leveling
What I enjoy is different from you, clearly — I happen to like leveling via PvE so much that I keep buying slots to make new characters just to have someone to progress during guild down time — but let’s see if any of what I do helps you.
One thing is to do the daily and monthly on the alt you are leveling, even if one of your 80’s could do it faster. I get most of a level just from the daily, and it gives me time playing the alt to learn weapons and utilities better.
Then I can take that deeper experience into dungeons (with my friends, we’ll take a PuG or two with us but I don’t solo join PuGs unless I really need a specific dungeon fast). Dungeon runs net a lot of xp, along with tokens to gradually outfit various alts in pretty clothes.
In exploration, waypoints give the biggest xp chunk compared to pois and vistas, plus once you have them you can travel more quickly to events and world bosses for yet more xp. So don’t worry about map completion unless you are in the mood for getting a zone 100 percented, even though completion gives an xp boost and some nice presents.
Do events. Preferably by wandering the world, but in short bursts the Queensdale champ train can give you a bump.
Do Personal Story at or slightly past level, depending on how well you fight on your mesmer you could even do it when you’re one level too low. That’s another big hunk of xp and if you are only on your 4th character you can probably find story paths you haven’t seen yet.
I hope that all helps.
Another thing you might try (though it may feel a bit grindy) is the Queensdale champ train. With exp boosters it might level you up fairly fast.
Yak’s Bend Server
Crimethink [ct]
On my guardian, I used the exp boosters and kill streak boosts in areas that were 10 or so levels below my character, so that I could run around killing everything, all the while getting … I think it’s 150% more experience, including using nourishments.
I’m not sure how well this would work on a Mesmer, I have not fully leveled one, so…
And all who stood by and did nothing, who are they to criticize the sacrifices of others?
Our blood has bought their lives.