Anime Zero offers several ways to earn XP and level up your character, but not every game mode provides the same rewards. If you want to reach Level 500 faster, choosing the right stage and improving your build can make a big difference in your farming progress.
This guide covers the best XP farming methods in Anime Zero, including Story Mode, Raid, and Infinite Mode. You will also find XP-per-hour estimates, tips for clearing stages faster, and advice on when to use AFK farming instead of playing actively.
Best Game Modes for Farming XP in Anime Zero
Anime Zero has three main game modes: Story, Raid, and Infinite. Story Mode features four difficulty levels: Easy, Medium, Hard, and Nightmare. Meanwhile, Raid offers Spirit’s Bathtub and Shadow Gate, both of which are available on Nightmare difficulty.
Each mode has different completion times and XP rewards. A stage that gives more XP per run is not always the best option, especially if it takes much longer to finish. To find the most efficient farming method, you should compare how much XP you can earn per hour rather than focusing only on the rewards shown after each run.
1. Story Mode Easy
Easy is a suitable starting point for new players who are still improving their characters and building their damage. Enemies are easier to defeat, allowing you to complete stages without spending too much time on each wave. However, the XP reward is relatively low compared to the higher difficulty levels.
In the solo test, one Easy run took around 1 minute and 17 seconds and rewarded 489 XP. At the same pace, this works out to approximately 22,900 XP per hour. Easy can help you get started, but you should consider moving to Medium once you can clear stages comfortably without struggling against regular enemies.
2. Story Mode Medium
Medium offers a noticeable improvement in XP rewards without adding too much time to each run. The test run took around 1 minute and 32 seconds and rewarded 888 XP. This equals approximately 34,700 XP per hour, making it a more efficient option than Easy.
The difference between the two difficulties is only about 15 seconds per run, while Medium provides almost twice as much XP. This makes it a worthwhile upgrade for players who want to level up faster without needing a powerful build. If Hard is still too difficult or takes too long to complete, Medium is a reasonable place to continue farming while upgrading your weapons, traits, and accessories.
3. Story Mode Hard
Hard is a strong farming option for players who already have enough damage to defeat enemies efficiently. In the test, one run took approximately 1 minute and 47 seconds and rewarded 2,065 XP. This translates to around 69,500 XP per hour if you maintain the same pace.
Compared to Medium, Hard provides a much higher XP rate. The additional time needed to finish each run is relatively small compared to the increased reward, making it a good choice for players who are not ready for Nightmare yet. If you can defeat enemies quickly and handle bosses without too much difficulty, Hard can help you make steady progress toward Level 500.
4. Story Mode Nightmare
Nightmare is the best option for active XP farming based on the test results. One run took around 2 minutes and 13 seconds and rewarded 4,390 XP. At that pace, you could earn approximately 118,800 XP per hour, putting Nightmare well ahead of the other tested modes.
Although Nightmare takes longer to complete than Hard, the XP reward more than doubles. The difference in completion time is only around 26 seconds, making the higher difficulty worthwhile if your build can handle it. However, your actual farming rate will depend on your damage and survival. If bosses take several minutes to defeat, Hard might provide better results until you improve your character.
5. Raid: Spirit’s Bathtub
Spirit’s Bathtub is a Nightmare Raid that offers a decent amount of XP alongside its special rewards. During the solo test, one run took around 3 minutes and 34 seconds and provided 3,866 XP. This equals approximately 65,000 XP per hour at the same completion speed.
Despite the respectable reward per run, Spirit’s Bathtub is less efficient than Story Mode Hard when your only goal is leveling. The Raid takes about twice as long as a Hard run but does not provide twice as much XP. However, it can still be worth playing if you need its exclusive drops or other Raid rewards while earning XP along the way.
6. Raid: Shadow Gate
Shadow Gate is another Nightmare Raid that offers XP and Raid-specific rewards. In the test, one run took approximately 3 minutes and 5 seconds and rewarded 1,806 XP. This works out to around 35,100 XP per hour, placing it close to Story Mode Medium in terms of XP efficiency.
If leveling is your main priority, Shadow Gate is not the best choice. Story Mode Hard provides considerably more XP in a shorter amount of time. Shadow Gate also has 10 Raid attempts that refill every three hours, limiting how often you can repeat the activity.
You should prioritize this Raid when you need its rewards rather than using it as your main XP farming method. The XP you earn is still useful, but other modes offer better results for players who want to level up as quickly as possible.
Anime Zero XP Farming Comparison
The following results compare the estimated XP earned per hour across all six tested activities. These figures come from solo runs using the same build, so your results may vary depending on your damage, skill rotation, and completion speed.
- Story Nightmare: Approximately 118,800 XP per hour.
- Story Hard: Approximately 69,500 XP per hour.
- Spirit’s Bathtub Raid: Approximately 65,000 XP per hour.
- Shadow Gate Raid: Approximately 35,100 XP per hour.
- Story Medium: Approximately 34,700 XP per hour.
- Story Easy: Approximately 22,900 XP per hour.
Based on these results, Story Nightmare is the best choice for active XP farming, provided you can clear it consistently. Story Hard is the next best option if Nightmare takes too long or becomes difficult to complete. Raids are more suitable when you also want to collect their special rewards, while Easy and Medium are useful for players who are still developing their builds.
Tips to Farm XP Faster in Anime Zero
Choosing the right game mode is only part of the process. Your build, combat skills, and ability to clear stages quickly also affect how much XP you can earn over time. Improving these areas can help you finish more runs per hour and make your leveling sessions more efficient.
1. Upgrade Your Weapon Skill Tree
Check your Weapon Skill Tree and prioritize upgrades that improve your damage. Attack and Critical upgrades can help you defeat enemies faster, especially when farming stages with multiple waves. Higher damage also reduces the time you spend fighting bosses, allowing you to move through each run more efficiently.
2. Equip Suitable Traits and Accessories
Use traits that improve your damage and make sure you have accessories equipped in every available slot. These bonuses can help your character perform better without requiring you to switch to a more difficult stage immediately. A well-built character farming Hard consistently can be more efficient than a weaker character struggling through Nightmare.
3. Awaken Your Weapon
If your weapon can be awakened, consider unlocking its Ultimate ability. This gives you another skill that can help deal significant damage to enemies and bosses. Using your Ultimate at the right time can shorten difficult fights and reduce the time needed to complete each stage.
4. Group Enemies Before Using AoE Skills
When facing groups of enemies, try to bring nearby targets together before using area-of-effect skills. This allows you to hit several enemies with a single attack instead of chasing them individually. Clearing multiple targets at once can save time throughout a farming session, especially in stages with several waves.
5. Learn Boss Attack Patterns
Bosses can take up a large part of your completion time, particularly if your damage is not high enough. Pay attention to their attack patterns and look for safe opportunities to deal damage while your skills are available. Avoid rushing into dangerous attacks and losing the run, as a consistent clear is more useful for farming than repeatedly struggling against a boss.
6. Play With Other Players
Playing with a strong team can help you clear enemies and bosses faster. Teammates with high damage can reduce the time spent on difficult waves, potentially allowing you to complete more runs in one hour. This can be especially useful if a boss takes too long to defeat when playing solo.
Keep in mind that group completion times and individual XP rewards may differ from solo results. Try farming with a reliable team and compare the results with your solo runs to determine which method works best for your character.
Is Infinite Mode Good for XP Farming?
Infinite Mode serves a different purpose from Story and Raid. It provides a slower XP rate than the best active farming methods, so it is not the ideal choice when you want to gain levels as quickly as possible. If you can actively play the game, Story Nightmare or the highest difficulty you can clear efficiently will generally be a better option based on the tested results.
However, Infinite Mode has one major advantage: it can be used for AFK farming. Instead of repeatedly controlling your character and restarting stages, you can leave your character farming while doing other activities, provided your setup can continue earning XP without requiring intervention.
The trade-off is a lower XP rate. Use Infinite Mode when you do not want to play actively, and switch to Story Mode when you have time to focus on completing runs. This approach lets you choose between faster leveling during active sessions and more convenient progress when you are away from the game.
The most efficient way to farm XP in Anime Zero is to play Story Mode Nightmare if your character has enough damage to clear it consistently. The test results show an estimated 118,800 XP per hour, making it the strongest option among the six activities compared. If Nightmare is too difficult, Story Mode Hard is a reliable alternative that offers around 69,500 XP per hour.
To improve your results, upgrade your Weapon Skill Tree, equip suitable traits and accessories, unlock your weapon’s Ultimate when possible, and use AoE skills to clear groups of enemies faster. You can also play with a strong team to reduce completion times or use Infinite Mode when you prefer AFK farming. By matching the difficulty to your build and minimizing wasted time, you can make your journey toward Level 500 much more efficient.