"How many ways to level your characters?", or "50 ways to leave your level"

[Blackbird71]

As a functioning altaholic, I find myself often playing and leveling several different characters at a time.  To avoid monotony, I'm always looking for different paths for characters to take as I play them.  Often this is as simple as changing up whether I'm playing a Hero, Villlain, Resistance, or Loyalist.  Sometimes I've even done those to death, and I go looking for alternatives to the same story missions.

Because of this, I thought it might be useful and informative (for myself and others) to put together a list of different methods or paths you can take to level a character in CoX. 

 

So, how do you like to level?  DFB?  AE missions?  Radio?  Do you level slowly, enjoying story arcs along the way?  Or do you switch on the double XP and power to the top as fast as you can?

 

In addition to your preferred leveling method, what's a different option you like to take when you want to change things up a bit?

 

[_NOPE_]

Story Arcs, the slow, LONG way. I don't care so much for end game content.

[Blackbird71]

Story Arcs, the slow, LONG way. I don't care so much for end game content.

 

I know the feeling!  Any particular arcs you like to follow over others?

[jubakumbi]

I run story missions solo and duo, then group up for radios/TFs when I feel like it.

Love all of it, in no real hurry, got 3-4 around level 35-40.

 

I just like playing the game, I don't plan anything much, I don't purposefully lay out paths for characters or anything, I just like creating characters and arresting bad guys.  What others call grinding and farming I just call having fun playing a game, I guess.

 

I make up my own stories for the most part and listen to the voices in my own head, so I just like the pretty lights and the variety of individuals I can create and the beatdown they can bring.

 

It really is a 'video game' to me at the end of the day, just one I can be more creative while playing, so the levels and rewards 'just happen' because I like to play the game, so my main level up is "however it happens, I generally don't watch closely".

 

[Kaliselia]

I have considered just leveling an hero just by going after mobs - I.E. no missions or grouping.

 

Yes it would be quite painful but it would be different and places like Perez Park, The Hollows would help due to lots of mobs.

[Adeon Hawkwood]

I mostly like leveling in groups. I tend to do a lot of TFs since it's convenient but any team will do.

 

That being said it's fun to change it up sometimes. For example right now I've got a character that I'm leveling up doing the hazard zone story arcs (at double XP to smooth out the curve a bit). I've finished The Hollows and Faultline and currently working my way through Striga.

[coffeethrall]

I generally enjoy a mix of story arcs and the occasional radio group or TF, but after one character came to Paragon City from Praetoria I had the notion to clear out their Flashback story arcs through the base pillar. I sort of envisioned it as their orientation to the new dimension involving reviewing old cases in the group's holo-simulator. Plus, I liked being able to teleport to contacts, and of course racking up the merits and badges associated with the story arcs.  :D

[ChzBoi]

Story Arcs, the slow, LONG way. I don't care so much for end game content.

 

+1 the journey is the game itself, for me!

 

I have considered just leveling an hero just by going after mobs - I.E. no missions or grouping.

 

Yes it would be quite painful but it would be different and places like Perez Park, The Hollows would help due to lots of mobs.

 

I've wondered about doing this as well - something with a few AOE skills. And Redside/Goldside, where would the lowest level BIG groups of mobs be, like PP & Hollows?...hmmm

[justicebeliever]

Many days I feel like soloing, but I love teaming up for TF's and just helping others with their missions.

 

I'm really never worried about leveling, just reveling, and I revel everyday I can roll a new character and fly/run/jump/TP myself around Paragon City feeling like a hero...

 

Gotta go revel up!

[_NOPE_]

Story Arcs, the slow, LONG way. I don't care so much for end game content.

 

I know the feeling!  Any particular arcs you like to follow over others?

 

Above all else, the story of Cyrus Thompson in Smoke and Mirrors breaks my heart, every time. That's damn good writing. Troy Hickman is a storytelling genius.

I love the Peebles arc, because you really have to EARN that ring with all of those long ships to go through.

I love anything mystical, Banished Pantheon, CoT, everything Croatoa, Carnival of Shadows, Shadow Shard... because my main is Science/Tech, I LOVE the "Iron Man vs. Mandarin" (yes, I KNOW his rings aren't REALLY magic, but their effects are presented as magical) feeling of Science vs. Magic theme that those arcs give me.

I love anything Crey related, because I love the idea of an "evil corporation that the world thinks is good" trope.

[Coyotedancer]

I do story arcs, tip missions and paper missions solo and occasionally jump into groups with friends...

 

I have a lot of favorite arcs. Hero-side, I'm fond of Library of Souls (Total bias there. I'm fond of the Oranbegans, get a big grin out of Akarist, and used to have a player character version of Ashton Fletcher. XD) and the Terra Conspiracy. I like all of the Vanguard arcs in the War Zone (I <3 Sefu. He's always been one of my favorite NPC companions-). Red-side we've got Oh, Wretched Man, which is great. (Wretch is another favorite NPC companion of mine.) Also Maros, Doc Buzzsaw, the most excellent Television, and the crack-pot Mad Science of Vernon von Grun. (I <3 Becky the Tarantula Mistress, too.) The Patron arcs also have their moments, though they're railroaded as all hell. 

[mousestalker]

I'm leveling my main through as many task forces and story arcs as I can get. She is built to team so soloing is quite slow. I do have an alt that is built to solo and if things are slow on the server I break out my farm girl.