Smelting in New World is a vital refining skill that transforms raw ores into usable ingots, fueling the crafting of weapons, armor, and tools in Aeternum. For players aiming to dominate the game's economy or craft high-tier gear, leveling Smelting to 200 is a top priority. New World Gold coins, the game's primary currency, play a crucial role in acquiring resources and managing crafting costs, making efficient Smelting strategies essential. This guide outlines the fastest ways to level Smelting, covering resource gathering, optimal crafting recipes, and tips to minimize costs while maximizing experience gains.

Understanding Smelting in New World

Smelting is one of New World's five refining skills, used to process ores like Iron, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Starmetal, Orichalcum, and rare materials like Asmodeum into ingots. These ingots are essential for trade skills like Armoring, Weaponsmithing, and Engineering. Leveling Smelting grants access to higher-tier ingots, which are in high demand on the Trading Post and critical for endgame crafting. The skill caps at level 200, with each tier unlocking new recipes:

Level 0-50: Iron and Silver Ingots

Level 50-100: Steel and Gold Ingots

Level 100-150: Starmetal Ingots

Level 150-200: Orichalcum and Asmodeum Ingots

Experience (XP) is earned by smelting items at a Smelter, found in settlements like Everfall or Windsward. The goal is to craft items that offer the highest XP per resource while managing costs, as higher-tier materials can be expensive.

Early Game Smelting (Levels 0-50)

The fastest way to start leveling Smelting is by crafting Iron Ingots, which require Iron Ore, a common resource. Here's how to begin:

Gather Iron Ore: Mine Iron Ore veins in starting zones like Everfall, Windsward, or First Light. Use NWDB.info or MapGenie.io to locate high-density Iron routes, such as the hills north of Everfall. A basic Iron Mining Pickaxe works, but upgrading to Steel at a Workshop boosts efficiency.

Craft Iron Ingots: Each Iron Ingot requires 4 Iron Ore and yields decent XP. Smelt in a settlement with a Tier 2 or higher Smelter to avoid bottlenecks. Everfall and Windsward are ideal due to their central locations and low taxes (if your faction controls them).

Optimize Gathering: Equip gear with +Mining Luck to increase rare material drops (e.g., Gems) and use Yield-boosting food like Roasted Potatoes to gather more ore per node. This reduces trips to the Smelter.

Sell or Store Excess: Iron Ingots are in demand for early crafting, so sell extras on the Trading Post for Gold coins to fund future crafts. Store some for Steel Ingots at level 50.

Aim to smelt 200-300 Iron Ingots to reach level 50, depending on your gathering efficiency. This typically takes 2-3 hours with a good route.

Mid-Game Smelting (Levels 50-100)

At level 50, unlock Steel Ingots, which offer better XP per craft but require more resources. The recipe is 3 Iron Ingots, 2 Charcoal, and 1 Flux (e.g., Sand Flux). Strategies include:

Gather Resources: Continue mining Iron Ore for Iron Ingots. Charcoal is crafted at a Woodshop using Green Wood (2 Green Wood = 1 Charcoal). Sand Flux can be harvested from Supply Crates or Bushes, but buying it from the Trading Post is often faster if you have Gold coins.

Efficient Routes: Mine in Monarch's Bluffs or Cutlass Keys, where Iron and Silver veins are plentiful. Combine with Green Wood gathering near settlements to streamline Charcoal production.

Craft Steel Ingots: Smelt Steel Ingots at a Tier 3 Smelter. Each Steel Ingot grants significantly more XP than Iron Ingots. Craft 150-200 Steel Ingots to reach level 100. To save costs, buy Charcoal or Flux from the Trading Post if your gathering time is limited.

Use Buffs: Consume a Proficiency Booster (purchased with faction tokens or crafted) to increase Smelting XP by 10%. Check for territory bonuses in settlements like Brightwood, which may reduce crafting taxes.

This stage requires more planning due to the multi-step recipe, but Steel Ingots sell well, offsetting costs. Expect 4-6 hours of focused gathering and smelting.

Late-Game Smelting (Levels 100-150)

At level 100, unlock Starmetal Ingots, which require 6 Starmetal Ore, 2 Steel Ingots, 4 Charcoal, and 2 Flux. This tier is resource-intensive but offers substantial XP. Tips include:

Mine Starmetal: Starmetal veins spawn in higher-level zones like Great Cleave, Mourningdale, or Edengrove. Use a Steel or Orichalcum Pickaxe and equip +Mining Luck gear to increase yields. Great Cleave's Skysong Crypt is a hotspot for Starmetal.

Stockpile Materials: Continue crafting Iron Ingots and Charcoal as needed. Buy Flux or Charcoal from the Trading Post to save time, as Starmetal Ore is the bottleneck.

Craft Starmetal Ingots: Smelt at a Tier 4 Smelter (available in Ebonscale Reach or Reekwater). Each Starmetal Ingot grants significant XP, and you'll need 100-150 to reach level 150. These ingots are valuable for crafting and trading, so sell extras for Gold.

Aptitude System: After hitting level 100, you'll earn Aptitude XP toward Smelting Aptitude crates, which reward bonus materials. These crates help offset crafting costs.

This tier takes 6-8 hours, depending on mining efficiency and market prices for Flux or Charcoal.

Endgame Smelting (Levels 150-200)

The final push to 200 involves Orichalcum Ingots and, at level 175, Asmodeum. These are the most expensive and XP-heavy recipes:

Mine Orichalcum: Orichalcum veins are found in endgame zones like Reekwater, Shattered Mountain, and Ebonscale Reach. Shattered Mountain's Myrkgard has dense Orichalcum spawns. Use an Orichalcum Pickaxe and maxed-out +Mining Luck gear (e.g., Miner's Armor).

Craft Orichalcum Ingots: Requires 8 Orichalcum Ore, 2 Starmetal Ingots, 6 Charcoal, and 2 Flux. Smelt at a Tier 5 Smelter (Reekwater or Ebonscale Reach). Craft 80-100 Orichalcum Ingots to reach level 175. These are in high demand for endgame crafting, so save some for personal use.

Asmodeum Crafting: At level 175, unlock Asmodeum, requiring 5 Orichalcum Ingots, 2 Tolvium, 2 Cinnabar, 10 Charcoal, and 5 Flux. Tolvium and Cinnabar are rare drops from Orichalcum veins or elite chests. Asmodeum grants massive XP, and 30-40 crafts can push you to 200. Due to high costs, consider buying Tolvium/Cinnabar from the Trading Post.

Maximize Efficiency: Use Smelting Yield gear (e.g., Miner's Charm) to increase material output. Craft in settlements with reduced taxes or Smelting bonuses (check territory boards). Stack Proficiency Boosters and consume Attribute Food (e.g., Mining Proficiency Food) for extra XP.

This stage is the most time-consuming, taking 8-12 hours, but Asmodeum sells for thousands of Gold coins, making it profitable.

Tips for Faster Leveling

Join a Company: Companies often share resources or control settlements with upgraded Smelters and low taxes, reducing costs.

Use the Trading Post: Buy Iron Ore, Charcoal, or Flux when prices are low to save gathering time. Sell excess ingots to fund purchases.

Daily Cooldowns: Craft daily Asmodeum (10 per day) at level 175 to maximize XP and profits, as it's a high-value item.

Track Market Trends: Check the Trading Post for material prices before crafting. If Orichalcum Ore is cheap, buy it to speed up leveling.

Challenges and Considerations

Leveling Smelting is resource-heavy and time-intensive, especially at higher tiers. Competition for Orichalcum nodes in endgame zones can slow progress, so join groups for elite runs or mine during off-hours. RNG affects rare drops like Tolvium, so budget Gold coins for Trading Post purchases if needed. Avoid crafting low-XP items like Silver Ingots past level 50, as they're inefficient.

Conclusion

Leveling Smelting to 200 in New World requires strategic gathering, efficient crafting, and smart use of the Trading Post. By focusing on high-XP recipes like Steel, Starmetal, Orichalcum, and Asmodeum, and optimizing routes in zones like Shattered Mountain, players can reach max level in 20-30 hours. The investment pays off, as high-tier ingots fuel endgame crafting and generate significant Gold coins through sales. For those looking to skip the grind and focus on crafting or PvP, options to buy New World Gold from trusted platforms like mmoexp can provide a quick boost, letting you craft top-tier gear and dominate Aeternum.