What I Actually Do as a Solo Player in Albion Online

1. Ancient Lands: my current favorite

Before Ancient Lands became available, Open World roaming was almost always my first choice. If I had a couple of hours to play, I'd head out into the Black Zone. Now, I usually find myself choosing Ancient Lands instead.

The biggest reason is how quickly I can get into the action. I don't have to spend half my session looking for something to do. There are mobs to kill, PvP opportunities and loot to chase, all in the same activity.

That mix is what makes it work for me. I don't want every session to be pure PvP, but I also don't want to spend all night clearing mobs. Sometimes I want to try a weapon, clear some PvE, fight another player and come out with a bit of progress. That's basically my ideal session.

I'm also not constantly dealing with large groups in quite the same way I do while roaming the Black Zone. That doesn't mean every fight is fair or that things always go well. I just find the overall experience more enjoyable as a solo player.

There's another benefit: it pushes me to find builds that are useful for both PvE and PvP. A weapon that clears mobs quickly but can't handle another player isn't enough for the way I like to play. Neither is a build that can win a fight but struggles against ordinary PvE.

It's not perfect, but when I log in without a specific goal, Ancient Lands is where I'm most likely to go. For the mechanics and activities available there, see my Ancient Lands Guide or browse Ancient Lands builds.

2. Open World roaming: the unpredictable classic

I still love roaming the Black Zone. There's something great about leaving town without knowing what the next few minutes will look like. You might find a good fight, come across a player farming mobs, grab a valuable resource or end up being chased across the map.

I usually go out with a build, kill mobs, clear camps and look for opportunities. I'm gaining fame and collecting loot even when I don't find PvP, so it never feels like a completely wasted session.

The frustrating part is groups. You can start a decent fight against another solo player and suddenly have three or four people join in. Sometimes the only people you find are traveling together. Trying to survive outnumbered can be fun, and actually winning those fights is incredibly satisfying, but being chased by groups all evening gets old.

For builds that can deal with both mobs and other players, browse my Open World builds.

3. Corrupted Dungeons: when I want to practice PvP

If I'm specifically in the mood for one versus one fights, Corrupted Dungeons are one of the first things I consider. Compared with wandering around the Black Zone, they're much more straightforward: clear some mobs, get into a fight and learn from it.

I think they're one of the best places to improve at 1v1 PvP because you can practice matchups and learn which abilities actually matter. They're also useful for testing a weapon that looks interesting on paper but hasn't been proven in a real fight yet.

Of course, some matchups feel terrible, and occasionally you spend longer chasing someone than you do actually fighting. But when I want focused combat rather than a mix of PvE and PvP, Corrupted Dungeons still make sense.

If you're learning matchups, my PvP counter article covers purges, reflects, defensives and cooldowns. You can also check Corrupted Dungeon builds to find something to practice with.

4. Mists: good solo content, just not my first choice

This one might be surprising: I don't spend much time in the Mists anymore. Before Ancient Lands, they were one of my regular choices for solo PvP. I still think they're a good option, and I definitely haven't written them off.

You can find fights, clear camps, do objectives and make some silver. In solo Mists, you also don't need to worry about large organized groups in the way you do in the Black Zone.

What I enjoy less is the time it can take to find a fight that actually makes sense. Sometimes you meet players wearing far more expensive gear, or someone who is waiting to jump into an existing fight. Other sessions are simply quiet.

I've had plenty of good experiences there. It's just that Ancient Lands now gives me a faster mix of PvE and PvP, and that's more appealing to me at the moment. If the Mists suit your playstyle, my Mists Guide and Mists builds are still worth checking out.

5. Faction Warfare: rarely my choice, great for beginners

I don't play Faction Warfare all that often these days. Personally, I find the routine a little less interesting than roaming and fighting players. But that doesn't make it bad content, especially for someone who is still building up their economy.

Faction Warfare can help newer players earn faction points, fame and rewards that can be sold for silver. You don't need an incredibly expensive build to start, and participating in non-lethal zones is much more forgiving than risking your equipment in lethal content.

I've used Faction Warfare quite a lot to test weapons and level specializations. So even though it's not where I choose to spend most of my time now, I'd absolutely recommend it to beginners who want a more relaxed way to progress.

My Faction Warfare Guide explains how the system works.

6. Gathering: Tier 8 unlocked, but hardly ever a dedicated session

I actually have every gathering profession unlocked at Tier 8. You'd think that means I spend a lot of time gathering, but I almost never log in just to spend hours looking for resource nodes.

Gathering can make very good silver, especially when you're experienced. I just don't personally enjoy dedicated gathering sessions that much. I'd rather be experimenting with builds, clearing content or fighting other players.

That doesn't mean I ignore valuable resources. If I'm already roaming the Black Zone and spot something worth collecting, I'll pick it up when I have the right tool. It's extra silver on top of an activity I already enjoy.

For getting started, see my Gathering Guide.

7. Refining and crafting: the economy side of Albion

Refining and crafting are completely different from the combat activities that usually keep me playing. Instead of focusing on what happens during a fight, a lot of the work happens beforehand: checking resources, comparing prices and deciding whether a production opportunity is worth it.

You have to account for material costs, city bonuses, Focus, taxes and what your finished products will realistically sell for. A craft that looks profitable on the surface might not be once everything is included.

I understand why players enjoy this. There's something satisfying about finding a profitable opportunity through good planning, and you can progress your economy without constantly risking your PvP equipment. It's just not the main reason I log in.

If that part of Albion interests you, the Refining Guide, Refining Profit Calculator and Crafting Planner can help you run the numbers instead of guessing.

8. Black Market flipping: an occasional experiment

Black Market flipping is one of the economy activities I actually enjoy experimenting with. Instead of making silver by killing players or mobs, you look for items you can buy on the market and resell to the Black Market in Caerleon.

The idea is simple, but actually making a profit takes more work. You need to account for purchase prices, taxes, how fast items are likely to sell and the risk of transporting them into Caerleon.

In one of my own sessions, I made roughly 4 million silver per hour. That's a result from one test, not a promise that every player or every session will achieve the same thing. Prices move, opportunities disappear and some items take much longer to sell.

It's something I'll sometimes do when I log in late and there aren't as many players around Caerleon. But even when it's profitable, it's not why I play Albion most of the time.

For finding possible flips more quickly, I've made a Black Market Flips tool on the Habo Hub.

9. The real reason I keep playing solo

There's a pretty obvious pattern in everything I've just talked about. I enjoy the combat side of Albion much more than anything else. I love trying new weapons, finding PvP fights and making different builds work in situations they weren't necessarily designed for.

My favorite activities also let me make silver and fame while doing those things. That's why Ancient Lands has taken over so much of my solo gameplay. Before that, Open World roaming filled a very similar role.

Especially when you're new, building up your economy matters. You need silver to buy equipment and replace losses. But once you're in a comfortable position, you don't have to chase the highest silver-per-hour activity every day.

I could spend all day gathering with my Tier 8 skills. Instead, I'd rather take an affordable build into Ancient Lands, fight someone and see what happens. Maybe I make some silver. Maybe I lose the set. Either way, I've spent my time doing something I enjoy.

That's really how I approach Albion Online nowadays. I don't always have a daily silver or fame goal. Sometimes I just want to try a new weapon and have a good session. There are enough activities in this game for everyone to find something that works for them.