How to Level Up Fast in Payday 3

At long last, a new Payday game has been released. That means, among other things, players will be starting their newest criminal career back at level one. Say farewell to those countless hours in Payday 2 grinding out Infamy Levels because it’s time to do it all again. Payday 3 sports 150 Infamy Levels and it will require a fair bit of less-than-legal work to achieve that peak.

The first several levels in Payday 3 may seem to fly by, but some have suddenly found their progression slowing down to a crawl. Fortunately, we have the tips to help get that XP bar moving quickly again.

How to Level Up Fast in Payday 3

Payday 3 makes notable changes to the progression system present in Payday 2. In Overkill’s latest digital crime spree, XP is gained through the accrual of Infamy Points (IP) and those go towards the heister’s overall Infamy Level. Infamy Points are tied to in-game challenges. Those challenges come in three flavors: Heist, Career, and Combat.

This is where players are often hitting a wall after their initial run-through of the eight heists available at launch. The reason IP gains seem to go from generous to meager is because those basic challenges are easy to complete in bulk without even realizing it when it’s your first time running a particular mission and using certain equipment.

So how do you fix this? Easy. Mix it up! If you have been stuck on leveling up the initial CAR-4 assault rifle since the introductory “No Rest For the Wicked” level, it’s time to buy a new weapon. The same goes for gear. I heavily encourage those glued to their medic bag to make alternative loadouts with an armor bag or turret. Trying out different equipment as they become available through Infamy Levels is a good way to clear out the first few tiers of gear challenges embedded in the Combat category.

Changing up your M.O. can also go a long way to boosting those IP gains. The Heist challenges award Infamy Points for stealthy playstyles as well as all-out assault. If you have been heavily favoring a particular playstyle, consider switching it up. Take extra time casing locations to uncover new approaches and check off more challenges. More challenges equals more infamy.

Of course, some of the challenges will simply come with time. Eliminating a certain amount of Cloakers, converting money into the C-Stack currency, and unlocking new skill lines are all a part of the Career category. It might be a slower burn than the other two challenge types in most cases, but you can expect intermittent IP rewards as you rack up the hours in Payday 3.

There you have it. As long as you keep an eye on your open challenges and focus on knocking them out, the Infamy Points will continue rolling in steadily resulting in an equally steady growth in that all-important Infamy Level.