide, I want you guys to know that Solo Leveling: Arise is extremely new. That means everything I’ve told you is only the tip of the iceberg. I haven’t gotten past a certain level as you can see, which means many other features are locked. There are also many different modes that have yet to be added to the game. If you want to know how to level up & raise Power Level to progress, patience is a virtue.
There’s honestly so much that it can be pretty overwhelming when you think about it.
So, if you’re looking for my personal advice as far as gaining as much experience and Power Level as possible goes, it’s to play patiently. While there are undoubtedly many ways you can level up through the game, you must consider the overall progression of a gacha.
Many of these games want you to go through as quickly as possible, but what then? You’ll have to wait at the end of all of that to get new content. It’s similar to speeding past a slower vehicle, only to end up in the same traffic jam further down the road.
Final thoughts
There’s no need to do everything at once. My final tips include:
- Choosing the best playstyle for you
- Going through Story Mode and tackling every Side Chapter
- Going through Hard Mode
- Dealing with all the different game modes at your pace
- Summoning for weapons, and prioritizing SSRs
- Using Runes to ensure you save on other resources
- Play patiently
That’s pretty much it for How To Level Up & Raise Power Level To Progress! Of course, the #1 rule is still to have fun. While it’s all well and good to jump in and gain as much power as possible, remember that the title is still new. You’ll still have to wait at the end of the day!
Oh, while you’re here: You might be interested in what other gacha titles can offer. What about a party gacha, such as Astral Party? Here’s a complete currencies guide to Astral Party if you’re interested!
