One of the biggest questions new players ask in Last Epoch is how to reach the endgame as quickly and efficiently as possible. While many ARPG players naturally want to rush straight into Monoliths and high corruption farming, understanding the campaign progression system is incredibly important — especially after the newer endgame updates introduced additional mechanics tied directly to campaign completion. An ample supply of cheap Last Epoch gold can also be of great help to you.

Whether you’re a completely new player, returning for a fresh season, or simply looking for the fastest leveling strategy for alternate characters, there are several ways to approach campaign progression in Last Epoch.

Some methods focus on experiencing the full story and unlocking systems naturally, while others allow players to skip large portions of the campaign using dungeons and shortcuts.

Here’s a complete beginner-friendly breakdown of how campaign progression works and how to reach the endgame faster.

Why New Players Should Complete the Full Campaign

Even though skipping parts of the campaign is possible, brand-new players are generally encouraged to complete the entire story at least once.

The biggest reason is progressive knowledge.

Recent updates introduced a mechanic involving Elder Gaspar and the Fractured Omen system, which allows players to unlock corrupted Monoliths faster through special knowledge points. These points are extremely valuable because corrupted maps are where the real endgame begins.

By fully completing Acts 9 and 10, players earn two free knowledge points. Once a total of five points is collected, corrupted maps become available.

The easiest beginner strategy is:

Complete the full campaign

Earn the free campaign knowledge points

Finish one harder map for two points

Finish one easier map for one point

Unlock corrupted maps immediately

For newer players, this approach is far smoother because it also teaches:

Boss mechanics

Dungeon layouts

Side quest progression

Important systems like Idols and passive rewards

The campaign itself has also improved significantly with newer voice lines, updated cutscenes, and additional polish, making it worth experiencing at least once before trying to optimize future runs.

Why Side Quests Matter

One of the biggest mistakes new players make when attempting to rush through the campaign is skipping important side quests.

In Last Epoch, certain side quests reward:

Passive skill points

Idol slots

Both of these are essential for endgame builds.

If you skip too many of them without understanding which rewards matter, you’ll eventually need to backtrack later. That can become confusing and time-consuming, especially for newer players unfamiliar with the map layouts.

This is another reason why a full first playthrough is highly recommended before attempting advanced campaign skips.

The Chapter 5 Skip Method

Once players become more familiar with the game, they can start using dungeon shortcuts to bypass large sections of the campaign.

The earliest major skip begins around Chapter 5 using the Lightless Arbor dungeon.

Step 1: Enter Lightless Arbor

At the Surface area around level 17, players will notice a boot icon. This symbol indicates a campaign bypass route.

Completing the Lightless Arbor dungeon transports players directly to the Corrupted Lake, which then moves them forward into the Imperial Era and eventually to Risen Lake.

This allows players to skip a substantial chunk of the campaign instantly.

Step 2: Use Soulfire Bastion

After progressing through Felwood, players encounter another campaign skip marker tied to the Soulfire Bastion dungeon.

Completing Soulfire Bastion teleports players directly to Kolheim Pass in the Divine Era, bypassing even more story content.

This section is especially important because it unlocks:

Champion’s Gate

The Arena system

Training Dummy access

Several important passive and Idol quest areas

At this point, players are already extremely close to the final chapters of the game.

Step 3: Complete Temporal Sanctum

The final major skip comes from the Temporal Sanctum dungeon.

By completing it, players gain access to Radiant Dunes in the Divine Era, effectively skipping almost all remaining campaign content and pushing them directly toward the final story chapters.

From there, only a small amount of cleanup remains before entering Monolith progression.

Why Dungeon Skipping Can Be Difficult for Beginners

While the Chapter 5 skip method is extremely fast, it does come with some drawbacks.

Dungeon bosses in Last Epoch can be surprisingly challenging for inexperienced players, especially Temporal Sanctum.

Many first-time players struggle with the Sanctum boss because the mechanics require proper movement, timing, and understanding of the fight. Attempting these skips too early without good gear or game knowledge can slow progression rather than speed it up.

This is why many experienced players recommend:

Finish the full campaign once

Learn the dungeon mechanics naturally

Use skips on future characters

Once you understand the encounters, alternate character leveling becomes dramatically faster.

The Chapter 7 Method – The Cleanest Skip Strategy

For many players, the most efficient overall strategy is the Chapter 7 method.

Instead of skipping from Chapter 5 onward, players simply complete Chapters 1 through 7 normally.

The reason this works so well is that by the time you reach Hyboria in Chapter 7, you’ve already completed nearly all of the important side quests that reward:

Passive points

Idol slots

This eliminates most of the annoying backtracking later.

From there, players can:

Stop progressing through the remaining campaign

Head directly into the End of Time

Begin Monolith farming immediately

Unlike the Chapter 5 strategy, this method also avoids requiring dungeon keys early on.

That means:

No Lightless Arbor requirements

No Soulfire Bastion requirements

No Temporal Sanctum runs

It’s simpler, cleaner, and generally safer for newer players who still want faster progression.

Which Campaign Method Is Best?

The “best” approach really depends on player experience and goals.

Full Campaign

Best for:

Brand-new players

Returning players after long breaks

Learning mechanics

Collecting keys naturally

Chapter 5 Skip

Best for:

Experienced players

Fast alternate character leveling

Players are comfortable with dungeon mechanics

Chapter 7 Method

Best for:

Efficient progression

Avoiding backtracking

Simpler leveling routes

Players who dislike dungeon skipping

No matter which route you choose, the goal is ultimately the same: reaching Monoliths and corrupted maps as efficiently as possible. A large amount of Last Epoch gold can also be of great help to you.

And once you arrive there, that’s when Last Epoch’s real endgame truly begins.