Season launches feel much smoother when the leveling route is decided ahead of time. If the goal is to reach level 70 quickly in Diablo 4, the Vessel of Hatred systems create several strong paths that can outperform a casual mix of activities. The key is understanding what each route gives up in exchange for speed.

This guide breaks down three efficient methods built around War Plans, Helltides, and the Undercity. Each one serves a different purpose. One is better for balanced progression, one is strongest for raw pace, and one offers a very streamlined grind once it opens up. Choosing the right route can save time, reduce gearing friction, and leave more room for later upgrade costs such as tempering, rerolls, and other Diablo 4 gold for upgrading gear expenses.

How these three leveling methods differ

All three approaches can get a character from 1 to 70 efficiently, but they are not equal in pacing or rewards.

• War Plans only is the most balanced route. It gives variety, loot, materials, and earlier long-term progression.
• Helltide worm farming is the strongest option for pure speed if survivability is not a problem.
• Undercity runs become excellent after level 25 and feel especially smooth because beacon buffs make low-level builds play faster than normal.

If the priority is a stable start with fewer tradeoffs, begin with War Plans. If the goal is the fastest possible rush to endgame, Helltides and the Undercity are the better focus.

Method 1: War Plans only for balanced progression

This route is simple: complete War Plans from start to finish, turn them in, then start the next one. It is not the absolute fastest route, but it has one major advantage over the others: it builds your future progression while you level.

Because you are constantly turning in objectives, you gain more progress toward the War Plans tree itself. That means by the time level 70 arrives, more nodes are already unlocked and the transition into endgame is smoother. For players who value setup as much as speed, this is a strong reason to choose it.

Why War Plans leveling works

• Steady experience from repeated completions and turn-ins
• Good loot flow from frequent rewards, especially early legendaries
• Better material income than the more specialized routes
• More activity variety, which helps avoid burnout during a long session

This method also reduces the feeling that leveling is delaying endgame. You are already building toward later systems instead of postponing them.

Best way to start

When the character is created, head to the relevant seasonal hub and interact with the cube-related quest first. That opening interaction grants quick experience, and speaking to the War Plans NPC afterward should push the character to level 2 immediately. Starting with an extra skill point before leaving town is a small but meaningful boost.

After that, prioritize Helltide-related nodes in the War Plans tree. The first major target is the node that enables the maggot-based experience globe interaction tied to the worm farming loop. Even if War Plans only is the chosen route, this unlock matters because it improves the value of Helltides throughout the run.

Undercity unlock priority within this route

Once the Undercity becomes available, aim to unlock Jade Epiphany as soon as possible. This node dramatically improves the value of attunement by causing experience globes to appear based on attunement rank.

Before that node is unlocked, Undercity experience is underwhelming. The best move is to sprint through the floors, ignore unnecessary fights, and kill the boss only to unlock the node faster. After Jade Epiphany is active, attunement becomes a major source of experience.

Pros of the War Plans route

• Strong all-around rewards while leveling
• Good legendary acquisition from turn-ins
• Helpful for players planning early endgame progression
• Less repetitive than farming one activity nonstop

• Not the fastest method from 1 to 70
• Some objectives take longer than others
• May force participation in activities that are less efficient in the moment

Method 2: Helltide worm farming for the fastest early leveling

If pure speed is the only goal, this is the standout option. The core idea is to unlock the Helltide-focused War Plans bonuses as early as possible, then use the worm spawning loop for concentrated experience.

This is the route most likely to feel like a speedrun. It is efficient, repetitive, and very strong when executed correctly.

How the Helltide route starts

Open the War Plans table immediately and look for favorable Helltide objectives. Ideally, the goal is to refresh into double Helltide tasks early. At low levels, the objective pool is smaller, so the odds of getting what you want can be better than later on.

During this opening phase, kill as little as possible. Gather only enough cinders to open a chest, claim the completion value, turn in the War Plan, and repeat. The purpose is not to clear the zone. The purpose is to unlock the worm-supporting node path quickly.

Why this method is so fast

Once the worm loop is active, the experience return from spawned worms greatly outpaces normal monster clearing. After enough threat has been built to trigger spawns, riding between worm locations is usually better than lingering to kill random packs.

This route also pairs well with extra side gains:

• Whispers can add meaningful bonus experience
• Helltide chests provide gear upgrades early
• Materials and loot remain solid throughout the run
• Diablo 4 gold for Helltide farming pressures are lower when upgrades drop naturally during the route

Difficulty trick for better rewards

One useful optimization is to collect cinders on a lower difficulty, then switch upward before opening the chest and completing the objective. If the character can safely swap to Penitent for the turn-in moment, the experience reward is based on the tier used for completion rather than the tier used to gather cinders.

That makes this one of the cleanest ways to squeeze extra value out of early progression. For players watching every minute of their launch route, this is worth doing whenever practical.

How to farm the worm loop correctly

• Unlock the key Helltide nodes as early as possible
• Build enough threat to trigger worm spawns
• Ride directly between worm spawn points
• Do not waste time clearing unrelated monsters
• Open chests when needed for War Plans progress and gear

This is one of the best answers for players asking how to smooth out Diablo 4 progression with extra gold, because the route naturally reduces downtime and generates enough rewards to limit early gearing stalls. It also helps offset some of the burden of Diablo 4 gold for rerolling affixes later, since faster leveling gets you into better farming sooner.

Pros of the Helltide route

• Likely the fastest overall route from 1 to 70
• Strong chest rewards and useful gear flow
• Excellent experience from worms and Whispers
• Good setup for players focused on endgame pace

• Very repetitive over long sessions
• Less efficient War Plans progression than the balanced route
• Dangerous at low levels, especially for fragile builds
• Not recommended for Hardcore unless the player is extremely confident

Method 3: Undercity leveling after 25

The Undercity route is one of the smoothest leveling experiences once it becomes available. It does not open early enough to serve as a full 1 to 70 plan by itself, but after level 25 it becomes a serious contender for the fastest sustained grind.

Its biggest strength is how strong the beacon buffs feel during leveling. Movement speed, cast speed, and resource support make many builds perform like mini endgame versions of themselves. That alone can make the route feel better than standard overworld grinding.

What to unlock first

The entire route revolves around Jade Epiphany. Until that node is unlocked, Undercity clears are mostly about rushing to the boss and finishing as fast as possible. Once it is active, attunement ranks begin dropping experience globes, and the run value rises sharply.

The globes matter enough that missed pickups are a real loss. Pets do not collect them, so they must be grabbed manually.

Best Undercity leveling pattern

• Before Jade Epiphany: sprint to the boss and ignore most enemies
• After unlocking it: gain attunement by activating braziers and killing only what is needed
• At attunement rank four: stop overclearing and head straight to the boss
• Finish the run, reset, and repeat with minimal downtime

This route requires very little setup once the node is active. There is no need to juggle many side systems, and the loop is easy to repeat. For players who value consistency over activity variety, that simplicity is a major strength.

Why players like this route

Undercity runs feel fast in a way that raw numbers do not fully capture. The buffs keep combat snappy, movement is efficient, and there is very little dead time between runs. It also works well for builds that spike hard from mobility and cast speed bonuses.

Because the route is compact, it can be a good fit for players trying to preserve a build experimentation budget. Less time wandering means faster access to later systems where Diablo 4 gold for Paragon and build experiments starts to matter more.

Pros of the Undercity route

• Very fast after level 25
• Beacon buffs make leveling feel powerful
• Minimal downtime between runs
• Requires only one key node to become effective

Cons of the Undercity route

• Unavailable until level 25
• Lower material income than Helltides
• Less gear volume overall
• No meaningful War Plans progress if used exclusively

The best method depends on what matters most during the first day or two of a season.

Choose War Plans only if you want:

• Balanced rewards
• Better long-term progression setup
• More variety while leveling
• A smoother transition into endgame systems

Choose Helltide worm farming if you want:

• The fastest route to 70
• Strong chest rewards and Whisper overlap
• A focused speedrun-style launch plan
• A path that quickly leads into Diablo 4 endgame gold farming options

Choose Undercity if you want:

• A clean and repeatable grind after 25
• Fast-feeling gameplay from beacon buffs
• Low downtime between runs
• A route that is easy to execute consistently

A practical Season 15 leveling plan

For most players, the strongest overall approach is not locking into only one route from start to finish. A hybrid plan usually feels best.

• Levels 1 to early unlocks: use War Plans to establish key nodes and gather basic gear
• When Helltide support is ready: shift into worm farming if speed is the top priority
• At level 25 and after Jade Epiphany: evaluate whether the Undercity is outperforming your current pace

This approach gives flexibility without losing the strengths of each system. It also avoids one of the biggest early-season mistakes: overcommitting to an activity before its best node support is active.

Efficiency tips that matter regardless of route

• Do not overkill trash packs when the route rewards objective completion more than raw clearing
• Pick up experience globes manually in the Undercity every time
• Use higher difficulty turn-ins carefully if your build can survive the swap
• Upgrade gear only when needed to avoid wasting resources too early
• Keep movement speed and resource stability in mind, since both improve leveling more than minor damage gains in many cases

Resource management matters more than many players expect during launch. Repair costs, affix rerolls, socketing, and frequent swaps can drain reserves quickly, so efficient routing indirectly helps preserve D4 gold for the parts of progression that actually need it.

Frequently Asked Questions

For most efficient runs, yes. It offers the best raw experience pace, but it is also the most repetitive and can be risky at low levels.

When should the Undercity become part of the leveling route?

It becomes a strong option at level 25, and it really takes off once Jade Epiphany is unlocked and experience globes start dropping from attunement ranks.

Should Hardcore characters use the Helltide route?

Usually no. The worm spawns and supporting enemies can hit very hard early, so a safer War Plans-focused path is usually better.

Is War Plans only too slow for a competitive season start?

Not necessarily. It is slower than the speed-focused routes, but the extra progression, materials, and gear can make the overall start more stable.

What should be prioritized if gear starts falling behind?

Favor routes with chest rewards and turn-ins, especially Helltides and War Plans. They provide more chances to upgrade without overspending on crafting and rerolls.