How much XP for HOTM 6? The Ultimate Guide to Leveling Up Your Mining Fast
Are you looking to power level your Heart of the Mountain skill to unlock the coveted HOTM 6 perks? This comprehensive guide will break down everything you need to know to blaze through the mining XP grind and achieve HOTM 6.
What Makes HOTM 6 So Important?
Before we dive into mining XP requirements and strategies, let‘s look at why getting Heart of the Mountain to level 6 is such a big deal:
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Doubles your mining speed powder bonus – This is a game changer for mining efficiency. At HOTM 6, a max powder buff will grant +100% mining speed vs only +50% before.
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Unlocks Jade Crystals mining area – This new zone in the Crystal Hollows contains valuable Jade Gems and other ores. Great for farming XP and making money.
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Lucky Breaker perk – Earn a chance at getting bonus gemstone drops while mining. Who doesn‘t love free gems?
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Can use Dwarven Mines powerups – Cash in your unused Dwarven Mines upgrades for big HOTM XP boosts.
Clearly HOTM 6 brings major benefits for miners. So let‘s get into how to get there as fast as possible!
How Much Total XP is Needed?
We first need to know how much total mining XP is required to reach level 6 Heart of the Mountain:
| HOTM Level | Total XP Required |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0 |
| 2 | 10,000 |
| 3 | 25,000 |
| 4 | 50,000 |
| 5 | 100,000 |
| 6 | 160,000 |
- In total, you‘ll need 160,000 mining XP to go from HOTM 1 to 6.
That‘s a ton of mining! But using the right methods, you can actually grind it out fairly quickly.
How Many Commissions to HOTM 6?
Completing daily commissions from the Commissions NPC is a reliable way to gain XP over time.
- Each standard commission completed rewards 500 mining XP.
- To earn 160k XP solely from commissions, you would need 320 total commissions.
- At 5 standard commissions available per day, that comes out to around 64 days of doing your daily commissions.
So while commissions will passively level your HOTM, relying solely on them would take over 2 months to reach HOTM 6.
We can do much better than that!
Fastest & Most Efficient HOTM XP Farming Methods
Commissions are reliable but too slow. To hit HOTM 6 fast, you need to use the most efficient mining XP farming strategies:
Crystal Hollows Mining
Without a doubt, actively mining ores in the Crystal Hollows is by far the fastest method to gain HOTM XP.
- You can expect to earn 5,000 – 10,000 XP per hour mining in the Crystal Hollows.
- That‘s 10-20x faster than relying on commissions alone!
Here are some tips to maximize your XP rates while mining in the Hollows:
- Prioritize Mithril and gemstones – These give the most XP per ore mined.
- Mine in a team – Groups share XP from same ore mined for faster rates.
- Use mining speed gear like Divan‘s armor and Black Belt accessory. Faster mining = more XP per hour.
- Activate mining boost pots for +25% XP gains for 30 minutes.
- Mine near the center of the Hollows for dense ore clusters.
With an optimized setup and strategy, reaching HOTM 6 in just a few hours of Crystal Hollows mining is very feasible.
Cash in Dwarven Mines Powerups
Did you know you can exchange your unused Dwarven Mines powerups for big boosts to Heart of the Mountain XP?
- Speak to a Dwarf Officer in the Mines to cash in powerups.
- Each one you exchange will provide 2,500 HOTM XP.
- You can trade up to 50 powerups per day for 125,000 XP.
Use this if you have a stockpile of unused powerups from mining in the Dwarven Mines. The XP really adds up!
Reset Commissions for Mining Tasks
Make sure to reroll your daily commissions until you get optimal mining tasks like:
- Mine Mithril Ore
- Mine Gemstones
- Mine Quartz
- Kill Crystal Hollow Loot Goblins
Focusing commissions on mining activities will maximize your daily HOTM XP gains.
Optimizing Your Setup for Maximum XP
To really maximize mining XP rates, you need to optimize your setup with the best gear, tools, and accessories.
Here is an example HOTM 6 mining loadout:
Armor
- Divan‘s Armor – Grants insane +650 mining speed and +50 mining fortune. BiS for mining XP.
Tools
- Divan‘s Drill – Top pickaxe for instant ore breaking.
- Pickonimbus Tool – For mining non-ore blocks quickly.
Accessories
- Seared Stone – Gives +100 mining speed. Cheap early game accessory.
- Black Belt – Adds +20 mining fortune for more gemstone drops.
- Golden Singularity (legendary) – Massive +300 mining speed.
Consumables
- Mining XP Boost Potion – +25% XP gain for 30 mins.
- Balloon – Gives +50 mining speed.
- Powder Buff – Up to +100% at HOTM 6.
This optimal setup will allow you to tear through mining XP and reach HOTM 6 in no time!
Comparing Mage vs Melee Mining
An interesting choice when mining for XP is whether to use a mage or melee weapon. Let‘s compare:
Mage
- Use Absorption Hopper for AoE breaks
- Cast spell instantly with mana
- Mana conservation can be tricky
Melee
- Single block breaks, but fast tools
- No mana or ability usage limits
- Can hit full speed instantly
For HOTM XP specifically, melee is preferable to maximize break speed. The Divan‘s Drill exceeds Hopper break rate. Plus mana sustainability can slow mages down.
But mage setups still work fine. Go with whatever you are most comfortable using.
Tracking Your Progress to HOTM 6
To stay on track while grinding XP, use the HOTM menu to monitor your progress to level 6:
- Check your total XP required to next level.
- See mining XP boosts from Dwarven Mines.
- View progress within current level.
Set milestones like reaching 150k XP to stay motivated as you get closer to the goal of 160k for HOTM 6.
Putting it All Together: Reaching HOTM 6 in 3 Days
Now let‘s see a hypothetical 3 day plan to reach Heart of the Mountain 6 from scratch:
Day 1
- Unlock Crystal Hollows
- Complete all daily commissions (2.5k XP)
- Mine mithril/gems in Hollows for 4 hours (40k XP)
Day 2
- Complete commissions (2.5k XP)
- Turn in 30 unused Dwarven Mines powerups (75k XP)
- Mine Hollows for 3 hours (30k XP)
Day 3
- Complete commissions (2.5k XP)
- Mine Hollows for 3 hours (30k XP)
- Achieve HOTM 6! (160k total XP)
Obviously your progress will vary based on playtime. But this shows how feasible hitting HOTM 6 in a few days can be when combining efficient methods.
The key is spending as much time as possible actively mining ores in the Crystal Hollows for that fast XP.
Closing Thoughts
That covers everything you need to know to power level your HOTM skill to 6! To quickly recap:
- You need 160,000 total mining XP to reach HOTM level 6 from 1.
- Crystal Hollows mining provides 5-10k XP per hour, making it far faster than commissions.
- An optimized setup with Divan‘s armor, Black Belt, etc. will maximize your XP gains.
- Use every method available like Dwarven Mines trades and resetting for mining commissions.
With the right strategy, you can grind out the 160k XP needed for HOTM 6 in just a few days. The hugely beneficial perks at level 6 make it well worth the effort.
Let us know if you have any other questions! And happy mining on the path to HOTM 6.