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Advancing a level

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Once a character has gained enough experience, they can speak with a trainer to advance (increase) their level.

Advancing a Heroic Level[edit]

Heroic characters have class levels as well as character level. To advance their character level, the character must advance a level in a particular class. Speak to the trainer for that class, and choose "Advance to the next level as a Class".

Speaking to a class trainer


Heroic characters may advance in up to three classes, though only one class may be advanced per character level. See multiclassing for more information. Most of the benefits gained at leveling up are determined by the class level being gained.

Gains from leveling up are based on your character at the time of leveling up. Increases to your ability scores during later levels do not retroactively apply to levels already taken.

Benefits from gaining a level[edit]

When your character gains a heroic level, the following benefits are based on character level:

  • Your Character level increases by 1 (to a maximum of 20).
  • You may be granted an ability score increase (character levels 4,8,12,16,20).
  • You may be able to choose a feat (character levels 3,6,9,12,15,18).

When your character gains a heroic level, the following benefits are based on the class level taken.

  • You gain a hit die. Maximum hit points increase, based on the new hit die and constitution modifier.
  • Your base attack bonus may increase.
  • Your saving throws may increase.
  • You gain (and must spend) skill points
  • You may gain additional feats or abilities from their new class. If feats, you may be able to choose which feats.
  • You may gain additional spells.
  • You may gain additional spell points.
  • Your pet (artificer or druid) improves its base statistics. It may be eligible to gain additional abilities.

Advancing a level (UI)[edit]

Gaining a level moves through the following screens (up to 5):

Raise one ability score[edit]

Every four character levels, the base value for one ability score can be increased by one point. Ability score increases depend on character level, not class level.

Raise one ability score


The increased value is used through the rest of the level up process.

  • The increased value is used when checking feat prerequisites.
  • If intelligence is chosen and the modifier increases, you will gain an extra skill point.

Spend your skill points[edit]

Based on your class, race, and intelligence score, you will have a number of skill points to spend on increasing skill ranks. For some characters this can be as few as 1, though a rogue with very high intelligence can easily gain over 15 skill points per level.

Number of skill points and cost of skill ranks is based on the class level being increased. Class skills cost 1 point per rank. Cross-class skills cost 2 points per rank (or 1 point per half rank). Maximum ranks is character level + 3 if the skill is a class skill for any of your classes, or half that otherwise. Skill points must be fully spent each level.

Spend your skill points


Choose feats[edit]

Level 1 characters choose 1 feat, plus any feat choices granted by their class. Humans gain an additional feat at level 1.

Every three character levels (starting from 3), a character must choose a new feat. In addition, class levels may grant feats. Some of these feats are applied automatically; others must be chosen. Class feats have a yellow border to distinguish them from common feats.

  • some feats may be available both as class feats and common feats.
  • class feats sometimes ignore prerequisites required by the same feat taken normally.
  • sometimes the "choose feats" window will require you to actually choose a class feat even though there is only one option.

Choose a feat

Select spells[edit]

If your chosen class can cast spells, you may be asked to choose new spells.

Choose a new spell

Advancement complete[edit]

This page summarizes all the benefits gained from advancing this level.

Advancement complete

From this page, you can:

  • go back and change your choices
  • cancel the advancement process
  • finish advancing to the new level

Once you select "Finish", your choices are permanent, and can only be reversed by lesser reincarnation.

Advancing an Epic Level[edit]

Epic characters (level 20 or more) do not gain additional class levels when they advance. Instead, fixed benefits are gained based on the new epic character level.