How to Level Units to 40 in Summoners War Efficiently

Reaching level 40 with your primary monsters in Summoners War is the fundamental gateway to end-game content. Many players stagnate because they fall into the trap of inefficient leveling, burning through thousands of crystals and energy on sub-optimal stages. To build a competitive roster, you must treat your energy as a finite, high-value asset. This guide outlines the professional approach to leveling units, balancing the speed of the Dimension Rift with the consistent, repeatable nature of scenario farming to maximize your account’s growth velocity.

The Foundation of Efficient Leveling

In Summoners War, "fodder" refers to the lower-star monsters you feed to others to increase their star level. Your goal is to maximize the experience (EXP) gain per unit of energy spent. Efficiency is calculated by the total EXP gained across your entire team relative to the energy consumed.

When leveling a unit to 40, you are not just leveling one monster; you are managing a pipeline. You should always aim to have one high-damage "Farmer"—a unit capable of clearing a wave solo or with minimal support—and three slots dedicated to fodder.

Mastering the Dimension Rift

The Dimension Rift is currently the most time-efficient method for power-leveling units, provided you have the energy reserves. Unlike standard scenario stages, the Rift provides a massive, flat amount of experience in a single session.

Why the Rift excels:

• Time Efficiency: It offers the highest EXP-per-minute ratio in the game, perfect for when you have a 1-hour or 12-hour EXP booster active.
• Safety: The difficulty is fixed, meaning you don't have to worry about RNG-based losses as much as you would in higher-level scenario hell modes.

Strategy: Only use your Rift entries when you have an active EXP booster. Because the Rift consumes more energy per run than a standard stage, it is a "burst" activity. Use it to quickly cap out your 3-star and 4-star fodder to prepare them for evolution, rather than using it for the final grind to 40, which is better suited for longer, sustained farming sessions.

The Scenario Farming Trap

Many beginners default to Scenario farming, which is not inherently bad, but it is often inefficient due to poor stage selection. To maximize EXP, you must farm in "Hell" mode. If your farmer cannot clear a stage in Hell mode, drop down to Hard—but never farm Normal mode if you can avoid it.

The Golden Rules of Scenario Farming:

1. Faimon Volcano (Hell): The gold standard for mid-game players. It provides excellent EXP and decent sellable runes.
2. Aiden Forest (Hell): Offers slightly higher EXP than Faimon but is generally slower to clear.
3. Chiruka Remains (Hell): The highest EXP yield, but requires a very strong farmer and is statistically slower than Faimon.

Pro Tip: If your farmer is taking more than 45 seconds to clear a stage, your efficiency is plummeting. It is better to move to an easier stage that you can clear in 20 seconds than to struggle through a harder stage that takes a minute.

Optimizing Your Farmer

Your progress is gated by your Farmer. If your Farmer is weak, your leveling is slow. Your primary Farmer should be a monster with strong AoE (Area of Effect) attacks.

• Top-Tier Farmers: Lapis (Water Magic Knight) is the definitive starter farmer. Other notable mentions include Verad, Teshar, or Alicia.
• Rune Requirements: Your Farmer needs sufficient Vampiric runes or raw stats to survive solo. If they cannot sustain themselves, your fodder will die, and you will lose the EXP bonus for those slots.
• Stat Priority: Focus on Attack, Critical Rate, and Critical Damage. Speed is secondary but helpful for clearing waves faster.

Fodder Management and Logistics

Efficient leveling requires a clean, organized process. If you spend 10 minutes in the menu between runs, you are wasting the time on your EXP boosters.

1. Storage Utilization: Keep your storage stocked with maxed-level 2-star monsters.
2. The Evolution Loop: Never waste energy leveling a monster that is already at its max level. As soon as a unit hits its cap, evolve it or use it as fodder immediately.
3. EXP Boosters: Never "waste" an EXP booster. Only pop one when you have a full energy bar, a refill, and a clear plan to farm for the duration of the boost.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

• Leveling Four Units at Once: Unless you are in the very early game, do not level four units that all need experience. Always use one strong Farmer and three fodder units. This is the only way to maintain a 1:3 ratio of efficiency.
• Ignoring Events: Summoners War frequently runs events that provide free energy or EXP boosters. Coordinate your major leveling sessions with these events to maximize your return on investment.
• Over-investing in Weak Monsters: Do not waste energy leveling 2-star or 3-star monsters that have no utility. Research the meta or check your monster collection to ensure you are only leveling units that will contribute to your progression (e.g., fusion materials or core team members).

Strategic Decision Matrix: Rift vs. Scenario

To decide which method to use, look at your current constraints:

Final Word on Progression

Reaching level 40 is a milestone, but it is merely the start of your journey. By using the Dimension Rift for quick bursts and consistent Faimon Hell farming for sustained progress, you ensure your energy is always working for you. Keep your focus on building a stable of 6-star units, as these monsters will eventually allow you to farm Giants, Dragons, and Necro dungeons—the true sources of power in Summoners War. Stay disciplined with your fodder management, keep your farmer strong, and you will find the "grind" to be a predictable, manageable process rather than a chore.