How to Level Up Fast in Payday 3: A Heister’s Guide to Infamy
So, you’re itching to climb the ranks in Payday 3 and achieve that coveted Infamy Level 150? You’ve come to the right place, Heister. Forget endlessly repeating heists; this time around, it’s all about strategically tackling challenges and optimizing your gameplay. Let’s dive into the quickest and most efficient methods to boost your infamy and unlock those crucial skill points.
The primary method of leveling up in Payday 3 revolves around earning Infamy through completing Challenges. Unlike Payday 2, you don’t earn skill points at every level. Instead, skill points are awarded as you gain Infamy, with the last skill point unlocking at Infamy Level 100. Focus on identifying and completing challenges efficiently.
Mastering the Challenge System
The key to rapid leveling in Payday 3 lies within its challenge system. Accessing these challenges is simple: they’re prominently displayed in the main menu. They’re essentially mini-objectives you can accomplish during heists. Treat these challenges like a checklist for each heist.
Understanding Challenge Types
Challenges are categorized, typically revolving around specific weapons, gameplay styles (stealth vs. loud), heist completion methods, and difficulty levels. Some common examples include:
- Weapon Challenges: Using a specific weapon to eliminate a certain number of enemies.
- Stealth Challenges: Completing a heist without being detected.
- Loud Challenges: Completing a heist while continuously triggering alarms and actively fighting enemies.
- Difficulty Challenges: Completing heists on higher difficulty settings.
- Objective Challenges: Completing specific tasks within a heist, such as securing all loot bags or using specific gadgets.
Strategic Challenge Selection
Not all challenges are created equal. Some are far easier and faster to complete than others. Prioritize challenges based on:
- Speed of Completion: Look for challenges that can be completed within a single heist, ideally within a reasonable timeframe.
- Synergy: Choose challenges that align with your preferred playstyle or the heist you’re planning to undertake.
- Heist Compatibility: Some challenges are simply easier to accomplish on certain heists. Choose your heists strategically.
Leveraging C-Stacks
C-Stacks (Crime.net Stacks) are earned by completing challenges. While they aren’t directly tied to leveling up your infamy, they’re a valuable resource. You can use C-Stacks to purchase items from Setaggi, the currency broker, which could indirectly help you optimize your heists and, therefore, complete challenges faster. Remember, you can’t buy C-Stacks with real-world money.
Optimizing Your Heists for Maximum XP
While challenges are your primary focus, there are other factors that can influence your leveling speed.
Playing on Higher Difficulties
While potentially riskier, playing on Harder Difficulties offers a substantial XP multiplier. Weigh the risk versus reward. If you can consistently complete heists on a higher difficulty without failing, the increased XP will significantly accelerate your progress.
Stealth vs. Loud: Choosing Your Battles
Stealth Heists often grant a significant XP bonus upon successful completion. Mastering stealth is crucial. However, if stealth isn’t your forte, don’t force it. Loud heists can still be efficient if you focus on completing challenges simultaneously. Games like Payday 3 are being utilized to study the dynamics of teamwork, decision-making, and problem-solving under pressure. For more information on how games are being used in educational research, visit the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.
Never Get Caught? A Double-Edged Sword
The “Never Get Caught” advice is a bit misleading. While avoiding detection is beneficial, it shouldn’t be your sole focus if it means sacrificing the completion of other challenges. Prioritize completing as many challenges as possible, even if it means triggering the alarm.
Solo Heisting vs. Team Play
Performing Heists Solo can be a viable option if you’re highly skilled and have a well-optimized build. However, playing with a coordinated team generally leads to faster and more efficient challenge completion. Communication and teamwork are key to success in Payday 3.
Understanding Skill Points and Builds
Payday 3 features 17 different skill trees, totaling 105 individual skills and 17 mastered nodes. You gain more skill points as you gain more Infamy, with the last skill point unlocking at Infamy level 100, capping the total at 21 skill points.
Investing Skill Points Wisely
Don’t spread your skill points too thin. Focus on creating specialized builds that cater to your preferred playstyle. A well-defined build will enhance your ability to complete specific types of challenges.
Heist Selection: Choose Wisely
Not all heists are created equal when it comes to leveling speed. Consider these factors when selecting a heist:
- Challenge Availability: Some heists offer a wider variety of challenges that are easier to complete.
- Heist Length: Shorter heists generally allow for faster challenge completion, assuming you can consistently complete them.
- Heist Difficulty: Choose heists that you can reliably complete on a higher difficulty setting.
Additional Tips and Tricks
- Stay Updated: The game developers frequently release updates that may introduce new challenges or adjust existing ones. Stay informed about these changes to optimize your leveling strategy.
- Community Resources: Leverage online forums, guides, and videos created by other players. The Payday 3 community is a valuable resource for discovering new strategies and tips.
- Experiment: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different builds, weapons, and heists. Finding what works best for you is crucial.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions regarding leveling up in Payday 3, designed to provide further clarity and address common concerns:
1. What is the level cap in Payday 3?
The level cap in Payday 3 is currently Infamy Level 150.
2. How many skill points are there in Payday 3?
There are 21 skill points in Payday 3, with the final one unlocking at Infamy Level 100.
3. How do I get skill points in Payday 3?
You earn skill points by gaining Infamy, primarily through completing the challenges displayed in the main menu.
4. What are C-Stacks in Payday 3?
C-Stacks (Crime.net Stacks) are an in-game currency earned by completing challenges. They can be used to purchase items from Setaggi.
5. Can I buy C-Stacks with real money?
No, C-Stacks cannot be purchased with real-world money.
6. What is the fastest way to earn XP in Payday 3?
The fastest way is to strategically select and complete challenges while playing on the highest difficulty you can reliably handle.
7. Is it better to play stealth or loud for leveling up?
Both stealth and loud approaches can be effective. Stealth heists offer significant XP bonuses, but loud heists can be faster if you can complete challenges efficiently while actively fighting.
8. How do I access the challenges in Payday 3?
Challenges are accessible from the main menu of Payday 3.
9. What happens when I reach Infamy Level 100?
At Infamy Level 100, you unlock all 21 available skill points and gain access to any associated cosmetic rewards. The remaining 50 levels are for bragging rights.
10. Is it worth playing on harder difficulties?
Yes, playing on harder difficulties provides a substantial XP multiplier, accelerating your leveling progress, assuming you can consistently complete the heists.
11. Which heists are best for leveling up quickly?
The best heists for leveling up are those that offer a wide variety of challenges that are relatively easy and quick to complete on higher difficulties. This can depend on your playstyle.
12. How do I know which challenges to prioritize?
Prioritize challenges based on their speed of completion, synergy with your playstyle, and compatibility with the heist you’re planning to undertake.
13. Do I need to complete all challenges in a heist to level up quickly?
No, you don’t need to complete all challenges in a heist. Focus on completing the most efficient and rewarding challenges.
14. Does playing solo affect my XP gain?
Playing solo can be viable if you’re highly skilled, but playing with a coordinated team generally leads to faster and more efficient challenge completion.
15. Will Payday 3 receive more skill points in the future?
While there’s no guarantee, it’s possible that future updates may introduce new skill trees or increase the maximum number of skill points available.
By understanding and implementing these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to dominating the Payday 3 scene and reaching Infamy Level 150 in no time. Now get out there and make some noise, Heister!