If you’ve spent any time playing Wuthering Waves after clearing the first few story chapters, you’ve almost certainly run into the union progression system. It’s tied to almost every core feature unlock in the game, so it’s no surprise one of the most common questions new players ask is how many union levels in Wuthering Waves there are to work through. I’ve been grinding the game daily since its global launch, and I’ve tested every possible progression path to cut down on unnecessary grind. This guide breaks down the total number of levels, the rewards you’ll earn at each tier, how to level fast, and the mistakes you should avoid wasting time on.
Exact Total Number of Union Levels in Wuthering Waves
As of the latest game update, there are 80 total accessible union levels in Wuthering Waves. These are split into four clear tiers that align with the game’s early, mid, and endgame content loops, so you won’t hit a wall that feels impossible to overcome if you’re keeping up with core tasks. The first 40 levels are intentionally fast to progress through, designed to unlock core features as you learn the game’s mechanics. Levels 41 to 60 slow down a bit, as you start unlocking endgame content that requires stronger teams to complete.
The final 20 levels, 61 to 80, are the slowest to grind, with EXP requirements jumping by almost 40% between each level in the last 10 tiers. You might see rumors online about levels above 80 circulating on player forums, but those are datamined for future content updates and are not accessible to regular players as of right now. I hit the level 60 wall a few months back, and it took me three full days of completing all my daily and weekly tasks to push through to 61, so don’t panic if you get stuck at that point too.
Key Rewards Unlocked at Each Union Level Tier
Union levels aren’t just a meaningless number to show off to your friends. Every 5 to 10 levels, you’ll unlock core game features or valuable rewards that make your entire playthrough much smoother. The rewards are structured to give you exactly what you need at each stage of the game, so you don’t have to grind extra for basic upgrades early on. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect at each tier:
- Levels 1-20: Unlock basic game features including co-op mode, the weapon forge, and the first set of weekly bounty missions. You'll also get 3 free premium pulls for the character banner at level 15.
- Levels 21-40: Unlock hard mode for story stages, the resonance booster system, and access to the golden roost challenge domain. You'll earn a free 4-star selector box at level 30 that lets you pick any standard 4-star character for your team.
- Levels 41-60: Unlock endgame difficulty domains, guild wars, and the relic re-roll system. You get 10 free premium pulls at level 50, plus a free 5-star weapon selector at level 60.
- Levels 61-80: Unlock the abyss challenge mode, exclusive character skins, and the highest tier of weekly rewards. You'll get a free limited banner 5-star selector at level 80, which is the most valuable reward in the entire union progression track.
Don’t sleep on the level 30 4-star character selector if you’re a new player. I picked Jiyan when I hit that level, and he carried my entire team through to level 50 without needing any rare 5-star weapons or high-tier relics. It’s one of the most valuable free rewards the game gives out early on, so make sure you pick a character that fits your playstyle.
Fastest Ways to Earn Union EXP to Level Up Quickly
Not all in-game tasks give the same amount of union EXP, so prioritizing the right ones can cut your total grind time by almost 30% in my experience. You don’t have to play 4 hours a day to hit max level fast; you just have to focus on the highest yield tasks first. Daily commissions are non-negotiable if you want to level fast. They give 1200 union EXP every day, take less than 10 minutes to complete, and you’ll also get extra primogems and upgrade materials for finishing them. Even if you only have 15 minutes to play in a day, knock out your commissions first.
Weekly bounty missions are the next highest priority, giving 5000 union EXP per run with 3 available per week. Always pick the highest rarity bounties first, as they give the same amount of EXP as lower rarity ones but drop far better extra rewards like high-tier relics and rare upgrade materials. Main story quests give massive chunks of EXP per chapter, so if you’re stuck at a level gate that blocks you from accessing new content, pushing through the next story segment will usually bump you up 2 or 3 levels at once, no extra grind needed. Open world exploration gives small amounts of EXP for every chest you open and puzzle you solve, so it’s a good way to passively earn EXP while you’re farming for character or weapon upgrade materials. But don’t waste your time on low-level open world events if you’re trying to level fast; they only give 50 EXP each and take way too long to complete for the payout.
Common Union Level Progression Mistakes to Avoid
It’s easy to make small mistakes early on that set your union progression back weeks, especially if you’re a new player who doesn’t know what systems unlock later. I made almost all of these mistakes when I first started, so I can tell you exactly what to skip. Save all your union points until you unlock the relic re-roll system at level 40. A lot of new players spend their union points on common upgrade materials like low-tier ores or experience books early on, but those are easy to farm for free in open world. The relic re-roll system lets you fix bad stats on your best endgame relics, and it’s far and away the best use for your union points. I wasted almost 10,000 union points on low-tier materials when I first started, and I regretted it for weeks when I had to grind extra to get enough points to re-roll my first good 5-star relic.
Another common mistake is avoiding co-op missions. A lot of players prefer to play solo, but co-op weekly missions give an extra 2000 union EXP per run, with 2 available per week. That’s almost a full level’s worth of EXP every week for 10 minutes of play, so it’s well worth joining a quick random lobby even if you don’t like playing with other people. Don’t hoard all your daily stamina for character upgrades only either. Spending 20 stamina per day on the union daily domain gives an extra 800 EXP, which adds up really fast over time. I used to spend all my stamina on character level up materials, and I fell 5 levels behind my friends who split their stamina evenly between character upgrades and union domains. Finally, don’t forget to claim your daily login rewards every day, as they often include union EXP potions that give 500 EXP each for free, no work required.
So if you were wondering how many union levels in Wuthering Waves there are, the current total is 80, with more levels almost certainly coming in future content updates as the game adds new story chapters and endgame features. The grind can feel long at points, especially in the final 20 levels, but prioritizing high-yield tasks and avoiding the common mistakes I listed will help you hit max level way faster than you expect. Even if you only play 30 minutes a day, you can hit max level in about 3 months if you stick to your daily commissions and weekly tasks. If you have any other questions about union progression, drop them in the comment section below and I’ll help you work through them.