Experience points (XP) are awarded for the following.
Treasure. You earn 1 XP for every 1 gp (10 sp) of treasure recovered from dungeons, the wilderness, or other adventure areas. Gems, art objects, trade goods, and so forth are worth their value in silver. Magic items are worth XP based on half their value, regardless of whether they are kept or sold.
Exploration. Experience is also awarded for exploring new regions and adventure sites. An award is given for each new landmark discovered (in the wilderness) and for each rooms explored (in a dungeon). The amount of XP is based on the area’s challenge rating (CR). The definition of a “room” or “landmark” is somewhat flexible and will be adjudicated by the referee.
New Monsters. Experience is awarded for encountering a new species of monster. The reward is based on the challenge rating of the monster.
Major Foes. Experience (by CR) is awarded for defeating major foes, such as the leader of a villainous faction, or a unique monster at the heart of a dungeon.
Experience is not awarded for defeating typical opponents and wandering monsters. Encounters with these creatures should be considered an obstacle, not a goal. In many cases, stealth or negotiation may be more advantageous than combat.
Exploration and monster discovery experience only count when the discovery is genuinely new to everyone in the party. You cannot earn “tourism XP” for going to see something that other people have already discovered, unless the site has changed significantly since the last time it was explored.
Experience is awarded at the end of a session or when the characters take a week-long rest. Experience earned during an adventure is divided equally among all the characters who took part in it.
Gaining a level. To level up, you must spend XP equal to (100 × your current level), reducing your XP total by the amount spent. When you spend XP to level up, you must also spend one week of downtime practicing and developing your new skills.
Experience Source |
Amount |
|---|---|
Money, gems, art, trade goods |
1 XP per gold piece of value |
Equipment, magic items |
1 XP per gold piece in sale price (50% of purchase price) |
Landmark or room explored |
6 XP × Challenge Rating of area |
New monster encountered |
15 XP × Challenge Rating of monster |
Major foe defeated |
30 XP × Challenge Rating of monster |
Ability Score Improvement. Whenever you attain a level divisible by 4, you may improve two different ability scores by 1 point each.
Dodge bonus. When you reach level 5, you gain a permanent +1 dodge bonus to AC. This bonus increases by 1 each time you reach another level divisible by 5.
A character may choose to pursue multiple classes, becoming more well-rounded while progressing more slowly in each individual class.
It costs 200 XP to reach level 1 in a new class. Thereafter, you can choose on which of your classes to spend your XP. Your progression in each class is independent. That is, your level as a wizard does not affect the cost of gaining levels as a thief. A fifth-level wizard who gains a level as a thief becomes a “Wizard 5/Thief 1.” (It may be observed that advancing to level 1 in a new class costs more than advancing to level 2 in an existing class. This is intentional, and represents the difficulty of learning a new set of skills.)
When a rule or effect refers to your level without specifying a particular class, use your highest level in any class, not the sum of your levels in all classes.
Some classes are naturally related, making it easier to multiclass from one to the other. The XP cost to gain a new level in a related class is halved, provided your level in the main class is at least twice the new level you wish to gain in the related class. For example, a sixth level Paladin can gain three levels as a Cleric at half the usual XP cost.
Main Class |
Discounted Class |
|---|---|
Paladin |
Cleric |
Ranger |
Druid |
Thief |
Wizard |
On the other hand, certain classes cannot be combined through multiclassing because they embody diametrically opposed philosophies or entail loyalties to different powers. You cannot gain levels in a class if you have levels in its opposed class (or vice versa).
Class |
Opposed Class |
|---|---|
Barbarian |
Monk |
Witch |
Cleric; Paladin |
Paladin |
Thief; Witch |
When you gain a new level as a multiclass character, you will need to determine what benefits you gain. If your new level is higher than your level in any other class, you gain all the benefits of the new level, just as if it were your only class.
Otherwise, use the guidelines below to determine what benefits you gain from your new multiclass level. Generally, you can expect a multiclass character to have more skills, feats, and abilities than single-class characters with the same amount of experience, but lower numerical attributes in their area of specialty.
Skill points. When you gain a new multiclass level (e.g., becoming a level 4 Thief when you are already a level 4 Wizard), you receive 3 fewer skill points than the usual amount for your new class (to a minimum of one new skill point). You can use these skill points to increase any of your skills, and the maximum rank is based on your highest class level.
Class skills. Any skill that is a class skill for any of your classes receives the +3 class skill bonus if you have at least 1 rank in it.
Ability score improvements and dodge bonus. An ability score improvement is only granted the first time you attain each level divisible by 4. Likewise, a +1 dodge bonus is granted only the first time you reach each level divisible by 5. Reaching the same level in another class does not grant any further improvement.
Feats. If your new multiclass level grants you a feat, you gain that feat. Most classes gain a feat at every third level, although fighters and thieves gain feats more often. If a feat requires you to belong to a specific class, you can only select that feat when advancing in the required class. Likewise, if the feat requires a certain level or base attack bonus, you can only select the feat if you meet the requirement through the current class.
Class abilities. If your new class offers an ability you do not have, you gain the ability. If you have already obtained the same ability from another class, you do not gain it again (you don’t get “two copies” of the ability, or anything like that).
Numerical attributes. Calculate you hit points, saving throws, and base attack bonus for each of your classes independently based on your level in that class. Then, use the highest value for each attribute. In some cases, this may mean that your numerical attributes do not increase when you gain a new multiclass level.
For example, a fourth-level wizard has 15 hit points, while a second-level barbarian has 18 hit points (not counting any Constitution modifier). Therefore, a Wizard 4/Barbarian 2 has 18 hit points (the higher value).
Spells known and memorized. Your spells known and memorized for each class are completely separate. You level in each class determines the highest level of spells you can cast from that class (including with metamagic). For example, a Wizard 9/Cleric 4 can cast Wizard spells of up to fifth level and Cleric spells of up to second level.
Spell slots. Your spell slots per day are shared between all classes. Use the values for your highest-level spellcasting class. For example, a Wizard 9/Cleric 4 has the same spell slots as a single-classed Wizard 9.
Caster level. For the purpose of regaining spell slots after an eight-hour rest, use your highest caster level. For the purpose of Spellcraft checks, use the caster level applicable to the spell you are casting. For example, when casting a Cleric spell, use your Cleric level and Wisdom modifier to determine your Spellcraft modifier.
Extra feats. Characters normally earn feats by gaining levels. However, some characters may wish to gain additional feats. You can gain an extra feat by spending 500 XP and one week of downtime training. You must meet all the prerequisites for the feat as usual.
Ability advancement (requires level 10). Once you have reached level 10 in at least one class, you can spend XP to permanently increase your ability scores. To increase a score by 1 point, you must spend 1,000 XP and one week of downtime. You can do this multiple times to increase the same score or multiple scores. The maximum score that can be attained for each ability in this way is 24.